Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Janus swirled the drink in his hand, admiring its taste as he waited for his visitor to show up. 

He very rarely got letters aside from old business partners and employers, or occasionally the odd marriage proposal. A letter with the seal of a foreign kingdom was enough to pique his interest immediately, and the letter's content had intrigued him too. He rarely got job offers anymore. 

Whoever wanted to hire him was making him wait, and Janus half-considered leaving now with his wine and retiring to bed. But he could be patient when he wanted to be, and Janus suspected the reward would far outpay the wait.  

As he thought, the door burst open. A sopping wet man stumbled in, collapsing onto the seat closest to the fire and gasping and huddling into himself as he dripped all over the floor and surely stained the plush armchair he was sitting on. He had tracked muddy footprints behind him, and all Janus could think about was how glad he was that they were meeting at a tavern and not his estate, his servants would have revolted at having to clean such a messy wake, and his chairs were far too expensive to be stained. 

While the man warmed himself up, Janus poured a second glass of wine. He slid it over to him and waited. Eventually the warmth of the fire seemed to take some effect on the lad, and he cautiously picked up the glass, sipping the wine and recoiling almost immediately. Janus smirked, he’d always been told he had an acquired taste. 

The man took a deep shaky breath, before pulling a few pieces of parchment paper out and setting them onto the table. He bowed his head. “It is a deep honor to get to meet with you, Lord Crane.” 

Janus sipped his wine. There wasn’t much recognition in his line of work, but it was always satisfying when there was. “Yes, I suppose it is.” 

They locked eyes, and the man shuffled his parchment papers around. “Unfortunately, my employer is… pre-occupied currently. He’s chosen to stay anonymous and has sent me as a messenger to converse with you.” 

Janus hummed. Few of the high ranking figures who wanted to hire him would ever actually venture down to the levels he perused nowadays. Not to mention most nobles would be running around like headless chickens to help prepare for the nearing crowning and trying to gain favor with the soon to be king. “Of course. I assume he’s sent you with instructions?” 

The messenger nodded, squinting his eyes and staring at the parchment. “Yes. Prince Roman of Imaginaris is ascending to the throne in six months. Because he’s taken more control of actively ruling his kingdom, the other nobles want him to have an advisor to help with decisions. Though I’m sure a man of your stature knows this already!” 

He hadn’t known that, Janus hadn’t been paying much attention to politics aside from maintaining his position as a lord and looking for any gaps that would slip him up in the world, but he wasn’t about to let this mailboy know that. “And how does this pertain to anything?” 

“My employer wants you to take up the job as the prince’s advisor, and push him towards making some… unlikeable choices about his kingdom. With your experience my employer can guarantee you’ll get the job.” Janus took another sip of wine. Manipulating the crown ruler of the largest kingdom in the lands would be risky, especially in the interest of sabotage. It could start a war if Janus wasn’t careful. 

“For how long would I be advising the prince? To what end? And for what compensation? Your employer would have to be a very dear friend of mine to expect a favor from me.” The messenger flipped the parchment, shaking his head. “Oh no, Lord Crane. My employer is willing to heavily reward you for your effort. And he knows exactly how long he wants you to advise. You need to make sure that the prince is out of the picture before his crowning.”

Janus froze, he stared at the man. “I certainly hope you do not expect me to assassinate the most heavily guarded royal in the currently explored world in only six months. Your employer may not understand how my profession works.” 

The messenger shook his head, looking panicked under the shadow of his hood. “You are mistaken, Lord Crane! My employer does not want you to harm the prince at all, he simply wants you to push the prince towards more situations where he will die accidentally, or by an angry subject's hand.” 

Also risky, but significantly easier and less suspicious than assassinating the prince himself. Janus sighed, thinking it over. “I still distrust your employer’s judgment, messenger. That is a lot to do in six months, and there isn’t much that would benefit me enough to take the deal…. Unless your employer has something truly valuable to me.” 

A small leather a was dropped onto the table. It appeared to have been brought out of the man’s robe. They stared at each other, and Janus raised an eyebrow. The messenger waved Janus to take the bag. “A small thank you offer from my employer for agreeing to meet with me. And he can promise you a monthly wage should you take the job, as well as a hefty bonus and much land in Imaginaris should you succeed. He’s also advised you to think of the allies you could make while in the capital while considering his offer.” 

Janus placed his glass of wine down and grabbed the bag. It was certainly heavy, and upon untying the string keeping it shut, Janus could see it was filled to the brim with gold coins and jewelry. Bangles and rings studded with perfectly shined gemstones of all colors. Janus admired a coiled golden ring with the design of a snake, a topaz embedded in its mouth. He slipped it onto his finger. “I suppose I can mull it over.” 

