Compare and Contrast

But do be glad baby when you've found

That's the power makes the world go 'round

~ Huey Lewis

Chapter 5

Living well is the best revenge. ~ George Herbert

The day after the battle, the city of Holfort was still marked by the damage done. But the fires were out, the wounded recovered and so too were most of the dead. Those who had survived would have a great deal to do… but today, with the most immediate actions taken, had been declared a day of celebration.

The city's great square, between the palace and the temple, had been cleared of market stalls to serve as a landing place for skyships during the battle. Now it was crammed with thousands upon thousands of citizens, with many more aboard skyships that hovered in ceremonial ranks low above the city.

A hasty but heartfelt service giving thanks for the victory had brought almost every surviving knight and noble into the temple - the citizenry had shared in it from outside, the prayers and preaching relayed by loud-voiced priests. They were occasionally drowned out by cheers as someone caught a glimpse of Katarina, Angelica or Olivia - or thought that they had.

Leon didn't get cheers like that, and he was quite happy with that. Ultimately, the three of them had saved the day, while he was - at best - one of the many other people that had contributed.

Marshals had kept the temple's stairs clear as much as they could and now the nobility filtered out to stand to the left and right of the broad front of the building, wearing whatever finery they had been able to obtain - or borrow in several cases, where their homes had been among those destroyed. Leon had been sitting with his family inside but as the family left, he broke off and joined Clarice in helping Count Atlee.

Bernard Fia Atlee was missing most of one leg. Even with some care from one of the few adult light mages available, he probably shouldn't be out of his bed, but he was stubbornly intent on not missing this event. The older man was leaning heavily on his daughter and Leon, the two of them carrying him as much as they were supporting him.

He wasn't the only wounded person and Leon would have preferred to just carry the man in a chair, but there wasn't enough room with the nobles crammed onto the stairs. Knights and other gentry had to actually watch from inside the temple, which didn't give them a very good view.

"People of Holfort," Queen Mylene declared, her voice carried across the square by Count Ascart's wind magic. "Together with allies we never expected, we have triumphed over Christophe Vor Garrett and the dark magic that he unleashed upon our kingdom. Many are the heroes who have played a part in this victory -"

She had to pause as cheers rose up, along with chants of "the Saintess!" "the Saint's Sword" and "the Saint's Shield."

After a moment, Mylene raised her hand for silence. "Many are the heroes," she repeated once she had something close to quiet. "And not all of them are with us today. Too many to name, too many to ever forget. One loss is personal to me, and significant to all of you. King Roland Rafa Holfort is among the many who fell in battle, opening the way for the brave knights who slew Count Garrett. It may be only one loss among many… but it leaves our kingdom without a king."

The queen lowered her head for a moment, then squared her shoulders. "Before the battle, his highness told me his wishes in terms of the succession."

For many of the crowd, this would be the first they heard about the succession. It was less than a year since Prince Julius had been removed as Crown Prince and many probably assumed that he would still become the new king, both because no one else had specifically been named and because he had been among those who found and killed Garrett.

Taking out a scroll, Mylene held it up for all to see - not that anyone would be able to read it. "This is the last decree of King Roland, in which he formally adopts our nephew Ian Rafa Stuart as his son and the new crown prince of Holfort. Prince Ian, please join us."

Wearing the same white suit he'd worn for their marriage, Ian walked forwards with Selena on his arm. Fortunately she had something to wear other than her wedding dress - unlike the Stuart mansion, the Berg estate had suffered only minor damage.

"Is that true?" Clarice asked very quietly. "I know Ian and Selena activated the royal ship, but…"

Leon smiled. Luxion had worked the document up for him to give to Mylene. It should look genuine. This was hardly the place to admit the falsehood though. On the other hand, lying to Clarice would be an unfortunate step. "Truth, justice and love are all human creations," he told her instead. "It's true if we all accept it as so. And look out there."

He pointed out at the crowd, where cheering was rising up at the sight of a young, handsome prince and a beautiful princess being presented to them.

"They're off to a good start," Count Atlee murmured. "The royal ship is good, but a real king has to have support as well as fear."

