A Summer's Scheming

It's strong and it's sudden and it's cruel sometimes

But it might just save your life

~ Huey Lewis

Chapter 3

Every failure made me more confident. Because I wanted even more to achieve as revenge. To show that I could. ~ Roman Polanski

Leon slumped onto his bed, exhausted.

He loved his family, he really did. But some of the time they could be a little too much. Right now, if it wasn't Jenna and Finlay convinced that he'd found another fortune in treasure during the first half of his vacation and was hiding it from them, it was his mother wanting to use him as an intermediary for her interactions with Dorothea.

He couldn't even say it was unfair - he absolutely would hide financial gains from his sisters. And when he asked Nicks to handle their mother's insecurities about her new rank versus her future-daughter-in-law's hereditary rank, the elder brother had told him: "It's your fault, you fix it."

"It is your fault, master."

"I know!" He pulled a pillow over his face for a moment, realising that he'd quoted his brother out-loud.

Fortunately, Count Olfrey's manor house had been sizable so Leon now had a room to his own. Sharing with Colin wouldn't have been the worst, but he was sure that sharing with Nicks would be unbearable, if only because Dorothea would make his life hell to ensure she and Nicks weren't interrupted. Not that he'd do so intentionally. He didn't want to know the details of his brother's pre-marital interactions with Dorothea but allegedly Nicks was coming around to the idea of Dorothea wearing a collar.

"I am curious as to why you were so careful to spare lives when invading Fanoss, compared to your thoroughness in eradicating the pirates you fought previously," the AI continued.

Leon sat up on his bed. "The pirates would have been credible evidence that I have enough firepower - or rather that you do - to crush a small fleet alone. That would draw more attention than I want so at least until I have to show that card, getting rid of witnesses was the safer play to make. Besides, I might need to work with Princess Hertrude in the future. That'll be harder if she thinks I - or Carmine Sandiego - has the blood of dozens of her people on these hands." The boy raised his hands in illustration.

"I assure you that I will not think the less of you if you bloody them again."

"That's sweet of you and I'll keep it in mind." He slumped back on the bed. "Any other questions?"

"What exactly is your plan now?" Luxion enquired. "I understand that learning that the situation wasn't as you expected led to you to defer trying to interfere in the Lafan woman's activities, but it isn't clear what you want to do now."

Well, he'd invited the question. More fool him.

"I probably should have done something to avert the duels," he admitted. "I don't really care about the stability of the kingdom except as it relates to keeping my family intact, but hopefully getting rid of the flutes will leave Fanoss any means of endangering them. I'd rather not see any genocidal attacks."

The AI said nothing but somehow managed to radiate disapproval.

"I don't believe I'm the only one who doesn't have magic," he pointed out. "If you want old humanity to be revived there needs to be a gene pool to work with. Indiscriminately killing people risks that."

Luxion's drone eye closed briefly and then reopened. "I recognise the validity of maintaining your family for their chance of further old human offspring. The possibility of additional such families cannot be ruled out. Do your sources of information support this?"

"Honestly, my information is pretty good for the next year and shakier for the year after… not least because I've already been changing stuff. But I also know very little about the third game or exactly how that interlocks. But given the potentially apocalyptic consequences of the first two games, there's some other threat I don't know about."

"As much as I dislike the prospect, would confiding in the Lafan woman be advisable?"

Leon sighed. "Yeah. But right now we're in an adversarial position. If I'd acted to stop her getting entangled with the prince that wouldn't be an issue, but I was too worried about him ending up with Olivia which is drastically worse."

"You didn't have to join in with the duels," the AI pointed out.

"I wasn't really thinking about the consequences of Katarina stepping in," he admitted. "If I was then I could probably have left it to her coterie. And the whole confrontations with Brad and Greg probably didn't endear me to Lafan."

"So you believe she would react poorly to you."

"From her perspective I'm partly responsible for wrecking the bright future she was building herself, and knowing I've been isekaied would give her grounds to think it was intentional."

Luxion gave the electronic equivalent of a chuckle. "So she would accurately assess your character."

"I don't have to lay here and be disrespected, Luxion. There are lots of places I can be disrespected."

"Almost everywhere, Master."

