Chapter 15 Dirty Work

❄Snow❄

They were greeted by no one. When they arrived at Jack’s estate, Snow expected to be greeted by a butler or some servants, but to her surprise they were received by no one and had to let themselves onto the grounds. Overgrown vegetation coated most of the pathway and half the building. Besides that, The most noticeable feature of this place was a large statue of goddess Regalia at the entrance, facing them as they came in.

They proceeded past the statue and up to the front door. A lone crow was perched on one of the main windows watching them curiously. Lazarus knocked on the door loudly causing the bird to fly away. Soon after, the door cracked open, and a man peered at them from the inside.

“Lazarus? What are you doing here?” He asked, his voice heavy with suspicion.

“My grand old friend! How have you been? Do you mind if we come in? I would like to see how you’ve kept yourself these days. Oh, and a small business inquiry I would like to ask as we leave.” Lazarus casually responded, downplaying the true purpose of their visit.

“You know I don’t do visitors.” Jack responded sourly, even as his gaze moved to Snow. Something Lazarus noted and decided to take advantage of.

“Not even for a Regalian princess? Please Jack, surely you can make an exception for her? I wouldn’t want her majesty to find offense!”

“Whatever.” The door closed and several locks were heard turning before the door opened, fully this time. Jack stood in the doorway, looking more like a homeless man with his torn up clothing and unruly, overgrown hair. Certainly a man that matched the appearance of the estate.

Come in.” He grumbled.

They entered the manor proper; it was rather empty in the main hall they were in, except for a few pieces of furniture and a bar, which Jack was leading them to.

“You look marvelous my friend! Even I am outaging you now!” Lazarus chimed. Snow looked to Jack at those words and wondered if that was meant as a joke or a compliment.

They both took their seats on a couch near the bar. As Snow’s eyes curiously scanned the place, she couldn’t help but notice there was not a servant in sight. The place was empty not just of furnishings, but also people, which was surprising for a manor this size. Jack grabbed a wine bottle from the bar and dragged a chair up to them sitting down and pouring Lazarus and himself a drink. He then glanced at her and then back at the wine bottle.

“You umm?” He truly looked like he was questioning whether he should give her some wine too. Snow answered the unasked question.

“No, thank you.” Snow said.

“So Lazarus, what are you doing here, with a Regalian Princess no less?” He still seemed suspicious of their surprise appearance, regardless of her status.

“We were on route to a location where I could draw a portrait of her highness in relative privacy, and when I told her of my intention to see you, she wished to accompany me. So, consider yourself blessed!” Lazarus laughed.

After some small talk that involved constantly placating their host’s deep but unspoken suspicions, and a lot of wine, Jack and Lazarus were finally hitting it off.

“Yeah and remember when he said that he would address it to the lady of the house and then runs off grabbing the man’s concubine right in front of everyone!” Jack laughed; his face flushed from the wine.

“That seems like something you wouldn’t want to do in front of the lady of the house.” Snow remarked.

“That’s the power of wine and stupidity, ha! We didn’t see him for a few weeks after that one.” Jack chuckled.

At that point, Snow figured it was time she did what her and Lazarus had agreed upon.

“Jack, may I use your washroom?”

“Of course your highness, it’s the door at the end of the hall.”

Snow thanked him, before she got up and walked away.

She took one last glance behind her, towards Jack and Lazarus, who were still laughing with each other. Lazarus would keep Jack distracted long enough for her to find what she was looking for. Instead of walking down the hall she only kept walking until she was out of sight, then she snuck up the stairs to the upper floor. Once there, she started going through each room, searching for her prize.

“So Lazarus, tell me. Why is that girl really here?” Jack’s face suddenly turned stoic, the image of a jolly and drunk man fading away as if it were never there, as the conversation became serious.

“Why the sudden stiffness my friend? It is as I said: we were on route to a proper scenery for a portrait when I decided to pay you a visit.”

