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Tightly Wound

Anna offed a small smile to Robert as he entered the room. He looked better already, perhaps because he was dressed in his customary style. After seeing him shirtless and prone for so many days, it seemed slightly odd to her, but her mind did a fair job of reconciling the two views of Mr. White. Without realizing it, she curtseyed, albeit minutely when he bowed. Beside her, James Stroud returned the bow with a nod of acknowledgement.


She was suddenly conscious of the state of her music room. The piano was tuned regularly, although she honestly could not say when the task had last been performed, for while she dabbled at the piano, her patience was devoted to the garden. There were several chairs in the room, as is customary in the event of an impromptu performance. Often a guest would play during one of her parties, but never Anna. Her skill was rudimentary at best, and she would not subject others to the torment of hearing her play.


When Robert addressed her with some annoyance, she smiled. All was right with the world if Mr. Robert White was being churlish and brusque with her, and surely her father could not suspect that the rumors held any merit in the light of such address. She opened her mouth to speak, but her father interjected before she could.


“I assume full responsibility for delaying Anna.” His expression softened as he glanced at his daughter. “Ms. Stroud, that is.” He took a step forward as his gaze fell back on the monarchist in his daughter’s house. “I arrived unannounced, which is not in my habit, and Anna here was gracious enough to receive me. I dare say I may have interfered with ...” he paused, looking between Anna and Robert with a gentle expression of curiosity on is features. “Your ‘engagement’?” he asked of Robert. The charming smile on his lips was colored by the intense question dancing in his eyes. This man had certainly not lost his faculties despite the gray that had nearly taken over his hair. (Although, ironically, it was less than that of Mr. White.)


Beside him, Anna’s lips twitched briefly in annoyance before she stepped forward and rested a hand on her father’s arm. “Father, Mr. White is a guest in my home, and still recovering from serious injury. I will not have you interrogate him.”


Both of James’ eyebrows lifted at that, and his gaze slid to his daughter before he patted her hand. “I suppose I have been too long out of the game. I see intrigue everywhere,” he jested, although again, his eyes showed that he was observing everything about the way the two senators were interacting.


Anna shook her head and smiled at her father. “We are meeting on the business for the King, Father. Which, I am afraid, means that I must cut our visit short. I hope you understand.”


James nodded slightly, then looked to Robert. “I am glad to see you up and about, Mr. White. The country has been abuzz with talk of your injury and concern for your recuperation.”
 
His light blue gaze shifted between the two anarchists as they nearly bickered with one another. He started to wonder, if Anna had been in his position, what would have the conversation between his own father been like. A variety of scenarios fluttered through his mind, many involving his father's violent, alcoholic actions, and he quickly pushed them aside. Thankfully his father was dead, and there was no risk for that sort of scene to play out. It would probably frighten Anna. Robert was practically the spitting image of his own father. Watching the two visually similar men engage in a simple conversation was probably unsettling enough. Many that knew Robert's father before he died during the mining accident had to question whether the portraits within their home were of Robert, or young Carter White. This idea slightly disgusted Robert. He had never been thankful for his father's presence. Carter's only contribution to Robert's life was life itself. Beyond that, Carter's parenting was second-rate.


Out of the corner of his eye he spotted the piano near the other end of the room. This only reminded Robert of his father further. Supposedly, Carter tried to be a good father by teaching his son to play the piano. Some could say that Robert became very versed in the musical instrument. Of course, he did not practice as much as he used to as a young boy. Every evening, before he was sent to bed, Robert would be obligated to spend at least half an hour with his father at the piano. It surprised Robert now the amount of patience his father held for him. He would easily admit, he never made it easy for his father to go over the pieces of music he was currently studying. Many of the pieces he learned were practically memorized, at least in muscle. If he ever had the urge, Robert would play on the piano in his own manor, simply from boredom. Robert started to wonder if Anna had learned any of her debating tactics from her father. The longer he listened, the more and more they started to sound alike.


"You mean reputation," Robert corrected as he addressed Mr. Stroud's statement. More of the talk that Robert gathered since he first awoke seemed to relate to the relation between the lead senators, and less of their concern over his physical condition. "Surely a man as knowledgeable as you must understand what I am referring to." Robert stood with a strong posture as he looked to James. "I assure you. Our reputations are well off, as is my recuperation." What he said might have been edgy for a first encounter in so many years, but something about the other man's presence unnerved Mr. White. He patiently waited in his exact position for the elder to leave before he turned his gaze to Anna.
 
Little about James’ posture changed as Mr. White corrected him. Instead, he remained still, his dark eyes locked on the other man’s. Beside him, Anna glared at Robert, feeling the tension rise and wondering briefly if this was going to be a poor morning for all involved.


“I did not misspeak, Mr. White. The talk is centered upon your recuperation and the circumstances surrounding it. But I appreciate your awareness and candor.” James said, before turning to his daughter, offering her a wisp of a smile and a nod of his head before turning back to Mr. White. “As to your reputations: the health of those, you will find, is influenced by the perception of your actions. A perception which all too often proves impervious to declarations of truth.” He shook his head slightly, his voice softening with the tinge of regret as he turned to Anna. “I will leave you to your work, my dear.” Then he began to step toward the door, but not before pausing beside Robert. “You are looking quite well, Mr. White. The Senate and your personal household staff will undoubtedly rejoice upon your swift return.” He paused for a beat before placing his hat on his head and tipping it to the younger man. “Good day.”


As he walked out of the room, Anna stared at her father’s back. The conversation infuriated her on so many levels, and she felt certain her father had drawn several (likely erroneous) conclusions during the brief exchange. She would need to manage that later, however, for Mr. White’s presence was far more pressing. Looking to him, she waited until she heard her father exit through the foyer before speaking. “Well.” She wanted to comment on her father, but she had no words for the exchange that would not be born of frustration.


So she retreated to comfortable and familiar ground. “Are you well enough to visit Andrei? I believe he may have some new information for us.”
 
