King Charming
Chapter 26

Wendell had remained at the Ice Queen's request, staying a day and a half in her palace. It was in the mid afternoon that he had told her he was leaving; that he needed to get back to his own kingdom. He had stayed behind with the hope that Gus might resurface and he'd be able to deal with him himself. There was also a lingering hope that Amy might return, get bored as the queen had said, in that time. When neither happened Wendell knew it was time to move on – return to his duties and hope for the best.

He'd returned home in a serious state and had spent the next few days in solitude, nursing a wounded heart. He couldn't fault the princess and her friend for leaving after he had; but even the logic behind it didn't help the disappointment he held. However he forced himself back into his traditional routines and he kept a constant watch over the search for their traitor.

He sat at one of the long tables in a room that served as a mulit-purpose place used for many functions including by not limited to hosting important royals and dignitaries in treaty functions, war discussions, event planning, legislation appeals, political briefings and an array of others. Today lord Rupert had asked Wendell there. He had a team of people bustling about.

Wendell was watching the lord with a keen eye as a lady came up quickly and showed him two different fabrics. He pointed at one after making a funny face at the second one. "Queen Aurora, the sleeping beauty, enjoys lilac – or so it's rumored so this one for the drapes." He tapped his chin in thought as another servant hurried up after waiting his turn and extended a tray with a host of decadent treats on it. "This and that one – can you make them larger, more cupcake size and less petifor sized?" He asked.

The servant nodded and issued a deep bow to the lord. In all his hurrying about and being caught up in the job he did so well he finally made it over to the king. Wendell was thankful for Rupert and his craft. Though he could likely make decent enough choices Wendell found himself hardly equipped for navigating such things in the second nature that lord Rupert did. In fact it would probably bore the king stupid, but that wasn't to disregard his trusted comrade's gift – it was merely a difference in personalities.

"What have you asked me here for Rupert?" Wendell asked, hoping that he could skate by without being tasked with something. Of course the law of the land gave Wendell the authority to deny the lord any request he would make, and there was a time that the king would have rather readily blown him off, it was hardly in his person to do so now.

"Oh your majesty!" Rupert beamed at the king. "Thank you for coming on such short notice! I have the most wonderful thing." He gave a clap and yet another servant darted forward. "Fetch him." He said to the girl. She inclined her head and swept off quickly.

Wendell watched the exchange and straightened in his large and lavish chair. He turned a questioning eye on Rupert who was already waving his hands in a dismissive manner. "Our entertainment, I'm both thrilled and excited about. He's grown quite a crowd and following in Kissing Town. I assure you your highness you won't be disappointed in this bard's skill…however…" the lord's face lost only a hint of his previous energy. He clasped his hands in front of him. "He was sent by the 5th Kingdom, as their addition to party planning festivities. Their part in issuing assistance."

Wendell's face turned slightly sour at the very mention of the 5th Kingdom. He hated the very idea, and by proxy hated this bard that Rupert seemed to be singing the praise of. Despite his hesitancy Wendell couldn't deny, the hadn't the right, the entire kingdom a gift to the soon to arise (if they hadn't already) 6th Kingdomers. He could not exclude them. Though he could keep Marie from ever returning, he couldn't – rather was unwilling as it might cause unnecessary hostility – keep the rest of the king's citizens way from the 4th Kingdom. Wendell had no interest in war with them. Even so, he didn't have to like it.

Rupert's smile had been fully reapplied and he bounced a little in his spot as the servant returned, giving a slight nod before opening the door. Wendell could feel the eagerness in the lord and as he chanced a glance at him saw he was slightly shaking with excitement; and the king wondered if Rupert didn't have a crush on the man – this bard.

With a great deal of effort Rupert refrained from striding forward to greet the man as he waited for the door to open the entire way before he boldly and proudly marched forward at a confident and almost loping gait. He wore lavish garb, leggings with ballooning britches at the mid thigh point. His tunic was brilliantly white with a golden vest over top and a matching golden hat sat atop his head. A feather through the sagging material of the hat floated with each step the man took. A strap across his chest was holding a lute secured to his back. He jingled with a tambourine at his side and small hand held drum hung from a loop on his tilted belt. From under the hat poked dark spiky hair, and quickly behind him scurried a lovely woman with long golden locks that poured over her milky shoulders. He had charisma, enough that the servants looked on charmed with his very presence.

He stopped just next to Rupert and in front of Wendell. After a pregnant pause he extended one arm fully out to the side and placed the other across his chest as he bowed; fully taking a knee and dipping his head in reverence. "Sire, it is with great pleasure that I offer up my services to entertain at your most festive event and party goers." His voice carried through the room and he let another pause linger and he remained with his head bowed. Finally he rose and looked proudly down at the king. Wendell was staring at him too, he wasn't sure exactly what to think yet – though he couldn't deny that the man seemed cut from the mold of the excessively eccentric 5th Kingdomers. "I'm Ashton Lionel, Bard of Bethal Square and personal entertainer of his majesty's royal court in the land of our Emperor in the 5th Kingdom."

"Welcome to the 4th Kingdom Bard Ashton Lionel." Wendell said curtly with a slight tilt of his head.

The bard laughed lightly. "Ash – please sire, Ash will do. I know the rest is a mouthful. Please understand I've been in your land for nearly a week now – performing in your Kissing Town. Might I say you house the fairest of damsels in this fine kingdom."

