Chapter Text
Balisander Havilliard was a great many things, a whore, a liar, a murderer, a bastard. And he would be called much worse before he went to his grave. Called so many more than they would replace these. Not a single one of them would be a word of a lie. But, the gods could rest easy knowing that he was not cruel, and he did not let others get harmed. Even if they only had that to carry with them.
Chaol had gone against his warnings not to go to Arobynn, but that was hardly much of a surprise. The former captain was an arrogant man, still unused to the ways of the streets, and the dangers of meeting with a man like Arobynn. And one day, Balisander wouldn't be there to watch over the meetings, to make sure nothing went to absolute shit. That day, Chaol would deserve whatever fate he met, and Balisander was sure that the former captain would agree with him, as he sent so much time blaming himself for what had happened in the castle that day.
Balis sat at his desk, looking over the map that Nesryn had dropped off for him. The plan for Aelin to free her cousin, Aedion. One more night left, and then he would be able to hear his father screaming in rage all the way from that glass castle.
It wasn't for that reason he would help the young queen, though. Aedion was a good man, had helped them - helped him. He wasn't going to watch that man die now. So, he did not work for the young queen, so different from the girl he'd first met when they were both children. He would fight to get Aedion free for what the male stood for, the freedom that he had offered.
Tomorrow. Tomorrow the general would be free, reunited with his long lost cousin. Balis had long cursed himself a fool for never noticing the similarities between the two. The girl he'd grown up knowing, had taught a few tricks himself, and then the general. It could be blamed on him having not seen her for two years, but he'd remembered every damn detail of her. Had he the ability, he would've gone to Endovier. He had planned to go with Wesley. Until Arobynn had killed him, and left a gaping wound in Balis' chest. He never learnt if Arobynn had known of his connection with Wesley, of them being lovers, of them planning to free Aelin. But, if he did, then he had no doubt Clarissa also knew.
None of that was useful thinking. And it wouldn't help Aedion.
The plan was solid. Better than solid, if Balis was being entirely honest. That much, he would give Arobynn credit for. Everyone had something to do, even him. Even if Balis had nothing to do with the plan, he would be in the palace, as one of his clients had hired him, and decided that she would take him to the prince's birthday, she didn't even care of the extra money she had to pay to get him in or that he was charging her more for the time she was stealing from him and his other clients. And while he would be unable to actually get far from his client, he could still oversee that everything would go safely, and when Aelin would pass him he was to slip her the strange orb that she'd given to him.
The sun had long since set, and he knew that he should be sleeping, or doing something else to prepare for the coming day, and what he would have to do. Instead, though, he just sat there, drumming his fingers against the wooden table.
When Aelin killed the king, killed his brother, and found a new ruler for the throne, and made Adarlan a better place, Balis wondered if madame Clarissa would find her business collapsing, if she'd increase the debts everyone owed her. She liked to do that. She liked reminding them that she held power over them, and even the day they got her tattoo stamped off of her wrist they would never truly be free. The scars around his throat and wrists, they were enough proof of it. Of the memories that he would carry with him for the rest of his years, and a reminder to the man he would one day take as his lover.
Balisander shook his head. It wasn't the right time for him to contemplate such things. He needed to be at his full strength tomorrow, and not be half falling asleep. So, he snuffed out the candles in the main room, shuffling to his room. Without bothering to change, he blew out the few candles in there and fell onto his bed, closing his eyes and letting sleep claim him whenever it was ready.