Mr. White started to wonder what James had thought of their actions. Did he, like many others, believe there was an intimate relation between the two senators? Robert convinced himself otherwise by reminding himself that James was indeed an intelligent man, though perhaps more cautious than Robert initially assumed.


Mr. Stroud had left, and Robert felt the tight tension over his shoulders disappear. Anna seemed far from content, but Robert decided to hold his concern when she suggested they should visit her mechanic.


"Definitely," he began his reply. "There has been too much of a delay in the project, Ms. Stroud. Whether I am well should not matter now. Any information we can gather by any means will be crucial." Robert wrapped his hand around the top of his cane and unconsciously rubbed his palm over the smooth orb in a seemingly nervous manner. Truthfully he almost feared the information Andrei could have uncovered for them. With his current condition, their side of the project had been delayed, and gave the Engineers a chance to advance them. Both of the senators believed they were being misinformed to some degree, and though they had been working together for several weeks, it would still come as a surprise for the two of them to agree on anything. This fact fortified their assumption about the Engineer's potential deceitfulness. The report Andrei would give them could aid them incredibly, or severely destroy them.


"Lead the way," he finished as she stepped to the side. "If you would be so kind."
 
Anna nodded, noting that he address her as Ms. Stroud now, rather than Anna. That could be her father’s influence, or something else entirely. He seemed slightly nervous, and stated fact about their current position. So when he asked - no, ordered - her to lead the way, she nodded again and began to do so. Then he added a kind turn of phrase that made her look at him curiously.


Granted, the undertone of sarcastic arrogance remained, but the words were actually polite. This development unsettled her as she led him through the halls toward Andrei’s workshop. They walked silently for a short while, Anna consciously letting him set the pace so he would not push himself too hard and aggravate his injury.


“After we speak with Andrei, perhaps we can take a walk in the garden? I have other news to share that should be discussed in private.” She kept her eyes forward as she spoke, hoping not to betray her guilt over keeping her initial suspicions about Cecilia hidden from him.


In short order they arrived in the workshop. Andrei stood before a large piece of curved metal mounted on a pole. He held a blowtorch in one hand and wore specialized goggles over his eyes and thick gloves on his hands. He was heating the metal with the blowtorch, picking up a small sledgehammer, then beating the metal into a curved shape. Anna entered slowly, circling Andrei and his work area until he could spot her from the corner of his eye. He nodded to indicate he had seen her, finished whatever step he was on, then set the blowtorch down carefully and turned to the senators.


He bowed slightly. “I didn’t expect you so soon,” he said to Anna before realizing he still wore the goggles. He slid them upwards, pushing his hair back and revealing the soot and ash that had settled on his cheeks and forehead where the goggles had not covered his face. It made him look like the reverse of a raccoon. “Come to my office. I think I found something interesting.” He didn’t wait for their answer, removing the gloves and setting them aside on a table as he moved into his office. Grabbing a rag from his back pocket, he wiped off his face as best he could and set it and the goggles aside as well.


The plans they had shared with him sat in a tube on a table in the center of the room. He carefully unrolled them and placed weights on the corners of the document to hold the paper down. He spoke as he moved. “These plans are detailed. Clearly from an Engineer’s mind. Except there was something about them that bothered me.” He shook his head, inwardly amused at something. “I kept eluding me, though. It was nice work, so smooth I almost didn’t see the seams.”


Anna looked at Robert and subtly shook her head and held out a hand beside her to hopefully convey that he should not interrupt. She knew Andrei well enough to know that he was onto something. Andrei’s use of fragmented sentences and a quickened speaking pace almost always preceded a revelation of substance.


“In the end, it was the math. The proportions didn’t add up. Not ... evenly.” He pulled out another set of plans, and unrolled them on the far end of the table. “But it reminded me of this... a plan for a rolling bin used in mining... only...” And yet another plan retrieved and unrolled. “There were these pipes.” He tapped the diagram from the Engineers. “They made no sense, unless you needed venting... or airflow. Which is more common in lanterns and furnaces.” He motioned to the last set of plans, as if they would know what he was talking about. Both hands lifted then, and the unweighted plans began to roll up on their own. He retrieved another piece of paper, so thin that it could be seen through. It was folded carefully - and he unfolded it just as carefully, laying it over the diagram provided by the Blackcastle Engineers. The diagram at first seemed incomplete, but when overlaid on the other, it made a complete picture.


Andrei weighted it down and motioned to it as if it spoke for itself. Anna looked at it with narrowed eyes, trying to decipher the overlapping lines.


Andrei spoke, his tone suddenly grave, although he still spoke quickly. “If I am right - and I am certain I am... The spiders are meant to hold black powder. And... they intentionally changed this diagram to hide it from you.”
 
Robert slowly turned a curious glance at Anna as she brought up further news that would need to be discussed between them, but his pace did not falter. He turned his gaze forward again as he thought what the news could include while they approached Andrei's quarters.


The male senator stood at a distance while Anna neared the intensive worker. Robert did not follow until Andrei threw his goggles off, then they headed deeper into his workshop. Scraps of metals and various, incomplete projects were scattered around the area, causing Robert to hold his cane higher around the neck and above the floor. His office had been just as messy, only the area was strewed with documents, books and other minor tools. Robert leaned his cane in one of the corners of the office, then aided Andrei as he unfurled the documents over the table, and placed various weights over the corners. When the task had been complete, he stood beside Anna and began to examine the papers.


Anna had looked to him, subtly shaking her head and signaling him not to speak with her hand. His head turned towards her as he noticed her actions, then quickly returned to its previous position while he rolled his eyes. The woman was beginning to know him too well. Robert placed his attention back to Andrei as he continued to explain his discoveries. The second document he rolled out was familiar to Robert. Though the illustration was drawn to speak to mechanics like Andrei, Robert could envision the mining tool he referred to. Carter showed Robert what it was like working in the mines one time. He assumed his son was destined to work underground like he had, and didn't think it would hurt to expose him to his future surroundings early. Valerie, on the other hand, thought otherwise.


