Chapter 17: Wedding Bells
Sol-Falena Palace, 337 Solar Year
She laid in her bed, restless, but excited with anticipation at the prospect of tomorrow. It would be her wedding day. Like most young women, she had dreamed of this day since she was a little girl. Cyrah was deeply lost in her thoughts, but not just on her marriage to Marcus and all which that meant. Also, she was thinking a lot about the Twilight Rune and how easily this powerful rare rune had given itself over to her. So distracted was she that she didn't even hear the soft feminine knock on her door.
After three more gentle taps, she finally snapped too. "Come in!?" she said quizzically wondering who it could be at such an hour. Surely not Marcus, he could not have been that foolish or that soft of a knocker. The dim moonlight filled the room with just enough illumination that the older princess could make out the silhouette of a small female figure.
Assuming that it was her younger sister, she called out, "Is that you, Olinda?" Her guess was immediately validated when the gentle and familiar voice of her sister called out through the dimly lit room, "Are you awake, Cyrah? Can I come in?" Cyrah responded by patting the bed. Olinda taking the gesture crawled up into the big warm bed beside her sister. Both, laid there for a few moments looking up at the shadows on the ceiling and said nothing.
Cyrah broke the silence first, "Wow, you know we have not shared a bed together like this since we were children. I think I was 10 and you were 8. Weren't we in Estrise? Yeah, I think we were. Uncle Ishaan, had just told us that scary story about those evil birdmen that were so big and strong they could carry away small girls without a single thought. So, that night you thought the squawking of the seagulls down at the ocean's shore was the evil birdmen coming to get you."
She continued, "After you're screaming woke mom and dad and everyone else up three times. Graess and Robert's dad, Clint, offered to stand guard at your door to protect you from any would-be attacker or evil birdmen, right!? I don't think it was even an hour later, before you came knocking on my door; just like now. And you spent the night in my bed."
Olinda now slightly reminiscent herself, retorted, "As I recall, you didn't object to me being there." "Yeah, because I wanted to get some peace and quiet," quipped Cyrah sarcastically. "Oh, really!? Because I seem to recall a certain big sister grabbing and squeezing my hand a few times that night whenever one of those birds flew by our window and squawked a little too loudly," countered Olinda. "Details! Details!" said Cyrah in a dismissive & humorous sort of way and then added, "So, why are you here now my dear sister? Why are you awake?"
The younger one sighed, "For the same reason as when we were kids, I guess... Nightmares." She asked, "What kind of bad dreams are you having?" Olinda whispered in a low hush now, "Well, angels." "Angels!?" retorted Cyrah in a surprised cadence, "Why would angels give you nightmares? Angels are supposed to protect you, not harm you, I thought."
"Well, it did protect me. I guess. It was still just scary to look at. As it was missing some limbs." added the younger princess now mumbling more to herself than her sister. "Wait, what!?" the older asked. "Nothing, never mind" replied the younger. Again, an awkward silence filled the room, which was somewhat brighter now as a few of the clouds rolled away more and more letting the moonlight pierce the room with greater illumination.
Now it was Olinda's turn to break the silence, "Hey, I just remembered, after we got back from that vacation in Estrise, Uncle Ishaan felt so bad about telling us that scary story of the evil birdmen and the nightmare's it gave us. Remember, like two weeks later he sent us both gifts? He had had those big plush dolls made up for us. They were like 3 feet tall and looked just like us. They had everything from our platinum colored hair to our blue eyes. He had even ordered the tailor to make replicas of our favorite little green dresses so that we could put them on the dolls. Hehe!"
She could still see the note attached to the doll in her mind's eye: "Now if those monstrous birdmen ever come to carry you away. You have a decoy they can fly off with while you escape safely. Love your uncle."
"I played with my doll so much, the poor thing fell apart after a year. Whatever happen to your doll? Do you still have your replica Princess Cyrah?" she inquired. Olinda could hear Cyrah chuckling to herself. She didn't say anything, but suddenly she leaned over the side of the bed.