“I guess my new question is this: what do you want with her? The rumors can’t all be lies Lazarus. I bet you are playing a dangerous game. Stopping here puts me on that playing field, and I do not need Lotus Guard ravaging my house on your account.”

“Why, you think that much ill of me? I am heartbroken.” Lazarus sighed, but then smiled enigmatically.

“So, what’s the deal with the runt of the litter? Spill it.”

“Tell me Jack, what happens when the world's largest force gets applied to something as simple and rigid as a rock?

Snow was in the middle of searching another room. She didn’t think she would have this much difficulty finding what she was looking for.

“What is the point of that question?”

“Just humor me.”

“Alright. I don’t know. What happens?”

Snow went to the next room; this one looked like the main bedroom.

“You get diamonds.”

“Okay? I am not following your point.”

“Isn’t it funny, the most expensive and strongest of gems known to man is made with nothing other than the raw force of the earth?”

“What does this have to do with the girl?”

“Unlike the stories that get put out, I know the black sheep of the royal family is actually a concealed diamond.”

“Last I heard, she is a fake Frostblood. Can’t achieve even the minimum of what the others can. Some say she can’t use the power at all. What evidence do you have otherwise?”

Snow looked up and saw a large painting of Jack and his family that looked unusual considering it was the only painting in the entire house.

“I have come across some very interesting findings about her birth. I daresay she is the very cornerstone of the current peace we live. She was even doomed to die from the womb, almost killing the frost queen in the process. Not even the Genevea, the greatest healer in the world, could save her. However, when death came, she wouldn’t die. It was as if she refused to die.”

“Sounds like she was just lucky.”

“You may think luck, but she is a diamond.”

“Maybe for you, You just want to add her to your sick collection.”

Snow moved the painting and heard a clicking noise just behind the dresser. “Yes!” She quickly made her way to the dresser and pushed it to the side revealing a hidden compartment in the wall. She stuck her hand inside feeling around before she felt something snug in the corner. After she pulled out the item she nearly stuck her head in to see if that was the only thing inside. It was.

Snow took a look at the item; It was a red sack with gold glowing substance. As Snow examined it, guilt began to fill her heart. She frowned, turning to look at the portrait of Jack’s family and then, back at the sack. She thought she would be ready, but now that she was here, she was conflicted and having second thoughts about the whole plan; She tried to remember what Lazarus told her;

“I don’t know if I can do that, Lazarus, that’s wrong.”

“He won’t die, trust me, he is not a good person anyways.”

“Still, I don’t even know him. Are you sure there is no other way?”

“Snow, do you want your mother to achieve her goals? Don’t you want to make things right? Remember, the only reason you are in this predicament was because you chose to save your friend, remember?”

“I.. I guess.”

“Do it for her. Do it for all the slaves that will be free. Don’t you want to make your mother happy?”

“Yes..”

“Trust me, he won't die. This needs to be done.”

“I trust you, Lazarus.”

“Good, After this, we will truly be friends. And I help my friends.”

“Okay.”

“She is a fake frostblood, troublemaker and nothing compared to the standards the royals set for themselves. You’re wasting your time if you ask me. I won’t judge your business though. Good luck. Now I think you’ve overstayed your welcome Lazarus. Time to leave.”

“Hold on friend, remember that business inquiry I mentioned?”

“I don’t want to hear it, we cut ties remember? When you abandoned me to the guards? The whole reason why I am here?!”

“Come on my boy, our partnership was that of business, not of blood. Here we both are, still free and among the living.”

“Yeah, if this is what you call living, nice joke. What the hell do you want?”

“Jack, I need the deed to the old mage guild back.”

Jack startled at that, erupting from his seat.

“No way! Jirminshawl offered me an amount I simply cannot refuse! You can’t just dump that deed on me and take it back after the investigation! What the blazes do I look like to you, a vault?! You screwed me over! Did you forget about that?!”

