"Prince Turandot…"
Summary: Can the courageous Princess Amy unfreeze the icy heart of the cruel Prince Sheldon Turandot? Well, she's giving it her all…In song as well as deed.
Disclaimer: What's Chuck's is Chuck's…No infringement intended…
Part XXVI…
Inside the first of the Great Halls of the Suitors' Approach…
Pong's gas lanterns firing up to sounds of wonder…White light from the gas jets gleaming on the mix of gold leaf and mosaic tile on the colossal walls…
Ok…I grant you…DePays staring as Isabella regally repressed a gasp…
In lighting technology these Californians have us beat.
Nicely done…Ping nodded to Pong's…WhatdidItellya… nudge…Suzi beaming proudly.
"But no one's running for the doors yet…" Ping noted in whisper.
"Give it a bit…" Pong whispered back. "'Sides, lets let Pang and his folks have their chance."
"Welcome to beautiful California, your Highnesses…" Pang, standing to one side, proudly proclaimed via parchment megaphone… "And please feel free to feast your most royal eyes upon the treasures of our Empire…Which…Should you prefer to defer your quest for another time, the people of our beloved State will be very pleased to bestow upon you in tribute to your wisdom and courage!" Lilly in bejeweled gown beside him, with several other bedecked beauties, offering to view a priceless selection of lovely jeweled headdresses, necklaces heavy with brilliant jewels, bracelets of platinum and gold, also crusted with jewels, several together holding up magnificent gowns of spun silver, gold, silk…
Additional gas and torch lights firing up to reveal long tables on either side of the hall, loaded with gold, silver, silk garments, jewels, in dazzling array…
Whoa…Mala stared a bit…
"We run now, it's back to Borneo…And the risks of revolution…" Hyman hissed… "You'll be given a selection when we go for suitor protection…"
"The white silk with the emeralds…" Isabella hissed to DePays… "And that ruby and diamond tiara…Plus all the gold we can stuff into our trunks. You're sure we can claim it all later?"
"Those are the rules, I was assured, Highness…" DePays nodded. "Unless of course by some mischance…"
"Someone gets lucky…?" Isabella frowned. "Or maybe has an insider's edge…" she glared back to where Amy was quietly marching, nodding politely at the attendants as they offered various items for inspection.
Yeah…Always possible the Empress has decided it would be nice to redeem her hubbie's memory and reconcile factions…Plus win back some humanity points for maniac boy Turandot…By letting the Fowler rep win all the marbles…
"DePays…" she hissed. "What if this is a set up? The Fowler bitch set to win all …"
"The thought has occurred, Highness." DePays nodded. "It would be a shrewd PR move."
"He has to marry someone to be crowned…I've been set up, DePays." Isabella fumed. "I'm supporting cast for that nobody from a defunct kingdom…"
"Patience, Highness…" DePays patted her hand… "We will yet turn this to our advantage…And Castile's…"
"It was all so well set…" sigh… "I outlast Mala before abandoning the quest just at the gong…Her return in disgrace sparks civil war in Borneo…California intervenes and annexes half (or all, depending on how popular she and her brother are…) of Borneo…We get a permanent spice and trading concession in the new province…I return home and enter a convent where I can indulge my taste for learning and...um…Commune…With my fellow nuns. A few of them, who are the type who lean toward...Communing...anyway. Now that bastard Turandot has clearly decided to nix the deal his people made and cut us out to patch up his rep by taking on that daughter of a…"
"Highness, don't despair…" DePays hissed. "I've no reason to believe our arrangement with the Prince's ministers is cancelled. Just proceed as planned and all should be well…Hmmn…" he eyed the huge golden bowl filled with jewels to his side.
Love to claim that but I think it'd sink our boat.
"Nice stuff…"Amy's forcibly recruited serving boy noted casually as he and she moved on down the long hall after the other two. "Perhaps my lady should consider the benefits of giving up this competition…As well as the risks of continuing it."
"Thanks for the advice, no…" Amy noted calmly.
"Odd, I thought women loved this sort of thing…" the boy/Turandot eyed the heaping piles of jewelry, precious stones and fabrics, gold…
"It's nice enough…" Amy shrugged… "But it's not what I seek…Oh…" she gasped…Staring at the ruby and diamond tiara…
"It's a tiara…" gasp… "Oh, and what a tiara…" stare…
Hmmn…A bit much if you ask me… "Yes, quite a tiara…My lady." the serving boy eyed the tiara on table… "Should I tell them you'll take it gift-wrapped and toddles, with gracious thanks, to the Prince, my lady?"
