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Chapter 20: A Cunning Arrangement

Nicholas eyed the organized bustle of knights lugging, carrying, and leveraging tents into their upright position spread around the dry, empty field which surrounded the sizeable commanding tent already prepared for the Duchess and her guests. A second tent sat directly in front, with a large table at its center and several scattered chairs holding boxes of documents and maps.

“Ah, just a moment, your Majesty,” the sergeant who had escorted them through the camp of Bastiallano’s knights hastily moved a box from chair to table and brushed off the seat before stepping to one side. “Her Grace will be with you as soon as she’s finished—”

“Your Majesty, what brings you here?”

The Crown Prince turned his hazel-blue eyes to meet the ice-blue eyes of Colonel Isaac, who faced him from the other end of the table with a stern gaze. ‘It would appear he remains determined to ignore my title and position as much as possible.’

“Waiting for the Duchess,” Nicholas replied as he sat down in the offered chair and turned his attention to the box of papers on the table beside him. “I wanted to go over the precautions her Grace is taking with regard to the security of—” he frowned as Isaac pulled the box of documents away from his reach, “—the royal family.”

“Lieutenant Hadley,” Isaac called out gruffly, turning to a knight who waited just outside the tent, “Could you prepare a more detailed list for his Majesty concerning the placement and use of troops here around the Manor.”

“At once, Colonel.” The lieutenant saluted sharply, then motioned to the sergeant waiting behind Nicholas, who hastily followed his superior outside the tent.

“Is there any need to be so hostile, Colonel?” Nicholas commented pointedly, trying as best he could to keep any irritation from slipping through. “The Duchess and I are allies, after all.”

“For now.”

The Crown Prince raised a brow at the officer’s cryptic statement, then laughed dismissively. “My father, the late king, once told me the Knights of Bastiallano were famous because of their unmatched fighting spirit and unflinching loyalty to their Master.”

‘In fact, it always irritated him when the knights swore an oath to Octavia before they acknowledged him as their king.’

“That is our way, your Majesty, and has been since the first Havardur kings,” Isaac replied with a faint shrug. “Was there anything else you needed to discuss with her Grace?”

‘Are you trying to chase me away?’ The Crown Prince scoffed and glanced back at Captain Beaumont, who simply gave the impudent Colonel an empty stare. ‘Are you unbothered by this? Normally you would threaten anyone behaving this rudely by now.’

Nicholas sighed and spread his hands. “Where else would I be when the Duchess and I are part of the same hunting group, Colonel? Besides her Grace still needs to recruit a few more members. We have the smallest group by far currently.”

“Forgive me for making you wait, your Majesty.”

Nicholas straightened and then rose from his chair as the Duchess appeared, accompanied by two lovely blonde noblewomen, one of whom he was already familiar with. “Lady Kirsi. No forgiveness is necessary—I see that you changed your outfit.”

“Yes,” Kirsi replied with a faint smile as she brushed a hand down the seal-blue hunting jacket and dress she wore. “It seemed a good idea. May I introduce you to my dear friend, Lady Ivy?”

Nicholas turned to offer a polite smile and nod to the lady in question, who clutched the Viscountess’s arm with apparent nervousness. “I’m delighted to meet another friend of the Duchess. Will you be joining us for the hunt as well, Lady Ivy?”

“Your—Majesty—I-I—N-no.”

“Ah, I’m afraid Lady Ivy isn’t feeling well enough to join the hunt,” Kirsi interjected hastily. “Still, I didn’t want her to miss out on the chance to rest and enjoy the countryside before taking over as Matron of Rose Dawn Orphanage.”

Nicholas blinked, then nodded as he recalled the name written at the top of the appointed staff for the orphanage. “Well then, I hope you enjoy your stay at Gilwren, Lady Ivy—” He extended his hand as a formal greeting and watched as the nervous young woman faltered, then slid her gloved fingertips lightly against his palm.

“L-lady Ivy—K-Koresh, your Majesty.”

‘That surname is familiar as well, but—where did I hear it?’ The Crown Prince frowned, then hastily dipped his head towards Ivy’s fingers and blinked in stunned surprise as the young woman hastily snatched her hand away.

“Oh, I’m—f-forgive me!” Ivy stammered helplessly.

“She is concerned you might catch her cold, your Majesty,” Hana explained soothingly as she wrapped an arm around the trembling woman’s shoulder.

‘Well—if she’s that sick, then why is she here instead of resting at home?’

Nicholas suppressed a sigh and turned his attention back to Lady Kirsi. “Have you given any thought as to who you’d like to invite to join our hunting party, your Grace?”

“I believe it is customary for nobles to ask permission to join my party, not the other way around, your Majesty,” Kirsi replied with a faintly cynical smile.

