Winter Wedding

And with a little help from above

You feel the power of love

~ Huey Lewis

Chapter 3

Revenge is a debt, in the paying of which the greatest knave is honest and sincere, and, so far as he is able, punctual. ~ Charles Caleb Colton

With the first party taking place at the Stuart mansion, Katarina had barely dropped off her bags and Anne at the (still under repair) Berg mansion before she had to go back into the carriage to be taken over to the party.

However, the carriage had been replaced by a pair of smaller cabriolets that had room only for two passengers behind the drivers.

"I'll ride with Katarina," Gerald declared, gesturing to the first cabriolet. "I'm sure you can figure out the rest, Keith."

"Now wait a moment!" Keith jumped between Katarina and the little carriage. "I'm not letting you take my sister off on your own! I'll go with her and you can ride with Angelica."

"Don't be ridiculous. As her fiance, of course I should ride with Katarina. It's your duty as her host to accompany Angelica."

The two girls exchanged looks. Katarina rubbed the back of her head, trying not to disturb her hair clasp, while Ann laughed at the two boys.

Then Angelica shook her head and slipped her arm through Katarina's. Without a word, she pulled her lightly in the direction of the second cabriolet.

Gerald and Keith seemed intent upon their argument, to the point that they only noticed the two girls had gone anywhere when they were both settling into the seat.

"Gentlemen," Angelica called to them. "And I use the term lightly. While I wouldn't expect either of you to be quite so fond of me as you are to Katarina, no lady likes to be treated like the ugly sister. We can go now." The last four words were directed to the driver of the cabriolet, who was able to quickly work the little one-horse carriage past the other and off onto the street.

Katarina had craned her head around and watched as her brother and her fiance both scrambled to get aboard the other. "I'm sorry about that, Angie," she said awkwardly.

"You have nothing to apologise for," the other girl assured her. "It's their rudeness and for them to apologise. Really, at this stage I think you need to have a long talk with your mother about the pair of them. Has Gerald ever had that talk Leon told him he should have with you?"

"Sorry, what talk?"

Angelica sighed. "That's what I thought."

"When did this happen?" And why would Leon be telling Gerald to talk to her - and it wasn't like Gerald didn't come to talk to her a lot. Maybe it had happened and she'd missed it.

"Well," her companion began. "You remember the party we had to celebrate your return after you'd been abducted?"

"N…" Katarina paused. Had there been a party like that? She'd missed the one after the play. "I… wasn't that a dream?" Yes, it had been a dream, because Gerald had told her that he loved her and then he'd kissed her. So it wasn't the sort of thing that would really happen.

Angelica gave her a surprised look. "The party you fainted at? Right after Gerald kissed you."

Katarina's eyes went wide. "WHAT?"

'Oh?' she heard Ann say in an interested voice. 'Pity that he's part-Holfort, other than that, he's a well put together lad…'

"You do remember that?"

"I thought it was a dream!" Katarina rested her elbows on her knees and started to breathe heavily. What was she going to do? How was she supposed to deal with this? She needed expert advice! Where was Sophia? Why wasn't this in the game guide? How was she supposed to get through a Gerald route without being able to check online or with Acchan? There were so many pitfalls!

For a moment she had the ridiculous notion of Olivia attacking her with Alexander, forcing Gerald to defend her and thus leading to Gerald fleeing abroad while Olivia died and Katarina was left behind to grow old without so much as a cat to care for her.

She shook her head and dismissed the idea. Alexander would never attack her when Olivia was around, the lousy sneaky bear.

"...what is even inside your head?" Angelica wondered. Then she shook her head. "Well, it wasn't a dream. After you passed out, Keith was quite angry with Gerald and Leon had to calm them both down."

"Nnnnnnggggg," Katarina commented.

"He was a little more eloquent than that. Among his suggestions was that Gerald talk to you about your relationship. Which he apparently hasn't done. Perhaps it's a trait of princes. Julius never talked to me about his feelings."

