Episode 159: Negotiations Part I (Zero)

Zero watched his son get married with pride. It wasn’t Spence’s first wedding, but it was more. He could see in both Spence and Ach how much they wanted this. Zero couldn’t imagine going back to the old way of thinking, with how content his son was.

After the wedding, Indigo led Zero off to the sides of the ceremony. She left her hand on his arm. “I have a weird.”

“From meeting with Gramm?”

“Yes, and his wife Jade.”

Jade, it couldn’t have been a coincidence. Indigo has just begun looking at her own reflection. Zero hoped this wouldn’t be a setback. He loved her, as she was. He wanted her to see it too, to love herself.

“What’s the weird?” he asked, without expressing the conclusions he had jumped to. It could have been something else.

Indigo leaned her head against his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and held her against his body.

“Jade.”

He nodded, though she couldn’t see it. This was his Indy. If it took a century, a millenium, to help her see that who she was now was beautiful he would do it. He would do anything for her.

Indigo looked up at him. “Had a good idea.”

Zero tried to hide his shock. Good idea.

“Something we should do, I think. But I’m not sure I want to.”

Her words were delicate strands when she was anxious. He rubbed his hand down her back and kissed her. “What is it?”

It took her a moment to speak. He held her and waited.

“Trade bodies.” She exhaled, like a weight lifting from her body. Her voice lightened and the spaces between words lightened into her normal cadence. “I think the general idea is to act like Gramm and I passed the trial together. Then deal with Ionia, Eutropia, whoever else. She can’t swordfight.”

Indigo sighed. “But I’m pregnant. I want you.”

Zero laughed. She had him, even if she left for a while. He was more concerned with how she would feel switching bodies again, what it would do to her.

“How long would it take?” he asked. “What do you feel is best?”

Pieces settled into place. “Jade has your old body,” he stated. “Are you…” He massaged her back with more intention. “Okay?”

“It was a shock.” He felt her back tight and tense. “I could help. And it would win them as allies. And Jade could train here.”

Indigo ran her hands down his chest. “I don’t know how long it would take.”

“We could set limits and trade for a month at most, train her intensely. I’d like to speak to Konrad before we decide. See if he can set a timeframe to get her into the right skillset.”

“A month.” She exhaled, her body deflating. “You won’t let her hurt Elliot, right?”

“Never. Nor our other children. What about two weeks?”

He thought about asking how she would feel about the body exchange, but he knew better. She was resolved. She wasn’t crying and she wanted to come home to him, to her body. It had been years. He let his own tension go. He could do this for her, with her.

In her resolve, she squared her shoulders and no longer fit against him like a perfect puzzle piece.

“If it needs to be a month, it can be a month. We should leave it open-ended in case of emergency.”

He admired her; loved her. He kissed her and sent for Konrad, urgent, by dragon.

Indigo stepped back and took his hand. She had said the difficult part, now it was time for her to fill in the details of her plan.

Yet another thing he admired about her: the way she layered arguments, focused on what mattered to make a point first and added other things later. It was clear, crisp, and made her the most stunning negotiator and wife.

It also made her always right. He was lost to her and anything she resolved herself to.

“He’s headed to Fjor Halsein, because Ionia is going there next. I can get Camilla.”

“For Camilla, more than anything, you should do this,” he agreed.

“I know.”

He missed Camilla and her bubbly personality. She was a spark of joy in their house, light and soft. She was the opposite of Mara in many ways.

He and Indigo walked together. The reception had begun and food had been brought out. The reception had been opened to festival attendees and was drawing a crowd.

Spence and Acheron were absent.

Music, from Jace and Eddie, filled the air. Konrad approached, his sword swaying from his hip.

“How long would it take you to train someone in private?” Zero asked.

“To do what?”

“Be proficient at swords and hand-to-hand,” Indigo replied. “And a little negotiating.”

Zero laughed; only his Indy. She wanted to see how much like her Jade was.

Konrad studied them. “Define proficient.”

Zero echoed the plan in his mind, since they were among others now.

Konrad nodded.

“Be careful not to gain a following in the Dells,” Konrad warned. “Gramm was liked enough before the war.”

“We’re not going to be in the Dells,” Indigo clarified. “Can you do it?”

“I’ll give it attention through the swap. It depends on her effort and dedication.”

“We’re hoping it won’t take more than a month,” Zero reiterated, not just for Konrad but for Indigo.

“I’ll do what I can.” Konrad began walking beside them, and together their small group made rounds on the party. The younger kids were out playing with flower crowns they had made at the festival. A selection of kids were playing on a long jump rope as well.

Harvest was the most anticipated time in the Dells, but Zero loved the summer festival. It made for a memorable anniversary for Spence and Ach.

“How many hours a day will she be available?” Konrad asked.

“As many as not to raise questions.”

“Alright. You ought to check daily with Zero,” Konrad said, forming the part of the plan he was best at. “And take one of Spence’s vests for yourself and Gramm.”

“So you think it’s a good idea?” Indigo beamed.

She was excited, he could feel it. The dread of what Jade looked like dwarfed her desire to be useful, to save Camilla, and, Zero suspected, to reconcile things with Gramm.

“If you’re careful, it could be.” Konrad ran his hand through his beard, his eyes focused on some kids while his mind sifted.

“No one is likely to guess,” Konrad concluded.

Zero stopped walking and put his hand on Indigo’s shoulder. She turned to face him.

“For Camilla?” he said. “And to ensure your mother never has a chance to act against you?”

It would be protecting Jade too. Zero knew Indigo had loved Gramm, in a way she would never admit.

Training Jade, making her capable for the life Gramm would lead, was her parting gift to him.

Indigo nodded. “And for the other kids, so this kingdom is secure from the inside.”

She held his hands in hers and squeezed them. “Do you want to come with to help with the contract and the spell?”

Do you want to meet Gramm, she meant.

Do you want to see my old body, she meant even more.

“Yes,” he replied.

To see his Indigo’s past, to understand what changes she had gone through in a tangible way, would serve to help him love her more. Her strength, her determination, and her love. She may have had trouble showing it to the kids sometimes, in terms of hugs and intimacy, but it was there, clear as day.

He loved her more, knowing she had given him this life. No matter what came next, he would stand beside her – near or far.

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