Tale of Four

Tristan slowly walked out of the maze, but stopped hearing two pairs of footsteps behind her. Mabel slowly approached, watching him, behind her, the King’s Guard. ”Tristan.” Looking at her, he sighed and rubbed the back of his head, unable to even muster the energy to offer fake submission.

”I assume The Prince is done with me.” Mabel smiled and took a step forward.

”Walk with me, I don’t like staying still after training.” Walking by her side in the narrow maze, she carried on speaking as the path they took led to the exit, ”You play a dangerous game for someone who wishes to cling to his leg.”

”I spoke because it was the right thing to do. His hatred for the Chancellor is unnatural; you must see this as well.” Mabel didn’t let he ropion show as she stared ahead, stepping out of the maze.

”Perhaps, but even still. It does not explain why you vouch for the Chancellor. Has he done anything to warrant it?”

”I could ask the same question of you?” Tristan snapped back. Mabel looked at him for a few seconds and smiled.

”You do not understand anything, cousin. Brandon is the most dangerous man in the realm. Not for his claim, nor the summon he commands. Whilst both are a threat, the former is soemthing he must fight for. The latter, my father, far outclasses anyone in our family in terms of raw power.” Mabel narrowed her gaze and stopped. Looking up at the grey palace, he followed her gaze to a high point on the top floor, a large circular window overlooking the training yard, looking like the monocle that always rested on Brandon’s face.

”Do you think I don’t understand the danger he poses. I met the man. I was subjected to his questioning and could do nothing. Despite that danger, the Prince’s hate makes no sense.” Mabel shook her head as she looked away from the Chancellor’s office, continuing to walk.

”You are greatly misinformed about the true extent of who our uncle is, Tristan, if you believe his brain is the only reason I am terrified of him.” Mabel took a deep breath, wondering if she should continue talking. Eventually, she decided to and nodded to herself, ”Do you know what position my uncle held before my father became king?”

”He was the Bookkeeper.” Mabel nodded and looked around, seeing that the Palace residences were far enough away.

”Yes, but that wasn’t all.” Tristan’s eyes widened in shock, ”Only three people knew his second role in the King’s council. The King, my father and the then-head of the Secret Chamber, Lord Waymon.” Mabel swallowed the saliva in her mouth and looked around again just in case, ”The Secret Chamber, as it is now, is his creation. Every spy, every messenger, every ear. All of it is his. As for Lord Waymon, he was a minor Lord risen to a position of power as a cover for Brandon. Tell me?” Mabel took a deep breath, unable to believe what she was about to say, ”Who actually has more power. My father or Brandon?”

Tristan stared at her, unable to speak for a moment, feeling like he heard soemthing he shouldn’t have. Shaking his head, he nervously chuckled. ”That’s impossible. How would you know?”

”Because my father told me. Isn’t it obvious?” Mabel said, taking a deep breath, ”My father didn’t explain why he told me, but he did, knowing that I have to be the one who learns this and not Elias. If my brother found out, I fear he may try killing Brandon in his sleep.” Tristan nodded, ”Tell me. Why do you think he told me? To warn Elias and me? To show me why we can hold the throne?”

Tristan stopped and looked up into the sky. Brandon’s words from the library came to mind, and he narrowed his gaze, finally releasing the truth. ’He was being honest. He would truly set aside his ambition for the family.’ There was always the chance he got it wrong, but Tristan didn’t think so. Brandon had everything he needed to crush Anton’s reign. As the Bookkeeper of the previous king, he knew where the debts lay and who owed what. As the hidden head of the Secret Chamber, he knew every secret, every bit of blackmail to force people on his side.

’Anton rules becuase Brandon has made peace with the results.’ Looking at Mabel, he couldn’t help but scoff, ’How can you hate such a person?’ Clearing his throat, realising he was taking too long, Tristan smiled, ”I think he told you, becuase he wanted you to see a goal you should reach for. The Chancellor has been the backbone of the dynasty for decades now. If he were truly ambitious for the throne, as you believe he is, then he could have already usurped it before Anton became King.” Tristan stared into her eyes, ”Everyone in the realm knows your father is a man driven by duty. Why is it strange his brother would be the same?”

