Chapter Text
Jasper sat alone in his bedroom, humming and kicking his legs beneath his chair as he slipped a needle in and out of the fabric of his project.
Hand-sewing was very careful work, and he enjoyed the tactile nature of it. It felt nice to make things. It felt like a profound act to bring something into existence, to change reality by altering a thing's state of being. Wood to carving. Fabric to stuffed toy. He found it grounding. Something to solidify that he was real, that he was alive, that he'd lived.
He tied off the thread and then cut it with his teeth, setting the needle aside on his desk. He held up his finished work, a little plush red frog with big eyes and a dopey grin.
"Hey there, Sprig," he smiled.
The Golden Guard tilted his head toward the open doors of the throne room as he heard the rapid tap-tap-tap of many approaching footsteps. He watched impassively as a pale blue caterpillar woman skittered into the room and sat up on her hind four legs, clasping the top four together while she huffed and puffed as if she'd run the entire way here.
"Your Eminence! Your Eminence!" she cried, smoothing back her hair hurriedly.
"Yes, Lazulas?" the Emperor said in a terse voice. The Golden Guard wondered how much longer she'd keep her job with the way she clearly grated on the Emperor's nerves. He certainly wouldn't miss her.
"Lilith Clawthorne has returned," she announced with a bow.
The Emperor's mood changed immediately. "Ah, yes. Where is she?"
"In the dungeon, sir," Lazulas answered. "She's signing in the new prisoners now."
The Emperor rose from his throne. "Excellent. Tell her to wait there for me."
"Yes, Your Eminence, right away!" the demon gasped. She turned sharply away and dropped back onto all eight feet to sprint down the corridor.
The Golden Guard followed the Emperor in silence at a tight heel as he left the throne room at a far more leisurely pace in the direction of the dungeon.
"Jasper," said the Emperor as they walked down a long, empty hallway.
"Yes, sir?" the Golden Guard asked.
"What do you think of Miss Clawthorne?"
"She is ruthlessly ambitious, sir, and unwaveringly dedicated to her work," he replied, then hesitated. "Outside of how it pertains to her sister."
"Do you believe her relationship with her wild witch relative compromises her position in the coven?"
"Permission to speak freely?" the Golden Guard asked.
"Yes. I'd like your unfiltered opinion."
"Honestly, I'm not sure," Jasper admitted. "I don't really know her all that well. She's so standoffish and– and like— she's cold, y'know? Guarded. I don't think I've seen enough of her to really know where her loyalties lie when it's do or die."
Belos hummed in thought for a long moment. "I've been considering replacing Asterith with her."
"You've been considering her for head witch of the Emperor's Coven?" Jasper balked. "Really?"
"She's very powerful. She frightens people."
"Is that why you let her keep her palisman?"
Belos stopped short and turned to look at him, blue eyes glowing through his mask.
The Golden Guard froze and stood up straight.
"Do not question my decisions," the Emperor said in a low growl.
The Golden Guard ducked his head. "I apologize for speaking out of turn, sir."
The Emperor stared down at him a little longer before he resumed walking.
"Yes," he replied finally. "Among other reasons. I've been carefully managing the information she's been given about the state of the Boiling Isles and the coven, grooming her toward the position of a figurehead for some time. She cuts an imposing figure, but she's not particularly perceptive, which is what I would prefer for someone in my immediate circle." He paused before adding, "Besides you, of course."
Jasper's heart swelled in his chest and he couldn't stop himself from smiling behind his mask.
"Thank you, sir. I'm honoured by your trust."
"Blood is the only bond that can be trusted in this world," Belos commented. "I know that you would never betray me, Jasper, and you know that I would never betray you."
"I know," Jasper said reverently. "I'll always be loyal to you."
"I'd like you to test her," the Emperor said, raising his chin as they neared the dungeon. "Take her out on a mission of your choosing. Find where her loyalties lie."
"Yes, Emperor Belos," the Golden Guard replied.
Jasper twirled his staff and then slid his foot back, resetting his stance. He grinned and held out his free hand, gesturing come at me.
He watched as Darius set his jaw and narrowed his eyes. Good. He wanted to see him focused. Darius was always at his best when he was focused.
A spike of abomination matter shot toward him, but he skipped sideways and out of range easily. He was too experienced with dodging something similar to ever be worried about getting hit on accident again. For good measure, he crossed his arms behind his back, holding his staff two-handed.
"Aw, come on. I told you not to hold back!" Jasper giggled. "Look, I'll make it fair: I won't even use magic!"
"Jasper!" Darius snapped. He was getting under his skin. Also good. He knew how to focus, he needed to learn how to stay focused.
Jasper whistled through his teeth as he danced out of the way of a series of purple spikes that shot up from the training field. "Knock me over and we're done! C'mon, kid, I know you can do it!"
Darius growled in frustration and threw up both arms, summoning a wave of abomination matter that surged toward him. He tossed his staff in the air and did a black flip, handspringing off the ground and over the wave as it crashed down below him. He grabbed his staff as he landed and spun back around on a heel to offer his apprentice a smug grin.