Leon nodded.

"Tell me, Leon," the man asked. "Did you ever consider trying to unseal the ship along with my daughter?"

The boy glanced at the man. "I suppose that if no one else managed to open it, we could have tried. But I have to say, I don't think it would have done us any favours as a couple. Can you think of anything less romantic than putting numbers on love? What if one of us scored less than the other by whatever the standard the seal uses by?"

Clarice made a face. "It doesn't seem to have worried the happy couple."

"By sheer chance, they both scored exactly the same," he told her. "Perhaps it wouldn't have harmed their relationship, but… it makes me nervous. I'm not going to blame you if you disagree with me."

The girl looked thoughtful. "I'm not sure. I guess if I'd gone through it with Jilk thinking that we loved each other and found the truth out like that…" She shook her head. "Although, I don't think your feelings are fake."

"Fake or not, do you think we love each other as much as they do?" Leon asked, pointing at the pair now standing before Mylene.

"Perhaps not," she admitted, reaching up and touching the choker she was wearing. "Before we…" Then she frowned. "Who's that?"

Leon followed her gaze up to the stairs, where a hooded figure was carrying a crown on a cushion. "Hard to say, I presume that the hood is to keep us from knowing?"

"It's traditional at a coronation for the daughter of a high noble household to carry the crown to the king," Count Roseblade told them.

"But who?" asked Clarice. "It's not one of the Ades twins, or Angelica - I can see them. But they're too small to be Mary or Katarina."

"They're not that short," Leon pointed out. The long blue hooded robe hid features but not so much height or - "...oh."

"You're slow today," the girl said with a little laugh. "But seriously, I think I know every viable candidate in the capital."

"Be patient," her father told her with a slight smile. "She'll lower her hood once he's crowned."

Queen Mylene accepted the state crown from the cushion and raised it high. "Ian Rafa Holfort, do you swear to defend and govern the kingdom of your ancestor in the light of the Saintess?"

"With god's help, I shall," the young man pledged solemnly.

"Will you rule in accordance with the laws and customs of our land, exercising the justice that is the marriage of law and mercy?"

Ian glanced sideways at Selena, a very slight smile touching his lips, before replying: "With the help of the lords and ladies of this kingdom, I shall do so."

The queen - or rather, the queen dowager now, Leon thought - lowered the crown until it was just above the golden hair of the prince. "People of Holfort, do you accept this prince as your king?"

It was a formulaic question - there was no constitutional right of the people to object - but the stage management had more or less ensured that the crowd cheered enthusiastically at the notion.

With what appeared to be relief, Mylene placed the crown upon Ian's head. Count Roseblade and Leon's father stepped out, holding an ermine cloak that they quickly secured around the young man's shoulders. It didn't take two of them to carry it, but securing the heavy garment quickly went much easier with four hands working. Leon thought that Barcus looked quite bemused to be part of the hastily organised coronation.

Mylene turned Ian around before moving to stand at his side, mirroring Selena. "People of the kingdom, I present your new king." And then she reached up and removed her own tiara, letting her silver-blonde hair fall loose around her shoulders, handing it to him.

Ian accepted the tiara, but before turning to Selena, he leant over and murmured something to the dowager (who looked of an age that she could as easily have been the woman married to him). Leaving her blinking slightly, the new king held the tiara before him. "My people, it is our custom that no man should be without a wife to stand beside him. And I am blessed to have at my side the wise, kind and beautiful lady you see before you." He settled the tiara on Selena's bowed head, then gently pushed her straight so he could kiss her cheek. Both of the royal couple were flushed as Ian proclaimed. "My people, your new queen!"

The cheering hid Clarice's gasp as the girl who'd brought out the crown finally threw back her heavy hood, freeing long dark hair. "Hertude?!"

"Indeed," her father told her. "You'll understand shortly."

"Fanoss is rejoining the kingdom?"

"Or immediately, I suppose," he admitted.

Clarice smiled at him brightly and then glanced at Leon. "Did you know?"

