The dismissal of the forum promptly followed the king’s command and the legates were all too happy to oblige - to return to their guest chambers and indulge in fruit and cheeses and libations to fend off the midday heat until next they were called by the king. In truth, Celestino was looking forward to lazing about, as well, even if it were only for a few hours. He wanted to put right his mind - clear it of the viper and his superfluity of the troubles that followed him. They weren’t really his to bear the brunt of, after all. No more so than any of the others on the forum, at least, but the king thought elsewise.

As the legates filed out, and then the last of the attendants, it was a single glance from Vincente that commanded him to remain where he was, upon his velvet chair. Still, he waited until the doors of the Assembly Hall were secured, confident in their seclusion, before huffing out his true colors.

“By the blood of the gods.” 

His sigh released the stiffness from his shoulders and breathed life into his stony expression. From king to Vin - a switch that liberated the man enough to cast his commander in a nonplussed gaze. 

“Do you agree with me?”

Celestino furrowed his brow. “Agree with you on what?”

“The Viper Prince is a bitter and frigid drunk of an aristocrat who possesses no real power beyond the protection of the house he was lucky enough to be born into.” Vincente folded his arms over his chest. “That prince did not enter my palace today.”

Celestino exhaled. “You are correct. The Second Prince that appeared in front of us today is lucid and refined in speech and etiquette. He does not grow apprehensive in the presence of men with power. It is obvious that he knows his station and exercises the rights it provides, when needed.” After a moment, he decided to add, “But his retinue seem to exercise rights of their own.”

This ruffled Vincente’s brow, just as he knew it would. “His retinue?”

“As if they are just as aware as the rest of us about the reputation of their prince,” the commander said.

“Which would corroborate said reputation, at least to some extent.”

When Celestino didn’t concur, the king narrowed his gaze. 

“No?”

“I don’t know.”

“Give me something, Cele.”

“It…” Cele trailed as he shifted in his chair, trying to articulate his thoughts, which was no easy task, as they were fueled in large by instinct which provided them no real and verifiable stock. “I’m not saying I’m unapprised of his reputation - who the fuck could be? Heiko Achterecht - an amoral thorn in the side of his illustrious elder brothers, a plight to the affairs of the Simonese Witan.” 

A viper that thoroughly enchants its victims before slaughtering them with venomous, cutthroat insults. Cele deliberately left that bit unspoken. He turned his attention to his king.

“It’s a rather convenient reputation to perpetuate, for those around him.”

Vincente kept his gaze steady on Cele, prompting the man’s final thoughts.

“I have been exposed to them for no more than an hour longer than you have, Vin,” he remarked, “but it is as if his retinue are houndmasters and the Second Prince is a feral wolf whom they are trying to tame.”

Any other man would have taken the prince’s image - young and slender and fair - and disregarded Cele as a fool for thinking in such a way. He looked manageable, after all, resembling a pleasure slave in all aspects that really mattered, but, just like the commander, Vincente was shrewd in the ways of the north. If something looked too good to be true, it was because it was too good to be true. The sylphlike Second Prince was no exception to that.

“If that is the case,” said the king after a long moment to consider Cele’s words, “then we must determine how feral he truly is. Go to the Master of Records. I want to learn everything there is to know about Heiko Achterecht.”

⚔