Tale of Four

After a few days, Tristan saw Elias and Mabel walk onto the training yard, swords in hand. He had specifically made sure to stay away from Edmund today, wishing to speak to the sbiling alone about what he had experienced with Annabell. Although they may not have been the best people to trust, Elias was the only person he had seen so far partially merge with his summon, making some of its features appear on his body.

Waiting, he openly looked at the two, getting their attention, knowing he would never be so obvious if he didn’t need soemthing. Seeing that they saw him, he turned around and slowly walked through the rose hedges, skillfully cutting through the hedge maze, able to remember his way through. He had already gotten word from Annabell that the maze was clear.

Looking at the canopy, Tristan took a deep breath, sat down, pulled the leather pouch at his waist off, and sipped the wine, enjoying its sour, delightful taste. He couldn’t be sure when the two would arrive, and whilst he was out of sight, unable to feel the gazes that had been on him constantly, he decided to let himself relax and indulge.

Although he rarely drank wine, scared about what might happen if he had too much and ended up drunk, the feeling of constantly being watched was eating at him. He found it amazing that he hadn’t already gone insane and ran to Brandon, offering anything to make it end. Sighing, he brought the leather pouch to his lips again and rested his feet on the table, leaning back and enjoying himself.

Annabell flew up in the sky, keeping watch, ready to warn Tristan the moment someone was coming, but also playing a game with herself as she dove and rose, repeatedly trying to see how fast she could go. Others may have lost Annabell as she rose towards the clouds and sun, her white getting lost in it, but to Tristan, it was impossible, able to see the small bird wherever she was.

’Maybe I should do this more. It’s not bad to relax like this.’ Telling himself, a thin smile formed on his lips as he watched Annabell play around, taking small drinks in between. A soft breeze blew past, occasionally helping with the summer warmth, carrying with it the scent of roses. Minutes turned into an hour. Throughout the entire time, Annabell didn’t tire or get bored, finding new games she could play in the sky, but eventually she stopped and fell back down, landing on the table.

”They’re coming.” Tristan sighed, sad that his peace was already over and stood up, closing his leather pouch and retaching it to his waist. Standing to the side of the table, he watched the entrance from which the two royal children came and smiled, bowing towards them.

”If you’re going to ask us to come here, drop the act. You know how I feel about it.” Elias said coldly, taking a seat, Mabel by his side. Looking at them, Tristan smiled and sat when allowed, leaning backwards. Annabell landed on his head, her head darting from the two with a cautious glare. ”Why are we here? I believe we already discussed everything necessary to prepare for the tournament.”

’I can’t start with the summoning. I need to draw them in.’ He knew any answer he wanted wouldn’t be given freely, and whatever Elias asked as payment was soemthing he knew he would hate paying. ’I can only play that card.’

”I spoke to the chancellor,” Tristan said with a quiet voice, making sure even the king’s guard couldn’t hear them. His words had the intended effect as the two Royal children’s eyes slowly widened in surprise, then anger, before confusion.

”What did you talk about?” Mabel took the lead on the topic, knowing her brother struggled to keep his mood in check whenever Brandon was brought up.

”To say we spoke may be a little wrong. He interrogated me, and I could hide nothing from him.” The two frowned and stared at Tristan with a dangerous glare, wondering if he siad anything about them. ”Relax, his line of questioning wasn’t about you but a heresy that is spreading in the capital.”

”Lady Death? Why would he care about you regarding that?” Mabel said her eyes unblinking as she leaned backwards, taking the leather pouch off her belt and taking a sip, water running down her chin as she greedily did.

”Becuase he believed I fit the correct conditions to be a believer. Added to this, my plan with you two the other day did me no favours.” It was Elias’s turn to speak, his chuckles finding delight in Tristan’s previous plan backfiring so spectacularly.

”So did he torture you or threaten you?” Elias’s lips curled, Tristan, seeing a plan forming in his mind on ways to curb his uncle’s influence. Seeing it and having spoken to Brandon, Tristan couldn’t understand why they hated him so much. Elias was more obvious in that he hated people like Brandon, who hid behind polite smiles, but the hatred had gone past a point of disgust with character.

”My Prince?” Tristan knew it was dangerous but didn’t care, needing to know why the hatred existed if he were to attach himself to their faction, ”Princess. This may be forward, but...” He paused and took a sharp breath. ”Why do you hate the Chancellor so much?”

Elias’ gaze hardened as he leaned forward, interlocking his fingers like his father, ”Yes, I guess a nameless Princeling wouldn’t understand.” Elias’s handsome face morphed with disgust, ”That man, Tristan, is not a human. He is a creature who wears human skin, pretending he is one of us.” Elias looked Tristan up and down, ”A little like you, after all, you’re a painting more than a human.”

Tristan frowned as Elias carried on, ”He can never be trusted, Tristan. People have whispered the stupid rumour that he murdered his brother’s children, so he could cause a succession crisis, but he did not. If anything, only that creature I call an uncle could be capable of such a thing.” Elias gaze sharpened, ”Why does my father allow it to walk around is beyond me.”

Tristan peeked at Mabel. Although there was dislike in her eyes, it wasn’t to the same degree as Elias. ’This isn’t a normal level of hate. This hatred, it’s like it’s a part of his soul, a part of him is truly unable to see Brandon as a human who can exist in the same world as him.’

Thinking of those fiery wings he had seen previously, a thought formed, ’Is that why Annabellhated it so much. Becuase each time a merge occurs, the summoner becomes a little more like their summon.’

”Your Highness. Don’t you think that is a little too much? The Chancellor has faithfully served both your father and the late king.” Elias ground his teeth and shook his head.

”Don’t be tricked, Tristan. That man is a person who is simply waiting for his chance.” Elias said with certainty. Tristan looked down and thought about it. The last words Brandon had left him with were a claim that he protected the dynasty at the cost of his ambition.

Although Tristan couldn’t be sure if it was the truth, unable to read if Brandon just chose the best answer instead of voicing his real thoughts, he wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, to trust and believe that Brandon, even if he felt cheated, simply wished for his brother and the family’s safety. That the pause he gave during his appointment as Chancellor wasn’t a moment planning how he would take his birthright back, but the grief of a man whom everyone believed unshakable.

”That isn’t fair, Your Highness.” Tristan looked up and met Elias’ gaze, ”The chancellor could be working for the dynasty, trying to ensure it survives, knowing it is its strongest when he and His grace work together. You judge him based on what you see, not what you know.” Tristan said with a rare power in his voice.

Mabel said nothing, looking at him with a questioning gaze, wondering why he was so bold. Despite her look, she didn’t push Tristan’s words out of her mind, knowing it must have been built on soemthing.

Ellias was different. With a scoff, he chuckled, ”After one meeting, you all of a sudden know him better than me. A man I have grown up with my entire life.” Elias looked down upon him with disgust, ”You may have good eyes, Tristan, but don’t act like you know everyone’s hearts from just a look.”

”I know this, Your Highness.” Tristan rose, his initial intention long gone from his mind, not wishing to get the help he needed from Elias, knowing that the hatred he had for their uncle would one day be directed towards him becuase of how he chose to live, ”You may kill me if you please after I say this, but you must know, for your own good.”

Elias went to scream at Tristan, but stopped when Mabel rested a hand on his leg. ”Your mind has been clouded by something. I can understand distrust; I can even understand dislike. But you no longer see your own blood as human. Soemthing has inherently broken in your mind. If you don’t figure it out, I am afraid you may make a mistake and not even realise.”