The messenger breathed a sigh of relief. “My employer has been searching for someone like you to pull off his job for a very long time. It’s only a pity he couldn’t find out about you sooner.” 

Janus picked his wine back up, taking another sip and emptying his glass. “Are there any other conditions I should know about beforehand? Or should I go and get my bags packed?”

“Yes, one more. When the prince is… no longer an issue, you need to stick around for a few months after that. There’s going to be a big fight for the crown, especially since he can’t officially mark a next of kin before he’s king, so he won’t have one.” The messenger reads what he’s saying off of the last piece of parchment. “You need to make sure the crown goes to his brother, Prince Remus of Imaginaris.”

Chapter Text

The carriage ride over to the capital city of Imaginaris had been uneventful. A few rainy nights, and a few bumpy roads, but they were all par for the course when on such a long journey. 

He’d had a lot of time to think about his plan going forward, how to properly divide up his months, and what information he currently knew about everyone involved. Unfortunately, getting to the castle in itself had taken two weeks, shortening his already short deadline.

There wasn’t much released about the two princes, strangely enough. He vaguely remembered meeting both of them at a political ball almost ten years ago, but a brief introduction to two children a decade ago wasn’t much to go off of. He’d written to a few friends in the capitol for intel and most of the responses he’d gotten were similar.

Crown Prince Roman had been described to him as charismatic and friendly, or at least very social, but inexperienced. He had been chosen to rule three years ago, and seemed to be mostly focused on keeping the rest of the nobles and lords in his kingdom content. Apparently he was a big fan of parties and balls. That was good for Janus. The more focused the prince was on living lavishly the easier it would be for Janus to gain control of the decisions about the kingdom.  

He could barely obtain any information on Prince Remus. Apparently he’d become a massive recluse just before it was announced who the next ruler was, and before that he had just about no obvious personality in his public appearances. The closest thing to personality he could get was a rumor the Prince had once been caught sneaking through the capitol when he was a pre-teen, which didn’t tell Janus anything. 

He’d come to his own conclusions about who his mysterious employer was, and there were three possibilities. The first idea, and most obvious one, was that it was Prince Remus himself. From the undoubtable jealousy at not being chosen, to the fact that there was almost no available information about him, it seemed clear he would have been the one to hire Janus.

The second idea was that it was some sort of noble or lord who had Prince Remus’s favor. If Janus was that close to the royal family, he would be trying to get his favorite descendant onto the throne as well. 

And the third and final idea was that it was simply someone who disliked Prince Roman. He doubted everyone was happy with Prince Roman’s current ability to rule, and at least one person must have seen Prince Remus as a better alternative for the wellbeing of the kingdom. 

It was the most unlikely idea, since anyone with the money to pay Janus’s wages would be rich enough to be the main benefactors of any perks assigned by Prince Roman. And few nobles would give a lavish advantage up. 

“Um… Lord Crane?” Janus looked up, one of the coach-men had stuck their head in through a small window slot at the front. Once he had Janus’s attention on him, the coach-man vaguely gestured to the side windows. “We’ll be entering through the capitol gate walls in a second, you’ll want to look out for them.”

Janus nodded. It would be nice to see something aside from farms, bush, and small villages. The coach-man took his head back out of the window slot, and soon enough Janus could see the stone slab walls and wooden arch. 

The carriage faulted for a bit as his coach-men gave the toll to the guards guarding the entryway, and soon enough they began moving. Janus moved closer to the window, staring out at the capitol city as he drove through it. 

The shops and houses that populated the streets were polished, and plenty of men, women and children walked down the cobbled streets in fine clothing. A few turned to look at Janus’s carriage, a few extremely young children waved at Janus upon seeing him, before being hurriedly turned away by their parents. Janus smirked, he supposed he must have been an imposing figure to look up at. 

As the carriage progressed deeper and deeper into the center of the capitol, the shops dwindled and the houses turned to grand manors. And then he saw the castle walls. 

It was one of the largest castles he’d ever seen, and he’d seen quite a few. It was built from cobblestone bricks, and surely five stories tall. The wall surrounding the castle courtyard spanned tall and wide. As they got closer, Janus noticed two people standing next to the entrance, both wearing the clothes of a servant. No Princes or nobles in sight. 

His carriage slowed to a stop in front of the servants, and one stepped forward, opening Janus's carriage door for him. He carefully stepped out, his shoes clattering against the road. The door was shut behind him and the servant bowed his head. “May I collect your luggage for you, Lord Crane?” 

