Chapter Thirteen: Royal Mail

Gary Goodspeed aside, the aftermath of Catomar's wedding turned out to be surprisingly dramatic, far more than the actual wedding, and not in the sense of action, but in the sense of petty childishness. Avocato just very much wanted to slip back into his familiar academy routine, and for a day or two it seemed he might actually get his wish. That was until a number of cadets from high-ranking families received letters from relatives who had been at the wedding of Lord Catomar and Lady Vana (or wished they were), which was being touted as one of the events of the season for the brilliance of the match. There was mention of Royal Academy cadets attending, which prompted many of the letters. While their conduct and dancing could not be faulted, a number of hopeful suitors complained that Lady Clawdia seemed completely, almost scandalously enamored with one of the cadets. Equally annoying, the most beautiful girl there, Lady Cordell, danced more sets with a farmer-turned-cadet than with the sons of grand lords, and, deeply shocking to their senses, her father hadn't forbidden her from associating with him. Finally, the third cadet, the ridiculously handsome brother of the groom and a Blue Imperial no less, had made an absolute spectacle of himself and Lady Cordata on the dance floor. Depending on the attitude of the letter-writer, Cadet Lord Avocato had either been a showing-off cad who embarrassed himself and a helpless lady with that display, or he was an amazing, graceful, breathtaking, sensuous dancer and did the reader know if he was betrothed? Could they find out, please?

So, one morning a few days into the fourth semester, Avocato and his friends stepped into the dining hall and found themselves the focus of at least half the students present. A little bubble of silence and stares and glares moved with them through the huge room, and hissing whispers followed in their wake. The only ones who seemed to restrain themselves were the third-year cadets, who had learned to give Avocato a wide berth.

"Why does this not surprise me?" asked Toshi, setting down his tray. He set to his meal, content in his ignorance.

Avocato smiled an empty smile and shook his head. "I'm surprised it took this long, to be honest."

"I take it this worshipful adoration I'm sensing is because Nikos' uniform suddenly fits like a second skin?"

All eyes turned to Nikos as he sat. He stared back, self-conscious, and asked, "What?"

"Definitely a factor," Avocato had to admit. He had already stolen Nikos' extra uniform and sent it to the tailor for alteration along with his own and Kedi's, his logic being it would be a shame to waste all those measurements. Nikos had yet to notice.

"What did you do?" demanded FannFee, rushing to their table with her breakfast, three friends, and a list of demands. She dropped her tray and threw herself into the last empty chair, food the least of her concerns when there was gossip to be had. "Mitty says the older brother of one of the fourth-years wants to call Kedi out for a duel!"

"What?" exclaimed everyone at the table, Kedi being the loudest. FannFee nodded energetically. In genuine Ventrexian fashion, this threat to her friend's life was apparently no way upsetting to her in light of a juicy story.

"It's true," gushed Mitty, squeezing in to share FannFee's chair. The other two girls found seats - one on Felice's knee and the other crowded beside Nikos. "Lord Tiggo's heard from his brother. His parents were at a wedding last week where an academy cadet just like Kedi danced with the lady - what was her name?"

"Clawdia," said her friends, Kedi, Nikos, and Avocato.

"-almost all night!" she finished. "They said Clawdia hardly looked at anyone else, and only danced with three other men, one of them her father! That's unheard of! She's a grand heiress! First heir of two houses! Only heir of two houses! Almost all the houses with available males are courting her. Tiggo's brother, the first heir of House Tiggs, was negotiating a betrothal between him and Lady Clawdia and now all negotiations have been completely cut off!"

"Lady Kali said almost the same thing about her cousin!" squeaked the girl beside Nikos. "And Lord Oreon!"

"So, what did you do?" repeated FannFee. She was smiling widely and her eyes glittered with anticipation and relish over such a scandal.

Kedi, who had not known Clawdia's status as a grand heiress, groaned and hid his face in his hands. Nikos sighed and looked resigned to his fate, whatever it might be. Avocato put his fork down with more force than was necessary.

"We went," said he, on the defensive, "to my family's estate for my eldest brother's wedding."

"Your eldest brother is Lord Catomar? You're a son of House Cato?" breathed the girl on Felice's knee, her eyes huge with realization.

Knowing this would get out eventually, Avocato looked at her squarely, raising his chin the least bit. "Yes."

Except for Nikos and Kedi, who was still in hiding, everyone stared at Avocato in speechless shock. They had known he was of noble blood, with some connection to the old imperial family, but until this moment they had no idea he was the son of a grand lord and an imperial princess. The fact that his name did not start with his house had thrown them off completely, but that was a tradition from his mother's side of the family.

Still stoically refusing to be impressed, Toshi broke the spell. "Pawlette, pass the seasoning, would you?"

"Oh, I wish I had joined you! So, you did dance with Lady Clawdia!" squealed FannFee in delight, grabbing one of Kedi's fingers to peel his paws away from his face. "And Nikos," she said, rounding on him where he'd been trying his best to be invisible. "It seems Lady Cordell was quite taken with your dancing. According to Lady Kali's aunt, you caused quite a stir in house Cordon!"