Oh no, now she'd pulled Angelica back to thinking about her old fiance! Katarina rubbed her face. "But… I thought Gerald was just using me to keep other women away. I mean, he's so clever and handsome that women would be all over him if he didn't have a fiancee."

"So you think he's clever and handsome, do you?"

"Well obviously he is." She waved her hands. "But that doesn't mean I ever thought we'd get married."

"He seems to think that you will," Angelica told her. "Maybe you should start thinking about it. Or if he's not going to bring up your relationship, you can talk to him."

"I can't do that!" Katarina exclaimed, flushing.

"Uh, ladies?" The driver looked back, his ears burning. "We're at the Stuart mansion."

"Oh!" Katarina hadn't realised that they had gone through the gates. "Thank you Simon!"

"You're welcome, Lady Katarina. I hope everything works out with your young man."

Angelica joined Katarina in climbing down from the cabriolet and they were greeted by Duchess Suzanna. "Ladies, welcome to our house. Ian and Selena are inside, please come in before it gets any colder." The older woman was wearing a luxurious grey fur scarf around her neck in concession to the weather.

As they stepped inside, Suzanna glanced at Katarina's wrist. "You're not wearing your famous bracelet from the dungeon under the academy?"

"Oh, you heard about that?"

"Everyone seems quite interested in it all of a sudden," Angelica noted. "Lady Lysia from the temple was over just this morning wanting to take it for examination there."

"You didn't hand it over did you?"

"No," Katarina told her. "Angelica said we should talk to my parents first, and get something in writing… a receipt?"

"A pledge that they will return it or pay stiff penalties," the Redgrave girl explained. "If it's really the Saintess' bracelet then people may be very motivated to possess it."

"Wonderful," Suzanna said in the sort of tone Katarina's mother used when she meant anything but. "I was hoping I could examine it. It might be the key to working out how you gained light magic."

"The saintess gave it to me."

"...pardon?"

Angelica put one hand over her eyes. "Lady Katarina."

"What? She asked!"

Suzanna glanced at the entrance hall and then gestured to the left. "Join me in the library for the moment, ladies. I believe I have to ask a little more about this and we'd better not do so with Ian and Selena's other guests."

"But what about the buffet?"

"I'll have them bring you a plate," the duchess snapped and Katarina instinctively buckled under the sudden authority.

"Suzanna, don't scare them," Duke Jeffrey chided his wife, sweeping in and wrapping one arm around her. "This is my beloved biggest little brother's special celebration. Terrorizing the guests is not allowed."

The tall woman exhaled slowly, "My apologies, ladies. I would greatly appreciate some time to discuss this matter which is of particular interest to me. I suspect that one of my… sources of information has been deliberately obtuse about the matter but I should not take my irritation out on you."

"Um, I don't mind." Then Katarina's stomach rumbled.

"Ha, ha!" Jeffrey threw his head back and laughed. "Run along then. I see Gerald arriving, I can take over the welcoming duties now, dear."

"Thank you, Jeffrey." Suzanna picked up a bell and rang it, summoning a butler out of one of the side-doors. "Could we have a platter of food in the library please. And let no one in there, not even my cousin and her companion, until Lady Claes, Lady Redgrave and I are done."

"Of course, my lady." The butler (Katarina suspected he might be a Sebastian, he looked like one) bowed formally and then stepped back, his feet silent even on the tiled floor.

In the library, Suzanna seated them and then paced back and forth until the platter of food was on the table in front of Katarina. When the door closed again behind the butler, who had brought the tray personally, she moved to face them.

"Perhaps I should begin by offering a confidence of my own," the Duchess declared. She reached into a concealed pocket of her gown and produced a pair of spectacles. Putting them on and pulling her hair back, she informed them: "In addition to being Jeffrey's wife, I am also Director Larna Smith at the Magical Ministry."

Who? "Mmf?" Katarina asked around a mouthful of salmon.

"What? Really?" Angelica looked stunned. "Wait… oh my god, you're serious? Does the Minister know?"

"Count Ascart did and I assume he hasn't forgotten, but Marquis Frampton doesn't." Suzanne smiled slyly, "I trust you won't spoil my fun by telling him?"

