Look Beyond What You See

Playing the Game

 "Dmitri, stop it! We've only just finished breakfast. It's too early for this nonsense!" I protest as Dmitri ties a blindfold over my eyes. "Do you live to annoy me or something?"

"Why would you think that?" he questions with obvious amusement.

"Is a blindfold really necessary?"

"Well, I can't have you going back to the place I'm going to show you on your own."

"What place? I thought we were going to the library."

"We were, until last night. Now I think other things are slightly more important. You can read books and do research on your own time, certainly. My parents have determined that you're more than educated enough for their tastes and probably won't insist on further lessons for you."

"You should take me to the music room."

"An excellent idea. I'll do that after lunch."

"Fine. Where are we going now?"

"You'll find out when we get there. Now, here, take my hand and we'll be on our way." His hand, large and warm and slightly roughened from some sort of work, envelopes mine and pulls me along the corridor behind him. I truly do not enjoy being blindfolded and manhandled in this way, but I know I won't learn what I want to learn if I argue with him. I do have to wonder what the servants must think, seeing us like this, but after only a minute or two I hear the distinctive sound of a wall panel opening and know that servants seeing us will not be an issue at all.

"Watch your step. We're about to go down some stairs," Dmitri warns me.

"You know, you wouldn't have to tell me these things if you'd just let me see where we're going," I inform him in a wheedling tone. He just chuckles and tugs rather roughly on my arm, nearly making me lose my balance as I descend the slippery, narrow staircase, then mutters something unintelligible as I regain my footing without his help.

"Now, where's the fun for me in that?" he asks. The stairs have ended and now he pulls me behind him through tunnels, the width and height of which I can roughly guess by the echoing of his footsteps.

"I thought we could simply enjoy each other's conversation on a pleasant stroll through the tunnels beneath your home."

"Only my home? Is it not also yours?"

"In due time, but I do not yet consider it so. It is hard to feel at home in a place that one tours while blindfolded."

"Come off it, will you? The secrecy is only meant to protect you, I swear." He sounds sincere, but I'm sick and tired of secrets and half-truths.

"I have had enough of being protected in such a way." We stop suddenly and I can feel his hot breath on my face.

"Aerys, please try to understand. Everything related to what we talked about last night can only be discussed or worked with in absolute secrecy. I know the schedule here; you, so far, do not. Later, after a few more weeks, you will have more freedom, but for now I have to ask you to play this stupid game with me."

"Game?"

"Yes, I'm sure you're familiar with it. The one where you convince figures of authority that you are completely submissive while subverting the rules behind their backs." Suddenly, all of this makes a lot more sense and I wonder how I didn't see it myself.

"Of course, of course. Forgive me for being irrational. Let us proceed." I can somehow feel that he is smirking, but we continue walking through the tunnels as though nothing has happened. His footsteps seem loud to me, though I know from the way they sound that he is trying to be quiet.