I covertly organized a meeting benefiting the members of Operation Lose-a-Lord, namely Melody, Nina, and myself. We were in for a busy morning, seeing as Lord Adelbert's son was due for a visit this afternoon. Clearly, this didn't leave us with very much time, and still there was much to do. Melody had refused to spill any more details about this Lance fellow, and Nina was a rather unwilling participant. Nina, just one year my senior, always seemed to get roped into my highly unusual plots, more often than not. I don't know why she just doesn't say no, and that would be the end of it. But, I digress.

Wanting to get this meeting started I slammed a makeshift gavel on the flat surface of my cherry wood desk. Much to my amusement, both Melody and Nina jumped at he unexpected knock.

"Here ye, here ye," I said officially. "As we all know, Lord Adelbert's son, er, what was his name again?"

"Kier," Nina, always aware of the palace news and gossip answered confidently.

"Right," I quickly glanced at Melody, who's face wore a mixture of misery and anxiousness, "As we know, Lord Adelbert's son, Kier, is due at the palace by noontime."

My sister emitted a terrible groan at the sound of my words. I could feel the sense of dread radiating from each of her tiny pores.

"Fear not, dear sister," I uttered heroically, "you will be held up in your room sick all day long."

"That won't work, Hali!" Melody wailed, "you know how Dad always checks up on us when we're sick. He'll know for sure that I'm faking it."

With an offended look I replied, "Give me credit where credit is due, Mel."

Melody gave a sidelong glance to Nina, who simply shrugged her delicate shoulders.

Reaching above the windowsill, I retrieved a small bronze key that I has stored away for safe keeping. There was a soft click, as I turned the key, unlocking a hidden drawer in by desk. As I slid the drawer open, I pulled out a small, black velvet bag.

"What is that?" Nina asked with the slightest hint of fear in her voice.

I smiled at Nina's innocence. Sometimes I really felt bad about including her in my schemes. She was such a good girl.

I exhaled deeply, "This is the sleeping root, sure to give anyone who ingests it the symptoms of a cold. It's only temporary of course."

"You want me to eat that?" panicked Melody.

"Well, not exactly."

"Hali!" Melody cried, "just tell me, please."

"Fine," I said dismissively, "I want you to to put a piece of this root, the size of the tip of you pinky, into your morning's tea."

"What will it do to her," asked Nina the worrywart.

"Nothing too serious," I assured the girls, "sneezing, vomiting, a slight fever. But it's perfectly safe. I've used the sleeping root myself to avoid an engagement or two in the past."

"Where did you get this, Hali?" Melody demanded using her older sister voice.

"I'm afraid I cannot tell you that, Mel. If the sleeping root is abused too often, I will never be able to use it again," I craftily put the root back into the bag and slid the drawer shut, "but if you're too frightened, take solace in the idea that you and Kier will have the happiest of wedding days a few years down the line..."

Melody glowered at my sarcasm, "how will my being sick in bed, deter Kier. He could always come back another day."

I slapped a hand to my forehead in frustration, "Are my plans really so bizarre, that you people can't catch on?"

I took the befuddled looks on the faces of Nina and my sister as a yes.

"Mom and Dad will know that you are in dreadfully sick and stuck in bed, but Kier will know that he has just spent one unusual day with Princess Melody."

Melody and Nina shared a confused look with each other before Melody addressed me, "Thank you, Hali, but seeing as you are certifiably insane... I'll just find my own way out of this mess."

My sister turned to leave the room, but I quickly jumped in front of the doorway, blocking Melody's dismal attempt at escaping.

"Move," Melody said curtly.

"Are you still seriously not up to speed, Mel?"

"Hali," sighed my sister, "I'm growing tired of your silly games."

Melody turned the door knob and opened the heavy oak door, but I purposefully slammed it shut again.

"I'm going to be Melody this afternoon, genius."

"Oh," Melody's face lit up with realization.

"Nina, it's vital that you keep Kier away from my parents all day, understand?"

"Yes, but I don't like it," Nina made her reservations known.

"Good," I clapped, "Now Melody, it is imperative that you use the root exactly as I instructed earlier... unless you want to throw up all your organs."

"Funny, Hali," sneered Melody.

"It wasn't a joke," I called leaving the room quickly, for I had quite a few errands to run that morning.

I had to go into town, with an escort of course. Warren, one of my father's new guards, was watching my every move. Luckily, my devious errands appeared innocent and common. I wouldn't want to arose suspicion, now.

"Where to now, Princess?" Warren's deep voice inquired.

"The book shop."

Warren sighed deeply agitated, "There is an entire library of book in the palace, Princess."

"I know that Warren," I answered, "but is it you place to question your princess?"

