Part Twelve: An Overheard Threat

[sigridharem]

The moment Lord Hofn was out of sight, Klaus piped up.

“So? You said we’d discuss it later, and it’s later. I thought slavery was outlawed!”

“It is.” Sigrid said curtly.

“Soo… how was that guy a slave? And why did he want to talk to you? Is that what you do on border patrols, pick up other country’s slaves?”

“No.” She kept walking. “Klaus, I’m sure you realize that there are people who think laws are made to be broken.”

“Yeah, but- oh.” He was silent for a moment, then turned back to her. “So… you freed a bunch of slaves and this guy’s somehow mad about it?”

“More or less.”

“He isn’t angry.” Sasha’s voice, even and soft, startled her, though hopefully Klaus didn’t notice. “He’s an opportunist.”

Klaus wrinkled his nose. “But it’s not Lady Sigrid’s fault he was a slave!”

“I don’t believe he’s blaming me for that,” Sigrid said slowly. “Rather the opposite.”

“He’s blaming you that he’s not a slave anymore?” Klaus threw up his hands. “Ugh, I thought that was what he was saying, but that makes even less sense! What a stupid person!”

Sigrid laughed. “I should bring you to more of these meetings, darling.”

She felt Sasha slip his hand into hers. “If that’s all, Lady Sigrid…”

He looked a little more normal, calm rather than blank. She hoped that was a good sign. “Yes?”

“I was hoping to walk around the grounds a little, if you don’t mind.”

That she wasn’t expecting. “Well… certainly, if you wish. Just return to my chambers before dusk.”

Sasha’s smile was bright and almost suspiciously innocent. “Thank you!”

She squeezed his hand and he left.

“Ooh, could I go down to the kitchens?” Klaus bounced on the balls of his feet. “I’m kinda hungry…”

“Go on then,” Sigrid said absently, distracted by thoughts of how to best keep an eye on Sasha without appearing to do so. He’d shown no particular interest in the grounds before.

“See you later then!” Klaus kissed her cheek and ran in the direction of the nearest stairs.

If she went to fetch Karl, she might lose track of Sasha, and besides she wasn’t entirely sure she wanted Karl to know what Sasha’s game might be. This would be the perfect assignment for Sebastian, but she’d left him at home with the others.

So, after a moment, Sigrid walked down the same hallway Sasha had gone through.

She kept a measured, quiet pace, hoping he hadn’t gone far enough that she couldn’t trace him while not wanting him to notice if she did catch a glimpse of his retreating back.

Eventually she reached a door to the outside and another set of stairs. Sasha had said he was going outside, but… he might well have lied.

Sigrid started to pull open the door, and the loud creak of the rusty hinges immediately convinced her Sasha had opted for the stairway. Even far behind, she would have heard a noise like that.

She had just begun to descend the stairs when she heard voices.

“-not what I had in mind.”

“Of course. Master often praised your mending. It would be a pity for your hands to go to waste.”

That was Sasha, without a doubt. Was that Jalo he was speaking to?

“I’d think you were flirting with me but there wouldn’t be any point, so you can’t be. You certainly landed on your feet, didn’t you, bratling?”

“Don’t call me that.”

“My mistake. You’re all grown up now.” A pause. “Judging by the expression on your pretty friend’s face, the rest of her household has no idea you were a slave, do they?

Silence.

“I see she’s pampering you with fine clothes, not that you’d know the difference. Regular baths, judging by the smell. Is she fattening you up, too?”

“Three meals a day.”

“Hah! You’d have had enough to eat if you didn’t go and sneak it out to traitors like-“

“If you finish that sentence, I won’t help you.”

Abruptly, Sasha’s voice had gone cold, colder than Sigrid had ever heard it.

“Touchy, are we?”

“No.”

“Well, I suppose he wasn’t a traitor to you.”

“Are you trying to make me angry, Jalo?”

And there it was, confirmation. Even if Sigrid could scarcely follow what they were speaking about.

“You’ve changed.” There was something oddly like admiration in Jalo’s voice. “But I suppose Princess Sigrid wouldn’t be parading you around if you hadn’t learned how to behave in polite society.”

“Maybe you never knew me very well.”

“I knew you well enough. Better than your Princess knows you, or else-“

“Shut up!”

“Ah, that’s the bratling I remember.”

Silence from Sasha.

“Don’t worry. I won’t reveal your little secret, providing I get what I asked for.”

“Thank you.” Sasha’s voice was soft now, even. He very nearly sounded genuinely grateful for what was clearly a threat.

“I shouldn’t have been surprised, really. Whoring was all you were ever good for.”

Sigrid nearly bit her tongue in fury. If someone had said that to Wolfgang, Nikolaj, or even Mikael, they would have found themselves at the very least shoved violently against the wall. If someone had dared say that of him to her face...

Sasha, however, simply laughed. “I know it.”

“Well, you’re no fool.” Sigrid clenched her fists at the obvious smile in Jalo’s expression. “And she likes you, doesn’t she? Your new Master.”

She wanted Sasha to snap again, to tell him he had no masters now.

Instead, he simply replied, “She doesn’t like you.”

He has no reason to be honest with this parasite, Sigrid reminded herself, fingers tightening around the banister. He’s trying to use Sasha either way.

Still, it stung. More than stung.

What if I’m the one Sasha’s been lying to?

“Well, I couldn’t do what you do. Just as you could never do what I did. I have no wish to make enemies, mind you. I just want to-“

“Feel at home again.”

“Exactly.”

“Then we understand each other.”

“Perfectly.”

“Good. Scurry on back to her heels, then.”

“I will.”

That seemed to be the end of the conversation. Once Sigrid realized it, she began to step as quietly as possible back up the stairs, hoping to make it around the corner before Sasha caught sight of her.

Reaching the landing, she turned the corner, but not quickly enough.

“Lady Sigrid!”

Sasha beamed at her. “Were you looking for me?”

Lying now would be obvious. “Yes.”

He laughed, tilting his head. “I changed my mind about going outside. What should I do?”

“Well…” She could offer up where Klaus had gone, but this might be their only chance at a private conversation until they were home again. And they absolutely needed a private conversation. “You could always return to my chambers with me. And relax.”

“Relax?” Sasha’s smile turned mischievous as he took her hand, his thumb circling her palm. “Or… relax?”

“There’s still work to be done, naughty thing.” Sigrid shook her head with a smile, firmly closing her hand around his. “But I promise you won’t be bored.”

“Oh! Well…” Sasha looked sheepish. “I don’t mind being bored, but… I’m glad.”

Truthfully, Sigrid had rarely felt so unaroused, but it seemed to her wiser to keep Sasha’s defenses down until they were comfortably and decidedly alone.

So they returned to the guest chambers.

Klaus was still absent, hopefully having found some new friends to play cards and share a little mead with. With any luck he would remain occupied until dinnertime, and there would be no interruptions.

Sigrid lay back on the bed and gestured for Sasha to join her with one hand, covering up a yawn with the other. (She wasn’t really all that sleepy, but it was a helpful hint that she was not in an amorous mood)

Sasha pulled off his shoes and crawled into bed beside her, tucking his head into the crook of her neck.

“Jalo,” Sigrid said softly, and was not surprised when Sasha tensed. “Who is he?”

“The question you mean to ask,” Sasha said, after a moment, “is who was he.”