"I figure if I can get through this year's problems and do her some favours then maybe she'd be inclined to work with me in sorting out the issues for the other two games - or at least in finding out if the enemies from them are actually a threat."

"Self interest may help there, assuming she responds rationally," the AI concluded. "A bold assumption, however you may have no choice. And do you intend to confide in the Claes woman?"

"...if she latches onto me, then her fiancee will murder me and Mary would hide my body," Leon pointed out. "I really can't take the risk."

Luxion, typically, had to have the last word. "You are very high maintenance, master."

The lecture Katarina had received from her mother when she was caught coming back from the visit to Olivia Campbell had only been the start of her punishment, she realised. It was nearly equalled in intensity and length by the instructions she received in preparation for the upcoming tea party.

All the maids had been firmly ordered that her sweet intake was to be firmly limited during the meeting of the local ladies. In fact, to Katarina's horror, her mother had even argued that if her plate was ever completely cleared then it was to be taken away from her rather than refilled.

Keith, who would be spending the same time meeting with her father and the local lords, had not been terribly sympathetic.

At least she'd thought Angelica would be there as moral support, but the other duke's daughter had politely explained that as she was supposed to be in seclusion for the summer it would be best if she wasn't seen too obviously at the Claes estate. Instead she'd gone to see the Campbells again.

So while Katarina was making polite conversation and pretending she knew what her mother's friends were talking about, Angelica would be enjoying some of Olivia's lovely baked sweets! It would be unfair if it wasn't for the fact that the other duke's daughter and fellow designated-villainess had already suffered her denunciation scene. Katarina only hoped that she would get the same consideration when Gerald finally broke off their engagement and moved on to Olivia or whoever else he finally fell in love with.

"How are you getting along with the young prince?"

Katarina blinked at the question from Countess Lergen. "Uh… I don't know Prince Julius very well," she managed. He'd always been chasing Lady Lafan around and Katarina wasn't going near someone who showed all the signs of being a protagonist! Well, except Olivia. But that was different. That was intelligence gathering, learning what route her nemesis was and what she might be cooking today.

Perhaps if she just nibbled a little on this scone she could pretend she wasn't done yet and edge over to the sweet tray again?

The countess tittered politely. "No, my dear. I mean your young prince - your fiance?"

"Oh, Gerald?" That made a bit more sense. "We're getting along." She should say something more? Katarina looked at her mother out of the corner of her eye. Yes, she should say something more. "He was studying very hard."

"Mmm, yes. I remember those exams. But he's an outstanding young man, isn't he?"

"Isn't he the top student in your class?" Viscountess Hefner interjected smugly. "I heard he had perfect scores for the initial exams of the term."

Had he? Katarina knew that he'd come top but beyond that… "I think it's either him or Scarlet. She was top at the mid-terms so I suppose it depends on the final exams." Which she didn't know the results of yet, how long did it take them to mark? Then again, if the exam results didn't come in until after she went back then her mother wouldn't be able to say anything about them until after the next term was over by which time she might have forgotten.

"Oh yes, Scarlet Rafa Ades, your niece Miranda?"

Her mother nodded. "Violette's twin sister."

"I don't think I've met either of them," Countess Lergen mused. "They're both looking for husbands again now after that terrible mess."

There was very nearly an awkward pause as everyone tried to think of something to say that didn't sound as if they were taking sides. Katarina had been very firmly told that the only thing she should bring to conversations about that was silence.

"My brother has for some reason not made that official yet," the duchess informed the ladies pleasantly. "I cannot imagine what he is thinking, which is at least consistent with most of his decisions about his daughters."

"But haven't they been disinherited?" asked the viscountess. "I was quite sure."

"Lord Seberg's son had already broken the engagement off, so I suppose one of them is free." Miranda shook her head. "But at least so far as I've been informed, Violette remains engaged to Arclight's boy."

"Do you suppose they might still get married?"

Katarina had been about to edge towards the trolly and maybe take just one slice of cake, but eyes turned to her. "I don't know him very well. I don't think Violette is very fond of him." Was she? Where had she last seen Violette… "After…" that thing she wasn't supposed to talk about. "After that, she came to see the rest of us, not Lord Arclight and the prince's other friends."

