Of Plots and Mischief

Chapter 7: Deterred Assasination

He recognised the boy, or rather the kind of boy. He was one of those children who played at the wharf side who often ran errands for coins. After convincing him that he would come to no harm, it was a simple story, one that Phyllon was annoyed he had not anticipated.

A stranger had come to him and had convinced him to run to the ship and retrieved something he had forgotten on the ship, namely, a note suspiciously identical to the one he had gotten from the prince. Even more alarming was that the boy had recognised Phyllon from a description given by the stranger.
After they got the whole story, Asmir insisted on accompanying the boy to the harbour authorities.

Phyllon suspected that he would report on the earlier incident in the market as well. Torynik had disappeared as was his wont, though Phyllon could not be sure of his actions. He suspected he had other business at the port interrupted by the earlier events and wondered whether it was related to what his uncle wanted him to do.

He suspected it was not the end of it and decided he would rather act than be taken by surprise again. He felt resigned as he headed back to the neighbourhood of the prince's boarding house. He supposed he might as well investigate the mysterious notes while he was at it.

He sighed as he watched a couple of children bickering on the steps of one of the clay brick houses. This was far from what he had in mind when he had asked his father for some distraction. There was work to be done, yet so much to distract him from it. He found it ironic in his attempt to escape from intrigue. It had found him there.

The boys' argument was interesting, though, seemingly irrelevant to what he was looking for. It seems that they were arguing about a foreign gentleman who had been passing by. Initially, Phyllon assumed they were talking about Torynik when they mentioned longshoulder-lengthh hair tied back into braids, but he soon realised that it was someone else. He could not help but be intrigued to hear about the fellow in sailor's garb who acted as anything but a sailor. Phyllon listened to them a while before moving on.

He smiled as he idly passed a coin to the young food seller who set her stall outside her home. He had gotten into the habit of buying a bundled loaf from her, and so he did not think anything when she had one ready for him before he came. He did not expect her to lean over as she offered it, indicating he bent an ear to listen.

"Sir, is the young Eraku in the boarding house, your friend?" Eraku, from what Phyllon understood, was a colloquial word for a privileged young man, not necessarily complementary. He started before nodding cautiously. She gave a quick glance around before pressing the loaf in his hand. "Find the cleaner. He is good. You should go before it is too late." She looked at him earnestly before pressing in a second loaf. "He is not safe there for long." She nodded before closing her stall and stepping into her home.

"Wait. Who is not safe? And why?"

"Ask the cleaner." He heard her say as she closed the door.
The cryptic message troubled him for its urgency. Before he could second guess himself, he made his way to the boarding house. Though he had spent many days in its vicinity recently, he had not gone in since the meeting with the ambassador. He found it a strange coincidence to find him alone talking to the proprietor when he entered. The ambassador looked up and waved him over when he overcame his initial surprise. Phyllon went over, bristling with energy mingled with anxiety.

"Phyllon Yrnes, I was not expecting you. Have you considered our proposal?"
Phyllon nodded curtly, looking around for the prince. The ambassador caught his glance. "He is upstairs, doing his daily meditations. The cleaner just came in when I came down."

"The cleaner?" Naail interrupted. "I had not seen him come in today. He mentioned something about back pains yesterday."

The ambassador turned his attention to the proprietor with a troubling intensity. "Are you sure?"

It was clear he was uncomfortable under the ambassador's gaze, but he did not give. "Tahnas has been having back pains in and off for the past few decades. I've known him since I took over the place when we were both young men, and I know he would not have come in today without telling me."