“Oh, I’m not worried about my safety,” Elend said.
Vin raised an eyebrow. “Because?”
“Because I have you,” Elend said with a smile. “You’re worth an army, Vin.”
This, however, didn’t seem to console her.
“Come here,” he said, scooting over and waving her to the seat beside him.
She rose and moved across the carriage—but paused, eyeing him. “Makeup.”
“I’ll be careful,” Elend promised.
She nodded, sitting and letting him put an arm around her. “Be careful of the hair, too,” she said. “And your suit coat—don’t get anything on it.”
“When did you get so fashion-conscious?” he asked.
“It’s the dress,” Vin said with a sigh. “As soon as I put it on, all of Sazed’s lessons started coming back to me.”
“I really do like the dress on you,” Elend said.
Vin shook her head.
“What?” Elend asked as the carriage bumped, pushing her a bit closer to him. Another new perfume, he thought. At least that’s one habit she never got out of.
“This isn’t me, Elend,” she said quietly. “This dress, these mannerisms. They’re a lie.”
Elend sat quietly for a moment.
“No objections?” Vin said. “Everyone else thinks I’m speaking nonsense.”
“I don’t know,” Elend said honestly. “Changing into my new clothes made me feel different, so what you say makes sense. If wearing dresses feels wrong to you, then you don’t have to wear them. I want you to be happy, Vin.”
Vin smiled, looking up at him. Then she leaned up and kissed him.
“I thought you said none of that,” he said.
“From you,” she said. “I’m Mistborn—we’re more precise.”
Elend smiled, though he couldn’t quite feel jovial. Conversation, however, did keep him from fretting. “I feel uncomfortable in these clothes, sometimes. Everyone expects so much more from me when I wear them. They expect a king.”
“When I wear a dress,” Vin said, “they expect a lady. Then they’re disappointed when they find me instead.”
“Anyone who would feel disappointed to find you is too dense to be of any relevance,” Elend said. “I don’t want you to be like them, Vin. They’re not honest. They don’t care. I like you as you are.”
“Tindwyl thinks that I can be both,” Vin said. “A woman and a Mistborn.”
“Tindwyl is wise,” Elend said. “A bit brutal, but wise. You should listen to her.”
“You just told me you liked me how I am.”
“I do,” Elend said. “But I’d like you however you were, Vin. I love you. The question is, how do you like yourself?”
That gave her pause.
“Clothing doesn’t really change a man,” Elend said. “But it changes how others react to him. Tindwyl’s words. I think … I think the trick is convincing yourself that you deserve the reactions you get. You can wear the court’s dresses, Vin, but make them your own. Don’t worry that you aren’t giving people what they want. Give them who you are, and let that be enough.” He paused, smiling. “It was for me.”
She smiled back, then carefully leaned against him. “All right,” she said. “Enough insecurity for the moment. Let’s review. Tell me more about your father’s disposition.”
“He’s a perfect imperial nobleman. Ruthless, clever, and infatuated with power. You remember my … experience when I was thirteen?”
Vin nodded.
“Well, Father was very fond of skaa brothels. I think that he liked how strong he felt by taking a girl while knowing that she would be killed for his passion. He keeps several dozen mistresses, and if they don’t please him, they get removed.”
Vin muttered something quietly in response to this.
“He’s the same way with political allies. One didn’t ally with House Venture—one agreed to be dominated by House Venture. If you weren’t willing to be our slave, then you didn’t get to contract with us.”
Vin nodded. “I’ve known crewleaders like that.”
“And how did you survive when they turned an eye toward you?”
“By acting unimportant,” Vin said. “By crawling on the ground when they passed and by never giving them reason to challenge me. Exactly what you’re planning to do tonight.”
Elend nodded.
“Be careful,” Vin said. “Don’t let Straff think that you’re mocking him.”
“All right.”
“And don’t promise too much,” Vin said. “Act like you’re trying to seem tough. Let him think he’s bullying you into doing what he wants—he’ll enjoy that.”
“You’ve had experience with this before, I see.”
“Too much of it,” Vin said. “But, you’ve heard this before.”
Elend nodded. They’d planned and replanned this meeting. Now he simply had to do what the crew had taught him. Make Straff think we’re weak, imply we’ll give him the city—but only if he helps us against Cett first.
Outside the window, Elend could see that they were approaching Straff’s army. So big! he thought. Where did Father learn to administrate a force like this?
Elend had hoped, perhaps, that his father’s lack of military experience would translate to a poorly run army. Yet, the tents were arranged in a careful pattern, and the soldiers wore neat uniforms. Vin moved over to her window, looking out with avid eyes, showing far more interest than an imperial noblewoman would have dared. “Look,” she said, pointing.
“What?” Elend asked, leaning over.
“Obligator,” Vin said.
Elend looked over her shoulder, spotting the former imperial priest—the skin around his eyes tattooed in a wide pattern—directing a line of soldiers outside a tent. “So that’s it. He’s using obligators to administrate.”
Vin shrugged. “It makes sense. They’d know how to manage large groups of people.”
“And how to supply them,” Elend said. “Yes, it’s a good idea—but it’s still surprising. It implies that he still needs obligators—and that he’s still subject to the Lord Ruler’s authority. Most of the other kings threw off the obligators as soon as they could.”
Vin frowned. “I thought you said your father likes being in power.”
“He does,” Elend said. “But also likes powerful tools. He always keeps a kandra, and he has a history of associating with dangerous Allomancers. He believes that he can control them—and he probably believes the same thing about the obligators.”
The carriage slowed, then stopped beside a large tent. Straff Venture emerged a moment later.
Elend’s father had always been a large man, firm of figure with a commanding posture. The new beard only heightened the effect. He wore a sharp, well-cut suit, just like the suits he had tried to get Elend to wear as a boy. That was when Elend had begun wearing his clothing disheveled—the buttons undone, the jackets too large. Anything to separate him from his father.