Had she dodged that? Her mother's eyes were narrowing, so probably not. "I don't think Scarlet is very interested in finding someone else anyway. She only really seems interested in Gerald and Leon."

Was bringing up Leon a bad thing? Katarina tried to remember, she knew he was part of her instructions but really there were so many and it was worse than trying to cram for the exams.

"Well that might be understandable," Viscountess Hefner said in an understanding tone. "I mean, it's unfortunate, of course, but one where there's opportunity..."

Her mother shifted her gaze away from Katarina. And now the tea tray was unguarded! Katarina went for a slice of cake and a macaroon, then sat straight and pretended she hadn't moved.

"Opportunity for a great deal of trouble," the duchess observed in a foreboding tone.

"Really, Miranda." Countess Lergen shook her head. "I understand not wanting to upset Katarina but you do her no good to shelter her. The fact is that now he's the leading candidate to be the new crown prince, girls will be lining up to try to win Prince Gerald away from her."

Katarina kept nibbling on her scone in what she hoped was a ladylike fashion. Well, yes. Gerald was terribly handsome and clever, so it was normal that girls kept trying to get close to him. If he wasn't using her to shield himself it would probably be worse… then her brow furrowed. Wait, there was something that the countess had said that didn't quite sound right…

"I had not," her mother said in a very clipped tone, "Heard that King Roland was even close to making a declaration as to the succession. Much less that he had done so."

"Oh well, it's not what has been said as much as the choices available to him," the countess explained. "The Second Prince is still a child and Duke Jeffrey is very charming, but shall we say a trifle…"

"Flighty?" Viscountess Hefner suggested, holding out her tea cup for a refill.

"A good word for him. And Gerald's twin, what was his name…"

"Alan," Katarina informed her.

"Yes, his health has never been good really, now has it?"

"He's much better now." On the brink of pointing out some of the trees that she had climbed with Alan over the years, Katarina caught a glimpse of her mother's face. And of the hand that had bone white fingers around her teacup. "Mother? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, thank you Katarina." Miranda Rafa Claes turned her gaze - her medusa-like gaze of utter villainy that could turn Katarina or Keith into stone! - upon Countess Lergen. "Do go on."

"Well, between Gerald and Ian it's plain which Roland will be more inclined to. Ian's a clever boy but not the most charming so it's obvious that Katarina will be the next queen."

Katarina's plate swivelled ninety degrees and deposited all her sweets in her lap. What? What! "Wh- oops? How careless of me?" Oh no, her plate was clean! The sweets had been lost. The maids would take it away from her!

"Please help Katarina to her room so she can clean up," her mother instructed calmly. "I do believe that we should discuss something else. After all, from a certain point of view, this entire topic could be considered anything from premature to… well one hesitates to say treason, but…"

Countess Lergen looked like a small animal as Katarina left, a small animal that realised too late that a much larger predator was eyeing it with a not at all casual interest.

Damn you, Carmine Sandiego!

Hertrude Sera Fanoss had realised that her reign would have had crises, and had believed her teachers when they reminded her that the various challenges she had faced at her young age were far from the real perils of rulership. But this, she had no doubt, was the real thing.

"The glimpses that guards and servants had of the intruder all agree that the man wore a mask." Viscount Darian was one of the most familiar of her regency council, for as castellan of Castle Fanoss he rarely had duties take him away. "I can only assume that we have been attacked by the Masked Knight of Fanoss."

Count Garrett slammed his fist down on the table. "He didn't even kill a single person. Such arrogance!"

From behind Hertrude's seat, Sir Vandel Him Zenden stirred. "For which we should be grateful."

"Grateful!?" exclaimed Darian. "You suggest that we should be grateful to the dog of the Holforts? Have you grown so old that… you…" He broke off as the killing intent of Hertrude's bodyguard filled the room. "Fear to face him again?" the viscount finished weakly.

"With no deaths," Vandel reminded him tightly. "It will be easier for us to conceal this humiliation. Unless you believe we should make public that we have lost two of our most powerful lost items?"

Garrett leant back in his chair. "Which we should not. I believe that you owe Sir Vandel an apology, Vidal."

"Ah… my sincerest apologies, Sir Vandel." The castellan mopped at his face with a handkerchief. "My words were intemperate and I withdraw them. It was wrong of me to vent my anger upon you."

