Steel Coils

Chapter 1

The hall was large and brightly lit with hundreds upon hundreds of candles. The man named Diedrich Hansof stared about, his mouth gaping in awe. The man beside him, Lord Kerrigan of Nightley, chuckled quietly at the Count's stupor. Count Hansof noticed Kerrigan's mirth out of the corner of his eyes and immediately snapped his mouth shut with a click.
"It is quite alright, Count," Lord Kerrigan commented. "Most people are in awe of our King's ballroom."
"Right..." Diedrich mumbled. He cleared his throat. "And you are sure that your uncle, the Duke, will be willing to help me?"
Kerrigan nodded. "But of course; as the man with the greatest resources in this nation, surely he will be able to find your target quite quickly."
Diedrich sighed. The two men walked around the side of the hall and ended upon the buffet table. Kerrigan offered Diedrich some cakes, of which he immediately sought out the ones dusted with powder, presuming them to be sweets. However, before he could even raise one small cake to his mouth, and soft hand grabbed his and tutted. Kerrigan looked over, having been observing in the opposite direction, and groaned loudly in annoyance. Several dignitaries nearby noticed and stifled their laughter.
"No, no, no," the man who had just appeared said. "You would not like those."
Diedrich's eyes widened and his brow rose, shocked that somebody would so easily touch him, one of the Counts of Lirka. But when Diedrich looked upon the man before him, he slowly lowered his hand and the small platter of presumable sweet cakes.
"Puppet," Kerrigan said, his voice full of annoyance. "What do you want?"
The new man grinned. Shrugging, his vest of blue silk shifted and his shorts of white satin twisted. The golden chainmail clutching his neck glinted and the silver beads strung in his short hair shimmered. His face was youthful and pale, something very desirable amongst Lirka and exotic in Cerluce. He looked like he was from Tyrina, but there was no way that would be possible.
"Beautiful," Hansof breathed. The man winked at him.
"Kerrigan, how nice it is to see you," the man said. He looked Hansof in the eye and smiled. "Nice to meet you. My name is Rey... and you are?"
Trance-like, Diedrich said, "Diedrich... Hansof..."
"Diedrich," Rey pronounced warmly. "What a tasteful name."
Kerrigan cleared his throat loudly and glared at Rey. "Count Hansof, this is the Duke's Puppet. He is lower than a servant."
Diedrich frowned and turned to Kerrigan. "Puppet? Ah, I heard rumours about those. They are born and raised for a particular role, right?"
Rey pouted and moved to stand beside Diedrich. He took Diedrich's platter away, but Diedrich didn't complain. Kerrigan sighed, "Most Puppets are like that, yes, but the Duke's is a little different. He wasn't raised to be a Puppet, rather he offered his services to the Duke."
Diedrich glanced at Rey, noting how the man was picking apart the small cakes. Rey noticed Diedrich's stare and smiled at him. Picking up a small red sphere from within one of the cakes he offered it to the Count. Hesitantly, Diedrich took the proffered ball.
"Eat it," Rey said. "You're from Lirka, right? So you will enjoy it."
Diedrich bit it in half, chewed it a little, and blinked with surprise. He threw the other half in his mouth. "That was delicious," he said.
Rey grinned. "But of course. That was gum drop, made in southern Cerluce. It's a bit sweet for the Cerluce tastebuds though, so they eat them in salt cakes."
"Salt cakes?" Diedrich asked, bemused.
Rey passed another gum drop to the Count. "Those cakes you had grabbed are salt cakes. Rather than use sugar, they use salt. That is also what was dusted over them."
Diedrich paled. "Oh. Thank you for stopping me from eating them."
"It was a pleasure."
"That it enough, Puppet," Kerrigan snapped. "Now leave us; return to my uncle."
Rey looked to Kerrigan, and Diedrich noted the annoyed glint in Rey's eyes. Kerrigan continued to glare. Diedrich shifted on his feet as Rey's arms tensed. Suddenly, a large man draped in fine cloths with a silver chain across his crown approached. Hansof tensed.
"Nephew," the man said, smiling at Kerrigan. "Is my Puppet annoying you again?"
Kerrigan dipped his head in a brief bow. "Duke Erik, how nice it is to see you. Your Puppet was disturbing my guest."
"Your guest?" The Duke turned to Diedrich. "And you are...?"
Diedrich inclined his head in respect. "I am Count Diedrich Hansof, ambassador for the King of Lirka."
