A Great Day in Moran Ch. 03

"Has any girls ever tell you that you're a wonderful hugger?" Amber asked. Neither of them made a move to end the hug.

"Well, no. I didn't meet a lot of girls, actually. Due to my athletic education, I stayed in the gymnasium with guys all the time. And we don't hug much, except when wrestling. But that doesn't count."

Amber laughed lightly, and as she did that, she nuzzled his big barrel chest, her cheek pressed against his firm flesh. His bare, brick-red skin smelled like carnation.

*-*

A few days after the trip to Risingr, Miklas was called to the meeting room at Evelyn's palace. The mistress had forgone her usual routine this morning. Miklas walked in to see Evelyn sitting next to Rega. Amber was present too. She was the one to open the door for him.

"So what's happening today?" Miklas whispered to Amber, then he noticed the elf looking strangely uneasy.

"We will meet with the Hiss," Amber said quietly. She quickly explained that Hiss was Evelyn's spymaster and that he's been serving Evelyn's family since her grandfather. Miklas figured from the reverent tone of her voice that he was super good at his job.

"Why haven't I seen him around? I thought the spymaster must meet often with mistress to discuss news or some secret matters."

"Not the Hiss. It's the other way around for him. He will see us when he needs to. In the profession of sneaking around, no one is better than him. Mistress needn't fear for her life when he's around. If there's a plot to cause harm to her, he will know about it." She stopped, then glance around the room discretely as if looking for the Hiss, then she whispered in an extremely low voice to Miklas's ear. "It is rumored that he knows everything happening around here. Everything. Some say he's invisible and can be everywhere at once."

"What? How?" Miklas whispered back in disbelief but a knock on the door prevented Amber from answering. Everybody in the room froze. Evelyn immediately sat up straight and tried her best to look dignified, whereas Rega inhaled sharply and stared at his feet.

"Oh gods, he's here. Act natural. I mean, like a guard. Oh, I wish I have a mask to wear. I always feel naked with him around," she muttered to herself and bolted to her seat next to Evelyn.

"Wh-what?" Miklas asked, his voice quaked with a sudden fright as if he had absorbed the apprehension from everybody around him. But no one paid attention to him anymore, as the door swung open silently as if someone had opened it without touching the lock.

The Hiss strolled in the room, or more accurately, slithered in. He was, to Miklas's horror, was a literal snake. His body was hidden entirely under a thick hooded robe, the hem long enough to drag on the floor. His snake tail poked out from behind, whipping back and forth without making a sound. The only other visible part of his body were two golden, unblinking vertically-slit eyes underneath his cowl. His face was hidden in the shadow, making it looked like his eyes were hovering under the darkness of the cowl. Miklas couldn't comprehend how was it possible that in this brightly lit room, no light had managed to touch the Hiss's face. If he even had a face.

The Hiss ignored Miklas and slithered in front of Evelyn. He looked straight ahead at his mistress, not paying an iota of attention to either Amber or Rega. Miklas noticed, to his increasing terror, that everyone except Evelyn was looking at the floor. Evelyn could hardly be said to make eye contact with the Hiss anyway since her eyes split their attention between the Hiss's unblinking eye-slits and the wall behind him.

"Good morning, my trusty spymaster. I haven't seen you in a while. How are you today?" Evelyn asked, her voice shook a bit.

There was a single deafening second of silence as the Hiss made no response. Then he hissed in a voice that sounded like someone was chewing gravel deep under an empty well. "This is highly unusual-you call for me." He sounded indignant.

"Yes, yes, I did. Because we have business to discuss. Important business. Vital, even," Evelyn said.

"No we don't. If we do, then I'm the one who's telling you about it."

"No, this is not about my security, my good...man? I have a job that I want you to do." She emphasized the word 'job'.

"If it's not about your safety, then it is not my job," Hiss spat.

"Yes, I know our contract by heart. This is why I want you to do me a," Evelyn's throat quivered for a split second, then she swallowed hard before saying, "favor".

The Hiss remained silent for a few seconds. Too silent. Was he even breathing?

The Hiss slithered closer to Evelyn. She flinched. "Well then, what do you need?"

Evelyn proceeded to explain Risingr's plot. The Hiss simply listened. His eyes never blinked.

"So, in short. I want you to gather information about the king's marriage plans and his bride-to-be. We need evidence before the Lord's Assembly."

"I'll think about it. You will have my answer this week," he said after a few seconds of deliberation.

"Yes, of course. It would mean a lot if you take the job. My future depends on it. On you."

"It always is. Anything else?" he hissed.

"No, that's all. You can leave now," Evelyn said. She sounded relieved.

As soon as she had said 'leave', the Hiss turned around and slithered toward the door, but he stopped in front of Miklas, who was standing guard near the door. The Hiss looked at Miklas from head to toe. Miklas kept staring straight ahead, not making eye contact with the snake.

"This one is your new bodyguard. Miklas."

"That's right. He's been here a few weeks."

"Do you want me to do a background check on him, to make sure he's clean? You'll know the names of everyone in his family three generations back, as well as all of his neighbors by this weekend."

"That's great. Thank you, but there's no need. I trust this man. You can go now. Please."

But the Hiss didn't leave. "He might be sick. He's shaking."

"It's chilly. Morning draft, you know," Amber blurted out. "I'm shivering too, see?"

He didn't see because he ignored Amber completely. He examined Miklas one last time and slithered out of the room. The door closed behind him, yet no one saw any of his limbs touching it.

