A conflicted groan escaped from Emil as he pulled away once again. This time, he didn’t take his eyes off Lucien. His smiling visage did little to instill hope in Emil. However, hope was never something Lucien provided alongside his schemes. No, he offered the one thing that mattered in the circles the pair moved in. Those were results. There might have been collateral damage, and very rarely would things go precisely as planned, but, in the end, it always somehow worked out.
‘Despite every cell in my body telling me not to, I will work with you. No more after this. Am I understood?” Emil said flatly.
“And it does break my heart to make it so,” Lucien said as he let his smile slip.
“I’m sure it does,” Emil sighed. He pulled his pocket watch from his vest before looking back at Lucien and said, “ It looks like we have a little while before we reach the manor. This whole ordeal has been a bit much. I’ll be in the sleeper cabin upstairs. Alone. Understood?” With a roll of his eyes and a dismissive hand wave, Emil headed back through the cabin’s rear and up the stairs opposite the entrance.
Once he heard the sleeper door slide open and closed, Lucien relaxed his shoulders and moved to the velvety curtains. Sliding them open, he was greeted with the sight of the river passing underneath. The twinkling starlight reflecting off the dark water below was a welcome change from the grey walls he had been confined to for the last few years.
Those years were full of thoughts, as there was very little else he could do for half a decade other than think. They were among the things that were promised to him, being of high birth. They were on family and legacy, of country and duty. All promised to him, and none delivered. The right to legacy, the subservience of family and country, and their obligation of duty. The angst of broken promises was a side effect of the bitter pill of insolence he was all too tired of taking. Tonight, with his escape, he was telling the world that he was done taking that pill. As soon as his foot stepped on his family’s land, Lucien would begin claiming what was always meant to be his.
Lucien drew the curtains closed again and turned his attention to the mural painted overhead. He lingered on the rabbit on the left. Closing his eyes, he lifted his arm and mimicked the pose. Behind his eyelids, he could see throngs of Arians with their faces in the dirt. They recognized the glory of the Greyhart name, as they did many years ago, but eagerly cheered his name from their rightful place. Once he had it back from the thieving mongrels that wronged himself and his family, this would be more than just a daydream.
“As once it was, so shall it be,” Lucien whispered as his eyes opened, looking at his outstretched hand.
Now that the fantasy had resided, Lucien could feel the fatigue of constant movement from the break a few days prior and the tension of the handoff. Taking a page from his handler’s book, Lucien sank back into his throne and fell asleep as the soft vibrations of the train consumed him.
That slumber was interrupted by a sharp whistle from the front of the train. Waking from the most restful sleep Lucien had had in five years, he found himself rather annoyed. Turning his attention to the direction of the sound, he came to see Klaus’ head poking out from behind the curtain, his hand moving away from his maw.
“What in the name of the Goddess’ grace are you making so much noise for?!” roared Lucien as he rubbed sleep from his eye.
“A thousand pardons, your excellency. We’ll be arriving soon. Is Baron Leblanc in the sleeper? I can send a call up to him.” Klaus answered.
“Aye. Best you summon him; Emil was clear he wanted to be left alone.” The rabbit said as he got to his feet. Lucien stretched and cracked his back as he heard the metal door sliding open and closed, the whistling having reached him. While stifling a yawn himself, Emil moved toward Lucien with a box in his hand.
“Here,” Emil said while shoving the box into Lucien’s chest, “It’s your new phone. It’s encrypted, and your new number is inside. Oh, and Milk and Honey should be waiting for you at your manor.”
“Wait, the food or my associates?” Lucien asked, his voice piqued with interest.
“The associates, but since they and you are looking for a proper bath, I’m sure they’ll have some in tow.”
“Splendid,” Lucian purred, his back straightening as he started to think about the two. From the two, his mind began to think of another potential addition to the night’s celebration. A hungry eye scanned Emil from top to toe, and since he did little to hide his intentions, the horse let out a groan of disgust in response, “And you are more than welcome to join us. A little reunion of Grayhart Enterprises.”
“Absolutely not. As has been my answer to every offer you give me.” Emil growled.
“I never understood your rejection, dear friend. It never made much sense.”
“It's self-respect for the most part. I see what you are willing to lay with, and we can both do better.” Emil said before moving away from Lucien, seeing as the rabbit’s hungry gaze hadn’t let up.
The train started to descend a gentle slope. Lucien knew this path well, though this was only the second time he’d ridden it after leaving prison and the first time as a prison fugitive. He moved back to the windows and pulled them open. Outside were dark green trees, a wild orchard of crabapple and buckeye trees that he and his sister had spent countless days running and playing within. Once he had settled in, he would be sure to get some dried crabapples to snack on.
