Chapter 102: The Dinner Game

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Earlier that evening, the pirates Beeba and Aran brought Y/n, together with Lepus, down from the Map Room for dinner.
Rhian and Japeth were already halfway through their first course.
"It needs to be harsh. A warning," she heard Japeth saying in the refurbished Gold Tower dining room. "Lionsmane's first tale should instill fear."
"Lionsmane should give people hope," said Rhian's voice. "For people like me and you who grew up with none."
"Mother is dead because she believed in useless hope," said his brother.
"And yet, Mother's death is why both of us are in this room," said Rhian.

As she neared the door, all Y/n heard was silence. Then—
"Supporters of Tedros are protesting tonight in Camelot Park," said Japeth. "We should ride in and kill them all. That should be Lionsmane's first tale."
"Killing protesters will lead to more protests," said Rhian. "That's not the story I want to tell."
"You weren't afraid of bloodshed when it got you the throne," said Japeth snidely.
"I'm king. I'll write the tales," said Rhian.
"It's my pen," Japeth retorted.
"It's your scim," said Rhian. "Look, I know it isn't easy. Serving as my liege. But there can only be one king, Japeth. I know why you've helped me. I know what you want. What both of us want. But to get it, I need the Woods on my side. I need to be a good king."

Japeth snorted. "The good king who got to the throne by fake friendships," he said. "Sounds very Good to me. And anyway, every good king ends up dead."
"You have to trust me," Rhian pressed. "The same way I trust you."
"I do trust you, brother," said Japeth, softening. "It's that devious little Fox I don't trust. Suppose you start listening to her more than me?"
Rhian snorted. "As likely as me growing two horns. If anyone seems soft to her, it's you, who bought her a little kitten because you felt bad you killed that stupid bird."
"I'm just using that as an excuse," Japeth quickly defended. "It's just to trick her into some false security. I'm only helping you, because I don't care the least bit about her."

"Well, speaking of that Fox," Rhian said, laying down his fork on his plate of rare, freckled deer meat. He looked up coldly from the decadent table, his crown reflecting his blue-and-gold suit.
"I heard guards pounding on the Map Room door, Y/n. If you can't make it to dinner on time, then your friends in the dungeon won't get dinner at all—"He stopped.

Y/n stood beneath the new Lion-head chandelier, wearing the dress they'd left for her. Only she'd cut the skrit fabric and changed the dress to more of a pant suit, with a part of the dress on the back. She'd cut the neckline from turtleneck to a v-shape, and she'd cut the arms shorter and used the extra fabric to make a pair of gloves for herself. She'd crowned her hair with paper origami stars, made from papers she'd ripped out of the execution book. Over her head pieces and around her neckline were small beads in different colors of ink, looking pearlecant. All in all, instead of the chastened princess the king might have expected after their encounter, in the Map Room, Y/n had emerged looking like a model.

The pirates with Y/n looked just as stunned as the king.
"Leave us," Rhian ordered them.
The moment they did, Japeth launched to his feet, his pale cheeks searing red. "That dress was priceless. It was our mothers."
"It's still your mothers dress," Y/n said. "And I doubt she would have appreciated you dolling up girls you've kidnapped in her old clothes. The question is why you want me to wear this dress at all. Is it to make you feel like you own me? Is it because I remind you of your deceased mother? Or is it something else? In any case, I've done as you told. But you never told me how I could wear it." She held Lepus comfortably in her arms, the cat seeming content.
The Snake glared at her, scims sliding faster on his body, walking towards her.
"You dirty shrew."

Y/n just smiled, taking steps towards him. "Ever wondered what map ink is made out of?" she asked calmly.
Japeth stopped midstride.
"Iron gall," said Y/n, eyes shifting from Japeth to Rhian, who was still seated, watching her between tall candles in the Lion-themed centerpiece. "It's the only substance that can be dyed multiple colors and last for years without fading. Most maps are inked with iron gall, including your in the Map Room. The ones you enchanted to track me and my friends. Do you know what else iron gall is used for?"
Neither twin answered.
"Oh, silly me, I learnt it while helping Sophie study for her classes our first year, Curses class I'm sure, but you were never able to go to that school, right?" said Y/n. "Iron gall is a blood poison. Ingest it and it brings instant death. But let's say you get a dab on your skin. Well it would take away the nutrients in your blood flow, while keeping you alive, but just barley. Meaning any people with vampiric tendencies would be quite out of luck, cuz they'd be poisoned too. But I just noticed, I might have accidentally used some in my clothes, how dumb of me, woops. I guess that means that even the slightest wrong move and my blood won't be very useful, will it? You learn a lot about dangerous fashion when you date a girl like Sophie. She pat Lepus on the head and walked up to the table, past Japeth. "Well, what's for dinner?"

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