lightsailing‌:

closed starter for @oceanfoamed

of all the enemies of the crown, lord edrington could never will himself to find any respect to be given to agents of espionage. it was a shameful affair borne of trickery and deceit and all virtues that went against gentlemanship. conflict, even in the finest of societies, was inevitable; the least that could be done was to ensure that some rules of war be upheld. 

it was with irritation that he dispatched his men to rifle through the estate for the spy supposedly in their midst. there had been papers, the content of which not divulged to edrington, stolen from the master’s study.

he heard footfalls approaching, a wild, frantic gait. edrington let his breath out slowly with the anticipatory satisfaction that the spy was crawling right into his grasp. he unsheathed his sword, the worn brass of the guard and pommel cold against his bare hand. 

at the very last moment, he turned out from shadows of the hall, holding firm as the blade pierced a body. not one to deny any man a mercy ( even a man as low as a spy ), bram withdrew his sword. blood glinted on the steel in the thin light of moon that passed through the broad window panes of the hallway like ghosts haunting the mansion. the man staggered back and, as he did, a crescent of the moon flitted across his face. 

the sword clattered to the floor. he dashed forward, taking the man in his arms. “good god, what have i done? theodore, my heart,” bram whispered, staggering to the ground. his hands trembled as they ran over theodore’s body. he prayed that this was but a nightmare, that he would frighten himself awake and turn over to see his man, his darling man, asleep and safe beside him.

the sound of his sword falling had, no doubt, alerted the very sentries he had scattered around the manor. his hand balled in theodore’s shirt tight as if he was holding on to the last grains of sand that spoke of their waning time together. bram had to think quickly while fate had not yet solidified. 

as much as he loved theodore, could he let allow a criminal to go free, could he lie through his teeth to the people he swore to protect, could he be instrumental in treason against the crown, knowing the empire could be at risk? however, was bram’s heart strong enough to bear another break? would he ever heal from this, watching another person he held so dear to his very being, slip away into the veil of death? 

“you damnable fool!” he hissed, voice just above a whisper, for any louder would have have caused it to break. 

It was all fun and games until he had been caught – he had agreed to assist in this matter mostly because it had sounded so dreadfully entertaining. He understood the risks of course, the danger of being seen as a spy himself should anyone lay witness to his actions – but he had believed, wholeheartedly, that he would be able to prevail despite the obstacles in his way.

The admiralty could not risk sending an actual spy into their own house – could not risk it becoming known that there was doubt to the intentions and loyalty of a lord – but a youthful and willing scapegoat to play the part and get the proof was a gamble worth taking. Theodore knew the reason he had been chosen was because he was known for one thing most of all:

Appearing absolutely harmless until it was too late.

Indeed, he had a marvelous time convincing his way to the right manors, the right houses, and sneaking off in search of the evidence the admiralty required. He’d done remarkably well the last two times and perhaps that was why fate had seen fit to intervene. He had grown too confident.

Caught concealing something in his coat by one of the marines, Theodore had little choice but to fight his way out and run for it. He’d been running toward the door after breaking past several of the soldiers barricading the hallway ( taking a few minor hits along the way ) when a familiar form had stepped from the shadows to stop him.

It was almost embarrassing to know he had stopped to look at him, rather than register the fact his sabre was bared.  

Now, lowered as he was to the ground as shouts rang out nearby, Theodore knew he was fast out of time. He could not risk Bram – even with the pain lancing through him, Theodore felt sure he could run if he had to – but not at the cost of this man’s success in catching him, however.

“You know,” Theodore wondered if Bram had realized, in the darkness, who he was. Or if the shadows had blocked his face, that it wasn’t until the blade was through him that his lover had realized what had been done. It mattered little in the grand scheme – Bram had a duty to uphold, and Theodore would not begrudge him that. “I always yearned for an adventurous death,” He mused, feeling the hand twisting in his shirt and hearing shouts upstairs as his capture was perhaps discovered by backup, “I daresay love grants me that.”

Even if he survived this, he would be arrested and put to death for his actions. Theodore knew the admiralty would not defend him and in truth, he found it sweeter to die by Bram’s side than before a firing squad, or the cheers of the gallows crowd.

“There are letters in my pocket,” Theodore whispered, praying he still had one shot to at least succeed in protecting Bram from the treasonous actions of the man in charge of this very manor house, “I would ask you take them to the admiralty in my stead.”