Andrei continued to motion towards the paper covered table, as if these things would make any sense to politicians. The information beyond the mining barrel was foreign to Robert, and he looked expectantly toward the mechanic to prompt him for an explanation. Of course, his explanation was another gesture towards a new document. At that moment, Robert wasn't sure if he would prefer deciphering a single set of plans, or a novel written by Elijah's hand.


Finally he said something that they could fully understand.


"So the Blackcastle Engineers had been up to something." Robert spoke to himself as his eyes glazed over the notes. "This should be brought to the King, immediately," he concluded as he turned to Anna. "Their credibility is clearly fraudulent. King Roghan should not be placing his trust upon them if they are going to these extents to deceive us," he finished, placing a finger on the thing sheets of paper. Had he been holding his cane, he would have probably smacked it against the floor. He understood before that the Engineers were being untruthful to them, but Andrei's new information infuriated him even further. "We will personally show him these notes if we must," he continued, remembering that their other goal was to maintain Andrei's safety. "Surely we will be able to retrieve the original documents, and expose their real efforts." Anna and Robert had made the assumption earlier that the Engineers were up to no good, now they had proof.
 
Anna’s gaze fell to the plans as Andrei spoke, but she did not see them clearly. The implications made her head spin. Why would anyone want to load such a machine with black powder? Initially, they believed Synge to be a genius inventor, a man ahead of his time in innovation. Yet Anna could think of no reason for this design aside from war. Brutal and vicious war, at that. Had Elijah Synge designed everything for such ends? Or was this a wandering thought, brought to malicious light in the form of his designs?


Had their been a threat from Olmir or Pelenia that he intended to answer? If so, the history books did not record it, but much from that time was lost. Queen Valentina had been thorough in her control of information and scientific enterprise at that time. This design must have been what caused Queen Valentina to order the destruction of Synge’s work. Or perhaps she had destroyed even more damning and dangerous designs.


Anna felt her breath catch as she considered the implications: what had she done in exposing his work again to the world?


Belatedly, she realized that Robert was speaking. He was talking about going to the King, of exposing the Blackcastle Engineers. Anna shook her head, taking a shaky breath. “I am not certain we should be so direct in our approach. They have us at an advantage. How long have they known of these plans? They could have hidden the originals. We need to know their end game before we act.” She looked at Andrei. “This design... I can see no other purpose for it than war.”


Andrei nodded with a frown. “I thought about that. It could be used, perhaps, for mining, but the blasts would not be as precise as laying charges. It would only be good for major destruction in dangerous areas - or, say, making a mine collapse.”


Anna glanced briefly at Robert, managing not to cringe at the mention of a collapsed mine. While they had never discussed it, she knew his father had died in a mining accident. She did not want to trigger bad memories, but they needed to explore the possibilities. “Why would the Blackcastle Engineers hide this? It could be that Mr. Harper only wants to take credit for the discovery, but then they could have already brought it to the King while you were recuperating. Is it possible that they would benefit from it in another way?” The thought lingered, just out of her mind’s reach. Perhaps they could claim the design as their own? But then they would need a war, and Aneora had been at peace for over a century. Olmir and Pelenia shared land and a long-standing feud. They were too busy warring with each other to take the trouble to cross the sea and start a war with Aneora.
 
Anger boiled inside of Mr. White when Anna mentioned that they should use a different method to deliver the information to the King. Robert was in no mood for a waiting game. It seemed that all they had been able to prosecute was waiting while he healed from the gunshot. Angered, and impatient. His political viewpoints did not want to allow him to simply sit idly, while those sly, little jerks proceeded to leverage themselves further in the project.


Andrei's words seemed to make sudden sense, and he murmured to himself in unison with the mechanic, "making a mine collapse." Black powder had been the exact product that caused Carter's death, so it made sense to Robert that Andrei mentioned the mines. In his mind, he pictured the spider shaped machine crawling around the various dark tunnels, then boom! Destruction in its purest form. Valerie claimed she had heard the explosion while Robert had been in school that day. She had been working at home, like usual, then five minutes later she received a phone call, then rushed to the site of the explosion after picking young Robert from school.


His head bobbed slightly in confirmation as he mulled over the other man's words. Suddenly he felt Anna's brief glance, and in return he quickly shifted his look in her direction, giving an expression that questioned her concerned action. It wasn't a secret to anyone. Most who knew of or were interested in Mr. White's work certainly knew of his background in Ashington and the death of his alcoholic father. Albeit it being common knowledge, it was not a matter Robert enjoyed to discuss. He turned away from Anna, hoping his harsh gesture would signal to Ms. Stroud that his emotional feelings towards his past did not concern her.


To push his thoughts further from the death of his father, he replied, "I still believe we need to address this to the King, now. If the Blackcastle Engineers wanted to take advantage of this fraud, they would have all ready acted. I do not see how they could possibly benefit now, especially when we know they have deceived us." His gaze was set upon the details of the documents as he directed his speech towards Ms. Stroud.


"Mr. White, you don't seem to be getting the point," Andrei interrupted. Robert's gaze hardened as he turned his head towards the mechanic. "If we act now, that could be the very thing the Engineers are looking for. It could be the trigger to their ascension! Ms. Stroud is right, we should wait until we understand their true incentive."


"I beg your pardon,"
Robert was finally able to cut in, and his expression deepened. "Are you suddenly a high ranked politician? Last I remember you were a mechanic. I do believe I had been addressing Ms. Stroud's comment, not yours. All we've asked for is your professional opinion over these documents. Not the project." His glare remained on Andrei's visage long enough for tension to break into the room, hoping that his statement had been clear. "Now, as I was saying before, this information needs to brought upon to the King, immediately."
 