“It’s not about profit now Jack. It’s about doing the right thing: tensions are high right now and Jirminshawl is trying to use the deed as leverage. Which is unacceptable.”

“You just want it for your own gain! You don’t care about the damn world! That deed will pay off my debt, there’s no way I’m going to give it back to you! I’m the one who took the fall! You can’t just get the property back when it’s convenient!”

“Will you actually pay off the debt or will you go and make more Dust? Just look at you, you look pathetic right now. If it wasn’t for me, you would have been nothing. After all I’ve done for you, after all the times I bailed you out, are you going to sit there and tell me ‘No’?”

“Yes! I need this money Lazarus! I am not giving it back!”

“You truly are worthless, no wonder you got expelled from that guild.”

“I am trying to get my life back together and now you want to reappear, demanding that I give back the one thing that will help me solve all my problems?! Get the hell out of my manor and take that girl with you!”

“I knew you wouldn’t respond to reason, I guess we have no choice.” Lazarus calmly said.

“You aren’t doing anything; did you forget who I am? I’ll fry you to bits!” Jack snapped his right hand as lightning cracked between his fingers and traveled up his arm. His right arm became coated in electricity and as his knuckles emitted claw shaped arcs. He put one foot on the table between him and Lazarus, hunching over Lazarus with animalistic eyes.

Lazarus only leaned further back.

“Go ahead. Do it.”

Jack got angry at Lazarus’s relaxed and demeaning attitude.

“It’s about time you got what was coming, time to cut some loose ends!”

Jack swiped at Lazarus but was interrupted just as Snow jumped on his back, shoving four fingers into his mouth. The lighting magic dissipated as he tried to shake her off. This went on for a few seconds until he seemingly grew tired, his grip began weakening until he stopped. His eyes rolled to the ceiling as he collapsed onto his chair a moment after.

“Clearly you aren’t clean. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have Dust here.” Lazarus said, rising from his chair.

Jack didn’t respond, paralyzed as he was as Snow had her fingers in his mouth; Dust worked quickly after all.

“The deed wasn’t in his room; it has to be on his person.”

Lazarus nodded, then searched Jack’s pockets and just like she said, the deed was tucked into a secret pouch sewn into the back of his coat. Lazarus opened it and wrote a new line on the bottom of it: a statement specifying the transfer of ownership.

“Arcana dust forces the body into a state of hyper relaxation and bliss. However, a high intake of it can cause partial paralysis. Making the only way they can maintain the high is by someone else applying it for them. Isn’t that right, Jack? Or should I refer to you by your former title: Jackel, the lightning beast, failed master of the daiga mage guild. You were truly a skilled lighting elementalist. All that power and you are no better than an addict. Pathetic.”

“You want more?” Snow whispered into Jack’s ear, feeling his slimy tongue coiling around her fingers as they were still in his mouth. He was too blissed out to speak.

“Then sign the deed, now!” Snow yelled.

Lazarus put the quill in Jack's hand and placed it over the parchment, but Jack was losing focus, he slumped farther back, and it looked as if he was falling asleep.

“Signature! Now!” Snow yelled at him again and brought the sack of Dust up to his face but pulled it away when he attempted to reach for it. He understood, if barely in his delirious state, the silent trade: if he signed, he would get the rest of the bag. Struggling against the Dust’s paralytic effect, he barely managed to sign his name before his hand fell as if he fell asleep.

“Good enough.” Lazarus commented and then took Jack’s ring from his finger, dipping it in some special type of ink he had in a vial, before stamping the deed with it. When he removed the ring, a specific seal was left, right under the signature. “It is done, let’s go.”

Snow pulled her hand out of Jack’s mouth and left him to slump further in his seat as he began to drool.

“He’s not going to die is he?” Snow asked, concerned as she wiped off her hand on Jack’s coat.

“No, toss the sack outside and let us depart.” Lazarus ordered as headed to the door.

“Okay...if you’re sure.” Snow followed, glancing back toward Jack all the while.