Return to the Black Waters

Part 3: The Spymaster

Aetri lay in his bed for a time, the mattress was old and uncomfortable but fresh with the scent of cool lavender. He lay on his side, looking out of the window to the gentle night time snowfall that misted up the start sky like flour on a slate of shining obsidian.

He wondered if He could sleep without having those strange dreams again, more and more they had increased in intensity over the recent nights, not that He could remember them in their entirety despite the shadows of their themes lingered on his restless morrow

Lee frequented his thoughts, of her hot breaths and her warmth, Kira also swam in the pools of his thoughts, and the conflict his earlier encounter with Lee sparked. He thought on his Guilt, on how little it plagued him when it should have and if the strange twinge of doubt he felt would ever overshadow his love for her... He did love her though right? He loved Lee and loved Crow, and He Loved Frigg too... wasn't it wrong to feel this way about multiple women?

But when He finally drifted off, to the sound of the whipping winds and the Snowflakes striking at the panes of his window... Aetri thought of home, and his family... And an inferno that burned at his mind as He slipped into restlessness.

"Ah!" Aetri flew out of the ice-cold pool of shallow onyx water, the rumbling whispers of a thousand voices deafening in their silence. It was Black as Night, blacker than that but just as before everything paradoxically shone in a blinding symphony of black and faint white culminating on that moonlit obelisk in the far distant vista.

"Th-this place again... I've been here before? I was here... in my dreams, how could I have forgotten?"

"This place does not remain in the minds of mortal men." Aetri jolted, twisting and turning to locate the voice, only to be met by the empty whispering darkness

"You, I Remember You... Your... Waiter? Wanter?" He prodded at his memories, but they were uneasy, fragmented.

"My Name is Watcher, My Brother was Ruler, My father was Madman... And I must make you remember." The soft tone of this invisible being was intense and unnerving... but ultimately familiar.

"You... You have no idea what your asking... I-I don't want to remember, I just want to live in peace."

Aetri froze as He felt the presence behind him again, a cold, hard hand resting on his shoulder "Would You really try and find peace when those you love live in the fire? No. You will remember, and You will meet your fate. Now prepare yourself."

He felt that ungodly slam of power wrench deep into his mind, sending him twisting and turning until He slipped through the fissure into a mind that wasn't his own.

---

After strapping on his long thick leather boots, the Lord-Regent gathered his shoulder-length iron-grey hair, brushing and binding it behind his head in a tight half ponytail. Oswuld lingered as his reflection looked back at him with golden eyes, “Gotten a bit broad,” He said contemplating his slightly fatty stomach but smiled when flexing his biceps, watching as they inflated with the still powerful muscle, it was true that the Lord-Regent had lost his abs and wasn’t exactly statuesque anymore, but He was an older man now, such a thing didn’t matter as long as he was still strong and his family still loved him.

The Lord’s nose, however, had not become any less keen, picking up a faint, although familiar scent: the subtlest of lavender perfumes.

He grinned under his beard “I can smell You.” He muttered as He turned to see just what He expected.

Knelt respectfully at the Lord Regent's feet was a small woman, covered head to toe in Black garments.

Tightly did the coal-black bodysuit hug her agile form, light plates of dark leather covering select sections of her body, while Armoured dark boots were strapped to her feet and a long feather cloak covered her shoulders.

"It's not like You to be sloppy" Spoke Oswuld sniffing at her lavender scent and smiling "I'm glad that You have returned safely"

The Woman in black arose from her kneeling position, Her beaked Star-metal silver mask staring blankly at the Prince

“Travel from the Redlands was difficult, Master,” spoke the Spymaster, Her muffled tone lucid and cold “I did not have time to wash the perfume away.” Oz chuckled as he rested a kind hand on the small woman’s shoulder

“Don't fret old friend, just be happy that Queen Gwynevere left already.” Oz noticed his lack of upper-body coverage “Is there a reason You have appeared in My chambers so early in the morning, Lord Paravant's Ball went over smoothly I hope?”