The sound of grinding wheels marked an end to the train ride. Both Lucien and Emil looked to the front before Klaus rushed out from behind the curtain and past them. The older rabbit turned back just in time to see the two, led by Lucien, approaching the rear. Removing his cap, he bowed and opened the door to let them off.
“Will there be anything else, your graces?” Klaus asked.
“Aye, I need to get back to the main hub. I won’t be long.” Answered Emil.
Lucien walked around Emil, his hand tracing the horse’s waist. Even through this simple touch, he could feel Emil’s body tense up. A vile grin stretched across Lucien’s face as Emil glared daggers down at him, “Aww, I was hoping you would change your mind on my offer. The night is young, and I’m sure you could make some time to-”
“For once, I wish you would keep your hands to yourself!” Emil interjected while aggressively removing Lucien’s hand from his person just as it started to travel south of his waist. Now free of Lucien’s wandering hand, Emil marched away from the landing platform and up a flight of stairs out of the depot. He could feel Lucien close behind him, but didn’t turn back so as not to acknowledge him. All it did was egg him on. It was as if Lucien took pleasure in the discomfort his behavior caused.
At the top of the stairs was a grand, open-air courtyard in front of a stately manor. It lay dark, but aside from the grass around the estate being slightly overgrown, one would be mistaken for thinking someone had been living there for five years. As Lucien took in the sight of his beloved home, the sound of far-off chattering could be heard. It was two voices, one male and one female, and they were gradually getting closer. He and Emil glanced in the direction of the sound and saw some dim light moving through the woods near the edge of the forest, some forty feet away. Though he could not see who it was, an excited gasp informed him that they at least knew him.
“By the Goddess’ eternal grace, it's you!” shouted the female voice. The chattering of voices was suddenly replaced by the sound of rapid steps. Lucien lifted a hand as his eyes glowed a deep gold. The light shone briefly, but as it faded, the lamp posts around the courtyard began to emit a warm, orange glow. The lights around the door of the manor caught flame before the inside of the house, too, sprang to life. Now that the courtyard was fully illuminated, the approaching pair came into view.
The buck stood half a head shorter than the doe and was rather slender. The doe was of a stocky yet full-figured build. On the back of the doe was a container. It was white and roughly half as tall as she was, with the face of a cow painted on it. The buck was also carrying something, positioned on his hip. It was a cylinder connected to a strap that hung from his shoulder, emblazoned with a bee on the side. They were both absolutely ecstatic as they approached Lucien. Like Klaus, they dropped to their knee and took turns kissing the prince’s hand.
“When Emil told us you were coming back, I almost couldn’t believe it.” Proclaimed Milk as he returned to his feet and adjusted the cylinder on his hip.
“We have been so lonely without you, Master Grayhart.” Honey followed up.
“Oh, and I have been bereft without the two of you,” Lucien said back. He placed a hand on each of their cheeks and sighed as they both nuzzled into his palm. His ears perked up as a groan came from his right, “Jealous?”
“As if I would be jealous of anything involving your little pets,” Emil said with disgust. His eyes narrowed as Milk let out a hiss, only to be quickly corrected by a stern gaze from Lucien. Officially having had his fill of the entire situation, Emil turns on his heel and starts his way back down the stairs. Only a few steps down, the sound of a clearing throat brought him to a halt. “What…do you need, Lucien?:
“Just to wish you a happy evening. I’ll be in touch in the next few days.” Lucien spoke. The smile was still holding firm, but his words lacked any warmth. His statement came across as an ominous warning rather than a fond farewell.
“I’m sure you will. Goodnight, Lucien.” Emil said softly before continuing down the stairs back to the train.
Lucien watched the spot where Emil had last stood, his smile slowly falling. Soon, his expression matched the coldness of his goodbye. He felt hands slither around his neck and down over his shoulders. The smell of sweet perfume filled his nostrils as he heard Honey’s soft voice.
“Let us clear your mind, Your Highness,” Honey spoke as she ran a finger under his chin.
“Yes,” Milk added, running a hand up his back, “That blasted horse always makes our prince so upset. We can’t let that stand, not after so long.”
Glancing first to his right at Honey and then down slightly to Milk, Lucien tensed up as he tried to battle back down a sudden flash of rage. As the heat died down, the sweet scent of Honey’s perfume and the warmth that radiated from Milk’s hand caused Lucien’s body to loosen up.
“You are right, and it is your duty to assist in such things. Once we are done, however,” Lucien started, his arms slithering around the pair, “When we are done, remind me to call Andre. I’m sure he’ll be just as excited to see me.”
