Chapter8
“Battleplan?”I asked.
“Have you ever seen that movie ‘The Shape of Water?’”Eddie asked.
“Come on,” I said.“My vagina is not a tactical warhead used to unleash chaos and bloodshed on a new culture.”
“It does cause fights between allies,” Vic said.
“As much as I appreciate you two getting along, I don’t like you two right now,” I said.“You go do something else.Get busy, wear an apron, go see what they did with the ship while you’re scurrying around.”
“That was going to be my next suggestion,” Brother Al said.“You two on scouting duty.”
“Come on,” Eddie said.
“It’ll be good to get the lay of the land,” Vic said.He tilted his head.“Well, you know.So to speak.”
“At your first opportunity, gather information,” Brother Al said.
“Yeah, yeah,” Vic said.
“Loud and clear, captain,” Eddie said.
The Prince’schambers were magnificent.Brother Al and I were escorted inside—they had taken Eddie and Vic elsewhere when Flag-Staff disappeared.I assumed he’d taken them around the place, to give them a tour.
“Oh, hello,” the Prince said, in nearly impeccable English.His voice was young, almost simpering, and very… meek?Maybe that was the word.“How are you?”
“I have had better days,” I said.
“Flag-Staff suggested you for me,” the Prince said.“I don’t care much for servants, but I do get a bit lonely here by myself.”
“By yourself?”Brother Al asked.
“Don’t get me wrong,” the Prince said.“Flag-Staff comes to keep me company, and Venom-heels is kind to me.He and my Father were close friends, you know.Before their falling out.”
“You’re okay with that situation?”I asked.
The Prince blinked.
“What situation?”
“Venom-heels killed your father,” I said.
“Oh, that,” the Prince said.“He’s been much like my Father himself.No, I understand why he would.My Father was a great man, but in games of politics, it’s very easy to get wrapped up in ideals.Sometimes you must fight for your passions, and Venom-heels was more passionate than my Father ever was.Perhaps it was his time.”
“You’re not… disheartened with Venom-heels?”Brother Al asked.
“He has treated me kindly,” the Prince said.“He keeps me at the palace, and feeds me well, and consults with me.He cares for me, in his way.I could not possibly step against an Aquan such as him.Not when he has raised me.He could have murdered me, you know, during the revolt.”
“How many days has it been since the revolt?”
“Nearly a hundred sunsets,” the Prince said.“If he were going to be rotten, he would have done it sooner.Ah, but you all must be tired of politics.I tire of it myself.Shall we have some light supper?There is a human recipe I find so fascinating, perhaps you would like it.Swedish fermented shark meat.Ooh, or perhaps we can have a small concert.I have been working on a new series of melodies—I think you would very much like to sit and hear it.It’s in its infancy, of course, but the basics are there.Or perhaps we can regale each other with our favorite stories of adventure.”
“All of those sound nice, my Lord,” Brother Al said.“We will decide momentarily.In the meantime.Will you excuse us for one moment?”
Brother Al pulled me aside.
“He’s being milk-fed,” Brother Al said.