“Certainly.” Janus waved him off, walking towards the other servant. He was dressed better, and looked significantly older too. He smiled warmly at Janus, bowing his head for a few seconds. “Thank you for making the journey here, Lord Crane. His majesty wanted to greet you himself, but he has much to do with the impending crowning. He has asked me to apologize for his absence.”

Janus nodded. He supposed that explained the lack of any sort of welcoming committee, which was fine. He wouldn’t be here long enough to warrant keeping in the public eye anyway. The servant turned to face the gate, pushing it open and walking through. “Please let me escort you through the courtyard while I explain the details of your stay with us.” 

Janus stepped through, letting the servant close the gate behind him. “Certainly, though this won’t take too long, will it? I have much to prepare for and get accustomed to.” 

The servant shook his head. “Of course not, Lord Crane. I understand the workload you must be preparing for. It won’t take long, there are only a few things I must explain.” Their eyes both flicked over to the younger servant as he pushed himself through the gate with his shoulder, holding Janus’s bags. Then the older servant began walking down the path, gesturing for Janus to follow. 

“You’ll be eating dinner with the princes, any other meals will be brought to you by your personal servant. We’ve assigned one to you.” He pointed to the man carrying Janus’s luggage. He looked adequate enough for the job, and Janus had certainly met scrawnier men. There was the small problem that Janus would no longer have complete privacy in his quarters, but he always wrote in code anyhow. His servant stared at the ground, their long hair covering most of their face. Not one for introductions then. 

Janus turned back to the older servant. “Does he have a name? Or should I come up with one?” The older servant frowned, whapping Janus’s servant on the back of the head. “Introduce yourself to Lord Crane, boy!” Janus’s servant froze, raising his head to meet Janus’s eyes. “I apologize, Lord Crane. You may call me Virgil.”

Janus nodded, and the three of them continued on their way. The older servant once again was smiling warmly, calming explaining rules and stipulations. “If you’re ever feeling hungry, feel more than welcome to get Virgil to run down to the castle kitchens, our pastry chef is almost always baking. Your room will be cleaned whenever you’re out for dinner, so point out anything you don’t want touched.” 

That would be another problem. How easy would it be for a member of the cleaning crew to snatch up some incriminating evidence of Janus? Even if he did forbid anyone from touching it, it could still be stolen and examined under the guise of a mistake. “I don’t want hordes of servants riffling through my room, can you not ask one servant to do it?” One person would be easier to keep track of, and Janus could meet them personally beforehand to gauge how competent they were. 

The older servant raised an eyebrow, before he shrugged and nodded. “Of course, Lord Crane.” His head whipped around to look at Janus’s servant again. “You will now clean his room during dinner, clear?” Janus’s servant stared at the ground, though Janus thought he could see him wrinkle his nose under his hair. “Of course, it would be my pleasure.” 

They passed through the courtyard, and into the castle gardens. It was magnificent. Janus had never been one specifically for topiary, though he could always admire its beauty, and this was beautiful. Lush white rose hedges sectioned off each area and path, pink flowers curled around fountains and decorations like vines, and Janus could see delicately carved sculptures everywhere. 

There were instruments and tea tables, and Janus could see gardeners dutifully working to perfect and plant more pink and white flowers. The older servant noticed Janus looking around, and cleared his throat. “Our late king adored his gardens, so we’ve been working to keep them just as fresh and elegant as they were while he was alive.”

Janus nodded. It certainly looked elegant. They walked under a rose gateway and past a large statue detailing the late King and Queen in their prime. Finally, he walked up the castle steps to the magnificent and ornate entry door. The guards bowed their heads and pushed it open, but right after they entered the older servant stopped in his tracks. 

“I have to get back to my own workload now, Lord Crane, so Virgil will escort you to your room. If you have any issues please find me. I'm the head of staff, so I’ll be happy to re-assign or discipline anybody who is unhelpful.” His eyes shied towards the personal servant, before he gave a small bow and left, walking off to oversee his disciples, Janus assumed. 

Janus turned to his personal servant, raising an eyebrow. The servant let out an almost unnoticeable sigh before walking ahead of Janus, and starting to ascend up the left staircase. “Right this way, Lord Crane.”

Chapter Text

Janus’s bedroom was rather plain, though considerably lavish. It left Janus lots of space to unpack, and if he was staying here longer he probably would have more reason to decorate. 

