Cerano

  The rickety old mirror was tossed in a corner he had to pull it out for this very occasion. Cerano set things all up to look as if as always, he was as diligent as could be. He sent out the request knowing it would take a bit as he finished up the final details.

  Cerano knew his Uncle underestimated him. He’d written his nephew off as being as flippant and easily managed as his father had been before him. Whenever something happened to Cerano that anyone would get upset over his Uncle would shower him with wealth to forget about things. To not think of the fact that no matter how hard he worked his debt mysteriously was never mentioned. Yet it was always brought up when his Uncle doubted.

  It was truly mind blowing how little thought his Uncle doubted him despite Cerano working against him since he was old enough to.

  When the royal features came to life on the screen he looked annoyed.

  “What do you want Cerano.” His Uncle hissed and Cerano smiled at his Uncle.

  “I am calling to inform you that I have managed to get pretty close to Mesa.” He offered letting the lie fall off his tongue. “The issue is it seems that we were ill informed about Shan’s request. It wasn’t a union contract but unification. Our request though has triggered Shan’s interest and now they have offered her a similar deal. Only more lucrative for dearest Mesa.” Cerano insisted offered all of his sincerity knowing his Uncle wouldn’t question a word of it.

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  “Those swine.” His Uncle growled. “What have they offered exactly?” He asked the words Cerano was waiting to here and he held up papers that were truly nonsense and prepared to ‘read’ their offer to his Uncle. Who in a fit of huffed anger listed things for Cerano to add to the offer and with some dinky questions that seemed like nothing here and there, he had his Uncle pulling back some of the control in the contract. Tripping up and adding loopholes.

  Cerano read the offer to him and the King nodded. The King called his dearest advisor in and Cerano read it to him as well. The advisor was not dumb. And Cerano knew he notices the twist Cerano pulled in but also knew that he wouldn’t breath a word about them. Because he wanted to free Cerano from the same fate he himself held.

  When the new offer was written up Cerano looked at his Uncle with the worship level gaze his Uncle expected.

  “Thank you so much Uncle I was so worried how I’d be able to do this all on my own. I truly hope that I’m able to make you proud when I’m released. I’ll be able to serve you all the better.” He insisted.

  When the line shut off though his smile fell he lifted and shoved the mirror back in the corner and set the new offer down. It was better but he could probably make it even better if only he could provoke Shan just enough. Cerano made a list of notes on his new offer and abandoned it where he knew it would find it’s way back to the ever-capable Igov.

  Cerano was basking in his glory when crystal flashed words across one of it’s fractures.

  ‘We made it.’

  It read and Cerano’s smile grew, everything was falling into place.

  Then he thought of Mesa and his mind went from conceited smugness to fluttery joy. He traced his lips glad he’d allowed himself the smallest of indulgences. He sat up and set to work on other things she enjoyed that she might like added to the contract.

  Now he was crossing over to maybe kind of wanting her to accept it. Not as it was but once he’d manipulated things to earn her the most. If she didn’t accept? Then he’d find another way to lay it all at her feet.