lienhearts | WEEK 0 | TUESDAY EVENING

WEEK 0 | TUESDAY EVENING | ROOM 106

Today was far more of an ordeal than expected. Really, he's learning to be grateful for the rules surrounding night time - it means Conchita actually has to let him go at some point in the day. He hadn't thought it possible, but under the effects of whatever they spiked that cupcake with, the woman was even clingier than Efi.

"Long day, huh?"

He settles down on his futon in a loose sitting posture, obviously relaxed. He's decided to stick to his dark shirt and pants, the set that's normally hidden under that long red coat of his. Those, and his gloves, which he never seems to remove. "Gotta say, I wasn't expecting you to get a fiancé out of that deal."

Ever since the end of the first day, when the profiles became common knowledge among everyone, he's ditched the wimpy personality for something far more laid back and subdued. Never too nasty, but it's probably no surprise that he's not above this kind of teasing, either.

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At first, Al's only response is a weary sigh. He doesn't even know how it went as far as it did. All he can really muster is to collapse onto the futon and stare up at the ceiling.

"I wasn't expecting that to escalate the way it did. What about you? Survive your close encounter in one piece?"

If he's going to play at teasing, there's certainly no shortage of ammunition on Al's end. He did bring it on himself, after all.

"Obviously. Seems like she doesn't want to hurt me." Which is fine by him. That's... basically what he was shooting for anyway, even if it did turn out to be annoying in practice.

And then, without so much as skipping a beat:

"So, when are you going to break it to them? That you're actually a man."

"...Excuse me?!"

He immediately sits bolt upright, the shock plain to see on his face. He'd let nothing slip, said a word of his actual situation to no one. He had taken every possible precaution he could. He'd even checked the profiles on the tablet - his conformed to his alias, both in the name and gender listed therein. So how the hell could Leo know? Even if they shared a room, there was no way...

"How... how dare you?"

It's not what he was originally going to follow that "how" with, but he recovers in time, he hopes, to disguise his surprise as indignance.

Very nice catch. He's almost impressed, but that seems par for course with this kid--

It took him a bit longer to notice than it normally would, after all.

"Please. You thought a liar wouldn't notice?" Especially one whose only notable skills listed in the profile consist of just how talented he is at coming up with falsities. "Gotta admit, you're pretty good at disguises for a kid. But you'll have to try a little harder than that, 'princess.'"

His own posture remains relaxed enough; he's obviously not bothered by Al's little outburst. "I did wonder what kind of royalty would be anywhere near an inn for commoners, but the more I watched, the more it made sense." The slightest discrepancies - he'd carefully studied them all, trying to put together the full picture.

Two years. Two years, he'd been living Alexia's life, taking every step available to him to maintain the illusion that he was her. No one who didn't know beforehand had ever found out, not a soul. Even Al himself wondered at times where he ended and she began.

And this guy picks up on it in a matter of days.

The way he breaks it down, he can't even bring himself to argue his case; he just stares down, balling his fists tighter with every word Leo speaks. He's just overcome with a wave of dread, that all that work was for nothing... but only if he tells anyone.

"...How long have you known?"

It's asked calmly enough, but there's something dark beneath that facade. Whether it's anger, sadness, or something else, it's hard to say.

"I was pretty confident about it last night. Today clinches it." --If in part because Al actually admitted to it. "Must be quite the life, having to pose as a princess. Just how long have you had to keep it up?"

And how much would be destroyed if anyone else were to find out...?

Honesty time? Might as well.

"It's been two years since Alexia was assassinated. I'd been her body double for six months before that."

He looks Leo directly in the eyes, his expression one of conviction, betraying just a hint of fear.

"You can't tell anyone about this. Now more than ever, the Queendom needs her." Nevermind that impersonating royalty is punishable by beheading. What happens to everyone else - to Alexia's wishes - is more important.

Bingo.

"Two and a half years... That'd explain why you're so used to it." Pity Leo's been at the game longer. "You really would be in a bind if anyone found out the princess they were all following so loyally was just a fake after all..."

He lets those words sit for a moment before he continues.

"You get how this works, right? I can keep your secret for you, if that's what you want." Lies are his trade, and Al already makes it easy enough. "But if I'm going through the trouble, I'd like a little something in return."

Ah, blackmail. The great equalizing force. However, Al doesn't even flinch.

"You don't really suppose anyone willing to shoot a twelve year old child would stop at one attempt, do you? There was a coup d'etat. I had to flee the country on a pirate ship. Whatever it is you want, I don't have it to give. Not unless I live to regain the throne."

He's not so naive, of course, to think all Leo could want is material, but frankly, all the alternatives he can think of are too unsavory to mention.

"I disagree."

There's quite a bit Al could do, actually, and he has no qualms with pointing them out.

"Money's important, but it's only good if you live to enjoy it." And, let's be real here; things may be alright for now, but he's still not holding his breath on people banding together enough to avoid murder entirely.

"I'll help you keep your secret. But in return, I want you to help me." It's a dirty, underhanded way of going about it, but in the end, he's a conman; what other way is there?

"If I ask for a favor, do it. And if you overhear anything, tell me." During a scenario like this, staying informed is going to be vital. But doing so when there's forty people to keep track of, to say nothing of the staff...

"Terms like that should benefit both of us, don't you think?"

Of course it would be what he was afraid of.

"What sort of favors are we talking about...?"

Considering he was almost sold into slavery once, and that there's only so much someone would buy an eleven year old for, he instinctively shudders to think of what Leo might mean by "favors."

"You'll have to clarify before I agree to anything."

He knows exactly what Al's worried about, and makes a face at the thought.

"I'm not interested in kids or guys."

Let's just get that out there.

"Think more along the lines of..." Gopher. "...An assistant. Help me check out places I can't get into, things like that. I can't be everywhere at once."

That's... actually a more than reasonable deal, but Al isn't going to simply roll over. He'll accept, but he has to make it abundantly clear that he isn't going to just get pushed around.

"...Fine. I'll do it for now. Just remember that you have secrets of your own."

With that last word, he'll lie back down, tucking himself into whatever this place calls a sheet.

And that just gets a smirk out of Leo.

"Yes. But I'm also a better liar than you."

And he'll go ahead and settle down for some actual sleep now, content with a job well done.

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WEEK 0 | TUESDAY EVENING | ROOM 106

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