“Of course, I just can’t help but feel anxious about your chances of winning with only—six members?” The Crown Prince glanced uncertainly toward the Viscountess.

“Ah—forgive me, your Majesty, but—riding horses tends to make me feel nauseous,” Hana replied with a declining bow.

“Five it is,” Nicholas muttered with a disappointed sigh.

“Lord Attwood, Lord Gladestone, your Majesty and—?”

“Why Captain Beaumont, of course,” Nicholas replied with a gesture to the knight behind him. “And your Grace. That is—” he tilted his head uncertainly, “—do you know how to shoot a bow, Lady Kirsi?”

The Duchess tugged a pair of gloves from her hunting belt and pulled them on while avoiding his gaze. “I—don’t have a great deal of experience, your Majesty.”

‘The odds of us winning the competition appears to be rapidly declining.’ The Crown Prince pressed his thumb and forefinger between his brows and noticed Beaumont shift his feet out of the corner of his eye. A quick glance revealed an oddly pleased expression on the Captain’s face that puzzled the Crown Prince. ‘Why is he staring at her gloves? No-Wait! This might be a good opportunity.’

“Then, would your Grace be willing to listen to a suggestion?” Nicholas queried, attempting to maintain his calm, unbothered expression. “Since we have a bit of free time this afternoon before the tour, why don’t you make use of the open field behind your camp to practice a bit?”

Kirsi raised a brow and crossed her arms thoughtfully. “I suppose—”

“And Captain Beaumont could accompany you and give you some pointers!”

The Duchess’s eyes narrowed sharply and then turned towards the silent giant in question. “The Captain?”

“Yes!” Nicholas hastily cleared his throat. “Part of a royal knight's training includes learning to use a bow, crossbow, rifle, and musket.”

“I see.”

The Duchess’s calm but abrupt response was less than enthusiastic. Nicholas repressed a sigh as he turned to give Captain Beaumont a pointed stare while silently jerking his head in Lady Kirsi’s direction.

“I would be honored to assist your Grace if you are willing,” Beaumont replied with a formal bow.

“I’m afraid it might be difficult to practice at the moment, Captain,” Kirsi replied with an apologetic smile. “I’m still waiting for Master Iker to deliver a suitable crossbow for me to use.”

The Crown Prince tilted his head to one side incredulously. “You—don’t have a bow?”Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“I have never had much opportunity to use one before,” Kirsi replied as her smile stiffened. “And the bows my knights use are—much too large for my size.”

Nicholas opened his mouth to protest, then stopped as he took in the Duchess’s height compared to the two ladies beside her. “Ah, yes—you are rather short for your age.”

A flash of irritation surfaced on the Duchess’s face that she quickly masked with a smile. “Fortunately, I am a quick learner, as Colonel Isaac can testify.”

“Oh?” Nicholas turned to the silent Colonel still waiting at the foot of the table.

“Yes, your Majesty. At least, I’ve ascertained that her Grace has already mastered the sword,” Isaac stated with a respectful bow in the Duchess's direction. “I’m certain she will master the crossbow in record time as well.”

The Crown Prince scoffed, then glanced between the Duchess and Colonel incredulously. “You—expect me to believe that a lady—mastered the art of the sword—in the matter of a few weeks?”

“No, your Majesty.” The Colonel shook his head and offered the prince a faint smile. “I would say that her Grace mastered the skill of swordsmanship long before she came to Bastiallano.”

“Before—” the prince stammered to a halt. A sudden feeling of déjà vu washed over Nicholas as he recalled his previous reaction to the half-blood getting a perfect score on the screening test for court officials. “Ha!” The Crown Prince rubbed a hand down his face with a sheepish smile and nodded. “I would very much like to see a demonstration of your skill, Lady Kirsi.”

“I feel certain that you will get the opportunity, your Majesty,” Kirsi replied with another cryptic smile.

The Crown Prince narrowed his eyes, then sighed and waved his hand dismissively. “Well—since you lack experience with ranged weapons, Captain Beaumont can at least assist you with the basics. That way, you will have a solid foundation to work with when your order arrives.”

The Duchess sighed but curtsied submissively. “If you feel it necessary, your Majesty. But—what about recruitment—”

“If the nobles want to join a party with their future King and the Duchess of Bastiallano, they can bloody well step up and ask!” Nicholas retorted bluntly, then chuckled as he turned to the lieutenant who waited at the edge of the tent. “Lieutenant Olund, fetch my spare crossbow for her Grace.”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

❆❆❆❆❆

The Duchess glanced over curiously at Lieutenant Olund. She recognized him instantly as the knight who had escorted her back from Peony Palace just in time for Eleanora to have her arrested. The lieutenant appeared to sense her gaze and looked back briefly, then continued on his way towards the Gilwren Manor.

