Faint of Heart

03

𝓕𝓵𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓷. 𝓛

RAIN PELTS THE WINDOWS AND IT SEEMS IT WILL KEEP DOING THAT FOR A GOOD LONG WHILE MORE.

The castle life wasn't his cup of tea originally, per se, but he's pretty sure he's gotten a hang of it. Boil the water well. Place it in a nice cup. It's like that except it's finding the best dirt of Her Majesty's little fling and making sure your best friend is careful enough to not trip over your plans.

Tea and manipulation. Didn't think that would be a metaphor he'd be making.

Oh well, it doesn't matter too much. He has the information he needs anyhow. Now just to find a proper opportunity to use it...

"Florin."

Crap.

Florin bowed, keeping his eyes closed and his nose pointed to the shimmering palace floors. "Yes sir?"

"I don't pay you to run around the castle, do I?" Florin's supervisor and Ms. Royalty's advisor leaned by the window to the garden. His voice was cold and solid like ice. The most secretive person in the castle, hell the whole empire. Nobody even knows this man's surname let alone anything about his personal life. All Florin could seem to gather was that he loved covering his eyes up with the same pair of luxury brand sunglasses and looking out at the flowers in the palace gardens. "Why are you staring at the ground?"

"Sorry sir. I was trying to bow to you."

"Save that for our lovely Majesty," Jug-Eum commanded, rolling back his shoulders and taking his eyes off the window. Florin studied him as soon as he opened his eyes. Professionally cut and styled inky black hair that matched his soulless black eyes always hidden by his sunglasses. Like Florin, Jug-Eum wore a white button-up with the addition of a black vest, tie and pants with plenty of chains and jingles clipped onto it. In other words, he was rich. "Florin, are you going to pay attention or are we going to be singing in la la land for the rest of your contract?"

"Yes, sorry sir. I'll get back to work." Florin turned his heels to leave.

Jug-Eum's tone soured. "No. I have a certain task I need you to do."

Great. Because why would he need to find where every Aloysia ran off to? Wouldn't that just be insane?

"And what is that, sire?"

"Find a guard and tell them that there is a thief in the palace. Swift punishment should be taken to the thief and the idiots who let them in," Jug-Eum muttered as he stuck his hands back into his pant pockets.

A thief~? Florin could work with that.

He hid a smile as he bowed again. "Of course. It would be my honour, sir."

"Stop bowing and get the work done, Forsaken."

Florin suddenly had no smile to hide. "Of course," he made out with grinded teeth.

—------

How the hell a thief managed to infiltrate Her Majesty's castle, Florin didn't care to know. The fact he could was much more important. Perhaps if Florin could manage an alliance with the thief, he could get some smuggled goods into the castle. Bribing others with favours wasn't going to last forever. Plus, maybe he could get himself some of his mama's linzer cookies. Whatever the royal cooks were making was just not it.

His hands gleamed over the stone that made up the guard barrack halls. The paintings and lights that decorated Her Majesty's more common areas got more and more absent as you went down the hall. Drab pictures of long-dead guards and that one massive painting of the Queen hanging right across from the training area were the only things that could ask for your attention here.

Now then, guard finding.

"Hello there darling, I'd hate to disrupt you, but there is a matter I'd like to discuss."

Silk-like black hair that draped over her back, held in a low ponytail by led (unique choice for a hair elastic but who is Florin to judge). Her face was in a book. War tactics? Looking for a high position already.

Her eyes snapped up to Florin and she slammed her book shut. Florin swore her face flushed pink for a second. "Oh um..." she stuttered. "What is it that you wish to discuss, maid... boy?"

And of course, he picked a nervous one. "Ah, nothing much to worry about, love."

"IF MR. ROMANO IS FIRING PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TELL THEM TO RECONSIDER I NEED THIS JOB AND–"

"--I came to inform you of a disturbance in the castle that the Royal Advisor wanted a royal guard to know about," Florin added with a smile. "Nothing to do with dear Leone's father's employment of you, darling."

"...ah." Her face was as pink as a peach. "Wait you're on a first-name basis with Leone Romano? Like the Leone Romano?"

Crap. Think before you speak Florin. "Ah yes. Me and the Queen's guard are quite close." That lie was going to bite Florin in the behind later. "Enough of my relations though. Let's get to the matter at hand."

"Oh um yes!" The girl stuffed her book into a little shoulder bag not too different from his sister's back home. "What is it, sir?"

Sir? "There are reports of a thief in the palace. I was informed to tell a guard such as yourself of the situation."

The girl nodded, her face looking more serious and grim. "I'll make sure to tell my supervisor."

"That would be lovely doll," Florin sang out like this was the best news he'd ever received in his life. 'Tell them to report the thief to me first so I can tell the royal advisor."

"Can't I just tell Jug-Eum–" the girl frowned and her small eyes turned into squints. Florin couldn't blame her. The thought of talking to Jug-Eum without needing to sounds like torture. "Never mind."

Florin bowed. "Thank you very much for your help in this matter, love. Tell me if you find anything later as I must take my leave." And find out wherever my rat went.

The girl held onto Florin's wrist as he turned to leave. "Wait! I don't know your name! How am I supposed to find you?"

"How silly of me, forgetting introductions." He tilted his head just enough to see the rain trickle down on the glass windows behind her. "I'm Florence Loverridge, but you can call me Florin."

"Chújú! Chújú Hao," she said with a twinkle in her eyes, her hands slowly letting go of Florin's arm.

"Ah, Chújú. What a lovely name. I'll make sure not to forget it."

She seemed to cheer a little when he said that.

𝟣𝟢𝟪𝟢 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝒹𝓈