Court of Snakes: This Desert Cage

Teammates - The Tavern | September of the Second Year

"Terran... you haven't checked in for months," The King huffed and gazed into his false window. He would not look Terran in the eyes, and he drummed his fingers on his desk with impatience.

"I didn't want to come back without good information," Terran snapped back. His heart still stung from how he had been treated the last time he reported in. Since the day Terran interrupted The King and Alvena Wolff, The King had been curt, aggressive, and unfriendly. Terran showed nothing but the utmost respect and did not appreciate how he was treated.

The King stood and motioned to the door. "Walk with me," he offered.

Once the two left the tavern and were a good distance down the road, The King turned to him and said, "I'm sorry."

"That's all well and good, but I don't think it's fair that I haven't even been home and you're still treating me this way."

Home. Terran rolled the word around in his mind and supposed that, yes, the tavern was his new home. Now he was back, with his own face, not Rune's, and still felt unwelcome. Perhaps that was why The King's blatant cold shoulder had been unbearable.

"I shouldn't have to explain myself. There's a lot happening you don't know about and it's best it stays that way for the safety of the mission."

"You're playing that card, huh?"

"What did you learn?""Don't just write me off."

"What did you learn?"

Terran stopped walking for a moment and put his arm out to prevent The King from moving any further. When The King shot Terran a look, one filled with ice and steel, Terran lowered his arm and continued to walk. "Well..." he begrudgingly continued, "Lord Talbot's awful. I recently helped pass another tax law to hike up the price of water to the city. He proposes profit disguised as law. All the money seems to go to projects, whether that be public works, tunnelling under the wall, or otherwise, and all of it disappears. I suspect, directly into Talbot's pockets. He has a daughter, Parisa. I'd say she's about my age."

"Not Rune's?"

"No, mine." Terran had to check himself to make sure he did, in fact, look like Terran. He dared not to go see The King with Rune's face again. It was simply too risky, and he wondered if that mistake was what had made The King so incensed, or if it was something else. "He's basically disowned her, sent her off to be a guard. She's friends with the Elite Captain, who's just a touch older than me. Her guardian is Esmond, the Dza'ya district leader."

The King's eyebrows peaked with interest, but he said nothing about the matter. "How does she feel about her father?"

"She hates him."

"Interesting... and what have you been doing?"

"Acting exactly like Talbot. So far, he likes me. I've received gifts this month from him, books and clothes and the like."

"Perfect." The King made a turn and Terran realized they were heading toward the Dza'ya district. "You're getting closer. Does he speak of plans for the future?"

"Sometimes, but not often," Terran replied and looked around, watching passersby and merchants. "So... what's the deal with you and Alvena Wolff?"

"I'm not finished with you yet."

"And I'm not going to answer any more questions until you tell me what's wrong with you. You can't expect me to just ignore it."

"How dare you speak—"

"Oh, don't be like that. After two years, you can't tell me what's wrong?" Terran asked, earnestly.

The King sighed and looked down at his feet as they walked. "She and I go way back."