The shadowed Spymaster gave the Old Lord a pressing look “I have urgent News, Master, there is trouble brewing in Serpent’s pass.”

“Serpent's pass?” Oz's face became grave, He did not like to hear of that place.

If She made the journey personally, without sending a message first, then this had to be important.

Oswuld and his Spymaster sat for some time at the Lord Regent’s writing desk, the Spymaster quickly and calmly explaining all that she knew, each word only making the Lord-Regent more and more unsettled, and even after that, completely unnerved

“…Over ninety thousand!?” He said, sitting back in disbelief “How could a force that big gather at Serpent’s Pass without anyone realising, why hasn't Lord Paravant contacted me." He gritted his teeth, remembering that Lord Augustus Paravant was a Pompous bastard and the king of all cunts, it wouldn't surprise him if this was some kind of rebellion "do we know what their intentions are?”

"That I can’t fully answer, My Rooks..." which is what She called Her Agents and Informants "...could barely gather any information without being caught and killed, they are well guarded and well-armed… but there is another more pressing matter, Master.” Great, because a heavily armed potentially hostile force of Ninety thousand men wasn't bad enough as it is “My Rooks reported sightings of the Leader being-.”

He already knew.

“Edwyn?” Oz crossed his arms, his face growing dark as the image of a flaming Serpent flashed in his mind

She tilted her hooded head curiously "You knew She was coming?”

“I had a hunch... I had heard the rumours that She had gone south... but I didn't expect her to survive" A Woman with eyes as red as embers and hair as Gold as the Sun, laughing as She and Oz sparred together in the courtyard, that was the memory that came to mind, the only memory that ever came to mind every single time he heard that name... it never made him feel any better, it was just a memory after all.

She stirred “We should take immediate measures, a force like that could do serious damage if we stand undefended.”

“Not before we consult the council… I’m not giving those bastards down South another reason to try and oust me before the time comes.” He spoke adamantly

The Spymasters eyes were almost serpentine as she spoke “Paravant and those fools in the Highlands are snakes, time-wasters and pissants. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are in league with the soldiers.” Wow, very hostile for a Vatan, then again Oz had sent her off as his representative for a whole month, so she had to have gone sour on the south a long while ago.

“I’m gonna have to call for the council of fingers again, for goddess sake…”

Lord Oz huffed deeply, leaning down and trying to rub the frustration out of his eyes, much to his surprise, the gentle but firm hands of the ominous spymaster began to feel at the fabric above his Groin.

Oswuld raised his head, his eyes meeting with the Silver Beak mask, Her fingers carefully caressing his penis, the sight of such sending waves of stimulation through him “Should I provide comfort, Master?”

Oz pressed his lips together, looking at the hidden mistress' form, poorly hidden by her tightly fitted bodysuit.

“I Told You, no more stress relief, okay. Her Majesty would not approve.”

Just as quickly as She had made her advance, not angry, not agitated, just cold and compliant. The Spymaster stood from her seat and bowed “Understood, Master.”

As Oz stood for a moment in a one-sided awkward silence, simply standing there seemingly unfazed by the Lord-Regent's rejection, as was the way of a Vatan like her, but those quiet moments were interrupted by a rapid and insistent wrapping at the Lord-Regent's Chamber door.

He made a face at the insistent hammering, gesturing to the Spymaster “Could You answer that for me while I finish dressing.” She bowed respectfully doing as he bid and walking over to unlatch the door while Oswuld threw on a finely tailored black shirt.

“LORD WULDA, LORD WULDA!”

Shit… fuck. Why, why so early in the morning?

Oswuld cringed as He heard the familiar tone, tucking in his shirt as a small woman burst through the chamber door.

Dressed in silver coat and thin green trousers, came the stammering, jittery form of Lady Henrietta of the Great House of Weir and Lady Chamberlain of the Royal Court, a small, dirty-blonde girl, barely 20, shaky and full of hysteria, just as per usual “LORD WULDA!” the girl cried again waddling over to the much taller Prince, Oswuld cringed as the title rung on his ears

“I already told You, Hen, Oswuld will suffice. Now take a deep breath and tell me what’s wrong?”

