hawk & sable

CHAPTER EIGHT,

HAWK & SABLE | EIGHT

  SHE HAD LEFT AN hour ago. The meeting hadn't taken long, then, if she was sneaking back in already. That meant they hadn't had much to discuss, which Laurence wasn't sure was good or not. He laid in his bed, keeping his breathing deep to fake sleep if anyone came in to check. Ciri didn't make any sound, but he could spot the slight opening of the window as she slipped into her bedroom.

She was good, but so was he. She hadn't bothered being that careful either, probably realising he'd know exactly what was going on.

He took the fact that she didn't immediately slip in and slit his throat as a good sign.

The night was quiet. He could hear the chirping of cicadas. William Hua had seemed to cancel his activities for tonight, since he hadn't seen him leave and wasn't hearing anything from the main house of the palace anyways. He wasn't fond of the man, but he didn't give him any reasons to despise him anyways. Neutral, as he liked it.

Or not. It did complicate matters.

He pushed everyone else from his mind. Focused on the ceiling above him, eyes wide opened. It was late. He had to see the Emperor of Sai tomorrow. He should sleep. He couldn't sleep. It was such a pain in the ass.

He couldn't suppress the groan escaping his lips as he pushed himself out of his bed and stumbled into the centre of his bedchamber, glancing out of the window. He pulled the curtains shut and lit a lantern, faintly illuminating the room.

Maybe it was all that tea they served. It couldn't be healthy. But then again, he drank almost just as much tea in Arecia.

He heard faint noises and pulled apart the curtain slightly, glancing out, catching a glimpse of Ciri pacing her own chambers. Looks like he wasn't the only insomniac around. She hadn't been able to sleep that night on the ship either.

Another place they had in common.

Ciri had paused in front of her window, probably spotting him. Laurence allowed himself a small smile and stepped closer to the window so that she could get a better view. In the darkness, she was a mere silhouette. The curtain shut, and Laurence was puzzled, but a moment later she emerged with a lantern in hand.

Their eyes met. Laurence tilted his head in greeting. Ciri nodded back.

They stayed like that for a while, silently enjoying each other's company, an entire stone courtyard between them, yet it felt like they were standing next to each other on that ship again. He'd always felt some kind of camaraderie, some kind of connection with her. They understood each other despite the little time they spent together.

He always treasured those connections. Cass. Marcus. Luke. Tyler. Benjamin. That little girl too, Iolanthe, holding the darkness of her past and the burden of the future on those scrawny shoulders but somehow managing to pull herself together and force a cheerful smile for the rest of the world. He knew how that felt. For responsibility you weren't ready to be thrusted upon you.

His thoughts drifted to his father.

It hurt. To know how good and intelligent a spy he was. How noble. How honourable. How brave. But not courageous enough to face the world after his beloved wife's death. Not courageous enough to continue on for his young son, barely a man, desperate for approval. And the few more years of boyhood he should have had, gone, ripped away. The duties of a viscount looming over him. He hadn't been trained for those things. He had been taught to be a spy, a soldier, not a lord.

But he managed. The little girl would too.

He already knew that while he might never be half the spy his father was, he was already stronger. His father had been killed by the loss of his love. But Laurence had persevered.