‘It seems he still doesn’t like me much.’ Carina smirked and then turned to where Lieutenant Hadley appeared, carrying a small stack of folded pages.

“Your Majesty. Your Grace. These are the numbers I’ve come up with for each post,” Hadley explained as he bowed to each in turn and then placed the documents on the table.

Nicholas returned to his seat and swiftly flicked through the documents, referring to the earlier pages as he scanned the contents.

“If your Majesty has any suggestions for improvement?” Carina moved to sit across from him and quickly motioned for Hana and Ivy to take a seat as well.

“Improvement?” Nicholas raised a brow and shrugged. “With this many knights, you have room to spare. Ah—” he chuckled and set down the last page, tapping at the label ‘Crown Princess’ written neatly in a column, “—you might want to get Eleanora’s permission before you assign more knights to look after her.”

“I did not think ten knights would require approval,” Carina replied with a dismissive shrug. “I am responsible for her Highness’s safety as well as your own.”

“Hmm, too true.” The Crown Prince lifted the page, then glanced from the Duchess to the ladies seated beside her. “Forgive me, but—might I have a moment to speak to her Grace—privately?”

“I’ll see if we can’t find some refreshments back in our tent,” Hana replied swiftly. The Viscountess stood gracefully, then tapped Ivy’s shoulder to get her attention and escorted the nervous girl back to the main tent.

Carina glanced after them and then focused on the Crown Prince, who had returned to studying the numbers on the page before him. “Your Majesty?”

“Why did you change the amount from two hundred to one thousand?”

The Duchess blinked, then frowned as she turned to the officers still standing around them. “Colonel, if you and the men wouldn’t mind waiting at a discreet distance.”

“Your safety is my responsibility, your Grace,” Isaac replied with a wary glance between the prince and his knight captain.

“Are you suggesting that his Majesty is a danger to me?”

Nicholas looked up from the papers with a faint smirk and addressed the adamant Colonel. “I promise not to harm a single hair on the Duchess’s head, Sir Isaac. Now please remove yourself.”

“I only take orders from the Duchess of Bastiallano,” Isaac growled sharply.

“Then listen to the orders I gave and step outside,” Carina snapped impatiently.

The Colonel stiffened, then bowed towards her formally and withdrew. The remaining knights quickly followed their superior to stand at the permitter.

“You appear to be adjusting to your role at a commendable pace,” Nicholas murmured as he stared after the knights.

“Thank you, your Majesty.”

“However, their attitude towards me—”

“I will remind them to be more respectful,” Carina interjected quickly.

The Crown Prince pursed his lips, then nodded as he set down the papers and folded his hands above them. “So—can you tell me now?”

“About—”

“The threat you received?”

The Duchess blinked in surprise and stared at the young monarch, completely taken aback. ‘How could he possibly know about that?’ “What—do you mean, your Majesty?”

“Someone must have done something to trigger this,” Nicholas replied with a shrug as he nodded toward the tents being erected all around them.

“Perhaps I am merely being overly cautious—”

“You were also being suspiciously hostile towards Marquess Borghese.”

‘Ahh, so that’s what tipped him off.’ Carina scoffed and then shook her head with a sigh. “Your Majesty is perceptive.”

“You’re giving me too much credit here,” Nicholas replied with a dismissive wave, although his tone and smile showed he was pleased. “That said, I am eager to hear your explanation.”

The Duchess sighed, then pressed her hands together before meeting his gaze. “Someone tried to blackmail me, your Highness. They threatened someone close to me—and their intention was to force me to withdraw from the Royal Hunt.”

“I see,” Nicholas mused somberly. “So that is why you brought an ill lady to Gilwren Forest.”

‘At times, he is annoyingly perceptive,’ Carina amended with a faint scowl.

“And you believe that Marquess Borghese is the origin of this threat?”

“He is the most likely suspect.” The Duchess leaned back with a grimace. “Although, I am aware that I have gained a few enemies with my recent position. I can think of no one else with reason to act against me openly.”

“Naturally.” The Crown Prince smirked as he folded the documents before him and tossed them toward her. “I applaud your response, Lady Kirsi. I believe we should both proceed cautiously until the Marquess has been dealt with.”

“Yes. Thank you, your Majesty,” Carina murmured as she watched the prince stand up once more.

“We should add Colonel Isaac to the hunting party,” Nicholas mused with a playful smile. “I am eager to see how he holds up against my own bodyguard.”

“Very well, your Majesty. That puts us back at six.”