The white-haired knight's glare did not fade but it was somehow easier to breathe once more in the room.

"We are all allies here," Count Garrett reminded the council.

"While the masked knight or some imitator of him is the most likely explanation," Hertrude noted, "We cannot afford to assume that it is Holfort. We have other enemies and they would doubtless laugh if we exhausted ourselves fighting Holfort only for them to sweep in once they have mastered the flutes."

She had not revealed to anyone yet that she had spoken directly to the intruder. His words would be provocative, and the fact that she had done nothing to stop him was a terrible embarrassment.

And while she found the suggestion that Vandel would have betrayed her parents ridiculous, it was at least possible that one of the council might be a traitor who had helped the assassins to enter. And that could also be behind 'Carmine Sandiego's' ability to enter Castle Fanoss with such ease.

The men at the table all turned towards her. "Your highness," Count Garrett counselled, twirling his moustache. "There can be little real doubt that Holfort is behind this somehow. They may not know what we are planning but even those imbeciles must realise that their current situation is a weak one."

"Isn't it also possible that one of their neighbours prefers a weak and divided kingdom," Hertrauda asked nervously from her seat. "Rather than the principality triumphing and establishing our own dominion on their borders?"

"With the greatest respect," Vidal Vor Darian responded in a tone that showed very little respect, "A child who slept through a great treasure being stolen from her own bed chamber should be seen and not heard. The royal household has not covered itself with glory!"

Hertrude felt her face tighten. She could not let them tear Hertrauda apart over this, even if it meant spending some of her limited political capital to save her.

Too many of those in this room still saw her as a child, not as their princess. But Hertrauda was her little sister, her last living kin.

To her surprise though, Hertrauda lifted her chin defiantly. "We must both accept responsibility, Viscount Darian. For are you not the castellan whose security failed to protect the castle? Even if we hide the theft from the outside world, we are both accountable to my sister."

"Indeed," rumbled Vandel from behind Hertrude. "Or are your words intended to shift blame from yourself, viscount, and to someone who was only reached after this masked intruder defeated all of your guards?"

The viscount looked around the room for support and saw faces turn away. No one wished to be associated with this debacle.

Hertrude sighed. Well, if her sister could not avoid being affected now, it would at least be possible to mitigate the consequences. "Viscount, you have served us well until now. We can hardly punish either of you openly, but I think it best that you depart your post as Castellan, and from this council. You have neglected your own lands in your service to us, and the time has come for you to return to them and place matters in order. We are, after all, likely to be at war soon."

Viscount Darian swallowed. Looked at Count Garrett.

"I think that that is a reasonable decision," the count agreed pleasantly. "There is no need to let one failure mar many years of loyal service." Then his glance shifted to Hertrauda. "As for the princess…"

"This incident has also shown us that we are vulnerable here," Hertrude told him. "For years we have assumed that my sister and I were safe here. We can no longer rest easily here. Princess Hertrauda will embark on a tour of our more outlying vassals - an informal exile from court that also ensures that should this Masked Knight return, he cannot eliminate both of us at once. The royal line is too few for that to be risked."

"And if that knight seeks to seize her while she is travelling and therefore lightly guarded?" protested Darian.

Hertrude smiled tightly. "Sir Vandel, if this is indeed the Masked Knight that the viscount remembers with such trepidation, you are the only knight who has ever fought the man to a standstill. I will entrust my sister's protection to you."

The white-haired man frowned. "It might be also said that he was the one knight who was ever able to halt me." The honesty evidently pained him.

"There is another reason that I must send you with Hertrauda." Hertrude straightened her shoulders. "Without the flutes, our plans for Holfort must be revised. They are in disorder now, but the possibility exists that King Roland will seize on an outside foe to rally his people behind him - such as the reconquest of our principality. We will need time to continue to prepare for war."

Count Garrett stroked his moustache as he gave her a measuring look. "And you have a plan to buy us that time, your highness?"

"Yes. One that will allay their suspicions and prevent them from moving against us for several months," Hertrude assured him, and began to explain her proposal.

"Lady Katarina!"

A white-haired missile caught Katarina Rafa Claes around the midsection. Angelica wondered if the taller girl needed support, but she caught hold of Sophia Fia Ascart happily and hugged her. "Sophia!"

