Runelords 55.1 - Two Alderns

Striding purposefully up the stairs with the firm air of someone determined to demonstrate that nothing was wrong, Luna turned into the upstairs sitting room where Aldern directed her. As she perched herself primly on a sofa and sat up stiffly, Aldern regarded her with a measure of calculation. “...Did Virgil say something...distressing?” he asked haltingly, selecting his words with care.
Her reply was as stiff as she was, “Nothing that I didn’t already know. Or at least, sort of knew. Could guess.” Aldern pursed his lips but said nothing further, until Luna prodded, “So? Can you explain what’s going on?”
“There’s nothing to say,” he replied smoothly, unperturbed. 
Luna frowned at him, “I know. I know what happened, more or less. So…?”
“What’s to say, if you already know of him?” he shrugged lightly, “We have an arrangement to ensure the secret stays hidden. It would be disastrous if someone caught sight of two people sharing my face. That’s all. It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with.”
Displeased with his dismissive attitude, she continued to press, “What arrangement?”
“It’s really nothing, dear: he’s just to stay hidden while I’m present. That’s all. Don’t spare it another thought.”
“Don’t…?” she started, looking angry. “How am I supposed to do that?!” She grumbled and shook her head as Aldern looked on with a patient, almost patronizing look. “How did this even happen?” she finally asked, “I mean, I was just guessing about multiple personalities, but is that what it was? There were those stupid fey in the swamp, and you said you felt like three people and one of them was insane and had to be killed, so now there’s two?” Aldern said nothing, so she added, “Who even are you? Do I know you at all? How do I even know who I was…” she trailed off, shaking her head. “Who are you?”
“I’m Lord Aldern Foxglove,” he said with almost a twinge of reproach. “I’m well-spoken, well-mannered, well-educated. I’m intelligent, resourceful; I manage an old trading firm in addition to numerous investment and real-estate ventures. I enjoy opera and have several hobbies. I’m born of an esteemed lineage. Come now, we’ve known each other for months.” 
Luna gauged this statement, weighing each word as she stared thoughtfully at the floor. “...Then who’s the other one?”
Aldern sniffed disdainfully, “He is not a good person. He’s not good for you to be around, and you shouldn’t pay any further thought to the matter.”
“...You’re Lordship…” she said to herself almost inaudibly. With a dry snort and a curious sort of manic expression, she turned to him, “Were you the one who sent me letters written in blood?
Recoiling visibly, he said strongly, “No! No, that’s incredibly distasteful. That must have been the other one.”
She smirked, “Huh. Fancy that. I still have them actually. The blood letters.”
Frowning with disgust, he offered, “I can have those disposed of, if you’ll…”
“No no!” she cut him off brightly. “Never got a love letter written in blood before. Never got a love letter at all, actually. Might as well keep the memento!” 
Aldern frowned with deep concern, moving to sit down beside her. He reached up to brush the hair away from her cheek; she let him without giving any sign of distrust or refusal. “You’ve been under such stress...I’m so sorry for you, for what you’ve had to go through.” The hint of a hopeful smile played on his lips, “It can be over now. It can all be over. Just stay here, with me. Stay in Medinipur. You don’t need to do any of this traveling or fighting or any of it anymore. This can be your home.”
When she opened her mouth to respond, her sentiment seemed to stick in her throat. Different emotions flashed about her stress-strained face before eventually she just slumped weakly back into herself once more. “...Where’s the other version hiding?” she asked quietly, “I’d like to speak to him too.”
Aldern stiffened, “That’s not something you need to know.” She turned to frown at him incredulously for his wording as he continued, “It’s better it remains secret.”
“You...aren’t going to tell me,” she said slowly and bitterly.
“I don’t feel it’s something you should be concerned with,” he said with a touch of arrogance, “and it only risks the secret more should you know.”
“...So that’s how it’s going to be,” she said flatly, unimpressed. She glared at him icily for a moment, arms folded, before she huffed and shrank sadly once again. “I just want to speak to him, just...just because. I want to. Please.”
Though he was visibly loathe to accept, he folded his arms, “...If that’s what you really want...I’ll arrange something later on.”
“...Ok. Thank you,” she agreed heavily, seeming very tired. Aldern’s expression softened once more, leaning over her with concern. “...I’m so sorry…” she said finally, speaking to the floor. “You just got...left, in the swamp, didn’t you? By yourself, without any magic, or…” she trailed off sorrowfully. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know...I wouldn’t have…I should’ve...”