"In more ways than one," Avocato said softly. "Though, really, Fann, knowing these people and the circles they move in, does the admiration of these ladies come as any surprise? Allow me to say that my cousin Clawdia has been given the freedom to choose her own husband. If she prefers Kedi, perhaps these lords should examine their own conduct and ask themselves why they failed to impress. They've had years to win Clawdia. Kedi managed it in two days."

As could be expected, his words were just fuel on the fire. Whispers, stares, and pointing fingers followed them everywhere. Tensions at the academy only increased as the nobles in the student body figured out exactly who and what the Blue Imperial in their midst really was. to his annoyance, Avocato found himself with several cadets suddenly trying to worm their ways into his good graces. Compounding the situation was the resentment that Avocato generated by successfully thrusting the likes of Nikos into the midst of their society. It was enough to make their blood boil. Kedi was bad enough, but at least he had the decency to be from a noble house, small and foreign though it may be. A farmer stepping out with the daughter of an arch lord was not to be abided, especially since no one else at the academy had a chance with so famous a beauty as Lady Cordell.

Though the first-year cadets were not allowed to get packages, they were allowed letters, and many of them received letters in abundance. As a general rule, the further from home, the more letters they were sent. Nikos received mail every week, usually from his mother though occasionally from his younger sisters or friends. Kedi would would get a huge stack every few weeks, as if his family had saved up a mass of letters before sending them. Avocato heard from his lady mother regularly, sometimes from Catowba, rarely his lord father, once from his grandfather in Hiis, never from Catomar outside of MewMew adding his greetings to hers. His family was nothing if not predictable.

It was the duty of their dorm monitors to distribute the letters, which was usually done the first day of the work week at breakfast, then again towards the end of the week. It was easiest then since all the cadets were in one spot at once, and they were familiar with the various cliques of friends that had formed and where they preferred to sit. The week following Catomar's wedding saw an increase in letters in general, much to the chagrin of the monitors. When the reason was discovered, they just shook their heads and gave the five fourth-years in charge of the first-year dorm dirty looks as if they were responsible for the antics of their resident Blue Imperial.

And then, amidst all the plain envelopes from Vel Pitten, Nikos was handed a small yellow envelope addressed in a graceful hand and smelling of perfume. Even Cadet Lin, that image of stoicism, could not hold back a tiny, knowing smirk as he handed it over.

"What is . . .?"

Avocato gave off reading a letter from Catowba and leaned over to have a look, recognizing the perfume. "I suspect it's a note of thanks."

Nikos frowned, whispering, "Whatever for?"

"Well, within my family's circles, when you've enjoyed the company of a lady you never met before, it's rather expected a gentleman send her some small token of appreciation. Flowers are the usual."

Avocato was treated to a look of scandalized horror. "You sent Cordell flowers from me?"

"Don't be silly, Nikos. Of course I didn't. Cordell's allergic, but Clawdia got flowers. It was Catowba. He sent Cordell a fennit-feather ink brush for her art."

"I - what -eh - and did you send Purrsis something?" sputtered Nikos.

"Of course. She's studying engineering, so it seems I sent her an enameled drafting pen."

"You should have told me!"

"I did." Avocato held up the letter in his hand. "I just found out myself."

"I sent Lady Clawdia flowers?" asked Kedi from across the table, not in the least distressed by this news.

"Yes," said Avocato, reading off the letter from Catowba. "A very large bouquet of blue and yellow exotics in a cut crystal vase, delivered the day after the wedding."

"Excellent! No less than she deserves! Thank your brother for me, Cato. Nikos, no pouting! When in Alfatrix, you follow their traditions."

"But . . ."

"Honestly, if Catowba hadn't, my lady mother would have. It's just a little gesture."

"To you. Cato, you do too much. I can hardly afford a gift . . . or such a wife," he added.

"Nikos, you're my friend. This is not more than I want to do, or would do for any of my friends." Avocato shook his head. "Cordell she doesn't want to be bought, she wants to be charmed." He flicked his finger against the envelope clutched in Nikos' dark paw. "And she wants you to charm her."

"I don't know how."

"I'm willing to bet she says otherwise."

"I hate you."

"No, you don't."

But Nikos was oddly quiet and broody the rest of the week.

The real tipping point, however, came on the last workday of the Ventrexian ten-day week. After a stretch of eight days, they always had the last two days free of drills and classes, and could study or catch up on homework or play sports. At the evening meal on this last day, the cadets were allowed to take a little extra time eating and socializing if they wished so long as they didn't get raucous and were in their dorms before lights out. So, they lingered at their table in the crowded dining hall, taking advantage of the privilege and listening to Kedi retell their adventures of dancing and swimming and Avocato almost panicking over the grounds keeper's fury at finding Nikos splashing in the pond.