“Hmm, still smaller than I’d like.”

‘It looks like the prince is worried about losing.’

The Duchess smiled as she picked up the documents, then moved to the edge of the tent where she signaled to Lieutenant Hadley. “Your Majesty need not worry. I am confident that Marquess Borghese stands no chance of winning.”

❆❆❆❆❆

“Are you sure it’s alright to leave Lady Ivy alone while she’s not feeling well?” Nicholas asked with a pointed look at Lady Hana, who trailed behind the Crown Prince, Captain Beaumont, and the Duchess with her pink parasol.

“Yes, she’s going to be resting anyway, your Majesty,” Hana replied with an innocent smile while pointedly ignoring his stare.

‘I still don’t understand how it is that Eleanora’s favored lady-in-waiting ended up in Kirsi’s care,’ Nicholas mused sourly as he stepped to the side to allow Hana to pass him. The Viscountess promptly locked arms with the Duchess and whispered something into Kirsi’s ear. ‘But they do seem very attached to each other. Annoyingly so.’

Captain Beaumont, who walked ahead of their little group, glanced back but appeared unperturbed by Hana’s presence.

‘He makes such an effort to appear unaffected by this chance to be near Kirsi. If I hadn’t seen him smile earlier....’ The Crown Prince sighed and raised a hand to shield his eyes from the glare of the midday sun that shown down upon the matted field trimmed by pine trees and silver birch. “Any one of those will do, Captain.”

Beaumont nodded, set down the heavy pack he carried, then pulled out a medium-sized spiral straw target which he dragged over to one of the larger birch trees.

Nicholas joined Lady Kirsi and Lady Hana beside the Captain's pack and promptly offered the Duchess his light crossbow. “Have you ever held one of these before?”

“No,” Kirsi replied hesitantly as he released the weapon. “Oh, I—thought it would be heavier.”

“The weapon is about seven or eight pounds,” Nicholas replied with a shrug. “The trick is to draw the string back. Here you go.” The prince pulled a small, hooked iron lever from his belt that he tucked into the hunting belt at Kirsi’s waist. “I’ll leave the rest to Captain Beaumont, but—one word of advice.”

The Duchess raised her brows as Nicholas slid his hand beneath her own, which supported the crossbow's weight.

“Keep your fingers down here around the tiller—that’s the stock or shaft of the crossbow—if you let them go up here—” he tapped the top of the polished decorated wood, “—they’ll be in the way when you pull the trigger and trust me, that will hurt.”

“Do you speak from experience?” Kirsi asked calmly when Nicholas stepped back.

“Perhaps.” The Crown Prince shrugged and then turned to the Viscountess. “Lady Hana, why don’t you join me for a light stroll while they get some practice in.”

“Oh, but I don’t mind staying,” Hana replied with another irksome smile. “I find it all rather fascinating.”

‘A few weeks in Bastiallano with Lady Kirsi, and already she’s forgotten who made her a Viscountess.’

“Please, Lady Hana,” Nicholas murmured as he stepped closer. “I must insist. It might benefit me if you would share a few stories about your time with Eleanora in Ventrayna.”

The Viscountess stopped twirling her parasol and stared at him blankly. “Isn’t that a conversation you should be having with your wife—your Majesty?”

‘On second thought, she probably picked up this stubborn behavior from Eleanora.’

“Lady Hana and I will go fetch some refreshments while you two get started,” Nicholas called out loudly as he took the Viscountess’s arm and turned her sharply back towards the path. “I’ll explain if you play along, Lady Hana. I hope that’s not too big a request.”

Hana opened her mouth to protest, then glanced to where Beaumont was already making his way back towards them, pressed her lips together, and nodded. “Fine. I trust it will be a detailed explanation.”

Nicholas narrowed his eyes at her tone but smiled amicably as he wrapped her wrist around his arm, then waved at Beaumont before they set off towards the line of white tents with silver flags fluttering in the wind.

They passed Lieutenant Olund, who fell in step behind them, and still the Crown Prince remained silent.

“Well,” Hana pressed, clearly annoyed at being dragged away.

“I am curious,” Nicholas murmured with a glance towards her turquoise-blue eyes. “You don’t look Ventrayian by birth.”

The Viscountess stiffened and turned her gaze sharply away. “No, your Majesty. My family hails from old Zarus.”

“Ahh.” The Crown Prince nodded and then placed his free hand over hers. “What was their family name? I noticed that you don’t use one.”

“That’s because I left my family name behind, your Majesty,” Hana replied in a flat tone that held both pain and resentment. “They are as good as dead to me now.”

Nicholas raised a brow in surprise as he pondered her response. ‘I wonder what the Pope would have to say about that?’