"It was mentioned during the war council, but I didn't know she'd be carrying the crown," he admitted. "I wasn't involved in planning today's ceremonies."

"Better to keep a low profile," the count agreed as Mylene moved around to kneel to Ian in homage - just the first of the many who would do so. The newly crowned king raised her back to his feet and insistently drew her back to stand at his side when she tried to retreat. Clearly he had not the slightest intention of letting Roland's queen depart court - at least, not until his reign was well-established. "Speaking of which," Bernard added. "I believe you should be aware of the academy's upcoming exchange programme with its counterpart in the Alzer Commonwealth?"

"I am." And Leon was planning to sign up for it, however much it risked hurting his relationship with Clarice. The prospects of what would happen if matters were left to follow their natural path were clear in the books. He could hope that - as here - there would be other unexpected factors that could save the day. But trusting to hope alone when millions of lives were at risk was not something Leon liked the idea of.

The count sighed. "I'm going to ask you a large favour, Leon."

He gave the man leaning on his shoulder a curious look as Julius led his half-siblings up to swear to their adopted brother. Both Layne and Erika seemed rather bemused at the events, wearing mourning colours for their father - although Leon saw the boy give Violette Rafa Ades a long look as he went up the steps. "I'm listening."

"It would be a great reassurance to me if you were one of next year's exchange students," the one-legged man admitted.

"Daddy! Are you trying to get rid of Leon?" asked Clarice, barely keeping her voice down.

"No, dear. I'm going to Alzer. I'm the kingdom's treasurer, and we paid a very heavy price to win this war. Keeping our finances stable will require large loans and the Commonwealth is our best shot at that. The pension reforms Leon suggested to me will be necessary just to keep the costs of what we must pay to the widows left by two major defeats under control and that's only one part of the financial burden."

Leon frowned. This seemed almost too convenient. "And you want me there too?"

"Not officially, but the Commonwealth's nobles can be difficult." The count looked regretful. "Their great tree provides them immense defensive advantages so they're often arrogant. Out of the original seven noble families who rule Alzer, we previously had close ties with the Lespinasse household, the leading house. It was an advantageous relationship but after their downfall we've lacked access to the six remaining families. If things go poorly, I may need to leave quickly and if any skyship can get out of the Commonwealth then I believe it would be the Dreadnought."

Clarice's face grew stern. "Are you serious?"

"It is a huge favour," her father admitted. "I'm not trying to keep you away from Clarice, Leon. Or to use that relationship as leverage… But I would feel much better about this if you were available as a hidden asset."

"You just lost your leg! You shouldn't even be here! Much like going to Alzer!" Her voice was rising, drawing attention as Hertrude joined the other ducal representatives to wear allegiance to Ian. The princess was the only one representing herself - the new Duke Ades was a child, Duke Berg, Duke Claes and Duke Stuart were guarding the borders and Duke Redgrave was still recovering from his own wounds. It was likely the five dukes didn't even know what the outcome of the war was.

"Clarice," the count said quietly, "The kingdom's survived, but only just. And between the travel times and leaving my regular duties behind, this is the closest thing I can take in terms of light duties."

Duchess Suzanna Rafa Stuart knelt to her brother-in-law on behalf of Duke Jeffrey. She looked immaculate and Leon couldn't tell just by looking how frustrated she was that she had to attend this instead of 'doing something useful', even though he knew via Cleare that she was eager to go back to examining Angelica for the after-effects of her use of light magic against the black dragon.

Leon's lover bit her lip. "Alright, but I'm going with you."

"It's dangerous. And besides, it's your final year."

She raised her chin. "I'm sure an exception can be made. And if it's so dangerous, then you need someone to to look after you, father."

"That's what Leon's…"

"Leon can't make sure you eat and rest."

Hertrude pledged her own fidelity to Ian, ending without much fuss the long rift between Fanoss and Holfort. Once her oaths had been given, she made way for Keith Rafa Claes and moved over to stand near Leon and the two Atlees.

