Fences, gates, and large doors opened before Fin and Brando as Taddus led them deeper into the castle's inner sanctum. Quiet halls came to life under the sound of footsteps on cold, swept floors. Paintings of unknown nobles offered glares of judgment as they passed by. Fin and Brando knew there would be no easy escape if their lie was discovered.
Taddus ushered them into a sitting room lined with lamps and bookshelves with a table in the center. "Will you take tea?"
"Yes, please," Fin said, happy for anything to take the tension off.
"Very well, I will have someone bring it up while you wait," Taddus said before taking his leave.
Long, quiet seconds crept through the room. Neither Fin nor Brando spoke, worried their conversation would give them away. In one sense, the wait was good. Before not too long, Fin's posture relaxed, and Brando's fists unclenched as they became more acquainted with their surroundings.
The door clicked, and three servants entered the room, causing the tension to return. A young man sat down a tray holding a kettle and four cups. Next came an assortment of round dishes with lids. Behind him, a young woman set down a tower of pastries. She poured the tea as the other two left the room.
"The honey and cream are over here. Help yourselves," The woman stated, pointing at a separate tray. She looked up, taking in the two men for the first time.
"Thank you very much," Brando took the honey jar and rolled the honey dripper around.
The woman hesitated, "You two don't look like diplomats."
"We are trying to stay unnoticed," Brando said simply. "That's why we're dressed like this."
"Trying to stay unnoticed with a horse etched into the front of your pants?" The woman asked, unsatisfied with Brando's answer. "Also, diplomats are trained in high tea etiquette, but there you are, stirring your tea with the honey dripper."
Brando looked down at his hand. Then he looked at the assortment of small spoons he hadn't noticed before. He was in too deep; the only way out was forward. "I find it adds the most unique flavor."
"Finally, diplomats are trained to stand when a princess enters the room," The woman said, bright green eyes slightly squinted. "But here I am standing, and there you are sitting."
The woman was not dressed like a servant. She wore a simple but elegant white dress. Braids of golden hair cascaded gently to either side of her slender neck. Her green eyes shot mixed feelings of wonder and terror down their spines. The two men bolted to their feet, muttered a jumble of apologies and excuses, and bowed multiple times.
"I am going to give you one chance to speak," the princess said, leveling her gaze at the two men. "I caution you to be honest with me, or I will have you dragged out of here wishing we hadn't met. Let's start with you." she pointed at Fin. Her other hand rested firmly on the door handle. "Who are you, and why are you standing in my home under false pretenses?"
The words spilled out of Fin like water through a broken dam. He told her their names and where they met and described the slave camp. The princess stood there and stared at them.
"That's why we want to tell the king," Brando filled in the gaps. "We are heading down to the dwarven city or fortress or whatever it is. We just stopped here to sell our gems and resupply. We want only to inform you so we can be on our way without the guilt of all those currently enslaved by a bunch of money-hungry goblins. One of the prisoners there made us promise to tell his people, and that's why we are seeking out the dwarves."
"Do you have one of these gems?" The princess asked, loosening her grip on the door handle.
"I have two," Fin said, reaching into the collar of his tunic to unstow the largest gem. He set it on the table.
The princess picked it up and looked at it, unimpressed. "If this is a gem, it's the ugliest I've ever seen. It just looks like a see-through rock."
"That's how all gems look like before they are refined," Brando said, trying not to sound disparaging.
"Guards!" The princess yelled, startling Fin and Brando.
The doors immediately slammed open, and five guards surrounded the princess. They stood at the ready, weapons drawn. Fin raised his hands, and Brando placed his hands on his head.
"Your majesty?" One of the guards asked through gasps of breath.
"Who knows anything about gems?"
There was a brief pause before one of them spoke, "Sir Jeffcoat might."
"Go get him."
The guard sheathed his sword and ran out of the room. The other swords slowly adjusted themselves until they were all at a uniform height.
Minutes passed as the princess slowly turned the large gem around in her hand. She eventually grew bored of it and held it loosely to her side.
Brando was the first to drop his hands. When Fin saw that none of the guards had moved, he followed suit.
Finally, the guard reentered the room, followed by a tall, well-built man. He had thin brown hair, a well-defined jaw, and calculating eyes. He bowed to the princess, "Sir Jeffcoat at your service, Your Highness."
The princess handed him the large gem. "What can you tell me about this?"
Sir Jeffcoat took the stone and inspected it with awe. "This appears to be one of the biggest gems I've ever seen. By the light orange color, I could assume it is a topaz. A large topaz if it's real."
"Is it real?"
"I'll do a quick test," Sir Jeffcoat began saying when Brando interrupted him.
"Wait, don't drop it." Brando lurched forward, causing the guards to startle.
Before the words got out, Sir Jeffcoat dropped the gem. It landed on the stone floor with a loud crack.
The guards startled more, bringing the points of their swords to Fin and Brando's necks.
"By the elements, you are a jumpy lot. Stand down, men." Sir Jeffcoat picked the gem and inspected it. "It's real. Is there anything else I can do, highness?"
"That will be all." The princess dismissed the man.
Sir Jeffcoat bowed toward the princess and returned the gem. He gave Fin and Brando a nod and then left the room.
The princess bounced the gem in her hand while she tried to decide what to do.
"The king is-"Taddus began to announce from the open doorway when he saw the guards and their drawn weapons. "His Majesty is in the study unless there is a change of plan?"
The princess took one more look at the gem before handing it back to Fin. "We are finished here, Taddus. I will show the diplomats to the study."
Fin and Brando walked gingerly past the guards and out of the door.