Katarina didn't see what the big deal was, so she nodded but it took a moment before Angelica hesitantly added her own agreement.

"Thank you. Now, if you could perhaps explain about the Saintess?"

She'd had a little practice now, so Katarina got through recounting the events at Baron Sullivan's manor with only a little prompting from Ann. She did slip and mention Luxion, but Suzanna - or was it Larna? - just nodded without any surprise at Leon's familiar.

Ann was another matter though. "History is written by the victors," she observed, once Katarina got across how different the spirit's account of Holfort's founding was from what she'd been taught. "Of course, she is likely also biased and I have no idea how accurate her memories are after centuries as a spirit. Most likely the resemblance between the prince's friends and Leon to the Saintess' company isn't as close as she thinks."

Ann started to protest and Katarina felt a headache coming on.

"The core of her story is likely enough though." The duchess shrugged. "Not that anyone can do anything about it now. Everyone involved is dead and Leon is hardly likely to be impressed by the notion of taking revenge for his ancestor on the distant descendants of the adventurers who wronged Lia."

'He'll understand once they're dead!' Anne protested, but even she seemed to have doubts.

"So you don't think there's any harm to her?" asked Katarina.

"In and of herself, no. Just don't do anything ill-advised on her counsel. She has her own agenda, but I'd imagine that you're used to everyone around you wanting something?"

"...who do you mean?"

Suzanna arched an eyebrow, then glanced at Angelica who nodded with a tired expression on her face. The duchess laughed merrily. "Oh, you are just a treat, Katarina." She straightened up. "I'll find an excuse to invite you to the Ministry though. There are some tests we can run to get an idea of how this Ann - best to call her that and not the Saintess - is affecting you. And if it is possible to grant someone light magic, that could be very valuable information. The dark mage is still out there."

"I'm not good at tests," Katarina said glumly.

At that point, the library door burst open. "Angelica, what are you doing with my fiancee?!" Gerald exclaimed, striding in.

The blonde gave him an arch look and raised her tea cup. "We're having a little tea party with your sister-in-law."

Behind Gerald, Keith caught Katarina's eye and gestured discreetly at the corners of his mouth. Katarina reached up and quickly brushed the crumbs off her face.

"Suzanna?" Gerald enquired. "Why didn't your butler want to let us in? What were you talking about that's so private?"

"There are certain topics ladies don't choose to share with gentlemen," the duchess told him with a little smile.

"Like what?" he challenged.

"Gardening!" Katarina blurted.

Everyone looked at her. Besides Keith, Nicol and Sophia were also behind Gerald, peering through the doors.

"Indeed. You don't think Jeffrey does all the planning for the mansion's gardens do you?" Suzanna picked up smoothly. "Do come in and sit down," she invited the little crowd. "You men are all about your politics and your wars, but matters of… shall we say fertility? Those are a woman's affair."

The new arrivals' faces reddened. Katarina didn't know why - gardening was a lot like farming, getting seeds to take root was a very delicate matter. She needed a lot of help.

Keith, who was pouring out some tea, overfilled his cup when she said that. Once her brother noticed that tea was spilling into the saucer, he just slumped into a chair, head in his hands, so embarrassed he was at his mistake.

"Lady Katarina," Sophia said quickly, "I've been meaning to ask you this. Next time you go on an adventure, please take big brother and I with you."

"I'll try to remember that, but I hope no one else gets abducted," she said seriously, before looking back at Suzanna. "Have you considered asking for Mary's advice? She's an expert on fertilising."

Gerald had been nibbling some shortbread, trying to hide that he was feeling irritable. Perhaps he also wanted to be invited on adventures? He bit his finger by mistake, which was unusually careless of him.

"Why don't you try healing your fiance's finger," Suzanna suggested. "It's the more normal use of light magic. And I've been thinking of inviting the ministry's new gardener over. It's amazing what a difference there's been there since they took them in hand."

