Princess Rosslyn stepped into the palace chapel and looked around carefully.
Celeste said he called for me. Am I early?
No, there he was, seated in a darkened nook. He held a closed copy of The Beauty of Creation, the Goddess’s most sacred text, in his lap. His eyes were closed. There was a tired expression on his face, but he did not look sleepy—more preoccupied. The creases of worry on his face were visible from where Rosslyn stood, almost by the doorway. She had noticed it at dinner earlier too, when the table had felt unusually quiet. Her father seemed to have aged a few years in the last week or so.
She took a seat in the pew nearest the King, after she had looked around to make certain that no one else was present.
“Well met, and well done, daughter.” His voice was weary and slightly sardonic. She heard the sound of several late nights and a slight recrimination in his voice. Not all of the late nights could be her fault, Rosslyn was dimly aware. She had only made her announcement a couple of days ago. And there was only so much havoc that a princess’s romantic decisions could cause. So what is happening in the world right now, to put my father in such stress?
“Hello, father.” She waited for him to say his piece first, before she asked her own questions. She was rethinking questioning anything at all. She could hardly forgive herself if she placed any further burdens on him.
“Your decision, on behalf of the palace, the other day—where did you get the idea? Did someone suggest this to you?” he asked.
“It sprung from my own heart naturally, father,” Rosslyn said. “I thought that because we need the strongest warrior we can find to stand beside me against the Demon Empire one day, this might naturally be the best way.”
“What you did had the potential to embarrass the Crown,” he said.
“But it did not actually embarrass the Crown?”
“No,” he admitted. “I tried to have the witnesses to your announcement stopped and spoken to. Several of them were on their way home to their own lands, and I thought we might intercept them and purchase their silence. But before we could make any such offers, we learned that two of the individuals involved had stopped in Wayn and been seen drinking at a few establishments regularly frequented by fellow nobles. The word was out before we even properly tried to contain it.”
“The flower of Claustrian nobility will rush forward to meet the challenge,” she offered.
“Perhaps.” The piercing blue-gray eyes stared down at her for a long moment. “You did not consult Lord Baranack or myself. That is concerning. No, more than that—it was inappropriate. You overstepped your bounds. To anyone else who knew about the internal processes behind this decision, you would look like an out of control child!”
“I know. I know all of that.” She looked at the ground. There was silence between them for several long moments.
“If you know, then why are we having this conversation? Why do this without consulting either of us?”
“I was frustrated!” The words burst out almost uncontrollably. She tried to slow down. “I did not believe that my suggestions would be taken.”
“I believe Lord Baranack has done his best. Using the best methods available to him. I admit he might have rejected your suggestion out of hand. But your proposal does eliminate many potential matches from consideration.”
“I would like to do my best for our country as well. Perhaps if we were to make it clear that this was truly a merit-based process, we would bring the best possible matches out of the woodwork.”
“You may be right. Still, I wish that we could take your words back.”
“I myself do not,” Rosslyn replied.
“Of course not. You have not thought about the political ramifications. In a moment of great tension—”
“Should I not have agency in the most important decision of my life?” she interrupted.
There was silence. Rosslyn looked up and saw the King wore a stricken expression. Like she’d slapped him in the face. She wished she could pull the words back. The words she had been holding back for months—no, was it a year? How long since this process began?
“We have only ever presented you with options.” His tone was defensive rather than angry. Almost apologetic. “If you were any other person’s child but mine, you would have been told who your husband would be once the negotiations were concluded.”
“I had been led to believe that I could expect more consultation than I have had,” Rosslyn said slowly. “At least as much freedom as a peasant girl.”
“You bear the weight of more responsibility than any peasant girl—or any noblewoman in this country, for that matter! And you possess accompanying rights and privileges.”
“I never asked for them. I have sought to be worthy of them. But if I am unworthy, perhaps you should set me aside in favor of my brother.”
“Be serious. He is a young boy. I may not live to see him grow to manhood. If I died and left the throne to him, the country would be your stepmother’s to control. She does not seem to understand the nature of the threats we face. I had thought that you understood better, but you speak as if you do not.”
