Chapter Seventy-Three: Merry Christmas I Guess

“And that would conclude my list of concerns. Do you have anything you’d like to discuss?”

“No, I believe my own concerns were cleared during the course of the proceedings.”

Richard and Constans, along with their royal guest and her retainers, were in the lounge of the palace. Richard sat across from a young woman in a lavish dress that seemed designed specifically to show off her wealth. She looked to be in her late teens, and she had kept a soft smile on her face throughout the entirety of her stay whilst in the presence of others.

Constans was currently stood behind Richard’s chair, silently looking over them just as the princess’ retainers did opposite, acting as Richard’s second. He couldn’t help but feel a mixture of pride and irrelevance though, as Richard had not once required his knowledge for anything the princess asked. On top of his expected workload, Richarx had also been keeping up to date with the reports on the magic done under the previous king, following leads on the pair that had visited before, and prepared himself for the princess’ arrival.

As a result, he knew of the trouble at the party held by the princess’ father king Harold some years ago. Though the details were omitted, the sensitive nature of the events leading the guests to be overly cautious of what they could say, and to whom they would say it.

“Since we’re done with formal matters…” Richard said before the princess had a chance to say anything. “Would Her Royal Highness-”

“Please.” The princess cut him off, prompting a surprised look from him. “If the formalities are done with, there should be no need to address me formally, correct? Call me Cristina.”

Her smile grew, and Richard smiled back at her politely. “Then, Cristina-”

“Princess Cristina.”

“Princess Cristina.” Richard said without faltering. ‘I’m glad she’s this easily amused.’ He though to himself. “Would you like a glass of wine? As a recent addition to the actors on the world’s stage, and as an outsider, I’d very much like to talk about the world in which Your Highness resides.”

“My apologies.” The princess responded, bowing her head slightly. “I have a long day’s travel ahead of me tomorrow, so if possible I would like to bed as soon as possible. If I may be of assistance in any other way however, do not hesitate to ask.”

“I see.” Richard said, putting on a mild display of sadness. “And I had such stories I wished to share myself. Like the visit I received from a certain odd, long-haired man a while back.”

Richard watched the princess’ expression, and noticed her eyes widen at his mention of the man. Seeing that this conservative description had grabbed her attention, Richard felt a sense of validation, and was about to press further.

But there was no need.

“Oh my.” The princess said with a smile that was noticeably more intense than before, and eyes that seemed to shimmer. “You didn’t tell me you had such an encounter.”

Inwardly delighted at her jumping on the topic, Richard kept his calm, and proceeded onward. “You know who I’m referring to?” He asked, feigning surprise.

“Don’t act as though you’re surprised.” The princess said, seeing straight through him. “The only reason you mentioned him at all is because you expected me to know of him. Though I must admit I have never met him myself, and my family refuses to speak of him to me, so my knowledge is limited.”

“I see. Well, I wouldn’t want to go against the wishes of His Majesty, so I must unfortunately refrain from speaking further on the matter.” Richard said with a bow of his head, having received all the confirmation he needed.

“That is most certainly a shame.” The princess said, having lost her smile for the first time before him. “Then I shall bid you goodnight.”

“And I you. There shall be food prepared for you in the morning, and my staff shall prepare for your departure.”

“My thanks.”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

After seeing the princess off the next day, Richard went up to his study with Constans, in order to discuss their next move, and the report they received the day previous.

“So the royal family of Spara know this man, and he was last seen heading in the direction of the border.” Richard began the conversation.

“Though that could just be a ruse.” Constans pointed out. “It’s clear they were aware they were being followed.”

“So the question is, do we think he would bother trying to misdirect us?”

The two men looked at each other, and their faces told each other precisely how little they believed that scenario to be the case.

“They don’t appear to be working together right now at least.” Richard said. “They likely haven’t spoken since the incident, or else they would’ve known of the princess’ trip, and traveled back along with them.”

“So we have a small window of opportunity, between now and when they cross the border.”

“…Not necessarily.” Richard said, turning away from Constans, speaking in a low tone.

Constans didn’t much like the sound of his friend’s voice, and he responded similarly. “What do you have in mind?”

“What if… We were to find evidence of a crime against Spara, committed by a third-party state?”

“…What kind of crime?”

Richard said nothing for a moment, and moved over to the window, and looked out over his city.

“I do hope the princess arrives home safely.”

Constans stared blankly at Richard’s back for a moment, before building himself up into a fury.

“ARE YOU SERIOUSLY SUGGESTING WE-”

“WHAT IF…” Richard yelled, cutting him off. Constans glared at him, as he turned and glared straight back.