"No…" she frowned at him. "Just 'cause I like tiaras doesn't mean I'd give up Prince Sheldon for one…"
"Right, if you win you get the whole caboodle and everything…I wasn't thinking, my lady." Careful eyeing.
"Excuse me…?" she eyed him coldly. "Pray, what's that's supposed to mean?" she put hand to sword…
Ummn…
Temper, this one…
"Sorry, ma'am…No offense…Just thought I was being practical, my lady. It was a very nice tiara, if you go for tiaras." He noted hastily…
"Just…" she put up a hand… "I'm sure you mean well, but please just follow my orders and don't make me think you're some spy sent to entrap me into giving up, ok? I know you'd just be doing your job but I'd find the dishonesty very annoying…"
"Yes, ma'am…" Turandot nodded. "I mean…I'm not a spy for the government, ma'am…Truly I'm not."
"I hope not…" she gave him a careful look. "But if you are, I understand it's your job and you probably think it's for my own good…Just don't push it, ok? If you want to go, you can leave now…I'm sure I'll be fine on my own."
"Oh, I think I had better stay…Please ma'am…" he begged. "I'm sure the guards will think I ran from you…And I'm sure I can assist you, ma'am. Please, ma'am. My mom's already going to be very upset that I came to see the ceremonies without her permission or telling her. And if I come back home minus my head or some limbs…"
"Oh…All right then…I suppose I should have a witness to make it official." Amy sighed. "What's your name, by the way?"
"Oh…Uh…Don…Donnie…You can call me Donnie, Mistress…"
"Nice…Well, Donnie…Lets keep up with the other ladies…First come first served, you know." Pause… "But it really was a nice tiara…" she beamed.
"I'm sure the Prince will want you to have it if you win, ma'am…Or if you withdraw." he noted.
"I won't withdraw, Donnie." She replied sternly. "Remember what I said about not pushing it…"
"Yes, ma'am." Nod.
….
"Your Excellency…" the Sydney Greenstreet imitator of a scholar had come with several others in tow to where Minister Zac and Penny were sipping that new wonder drink from China, said to cure everything from the common cold to old age, tea…
"Hey, fellas…Gals…" Zac acknowledged the group of five scholars. "Did you get some answers for the lady?"
A little too quick, guys…He sighed inwardly… But maybe my zeal thing will impress…
"A challenge indeed, sir…Yes…Hmmn-hmm…ah…But, yes…We believe we have arrived at some answers which should, if honestly accepted, resolve the young lady's difficulties. Impressive choices your father and his associate made, miss…Indeed…" nod.
"Indeed…" the other ministers nodded.
"Yeah, well…Dad did love his riddles…" Penny smiled… "So, I guess you guys would be the best…"
"Undoubtedly, miss…And lucky for you…These were in fact, rather formidable…If not unheard of…"
"Oh…"
"A few of them are found only in the archives of the Library here…" one female scholar, a bit youngish compared to the others, noted. "Your father did his research…"
"That's my dad…" she beamed.
"Yes…Hmmn-hmm…" the Greenstreet clone nodded. "Amazing character he must have been…Pity we could not meet. Pray accept our condolences…"
"Sure, thanks…" she beamed.
"Might we inquire as to the name of your rather clever parent?" the female speaker eyed her. "It's not every landowner who goes to the trouble of visiting the Imperial Law Library to seek out intriguing riddles…"
"And not many who would know to go to the Imperial Law Library to seek them, rather than just go to a local library or vendor's shop." Another, a wizened fellow of annoyed aspect chimed in.
Hmmn…This don't seem to be goin' quite so well as I'd hoped for, Penny noted to herself…
"Well…I think it's best if I don't give his name…" she smiled…Taking on a high-minded tone… "I wouldn't want our neighbors finding out we kinda bent the rules a bit…"
"Yes…Hmmn-hmm…Understandable. Minister, might I suggest we and the young lady retire to a quieter, more isolated spot?" "Greenstreet" suggested.
Uh-oh…
"Sure, if you think so, Caspar…" Zac rose. "Penny?"
"I think maybe I should just take those answers and get going…Lots to do today..." Penny smiled, nervously…Rising and readying for a break to the door.
"Mmmn…But we don't…" Caspar eyed her coolly. The other four scholars of his group likewise eyeing her.
"Gotta go with Caspar on this one, Penny…" Zac shrugged sheepishly. "He and Rosalind here…" indicating the youngish female scholar… "…Being my Dad and stepmom and all…"
Hard stares from the group, including Zac, at Penny…
…