Chapter 81: Nothing Suspicious at the Castle

Chapter 81: Nothing Suspicious at the Castle

You didnt tell me you had a brother, Aaron said, the next he was at Onekin. The trip had been pleasantly uneventful, and made entirely on the feet of horses rather than upon his own sore hooves.

John Baker did not look up from where he was kneading dough with unnecessary force. Do you have a letter for me? Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

Not this time. Delivered yours, though, Aaron said. You didnt tell me you had a twin.

Its not a thing most find important, down here.

Maybe you havent gone down far enough, Aaron said.

The enclave boy looked at him for first time in this conversation, blowing a strand of hair out of his eyes. His suspicious look was a match for his brothers.

After a moment, he wiped flour off on his apron, then pulled a somewhat crumpled letter from his pocket.

Aaron took it.

* * *

The Lady had poisons in her room. So very, very many poisons. Any of them would have done for the former king, may his soul not wander. Or helped him, if hed had the kind of illness that could be helped. The difference between medicine and poison was often dosage.

If she had all these, then why had she kept sending him to Twokins with orders for more?

Aaron, for the first time in his life, wrote a letter. His handwriting was big and blocky and inconsistent, and he was not entirely certain hed spelled everything right, but if there was anyone who could figure out his nonsense it was the raccoon down in Twokins. He took off his too-fine red coat; despaired a little, when he realized he didnt have anything properly scruffy to change into. Then he went to the Downs.

Though hed probably like to, come to think of it.

Its perfect, the boy said.

Ive got some stories for you, too, Aaron said, shifting. Not of your siblings. Just what Ive been up to. If youd like them.

Yes.

So Aaron perched on the edge of one of His Highness tables, and talked about dragons and bears and flowers blooming on spring babes, and other things that were just him.

And the prince listened raptly, even as he carefully sawed the dragon bone into cross sections as best as one could with a regular knife. There was much exclaiming over the strange cross-hatching inside, and much lamenting about how much hed accidentally broken.

Maybe Aaron should get the boy a bonesaw, next. It seemed the sort of gift best arranged while the good lieutenant was still away.

* * *

Aaron checked a map. He could have gotten a fancy one from the library, but some of those were too hard for him to make out, with their squiggling lines that meant things like elevation and other things that werent meant to be drawn so flat.

He went to the little side room where King Orins council met, instead. It didnt look to have seen much use in His Majestys absence. The servants had reset the councilors chairs into a perfect circle around the rug on the floor, which was a map of Last o the Isles that even Aaron could decipher.

He found the enclaves to the north. Took a little side-step down the coastal road. Then stretched out his legs, like he was a thing that could fly, straight over the Lord of Seasons forest and into the mountains that cradled the capital.

Well. That probably wasnt good.