His servant had set his luggage at the foot of his bed, before going to stand in the corner. Janus scoffed, he would’ve insisted on unpacking his own things, as so far nobody had proven they could be trusted, but he could still be displeased by the laziness. 

Setting his clothes in the dresser was no issue, most of his hidden weapons were securely stowed away in sewed on pockets that wouldn’t simply fall apart. Most of his items were no qualm either, books and other items as such, purely for his own entertainment on the days he wouldn’t be working. 

But as he gathered the more secretive luggage he’d brought from the recesses of his bag, he noticed that his servant was staring at him. He didn’t seem particularly focused, and Janus suspected his mind was elsewhere, but he still didn’t want a nosy servant watching him as he unpacked the more delicate things he'd brought. 

He walked up to the servant, snapping his fingers sharply to draw his attention to Janus. Soon enough the servant was staring directly at him, with a rather reproachful look. “Can I help you, Lord Crane?” Even his supposedly neutral tone bordered on spiteful, and Janus wrinkled his nose. 

“Do you not have any duties to do? Or do they pay you to stand still as decoration?” He could see the servant gritting his teeth, and Janus smirked. His servant took a deep breath in, glaring at Janus. “I’d be glad to fetch you something to eat or some entertainment, but most of my duties are to be acted out once you’re seated at dinner.”

Janus waved his hand. “Then go get me a scone, and a nice cup of tea. Can you do that?” The servant nodded, bowing his head and exiting the room. Janus breathed a sigh of relief. He could unpack his work tools in peace, and it would be nice to get a warm drink and pastry after such a long journey. 

Though he wasn’t going to be the one to kill the Crown Prince, Janus had brought plenty of… defenses with him. A few daggers, a few poisons, and a few tokens of favor. All important to have in his arsenal should he encounter anyone who was proving to be his obstacle. He had also brought the bag of jewelry, considering that anyone who had sent him this jewelry would recognize him wearing it. And Janus was perceptive enough to notice even a slight change in demeanor. 

He set the jewelry bag down on a dark oak desk, and pulled out a few of his favorite pieces. The snake ring, a rather delicate looking opal bracelet, and a diamond cut onyx brooch. Janus wasn’t one to massively adorn himself, but he could certainly admire works of art. 

Janus took out the last item from his luggage, his private journal. He laid it out on the desk, flipping to the next available page. Out of all of his personal personal possessions, Janus’s journal was his least protected. Even if it was found and read through, he doubted most of the people who worked in the vicinity of his room could read. He wrote all of his most private thoughts in code anyhow. 

As he began to write, his thoughts shifted to the castle staff. The head of staff had been friendly enough, but his personal servant was a different matter, and whether or not the rest of the staff swayed that way would impact how easily Janus could manipulate or sabotage. 

There wasn’t much to write about, he hadn’t even met either of the princes or anyone who could have hired him yet, but it was a good way to pass the time until he got his pastry, since he didn’t particularly care if his servant was watching him now. 

His quill scratched across the paper as he finished his short entry, and he set his journal upon the desk provided for him. Janus stood up and stretched his back, raising his arms above his head as he idly stood. 

The door creaked open, revealing his servant, noticeably not carrying a cup of tea and a scone. Janus scoffed. Was he too incompetent to do even a simple task? The servant approached him, bowing his head. “I was not able to get your pastry, Lord Crane. Dinner has been prepared and Crown Prince Roman wishes for you to dine with him and his brother, I am to escort you.” 

Janus hummed, not even an apology? No matter, he smirked, nodding. “You’re forgiven for my lack of tea. Let me accessorize before I go to eat.” He could almost sense the servant rolling his eyes as Janus walked over to where he had set down his favorite of the jewelry. 

He slid them on over his gloves. He would be asked to take them off for eating, but it was more the power play of wearing them so close to his target than anything else. Janus turned back to his servant, who was impatient standing next to the door. He clasped his hands behind his back. “Well? Do your job and escort me to the dining hall.”

Chapter Text

When they arrived at the large doors that surely led to the dining hall, Janus’s servant waited for the doormen at either end to bow and let them enter before he turned to Janus. “The Crown Prince has decided where you shall sit himself, so I shall leave you until the end of dinner.”

He began walking away, but Janus raised an eyebrow. “Are you not to serve me?” In most royal houses he had visited, he had been assigned a servant to fetch him food and water during dinner, and Imaginaris was in no way lacking in servants. 

“I would, but I should remind you that instead I’ve been tasked with cleaning your room. There will be someone waiting for you inside.” Janus hm-ed. “Ah, I was worried you were lazing off.” He turned to walk through the doors before whipping back and pointing a finger at his servant. “Don’t touch my desk.”