Bernard gave Leon a hopeful look as Keith not only swore allegiance but was knighted for his part in the

"I'll go," the boy said. "But if you're arguing with Clarice, I'm sorry - you're on your own. I'll disagree with her often enough, I think." He really wasn't happy about her going to Alzer, given the entitlement that their nobles felt to anything and anyone that caught their eye. But he also had precisely zero authority to forbid her. "However, I'd be really grateful if you promised me one thing, Clarice."

"I'm listening."

"If I say we're leaving the Commonwealth, help me drag your father aboard the Dreadnought."

She nodded decisively. "Deal."

"You're not supposed to gang up on me until you're married," complained the count.

Hertrude reached them and then took Leon's other arm. "Sir Leon, I trust that you've recovered from yesterday's exertions?"

Leon looked over at Bernard and mouthed 'help?'

The count smiled. "I'm sorry, you're on your own."

After swearing her little brother's allegiance to the new king, Violette found herself standing next to Alan and Mary. She gave the other girl an apologetic look and was about to move on, but the brunette caught her arm. "Do keep Alan company while I represent father," she requested.

Before Violette could respond, she was left behind with the prince. They stared at each other for a moment.

"Is she alright?" the girl asked, indicating her companion's fiancee.

Alan shrugged. "I thought so, but she's not exactly happy with the sudden idea that she'll be the next Marchioness Hunt."

"Not that there will be many Marchionesses." Of the six marquis households, only the Randalls and Hunts seemed to have much future. The Field family had been essentially eradicated, while most potential successors to the Dieke and Frampton titles had been with the Blue fleet when it had been destroyed by Garrett. That left the disgraced Mason household, which seemed likely to be demoted to 'mere' Counts in the near future.

Lord Isak Randall pledged his brother's allegiance to the new king and Mary followed suit on behalf of her father. As the two of them withdrew, Alan's elder brother addressed the gaping lack of two-thirds of the marquis households directly.

"Lacking clear heirs to the Frampton and Field marquisates, and given the continued absence of Marquis Dieke, I will be appointing royal governors to administer their domains for the next two years," Ian announced. "These officials will exercise all the responsibilities of the marquis and in two cases will investigate irregularities such as the whereabouts of Marquis Dieke and allegations of Marquis Frampton conspiring with Count Garrett. Anyone who wishes to make a claim that they are the rightful heir to the three marquisates may present their case to my court for consideration."

Violette smiled slightly. "That's shrewd of your brother. If no convincing claims are made then he can potentially bestow those islands on whoever he chooses."

The silver-haired young man nodded. "Yeah. God, I'm glad I'm not in his shoes. Hopefully he and Selena will give me lots of nephews to spoil."

"And to stand between you and the succession."

She saw him smile. "And that, yeah."

Somehow they'd moved closer together and Mary, rather than returning to Alan, had vanished into the temple. "Do you see Mary?"

"I suspect she's gone looking for Katarina."

Violette nodded. Her cousin was trying desperately not to be dragged into the spotlight, despite the best efforts of the temple to win her over.

While Ian announced the new governors and their royal governors - the one surprising name to Violette was that Lord Nicol Fia Ascart was named as vice governor of the Field domain to assist Baron Wulfenbach in re-organising the ravaged lands - she found someone on her other side, someone she wasn't entirely eager to see.

"Shouldn't you be waiting to be knighted?" she asked Chris Fia Arclight drily.

He nodded ruefully. "I'm not really sure I deserve it - I didn't do much."

"I think you have a skewed sense of scale there," Alan told him, looking past Violette. "I'm not turning it down and you did about as much as I did."

Chris shrugged. "Perhaps you're right. But I do have a question for you, Violette. If you don't mind, that is. It's just, you're going back to Ades after the coronation, aren't you?"

"I'm going there, yes." Though not back, as such. Violette had no recollection of the duchy - she might have seen it as a baby but she wasn't sure she'd ever actually been there. Her entire life, home had been the Ades mansion here in the capital. But Scarlet wanted to show it to her, and her stepmother - thankfully, without her father she no longer had to force herself to think of the woman as her mother at all times - would need some help taking up the reins as regent for Vermilion. "A chance to get to know my brother and stepmother without father getting in the way." That had sounded less harsh in her head, but she didn't take the words back either. "What do you want to know?"