Warren said nothing, not being of very quick wit, but hurriedly ushered me to Hans' Family Books. The shop was run by two brothers whom I had know since childhood. When I was five years old, my father took me to the shop to pick out my first book ever. It was a book of fairy tales as I recall.

Upon opening the door, there was a silver tinkling of bells overhead.

"Princess Hali!" Andersen called, pleasantly surprised.

"How may we help you this morning?" Christian added.

I gazed into the brothers' matching brown eyes, "I need Dracula, Frankenstein, and the latest penny dreadful. What is it this week?"

"A String of Pearls." answered Andersen.

"Good," I replied, "I'll take that, then"

Christian shot his twin brother a puzzled look, "That's a rather dreary reading list, Lady", he said turning to me.

"Oh," I blushed slightly, you see, the court meteorologist has predicted quite a bad storm tonight. I just thought it would be fun to read scary stories on a dark and stormy night," I used a very spooky sounding voice.

"Is that so?" both brothers spoke at the same exact time. Very uncanny.

I could tell by the look etched on their faces that each man's face, that they both knew I was lying. Oh, well there was nothing to be done about that.

I paid the shopkeepers, and happily went about my business. Warren was pleased as anything to be getting back to the palace.

There was a lot of reading for me to catch up on. Dracula and Frankenstein were both scary and classic, but A String of Pearls was simply terrifying. The story featured a demented excuses of a man by the name of Sweeny Todd. People called him the daemon barber. Lets just say that piece of literature gave me nightmares for years. I shook away my jitters, putting aside my useless fear, to focus on the task at hand.

Like clockwork, Melody fell victim to the symptoms of the sleeping root. Carlotta rushed the poor dear up to her room immediately. I had Nina keep my parents occupied, while I entertained the young man.

"Well, my Lord," I batted my eyelashes playfully, "I do hope you are finding Shireland to be agreeable."

"Please," he said taking my hand, "call me Kier. My father's the true lord."

"Alright" I said staring into the young man's hazel eyes, "Kier."

Really, I don't know what Melody was complaining about. Kier wasn't all that bad looking. Actually, he was drop dead gorgeous. It was too bad that Nina and I had made a pact to shun all boys when we were girls. I might have just taken him for myself, but I did have a job to do.

"So, I hear Shireland is the food capital of the world."

Kier was so cute trying to make small talk. He wasn't even the spoiled rich boy I was expecting to find. It made me feel almost sad for the poor bloke, but the stormy waves awaited me. There was no comparison when weighing the benefits. Swimming beats taking advantage of a poor, unsuspecting boy anyday.

"Oh yes," I agreed, "the meat pies in my country are to die for."

"We have meat pies in Tersia as well, Princess," Kier laughed.

"But surely, not like here," I argued, "the flavor goes unmatched. Of course there is the litle matter of that nasty rumor. At least I think it's a rumor."

"And what might that be?"

"Well," I feigned hesitation, "some people claim that the pie are made out of people!"

Kier shrugged off my statement, "That's absurd Princess Melody."

"Maybe," I acknowledged, "but there has been a curious increase of missing person reports."

I could see Kier's handsome face drop, but he did an excellent job covering his momentary jolt of fear.

Then I shivered like an expert, "the air is getting cooler, and it will grow dark soon. Maybe we should return to the palace."

"Sunset is at least an hour away, Princess," Kier said regarding the sky, "What's your hurry?"

"My eyes grew wide in fabricated fear, "There's been a recent infestation of vampires."

"Vampires?" Kier looked honestly frighted this time.

Nina had told me a story that Kier's uncle had had an unfortunate run in with a vampire back in Tersia. I used the information to my advantage.

"And," I was sure to emphasize the word.

"And what?" he questioned harshly.

"That lunatic scientist has been poking around the cemetery as of late." I said putting a curved finger to my lips.

At that fortuitous moment, a bolt of lightning cut through the air, and splintered a tree standing right in fort of us. A storm was brewing on the distant horizon.

"Maybe we should be headed back to the palace, Lady," Kier finally agreed.

That night, new quickly spread through the castle that Lord Keir was called away unexpectedly for some urgent business. A family emergency, no doubt.

I opened the door to my balcony and looked out side. The storm was growing more fearsome by the minute.

Ultra Special Blah Blah Blah

I know I promised Sam this chapter...but it appears that my word cannot be trusted. Please don't start boycotting my stories now. I promise they will get better.

A String of Pearls (1846-1847) is from an old book series called penny dreadfu. This is the story where the infamous Sweeny Todd fist appeared.

The shopkeepers Andersen and Christian Hans are, as most of you may have already guessed a tribute to the intellectual who created The Little Mermaid, Hand Christian Andersen. I love him so.

xJadeRainx