Mabel’s eyes widened for a moment before she smiled and shook her head, ”Even still, I know my father is wary about the Chancellor. Your opinions of people are too good-natured.”

”Of course he would be. If the King wasn’t wary, pardon my words, he would be a fool. A king should have faith that his vassals will be loyal, but never completely trust them. After all, there are too many things that overshadow loyalty, and the Chancellor can push a very real, heavily supported grievance.” Tristan countered, making Mabel fall into thought.

”You talk as if you have known the two for years, Tristan.”

”I have watched many similar stories play out throughout the court for years, Princess. Brothers, sisters, friends. Each one promising to rise together before being stepped on so the other could rise higher.” A thin smile rose that didn’t reach his eyes, ”As your brother would say. It is disgusting. How can someone betray another like that?”

”You honestly believe so. You don’t enjoy one part of the court?” Mabel probed, looking into Tristan’s eyes.

”No.” Tristan coldly said, ”I hate nearly everything about it. Everyone always wonders if I am lying about my ambitions, and I don’t understand why.” Tristan looked to the sky and saw Annabell flying around without a care in the world. Watching her, he felt a longing in his heart to be free like that. To shake off his fears and burdens and fly without care.

”Power requires one to do that. You cannot rise without stepping over a body, and even when you do, you must watch to make sure that body doesn’t drag you back down.” His voice became increasingly cold, ”The higher you rise, the more you climb over, the more people wish to take what is yours, and the more you have to do to secure it. It’s an endless cycle that destroys lives for a worthless reason. I don’t need it, I don’t want it, I wish people would understand that.”

Tristan looked at Mabel, ”I am helping you and Elias because of that belief, becuase I hope you will give me what I want after. My only mistake was not seeing who Elias truly was. In time, he will come to despise me. When he does plead for me to be banished, not silently dealt with. I will vanish into the realm or abroad, becoming one of many faces, and you shall never hear from me again.”

Mabel looked into Tristan’s eyes and nodded, ”Although my father preaches of family unity, I am not too fond of so many Cosmatons with claims living under one roof. If I had it my way, when Elias takes the throne, Matthew, I, and he will be the only Cosmatons in the Palace.” Tristan nodded. ”Now that is over, why did you wish to talk to us. It obviously wasn’t because of Brandon, but something else wasn’t it?”

Tristan smirked, realising that nothing escaped the Princess. ”It was to do with the merging process between summoner and summon.” Looking back to the distance hedge maze, he sighed, ”But I think I got my answer.”

”What was it, however?” Mabel asked, interested, looking up at his bird, wondering what a merger between the two looked like.

”Why did Annabell feel it was taboo?”

”Taboo?” Mabel’s eyes narrowed. ”What do you mean?” Her voice was quiet as she hesitently asked. Tristan looked at her and tilted his head, wondering if her own summon ever felt the same thing.

”I don’t know, becuase she won’t say. Partly she doesn’t know, but partly becuase it’s dangerous to say. All Annabell said to me was that it felt unnatural for her, that what she did violated soemthing. Taboo.” Tristan looked up and whistled. The bird dove down and landed on his outstretched hands.

”What do you mean by taboo?” Mabel asked before Tristan could, a rare panic in her tone.

”Did you ask her, Tristan?” Tristan nodded, knowing the bird wasn’t caught up in the conversation. Annabell looked at Mabel and tilted her head like Tristan, ”It isn’t right. I don’t know why, but it isn’t. I never want to do such a deep merge again. There are other reasons I do know, but I can’t say.” Annabell cooly said, watching as Mabel’s eyes narrowed even more.

”You trust her, Tristan?” Her question was stupid; she knew that much. If Tristan had allowed such a deep merge where Annabell was the primary controller, it was obvious.

”Annabell never lies, Mabel.” Tristan said with a deep voice, ”If I were you, I don’t know what phase you are at with your summon, how deep the merge goes, but I would avoid doing anything that isn’t surface level unless necessary.” Tristan looked back at the hedge maze, ”If I were to guess right, we both just saw what happens if you don’t do it with care.” Mabel followed his gaze, her eyes widening in horror as she realised what Tristan meant.