Lord Foxglove moved to put his arm around her comfortingly, “Now now, don’t apologize. It wasn’t your fault. I made it home, and now you’re here as well. Everything will be alright.” She leaned into his embrace and he folded his arms around her in turn. They sat motionless against each other for some time, neither moving or breathing: a stiff portrait of what should have been a living scene. “...Would you like to go out somewhere, to take your mind off of this ordeal?” Aldern asked politely. “There are so many things left in Medinipur for me to show you.”
“...Not now…” she said slowly. “I haven’t done makeup or anything in days and...I don’t feel up to that, right now.” Turning her head up to him balefully, she added, “I’m sorry I look like…” her gaze dropped, “like this…”
He tightened his arms around her, “Do not apologize. You have been through so much, and you are lovely, regardless.”
Luna nestled her head into his chest. After a pause, she added, “Later. We’ll go out, a bit later.”
“Whatever you’d like,” he replied with a smile, holding her close.
-------
“Do you feel any more yourself?” Lord Aldern asked of Luna as the pair stepped inside the upper sitting room later that same day. It was quite late, or rather early, when the two returned after having watched a late performance of a lauded singer followed by a rather relaxed meander through the city that eventually got them back to Aldern’s home. 
“...Maybe. A little, yes…” Luna said with a half-smile of encouragement. Aldern smiled in turn. With a sigh and a sidelong look, Luna asked hesitantly, “...Would you mind, very much, if I could speak to the other one now? It’s very late, there’s no one around; I know you’re concerned about being noticed, so now’s the best time, isn’t it?”
Aldern’s face fell as he sighed heavily. After a pause he shook his head, “I suppose you’re right. I still don’t think it a good idea...but if you’re so set on it…”
Luna looked to him and smiled gratefully, “Thank you. I know, it must be hard…”
He sighed again, “...I have business to conduct in the morning.”
“I’ll wait here,” Luna said, sitting down lightly on one of the couches, “and you can send him in. I’ll make sure he goes and gets you before dawn so there are no problems. Alright?”
“...Thank you,” he said plainly before turning and leaving, something about his demeanour suggesting wounded pride. 
Luna sat and waited in the darkness, her magically-granted vision unhindered by the lack of light. Eventually, she heard footsteps in the hallway: Aldern stepped in, wearing the same hat of disguise that covered his undead complexion as the man who had recently left. When he saw Luna he hastened to her side, sitting beside her and taking her hands up quickly with his starry-eyed smile that she recognized. “Oh, Luna! You came back! Was everything alright? Are you ok?”
She gave him a tired half-smile in response, comforted by his familiar presence. Leaning forwards, she wrapped her arms about him and he returned the embrace tightly. As she pressed her face into his collarbone, her hand drifted slowly up towards his chest to linger on his sternum. Even through his shirt she could tell that there was no trace of the necromantic medallion that used to be affixed there. She frowned bitterly, “...Where did the amulet I made for you go?”
Aldern blinked with worry, “Virgil...Virgil took it off. He, said that there was a problem, that it could hurt you, so…”
“Ugh, of course he did,” she interrupted. Pausing with realization, her frown deepened as she said, “That’s what they were doing here. That’s why he came to Medinipur first.” Scowling darkly, she pressed herself deeper into Aldern’s chest. “Ugh.”
Concern was evident in Aldern’s demeanour. “Are you alright?”
She sniffed disdainfully before sitting upright again, “Yes.” Tilting her head and looking at the man before her, she asked, “Are you alright?”
“Oh! Yes, I’m fine,” he said with all honesty, though tinted with nerves. 
“Where have you been hiding?” she asked. “I mean, I know that there’s...the other one, and you’ve been, taking turns hiding somewhere, I guess?” 
Aldern nodded in affirmation before looking sheepish. “Well...I’m not supposed to tell anyone…”
She gave him a flat look, “Virgil knows.”
“He wasn’t supposed to!” Aldern said defensively. He looked at her earnestly as he continued, “But, but you’re special, and I’m sure it’s alright for you to know.” He sighed, “I was hiding in the shed. That’s where the other man is now.”
“...The shed,” she repeated flatly, looking unimpressed.
“Well, it’s, more of a cellar under the shed, really,” he explained. “It’s hidden away, and no one knows it's there. It's a rather good hiding spot. He's building a machine or something in there as well.”