The clanging sound of the door was followed by sighs of relief from everyone. Miklas slumped against the wall, he looked like he was about to faint had the Hiss stayed for five more seconds. Amber came to him and rubbed his shoulder to calm the frightened young man. He took off his mask to gasp for air.

"As pleasant as always. I need a drink," Rega muttered as he pulled out a flask from his coat. He drank the whole thing. "Blast it. Why did I pick the light stuff today?" he muttered.

"You think that is bad? I have to meet him again. And goddess knows when. I never know when he'd show up," she rubbed her temples with both hands. "I swear, if a dagger-wielding maniac jumps in front of me it'd still be less stressful than waiting for the Hiss."

"H-how did he know my name?" Miklas asked weakly.

"Oh, he knows everyone's name around here, Miklas. It's totally normal," Evelyn said.

"What? No!" he gasped.

"Oh, whatever. This meeting is over. Everybody, leave," Evelyn said, waving her hand dismissively.

"No, he might be still out there," Rega objected. "Miklas, peek out the door to see if he's still outside."

Miklas looked as if Rega had told him to eat his own face.

"I'll do it," Amber said loudly. "Stand up, big guy. It's alright," she whispered at the distraught young man. He managed to stand upright, his hand clutched at the ceremonial halberd like it's a walking cane. She walked to the door and grabbed the handle.

"What are you waiting for?" asked Rega.

"I just...want to make sure he's gone. Don't rush me," Amber muttered through her teeth.

Finally, she opened the door, just a little, and peeked.

"He's gone." Everybody breathed out in relief. Rega was the first to rush out. "Need a damn bigger flask," he muttered.

*-*

A few days later.

Evelyn stood alone in her bedroom, wearing a nightgown. It was late and she was preparing for bed.

"Where is that snake? It's been two days and he hasn't said anything yet," she mumbled to herself as she watched the fire in the hearth. Evelyn looked around the room. There's no one but her, yet she unconsciously adjusted her nightie so her breasts were covered more fully and pulled at the hem so her legs were less exposed. She walked to the bed, but before she got on it, someone knocked on the door.

Evelyn froze, but she composed herself, patted her nightie and opened the door. It was an orc, wearing a patchy pair of pants and a brown stained shirt.

"Hi, missus. Glog sends me here to, pluf, wait no, fluff the pillow."

Evelyn frowned. "Damn it. I forgot to tell Glog. I'm not in the mood, so you can go back and tell him that."

"Oh? You need fluffing tomorrow?"

"Look, I'm not looking to get my pillow fluffed right now or tomorrow or the day after that. Until I feel like it, I tell Glog. Got it?"

"Aye, mistress," he said mournfully and walked away. "All that time putting on my best clothes." Evelyn heard him grumbled. She closed the door.

"Your pillows look fine to me."

"Aaaaeee-," Evelyn shrieked, then covered her mouth. By the windowsill stood the Hiss, his yellow eyes glared in the suddenly darkened room. Evelyn noticed the fire had somehow been reduced to mere tinder while she was not looking.

"Whaaa," she squeaked, then she coughed a couple of times. "What are you doing in here?"

"The job. I'll do it."

"What job? Oh, yes, right, that one. Yes, you will? Tha-that's good. But why did it take you 2 days to decide?" Evelyn said. She folded her arms across her chest and stood upright to steady herself from those gazing snake eyes. Speaking with the Hiss alone was not unusual for her, yet it never got comfortable.

"I need to check up with my starlings in the capital."

"You call your spies 'starling'?"

"It reminds them of what will happen to them if they fail me," he sneered.

"..."

"There's some credence to the rumors, but I need to be there directly to gather intelligence," the Hiss said.

"At the capital? You mean, you won't be around here for a while?"

"Yes. That must happen if I am to get the job done. And I can't ensure your safety while I'm gone."

Evelyn thought about it. The Hiss made no move nor gesture. It seemed a trip to the capital or staying here made no difference to him.

"I can accept that."

"As you wish, mistress," he hissed. Evelyn flinched. She hated it when he addressed her as 'mistress'.

Then, from behind the flaps of his robe, a thin, scaly, and boney arm appeared, and then a hand. Evelyn saw in Hiss's hand a scroll, and she recognized it instantly.

"You need to release me from the blood contract," he hissed. The contract that she inherited from her father, which bound Hiss to her family.

"Temporarily?" she asked, remembering her father's advice when it comes to this sort of thing.

"Temporarily."

She took the scroll, bit her thumb, and pressed her bloody thumb on the parchment scroll. The bloody fingerprint sizzled and dried instantly. She handed it back to the Hiss.

"Very good. Farewell, mistress." There was not a single syllable in his voice denoting sadness.

"Wait. When will I see you again?"

"You'll hear from me before the Lord's Assembly. Until then, you've better hope that Miklas boy can keep you safe."

"He's a good man. I have fate in him," she said.

"He's a toddler in diaper. Good looking as a statue and as just useful as a guard."

Evelyn opened her mouth to object, but realized that he had a point. The matter was dropped though since he turned his slit-eyes toward her bed. "Those pillows might need to be fluffed after all. They look less fluffy than usual."

Evelyn glanced at the pillows. "Wait, what do you mean 'than usual'?" She turned back to the Hiss, but he was gone.

"Damn. He did that again."

She knew he wasn't in her room anymore, but she still checked the closet, under her bed, and the adjacent bathroom. When she was certain she was alone, she fluffed the pillows, checked everywhere again, and slept.

If you enjoy this story, please let me know in the comments. Thanks for everyone who leaves a comment on previous chapters. I really, really appreciate it.