Henrietta’s eyes caught the Spymaster, her head jolting in a double-take as she saw the darkly dressed Spymaster “Lady Spymaster? When did You get back?”

His trusty Spymaster might have answered if the sound of heavy boots marching towards the Royal Wing had not interrupted her. Emerging into the chamber, covered head to toe in smooth gilded steel plate armour, came the stoic Knight-Captain Harry of the landed House of Randall, Gold of hair and Armour, his steel-blue eyes giving him all the visage of a dashing Knight, “Lord-Regent, apologies I came as quickly as I could.”

Sighing and rubbing his forehead, Oswuld stared at the small Chamberlain and the tall Knight-Captain, “Will one of You please tell me what is going on?”

Sir Randall smiled nervously, pushing one of his bright blonde hairs away from his handsome face

“It’s the Young Princess, My Liege.” Captain Randal said fiercely

“Of course, it is…” The Old Lord grumbled,

“Her Majesty the Queen sent me for Your assistance,” Harry added, sounding very professional as he did, funny considering He and Oz had been shooting the shit only a day before, though their little visits to the tavern were always to be kept a strict secret… at least from Queen Gwynevere.

"Of course she did." Oz grumbled even deeper this time.

Harry also found his eyes catching on to the sight of the quiet Spymaster “My Lady... you’re back?”

“Captain.” She responded, a little less coldly than usual, Harry hid his goofy smile

“It’s good to see You back.”

“Thank You.” She said as Oz rolled his eyes

“You two can flirt later, I have a rabid niece to deal with, let’s go.”

Knight-Captain Randal, Chamberlain Henrietta, and the Iron Dragon marched through the palace halls, the shadowy Spymaster following as they trekked through the silver-stone halls that shone like the moon under the rays of the sun.

“Lady Weir, go and gather the Council, I want a meeting ready in the Court chamber as soon as possible” Oswuld commanded,

“Yes, of course, My Liege!” She replied rushing away down another hall

“Lady Spymaster, find out where Prince Regis is hiding and report back to me.” she bowed her hooded head

“Yes, Master.” And like the wind disappeared down another corridor, but she dragged a little, allowing the Blonde Knight-Captain to get an eyeful of her round buttocks before she went

"Harry, focus..." Oz said snapping the Captain back to reality

"S-Sorry My Lord." Harry apologised, following the Lord-Regent as He moved with a soldier's haste.

Oz marched through the grand hall, unable to take in its usual beauty, unable to spend time speaking to his subjects and friends as he passed them.

Oswuld wasted no time, charging through the castle, his hulking form barging through the large engraved doors that led into the sunlit courtyard.

The second the Lord-Regent came into the lush courtyard, the sound of shouting and the clacking of wooden blades could be heard, one that Oswuld knew all too well.

There, in the centre of the courtyard, Oz saw his young niece, Maggie Regis and Squire Percival Tawny battling viciously with a pair of wooden swords while guardsmen stood around with fearful looks on their faces.

"just give up you snivelling pile of Horseshit!” The Young princess yelled in a very… un-noble manner, her Midnight black hair whipping around as she clashed with her Older cousin

“Not before I floor You, You cretin!” The Younge female Squire, Percy spat back, both of their youthful faces bruised and covered in dirt.

“By the Bloody saints, for fuck's sake.” Oswuld sighed as he saw the Children battling, well... it wasn't really a battle, Maggie swung widely, yet fairly elegantly, her straightforward but effective attacks being parried by Young Percy's pinpoint precision, these girls were really something, but that was beside the point.

Taking a deep calming breath, Oz walked over, pushing past the guards and entering the skirmish. The two continued for maybe thirty seconds as the Prince Regent stood, arms crossed, and his best unamused Dad look on his face.

Young Percival’s eyes, the emerald of the House of Tawny, caught Oz’ for just a second, the young female Squire (the only female of her rank and Gwen's Niece to boot) stopping dead in his tracks as all the blood drained from his face “U-Uncle, Oz-“

The Auburn girl's words were cut away as the blade of a wood thwacked hard at the body of Her shin “Ow!” Percy cried, leaning down and clutching her leg, the beginnings of tears welling in her eyes.

