Chapter 239 - A Harsh Ruler

It's late at night when we get out of the brothel and walk towards the harbour. These alleys are different during the night, so I need a few moments to understand which direction to take.

In the end, we reach Diogenes's ship just in time. He's ready to leave as well, and he's ordering his men around.

«My Queen's husband must be a big shot for real,» he comments when he sees us. «The document he signed was accepted without delays. They didn't even complain that it came out of nowhere.»

«The sigil of Kyre is well known in the army,» I reply, shrugging.

I don't even pay too much attention to how Alexander didn't correct Diogenes when he said my Queen. He prefers it to the other option that was explored during the trip.

«No one made problems. They didn't even ask for proof of identity. We've been assigned dock number five for the next year. And they didn't ask a single cent.»

«I've already reserved the docks from number five to eight for my purposes,» Alexander explains. «You'll pay the rent to me and not the soldiers.»

«Oh,» Diogenes understands. He crosses his arms. He'll soon start to bargain to reduce the price.

At least, he knows how to do that. He'll obtain the best price in the end. No matter how clumsy Diogenes can be on formal occasions, he knows how to do his job. There must be a reason why I kept him at my court, right?

«Two per cent of net income,» Alexander offers.

«Net income?» the other repeats, surprised. «Pirates don't have costs.»

«I'm talking about the commercial part of your job. You don't need to continue with piracy, by the way. Do I have to teach you how to falsify business accounts?» Alexander spits out, annoyed.

«All right,» Diogenes nods, «ten per cent!»

He offers his hand to Alexander, and they shake hands like businessmen. Too bad that neither is one.

«You've given up immediately,» I say when Alexander and I are alone.

«It was pointless to struggle.»

«You could have obtained fifteen per cent,» I point out. «Maybe even twenty.»

«Yes, twenty per cent of a random number, Thea. It's the same amount, in the end. He'll write some symbolic numbers and try convincing me they're real.»

«I've never seen you give up so fast, Alexander.»

«Once, I asked Diogenes to procure me some rare books,» he explains. «I'm still ashamed of the price he paid for them. I considered looking for the seller and refunding him.»

«Diogenes is like this,» I chuckle. «Too bad that he doesn't know when to stop. He would try to bargain even when negotiating with foreign delegations. He doesn't understand that it's not always about money. But if there is someone with whom the treasure is safe, it's him. He won't spend a single cent more than necessary.»

«You told me about it when I brought the books to you. You punished Diogenes quite harshly after some small incident, didn't you?»

«Haven't I told you how?»

«No, you just tightened your lips and made the grimace you always do when you consider whether you've been too harsh. I can't imagine what poor Diogenes has gone through.»

«I ordered him to look at the floor for the rest of the delegation's stay,» I confess.

«Oh, you pretended to have punished him,» Alexander realises, bursting out laughing. «The delegation must have thought he was behaving like that because he was scolded harshly or something. You're amazing, Thea. And you tend to protect your people a bit too much.»

«It's just the way I am,» I shrug. «And you just offered the use of your dock for free... You won't get money from Diogenes, you know that, right?»

«I prefer having contacts with them and a good relationship. Who knows what has the future in store for us?»

«You're wise,» I praise him, accompanying my words with a hug. After all, I have to make him forget about the incident with the prostitutes. I don't want to talk about that anymore.

«You just told me I'm bad at bargaining, Thea. Like, three minutes ago.»

«I was wrong, three minutes ago. But now I'm right.»

«Why are you flattering me?»

«Because I haven't in a while,» I explain. «And you're going to massage my legs tonight too, aren't you?»

«I am,» Alexander sighs as he surrenders to his wife's wishes. «Can you walk?»

«I can. Let's go; I'm tired.»

He covers me with his mantle over my cloak, to shield me from the fresh breeze that comes from the sea. The moon in the sky is full and round, and it lightens the streets. The night is peaceful, except for a couple of drunkards causing havoc somewhere nearby.

«This reminds me of the past,» Alexander murmurs, pulling me closer to him. «Of how we used to sneak in the city and have fun.»

I was going to say the same.

«I can't believe Queen Theodora actually brought you with her,» I comment. «Was it before or after Elias's birth?»

«Before. A few weeks after I returned from Kyre.»

«You went home?»

«Yes, you organised my journey. It was a pity that a Queen can't leave her land just like that.»

«But you showed me your home, in the end.» He fulfilled that dream.

«I had to die before that, though,» he chuckles. «It wasn't easy.»

Two lives seem like the best term for a person: during the first, one lists their desires; during the second, one works to reach their goals.

When morning comes, we get on the carriage and resume the journey to the capital. We won't make any other stop, so I relax and try to rest as much as the shaking let me.

Kyre's roads are the best of the Empire. The amount of stones and not maintained stretches are annoying. I guess this is part of the reason people prefer to go by sea.

Without breaks, it would take us a week. Without hurry, though, we're ready to reach the capital in ten days or so. I'm in a delicate state, and the stomach can now be seen no matter how loose a dress I wear.

Only a cloak can cover it, as of now.

While we pass through a forest, where the trees haven't reclaimed the path by some miracle, the carriage slows down all of a sudden. Until it stops.

«Is something broken?» I mutter, rubbing my eyes to wake up. I move my head away from Alexander's shoulder and stretch my legs as much as the space in the carriage allows me.

Carriages in Kyre are also more comfortable.

«Something is wrong,» Alexander replies while reaching out for his sword on the floor. «Stay inside until I check what's the matter.»

The moment he opens the door, though, a few swords are pointed at him. The grip around his weapon tightens, but he can't use it in such a narrow place. He doesn't want to hurt me in the process, so he keeps his arms at the sides, shielding me with his body.

«What do we have here?» one of the men outside asks.

His smirk has a couple of holes, where once teeth must have been. His right eye is swept by a scar, making him look even eerier.

The question, now, is whether they're bandits for real.

The simple fact that we're still alive, though, seems to show that this is not yet another assassination attempt.

Sending Elisabeth away is enough to calm the Count down, but his father isn't that easy to manipulate. The Duke might be behind this.

Yet, these people do not look like paid assassins. Not even a bit.

They look like regular bandits: dirty, evil and in despair.

Giving them our gold should save our lives. I hope.