Reaching underneath, she pulled up a large plush doll complete still with green dress and platinum hair. It was a bit aged and fray along the edges, but still it was in decent shape for over a decade old. She placed the three feet plush doll between the two sisters. Olinda and Cyrah both just smiled at the child size doll and then each other.
The younger princess now added, "You know, I was thinking after tomorrow we won't be able to do this ever again, probably. I mean, be here together like this. I doubt Marcus would want me coming into your guys' room to snuggle and talk in the wee hours of the night." Cyrah answered, "Well. He is a man. So, I am sure in his strange mind, it would be some twisted fantasy come true for him.
Olinda was both shocked by these words as well as how she spoke so flippantly about a man, she was supposed to marry in a little more than 12 hours. "Oh, my gosh, Cyrah, you're so naughty! That's disgusting! I would never... Wait, are you saying that all men dream about those kinds of things?"
Cyrah couldn't see her embarrassment in the pale dim moonlight, but she could certainly hear it in her voice as plain as day. The older sibling answered in a casual tone as though she were making small talk about the weather, "Well, probably not all men, but many almost certainly do. I've observed that more a man is absorb with himself, the greater chance he will have an unusual libido."
Olinda merely replied with a sigh followed by a "hmmm" as though she had mentally just made this same observation as well. Recalling all the memories of most of the noblemen she had ever met at palace balls and state dinners. Olinda grabbed the plush doll, which Cyrah had placed between them, and was now holding it close to her as silence again filled the room.
Cyrah added a clarifier to her previous statement, "No, I can say not all men are like that now that I think about it (her tone now changed for the first time during the whole conversation to now one of a semi-sarcastic, flirty, feminine vocal). For example, that handsome young ambassador, Lazlo. Was that his name? Yes, Lazlo. Yes, indeed, I bet he's a good guy. Cute too. I bet he is a good at a lot of things. You picked yourself a real nice one there, sister!"
At this, she was sure she could feel the heat coming off of Olinda's face as it was obviously so red. She could even make out small hints of pink now on her face even in the dim moonlight. In an embarrassed voice that was trying to regain its composure, "You're so bad! You're just like Rose always teasing me... Hey, wait a minute what do you mean, 'picked yourself a real nice one' I haven't done any choosing like that."
"Oh please, little sister I am not blind. Neither is Rose, I imagine. I've seen you two around the palace a few times whenever they are in town. Going for walks in the garden and whatever. It's fairly obvious. Even, mother has commented on it." Those words suddenly brought a small amount of dread to Olinda, "Wait! What do you mean? Mother has seen as well? What did she say?"
Laughing a little to herself, Cyrah retorted, "Oh, don't be such a worry-wart! She said, you two just looked so cute together, and how you were both too shy to really admit anything to each other. I agreed that this foreign man seems shy too. Also, how he seems hesitant when it comes to saying how he really feels. But we both agreed, he was very handsome and there is certainly something about him that is very admirable. Who knows, maybe mine isn't the only wedding we'll be having this year. Maybe that second wedding will also have a groom, who isn't a traditional nobleman, eh Olinda?!"
She could feel her ears beat red, she desperately wanted to change the topic of conversation to anything else besides herself. Then, Olinda had a thought. Actually, it was a question and one that she had wanted to know the answer to for a very a long time. She realized she would probably never again have better chance than this to ask her sister. After a few moments of silence with which she regained her now fleeing composure. She sat up in bed, and let go of the large plush doll to indicate she was trying to be serious now.
She spoke in a calm whisper, "Cyrah, can I ask you something important? (Cyrah, also, sat up looking her in the eyes as much as the faint moonlight allowed.) I wanted to ask you this for some time, but never felt the moment was right until now. That is to say, I mean, I know Marcus Godwin won the Sacred Games. But I mean. Yes, he is smart and powerful and all that I guess, but… do you love him?"
For the first time in a long time, Cyrah was speechless. She finally tried talking, "I, I, I guess I do. I mean… it's not that easy. I am going to be Queen one day... and… I have responsibilities!" Cyrah insisted.