Anna cringed as Robert remained focused on reporting to the King immediately. Remaining certain that they did not have all the necessary information, she did not want to act in haste. The Engineers had provided the modified plans, but did they truly expect their secret would remain hidden forever? She looked at Andrei. They did not necessarily know they had the assistance of her brilliant friend. Perhaps they believed that the modified plans would never be correctly interpreted.


And what did this mean about The Network? She tried to read Andrei’s body language, but he was too busy arguing with Robert, trying to make him see reason. Yet Robert seemed intent on rushing to action. She could not understand his irritation: he could be stubborn, but he usually displayed tactical sense.


Then he insulted Andrei, and Anna stiffened. Her hands clenched into fists as she saw Andrei’s eyes narrow. “Mr. White! You forget yourself! Mr. Volos is my dear friend and I value his opinion, and you are a guest in my home. You are engaging in ad hominem attacks, which only underlines your argument’s lack of merit.” She gestured to Andrei while holding Robert’s gaze. “I think you should apologize.”


“It is quite all right, Anna,” Andrei interrupted, attempting to intervene between the two senators. His tone was cold as he continued to glare at Mr. White; he did not expect or even desire an apology. Then he literally brushed off his shirt, as if attempting to dispel his annoyance with his treatment at the hands of the male senator. “In my professional opinion, the Engineers are more than familiar with the plans. They knew enough to alter them, so it stands to reason they could have gone to the King already and taken credit.”


Anna frowned. She wanted to ask him if his sister’s organization knew anything about such plans, but she trusted that he did not, or he would have spoken with her privately. At least she hoped he would have. But she could not ask in front of Robert. So she fixed her attention on Mr. White. “I agree with you that we must bring this to the King. Yet if we bring it without knowing their intended use of this information, we could bring harm to the crown and the nation.” She looked at Andrei. “Did you see any other indication of their application? Mining is one option, but I cannot see how this is anything but a design for war.”


Andrei shook his head. “No. And we are not at war.” The words hung between them, including the unvoiced question: were they going to be?


Anna shook her head and looked at Robert. “We also have other matters to discuss, Mr. White.” She did not look pleased, but she could not keep the information about The Network from him any longer. Hopefully she could make him see reason.


Andrei stepped around the table and took Anna’s arm, causing her to face him. “Are you certain?” He glanced between Mr. White and his employer, clearly holding back his commentary. He couldn’t exactly object without making it worse.
 
Anna had come to Andrei's defense, and Mr. White's eyes burned with furry. Of course his arguments had merit. Bringing the forged plans would place His Royal Highness in no danger, considering they contained false information, to state the obvious. The documents were not of Elijah's work, but of the Blackcastle Engineers. Giving the machine's blueprints would be to their advantage, but only if they acted in the immediate manner. Not once did his expression turn away from Anna's as she spoke to him.


Then, out of all the things she could have said, she demanded that he give an apology to her mechanic. Mr. White was about refuse, but Andrei was quicker to speak, and swatted away the senator's opportunity to be snark again. Robert easily gave Andrei a disgusted look as the mechanic brushed off his clothing to straighten himself out. Then the man continued to give his opinion over a matter Robert believed he barely had any say over. He gave one more harsh look to Andrei, then turned away and rolled his eyes. It was not his job to discuss how the project would be executed, it was theirs.


"Yet if we bring it without knowing their intended use of this information, we could bring harm to the crown and the nation.”


Robert had been pacing around a small area during Anna's second argument, and his feet seized in mid stride as she came to these words. His stare was blank, and locked on some random point upon the dust covered floor while Anna and Andrei partook in their side conversation. A thought had distracted him so much that he didn't even recognize the mechanic pull Ms. Stroud to the side. His head snapped back up when it seemed that all of his ideas had been put together, and he turned upon his heel to face the two.


"What if that is their intended use of the information," he spoke dryly.


Andrei's expression between phases of confusion and annoyance when Robert had addressed them. He pulled his attention away from Anna, then cautiously acknowledged the other senator. "What exactly are you saying, Mr. White?" The tone in his voice still seemed shallow and cold. Andrei's hands and arms moved in a fashion that urged the senator to explain himself, but he expected something far more reasonable than a hasty trip to the King.


Robert took in a deep breath before continuing, then spoke in a manner as if what he was to tell had been discernible. "Bringing harm to the crown and the nation. What if that is their intention?" Robert felt a series of confused expression fall upon him, so he let out another huff of hot air, rolled his eyes, then continued. "As you stated before, the Blackcastle Engineers are incredibly knowledgeable in their field. What if they knew, after witnessing the original documents, that the information they contained could threaten Aneora and the King? When they made their realization, they forged the documents, believing Anna and I had been the only ones to review them. Then, while we sat muddling around trying to decipher the ancient mechanic's notes, they march their way to the palace and place all of Aneora in danger." His blue eyes shifted between the two, searching in their expressions for any signs of reactions.
 
Anna met Andrei’s worried gaze as steadily as she could. His obvious concern for his sister, and perhaps himself, was understandable. After all, Mr. White had demonstrated his single-minded arrogance only a few moments before. She wished she could promise Andrei that it would be all right, that no harm or dire consequences would befall him or his family, but truthfully, she did not know that to be true. They might be in terrible danger, but if she withheld their existence from Mr. White any longer, they would not be working with all the required information.


So she laid a hand over Andrei’s arm and offered in what she hoped would be a reassuring tone, “I am certain of the necessity. We can no longer successfully operate with limited information.”


Then Mr. White interrupted, apparently oblivious to their exchange.


His explanation probably made perfect sense to him, but Anna still could not discern their motivation, which was her focus. “Are you implying that they wish to use the machine to harm the King?”


Beside her, Andrei shook his head. “Surely not. Do you mean they are placing Aneora in danger by telling the King? That still does not answer why they have not done so already - while you were resting.”


Anna looked at Andrei, “Or do they mean to imply that we withheld information? They would need to wait until after Robert awoke in that case...” She felt her stomach lurch with the possibilities. This theory made sense. If they Engineers revealed the plans as if they had discovered them despite the Senators’ attempts to cover them up, then they would be revered as heroes and eliminate the Senators from any chance of future glory. Was Mr. Harper that ruthless?