"I brought new romance novels and my brother!" their classmate exclaimed in a delighted voice. "There's a new Shadowy Count book that's just amazing."

"Oohhh!" Katarina exclaimed.

Angelica gave the pair a bemused look and then Nicol Fia Ascart climbed down from the carriage that had brought the two siblings from the port. As was normal when confronted with the quite unfairly handsome boy, the blonde had to steady herself for a moment, reminding herself that she was engaged and… wait, she wasn't engaged any more. She was free to admire his height, his thick black hair and those sinful eye-lashes.

"Lady Redgrave?"

"Ah." She blushed. "Lord Ascart. I trust that you have been having a good summer."

He nodded slightly. "I have. And your own?"

"...better than I had expected when we last met."

"Ah." The young man looked at his sister and Katarina as they chattered merrily away, his face almost displaying a smile for a moment. But perhaps Angelica was mistaking it.

"Is this normal for them?" she asked him.

Nicol nodded quietly. But then, he was quiet about everything. "Sophia found it difficult to make friends when she was younger. Meeting Katarina was a blessing for her."

Thinking back, Angelica remembered occasional whispering about the Ascart household's 'cursed child'. Sophia's albinism marked her out amongst even the colourful nobility, and her inclination to retreat into books hadn't faded even now - it was easy to imagine her being far more shy and reserved without Katarina's influence.

"I wonder," she mused, "if my father hoped that Katarina would have a similar effect on me."

"Our parents are sometimes wiser than we give them credit for." Nicol exhaled slightly. "Father suggested that we bring our cousin as well, but she had other plans."

"Clarice?" asked Angelica, thinking of the second-year girl. "How is she?"

The student council president hesitated, looking for words. "I believe the best word would be bitter. She has been behaving… she is difficult to deal with."

"Ah." Clarice had always been the perfect lady in Angelica's experience. They'd attended many palace events together with Julius and Jilk, but she could only imagine that she was as devastated by Jilk's rejection as Angelica felt. The older girl had been just as devoted as she was. "I'm sorry she didn't come."

"It would have been a difficult journey," Nicol admitted candidly. "I doubt she would have come alone."

"Well at least her clique hasn't turned on her."

"That is not quite what I mean." His cheeks coloured slightly. "I believe that you could not take contract servants under the terms of your engagement?"

Angelica nodded. "Not that I would have anyway. Father doesn't approve and…" She shrugged.

Nicol shifted almost imperceptibly. "My cousin has taken on several such servants since the start of the summer."

"As…" She lowered her voice, glancing at their still chattering companions. "Lovers, you mean? I suppose she must be finding them unsatisfying if she's going through them so quickly."

"Ah, several at once."

Angelica went crimson at the very idea. "I… ah… I see. I don't believe that Duchess Claes would approve." Actually, she doubted that Miranda Claes would be in any way tolerant of even a single contract servant, much less of a guest maintaining a harem of them under the duchess' roof.

While Angelica herself wasn't inclined towards the idea, she could understand to an extent that a woman in an unhappy marriage who saw her husband only rarely might seek some other… outlet. But the girls at school with such servants weren't married yet, and they flaunted the servants, seeking to compete with each other in number and quality.

"She hasn't taken elves as servants has she?" The rumours around the spring that had led to elves falling abruptly out of fashion hadn't died down. If anything, there were now additional suggestions that elves might be violent and prone to criminal behaviour.

"Uncle Bernard at least drew the line there."

"Oh." So Clarice had actually considered that?! "I can see why you're concerned."

"Girls." Duchess Claes appeared at the doorway. "Please bring your conversation inside." She shook her head slightly as both Sophia and Katarina looked up abruptly from their discussions, having apparently forgotten that anyone else was present. "Welcome to our home, both of you."

Nicol offered Angelica his arm and she accepted it, letting him escort her up the steps and into the mansion. He must have been here many times for he was easily able to guide them into the reception room where the ever efficient staff had prepared tea and other refreshments.

Once he'd seated her, Nicol produced two letters from his pocket and extended them to Katarina and her mother. "Prince Gerald asked me to bring these for him."

Both ladies accepted the missives, opening the seals with identical gestures. "Will Gerald be visiting?" asked Keith from the doorway. He exchanged a handshake with Nicol before both boys found places to sit.