"Oh, I've not been to the Ministry before! Do they have good gardens?" Katarina took Gerald's finger in her hand and tried to ignore how everyone was staring at her. Now, how did one heal with light magic?

"Yes, they've been especially fertile since the head of Magical Devices got a new gardener to help. Director Lanchester is said to be having conniptions about it."

Ann was laughing hysterically in her head and was no help at all! And what was a conniption, some sort of flower?

The tempest around the cash-shop island was just as Marie had expected. Fortunately, the temple's skyship was able to navigate it without having to go down onto the water and riding a tornado up to the island itself. Marie's stomach was sensitive enough with all the tension aboard.

"Treasure, treasure, treasure," she chanted excitedly as they set foot on it.

"There's the ruins," Chris told her, pointing out where overgrown buildings dotted the landscape. "Just the way you described, Marie."

Julius nodded. "Right. Move as a group and keep your weapons ready. If there's a lost dungeon here, it could have been spawning monsters for years."

That made sense. Marie clutched her shotgun and kept her head on a swivel as they crossed to the first building. This reminded her of the game, and how much trouble she'd had with the combat sections.

Fortunately nothing jumped out at them and the boys swept the building for threats like well-oiled professionals. Hmm, well oiled. Marie shook her head quickly - she didn't dare get distracted right now, not even by happy thoughts like that.

The building reminded her of her past life - little details about the brickwork stood out - and there were little holes here and there that could have been drilled for screws… Marie traced the pattern some made along a wall. It was almost as if there had been a light switch here, and then occasional braces holding the wire to the wall until it reached the point where it went up to the ceiling…

The small girl looked upwards and saw that the concrete had bracings for metal roof supports… but there was no sign of a collapsed roof, just the sky above.

"This is definitely an ancient building," Brad noted. "It's got all the characteristics I've read about."

"Nerd…" Greg joked and then waved dismissively as the other boy looked annoyed. "Nah, I think you're right. But don't they usually have more stuff on the walls? Those little press button things by doors and the like."

"You're right." The purple-haired boy tapped his finger at the wall where Marie had suspected the light switch should be. "I hate to say it, Marie, but someone may have been here before us."

No! Her treasure! "There should be a dungeon below us," she blurted eagerly. "They can't have cleared it out too!"

The boys exchanged looks. "Well, probably not," Jilk allowed cautiously. "Most people don't - dungeons are more valuable if you keep harvesting materials from them. But if someone's doing that then where are they?"

Marie hadn't ever actually used the cash shop, but she knew where it was - the entrance was dug into a larger building at the edge of the island. It wasn't exactly a dungeon, but it would still be full of treasure so that was close enough. All the best weapons, vehicles and other gear in the game should be under there, and it wasn't as if anything could actually make her pay cash for them now!

If anyone had actually gotten in and obtained all that, she would have surely heard of it. Dozens of lost items like those would dramatically change the balance of power in the world.

"Load lightning rounds," Julius reminded the others. "Marie's information suggested mechanical defences."

"Assuming they weren't picked off - we wasted money if those are already gone."

"Stop being so negative, Jilk," Brad complained. "If we didn't have these and there's still any of them then you'd all have to hide behind me."

The green-haired boy looked offended, but Greg laughed. "More like you'd be whining about doing all the work and expecting us to hold them off long enough for you to zap them."

Marie started chewing on her fingernails at the reminder of the expenses of this expedition. The temple had provided the skyship and the crew, but everything else was eating into their limited funds.

"Are you seeing any metal here?" asked Chris, as they entered the tunnels under the building. The tunnels didn't look like the usual hewn stone of a dungeon but more like a basement from a building back in the twenty-first century.

Julius looked around. "No… I don't. And there's no plant life. Even down here, there should be fungus or lichen or something."

"Did someone clear this place out down to the bedrock?" Jilk asked, incredulously.

"No, no, that can't be!" Marie broke into a run, quickly getting out ahead of the boys. Doorways leered empty and vacant to either side of her. There was dust and dirt, but little in the way of heavy debris as she would have expected if this place was really a derelict ruin… or at least one that hadn't been picked over.