She turned to Andrei. “Will you ready your ship? We need to discover where the Engineers are now. With some luck, they might still be waiting for Robert to be fully recovered.” It would also provide them time to discuss the Network in private, although she wondered if it would be better to wait until after they returned to disclose Cecilia’s secret. He might want to tell the King about it, and she would have a limited amount of time to convince him otherwise.
 
Mr. Harper may have been devious, but it was hard to imagine he would go to such an extent like murdering the King to shame the senator's reputation and raising his own. For once, Robert was glad Andrei had spoken. Eventually, between the two of them, they were able to reach the same conclusion as he did. For a moment he considered offering to gather the things he still had placed in Anna's guest room, but then decided he would send over one of his own house servants to gather his belongings at a later date. Finding the whereabouts of the Engineers deserved no delay.


Andrei turned to Anna and nodded. "Everything should all ready be set," he had not withdrawn the sails of the ship that day, due to a daily examination. "I'll make sure things are ready for you, though." He nodded to each senator, pausing just a brief moment longer over Robert, then hastily left the area.


After the two senators had been left to themselves in the office, Robert turned back to the documents over the desk, as if he were analyzing them. When it appeared that he had finished over viewing their contents, he neatly collected the necessary sheets, then carefully folded them and placed the new bundle behind the left breast pocket of his jacket. If they were lucky to run into Mr. Harper and his team of men, having their fraud on hand would be most convenient.


When the papers had been secured, he slowly turned back to Ms. Stroud. "Now, what is it that you wanted to discuss with me so privately?" An eyebrow raised over his seemingly unbreakable glare, though it felt as if there were a touch of concern. He directed himself towards the corner where his cane awaited, then began to exit Andrei's office, assuming Anna would follow him as she normally did. Again, he lifted his cane by the neck over the clutter that surrounded the mechanic's environment as he made his traverse. "I had assumed it related to the project when we were making our way to Andrei, but after our discussion I cannot seem to think of any other subject that needs to be addressed." Yes, it was true, curiosity struck him. Robert initially believed their secluded conversation would relate to the machine and current status of work, but now it seemed there was no other material to go over, unless Anna had been hiding something from him.


It shouldn't have surprised Robert if Anna had been withholding information. She had concealed Andrei's involvement for some time, even after the two had been introduced. For a moment he wondered if there were others being involved in their project, but no one in particular had come to mind, so he hesitantly dismissed the thought. Then he started to pray that no one else had been secretly involved, that it was another piece of evidence to the Engineer's faux pas, or some other related matter. Now was no time to play games and cut one another short of crucial information. If Anna expected Robert to contribute properly in their endeavor, he needed to know everything.
 
Anna thanked Andrei as he made his exit. The mechanic gave her one last questioning look as he made his departure. He clearly did not like Robert. After the way Robert had just treated him, she could not blame Andrei for the sentiment. It even made her question her own decision to trust him, and the hesitation showed when he mentioned their pending private discussion.


Thus he had made it to the door with the papers - no longer neatly curled in their containers, but now folded (she absently wondered if the Engineers would be upset by this mishandling) - and spoke of his assumptions before she stopped him. He was always full of assumptions. That they were usually correct was beside the point, it was a piece of his arrogance, and underlined her doubts.


She reached for his arm before he left the room, touching it lightly to stay his movement. When he paused, she reached for and shut the door, leaving them alone in the mechanic’s office and away from any prying ears. She would have preferred to have this conversation in the gardens, but time was limited.


Taking a moment to search for words, she let her hand drop to her side and looked up at him. “I learned information yesterday that is relevant, although in light of these recent revelations, I will admit I am at a loss about what to do with this knowledge.” She took a slow breath and met his eyes. “Forgive me, but I must ask your word that you will not include this new information to the King, not until we learn more.” Securing his promise was unlikely, but she had to try. At the very least, she might impress upon him her apprehension.
 
Suddenly Robert felt something touch his arm, and when he turned his head to see what had caught his sleeve, it had been Anna. His steps paused, and he watched Anna go to shut the door, then come before him. A thin layer of papers surrendered to the end of Robert's cane as he was able to place it on the floor while Anna spoke. The issue he was about to hear about must have been pressing, and it worried him.


Now it was truly hard to imagine what could have been on Ms. Stroud's mind. His expression did not shift from its concerned state, but rather changed to a different tone. Perhaps this type of concern was less on Anna and more on himself and the King.


"Go on," he spoke after a long moment's pause, giving her his word. The apprehension over his visage was replaced by something that read more seriously, and the tone in his voice seemed annoyed. Something about the way Anna began to introduce the topic seemed to give away his own opinion. It seemed out of nature to agree on something such as withdrawing knowledge from the King, but Robert knew he couldn't leave himself out. Not unless he wanted their project to fail.


"What is it that the Engineers are up to this time?" he added, purely to comfort himself. He prayed to whatever deity existed that Anna's news was about the Engineers, but the more and more he thought about it, the more and more confident he became that the scope had shifted from Mr. Harper onto other matters. He understood that he might have donned a dreaded appearance, one that might defy his promise to keep his word, and prevent Anna from sharing her information. To counter this factor, he held a steady gaze with the woman, and began searching her eyes for any hesitation.
 
When he paused, Anna prepared herself for the inevitable: he would provide caveats. He would argue that he could not possibly give his word to withhold anything from the King without knowing its substance and probable danger. They would argue.