His servant nodded, before fully walking away from Janus and back in the direction they had come from. Janus walked through the doors and into the dining hall, and the large doors swept shut behind him. 

The dining hall was wonderfully ornate. Twisted marble clinked satisfyingly under Janus’s feet, the walls were lined with tapestries of past rulers fighting dragons and returning home to adoring crowds, and a chandelier of silver, sapphire, and pearl hung above with dripping wax candles kept secure in its clutches. There was a massive limestone and cream hearth at the head of the table, heating the room comfortably.

The dining table itself was large and detailed, with plush seats all around it. There was an embroidered tablecloth covering the table in a diamond, and Janus could see the glint of the fine plates even while he was over by the entrance. 

Janus could almost see the great dinner parties that had been held here, people talking and laughing as food was served and songs were played from a stage opposite the hearth. This fantasy was slightly ruined by the fact that there were only three people sitting at the table. 

Firstly he noticed a prince in red and gold, discussing something with the man sitting to his right. Janus didn’t know what Crown Prince Roman looked like, but if he had to take a guess, this would be his. He wore a gold crown of rubies, and sat at the head of the table.

The man next to him was dressed far less well. He had fine clothes on, but Janus could see that they were stiffer and plainer than any of the other men at the table. A pair of glasses rested on his nose and he looked to be answering the prince with a stern expression. 

Lastly he noticed the second prince, sitting at the opposite end of the long table. His crown was smaller, and he slouched in his chair, playing with two of his knives. Janus didn’t have much time to examine him before- “Lord Crane!”

Janus’s head snapped to where his name had been called, and saw that the red prince was beckoning him over, smiling. “We were just expecting you!” 

Quickly walking forward, Janus arrived next to the prince’s throne and bowed deeply. “It is a pleasure to meet you, your highness. I deeply apologize if I help dinner up.” He was waved to return to normal, and the prince directed him to the seat to his left. 

“No need for worries at all, dear advisor! Why, I only arrived a mere moment before you did! Sit down, sit down.” Janus made himself comfortable in the chair he’d been directed to. It was as comfortable as it looked, and possibly velvet.

Now that he was closer, Janus could look more clearly at the prince. He was younger than anticipated, though that was never an issue in needing someone to be easily manipulated.

The prince tapped a server on the arm. “You may bring out the handwashing water now.” The girl nodded, scurrying off to the kitchen. He turned back to Janus, and grabbed his hand to shake with a sweeping motion. “I’m delighted you’ve finally arrived, I want to make sure everything is perfect for my crowning.” 

So this was Prince Roman. Janus shook his hand back, letting go once the bowls of warm water had been brought out and set in front of them. “I’m flattered that you think so highly of my services, your majesty.” A butler awkwardly held out a silver platter, and Janus took off his gloves and jewelry, carefully placing them down. He didn’t miss how Prince Roman’s eyes went wide as he stared at his hands, the same way he hadn’t missed how his eyes kept flitting to the left side of Janus’s face, but there was no reason to point it out. He wet his hands, drying them on the towel before it was taken away. 

Prince Roman nodded. “Oh yes, I‘ve heard wondrous tales from those who’ve hired you, and most kingdoms have flourished just months after your advice.” He turned to the man on his right. That’s what you said, isn’t it, Logan?” Logan, whoever he was, nodded. 

Most kingdoms that had flourished under Janus’s sabotage had been the ones with unjust rulers, and they had usually flourished long after Janus had cleared out. But Prince Roman’s lack of research certainly wasn’t going to stop him from accepting praise. “Why thank you, I pride myself on my abilities.” 

Logan looked as if he wanted to say something, but Prince Roman, unintentionally or not, cut him off. “Wonderful! I hope you and Logan work well under me.” He paused, before it seemed to click in his head that the men sitting on his right and left were strangers to each other. “Oh! This is Logan, he’s my….” He sounded unsure. “My…..” 

Logan sighed. “My official title is your dictation linguist, your highness.” Prince Roman nodded, looking slightly grateful. “Right, but don’t interrupt me.” Logan sighed again. “Anyway, Logan here is my diction linguist! He’s here to inform me and catch me up on all the relationships and treaties that have been around since before I became Crown Prince. As a bonus, he also provides a great view on how peasants' minds work, since he has experience with their mindset.” Rather noticeably, Logan’s face reddened.

Ah, that explained it. Logan had the plainest clothes out of all of them because he wasn’t noble, or at least he was an incredibly low-ranking one. How on earth someone like him had started to work side by side with a crown prince escaped Janus. 