"Marie, wait!" she heard Greg calling as the boys chased her, but she kept running, following the path she'd seen in other playthroughs (including the game files her brother had sent her) until at last the huge, cavernous dock that should have held the cash shop's contents came into view.

It was echoing vast, a great cavern that opened onto the side of the island… but what should have been metal floor, gantries and docks were all gone.

The girl dropped to her knees in despair as she saw nothing but rock, carved by human tools but there was literally nothing here but that.

Greg's whistle of appreciation was the icing on top of this disaster. "Man, this would make one heck of a concealed dock. Build a castle up top and this could be quite a fortress."

"You're right," Julius agreed. "We should lay claim to the entire island - who needs our families? We can carve out our own barony here!"

"That's brilliant!" Jilk agreed. "The treasure wasn't in these tunnels, the tunnels are the treasure!"

You utter morons! Marie wailed inside her head. She was half-tempted to just run to the edge of the cave and fling herself out to the long fall to the ocean. How did they plan to turn a barren island into a barony? They had no tools, no money or seeds. And developing an island took generations to do. For that matter, if they claimed to be barons they'd have to pay a baron's taxes and meet the military obligations of doing so.

Who did this to her? Who had taken away her lifeline?

That damned Bartford had found a giant skyship, why couldn't she have… luck… like… his…?

Oh that bastard!

Oh that utter… that scheming, laughing, swindling… had he declined Julius' invitation because he'd known they were coming here and had picked it clean?

No, that made no sense. How would he even have found it? But he did have that huge skyship, one that would have just about fit into the largest dock here…

"Chris…" she asked. "Bartford's barony… it's in the north of the kingdom, right?"

"Sure… why do you ask?"

"His family turned an island out here on the borders into a viable barony," Marie told him. "He'd have an idea how long it took, and what the costs were. But I don't think we can afford to claim it - even as a baronetcy the costs would crush us. I'm sorry, I've led us off on a wild goose chase and squandered most of our money."

"Money isn't all that important, Marie," Jilk claimed casually.

Marie gritted her teeth and revised her previous dark impulse to jump off. If she did do that, she was kicking Jilk over the edge first! Had no one ever told him that money made the world go round?

The wedding ceremony had been elaborate, taking place on the steps of the Berg mansion's chapel since there was absolutely no way that all of the guests could have gone inside. Fortunately, the chapel was behind the east wing of the mansion - well away from the damaged front facade of the east wing. The bedrooms of that wing were habitable and refurbished but the facade itself was far from presentable and had been covered with tent canvas with holes left for the windows.

Violette Rafa Ades glanced at the young man at her side. Someday, that could be the two of us, she thought. The idea was not repulsive, but nor was there the eagerness she had felt when she imagined marrying Chris Fia Arclight.

Sirius Dieke seemed to notice her attention and glanced sideways at her, giving her a gentle smile.

She returned the smile and wondered if their marriage would take place after her graduation, or if she'd be expected to drop out of the academy to marry once Sirius had completed his final year. She wasn't on the student council so it wouldn't be a major embarrassment to her father.

The final vows were exchanged and Selena Rafa Stuart's first action as a married woman was to hold her veil back as Prince Ian leaned in to kiss her quite chastely on the lips. If Violette had been placed further away then she might not have seen the passion in their eyes.

She looked at Sirius again and tried to imagine his eyes looking at her with that same desire. The idea seemed laughable.

From inside the chapel the organ began to play the wedding march - Alan playing it spiritedly in honour of his brother's marriage. Despite herself, Violette felt a smile draw at the corners of her lips. One thing that Alan was not lacking in was passion, and music was how he best expressed it.

The crowd drew back from the pathway leading to the coach that would carry the newlyweds to the Stuart Mansion. Twelve knights, six chosen by each family, moved into place to flank that path and they raised their swords to form a series of arches.

Well, eleven knights and Katarina Rafa Claes, the young woman taking the last place on the Berg side.

"Lady Claes is an unusual choice for the honour guard," Sirius murmured. "Normally only those knighted are selected."

