Sparks of Jealousy

Sparks of Jealousy
“What for?”

“Lady Ophel and her parents have come.”

He rolled his eyes at that. They came a lot more often these days, ever since Penelope had the nerve to leave without even a goodbye. He dressed and got ready to deal with the stern faces of the Noble Council, Naos and the rest of nobility. 

“Hello, Leandros.” He stopped and the soft, lilting voice and smiled. 

“Hi, Eleura.”

“Dinner?” He nodded. “Well you have time for a nap, if you’d like.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “How do you figure?”

She gave him a mischievous smile, but didn’t answer. 

“Gods bless you.” He ducked into a parlor tucked off from the main corridor. No one ever came in here because it was one of the only parlors that hadn’t been updated. Eleura followed him in.

He found an empty corner of the half covered furniture and curled up by the window, his draping his jacket over his head and wishing for rest that would not come. 

“Before that, take this.” Leandros lowered his jacket. She offered him a vial from within one of her many pockets. “You look terrible. This should help.”

“With what?”

“Sleep.”

“I don’t like sleep potions.”

She rolled her eyes. “What was I, born yesterday? It’s a calming draught.”

Leandros eyed it. He was calm, yet he didn’t believe that as entirely true. He took the vial with a murmur of thanks and choked it back. 

“It’s… very good.”

“Tithneus sends them to me. He makes them for Cassian and Diomeios, but since they’re on the islands, I figure they shouldn’t go to waste.”

He nodded. “Are you… close with Diomeios?”

“Of course. Cassian and I are cousins!” She frowned and tilted her head. “Of a sort. But I talk to Penelope mostly.”

“...oh.”

Eleura nodded. “She’s miserable too. I’m glad Diomeios forced her out with Triton. You should write to her.”

“I can’t…”

“Perhaps try an messenger not of the throne?”

She stood and turned as if the conversation was over. “You should go back to hiding. The staff will be looking to give you cookies again. Pythia said, very clearly, that you are to get rest today.”

It was a strange sentiment, but he put his jacket over his head and for a time, he got as close to sleep as possible, but something in him was reaching, straining, and pulling away and out of him. He didn’t like it. As the the clock chimed over the city, he looked out the window with dread. 

“It will be okay, Leandros. Would you like me to hold your hand?”

He swallowed and shook his head. “No, Eleura. I’m fine.”

He pushed to his feet. “I think I’ll go to the library. Thanks and sorrt to waste your time.”

“Hardly a waste keeping you company.”

He chuckled at that and headed straight to the library. He needed to get out of Zarantia as soon as possible. Somewhere, anywhere, before he lost his mind at this maddening feeling. He wanted to go to the islands, to be nearer to Penelope, to get a chance to talk to her and understand, but that would be nearly impossible to convince the Council. He had enough money in his vault from the allowance he never spent, and living on the island would be much cheaper than anywhere else. The Zarantia-Alliance treaties were his best bet, but there was so little information on the Alliance available in the Emprire.

He sat down in the little corner of the library until a door caught his eye. He stood and approached it cautiously. This felt familiar. He opened it and found a large library inside along with a set of neat desks. One was mostly empty, but the other was stacked with information. He approached it slowly and his eyes burned as he recognized Penelope’s ever neat handwriting. He lifted the pages close and caught just the faintest whiff of her scent, warm, a little sweet, a little musky and comforting down to his bones. He melted into seat, pressing his face against the parchment and breathing deeply. 

All the tension started to ease. HIis mind felt clearer, more focused and soon, he could make out more than just the shape of the letters on the page. 

Zarantia-Alliance Treaty for Cooperation—Leandros

He swallowed the sob that wanted to escape him and the burning grief as his eyes drifted down the page. He couldn’t remember talking to Penelope about what he might want to do as he wasn’t in line for the throne and his noble title was more ceremonial than anything, but the list spoke to lengthy conversations between them. He wished he could remember them. The healing training him pause but he shied away from it. Whatever was happenign to him, whatever was pushing them apart before she left was still pulsing at the back of his mind. He didn’t know what would happen if he had to contend with Ascelpiad oaths. 

Shield and Sword Trials: 5

He paused at the index information, pointing him to the volume of the treaty. The reference spoke to her doing a lot of research. Had they put this list together? Had he helped with this research? He couldn’t remember. His eyes burned with frustration. He couldn’t remember much of anything. 

His blood cold for a moment. 

Had Diomeios helped her complete it?

He could almost imagine them leaning over books for hours on end putting together a career reference, but why was it for him? Why would he have helped Penelope help him? Revenge? Penance? Just to spend time with her? The pang of jealousy that came, shocked him. Nothing made sense, but he looked through the stack of books nearby until he found the corresponding note book labeled number five. 

The first page was a table of contents, but it seemed that the whole book was about becoming a Shield of Caelthos. As he read on, he was more and more convinced that this was the path he wanted to pursue. He would basically act as a Liason, he’d be expected to learn at least three dialects from the islands and several languages beyond. His lips twitch. He knew that Penelope knew at least four mainland languages and every dialect of the islands.

He frowned. How did he know that? He didn’t remember her telling him. 

He’d have to study customs, international law and all the other treaties that the Alliance and the Empire were part of. He’d basically get all the education an aspiring Jupitus would expect to get. The book was broken into chapters and each chapter broke down tasks and projects he could undertake.

Asssassin, Diplomat, Alliance-Empire Negotiator, Peacekeeping, Peace Enforcement, Territory Managemnt, Charity.

He swallowed, reading the chapter closely. Rather than solid titles, there were sections written about wizarding world issues. The longest section was Zarantia’s lack of child welfare and terrible relationship with the Alliance leaders and other nations’ governments.

The Alexandros seat has been vacant for three centuries.

He didn’t know why that mattered, but he had a feeling he would find out in time. Wasn’t Alexandros one of the first kings of what is now the Empire?