Someone else working next to Prince Roman in political meetings and such would make things harder, especially since the base of Logan’s job seemed to be informed, something Janus was relatively sure Prince Roman was not. But with how the prince seemed to refer to Logan, perhaps Janus could corner him alone and appeal to his interest, as he didn’t seem incredibly fond of the prince. 

As their conversation lulled, plates, patter and trays of food and drink were brought out. Janus would point to what he wanted, and a servant would grab it for him, serving him his desired portion on a plate. Soon he ended up with some venison, two bread rolls, and a green apple. He didn’t have fruit often, the import costs were many, but there was an entire bowl of them set on the table. He smiled as a man came around pouring out wine, and held up his glass. 

He was devastatingly disappointed when he took a sip. The wine was weak and sugary, and tasted more like a children’s grape juice than a wine, but he continued sipping nonetheless. After they’d all been served, Prince Roman continued talking to Janus as they both ate their food. “You’ll be joining me tomorrow for a signing of some documents, I don’t believe it’s too important, just some infrastructure for one of the outer villages, but it’ll be a good way for you to show me how you work!”

Janus nodded, putting some venison in his bun. That would be a test, Janus could tell that much. He was being given an inconsequential option so Prince Roman, or more likely Logan, would see where he put the kingdom’s money. He’d think over a solution in bed tonight. 

For now, he continued on with his meal, making polite conversation with Prince Roman while they ate. Janus found him amusing in a way, he was certainly very welcoming and eager for Janus to start doing his job, possibly just so he could thrust his workload onto Janus and get back to partying. Every so often he’d look towards the other side of the table, where the second prince, Prince Remus, was sitting. 

Janus had been hoping to get a good read on both of the princes this evening, but it was proving a struggle when Prince Remus seemed content to sit down at the other end of the table, seven seats away from everyone else, and have his dinner isolated. So the only things Janus had gauged about him were that the prince was just as much of a recluse as he’d been told, and he didn’t like to use cutlery when he ate meat. Which were both such helpful facts to know.

Towards the end of their meal, a messenger boy ran up to Prince Roman, and awkwardly bowed until he noticed him. He didn’t, so Logan instead coughed and tapped Prince Roman’s arm. The boy raised his head. “Your majesty, one of the delegates of Aeshorus is here, he wants information about your crowning in regards to the treaty he and your father made fifteen years ago.” 

Prince Roman’s smile tightened, but he set his cutlery down. As he got up from his seat, he turned to Logan. “Come along, hopefully we'll be back before dessert is finished.” Logan nodded, also standing up and muttering a thank you to a server.

“My deepest apologies for having to leave prematurely, Lord Crane.” Prince Roman smiled apologetically. “But citizens of Aeshorus can be finicky, and it's simply better to get this over and done. I hope I'll be back before you retire to your quarters, but if you get too uncomfortable waiting-” His eyes flicked over to his brother. “I won’t be insulted if you excuse yourself.” 

Janus smirked, finishing his disgustingly sweet wine and internally wincing as it was refilled. “I’ll be fine, your majesty. Spend all the time you need with the delegate.” Prince Roman and Logan walked off, leaving only Janus and Prince Remus at the table, both finishing the last of their meals. 

Would this be a good time for Janus to introduce himself? There would be nothing strange about making polite conversation during dinner, though Prince Remus sitting so far away from him would make it seem forced. Moving closer might incur Prince Roman being upset once he returned, as he’d chosen Janus’s seat himself. He stared at Prince Remus, who halfway through chewing a full tomato, noticed and grinned at him. Baring his teeth like a wolf and letting Janus see everything he had been eating. “HEY!”

Janus adjusted himself, a polite smile on his face. The room echoed, so there was really no reason to yell. “Good evening, your grace. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Prince Remus rolled his eyes. “OBVIOUSLY! YOUR FACE IS INTERESTING TO LOOK AT!” 

Nobody else had brought up his face yet, it wouldn’t have been polite. Janus smirked wider, unsure of how to take the comment. “....Thank you, Prince Remus. It’s nice to know I amuse you.” 

Prince Remus rapidly nodded, he stood up, and began to walk towards Janus as servants cleared away the dinner plates. “IT IS NICE! IT REMINDS ME OF THIS ONE TIME MY FATHER TOOK ME INto the village and I saw a man getting whipped!” He was standing right next to Janus now, and while his voice was still loud, he’d stopped screaming into Janus’s ear. 