"Lady Berg… no, Lady Stuart insisted. Quite firmly," Violette told him. Might Scarlet one day ask that of her? Well, it was unlikely. After all, Violette would probably be a Dieke not an Ades by the time her twin married. Assuming that their father ever forced another suitor on Scarlet.

Katarina seemed to be taking the process seriously, holding her sword up in line with the others as the happy couple walked down the aisle. Both of them smiled at her - no doubt crediting her for the help in resolving their relationship issues… and perhaps also for not holding Selena to blame for the earlier abduction.

At the last moment, when the two had just gone past her, Katarina swung the sword down and for a horrible moment Violette suspected there would be a horrific accident. However, she merely tapped the flat of the blade lightly against Selena's rear.

The blissful bride didn't seem to notice as Ian helped her up into the carriage, but Katarina's brother snatched the sword off her. "What are you doing?" he hissed.

"It's for luck," she 'whispered' back. "In having children."

"Those two need all the help they can get. At their rate, I think all they might get up to tonight is some very enthusiastic hand-holding," someone who sounded very like Leon Fou Bartford noted. Certainly it was Leon who got smacked over his head by the dark-haired man standing behind him - his father, most likely.

The joke got people laughing though, and as the carriage swept away, the newlyweds were able to look back and see a smiling happy crowd of guests bidding them farewell.

Of course, the moment the carriage was out of the way it was time for the scramble to get everyone across to the Stuart mansion for the reception. Despite the best efforts of both families, it wouldn't be possible to get everyone across at one time - if nothing else, the capital's traffic wouldn't allow it. As such, Duke Berg was hosting a pre-reception for the senior couples while the younger couples and more junior attendees made the journey, saving face.

Sirius took Violette's arm and escorted her to the front of the mansion, where cabriolets and coaches were already filling up. They were preceded by Count Bartford and his eldest son, the two of them escorting Leon along in transparent effort to keep him from any more sly remarks. Violette saw that Clarice Fia Atlee was walking a little ahead of that trio, accompanying an older woman and Dorothea Fou Roseblade, with whom she was slightly acquainted. That likely made the woman Leon's mother and Dorothea's future mother-in-law, Countess Bartford.

At the front, the two trios re-assembled into couples, with the two Lords Bartford helping their respective ladies up into one carriage before joining them. Violette saw the Count and Countess sigh in relief as the carriage left, before the couple moved aside to let others board and presumably find their way to Duke Berg's party.

"Lord Dieke, Lady Ades." Countess Bartford dipped her head politely to the two of them as they arrived and waited for another coach to move into place. "My congratulations on your engagement."

Violette lowered her eyes. "Thank you."

"It's my honour to make your acquaintance," Sirius picked up smoothly. "Your son is a real asset on the student council and I look forward to working with him for the next year."

"I'm pleased to hear that," the short woman said, in a tone that suggested that she was also a little surprised. "Ah, you're the new Lord President as well, it had slipped my mind."

The redhead boy shrugged slightly as if to say the lapse of memory was not a concern. "It matters little outside of the academy," he admitted. "He's a diligent worker, I wouldn't be surprised if my successor invites him to be secretary or treasurer during their term of office."

Unspoken was that Leon's non-existent magic and comparatively low birth compared to a year represented by multiple ducal houses made the chance of him becoming the president or vice-president almost non-existent. The other two positions were possible though, since traditionally the president chose the occupants rather than the teachers and governors.

The carriage stopped and Sirius opened the door for Violette while the older couple entered the Berg mansion through the front door. A patter of feet heralded Scarlet's arrival. Violette's twin had lifted her skirts and simply dashed through the mansion, she suspected.

"Lady Ades," Sirius noted with aplomb and offered her his hand as well.

Scarlet accepted and took a seat facing Violette, saying nothing as to her reason for leaving whoever her escort was behind.

"If I might take the last seat in the council," a smooth voice requested and Violette looked out to see Gerald Rafa Stuart had arrived - alone, surprisingly.