"I realise it may be too personal," her former fiance admitted. "But looking back, while we were at the academy you did stop following me and pe… ah, and seeking my attention."

"Pestering," she said flatly.

The swordsman pinked. "My apologies."

Alan pulled her slightly closer, almost protectively. Wait, when had she put her hand on his arm? She didn't remember doing that. "It's not an unfair description of my behaviour," Violette admitted. "Your question?"

"I'm not saying you didn't have reason to stop, but… I'd like to know why - because," he added quickly, "I can make guesses but I've misconstrued your actions before. As Prince Alan once pointed out, and for which I apologise. It seemed… simplest to ask."

Violette exhaled slowly. "Alright." She sought words for her feelings, and found some that sounded right to her. "I was behaving much like Marie did."

Chris frowned slightly but declined to protest, letting her continue.

"At first I resented that you responded to her rather than me," she admitted. "But I was also curious as to why she acted as she did. And when I investigated, I concluded - perhaps wrongly, we've never discussed it - that she saw the five of you as a way to escape her family. Who are awful."

"Yes," the boy admitted. "There is probably something to that. I do think that there's more to it than that, but that probably was part of her motive."

"And then I looked in a mirror, and realised that whether that's true or not, it's why I was chasing you. As an escape from my family."

"I thought you had a happy family?" Chris asked. "Was I really missing that much?"

"I hated them," Violette told him simply. "I was supposed to treat Lady Elfa like my mother - or what my father considered to be proper treatment of a mother, which was nothing like the only mother I'd ever known. A brother and sister - don't ask me how a sister is supposed to treat siblings because until then I'd never known I had any. And a father who decreed we would all be one big happy family but never shared how that was supposed to work, just punished me for not meeting his unstated standards." She met Chris' eyes and he flinched back. "You missed one hell of a lot."

"I… see. I'm sorry."

She smiled slightly. "Perhaps it's for the best that we're not engaged any more, Lord Arclight. I don't think you're a bad person overall, but we're not suited to each other. I hope that you find happiness with Marie, and I will seek my own happiness."

Chris nodded. "I hope you succeed, Lady Ades."

"Why are you asking about Violette's feelings?" asked Alan. "Is it really your business now?"

"Perhaps not," the aqua-haired boy admitted, adjusting his glasses. "But since I failed so miserably in my previous relationship, I should at least try to learn from it. I suppose I can't really blame Marie if one of her reasons for looking at me was as an escape from her family, when I turned to her as a less literal escape from my own. It's one reason that I agree that we're ill-matched, Lady Ades."

"Because I wanted your family instead of my own? Yes, I see that."

"Thank you," Chris agreed. "I'll see you at the academy I suppose. Perhaps next year will be a little less adventurous."

"I hope so. I don't think the kingdom can handle much more."

Violette watched him move away. Counts and their families were still offering their submissions. Perhaps Chris had also wanted to distract himself from the fact that his father wasn't leading the line for that. Count Atlee had to be half-carried, which also slowed things down a little - but his wound was honourably received and Count Ascart, who was next after him, had brought his fellow court lord back from the battlefield and didn't seem to mind.

"If you don't mind another question on that topic?" Alan asked her cautiously.

She gave him a smile. "You can ask, I may not answer."

He nodded. "If you felt such… resentment for Scarlet, what changed there?"

"Talking to you."

"To me?"

Violette smiled. "You used to resent how you were compared to Gerald, isn't that what you told me?"

"When I was younger, yes. Mind you, I resented everyone back then. I even resented Katarina for being Mary's friend, if you can believe it?"

"You resented Katarina?" That was hard to believe.

He gave her a wry look. "I hadn't met her back then."

"That would explain it, yes. But yes. Your reconciliation with Gerald persuaded me that perhaps I was blaming Scarlet when she had no more say in our parents' behaviour than I did."