It was certainly rude to compare someone to a criminal being whipped, but Prince Remus stared at Janus as if it were a compliment, and while it wasn’t appropriate for Janus to take it as such, he nodded his head instead of expressing his disgust and leaving, diverting the conversation. “Your father took you into a village to show you a criminal penance?" Prince Remus shook his head. 

“Oh no. He took me and Roman to see some flowers, but I snuck off and saw a line of men to be punished! One of them had so many on his back it looked exactly like your injury!” He leaned closer, whispering loudly. “I wonder why~” 

Janus hadn’t prepared himself for this conversation. He sighed, trying to figure out how the prince wanted him to react. None of the words uttered were said in a rudely intended tone, and yet he was speaking with no tact at all. He had been pleasantly surprised by the mentioning of his face, but this was veering into territory he didn’t mention. “Fate and all of her coincidences are to blame for that, your grace.” 

“Ooh, really? Well then how did you get your scars, Janny?” Janus wrinkled his nose at the personal nickname, but Prince Remus just lightly cackled. Seemingly enthralled by what Janus would answer with. Janus picked the most boring answer he could imagine. “I was an active child.”

Prince Remus leaned closer, practically resting his head on Janus’s chest and speaking giddily. “So was I~” Janus didn’t push him away, he needed to get closer to Prince Remus to gauge his ‘worthiness’ to be king. And he seemed eager to interact with a new person. 

The servants bought out the dessert. Pies and custards, laid out in front of him and Prince Remus. Janus turned to a servant. “Are we not waiting for Prince Roman and his employee?”

Prince Remus cackled before the servant could answer, shaking his own head. “I’ve eaten dessert alone for the entirety of the past year, there’s no point in waiting.” He slid himself into the seat next to Janus and grinned as they were served, staring Janus to the bone. A servant tapped Janus on the shoulder. “Would you like us to take your dessert to your quarters, Lord Crane?”

He could feel Prince Remus’s eyes on him. “Are you gonna go to your room, Janny? Just like the prince said?” He wanted Janus to leave, or at least he wanted to see how long it would take him to grow tired or uncomfortable by his antics. 

Janus downed his glass of wine, putting a hand out when someone went to refill it. “I won’t need that.” Prince Remus grinned wider, and Janus smirked in return. “Get me the strongest red you have in your cellar." He had no problem combatting any antics, but he wasn’t about to do it with nothing but children’s juice to drink.

Chapter Text

Prince Remus, surprisingly, was not terrible company. Actually, that wasn’t an entirely accurate statement. In the eyes of all proper royal eddiquite, Janus’s dessert experience had been utterly dreadful. Prince Remus had referred to him not by his title, but by a pet name of his first name. The host of his meal, Crown Prince Roman, had left in the middle of it, and brought the only other guest with him. And Prince Remus had repeatedly and loudly complained about how bored he was. In a commoners house or a dinner without guests these things may have been fine, but in distinguished company it was an incredible insult. Janus had felt the servants shooting him sympathetic looks the entire dinner. 

Strangely though, Janus hadn’t found it in him to be particularly upset by this. In fact, he was in a rather good mood as dessert ended. Whether it was because he had politely sipped down an entire glass of deliciously strong wine from the castle cellar, or because he simply enjoyed Prince Remus’s entertaining nature, Janus could make a few guesses. 

As their plates were taken away, Prince Remus grabbed Janus’s arm, pulling him upwards and out of his chair. Janus let him, but he loosely shook himself free once he was on his own feet, pushing away a stray maid who tried to support his arm. “I must thank you for your company this evening, Prince Remus. You provide lovely conversation.” 

The Prince cackled. “Don’t worry, Janny, I’m plenty aware of how lovely I am to be around. I can barely fight our houseguests away!” He led Janus towards the door exiting the dining hall. “In one instance, the daughter of a lord who was visiting tried to sneak into my quarters, so I was forced to rip out a chunk of her hair to defend myself!” Prince Remus pulled on a handful of his own hair, seemingly trying to show Janus how he had done it.

Janus tightly smirked as Prince Remus began wildly whipping his head around while clawing at it, as the lord’s daughter had also apparently done. “You didn’t call for the castle guards upon noticing the intrusion?” Prince Remus scoffed and pouted, making his head still. “Well that would remove all the entertaining parts! It’s so boring watching the guards detain some intruder while Roman decides a tax increase is a suitable punishment. If I was in charge of such things it would make a damaged scalp seem like making love in comparison!" 