They took deep, calming breaths as they followed the princess through the castle's silent corridors with all five guards in tow.
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The princess stopped at a door, knocked three times, and then opened it. "Sir Finlay and Sir Brando," she announced.
"Ah, Dezi, what a pleasant surprise," The king's voice came from within. "Won't you join us?"
"I would be delighted to join you," Dezi said, glaring at the two men and entering.
Fin and Brando walked in and greeted the king with a bow.
Tapestries of jousting knights hung from stone walls. A blue and gold desk sat at the far end of the room, holding jars of ink, writing quills, and piles of neatly stacked papers.
"Thank you for seeing us on such short notice, Your Majesty," Fin said.
"Of course. How is old Sevornand doing these days?" The king asked, gesturing towards the rectangular table in the center of the room. "Please sit."
Fin stood behind the closest chair, "He is well, your majesty."
Brando stood behind a chair next to Fin.
The princess walked at an infuriatingly slow pace toward the table, causing a trickle of sweat to form on Fin's brow. She stood behind one of the chairs as if considering if she wanted to sit at all.
Fin didn't know if he should sit down because the king told them to or wait for the princess. It was one of the rules they broke that got them exposed in the first place. A casual glance at Brando showed that he was in a similar state of mental turmoil. They could tell that the king was growing impatient, waiting for them to sit down, which made matters worse.
"Dezi, will you please sit down. These men are clearly too chivalrous to sit in your company, even when directed to do so by the king," The king said, frowning at his daughter.
"Why should I care about chivalry when you offered my hand to any unchivalrous commoner with a strong enough sword?" Dezi asked, feet firmly planted on the floor behind her chair.
"You refused everyone else," The king said. "My hands are all but tied."
"I refused them because they were a bunch of crusty old men," Dezi said with a slightly raised voice. "I'm not marrying any of your old friends, and I'm not marrying the first bloodthirsty fighter who kills a bunch of mindless creatures in a cave."
"Leave us. We will talk about this later," The king said with finality. "We have honored guests with us."
"They're not honored guests," Dezi said, causing Fin's heart to stop. "I want to talk about this now. It's always 'later' with you."
The king stood and walked to the door. He opened it and stood there. The princess finally walked towards him and exited. The king shut the door with an audible click. "Will you take some tea?"
Fin and Brando politely but adamantly refused the tea.
"That's Dezi. She takes after her mother mostly." The king sat in his chair, signaling the others to sit as well. "Not the usual diplomatic welcoming, I'm afraid."
"A charming one none-the-less," Fin offered, hoping it was the right words to say.
"What news do you bring from my allies in the West?" The king asked, jumping subjects.
"Not great news, I'm afraid." Fin began. He described the slave camp and the goblins as if they were reported by multiple people. He also explained there were reports of people being abducted and taken to the slave camp.
The king lounged back and listened. When it was finished, the king asked, "Where is it?"
"South," Brando said, producing coins from his pocket and placing them on the table to represent landmarks. "If we are here, we travel a day to the East and then head South."
"You don't have to draw a dwarven map with me," The king said with a smile and then called for a servant. "We haven't been a dwarven city since my father was sitting in this chair. Which is for the best; those bearded children are the bane of my existence."
Fin froze at the insult. Brando looked astonished at the brazen comment. They hadn't met many dwarves, but the ones they had met, they really liked.
"What are those looks for?" The king looked under the table. "Is there a dwarf hiding under my table somewhere?"
A young woman entered the room and bowed.
"Bring me a map of Clive Rae," The king ordered.
The woman left and returned shortly after with a roll of parchment. She gave the map to the king, bowed, and retreated back through the door.
The king unrolled the map showing the castle in the center, the city, and acres of farmlands and grasslands around. He turned the map to Brando, "Okay, where is it?"
Fin was the first to understand the layout. He pointed to the far-right side and said, "South on this road until you reach the mountain range. Then about three days further."
The king shook his head. "I'm afraid it is completely out of my domain. You will stay for a while and sample my hospitality, won't you?"
"They are mining jewels there," Fin said, placing his large gem on the table. "Just think of all the riches you could culminate by liberating the place."
"My main concern is clearing out my current mine," the king said, rolling up the map. "Besides, I already have a steady supply of Topaz coming to my kingdom already."
Fin was about to state that the gems he was culminating probably came from the slave mine when Brando put his hand on his arm.
"Thank you for your time and your offer of hospitality, your majesty," Brando said respectively. "Unfortunately, we are pressed for time and will be returning forthwith."
The king stood. "It is always a pleasure receiving visitors from my allies at Rudford. I am sorry I can't be of more help. Goblins and slavery, nasty business, that."
Fin and Brando found Taddus waiting for them when they exited the room. They silently followed him when the princess flanked them in the halls. "I'll take it from here, Taddus."
Taddus bowed, and when he was out of sight, the princess said, "This way."
Fin and Brando exchanged a cagey look as they detoured through corridors they hadn't seen before.
"How did it go with my father?" The princess asked.
"He's not going to help," Brando said, speaking softly in the hall.
"Not unexpected," The princess said before coming to an unexpected stop. She looked around and then entered a dimly lit room. "Hurry."
When the door shut behind him, Fin asked, "What are we doing?"
"You're getting me out of here," she stated.
"Can't we get in trouble for that?" Brando asked, hesitant to go along with any of this crazy girl's crazy plans.
"Only if we get caught," The princess said, moving deeper into the room. "It's about the same amount of trouble as you would get in if I told everyone who you really were."
The threat hung in the air like the executioner's ax. Not for the first time that day, Fin and Brando regretted coming to the palace.