"I know that." added Olinda, glad to finally have the spotlight off her for a change pressed on, "But, do you love him?" Cyrah was now sitting up fully in bed gesturing with her hands as though they were scales trying to weigh things out in her mind.
Just when she had finished this action and was about to speak, and give a clear answer or so Olinda thought, there was another knock on the door. "Come in!" spoke up Cyrah. Maybe a bit too eagerly for the late hour as now Rose entered the room.
"I am sorry to bother you so late your highness and before your big day tomorrow, but I was trying to find Princess Olin... Oh! There you are! I wondered where you had disappeared too at such a late hour. So, I went looking for you. And. So, it's a girl-chat, huh? If you want, I can leave you two..." "No, it's alright!" both sisters said in unison.
Once again, another one of Olinda's important questions had been interrupted before the person could give her a solid answer. Such had been her pattern of bad luck over these past few months. First with Lazlo and now her sister.
Realizing their chat was pretty much over. Olinda rolled out of bed and started walking toward her bodyguard. She stopped midstride, spun around, and proceeded toward her sister's side of the bed. She bent down and kissed her sister on the cheek.
Then, Olinda whispered in her sister's ear, with her normal royal poise and elegant grace she was now famous for, "I know you are going to make such a beautiful bride tomorrow. I can't wait! I love you, my dear sister!" Olinda now stood up and proceeded to the door where Rose was waiting for her. As they were about to exit, Cyrah spoke up one last time, "Thank you, Olinda. I love you too. Wait!"
She got up out of bed and handed something to Olinda. It was that child size plush doll. "I want you to have it. I doubt I'll have much use for it anymore. And, I am sure Marcus will just laugh at me for having it. So, I want you to have it."
Olinda had a happy expression on her face as she grabbed the large doll and held it close to her. Rose added, "Oh, those things! I have not seen those giant green dressed dolls in years." Cyrah returned to her bed as the other two made their way for the door.
Calling out one last time, Cyrah finished, "Also, hey, here is some sisterly advice: Don't wait for the shy ones to make the first move. Sometimes a woman just must initiate, if she wants to get what she wants, you know?" She knew what her older sister met, or so she thought, but now she wasn't blushing, surprisingly. She merely smiled at her older sister and with that the two women made their way down the hallway to their respective rooms.
However, before Olinda walked into her room, Rose stopped her in the hallway asking, "What was that all about?" Olinda smiled mischievously, yawned, and then smiled again. Finally, she whispered, "Oh, you know... just girl talk!" With that she walked into her room closing the door behind her. Crawling into her bed, the younger princess nestled her Princess Cyrah plush doll closely to herself until she finally fell asleep.
The next morning was alive with many news sounds and people filling the whole castle. Jovial laughter and excitement could be heard echoing in every corner of the entire palace for it was: Wedding Day.
Several servant girls were busy putting the finishing touches on Cyrah's shimmering white wedding gown. "Ouch!" Cyrah cried, "Be careful with that pin!" "Sorry, milady. I'll... I am sorry!" said one of the younger servant girls trembling with both fear from Cyrah and excitement about the day.
"That hurts! Are you trying to make me bleed to death all over my new dress?" Cyrah barked. "I am so, so, sorry my lady." spoke the young attendant her hand now clearly shaking. One of the older women attendants spoke up, "Here, I'll do this. You go make those final touches on the veil we talked about last night." The two swapped places.
A breath of relief came over Cyrah as now older and more experienced hands were making the final alterations to her dress. Happy about not dying from a thousand pokes, her gaze now returned to her tri-fold mirror, which allowed her to look at herself from nearly every angle.
"There we go! That should just about do it. Yes, we're finished, milady. If I do say so, myself. You've grown up into a fine young woman your highness. You'll make a lovely queen one day." said the older woman as a few tears of joy trickled down her face. Having known Cyrah since she was a baby, the older attendant felt a small degree of kinship as though it was one of her own daughters getting married today.