“HA!” Maggie yelled, raising her wooden sword in the air at her victory “That’s three hits now, that means I win you pissing Hawken Knave! what good is all that boasting now you filthy monstrosity! WOOOO, YEEESSS, I TOLD YOU I WOULD-“

Maggie paused, The Princess' large miscoloured eyes, the Left gold as the Sun and the Right Violet as Dusk looking up from the shadow of Her Uncle, whose countenance was fixed with an iron frown, She chuckled nervously trying to give Oz her infamous puppy dog eyes

“U-Uncle Oz, I was... we were..." Oswuld raised an eyebrow as the Princess stuttered through her words, though it was quite quickly replaced with a fury "Percy said that Princess' can’t be knights!" She cried with a Rage "that I’d be sowing dresses for the rest of my Life with Henrietta, bloody hypocrite.”

Oswuld silenced the Princess with a gesture

"A Knight You say?" Oz said, rubbing his chin and nodding to himself, "Squire Tawny, Your Sword." The Tall Lord said extending his hand, Young Squire Percival hesitated, Knight-Captain Harry, fixing his Squire with a critical eye

"Obey Your lord's command, Percival." Harry urged, the Brown-haired, Rosey skinned girl nodding quickly and obediently tossed her Uncle the wooden blade, Percival may only have been a young girl, but damn if she didn't pack a waterfall of potential, she was Gwen's own niece, after all, Daughter of the High Lady of Hawken.

Oswuld did not hesitate in teaching his own Niece a lesson, his wooden sword immediately found it's way in batting away The Princess' weapon out of her hands in less than a second.

Maggie stood for a moment, blinking as she looked to the Sword which had flown a good meter away from her.

Oswuld pointed his wooden sword at her throat, gently frowning as he spoke "Being a Knight means being chivalrous and not to mention being able to at least hold Your bloody sword." Ozwuld growled, tossing Percy's oaken blade back as the princess frowned shamefully.

Oswuld knelt to his Niece's level "What have I told You, Maggie?" She did not at first answer, she always melted under her nickname, sulking as she crossed her little arms “What. Have. I. Told. You?” He repeated sternly, The Princess rubbed her sore button nose

“...No duelling unsupervised.” She replied swiftly

A Light snigger came from Percy's direction, quickly silence by the Lord-Regent's Iron stare "Is there something funny about being beaten by a 'Princess', Squire Tawny?" He said with a cold fury, The Brown-haired Girl shook her head

"N-No My lord, apologies, My lord." Tears welled in Percival's Green eyes.

"Loser..." Maggie muttered quickly, Percy huffed, wiping her eyes

“I got distracted, give me another sword to hold in my other hand and I'd have beaten you easily,” Percy whined, Maggie scoffed

“Would not.”

Percival’s eyes stormed like an emerald gale, the fierce nobility that The House of the Griffyn was known for “first to three hits was the game, we were drawn!”

Oz saw the flames of wrath in both the Girl’s eyes, if he didn’t act soon then they would be fighting until Sundown again!

“Knight-Captain.” The Lord called and Harry answered, his tall form approaching promptly

“Milord?”

“Take Squire Tawny and Princess Maggie to the sparring yard, make sure that they settle the matter... with care.” The two smiled at the chance to battle again, though they both continued to glare at one another, the tension being cut by Oswuld’s sharp tone “I said, With Care, got that?” both nodded with their puppy dog eyes before The Knight-Captain led them away to settle their differences.

Oswuld stood with a smile, turning to the crowd of guardsmen who had been watching the affairs “Well thank so much for all of Your help, the bloody hell do I pay You for, get back to work!” all of them rushed away like cockroaches at the Lord-regent's booming tone.

Oz took a glance around the Courtyard, taking in the beauty of its gardens and the relaxing morning air, in his little look around, he spotted none other than the Queen-Mother herself, watching him with a smile even more beautiful than the gardens themselves.