Silver Silence

Fancy Rats in Fancy Coats

The thirst for violence had infected the royal city like a plague. Siles could hear the chants through the window of August's room, although the protests themselves lay beyond the courtyard walls. "Take the South!" the voices shouted. He imagined a wind magician had something to do with it. They could have carried the voices from the city streets into August's hearing range on the wings of a breeze. It was a war of attrition, except annoyance would wear down August's forces instead of death or destruction.

Though it only seemed to be working on Siles. August paid no attention to the chanting as he examined his cards. He looked annoyed, but it wasn't because of the protests. He was losing.

"You're cheating," he complained. "You have to be."

Siles turned his gaze from the window back to his cards. "I don't cheat."

"Let me see your sleeves." August lunged forward. Siles had fast reflexes, but he didn't bother to move as August latched onto his arms and shoved his sleeves upwards, checking for cards. August's hatred of losing was entertaining to watch, and after watching August's victory dances for a dozen and a half games, Siles had finally found a winning strategy.

But the strategy didn't involve cheating. August released Siles' arms and fell back onto his seat. "Damn."

Siles shrugged with a smile and placed his next card, the winning card. Game over. Not that he cared with the voices of the protest poking at his ears. He looked back to the window as August threw his remaining cards in the air. "Can't you hear it?" Siles asked him.

August followed Siles' gaze. "What? The protests?"

"No, the melting ice. Of course I mean the protests. Doesn't the chanting annoy you?"

August squinted out the window and shrugged. "No. Aren't guards supposed to be able to put up with annoyances? You stood by Samira's side for ten years. You've put up with me for a while, too."

"You're not annoying. You've gotten me out of practice at dealing with annoyances." Siles glared out the window. "Why don't you make them stop? You could make them believe that the war isn't worth it."

August smiled at the compliment, basking in it for a few seconds before bothering to reply, "I can't control crowds, you know. Not large ones, anyway. The election only involved five ballot boxes, so I only had to control five votes at a time. I can't do the same with a protest, especially since the mind control would have to last longer than the time it takes to cast a vote."

The chanting seemed to grow louder, as if a second wind magician had joined the first to carry the voices farther. Siles hissed through his teeth. August really had taken away his patience. He had put up with much worse during Queen Samira's reign, but he enjoyed talking to August, so he hated to be interrupted. "We should speak with them. I doubt Amanda has mentioned how dangerous it would be to educate the commoners on battle tactics. We could change their minds the old-fashioned way."

August released an exaggerated sigh. "First you beat me at cards, now you want me to leave my rooms? You claim not to know how to torture, but I'm beginning to think you're lying."

The voices chose that moment to enter the room, echoing like they would have if their keepers had been in the room with them. August looked around for their faceless guests and shook his head when he found nothing. "You're right, it's annoying. Let's go."

The echoes of the protest followed them throughout the castle, but faded once they stepped outside the main doors. Siles ushered August towards the gates, but August stopped, tilting his head as he listened to the abruptly quiet winter breeze. The silence soothed Siles' ears, but it also raised his suspicions. Spies and assassins worked in silence, and kings were their primary targets.