"You're very welcome," Sirius agreed mildly, boarding the carriage and sitting next to Violette. Scarlet didn't seem upset, which was a relief - Violette wouldn't have put it past her twin to have quarrelled with the prince and then tried to hop into a carriage so that she could depart with the last word.

Gerald closed the door behind them and settled into his seat, the driver getting the carriage moving almost immediately.

"You aren't travelling with Lady Claes?" Violette asked, curiously.

The blonde prince sighed. "Duchess Claes was… displeased that Katarina sought to bless my new sister-in-law with fertility in such a way. And while I would prefer to wait for her, I am rather expected at home to help host the wedding reception."

There were nods of understanding from the other three.

"My congratulations," Gerald added, turning to Violette's sister. "Your scores on last term's finals were very impressive. I really didn't expect to come second this time."

"Oh, you weren't holding back to be a gentleman?" Scarlet asked suspiciously.

"That was a luxury for the first term as I was feeling out my competition. But from here, I mean to succeed our travelling companion as Lord President so I won't be holding back."

"Good luck," murmured Sirius.

The elder of the two silver-blonde twins in the carriage gave Gerald a curious look. "If you don't mind my asking, why are you so intent upon the role, Prince Gerald?"

He crossed his legs and leant back as the carriage went around a corner. "I've been given a great deal due to my birth, Violette. Some of that are my duties, which I think I've discharged well. But the position of Lord President is one that I'll need to earn by my own efforts… well, to an extent."

"I was thinking when we spoke to Countess Bartford, that it is a shame Leon is unlikely to be a candidate."

"Probably for the best," Scarlet observed with a slight smile. "The Lord President can hardly charge off on a moment's notice to rescue a damsel in distress."

"...I hadn't considered that," the prince conceded. "Given Katarina's luck, perhaps I should pass on the role." He didn't seem entirely serious. "Although since Violette and Alan have had their turn, shall we claim the next rescue mission that comes before the student council, Lady Scarlet?"

Violette's sister nodded in agreement. Oh dear, father would not approve if Scarlet went wandering off to some far corner of the kingdom. If it wasn't for the fact she'd be the one called onto the carpet for it, Violette wouldn't have minded his consternation… but as it was…

The carriage slowed and Gerald frowned. "We're almost at the mansion, is something wrong?" He looked out of the window and Violette did the same on the other side. They were on the street outside the Stuart Mansion but traffic seemed to be building up.

The carriage stopped and the driver tapped on the roof. "I'm sorry ladies and gentlemen, the gates are currently blocked."

"Has there been an accident?" Gerald asked, pushing open the door so he could lean out further.

"I don't think so, sir, but there are a lot of guards there."

Gerald hopped down and then looked at the road. "It's not muddy," he informed the three of them that were still in the carriage. "And it's not far from the mansion. May I be so bold as to suggest that we walk the rest of the way? At least this carriage can turn around and we'll probably arrive sooner."

Violette examined her shoes, which were at least not those she'd set aside for dancing later, and looked up to see that her sister was already hopping down and taking Gerald's arm. Oh well, she was going to have to change her shoes anyway. "We may as well," she told Sirius, who was clearly waiting for her decision.

He dismounted and helped her down, and then the two couples - Violette hoped her sister wasn't falling for the prince, that would just complicate the situation around their cousin even more - walked sedately down the road and towards the cause of the obstruction.

They arrived in time to see Leon Fou Bartford dismounting from his own carriage. A quite remarkable number of weapons were immediately pointed at him - enough that if they weren't wearing the uniforms of royal guards, Violette would have been afraid that open warfare would have returned to the streets of the capital. That hadn't been a concern since her grandfather's day.

"Alright," the dark haired young lord observed, looking… well not entirely calm, but certainly less ruffled than having that many polearms constraining you should leave a person. "I'm here. What is it that you want me for?"

"That's a good question," Gerald called out. "What is the occasion that one of my brother's guests is being pulled aside by enough guards to storm a castle?"