Wendell stiffened slightly. He had harbored that opinion himself; but he was unwilling to entertain it from a near stranger and 5th Kingdomer. But he made no comment on it. He merely pressed forward. "Who is your companion?"

Ash glanced over his shoulder in surprise, as if it were the first time he realized another person was there at all. "Oh her." He said waving a hand. "She's my assistant. You may call her Anne. She doesn't talk much but she can play a mean lute." He winked, swiveling his head back around to the king.

Wendell really wasn't sure how to gauge this man now; he had such a lack of manners in royal presence that the king was a bit perplexed. It didn't help that he was baffled by his words. "A…mean…lute?" The king asked.

"Ah!" Ash waved a hand. "I merely imply that she's keen and skilled with the instrument. No matter, no matter – would you require a demonstration? I'm well versed in all ballads of the lands. This one too in fact! I know several of your own story." Ash asked, preparing to remove any one of the instruments attached to him and burst into song right there. Flattery was not shameful to Ash, he went on just as merrily and without missing a beat as he fully intended to sing a song of such events.

"That won't be necessary. You come highly recommended from my lord." He gave a slight nod of his head toward Rupert. "An alcove will be arranged for you and any other performers you might have to entertain the guests. Will you need any additional instruments or staff?"

"Oh no, no your highness." Ash said quickly waving his hand yet again. "We will bring all that we need."

Again Wendell nodded. "Good then. Please feel free to stay until the event."

"Thank you your majesty but again we must respectfully decline. We will need to swiftly return to the castle of the 5th Kingdom and gather our supplies. Though we will return the morning of the event and will need to start preparing our set up then. If you would have the venue cleared and ready for us by the morning of the party of the century I would be in your debt."

"Done."

Ash issued one final bow, nodded with a wide grin at Rupert and then disappeared behind the doors. "Easy as pie." The young man grinned giving a pleased little laugh before glancing over his shoulder at his companion who promptly smacked in him the back of the head. "OUCH! What was that for broadzilla?" He grumbled, rubbing his neck, as they moved together down the vacant hall.

"Oh her?" The blonde curled her lip in disgust repeating his very words. "Azh you zhould conzider yourself lucky that I need you."

"Down tiger." Ash hissed holding up a hand in defense. "I did my part, I got us in princess. You should be thanking me."

"ME!? Thanking you?" She howled. "Without me you would be a nobody in your homeland; I have made you a ztar. Money in zee right handz and zee right placez. Maybe zee mozt zought after lowly entertain thiz kingdom haz ever zeen."

"Maybe to start off with." Ash grumbled. "But you're riding on my popularity now lady. This is all because I can actually entertain them. Besides you have to hide in that disguise to even enter this place – who should consider who lucky now?" Ash said quickly with a wrinkle of his nose. Ash had been a phone agent, like so many young people who opted not to take the college route. His call center experience was only a temporary thing, or so he had claimed, until he and his band could take off. He'd been saying that for more than three years.

Though originally he had been livid at Marie for her antics of earning him as what he considered a slave, he quickly realized that he could benefit from her. She had the money and the power with which to launch him to stardom; and though it wasn't exactly they type he'd always expected or hoped for it was still movie star like glamour. He learned the songs of the lands with ease, quickly, and incorporated his own flare to their styles. He loved it, he fed into it, he played it up. He enjoyed his fans – the rather large group he'd gathered in the short time he'd been there. As a result of his spring boarding into his entertainment career, one he owed entirely to Marie, he agreed rather handily to repay her however she wanted. She wanted to be Wendell's wife – and with that a plan began to take action. The details were all set into place and the wheels began to crank forward into motion.

The first step was successful, Marie's magical disguise. Though she wasn't overly fond of the blonde hair and fair skin she didn't care what she looked like as long as she remained beautiful and gained easy access to Wendell's life. It was permanent. Her father had nearly died when he saw her and realized who she was, but she considered it a minor price to pay if it meant she would earn her queenly crown.

The second step, too, went off without a hitch. Ash's performance had been exquisite. She couldn't have been happier in securing a performer, it was easy to draw a crowd to charisma and Ash played the part well. It was almost as if he were built for it. He, on the other hand, had been waiting his whole life for this sort of attention. It was because of his musical skill that Marie realized if she shot him into extreme popularity that she could also gain easy access to the castle through his acting as the entertainment; it would give her a chance to slip off unnoticed while Ash wooed the crowd. He had promised to handle Amy, should she be there – while Marie took the final steps to win Wendell. It was a success she just knew she had in the bag; she could win Wendell's heart. And though she wanted to claw Amy's face off and scream that she was nothing more than a 10th Kingdom nobody, a fact she'd learned from Ash, she knew that it was an accusation long hence defeated. Though she knew she was entirely responsible for the lie, one Amy had played along with (the entire thing made Marie sick to linger on it), she also realized that something else had transpired because the horrible Amy and her stupid little friend had been whisked away to the 8th Kingdom and were now likely serving a dungeon sentence. That little fact made Marie writhe with glee and, for now, she would let the lie remain – if it meant that those two were suffering the Ice Queen in some way. However, she knew she held the truth card – she might have started the story, but she also had the power to bring it all crashing down. It made Marie a very happy little princess.