Only he did not. He agreed, although with a tone of annoyance. This caused her to look at him curiously, until he voiced the reason why he had so readily agreed: he thought it was about the Blackcastle Engineers. She shook her head minutely, but held his gaze. She wished it were that simple, and perhaps the regret showed in her dark gaze. “It is not the Blackcastle Engineers at issue. I confirmed yesterday that Synge’s ideas did not fully die with him. Nor were they sequestered in the room so recently discovered.” Her voice dropped to a whisper, for she did not even want a servant overhearing this. “A network of engineers preserved his ideas and have fostered his approach to engineering.” She hurried on, hoping to preemptively interrupt any reflexive objections on his part. “Until Andrei’s revelation today, I thought that might be innocent enough and they could help us with the interpretation of Synge’s designs. Now.... I am at a loss. I do not know if they are complicit in such devastating designs, or if they would be as surprised as we were to discover the spider’s purpose.”


She shook her head. “I have convinced one of their leaders to meet with us, although she is understandably nervous. The very existence of their group could have them killed. So you and I must make a choice. I would rather err on the side of exploring all available information. If we tell the King of this Network, it is likely we will never learn the truth. They will either be hunted down or go to ground, and we will be left with nothing to report but treachery and the validity of Synge’s execution all those years ago.” She did not say what she most feared, but surely he was conscious of the fact that this discovery could mean they would both be sentenced to death as well. Instead, she searched for some hint that her trust was not misplaced.
 
Robert's spirit shattered by Anna's opening phrase, and he felt under prepared for what was about to come. His expression no longer read any meaning, instead it shifted to its blank, default position, and seemed to deepen by every spoken word. The muscles in his hands and jaws tensed as Anna continued her report, and almost felt like screaming at the woman.


The anger inside of Robert continued to build until she finally finished, and it had become easy to understand his emotions through his expression. During Anna's speech he began formulating a response that wouldn't include him directly shouting in her face, but his attempts were unsuccessful. The whole idea was almost completely unfathomable. Almost. He still held onto his revelation over Andrei's involvement, but was foolish enough to believe the mechanic would be the only other involved party.


"And does Andrei happen to be part of this organization?" he asked instead of yelling. "Did you possibly stop to think of the risk this places us in before confronting them?" he continued instead of snapping his cane against the floor. "It is disappointing that you decided to hide this information from me," Robert expressed, and continued with a list of his reasoning. However, Robert did not raise his voice, and he did not shun her. He understood there was no way he could remove himself from the situation, and only felt that it was necessary for his sense of betrayal to be portrayed, it was not necessary to loose his mind.


"Any other outsiders you wish to inform me of, or is this the last of them?"
 
Based on past experience with Mr. White as a Senator, Anna expected an immediate backlash. When news displeased him, everyone knew about it. Surely this was distressing news. The sudden tension in his body confirmed as much. But when he spoke, he asked pointed questions like a disappointed parent.


She tried to recognize the restraint he was undoubtedly exercising. He even refrained from slamming his cane on the floor, which surprised her more than almost anything he said. Yet still, it irked her that he continued to treat her like a child or underling, and despite her attempt at measuring her words, that frustration seeped into her tone. “I will attempt to answer your questions in turn, assuming you are finished?” One eyebrow lifted as she recognized she was being condescending in turn, but could not help herself or correct it in the moment.


“I do not know if Andrei is a part of the organization, although he undoubtedly knew of it. It is his sister who I met with yesterday. Then and only then did I finally confirm my suspicions.” Her chin rose as she spoke, as if defying him to take issue with what she was saying. In effect, she was. She did not like explaining herself to him, and she intended to tell him exactly that before she finished.


“As for what I ‘hid’ from you: as I said clearly, I only confirmed what was a vague suspicion yesterday, after you left me in the gardens. I wanted to discuss it with you last night, but by the time I had finished my other duties and returned to your room, you were asleep. Then this morning, there was my father... then this.” Her hand jutted outward toward the table where the papers had so recently lain, but her eyes stayed locked with his. The cumulative stress of the situation made her voice waver, but she tamped it down to a more controlled and measured state as she continued. “I followed your advice, not wishing to involve anyone - including you - unless it was necessary. Until yesterday, I had only my instinct to follow that anything at all existed, never mind the thriving organization I discovered. And I certainly would not have won the trust of their leader... ” She stopped herself from continuing with that line of thought. It was not productive, even if she wanted to point out how he put people off. “It was a delicate endeavor, and very nearly unsuccessful,” she concluded instead.


She folded her hands together in front of her in an attempt to keep from motioning any further with them. “The point is we have a means to learn more, and we need to decide what to do with it. I have been considering the consequences every step of the way, and I do not appreciate the implication that I have not. I will continue to do what I deem right. As you undoubtedly would.”


She pressed her lips together and shook her head, breaking eye contact only for a moment before looking back at him. “I am trusting you with the information as soon as I have it, despite Andrei’s strong reservations... which, I will add, seem justified after your treatment of him this morning. If that is not sufficient, then ...” She took a slow breath. “Then I am at a loss.”


Realizing she had spoken for some time without allowing him a word in response, she made herself stop talking. Her hands twitched at her sides as she met his gaze evenly, attempting to keep herself from displaying any more of the emotional reaction he was eliciting from her. Since when did she let him affect him so?
 
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"Despite Andrei's reservations? Why should he have any influence over your decisions?" he replied with a raised voice, his cane shifting around as he moved his arms. Anna's frustration had clearly reflected off of Mr. White. He had given a genuine attempt to be good, giving Ms. Stroud a reasonably calm response and doing his best to listen to her, but she foolishly passed up her opportunity for a rationally civilized conversation. Perhaps no as civil as ones preceding it, but much more so than it was becoming. "We're god damn politicians! Why should we listen to what any mechanic has to say over our opinions?" He realized his words were gradually becoming incredibly personal, so he attempted to shift his tone.


"And why should any of those listed events have an effect over the information shared between us through this project?" None of the reasons she listed seemed logically, probably because he needed to be reminded of the crucial state he had been in, and because he didn't get the whole father thing."It shouldn't matter if I'm shot, dead or alive!" the words impulsively escaped. "Wake me up if you bloody need to!" Now he was just being completely irrational, but he couldn't help himself, and he also couldn't help feeling slightly betrayed. "What is a little bit of sleep to me if our lives are at stake?" In this moment he should have been thankful the doors had been closed. He would probably all ready have been personally dragged out by Ms. Stroud's staff if they had not been secluded.