Alan nodded in understanding and fell silent. He didn't move away and Violette continued to hold his hand. It was… nice. Mary was lucky to be marrying him. But at least Violette was free to try and find someone now. It wasn't as if her father would be forcing someone else on her.

It was the same room that Queen Mylene had castigated them in before the treasure hunting expedition they'd gone on over the winter, and mostly the same people were present. To Marie's mind, it might as well have been all of them. By unspoken agreement, Brad's seat had been left empty.

"His highness, King Ian, has agreed that I can deal with the five of you in any way I please," the now-dowager queen told them in a subdued voice. "His only requirement is that you are to avoid further scandals, to the extent that you can."

Greg bristled. "It's not like we're trying to cause scandals."

"The fact that you've managed it without trying doesn't say much for your ability to avoid them," the silver-haired woman pointed out. Her voice was quiet and matter-of-fact. Marie didn't think she was really even being critical of them. "But you've earned a second chance."

It wouldn't have surprised Marie if that had led to exclamations of triumph from the boys, but what it elicited was actually a thoughtful "A second chance for what?" from Jilk.

Mylene smiled slightly. "There you have some choices. A limited number, but choices. Be aware though, whatever you decide, you will have to live with it. As will I."

Marie leant forwards. "Could I ask what those choices are?"

The woman met her gaze evenly and then, to Marie's surprise, she smiled slightly. "Firstly, you can continue at the academy as you are. In the special class, with all the expectations of that. Expressly, that means that you will be expected to be married within a year or so of graduating. As many concerns as there are about that custom, it isn't something to change without more time."

"I don't have a problem with that!" Julius told his mother and then beamed at Marie.

"Even though only one of you can marry Lady Lafan?" Mylene asked gently.

"Well … yes…" Julius looked at the others. "Ah…"

Chris adjusted his glasses. "It also means that three of us would have to marry other people."

"Those who attend the special class, yes." The woman shrugged lightly. "You don't have to all choose the same option. But the special class is too high profile for you to continue without conforming to some social expectations."

The prince's face was pink with embarrassment. "But - !"

"Julius." Marie looked at him steadily. "Let's hear the other options before we jump into anything."

With an approving look, Mylene continued: "You could also transfer to the general class. As knights without any expectation of inheriting anything, that is where the four of you technically belong. Lady Lafan's status would normally require that she stay in the special class as a noblewoman but I believe an exception can be made if she wants. I can't definitively promise that you wouldn't have to make marriages when you're older, but it would be considerably easier to look the other way about such customs if you're simply knights. It certainly allows any decisions to be pushed off for a few years and the situation may be better then."

"So no promises," challenged Jilk. "Just…"

"Time and space to see how things develop," the dowager confirmed mildly. "I'm not trying to get rid of Lady Lafan, or of telling you that you must marry someone else. But so long as you remain part of Holfort's society, that pressure and expectation will exist."

"What else are you suggesting?" asked Chris.

"The last option I've discussed with the new king is that you simply drop out of the academy. We can arrange for a small island to be divided between you as baronets. There would be very few expectations of how you behave there, but other than some supplies you would need to support yourselves for a few years. No purchases, very few luxuries, and you would have to remain there for at least the next two years." Mylene rubbed her forehead. "Any finances would have to be in the hands of someone responsible, since your conduct over the last year means I have very little faith in your ability to not waste money frivolously. Lady Lafan would be acceptable, boys, but none of you would. After you've reached the point that you'd have graduated, the restrictions could be eased."

"It sounds like we'd practically be prisoners there," Greg explained.

Mylene nodded serenely, "That's right."

"That can't be right!"

"We are all prisoners of our station, Greg," the woman told him. "At least you have a choice in your cell. And, if it helps, with the last option there would really be no limits on your relationship. In fact, the five of you would be stuck with each other. How that turns out would be entirely up to you."

"How are you trapped?"

"Ian insists that I serve as one of his royal counsellors." Mylene looked very weary and Marie remembered suddenly that she had essentially lost everything over the last year. Her husband's death left her no defined role, and Julius's rebellion against his old life meant that she now had little place within it. "It's not a role I ever sought. But he was insistent."