“I do! That is why I proposed this filtering mechanism. Only for our security. For our advantage. It is not as if the combat power of my future husband will make him more attractive, responsible, or kind. But the priority is to find someone who can help me keep the country safe.”
And produce strong heirs, went unspoken.
“Hm. Well, perhaps it might work. I know your heart is in the right place, my child. And this may turn out to be the right decision. But it comes at a delicate moment for our country.”
She nodded and waited for him to explain what he meant.
But the King did not seem to want to stay on the more serious subject. “You know that the Duke’s sons will be coming to stay with us in a matter of weeks, yes?” His expression brightened as he said this. “Two months from now at most, depending on how difficult the journey is from Dessia.”
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“Yes, father.”
“I know you will take them seriously. Perhaps more so than you have taken other suitors so far. I hope that you may like one of them. Both renowned warriors.”
Rosslyn simply nodded. Of course her father hoped for that. She hoped so as well. Duke Pruford was one of his oldest friends, and the Dessian military was small but highly effective and well regarded.
“In the time before then, I have decided that you and your stepmother should take a journey together. A trip to the border with the Demon Empire.”
She arched a single eyebrow. “As you wish, father.”
He did not miss the raised eyebrow. “Should I take it that you would prefer not to travel together with Carolien?” he asked.
“I have said no such thing,” Rosslyn replied in her most neutral tone.
“The two of you used to get along so well,” the King said quietly. “I remember when I first thought about finding a new wife, after your mother died. Part of the reason was that I wanted someone to provide a soft, feminine presence for you—someone who would care for you like you were her own daughter.” His voice began to rise with his emotions. “I thought Carolien did that—no, I know she did. The two of you were close for years. The way she looked at you, and the way you looked at her—well, if she could not be a replacement for your own mother for either of us, at least it felt like you two saw each other as family. Was I simply wrong about that?”
“No, father. We loved each other well. I truly believe that.”
“What happened, then?” he asked.
Rosslyn was silent for a long moment. Her own lovely children with you were born and began to grow. They became the apples of her eye—and I, what was I but an obstacle standing between them and the birthright she thought was almost within their reach? The accusation felt unfair even in her own mind, and far from helpful. Her father did not need to hear her cold suspicions.
“We grew apart, I suppose,” she said finally. “Two women under one roof. One present queen, one future queen, who shared no blood ties. Perhaps it was inevitable. It is painful to think about that past, in truth. She tried so sincerely to be a mother to me—and I truly loved her in turn. Even if she could not replace—” Her own voice grew thick with emotion. “Can—can we please discuss the journey, father? I would rather not talk further about this. I promise to try to get along with Carolien on the road to the Demon Empire.”
The King nodded slowly. “Yes. Yes, of course. Part of the idea is to ensure that both of you understand the threat we face. I had already been thinking of sending a diplomatic mission to the Empire for some time. I have now made that determination. Lord Baranack is known for his diplomacy. Perhaps he will have better luck as an ambassador to the Demon Empire than he has enjoyed in finding you a match. You and your stepmother will accompany him. The diplomatic mission to the Demon Empire is the perfect cover for you to visit Stalenton, the Imperial Capital.”
Rosslyn nodded. Stalenton was close to the border with Claustria, because the Empire had repeatedly moved their capital over the centuries as the nation expanded, to reflect that their priority was always further conquest.
“The Empire is the pariah of the continent,” he went on, “but they will not attack a diplomatic party. It violates all international norms. Therefore, you will accompany Lord Baranack in secret, disguised as members of his retinue and accompanied by guards who will not know your identities. This is a real diplomatic mission. I would like to suss out the current Emperor’s intentions as best I can. If he will state his future plans openly, then it will have been a more fruitful expedition than I expect. We have not had full diplomatic relations with the Empire in centuries. The mission has some urgency. I have suspected that they were preparing to resume their path of conquest for some time. If that suspicion is correct, we would be their natural first target—as we were their last.” He breathed heavily as if the idea brought him great pain. “The safety of all the Goddess’s followers, of the whole continent, rests on our nation. The warriors of Claustria must break the Demon Empire’s advance once again, as we did in the last war—if my suspicions are confirmed.”