This caught Luna’s attention and she frowned with curiosity, “A machine?”
“I hadn’t had any idea of what it was, until Virgil explained some of it to me,” he said earnestly. “I still don’t really understand all of it, but from what he was saying, he thinks it to be some sort of...summoning device? Part machine, part magic, fueled by...oh, what’s that school, the one that makes things appear...conjuration!”
Luna mulled over this thoughtfully, talking quietly and mostly to herself, “...A magic machine...I hadn’t any idea you knew anything about magic or machinery…” She spoke up, “Has he been building it long?”
“I...haven’t any clue,” he shrugged.
“Well...how long has the cellar been there?”
Aldern merely shrugged, “I don't know. Perhaps it’s new? But it might have been made a while ago, when I was asleep.” Luna blinked at him, but the man seemed to think this was a perfectly valid explanation: many things happened when he was asleep and it had long ago stopped concerning him. Eventually she just shook her head, leaning into him again and dropping the subject. 
“...Are you...ok with this?” she asked. “Hiding in a cellar under the shed? I mean, that can’t be what you want…”
“It’s...not ideal,” he admitted lightly, “but he’s very right: there can’t be two of us. It would be bad if anyone found out. And this way I get to stay in my home, so it’s not all bad.”
Luna continued to pry, “How often do you switch?”
He pursed his lips thoughtfully, “It’s hard to say, there’s no clock down there...Every other day, I’d think, I come out for a while.”
“For a…” she started, looking back at him with a frown, “That’s hardly even.”
“Well, he has a lot of business to manage,” Aldern was defensive. “He has to be out during the day, else the work wouldn’t get done.” Luna frowned slightly so he added with a sheepish note, “...He’s...been doing most of the work, for a very long time, it seems…” Luna hummed thoughtfully as she leaned into him once more. “It’s not the best setup, but it’s not all bad. I read, and have time with my thoughts. And now you’re here!” he added brightly, “You’re so very clever. You can make anything better, I’m sure.” He stroked her hair, “...Perhaps now that you’re back, we can go away somewhere. A very long vacation, somewhere very far away, away from him, and all of this.” Looking down at her, he asked, “You are staying, aren’t you? You finished whatever it was they needed you to do, so you can stay, yes?”
“I…” Luna almost spoke but immediately fell to silence. Aldern couldn’t see her expression, buried tightly as she was in his torso. Her thoughts had ranged far, it seemed, and slowly a desperation and despair crept into her features. After a long silence, she clenched her fist around his shirt tightly. Her voice was strained as she muttered, “...I can’t...I can’t yet...I promised you...I promised you that I’d fix it and I got so close. I’m so close to what I need. I have the bones but I need one more thing. I’ll never, ever finish it without that one more thing...and it’s in Karzoug’s lair. It has to be, he said it was. I have to go there. The others are going there and they’re my only chance to get that last piece, because I won’t be able to get in without the keys they have.” Aldern hugged her blithely, his expression soft and wholly unaware of the insidious undertone of her speech. She sat up, “I’ll fix it. I’m sorry I can’t yet. But I still will, somehow.”
Aldern smiled, “I know. You’ve done so much. You’re such an amazing, capable person, I don’t doubt you could find a solution to anything.”
“Heh…” she gave a single sad chuckle. A moment of morose silence passed before she looked at him seriously, “You don’t want to be in the cellar, right?”
He seemed confused at retreading the same ground, “No, of course not, but it was the best solution and I don’t mind…” 
Cutting him off with a shake of his head, she interrupted, “But there has to be a better one.” Tilting her head, she considered, “What if...I can make another disguise hat. I made one before; I should be able to manage that at least. Then you wouldn’t have to stay in a cellar; you could just, pretend to look like someone else. I mean, 99% of people don’t go around expecting to look through disguises. You could go out, do whatever you wanted to do, and no one would know. If...if it isn’t too demeaning, and the other man doesn’t mind, you could just pretend to be a new butler here or something. You could still take turns, but this way you can actually live in your house and not sit in a hole for most of your time. Shadliss...is probably not going to be staying here much longer anyways, so it’s a cover story that would make sense.”
Aldern’s face had been lighting up progressively as Luna spoke, the idea obviously thrilling him. When she mentioned Shadliss he pouted suddenly, “Oh no! That’s a shame. She’s a nice girl, and a good worker.”