There was a stir by the main doors that drew the attention of everyone present as a courier stepped into the dining hall. He was liveried in an elaborate imperial blue and royal black uniform that dated back centuries, well before Ventrexia had ventured into space. From his belt hung a sword and blaster, and he carried a metal staff of office that doubled as a weapon. He could well have stepped out of an ancient mosaic or painting. Silence fell as he was ushered directly to Commodore Leone where she sat with the various class heads and instructors. To the surprise of many, the commodore stood and bowed to the newcomer. Colonel Cataloupe was summoned for a consultation, and then Cataloupe scanned the tables, looking for someone.

"Who is that?" wondered Pawlette in a whisper, clearly expecting Avocato to know all.

He didn't disappoint. "I can't tell you who, but I can tell you what – that's a royal courier. They serve only the king and his direct heirs. They're rather like . . . ambassadors. They can do anything necessary to fulfill their duties, and can't be required to set aside their weapons by anyone. They represent the king, so interfering with them on a commission is a felony." Leaning close to Nikos, he softly hissed, "If this is what I think it is, if he comes to this table, stand and bow like I showed you, just not as deep and don't wait for him to raise you."

"What?" Nikos gaped at him, and Avocato winked and sat up straight.

The motion caught Cataloupe's eye, and he smiled behind his moustache when he spotted what he'd been searching for. A moment later, the colonel was escorting the courier through the rows of tables. A faint buzz of whispered conversations followed then, then stopped the moment Cataloupe approached Avocato's table and said,

"Cadet Nikos."

A kick under the table from Avocato galvanized his friend. Nikos rose and, slightly awkward in his surprise, saluted his superior and then bowed to the courier.

Cool and poised, the courier smashed his staff onto the floor with a resounding chime, inclining his head to Nikos as the sound faded. Holding out a large and heavy envelope tied with a black ribbon and stamped with the royal seal, he said, "Cadet Nikos of Answaar, as promised, Her Royal Highness, Princess Apricot, gracious consort to His Royal Highness Prince Leonid, the Crown Prince of Ventrexia, has sent a number of documents for your consideration. Her Highness asks that you reply fully and honestly. The means of returning the documents is included, as well as contact information should you run into any difficulty. This is a royal commission," he added, his voice carrying, "and woe befall anyone who interferes with its execution, for they do so at their peril."

Nikos took the envelope in hands that trembled slightly. Clasping it tightly as if afraid to drop it, he looked at the seal for a moment, then at the courier. "Thank you, sir. I'll make sure it's returned quickly. And . . . if you think it's appropriate, please give my thanks to Her Highness once again for her interest and generosity."

Inelegant, perhaps, but the simple and heartfelt request seemed to defrost the courier a little, because he smiled the least bit. "I shall do so, Cadet Nikos. On behalf of Her Royal Highness, you have her thanks and kindest regard, and she looks forward to the day you are an officer in Ventrexia's service."

"Thank you, sir," Nikos echoed. "I will always do my best."

"As well you should. My task here is done," said the courier, using the formal words to end his delivery. He smashed the staff down again, sending a long, gonging note through the hall, and stood waiting.

Nikos clearly did not know how to respond, so Avocato leaned over and carefully plucked the envelope from his grasp before giving a little jerk of his head. Catching on, Nikos repeated the bow, and Avocato returned the missive to his paws. The courier smiled in faint amusement, letting his gaze shift to Avocato for a moment as he nodded to them both. It was clear he knew exactly who Avocato was, and approved him coaching his friend through a stressful encounter.

A large and weighty silence filled the dining hall after the courier strode out. Nikos stood stock-still, knowing every eye was on him and able to feel the curiosity and jealousy and raw hatred. Cataloupe, fighting the urge to smile, gestured toward the door and quietly said, "Perhaps you'd like to join me in my office to fill me in, Cadet."

"Yes, sir," whispered Nikos, grateful for a chance to escape under escort. He turned to reach for his pack of books, but Avocato waved him on.

The silence followed them out the door, and wasn't broken until Avocato let out a long, quiet chuckle of pure amusement. Princess Apricot had done that deliberately; there was no other way to look at it. She'd had so many questions for Nikos about the scholarship he'd been awarded that she finally asked if he'd mind writing his answers, lest they spend the whole night talking business. A royal commission, though excessive in this situation, was as much a sign of distinction as a warning to their peers that Nikos was in the sights and favor of their future queen. Surpassing happiness at this development, Avocato grinned at Kedi, then leaned close to whisper, "Don't tell anyone."

Kedi sighed and shook his head, then nodded in agreement. Trouble might follow, but let this drive the whole academy crazy. What was one more item to get the student body agitated?

Up at the head table, Commodore Leoni sat back in her chair and sighed as every student in the hall began to talk and whisper at once. Once again, the Blue Imperial was proving to be as great a nuisance as an asset.

"What an interesting friend he must make," she mused, promising herself a long talk with Cataloupe to find out what this was about.

Beside her, Tibbet refilled her glass of wine, lifting his own glass in a toast. "Still glad he's not mine."