"He couldn't exactly force you."

"Jilk, why do you think she can offer us options?" Marie asked him sharply.

Julius looked up at her sharply and then over at his mother. "Is that true?"

"I don't know what options might be offered if I declined," she told him. "But if you would rather have had the conversation with… well, Klaus is off to look after the Field marquisate, but one of the other heralds…"

"You didn't… you shouldn't have to do that!" the young man protested.

"Julius, I'm your mother. If I don't look out for you, who will?"

"Thank you," Marie told Mylene, sincerely. The woman looked surprised at the response.

"...yeah," Greg conceded. "You're right. Thank you, your highness. And… I don't regret what I've done, but I'm sorry it hurt you."

"What's done is done," she told him. "If you need some time to think about your options, I'll give you as much time as I can. But it's only a few weeks before the academy starts again and we'll need to know before then."

Julius frowned. "You want us out of sight and out of mind?" he asked, his tone curious rather than confrontational.

"...uh, essentially, yes?"

The prince drummed his fingers against the arm of his chair. "Mother, I've heard a rumour that Princess Hertrude will be going to the Alzer Commonwealth for a year rather than returning to Fanoss."

"That is correct. If she remained here and attended the academy then it would smack of her being a hostage, but at the same time, if she returned home then too many people would suspect that she was simply going to secede again. Unlikely in the extreme as things stand, but politics are a matter of perspective. A year with her away on the far side of the kingdom will hopefully smooth matters over."

"I'd think you'd be worried about her sister stealing the throne away from her," Marie pointed out. "Isn't Hertrauda ruling in her place?" She'd never met the girl, of course, but she'd been the main threat in the third game.

"She's younger than you are and apparently devoted to her sister," the former queen informed her. "Count Barra has also pledged himself to the reconciliation process, and he's agreed to swear himself directly to Ian. Ultimately, we're confident that we can hold onto Fanoss for the next generation. If need be, the princess has suggested that she'll even stand aside for her sister - although in that case we'd probably grant her Garrett's domain as her own county."

That could be bad, Marie thought.

"In that case," Julius suggested, "Why don't we go to Alzer as exchange students? It would keep us out of sight for a year and no one there will care about our relationships."

Mylene considered that for a moment. "I hadn't considered that. I don't see a problem with it, though. Yes, if you want to become exchange students for a year I'll accept that - we can look at what happens next year when you return."

Marie gritted her teeth and thought frantically. On the one hand, it meant plunging right into another game's events, because the second game in the series took place at about the same time as the first one, spinning into high gear next year. Assuming, of course, that there hadn't been another spanner in the works. But…

But the second game had a cash-shop too. And if she could find that…

"I think the temple would rather I was out of the country for a while," she admitted. "If that's alright?"

The queen nodded. "Yes, Lady Lafan. I'm not trying to separate you."

Chris adjusted his glasses. "I'm not convinced that it's the best idea. From what I've heard, the knights of Alzer are less skilled than those of other realms. They rely heavily upon their great tree and its seals. I don't think that their academy will be as good as our own."

"What are you saying?" laughed Greg. "You're giving up on Marie?"

"Never," the swordsman declared. "But I want to be worthy of her, and I don't think going to Alzer will help with that."

Jilk steepled his fingers. "I think you're right, Chris."

"Jilk?!" Julius exclaimed looking at his foster-brother.

"I'm not asking you to choose, Marie," the green-haired boy said seriously. "And I'm not going to tell anyone else what to do, but I believe our love can endure separation. If I take anything away from the last year, it's that I have a lot to learn."

"Hell, I'm going!" Greg declared, putting one arm around Marie. "You think I want to be separated from our princess? Come on guys, we should stick together."

Chris looked torn for a moment and then shook his head. "No. I'll write to you, Marie, and if you're in trouble then just send word. But I can't just follow you around and neglect everything else. You deserve my best, and the only way I can be the man who deserves you is to stay here. Your highness, I'll take your offer to join the general class. Let's face it, my father was as much a sword instructor as he was anything else. I can do that as a knight."

