The Lyrebird King - Chapter 1
He never knew that night would change his life but hindsight always was crystal clear, wasn’t it?
The hooded figure on the outskirts of the crowd quickly collected his winnings before making a wide berth around the myriad of fighters featured in the ring throughout the night and toward the man that had added some extra heft to his purse.
“You fought well,” Caius greeted, for lack of anything better to begin with, while ensuring his steps were clunky and audible as he approached. “But then again, I knew you would.”
The fighter glanced up from beneath his tousled auburn fringe, verdant gaze narrowed into a glare as he spat a mix of blood and saliva onto the dirt beside him.
“Oi, thanks for that by the way - put a fucking target right on my head with that hefty bet.” He snarled, and the blood on his pearly white teeth sent an unbidden thrill down Caius' spine.
“And yet your winnings are all the greater for it,” Caius replied and placed an additional pouch of coin on the weathered crate beneath him. “You fought as if it was for your very survival, I watched you stretch and wrap your hands before the match even began. I think you’ll find the risk I took was calculated, and I happen to be quite skilled at arithmetic.”
“Hmph,” Aries, the event crier had called him, snorted and snatched the pouch away. Still, it seemed the monetary apology was well received as he crossed his legs and leaned further back on his wooden perch rather than escape the encounter. “Calculated or luck, doesn’t matter to me, but I’m happy to take the coin from you.” He licked over his teeth as his eyes roamed over the lithe form in front of him, the cloaked figure a monument to androgyny and obscured gender boundaries.
“Do you participate in these fights often?” Caius wondered, lowering his hood and instead peering from beneath inky black, swooping bangs.
“Now and then.” Aries met his gaze as if making a challenge or a threat, and Caius could only commend him for being the cautious sort.
“Perhaps I’ll have to stop by more often, though I’d loathe becoming a regular patron of this sort of entertainment.” He didn’t quite curl his lip in disgust but the message was clear nevertheless.
“If it’s not something you enjoy then why did you place a bet in the first place?” Aries wondered, thumb swiping back and forth over the bunched-up sleeve at his elbow.
“Curiosity; my reason for doing most things,” Caius confessed with a slight smirk as he lifted himself to sit on a crate parallel to Aries. “I wanted to see if my instincts were correct - It was as much a test for myself as it was for you, though perhaps to a less physically damaging extent.”
“S’pose it’s better than most of the puffed-up nobles that deign to grace us with their presence,” Aries’ words were laced with disdain and malice, and if he hadn’t already had Caius’ full attention that certainly would have done it. “The extra coin doesn’t hurt either.” he chucked a thumb over his shoulder towards the gifted purse he’d stashed away.
“Oh? Do many nobles come to this sort of thing? I wouldn't think they'd want to get their shoes dirty.” Caius gestured to the scattered puddles of mud, the smatterings of blood, and the general filth that came with an illegal fighting ring in the back alleys of Larkfield.
“You’d be surprised,” Aries snorted and finally began gathering all his things into a large pack, “But I should clear out of here, too much lingering is always bound to draw the guard.”
“Why don’t I buy you a drink and we can continue this conversation?” Caius proposed as he crossed one leg over the other and leaned forward just slightly, a charming smile curling across his lips and a mirthful crinkle in the corner of his eyes.
Aries turned to face him and when his eyes trailed along Caius’ perched form the latter knew he’d caught him in his web.
“Yeah, alright. Not from Wounded Wyrm, though. Fuckin’ bastard that runs the place waters down his drink and thinks no one notices.” This wasn’t news to Caius but it wasn’t widely known information, most were just happy for a cheap drink. It piqued his interest in Aries all the more for it.
“Lucky Gryphon it is, then.” Caius hopped down from the crate before turning and making his way through the labyrinthine alleyways with all the confidence of someone who knew the town almost as if they’d lived here their entire life. He didn’t look back to see if Aries was following, the swishing sounds of fabric and plodding footsteps behind him were enough to confirm his company for the evening.
It didn’t take long for Aries to fall into step beside him, long legs and confident stride quickly eliminating the distance. Silence lingered between them as they made the short jaunt to the tavern and yet the quiet did not feel oppressive to Caius in the way it did with most people, and that alone had him tugging his cloak tighter around himself. He could just hear the inhale of Aries readying to speak as they rounded a corner, the tavern door thankfully just in front of them now and silencing any unspoken words.
“After you,” Caius held open the door with the toe of his boot, observing the curious way Aries’ head tilted before passing into the muted murmurings of the pub. He followed like a shadow, nearly molded to his back without touching before passing by and gesturing to a table in the corner of the room – secluded, but within sight of the stairs leading to the upper floor as well as a clear view of the doorway.
“Why don’t you grab us some drinks and I’ll hold down the table?” Caius offered, already pulling out a chair and falling into it, limbs spread in a facade of comfort and luxury. He pretended he didn’t hear Aries’ grunt as he set down his bag and stalked to the bartop.
Caius kept his eyes on Aries’ broad back throughout the entire interaction, gaze trailing down to his hands and watching every slight twitch and turn as he handled their tankards and brought them back to the table with a ‘thump!’ and a drizzle of foam.
“Here you are.” He nearly growled as he sat in his own chair across from Caius and crossed his feet at the ankles, “Now, you gonna tell me where someone like you gets that kind of coin to blow?” He questioned as he took a sip of his own mug, licking away the foam mustache that lingered behind.
Caius paused a minute before lifting his own to his lips and drawing in a long contemplative sip. Almost silently, he set the tankard down before he crossed his arms over the tabletop, leaning forward and speaking in hushed tones.
“You see, I’m actually an exiled prince on the run.” He whispered, eyes narrowed and mouth pinched in a serious expression.