Nicol shook his head but it was Sophia who gave an explanation. "He and Alan have been taking up some of the duties that Prince Julius was to handle this summer. They won't be able to leave the continent."

"That may be for the best," Duchess Miranda noted. "The last thing the king would want would be them to fall in with some of the more ambitious nobility at the moment."

Katarina glanced up. "Did you ask Gerald to break off the engagement?"

"I did, yes. I realise you're fond of the boy but given his new prospects, I don't think the two of you would be well matched."

Angelica stiffened. How could the duchess be so cruel? Gerald treated Katarina much the way she'd always hoped that Julius might one day behave towards her. To ask such a happy couple to separate…

But to her surprise, rather than being upset, Katarina just nodded. "He's probably waiting to find the right person before he agrees."

"Mm." The duchess read her letter and frowned. "How pert of him!"

"Mother?"

"Apparently, if I want to take to match-making, he feels I should be focusing on Keith and Angelica." The duchess refolded her letter crisply. "That boy!"

Angelica stiffened. It wasn't as if the idea hadn't been mentioned in passing, but at least Keith hadn't been in the room.

The young man snorted angrily. "As if…" He paused, "Er, excuse me Angelica. It's not a reflection upon you, but I don't believe that it would be a good idea."

She couldn't deny that it stung just a bit that he was so quickly against the idea but at least she had some idea why he felt that way - and not because it was her. "It's quite alright, Keith. I'm quite as unhappy with Gerald for writing that. Even if I felt ready to consider another engagement, I have had my fill of fiances that are in love with other women."

"I-i-" Keith spluttered, his face suddenly covered by an incandescent blush. "L-lady Angelica!"

She sat back in her chair, feeling that she had at least repaid him for his dismissal of her.

"Ooh!" Katarina exclaimed. "Keith, you didn't tell me that you were in love with someone!"

Keith buried his face in his hands, trying to hide his embarrassment. "S-sister, please!"

"Is it Olivia?" the girl enquired curiously. "I think she's the only girl you've seen since we got back from the academy!"

"Katarina," their mother interjected. "We have guests."

"But mother, this is important!"

"Kat-ar-ina Ra-fa C-lae-s!" Miranda uttered every single syllable with the utmost clarity. "Don't pester your brother." She paused. "Although, who is this Olivia? I don't recall any of our guests having a daughter by that name."

Sophia covered her mouth. "Oh gosh, a forbidden romance between a duke's son and a common-born girl. It's like one of my novels!"

"I am not in love with Olivia Campbell," Keith wailed desperately.

The duchess paused. "The scholarship girl?" She looked at Angelica quizzically.

"Not who I had in mind," Angelica mouthed. This might have gotten a little out of control.

"Hmm." The duchess gave her adopted son a serious look. "I will take you at your word, Keith. It would be very difficult for a girl of her status to marry a duke's son, however deserving she might be. In much the same way that I wouldn't expect Katarina to do well if she were to... become queen." The last two words were effectively forced out. "Your happiness matters, of course, but I really wouldn't suggest marrying below, let us say, a count's daughter." Duchess Claes' gaze flicked to Sophia.

The girl managed somehow to pale further despite her natural complexion. "I'm not prepared!" she exclaimed and then grew wistful. "Though if I married Keith and my brother married Katarina…" Her eyes began to sparkle excitedly.

"Except that Gerald is still engaged to Katarina," Keith pointed out. "To return to the earlier point."

"I'll need to talk to him, I see. And to his brother." The duchess shook her head. "I'll leave you young people to talk amongst yourselves. However, if you would like to invite Miss Campbell to travel back to the academy with you, I see no reason not to."

"But who is Keith in love with?" Katarina pleaded to Angelica.

"It's not for me to give away his secrets," she told the girl, straight-faced. "I wouldn't have raised it if I realised he was hiding it." Really, how could the girl not know that her adopted brother was smitten by her? And it wasn't as if they were really siblings, so it wasn't that unusual. Really, it would ease any arguments over the adopted Claes becoming the next duke if he married Duke Luigi's daughter - not that Angelica had any stakes one way or another but it was far from the worst match-up she'd heard of.