Julius looked stricken. "Jilk, Chris…"

"Julius." Marie looked him in the eye. "I trust all of you." She looked for something fitting to say, corny enough to be one of the heroine's lines. "And this doesn't mean that we aren't together. We just won't be in the same place for a while."

"Jilk, is this why you aren't signing up for the exchange programme?"

Leon sighed as he looked across the student council offices. The sign-ups had to take place here and be witnessed by multiple members of the student council, just to ensure no one was being sent off to Alzer without their consent. And having skipped much of this term to take care of non-academic chores, Leon had been charged with being available for sign-ups by the new Lord President. After all, he wouldn't be available all of the next year so they wanted to get some work out of him.

"What are you talking about, Julius?" the green-haired boy asked. He'd apparently come along to be one of the witnesses for Julius, Greg and Marie signing up, but wasn't going along. That surprised Leon, but it might be a good thing. Perhaps with only two of Marie's harem around, their collective intelligence wouldn't be so impaired.

He could hope, anyway.

Julius pointed at the list of students who'd signed up to go to Alzer. "Clarice is going."

"...are you kidding? The exchange is for second year students."

"Maybe she got held back," Greg suggested.

"Unlike you, she's not a moron," Jilk told the muscular boy. "But if she's going, that's… huh, Bartford is going as well. I bet she pulled strings to go with him."

"I'm flattered that you think I'm so appealing to the fairer sex," Leon drawled, walking over. "So which if you will I be stuck looking after for the trip to Alzer?"

"We can look after ourselves! We did fine during the war!"

Julius covered his face for a moment. "Greg, I don't think Bartford's going to be impressed with that. He's a commodore, remember."

"I had to give the pennant back now that the war's over," he admitted, checking the signatures. "Lafan, Holfort, Seberg… okay… none of you are being coerced? Lafan has checked the two of you for dark magic?"

"Hey!"

Marie's hands glowed slightly where she was holding hands with Julius and Greg. "There's no dark magic," she assured Leon. "Can you just witness their signatures? We'll have to spend enough time together in Alzer, I'm sure you'd rather we didn't spend the rest of the afternoon here."

"You make a surprisingly good point." Leon signed next to Jilk's signature, confirming that two different council members had authorised their inclusion. "You and Chris aren't going, Jilk?"

"We have our reasons. And I imagine Clarice will be happier without me along."

The dark-haired boy nodded in agreement. "You're probably right. You're probably not her favourite person either, Lafan. For some reason she's paranoid about flat-chested girls trying get close to me."

"Hah! And Princess Hertrude is going!" Greg gloated. "You're doomed, Bartford."

"...I'm pretty sure her presence is political and nothing to do with me." He was mostly convinced of that… but if she suspected him of being Carmine Sandiego and was hunting for evidence… Leon shuddered. "Anyway, do try to stay out of duels while you're in Alzer. We'll be at a profound disadvantage against the local lords given their little magic tree cheat."

"How bad can it be?"

Leon pinched the brow of his nose and counted to ten. "Lafan, just keep them from wagering anything they don't actually own. They'll be magically bound to hand it over anyway if they lose, which is a really good way for them to get killed."

"Why are you telling her this, we'd be duelling anyone who starts anything with Marie!"

"Because she's the only one of you with a fully functional brain?" He sighed. "Look, try to keep these two out of trouble, will you? It's a whole new game out there."

Marie stared at him and then her lips moved. "...'whole new game'…?"

Leon winked at her. He'd suspected that she suspected, and with the prospect of being in confined quarters with her for the trip to Alzer and the stay there, it was better to let the revelation come out now than later when it might cause havoc at a sensitive moment.

"Whole. New. Game." She was literally shaking.

"What's wrong?" Jilk enquired, trying to put an arm around her shoulders.

The enraged girl shrugged him off and jabbed her finger in Leon's direction. "Bartford! You're… you're the worst!"

"You really are, master," Luxion commented as the three of Marie's lovers tried their best to work out what had just set her off.

Leon grinned, caught the inkwell that Marie flung at him, and let the AI have the last word.