The Duke's eyes widened slightly. "Ambassador! Then you should have come to me... Ah! That is it. You will join me and stay on my estate during your stay. After all, a Count in your land is equal to a Duke in mine."
Diedrich smiled and agreed, though inside he was worried. The first he had come upon in this country was Lord Kerrigan, after all. But the Duke was right in saying their positions were equal, and that would mean it is more reasonable to stay with Duke Erik.
"But uncle," Kerrigan started, clearly in refusal. "I welcomed Count Hansof into my estates first-"
"Kerrigan. That is enough. Your rank is of no import, so don't so casually try to win favour with another land."
Kerrigan shut his mouth with a click. He spun on his feet and walked off. The Duke sighed, and Rey draped his arms around the Duke. Diedrich's eyes widened as Rey stretched up and began to kiss down the Duke's jaw. Duke Erik glanced down at Rey and pushed the young man away. Rey pouted.
"I'm sorry about that," the Duke apologised. "My nephew is very hot-headed and desperate to prove himself. He is constantly trying to garner favour from others."
Diedrich nodded slowly. "It is quite alright. Ah, and your Puppet was not an annoyance, rather he was helpful in what are salt cakes."
Erik smiled slightly. "My Puppet is well informed with other countries' tastes." Rey begn to walk away. "Now, tell me, what brings a Lirka Count to Cerluce?"
Diedrich hesitated. "My King has only recently come into power after his father was assassinated. His court is pleased with him, but request he employ a Chief Advisor within three moons, or they will appoint somebody. My King would like his childhood friend to take up the role, but nobody knows where he is. The belief is that he fled to Cerluce is fear of slavery."
Rey reappeared and offered Erik and Diedrich each a flute of liquor. Both men accepted and took a moment to sip the sweet Elderberry cider. Rey then pulled a bottle of the liquor out foam behind him and proceeded to drink from it. Erik frowned at the display but did not pass comment.
"Why would the King's friend fear slavery?"
Diedrich shrugged. "I don't know, but that is what my King said. And I'm not allowed to return to the court without the elusive man."
"And do you know what he looks like?" Rey finished the bottle and placed it beside his feet, before grabbing another from a passing waiter.
The Count shook his head. "No; unfortunately I don't. But I do know his name."
"Please, tell, and I will send out my men to assist you in your search."
"Thank you greatly. His name is Yuri Nocturn. Ah, and he has a mark on his left flank... give me a moment." Diedrich reached for the inside of his vest, where presumably there was a pocket. He pulled his hand back out, now holding a wrinkled piece of paper. "Here, it's the mark of a coal mine slaver..."
Erik took the proffered object and looked at the sketch. It was an upside tear-drop with a hexagon at the bottom. Directly above the hexagon were the letters 'C.T', and above that was the number 137. As his mind processed the details, Erik's eyes floated up to Rey. The Puppet was up to his third bottle, and the number of onlookers was greater now than when Rey first started drinking that night. Clearing his throat, the Duke passed the paper back to Diedrich and stepped over to Rey. Rey paused from his drinking and lowered the bottle.
"Duke," Rey slurred.
Duke Erik frowned. "That is enough. Leave the bottle, and get out. You are embarrassing me."
Rey frowned in return. "Let me take the bottle."
"No."
"Let me take the bottle, or I'll move to Auso."
"Leave the bottle and return to my chambers, or I'll slit your throat."
Rey tensed, his left hand slowly raising to his chained neck. Nodding just as slowly, Rey lowered the cider to the floor and walked past the Duke, presumably with the intention of returning to the Duke's chambers. Erik sighed and stepped back to be before Diedrich.
"I am dreadfully sorry for the behaviour of my Puppet. Normally he is more well behaved."
"Its quite alright," Diedrich staved. "But tell me, do you think your men will be able to find my King's childhood friend with a name and a brand?"
Erik nodded. "But of course." He glanced over his shoulder in the direction Rey went. "I apologise, but you will have to excuse me. My Puppet can not be left alone when drunk."
Diedrich smiled. "Please, do."
Duke Erik nodded once more, before turning on the spot and striding off in the direction of Rey.

If I can get 5 votes, then I'll write another chapter. Thank you all for reading! *hands out metaphorical cookies*