“We are merely to visit the Empire?” Rosslyn asked. “Why are both of us going? I know you would not place Carolien or myself in harm’s way lightly. But I do not believe either of us has any great gift for diplomacy or spying. Why not a diplomat or a spy?”
“That brings me to the other, more important part of your trip’s objective. We have precious few spies within the Empire who can send information to us. When the present Emperor ascended to the throne, he identified and killed almost all of them. Those who have survived are highly placed but only rarely able to provide intelligence. They must maintain a deep cover.” He gave her a long, steady look. “Daughter, I am charging you with a sacred mission. A dangerous mission. But you are the only one I can trust. Our noble class, and even the palace itself, have likely been infiltrated by the Empire’s spies. That is how the Demon Empire operates. They have always been better at espionage than we are. The Emperor can offer richer bribes than anything I could present. That is why I had you summoned to the chapel. This is the most secure room in the palace against spying. No secret passages—” He flashed her with a small, knowing smile—“and a century ago, an archmage cast a spell to render this area immune to magical eavesdropping. Every year, the room is checked to ensure that it remains proof against such measures. I have my most sensitive conversations here. As you will, someday.”
“Father, what is the mission?” Rosslyn asked.
“Yes, yes.” He nodded, coughed slightly, and took a deep breath. “I need you to meet with our most valuable remaining spy in the Empire. There is a place in Stalenton where she will have a free hour to speak with you.” He whispered a name, but he coughed in the middle of speaking, and the Princess had to ask him to repeat it.
“Her?” she asked. “Really? The Emperor’s—”
“Hush!” he hissed. “Even here, I whispered the name for a reason. If her cover was once broken, the Emperor would have her head on a stake, as with every other spy we have ever had in his country. When he ascended to the throne, he revamped his country’s security apparatus. His secret police are legendary. And she is the only one highly placed enough to be reliable on these most important matters. It is my hope that she can confirm that my suspicions have been mere paranoia. That the Empire is not preparing its army for war. Failing that, try to secure a timetable from her. How long will the Emperor need to prepare his armies if he does decide to invade? How much time do we have?”
He handed her a scrap of paper folded in half. Rosslyn read it and then nodded. “I will not fail you, father.”
“As for why Carolien is accompanying you, remember that she comes from a highly placed noble family herself. That was part of my calculation in choosing her as my second wife. I have been trying in my own way to convince her of the danger that the Demon Empire continues to pose for months, but in the absence of solid intelligence, she chooses to remain blind. In the event that the Empire is moving, I will need her to exercise her influence with her family and stir the western powers to action on our behalf. There are rumors that the Empire is fortifying Stalenton even now. It is my hope that if she sees the strength and activity of the Empire at close range, it will force her into an understanding of our situation.”
Rosslyn nodded. The clarity of her father’s strategic thinking—and his transparent desperation at their situation—left a strong impression.
Her own questions fell by the wayside. The King, her father, was trusting her, finally, with the burdens of her high station. She was the only one he could trust. He had said as much.
And he did not look or sound quite well. The stress of believing the Kingdom might come under attack sometime soon was clearly aging him prematurely.
It would be unworthy of her—ungrateful, even—to question him about Matilda’s vague accusations now.
“Will Lord Baranack be aware of my mission?” she asked quietly. “Or does he think this is some sight-seeing trip?”
The King shook his head. “I trust him, but I do not trust him enough for this. He is still a foreigner. Even Carolien will not know what you will truly be there for. She will not know that the trip is happening at all until as late as possible. Nor will Lord Baranack know that the two of you are joining him until the day of the journey. She could say one wrong word to one of her attendants, or he could give some hint of it in his correspondence to a trusted colleague, and you might become a prisoner of the Empire. It is too risky. If you have to sneak away from them during your stay in the city, I trust that you will be capable of doing so.”
Rosslyn nodded. “Understood. I will exercise extreme care.”
“Good.” His eyes bored into hers. “I hate to give you this terrible burden now, when you are still so young, and I remain healthy and active. But on your shoulders rests the fate of the Kingdom.”