Chapter Text
“Is there anything else this morning, Lord Mdang?” There had been something odd about Kip’s responses to me all morning, something almost nervy. I hoped he wasn’t coming down with something.
“One thing, my Lord.” Kip stood up from his desk and cleared his throat. “I have been stuck in an eddy of time for several repetitions now. No matter what I do, I continue experiencing the moment I wake up this morning until the noon bell strikes. Once the bells finish I wake up in my bed, completely unchanged from this morning. I have not been able to determine the cause for this phenomenon, or find a way to break the cycle.” I stopped my habitual pacing and turned to look at Kip, incredulous. I reached out with my magic, wrapping it around him. There was something strange, but nothing substantial enough to have tripped my wards.
“My Lord,” Kip continued, “I do not know how to reach the afternoon or how long this will keep happening. I have committed several repetitions to research, and I have come to three conclusions.” He looked up for the first time, meeting my eyes a bit more defiantly than usual. “If I may continue?”
I made the appropriate sign of assent. “By all means, Kip.”
Kip gestured his thanks, took a deep breath, and settled into a wide stance, hands behind his back. “My first conclusion. It has been difficult to do substantial research into the widespread effects of this time phenomenon, because no person remembers their conversations with me the next day. I cannot keep written records of my discoveries, and had to dedicate substantial time to establishing contact with temporal experts elsewhere in Zunidh. The Ouranantha were strangely and inadvertently helpful, I would explain if we had more time. You have examined the magic surrounding me on two separate occasions.” I had? I wondered about this slice of time that was lost to me and clear to Kip. What else had I said? “As far as you were able to ascertain, no one else is stuck in this cycle. I am the only person affected.” He shifted his stance.
“My second conclusion. I cannot do the same business every morning for an unending number of loops. For the first several repetitions I optimized every part of today’s agenda; as you may have noticed, we completely skipped strategizing for our lunch with Princess Anastasiya today. There is no point; she will not arrive until after the noon bells. Even with all niceties and long-term planning set aside, the six hours I have in this day is simply insufficient to enact any major works of state.”
I had to interrupt. “Forget my aunt, honestly. Tell me you’ve skipped work at least once. Played hooky?”
Kip nodded. “Of course, my Lord. After exploring the reach of this magical event, I dedicated myself to other research. It has been slow going, but–”
“Research is still work, Kip! If you are trapped in a magical loop you should at the very least take the time to do something you enjoy. Isn’t there anything you’ve wanted to do, but never had the time?”
“That’s why I’m here for this eddy, my Lord,” Kip said, rocking a little on his feet. He was nervous, what did he have to be nervous about? “My third conclusion: if I have all the time in the world and no societal consequences, well. If the Ouranantha or the Council will never find out, there is something I want to do. Excuse me, my Lord, but I haven't stopped thinking about–” He blew out a breath. Kip nodded to himself, and then with three quick strides, he was close enough to- he was reaching up and-
Touching me.
My mind stuttered to a halt as Kip’s hand cupped my cheek and his forehead rested on mine. I distantly noted a sound like glass breaking, completely eclipsed by the sensation of Kip’s breath on my face. His hand was on my bare skin, and he was safe. He was alive. He was touching me.
“My apologies for the sudden move, my Lord,” Kip murmured.
“Under the circumstances, I’ll allow it,” I said, heart soaring. I cupped his face in my hands, thumbs tracing his cheekbones. Kip. “I truly won’t remember this?”
“No, my Lord.”
“But you will?”
“Yes, my Lord.”
“You said your day restarts at the noon bells. How much time do we have?”
“Less than a minute, I didn't want to impose-”
I kissed him.
I needed to give him something to remember, after all. I wanted him to think about this moment at least half as much as I had thought about kissing him over the years. Kip made a soft, surprised sound into my mouth. I pulled him impossibly closer to me and made the most of the time we had.
* * * * *
I had found an interesting spot on Kip’s neck, and didn’t feel like listening to the distant bells–
Wait. The bells.
Kip froze, then clutched at my robes and buried his face in my neck. I held him tight.
