Destroying A Legacy

Chapter Sixteen: Tranio

Tranio had tried not to think about Lafew's kiss, but it was easier said than done.

A part of him, was convinced the other boy hadn't really mean it -- surely, like everything Lafew did, it had to be a part of a bigger scheme. Maybe Peretti had somehow found out it was Tranio's weakness, and had told the other boy to play along. Something that could potentially have the power to make Tranio's switch side if the Rebellion attacked. Something to hold over his head.

At the same time, Tranio was no expert whatsoever, but he was pretty sure Lafew didn't have to use tongue for an innocent first kiss, unless a part of him kind of wanted to. Or maybe it was just wishful thinking.

Anyway, Merman had run away before Tranio could do anything -- even kiss him back. And he had looked disgustedly at him ever since.

Tranio tried not to think about it. He turned up the volume of its phone to the maximum, and got a notification reminding him to use the headphones in a safe way.

He listened to the Pogues and stared at the wall until he eventually fell asleep.

When he woke up, it was late afternoon. The iPad he used at Thyssen pinged. Apparently, he had got an e-mail from someone. It was a rare occurrence, and he didn't bother to check the sender. It was unlikely it was going to be another student, and he didn't want to read anything about his bad grades ever again.

He swiped carefully on the screen with a slender finger, and deleted the mail.

Tranio realized then he had never got anything that was just for him, so he hadn't even bothered to check.

If he thought about it too much, he felt sad. His whole life had always revolved around his family, or the Rebellion. There was nothing that was for himself alone, even his friendship with Art had been chosen by their parents, though it had turned out a lucky match.

Now, he felt a little strange about having deleted the mail so fast. Perhaps, it was meant for him to read. But, even if it was, the content wouldn't have stayed private for long. The people who knew him didn't want him to have any privacy.

To tell the truth, he had found out what having privacy really meant only at Thyssen. Not for himself, since he was always shadowed by somebody there too, but in invading disgracefully others'.

If he had been more educated on the subject back then, he wouldn't have bullied a lot of people into giving him their secrets. He would one day have to apologize, at least to Gratiano James, who had been hurt by his words more than most.

The day after Tobias Mouldy came to Tranio's house.

"Driscoll told me he wished to grant his Seer three magical gifts in exchange for his co-operation. But since you have been telling us over and over how you hate this task, Driscoll let me know he has made a decision. He would make me give you three gifts that could aid you as well as test you. He left to me to choose which ones, since I retrieved quite the striking collection during my work on the ley lines during the years."

Surely Driscoll would appreciate that, Tranio thought bitterly. Sometimes it was easy to forget the man was less interested in Noblesse domination, and more in its annihilation, rendering the lines unstable, and free game for those who wished to use them.

"I don't know what to do with three gifts from you," Tranio said. But a part of him was curious. Just what would these three presents be?

"I have to give them even if you won't accept them, that is the way in the Rebellion," Mouldy explained. "We are more generous than people give us credit for."