"Your highness." The reply came from a thin man in court finery. It took Violette a moment to recognise Marquis Malcolm Fou Frampton. He'd lost more of his hair since the last time she saw him, and lost weight. Always slim, advancing age was rendering him more skeletal than ever before. And he showed little of his usual amiableness. "I regret the occasion, but I am enjoined to take Lord Bartford into custody."

"What the hell for?" Clarice stuck her head out of the carriage above Leon.

"I'm not sure," the dark-haired boy admitted, "But if we let the Marquis answer then it's just remotely possible he's about to tell me."

"This had better be good."

"There is nothing good about treason, Prince Gerald." Frampton looked saddened by his own words. "Lord Bartford, based on tips from certain agents of the crown, officials searched your rooms at the academy earlier today. We uncovered correspondence with Princess Hertrude Sera Fanoss."

"...that's interesting," Leon noted. "I'd go so far as to say surprising."

"I'm sure." The marquis folded his arms. "I had heard your name before in admiring tones, Lord Bartford. But I must inform you that based on the contents of the letters we retrieved, it is very likely that you will find your head on a block. Until such time as investigations conclude and a trial can be convened, you will be enjoying the hospitality of the crown."

"This is ridiculous," Clarice declared.

Gerald gestured for her to let him deal with this. "We are nonetheless on the doorstep of my family's mansion and Lord Bartford is our guest. There are certain courtesies that you should be well aware of, Marquis."

"Indeed, and I came here quite prepared to negotiate with your brother the duke." Frampton gave a smile that was affable but quite out of place. "Conveniently though, Lord Bartford is on this side of the property line and his arrest does not require me to have Duke Stuart's consent. Not that I would expect him to protect a traitor."

"Accusation is not guilt," Gerald told the marquis flatly. "Until such time as treason is proven, Lord Bartford cannot be legally treated as a traitor - and I find it very hard to believe that the charges will be substantiated."

"It is your privilege to hold that naive belief about a man you have known for less than a year, your highness. It is my duty to see him held securely until the trial takes place."

"And why is the Minister of Magic assigned this and not some other official of a more fitting rank?" enquired Nicol Fia Ascart. He and his sister had approached from behind Violette.

Frampton inclined his head. "Lord Ascart, it is necessary that the official be of rank to discuss this matter with Duke Stuart were that to be required, which was the expectation. Your father being a guest for today's happy event, he was unavailable and I was next most suited."

"Speaking of which." Leon undid his bow tie and loosened his collar. "May as well be comfortable," he noted. "We are rather blocking the entrance to the Stuart's. Perhaps we should defer this conversation to another time and place. I would very much rather that the happy couple's reception not be delayed."

"Is that really your first thought?" asked Clarice.

"Could be worse."

"Than treason?"

"Could be high treason," Leon pointed out reasonably. "They kill people for that."

"Treason is in fact punished by execution," Frampton corrected him.

"Yes, but not in such torturous ways." The young man gestured gently towards the weapons being pointed at him by the guards. "This is not the time to argue over the rights and wrongs of the matter, we're getting in everyone's way. Clarice, my apologies that I'll have to pass on the rest of the party. Gerald, do pass my apologies to Ian and Selena for the same. And Nicks…"

"Mother's going to be furious."

"Yes, she left me in your care for five minutes. I suggest fleeing for the county and hoping she calms down." Leon agreed sympathetically.

"It's her county, Leon."

"Your future father-in-law's county. Sorry, Dorothea, he's not usually this slow." The younger Bartford raised his voice slightly. "And I'm quite sure that I won't be disappearing quietly, never to be seen again. It would be trite to claim I have powerful friends, but I'm at least confident that my enemies will want me to attend the trial in the hopes of watching me squirm."

Sophia grabbed Violette's arm. "Is Lady Katarina going to jump to his rescue?" she whispered. "Because brother and I are right here if there's going to be another adventure!"

"...I believe she's still back with her parents," Violette observed. "So probably not." She watched Leon walk off, still surrounded by the guards. "And I think my sister and Prince Gerald called dibs if this is going to be another of her misadventures."