“Next time, tell me earlier. I’ll find a way to get you out of this, I swear it.” How long had he been trapped like this? What would happen to his mind if he stayed here, in an endless morning with no consequences and nobody who remembered his actions? What would he do, when I next looked into his eyes with no memory of this moment? How was I supposed to accept forgetting the feel of him in my arms?
Kip burrowed closer, clinging desperately to me. He made a sound like a sob as the bells inexorably rang out, then stopped.
Nothing changed.
The silence was very loud. I tentatively stroked Kip’s hair.
“Kip? Are you still here?”
He let go of my robes, but didn’t move away. “I'm here. But how . . . I've been trapped in an unending loop so long I lost track of time. I’ve tried spells, and potions, and electric shock, and travel, and prayer. How could the spell be broken when I wasn't even trying to escape?”
“In all those repetitions, did you try a kiss?”
“Well, no, that would be . . . “ he trailed off. “Oh. I suppose when nothing else worked, I should have remembered fairy tales. I can’t believe I’m free, after ages of nothing changing–” Kip flinched, slipped out of my embrace and threw himself to the floor. “My Lord, I beg your forgiveness. I never would have dared to touch you if I knew that my actions would have ongoing consequences. It was deeply unprofessional of me to risk my professional standing–” He was clearly working himself into a courtly apology, all the formality and distance of the Empire descending fast. I quickly made the gesture to rise.
“There’s nothing to forgive. I am glad you have broken free of whatever trapped you in time, Lord Mdang.” Kip was still flat on the floor, trembling. I gentled my voice. “Kip, please. Look at me?”
He looked up, and I gasped. Kip’s face was mottled with golden marks. He was covered in my makeup . . . some of that might be makeup, but I realized most of the golden marks would be as permanent as Ludvic’s were. You surfaced for the first time in years to crow over how obvious the marks were. Nobody would have the slightest doubt what we had been doing, and who Kip belonged to, even if Kip seemed too terrified to ever kiss me again. I resolutely pushed you aside and focused on my quaking secretary.
I bent down and stroked the crown of Kip’s head gently. He stilled. “Kip, get up. You have the afternoon ahead of you, and then the rest of time.” I took hold of his hands to pull him to his feet – they were already mottled with gold, how much worse could things get? “Considering the circumstances, I even think we could cancel our day’s appointments.”
Kip blanched. “Your appointments! My Lord –”
The stamp of the outer guard’s spears rang out as the doors opened. The inner guards whirled around, clearly trying to block the entrance with their spears, but had to spring back to avoid stabbing the Princess Anastasiya as she swept into the room. She came to such an abrupt halt that her robes swirled in front of her majestically.
Kip dropped my hands and flattened himself further at my feet, face hidden by the carpet. I stared at her, horribly aware of my disheveled clothes and swollen lips.The princess’s eyes bulged. She drew in a mighty breath and launched into honestly a justifiable tirade.
“You invite me for our first private meeting in four years so that I can watch you debase yourself with your upstart secretary? I’ve never been so insulted in all my days!”
For once in my interminable reign, you saved me. You drew up to our full height, eyes darkening with magic until the air crackled. “Madame, your presumptuous words are disgraceful. We will not waste time with your insults, and we advise you to not value our time so lightly in the future. This audience is at an end.” You raised a hand, and my magic slid her out the door. The guards immediately slammed and bolted it, then stood in front of it.
“Our apologies, your Radiancy. We did not signal to the outer guards that you were unavailable.”
“Lord Mdang said the day would reset, which is no excuse. We won’t let it happen again.”
From the floor, Lord Mdang whimpered. “Apparently nothing will happen again. Time is back! Everyone will remember how I flung myself at the Emperor, for all time, with all consequences.” He stood up. “I should have played hooky. My Lord, excuse me.” He bobbled one last bow, met my eyes for one glorious second, and then fled out the servants’ door. I heard a faint crash and a shout.
“My Lord,” Ludvic said from the main door, “I believe that was Conju arriving with your lunch. It may be somewhat delayed.”
I couldn't help it. I started to laugh. “Under the circumstances, Commander Omo, that may be the least of my problems.”