Janus nodded. He supposed he could understand the want for just punishments, enacting them was a quarter of his job. “Would a drawn out consequence not be more rewarding for you in the end? I once knew a man whose entire family died from starvation after the king of his kingdom ordered him to give up half his wheat fields for killing a horse.” He hadn’t actually known the man, instead he had heard a former king of a far-away kingdom boast about it over dinner. But he doubted the prince would find the possibility that such had happened instead of the definite that it had very entertaining. 

He appeared to be correct, as Prince Remus grinned widely at the thought. “Really? What did he do with his wife and children's corpses after they died? Did he consume them? That’s what I would do.” Remus waved his hands around in excitement, his eyes shining brightly. “First, I’d eat their legs and arms, and their toes and fingers would be saved for when I was feeling peckish in between meals-” 

Janus tuned the prince out, saving himself from hearing the rather cannibalistic monologue. Prince Remus was an oddball, and while Janus could understand why someone might find him amusing or interesting, he couldn’t quite understand what on earth could make someone want him on the throne. This had to be some sort of front the prince was putting on, fully or partially. He had expressed a want to be in charge of punishing intruders, could that be a possible reason for hiring Janus? Or had it been an exaggeration? As he half-listened to Prince Remus describe how he would season human flesh, he highly doubted it. 

He rested a hand on his chin, flashing the jewelry he had put on for this occasion, trying to gauge a reaction. Prince Remus's line of sight briefly flashed over it with disinterest, before he returned to staring forwards. He probably didn’t recognize it then. Janus tuned back into the prince's spiel, just catching the end of it. “-In conclusion, Janny, I think that my sanity and morality would be absolutely shattered by consuming the decaying bodies of my mother and father, which is another upside to count. What about you?” He grinned at Janus expectantly. 

Janus pushed forward a chuckle, pretending to muse it over. The servants looked at him in pity as they passed by. “I believe I’ll keep to high class mutton, steak, and wine. But I can respect your trying to convince me, your grace.” They pushed through the exit doors, and Prince Remus harumphed, sticking his tongue out. 

His servant was standing near the side, and he walked towards Janus once he spotted him. “There you are, Lord Crane. I’ve been awaiting you.” He curtly bowed his head, and noticed Prince Remus upon raising it. His eyes widened and the servant full body bowed. “My apologies, your grace, I didn’t notice you coming out alongside Lord Crane.” 

Next to Janus, Prince Remus snickered, half heartedly waving his hand. “It’s fine.” Janus’s servant returned to full height, his eyes politely averted. Prince Remus turned back to Janus. “Instead of returning to your own quarters, Janny, would you like to join me in mine?” Janus smirked, chuckling at the prince’s indignation. 

“While I appreciate the offer, your grace, I believe it will be better for me to return to my room, as I have much to prepare for beginning my employment here.” The prince pouted, and Janus continued to laugh under his breath. Prince Remus, despite his many flaws and uncouth behaviors, was certainly entertaining to be around. “Goodnight, your grace. I suppose I’ll see you tomorrow night.” 

With that, Janus turned to his servant and snapped his fingers. “Do your job and take me to my quarters.” The servant rolled his eyes, but nodded, turning around and leading Janus down the hallway he vaguely remembered coming down to the dining hall through. 

This dinner had given Janus much to think about. What Prince Remus’s proper motivations could be for wanting the throne, should he be Janus’s employer. Whether or not Logan would be an obstacle for Janus to manipulate Crown Prince Roman, and how easily said obstacle could be crumbled down if he was. And finally, how easily Crown Prince Roman would let his kingdom fall to shreds. It was undeniable that most rulers had little interest in ruling, and Janus could discernibly assume the same for the Crown Prince, but a soon to be king would also have many expectations and eyes on his decisions, which could drive him to try and take a more controlling hand over what went on in his kingdom. Either way, Janus had things to ponder and contemplate. 

His servant held open his bedroom door for him, and Janus stepped through. The room, barring the desk, was spotless. The remainder of Janus’s luggage had been cleared away, the bed had been straightened out from the small crinkle made in it earlier, and all the other furniture had been what looked to be routinely cleaned. He turned to the servant. “This is adequate.” 

Janus walked over to the desk, sitting down and grabbing his journal, flipping to the nearest blank page. Now was the time to write out today’s events. But before he could begin, his servant coughed. “I thought you were going straight to bed, Lord Crane?” 

He looked up at the servant, standing in the corner and staring at him with an undeniable malice. “I have a nightly routine that I enjoy carrying out each night. How about you go and get me that scone and cup of tea you failed to earlier?” 

The servant nodded, though Janus could hear him huff. With him gone, Janus returned to his journal, dipping his quill in ink and beginning to detail the night's observations.