“I think she misses Sandpoint, and her family,” Luna lied, “And I’m sure her parents miss her terribly, especially considering her sister…”
“That is true,” Aldern agreed. His expression turned joyful again as he took Luna’s hands, “But that is a wonderful idea! You could do that? Really?” 
“Of course. Provided it’s ok with him too,” she added. “I don’t want to make problems.” Tilting her head she asked, “You don’t mind pretending to be someone else?”
“It’s far better than sitting down there all the time, or moving. I don’t mind.” He smiled broadly, “Oh Luna, you do make everything better! I’m so glad you’re here.” She returned part of the smile and sank into his hug once again.
-----
It was pre-dawn when Aldern left to change places with his other self. Luna waited for the return of the more serious, sharper Aldern; she didn’t need to wait long. She gave him a smile when he came in and sat down primly. He still had a slightly sullen air about him as he said, “Did you have a pleasant visit?”
“Yes,” she replied. “Thank you very much for that. I...know it must be hard on you.” 
He gave a sharp snort at that but said politely, “If it makes you happy, that’s what matters.”
She gave a small smile again before hazarding, “I...might have a better solution?” He looked at her with consideration so she continued, “He explained that you’ve been taking turns hiding in a cellar so that no one catches on that there are two people that share your face. Which is fair! I know that secret can’t get out. But,” she explained haltingly, obviously nervous of offending him, “I was wondering, and I’d only go ahead with it if you agreed, and he already said he liked the plan, so, I thought, I could make another disguise hat? I’ve already made one, so I could make him a second. He said that you’ve kind of, taken on all of the responsibilities here, so you can use yours to look like yourself, and he can use his to look like someone else. Maybe like, a butler or something? That way he can live here and go about his life and not have to be shut up in a cellar, and then you don’t have to be down there either.” She added on quietly, “And, I mean you should still take turns like you have been, but overall, I think it’s better…”
“That’s an excellent idea!” he said brightly. She blinked, not honestly expecting a positive response. Though he was much more measured than his counterpart, Aldern was nonetheless pleased, “It is a pain having to switch like that, not to mention suspicious if anyone were to notice. If he wants to be a servant, I am more than happy to accommodate him. And certainly: business calls me out frequently, so he’s more than welcome to fill my position when I’m elsewhere and there’s little risk of being caught.”
“Oh,” she blinked before smiling brightly, perhaps the first truly legitimate smile she had made since returning. “Alright! Then I’ll start on that tomorrow! Or, later today, I suppose.”
“Wonderful!” he returned her smile, though it seemed he was heartened more by her own brightness than from anything else. “Do you need me to send for anything? I’ll cover the cost, of course. You needn’t be paying for his expenditures.”
“No no, I can get what I need in town, that’s fine,” she said. A thought seemed to occur to her and she became hesitant again, “Can I...ask about something?”
“Certainly,” he said with all seriousness.
“Umm…” she fiddled her fingers, “I don’t want to pry into your business, but, um, the...the other Aldern, mentioned that you were building something? Something arcane? I was wondering, what it was, because I really like machines, and arcana, and I didn’t know you had an interest in it, and I was wondering if maybe you could tell me about it or if I could help somehow, or something.”
He smiled gently, “Of course. It’s not so much a secret.” She blinked, again caught off-guard by his receptiveness in light of his patronizing dismissal earlier that day. Standing up, he held out his hand to her, “But I can’t say I have much knowledge of the subject, I’m merely following a plan. Come, I can show it to you.” She took his hand and stood herself, following him into his study. He pulled out a blueprint that he had filed away and spread it on his desk. It was an outline of a strange machine, certainly, and Luna’s eyes ran over the mechanical pieces and the arcane arrays, considering how they worked together while trying to deduce what it would accomplish. Her gaze lingered on a strange symbol in the corner, what appeared to be the signature of sorts: a janky symbol that had a harsh duality to it. “Unfortunately, when I came to in the swamp, I found myself an unfortunate prisoner of the fey,” Aldern explained. “They had apparently decreed that nothing was to go in or out of the area, and I had to barter my way free.” 
“Ooh…” she intoned, realizing the owners of the signature.
“It’s a stable portal of some sort. They wanted access to Materia, and if I wanted free of their filthy oil flat I didn’t have much choice.”
“I’m so sorry,” she winced at him.