"I advised you to be careful with who you included in the project, not to withhold information from me!"
At this point he had spun around, and was practically in Anna's face. "It's not that I continue to chide you for disregard, it's for realizing the considerations and then ignoring them entirely! You don't believe what I am trying to do is proper for the nation? When have I dragged in another soul, let alone an entire organization, into this business?" His arms raised, and when they lowered to his side, the end of his cane let out a sharp crack as it hit the floor. The color in his face was red, the shade growing deeper and deeper as he continued to shout at Anna.


Suddenly he gripped her by the shoulder with his free hand, unaware of the strength he might have been using, and whether it discomforted Ms. Stroud or not. It wouldn't be the first time he physically handled someone else in that particular manner, especially in a state of rage, but for Anna it would have been a first. His breathing became heavy from all the shouting, and the tension in his muscles was nearly intolerable, but the strength in his stare did not waver. He noticed the distress in her expression, but the hold over her arm did not lessen. "You've had my trust, now I need yours," his voice deeply growled.
 
Here was the Robert White she knew. Oddly, despite the personal discomfort of the tension between them, the return of his anger almost provided relief. This was a known quantity, as familiar as breathing. If disappointment was mixed in as well, she did not want to examine it too closely. Her eyes narrowed as he reaffirmed his opinion that Andrei was somehow less worthy because he was a mechanic. “He is my friend and has shown me more loyalty...” she began, but Robert did not hear her.


He was too busy ranting on about nonsense. She should wake him if he’s dying? She shook her head, but then he rounded on her. A look of honest confusion crossed her features as he shared his perspective. She had not involved the Network - they were already involved in Synge’s work, to what extent God only knew. Nor had she discussed their project with Cecilia; she had no intent to, not until she understood more. She had only asked to learn about The Network. This was a piece of the puzzle they did not have, and without it, they could not possibly understand the full implications. Did he not understand that, or would it even matter to his rage-soaked mind?


He had yelled at her before, usually across the Senate floor. This time, however, she felt the full magnitude of his presence and his fury. Anna took a few small steps backwards, but he wheeled on her and grabbed her arm, his viselike grip causing her to flinch. She squirmed in his grip, glancing to the door and wondering if any staff would return soon. He would not strike her ... would he?


At his growling complaint, she met his gaze defiantly. “You do not know what trust looks like, then. For you have had mine.” Her heart was beating quickly in her chest as she looked pointedly down at his hand on her arm, then back to his eyes. “You are hurting me.”
 
By her words, Robert's hand sharply unclasped itself from her arm, but his gaze refused to release her. His arm returned to his side, then he let out a deep breath, which seemed to void his muscles of tension. The white in his knuckles faded, his jawline softened, and his eyebrows flattened to a neutral position. Slowly, he placed a proper distance between himself and Ms. Stroud, then curled both of his hands around the top of his cane after the hand that had been wrapped around Mr. Stroud's arm stretched and flexed to condemn itself.


"I'm sorry," was all he could manage to say without crumbling beneath uncertainty. In his right mind, he would probably have apologized more to Anna for confronting her in such a physical manner, but his anger clogged thoughts prevented him from doing so. Anna might have been right, he did have her trust, he was just too self centered to realize that. Despite this, Robert was still furious. It seemed like he had been secluded from a factor that could hinder or benefit their efforts, and he did not appreciate the level of participation Andrei had recently been displaying as well. She had been doing the better deed, yet Robert failed to understand.


Unaware of what to say or do, Robert broke their gaze and turned away from Anna. He tried to rationalize the reason for his outbreak in his thoughts to wash away his growing sense of guilt. Perhaps it had been from the strain of the recent events that pushed him over the edge. The shooting, his recuperation, his sudden admiration toward Ms. Stroud, the news about the Blackcastle Engineers, and now this, all piled over the rest of their studies in the past. For the most part it was sound, though some parts felt unexplained. Robert decided to finally agree with himself, and to not pester his mind further over the past and what would come to them.


Andrei made strong strides as he made his way back to Anna and Robert. Admittedly, he did not feel comfortable leaving Anna by herself with Robert. Though he had not been made of muscle, Robert was still fairly tall, and who knew what he could do with his cane. It was difficult for Andrei to put his worries aside, especially with the treatment he had received from the senator earlier. He continued his traverse, then arrived to the entrance of his office, which had been noticeably shut. Immediately a host of nervous thoughts flashed through his mind, and he didn't hesitate to open the door.
 
When he released her arm, Anna rubbed the sore flesh there and eyed Robert with suspicion. Was this who he really was, or was he only hurt? He clearly felt excluded, and perhaps his recuperation was further clouding his judgment. His tight grip on his cane implied he was clinging tightly to something.


The question was what.


Ordinarily, she would have pressed the issue, continued exploring the topic of learning about this mysterious Network. But she could not. It could be explained by the tension between them and the fear of Robert grabbing her again. Or by her concern for his well being. Then he apologized, leaving her completely uncertain despite her lingering anger.


She was still staring at him in this state of frustrated bewilderment when the door opened and Andrei stepped inside. In his hand he held a letter.


The mechanic took one look at the two Senators and frowned deeply. He looked at Anna with a question clear in his eyes. Anna finally looked away from Robert and cleared her throat. "What is that?" she asked, motioning to the paper in his hand.


Andrei looked down at the paper, apparently having forgotten about it until that moment. "A message for you from Mr. Harper."


Anna froze, looking at the folded paper. Why would the Chief Engineer send a messenger rather than visiting? She stepped forward and took it from Andrei. After only a moment's pause, she turned away from Andrei and walked to Robert. After meeting his gaze for a moment, she handed him the letter.


Behind her, Andrei watched the two senators closely with a furrowed brow.
 
