Saki
“Hello, my name is Saki, it is a pleasure to meet you.” I bowed ever so slightly while not breaking eye contact. We were in the throne room after all. The man simply nodded once before introducing himself in turn. “I am Archduke Persip at your service.” He said simply.
Tama simply ignored the Archduke and looked at me. “Parsnip said something about needing troops. Tama told him he could have some fries. He didn’t like that. So Tama brought him here.” I made note when Tama called him Parsnip, his eye twitched.
I considered for a moment before asking “I have been apprised of the situation. May I ask why you need troops? We are not currently at war last I checked.” My tail wagged back and forth softly to show calmness I did not feel. That dream had messed me up. Tama’s words helped immensely as always. But I felt this was going to haunt me for a while.
“Well, I am sure if you are half the royal advisor the empress claims you to be. You will have noticed a certain… sickness that has been going around.” He said simply.
Despite his words, he watched me closely. I had pulled up an illusion as he talked and was so happy I didn’t. The moment he mentioned the plague my eyes narrowed and I almost summoned a void sphere. Luckily, the illusion didn't change at all and I was able to have it speak for me while I thought.
“I have noticed something is wrong. But I have yet to ascertain much of the details as I have only just recently arrived. May I ask what your knowledge on this possible malady may be, and why we need troops for it?” As I spoke he looked at me calmly, but his eyes darted around my illusion. I had a feeling that while he couldn’t see my illusion, he definitely noticed something wasn’t quite right. This man was perceptive and I hated him for it.
Finally, he looked into my illusions eyes and said “Your illusion magic is very strong. Are you so weak that you have to hide behind it?” I winced at that and opened my mouth to rebuke him but Tama beat me to it.
“Saki is not weak! We defeated a lich together! She is Tama’s royal advisor and you will be nice!” As she said this, she pulled out Serenity as I grabbed her hand to stop her from swinging it.
Quickly trying to de-escalate the situation. I whispered to Tama “Please calm down, this is just politics, go get fries or something. I can handle this!””
Tama looked at me uncertainly and for a moment I didn’t think she would. Then slowly, she put Serenity away and gave me a hug before leaving the room. We watched her leave before turning back to each other. “I apologize for the future Queen's rash actions. I assure you she is simply having an off day. As for my illusion, it is merely a formality as I have mentioned before. I only recently arrived and I am currently unbecoming. If you would like to discuss the situation about the reason you need more troops. Then we can continue, otherwise I will need to take my leave.”
I watched him carefully as I spoke and saw the tic. It was small, but I caught it and instantly knew it was a fake. His eye twitched ever so slightly. For a moment, I thought he might actually leave. But a cornered animal is not without a good lash. “The troops are to reinforce the walls. There was an incident where our dear empress decided to give impromptu training to the few guards left defending the walls. They are injured and need time to recover. My request is to pull troops from the nearby villages to defend the capitol for the next week. While I am sure her majesty is more than capable of handling any threat. She is one person and we need a.. Capable leader.”
He made sense, but I noticed the way he eyed me carefully when he said capable leader. My eyes narrowed behind the illusion. “Tama and I are as good as one. Our decisions are made with each other and the kingdom in mind. I shall discuss this with the queen and get back to you within the day. For now, I must take my leave. I appreciate your agreement in needing a capable leader. It is a good thing Tama is here now isn’t it?”
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The tic was back, and his fist clenched for a second this time as well. Looks like I struck a nerve.Good, he needed to shut up before I killed him myself. Deep breath Saki... Deep breath.
“I am happy to see that the royal advisor to her majesty is loyal to her queen.” He started while watching me even closer now. In response, I dropped the illusion and raised an eyebrow with a friendly smile. He seemed shocked for a split second before putting on the calm demeanor again. “I do hope she is everything you claim and more. Thank you for your time.”
With that, he turned and with a side eye my way, he walked out of the throne room leaving me alone again.. For a total of five seconds before Tama reappeared next to me holding actual fries.. I didn’t even know they sold fries in this city.
I ate one of the fries while deep in thought. I had suspected there would be.. Dissenters. But for them to not take the throne while all that was here was regent Alissa for over eighteen years was.. Suspicious to put it mildly. Why now? It didn’t add up, but I would make it.
“Tama, has Lyran arrived yet?” I turned to her as I asked.
Tama nodded happily. “He showed up over one of the buildings really high up. Tama heard him screaming and caught him. He is getting a place at the inn he said.”
I frowned at that. Why would he need a palace at the inn, he was obviously going to stay with me. A thought occurred and I paled. When I had left, I wasn’t exactly.. Kind. I quickly rushed out of the throne room, Tama following me.. Sort of.
She was more so blinking around me and saying hi to random people. She also just disappeared for almost twenty seconds once. I actually stopped because I was nervous, but she reappeared with more fries and something on her wrist. “What is that?” I asked as I looked at her wrist.
She held it up and said happily. “The guy at the place called it a ‘watch’. Tama doesn't know what that means, but he said it told time! Tama was curious about time since she met that mayor guy! And people keep telling Tama it’s only this amount of time or that. But Tama is positive it's longer. So Tama now has this thing that tells her time!”
I snorted with amusement before asking “Oh? How much was it?” My amused smile was probably too obvious as she frowned. “Tama doesn’t know. The man said an amount and Anna helped Tama by giving the man the amount.”
I looked down at Anna who actually squirmed and I felt my heart drop. “I mean.. Technically Tama is queen, so she has lots of money! What does a little purchase mean in the long run?” Anna’s words caused my eye to twitch and I leaned in closer. “Please don’t stare at me like that, it was a logical and necessary purchase for..”
I leaned even closer and my smile faded. “Okay! It was one hundred gold pieces!” I reached out to grab Anna, but she quickly swerved to go behind Tama.
I hissed, barely raising my voice before lowering it again. I clenched and unclenched my fist. I didn’t know exactly what a watch was. But if all it did was tell time, we could have gotten a clock for less than ten gold!
After a moment I took a deep breath and said “Tama, I just realised, Where is Lyran? You said an Inn, but I have not seen a single one since we have been walking.”
I looked over to Tama, who was tapping on the ‘watch’ and seemed upset. She looked up and said “Nya, It is over there!” She pointed in a direction and I sighed. I wish there was an easier way to find people sometimes… I face palmed hard and did what I should have been doing this entire time.
I opened the void map UI and brought up the ‘search’ function. I clicked the keys that spelled out his name and a lot of Lyrans appeared in the entire kingdom. I zoomed into the city of Trissaile and there were six. I quickly found him because he was the only one that was standing inside a building that was clearly labelled “inn” on the map.”
I turned and rushed down the street towards the inn. Tama appeared next to me as I reached the door. It did not look like an inn to me. But the map stated clearly it was one. I looked over at Tama, who was now shaking her arm before looking at the watch. Was it broken or was she just benign impatient?
“Saki, Tama’s watch is broken. It moves super slow. The big hand takes like a full minute to move!” She looked at me with pain in her eyes and I couldn't help myself. I cracked up laughing. “That’s not funny!” Tama said hurt.
I waved my hand.while trying to stop laughing. “Tama, it’s not broken, that's normal time. I have been trying to tell you. Your perception of time is insane by most people's standards. You know what, I think maybe that watch was a good purchase after all. You can finally learn time.” I managed to calm down enough and turned back to the door as Tama stared at the watch like it was a demon incarnate.. Actually, she would have probably been nicer to the demon.
Turning back to the front door, I took a deep breath and walked inside. Tama blinked past me and appeared right next to Lyran, who was talking to a Foxkin girl. She was blushing and he was rubbing his head. My vision went red.