He waved it off, “You have nothing to apologize for. At any rate, the cellar was the best location for me to build something that size and not have it remarked on or interfered with. As you can see, they’ve made the directions very clear, and I don’t need much talent at all to complete it.” He smirked, “The completion timeline, however, was left very vague. I am in no great rush to deliver, so don’t take it poorly when I say I don’t need any assistance.”
She returned his grin, giggling lightly. “No offence taken.” Looking over the blueprint again, she remarked, “This is a very interesting design though. See what they’ve done here, with this piece? It’s literally using the copper from this bar to feed the arcane process, rather than make another layer of enchantment. It’s actually kind of strange, what it’s doing.” Aldern leaned over the print as well, highly interested in what she was saying. “From what I can see, it’s like...rather than use multi-layered arcana, they’re cheating and using a bunch of physical structures and processes to power the spell instead. It’s...probably terribly inefficient, but it’s like they wanted to integrate material physics either to simplify the magic, or they were just going for some kind of aesthetic where they really wanted to make a complicated machine to do something that would have been a lot easier with magic. I guess it’s making it more stable though, and if you look over here…” she continued talking, explaining parts of the machine and its spells to Aldern who followed along eagerly. Some time later, she stopped herself short, “And then this would feed into the...I’m really sorry, I’m probably boring you to tears."
“No no!” he urged her. “This is very interesting! I never had any schooling in arcana, so this is educational.” He smiled, “Even if it wasn’t, you enjoy it so much. I’ll gladly listen to anything you’d like to speak on, if only to see you so engaged.” Luna wrinkled her nose with embarrassment as she turned back to her explanation.
Some time later, she interrupted herself sharply, “Ahh! The Shivering Ones! Ahh! We had that deal with them and I forgot completely!” 
Aldern brought up his hand to her, calming her anxiety, “It’s alright, it’s alright. I’ve taken care of it.” She looked at him with confusion so he explained, “I remembered the deal and honoured it. They found the mould rather useless for any of their purposes, which saved me having to travel out to the house, but I’ve negotiated several other arrangements with them in lieu of that. They’ve had a terrible time arranging a supply chain here in Medinipur so I’ve stepped in to help them with several key components for their business.” He grinned, “A desperate customer is the best customer. I’m one of the few people who will take them seriously enough to broker with them, and they are definitely willing to pay for the privilege.”
Luna frowned thoughtfully, “...I’m not sure how I feel about taking advantage of kobolds…”
“A twenty percent markup is hardly criminal,” he assured her, “They’ll still be able to conduct their business profitably, I’m sure. Certainly better than if I wasn’t working with them. Meanwhile, I’m making a healthy profit.” 
Luna considered this a moment before nodding her assent. “...I’m surprised you remembered. I completely forgot…”
He smiled, “Luna dear, I’ve been managing dozens of trade and real estate deals for years now. I wasn’t about to forget how to run my business after a few months away, no matter how trying those months might have been.” He added gently, “Don’t worry that it slipped your mind. It’s hardly your responsibility to keep track of my affairs. I’m more than capable of handling myself; you don’t have to remember everything.”
She looked at him with curious sort of expression for a moment before smiling and returning to her original train of thought. The two continued to talk until well after the sun rose, until a loathe Aldern had to take his leave to begin the day’s work. He invited Luna to join him after she had acquired the parts she needed to start her project: his study was the best workspace in the house, and he would love to be kept informed on her progress. She agreed, glad for the company and the distraction from the insistent problems that clung to the edges of her mind. 
As she left, she considered the two men who had previously shared a body: this person lacked the sweetness and lovable charm of the Aldern she was used to, but he was resourceful, independent, and made himself seem much more intelligent and grounded than the other Aldern ever had. She couldn't argue that it wasn't refreshing. How much of his patronizing dismissal from earlier was from his personality, and how much was a product of stress? Or, for that matter, jealousy? Imagine having to defend yourself from allegations, perhaps very real ones, that you were not the "real" version of yourself; if it was reversed, would she have tried to stop Aldern from talking to a clone of herself and risk him leaving with her? She dismissed her idle considerations as she walked down the hall. There were two men now, real men with different personalities but unfortunately with the same face and name. They each had their faults and their benefits, she was sure, and she'd need to get to know them from the beginning. At least they seemed willing to come to arrangements, however. Perhaps this could work. 
Category:Rise of the Runelords