“What if… Another nation, were to take advantage of the thick forests that border our nation and Spara, and kidnap the poor princess Cristina, in an effort to tear down relations between our nations, and provide an opportunity to take us over in the ensuing chaos?”

Richard spoke quietly, and moved towards Constans. Constans felt a fear looking into the cold eyes of the man he trusted.

“But if the kidnapping were to go awry, the attackers repelled, the princess murdered, and the plot uncovered, by our troops no less… Then we might find ourselves with a blinded ally, with another nation on the table for us to lay claim to.”

Constans felt speechless, but managed to pull himself together, and hissing through his teeth, responded.

“If any one thing goes wrong, everything we’ve worked for, all the lives lost, will be for nothing.”

“Then we’d best just make sure we can’t go wrong, or at least, it won’t lead back to us if we do.”

“And how in the hell do you propose we do that?”

“A number of men, with nothing to live for, blinding loyalty to their country, and equipped with armour and arms of another nation.”

“And you just happen to have those lying around do you?”

“As a matter of fact, I do.”

“…How long have you been planning this?”

“Since the day that man wandered in here and made a fool of me.”

Constans was overcome by awe and dread, as Richard nonchalantly revealed he had being working long and hard behind the scenes, and beyond the eyes of even his allies, on top of the work he did in the spotlight.

“How do you do it all?” He asked, momentarily stunned.

“Don’t underestimate how much sleep a professional pencil-pusher can survive on.” Richard replied, before glancing down at the report sent to him by the spies he sent after the man and woman from before. “Although, it seems we may need more…”

“What other ploy could you possibly need?”

“I may reinstate the magic division, and focus their aims.”

“Wh-” Constans was again shocked by the nonchalance Richard displayed. “That’s precisely the reason the civilians aided our rebellion! Why would you do that?”

“Because it would seem that at least one of them is proficient in the art, and we need to be able to fight back if the need arises.”

“And how do you know that for sure?”

Richard picked up the report and flung it at Constans.

“Well how else do you explain them sneaking up on our spies in the middle of the night, AND STICKING THEIR HORSE UP A GODDAMN TREE?”

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

“Hehehehehe…”

“What are you chuckling to yourself about?”

“Just remembered something funny.”

“Well forget it again, you’re being creepy.”

“You know how this problem could’ve been solved?”

Meg sighed. “How?”

“If we were already there.”

“I swear if you go on another fucking rant about going over that damned mou-”

“If we had just gone over the mountain we could’ve been there WEEKS AGO!”

“For a start, we haven’t been travelling for weeks.”

“Sure as hell feels like it.”

“We’ve been travelling for a week and six days at most.”

“Oh fuck you it’s been longer than that.”

“Yeah well I trust your sense of time like I trust the horse not to eat everything put in front of it.”

“You leave Holly out of this, and that’s real rich coming from the woman who spends half the time staring dead-eyed into the distance. I wouldn’t be surprised if the days just blend together for you and you don’t even realise when one ends and the next starts.”

“That couldn’t happen.”

“You hesitated.”

“Fuck off.”

“Can’t. Someone decided we needed to take the long way to see Harold so I’m stuck on this horse.”

“Why are we going there anyway? I didn’t want to say anything back there, but I kinda figured you’d just kill him.”

“Oh yeah, stellar idea that one. Question for you Meg, how did they get into power?”

“By overthrowing the king.”

“Yeah, and what happened to the people that helped him?”

“He had them killed.”

“Right. So, and I’m gonna need you to think about this one. If I killed him and his little friend, who’d be left with the skills to run the country?”

“…It’s all your fault.”

“Don’t try and guilt trip me to hide your shortsightedness.”

“Oh you want to talk about shortsightedness? How about BRINGING HIM HERE TO BEGIN WITH?”

“You’re just mardy you still don’t know why he went missing.”

“I’m mardy because I’m out here instead of at home working.”

“It’s not like the place is going anywhere.”

“No, but my will to live is.”

“Quit being so melodramatic.”

“Quit being an unrepentant asshole.”

“You’re asking me to just throw away my personality trait right there. It’s like if I asked you not to be insecure.”

“Said the guy who drags me around with him because otherwise he’d be lonely.”

“That’s not what you told me you said to that guy.”

“Yeah, because I’m not about to go making you appear weak to a group of people who would try to kill us if they found out what we were doing, especially not when I’m stuck in a room alone with one of them.”

“Aww, you do care.”

Meg growled to herself, before simply sighing.

“Why do I let myself get wound up by you?”

“Because you’re bored and there’s fuck all else to do?”

“Well… Yeah. But you’re not supposed to just say it.”