"Titan dammit, stop moving!" Darius yelled. He lost all finesse and began simply lobbing cannonballs of abomination matter at him en masse.
Jasper sighed. He'd been hoping he would last longer before he let his temper get to him, but he was working on it. One way or another, Darius was going to learn to be patient.
He gave his staff a rapid two-hand spin that knocked the oncoming missiles out of the way, before he flash-stepped behind his apprentice and swept his legs out from beneath him.
Darius hit the ground with an "Oof!"
Jasper giggled and tapped his staff against the ground. "Nothin' personal, kid."
"I thought you said you weren't going to use magic," Darius grumbled as he pushed himself back up." And stop calling me that!"
"Nah," Jasper laughed. "Anyway, never trust your enemy."
"Ugh."
Jasper picked up his staff to give him a playful tap on the head. Darius waved his hands wildly in the air to dismiss him before he stood up and glared at his mentor. "C'mon. If you could learn how to keep your cool you could get me. I'm a physical fighter, remember! Keep me moving and don't let me stop; I'm always going to get gassed before you do. All you have to do is outlast me without getting pissed off first."
"Well you are very good at pissing me off," Darius snapped.
Jasper booped him on the nose with a laugh. "Hehe. Yeah."
Darius waved his hand away again with a scowl, but Jasper just bounced on his heels.
"Okay, well, do you know what time it is?" Jasper inquired.
Darius sighed. "What time is it?"
"Iiiiiit's–" Jasper cheered, before he twirled his staff above his head and summoned a great wave of abomination matter. Darius squeaked in alarm as it crashed down over them, and when it receded they were in one of his many favourite spots on the castle roof. He gave it another quick spin and summoned up a blanket and a basket of food with a grand flourish that he finished with enthusiastic jazz-hands. "Lunch time!"
"Can you please warn me before you translocate me?!" Darius groaned as he wobbled slightly. Jasper laughed at him and plopped down on his butt.
"Check it out! I got eyeball cole slaw for you, and hard boiled griffin eggs for me. I asked Miss Beysu in the kitchens to put that fancy truffle sauce you like on yours and everything."
Darius eyed the basket dubiously before his hunger clearly overwhelmed his annoyance and he sat down beside him with a sigh, holding out his hand. Jasper papped his feet against the shingles happily and handed him his lunch.
"You really should expand your palate," Darius commented. "I feel like you exclusively eat like four foods."
"I like them!" Jasper said defensively. "What's wrong with griffin eggs!"
"They're so plain."
"I like plain!" Jasper scoffed, cracking the shell between his hands as he began to peel it off. "Plain is simple and tasty! Everything you like tastes like butt."
"That's so juvenile."
"No, this is juvenile," Jasper grinned, before he stuck his tongue out at him and blew a raspberry.
Darius rolled his eyes.
The Golden Guard walked briskly through the castle halls with his head up and chin down, peering at those he passed through his dark visor as they eyed him back nervously. They became fewer and farther between as he approached the Emperor's private wing, until suddenly, he was alone.
He stopped when he saw an open passageway where there was usually a wall between his room and the Emperor's. It led into unlit darkness straight down a set of cobbled stairs. He cast a glance back and forth down the hall, and then stepped inside, tightening his grip on his staff.
The wall closed behind him, but he kept walking. When he emerged from the stairwell it was into a room that no witch was ever meant to see.
Around the walls of the chamber were huge planters filled with red soil, and in the center stood a table stacked with books and tools and material spell components. On another table by the wall, the remainder of an old skeleton lay collecting dust. There were old blood stains on the stone floor and a dankness to the room that made it reek of fertilizer and death.
Belos stood by one of the planters and raised his head at him, narrowing his eyes.
"You left the door open," said the Golden Guard.
"Mm," Belos said sharply, looking back down at the potting box. "I told you to be along quickly."
"I apologize for making you wait."
"I expect better of you," he said with a dangerous edge to his voice. "I've no time to manage its vitals today, I must unfortunately meet with the coven heads on pressing matters. I need you to take care of this for me."
"Of course."
The Emperor waved a hand in the direction of the table. "You know where everything is."
The Golden Guard nodded. "I do. Would you like me to meet you in the throne room when I'm finished?"
The Emperor considered it. "Yes," he said eventually. "But don't rush. This is far more important."
"I know."
The Emperor set a hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze as he passed. He disappeared back into the dark stairwell.
Jasper took off his mask and set it on the center table, picking up the soil acidity monitor from where it lay beside the book on magical constructs. He approached the box that Belos had been standing in front of and slid the thin metal rod into the dirt, before taking it out with a hum as he inspected the readout. He returned to the center table and the open journal documenting the current in-progress Grimwalker's development.
He picked up a watering can from the floor and returned to the box, looking into it fondly. Below the surface, he knew that a little life was growing.
Jasper tipped the watering can forward over the box and its precious contents.
"Hey there, Hunter," he smiled.