“Seriously?” There was a hint of disbelief in Aries’ tone, but more there was awe and a bit of… hope?
“Absolutely not, I’m just someone with a lot of skills that isn’t afraid to take an odd job here or there.” It was vague enough to not be a lie but it also revealed nothing, damning or otherwise.
“Fuck you, man,” Aries kicked his ankle beneath the table, causing Caius to sit back with a chuckle and shake of his head. “Still, good for you.”
Caius was quiet a moment, brow drawn up in surprise. This was usually the part where someone asked for money, for a job, or whatever he was willing to give. He gave it a moment but when it seemed no such request was forthcoming he spoke again.
“I suppose it is. Took me quite a few years to get here, but here I am nevertheless.” he smiled and took another long gulp of his drink. “What is it you do? Besides the fighting, of course.”
He waited patiently as Aries took his own time to mull over his answer, which only made Caius more eager to hear it.
“S’pose I’m between jobs at the moment, just doing what I can to get by.” He averted his gaze to stare down into the amber liquid in his barely-touched tankard. There was clearly more to what he was saying, but Caius knew better than to prod at a festering wound.
“Fair enough. You mentioned nobles attend the fights. You have any interesting stories about them?” He wondered, setting his elbow on the table and propping his chin in his hand. This was what he was here for, this was the only reason he’d bothered to indulge a stranger in a drink at the late hour.
Aries hummed and finally took a long swig of his ale before setting it down with another clunk, drawing a slight wince to the corner of Caius’ eyes.
“Hmm… There was one a few weeks back, Lord Pendleton, some local Duke or something – Real fucking prick,” Aries began and Caius nodded for him to continue. “Shows up with some puffed-up bodyguard he calls his ‘champion’ and says he can’t wait to take home everyone’s coin. His ‘champion’ only lasts three rounds and once he’s out cold Pendleton starts shouting that he’s going to have the ring shut down and have all of us arrested. Real fuckin’ stupid thing to say when his bodyguard is busy holding down the gravel.”
“What an ass. I have to wonder though, if he’s a Duke why was he so desperate to make money in an underground fighting ring?”
“Who knows? Every once in a while we get some jackass that thinks they’re better than everyone and they come and drop a ton of coin and spit in our faces afterward. Or they lose and threaten us or slink away to lick their wounds. In my experience, all nobles are the fuckin’ same.” Again, his gaze dropped and this time traced the wood grain of the table.
They sat in silence for a moment and once again where it should have been awkward and stilted, it was instead comfortable and calm. Caius shifted his gaze to peer around the tavern, taking in the low sound of conversation, the pattering of rain he could hear just beginning to tap at the windows, and the clinking of tankards and glasses. It was almost soothing in its predictability.
“So has Lord Pendleton been the worst encounter you’ve had?” He wondered, looping back around to the information he was most interested in.
“No, not by a long shot. It was probably my second week attending when Sir Reinald showed up, one of the guards stationed out here, Knight Captain I think,” Aries paused to drain the remainder of his drink. “Damn near won the whole thing, but he was cruel about it. Had to scoop fella’s out of the ring before he killed them. Suppose it makes sense, with the rumors.”
“Rumors?” Caius wondered, taking a perfunctory sip for something to do with his hands, and in an attempt to make his inquiry seem more like casual questioning and curiosity.
“Aye. Rumors float around that he’s involved in human trafficking. Don’t know much more than that, that’s the nature of rumors after all.” Aries hummed as he flicked the rim of his mug and watched it teeter and wobble before settling again.
Well, that had Caius sitting up straight and paying full attention. Aries may have brushed them off as rumors, something idle gossips participated in while shopping in the market or at a dinner party, but he knew rumors of this severity didn’t sprout without some inkling of truth or suspicion.
“That’s awful. Was that the only night he attended?” Caius wondered as he stretched his legs beneath the table, his ankle pressed gently to Aries’. He watched as he raised his eyebrows before answering.
“Mm, as far as I know. I can’t make it every night but I’m sure it would’ve come up.” Caius smirked when he felt Aries press against him in return.
He took a moment to drain the remainder of his own mug before setting it aside and standing. He took measured steps towards Aries, trailing his fingers along the fighter’s broad shoulders as he circled around him and eventually took his hand.
“Enough of this talk. It seems the rain has picked up outside, so why don’t we get a room and learn a bit more about one another?” Caius purred, back arched as he leaned down so his lips were just a hair’s breadth from Aries’ ear. He savored the thrill of watching a shiver travel down his spine.
“Lead the way.” Aries answered and Caius stepped back to allow him out of his chair.
One small detour to the front counter and an exchange of coins for a key was all it took for the pair to disappear behind a heavy oaken door on the upper floor. The soft mutterings of the tavern faded into obscurity and in their place rose soft panted breaths and gasping moans, accented by the soothing sounds of the pouring rain outside.
When Aries woke the next morning, Caius was gone – the only trace he’d ever existed being the heavy purse in Aries’ belongings and the ring of impassioned bruises along the column of his neck.
⋅•⋅⊰∙∘𓅪∘∙⊱⋅•⋅
It would be nearly an entire month later before Aries would be faced with a chilling reminder of that evening.
“Did you hear?” One of the fighters whispered to another, huddled together as they prepared for the upcoming fights.
“What are you on about?”
“Sir Reinald’s dead,” Aries’ spine straightened, but he was careful not to turn his head towards the conversation. “found against the fountain in the plaza, a stack of papers pinned to his chest detailing all his slave trade dealings. Fuckin’ scum.”
“Can’t say I’m broken-hearted over it. Men that abuse their positions like that deserve what comes to them. May the Stars shine on whoever did it.”
Aries was no fool, despite what he’d been told the majority of his life. He needed to find that cloaked man again and he only hoped he hadn’t fled town just yet.