Andrei had made his entrance, causing Mr. White to instinctively spin his head around to see who had come to visit them. Realizing who it was, he twisted his head back in a neutral position. Then Anna had come to his side, after receiving a note presumably from Mr. Harper, and handed him the folded parchment. He sighed, then took the message under his possession, and carefully opened the letter with the flat of his thumb. You could see the movement in his eyes as he read over the fine scripture printed with thick, black ink, only pausing for brief moments to absorb information and draw conclusions, then he lifted his gaze from the creased piece of paper, and refolded the paper with the same dexterity as before.


"This doesn't give us much time," he calmly stated as he handed Anna the folded note. A sigh escaped him, and he rubbed the pads of his fingers along his temple. "We can't linger any longer. It may seem wiser to confidently uncover motive, but this message clearly states their departure by this afternoon." Even without his watch, Robert still had a strong sense of time. The cherished object had yet to be returned to him, for it never left the pocket of his jacket when he had been injured, and at this point Robert assumed it had been respectfully delivered back to his estate.


For a moment, he considered debating the small quantity of options they had been given, but the idea did not seem wise after reminding himself of their shrinking time frame. "No, it's not enough time," he practically muttered to himself. The Engineers note was simple, they had finished their research on the peculiar machine, and intended to present their findings to the King that evening. However, the note contained no other knowledge, just that they planned to leave in the afternoon. No matter how strongly they longed for further details, the letters would no speak of the particular words Mr. Harper and his team of men planned to share with His Royal Highness.


"Damn," Robert swore aloud. "Damn, damn, damn," his voice trailed off.
 
Anna’s eyebrows lifted when Robert read the note, then refolded it. She accepted it back, skimming the contents as he talked. Her anger at Robert was trumped by frustration. There was much more to discuss with Robert, but this left them little time to talk. Or to glare at each other for that matter.


As he was swearing, she took a deep breath and let it out. She looked at Andrei. “You said the ship is ready?”


The mechanic was still watching the two senators closely, but when Anna addressed him directly, he looked at her and nodded. “Yes. We can depart when you are ready, but... Where are we going?”


Anna looked at Robert, a frown upon her features. “I fear we have little choice.” She said directly to Robert. “We can take solace in the fact that we will be armed with the truth about the machines, rather than walking in blind. But if they intend to present to the King, we have little option but to attend.” She waited only a heartbeat for any objection before nodding to Robert and turning to Andrei. “We are headed to the King’s palace. I will change my clothing and meet you at the dock.” With that, she left the room in a swish of skirts and the steady rhythm of her shoes against the floorboards.


This left Andrei standing alone with Mr. White. He stood a little straighter then dipped his chin slightly. He stood between the door and the senator. Although he didn’t fully block the exit, he also made no move to leave. “If you do not need to collect anything, Mr. White, I would have a word.”
 
A part of Robert's stress seemed to float away when Anna confirmed that they would sail back to the King's palace, he only hoped that they would make it in time. Hopefully Andrei's craft was far more efficient than the vessel that carried them on their first visit. It had taken them hours to complete the journey, which seemed unnecessary to Robert, especially when they practically never left the city.


Just as he lifted the end of his cane to leave the office, Andrei had come before him, causing the cane to come back to a rest. Robert sighed, and looked down upon himself. "I suppose this outfit will do, though make it quick, we do not have much time."





Deeply he was bothered by Andrei's presence, but the task over the King was far more pressing, so Robert wasted no time arguing with the mechanic. Andrei's loyalty to Anna was clear, so he found no reason to combat the man's stubborn nature, though something concerned Robert about the tone in the mechanic's voice. The topic he wanted to speak of didn't seem to reveal itself. His first conclusion was lead back to their ugly encounter earlier, but he felt there would be a greater meaning in their conversation, what exactly he could not pinpoint.


Still, he followed his assumptions. "If you are going to berate me over what I said to you earlier, you're wasting your time. Haven't you heard enough about my temper before? I am sure Anna will be able to testify my statement for you," he spoke without realizing he referred to her informally. When he did realize his error, he swore under his breath, then quickly corrected himself. "Forgive me, Ms. Stroud."
 
Andrei schooled his countenance as he watched Senator White react to his request. While he still considered it rude, the mechanic was accustomed to the aristocracy deeming him inferior due to his birth and profession. Most of them did not state it quite as overtly as Mr. White had earlier, but it was a prevailing theme in his life. It was rude, but he did not take it personally. They simply failed to know any better.


Anna Stroud was one of the few exceptions to this rule he had found. It was why had originally agreed to work for her and why he had stayed in her employ for so long. Their friendship and loyalty had endured many years, which was precisely why the recent shifts in Anna’s demeanor concerned him so. Over the past week or so, she had seemed distracted. Her attitude toward the intrepidly abrasive Mr. White had softened. While he was grateful for the man’s actions at the King’s speech, he also feared that the monarchist had no idea the effect he was having upon Anna. Worse yet, he might know and not care.


Of course, Mr. White assumed Andrei was concerned about the affront to his personal character from earlier. While it had been offensive, he did not linger on such things. His expression did shift from neutral to interested when Mr. White referred to Anna by her given name. As Mr. White swore, then correct himself, Andrei’s eyebrows rose minutely.


He did not speak for a long moment, considering his next words carefully. He had assumed Anna was the only one affected by their recent partnership; was that not true? Or was Andrei correct that this man saw the effect he had and intended to exploit it? Had he already begun to do so? Suddenly the many evenings Anna had spent watching over Mr. White’s recovery were cast in a new light, and Andrei felt anger stir in his chest.


“I expect no apology from you, Sir. It would be out of character and I do not waste my time on lost causes.” Forcing himself to take a breath and strip the traces of anger from his tone, he held the other man’s gaze. The words came out evenly, largely because he had years of practice of disciplining his tone regardless of his current emotional state. “I wish to discuss Ms. Stroud. Specifically, what are your intentions toward her?”


Admittedly, the direct question might be out of line. He was not Anna’s father or related by blood, but he considered her family.
 

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