The door opened and in stepped Queen Elemark, a smile beamed across her face at the sight of her daughter in her wedding gown. All the women bowed or curtsied to the ruling figure of Falena as much as their current tasks allowed.
"You look radiant, Cyrah! I just love that lace trim. Indeed, that strapless gown was an excellent idea. It just compliments your figure so well. Godwin is going to be a very happy husband when he sees you this afternoon! And tonight too, I bet…" spoke the Queen in a rather calm, but lighthearted tone. "Mom! REALLY!?" cried Cyrah a bit red in the face as some of the servant girls giggled quietly.
Cyrah, suddenly, had a hint about how Olinda probably felt last night. Which was odd, because, she never had any problem talking about such things as plainly as the sunshine with anyone, except her mother. Whenever that topic of conversation came up between the mother-daughter pair. She, too, couldn't help but feel a little awkward and embarrassed.
Elemark looked everything over and said, "If you are done, I'd like to talk to my daughter alone, please." With that the 5 lady attendants finished up what they were working on, bowed, and proceeded to leave. The one young trembling girl had finished her touches on the veil and wanted to place it on the Princess before she left. As she was making her way to do so, the Queen stopped her. "Please, allow me!" she said. The young girl nodded her head, gave the Queen the item and departed the room with the rest of her peers.
Cyrah turned her attention back toward the tri-fold mirror. Her mother walked up behind her, and placed the veil atop her head. After a few adjustments she looked perfect thought the Queen. Then, the platinum hair monarch said in a more serious and motherly voice, "I know it is not easy. What you have been born to do and become. But I believe Godwin, though self-absorb, does seem to care for Falena and you too. In time, I hope you two can come to care for each other as your father and I have come to care for one another."
"Thank you, mother that was really nice! I thought you were going to tell me to close my eyes and think of Falena or something odd like that." replied the young bride a smile now on her face. The two female royals laughed a little awkwardly.
Both, now looked into the tri-fold mirror at each other. Cyrah couldn't help but just look at her mother in the mirror. She was only 37 years old, but it was clear that years of dealing with greedy politicians in the Senate, managing the whole nation's woes, and this most recent war with Nagarea had taken their collective toll on the middle-aged woman.
She still had her lovely long platinum hair color. The area around her blue eyes though were starting to show signs of wrinkles and creases, but there was still a fierce quiet strength and dignity behind those eyes, of that Cyrah was quite certain. The perfect oval shape of her face, her medium, but well-endowed, figure captured her daughter's attention.
She was truly still a beautiful woman in spite of the years of stress and drain from her high position. It was clear that Olinda got more in her appearance from her mother. Whereas Cyrah was more her father's daughter say for the color of her hair.
Suddenly, the silence was broken by the sound of bells ringing in the nearby distance. "The chapel bells! It must be noon then. Well, let's be going now then my dear. We've only got an hour until the wedding begins." added Elemark. "I am sure it will be okay. I doubt they'll start without us. After all, you are the Queen and I'm the bride." retorted Cyrah as the two walked out of the room.
Because many of the nobles and governing officials viewed the House of Barows with a bit of skepticism and mistrust now, since rumors had been spreading that those terrorists who had started the fire at the first peace talks meeting were from the Barows' territory according to Lord Alen.
As such, in order to combat this anti-foreigner stigma, the elder son of Lord Barows, Amoz Barows, invited the three ambassadors to stay at his villa in Sol-Falena while they were in town for the wedding. They accepted the offer to stay namely for the convenience of travel.
In reality, none of them cared much for Amoz Barows. He was a tall man; skinny as a pole. With his short black hair and grey eyes, he looked the part of a proper gentlemen on the surface. He was always very friendly to people, but in an obviously fake way. Amoz greeted every person he met as though they were a long-lost best friend and they were meeting for the first time in several years.
Maybe, due to that bump on the head he had received as a child, or something, but he never realized how bad an actor he really was. As it was clear to anyone talking to him for more than five seconds that he was faking it in his own over-the-top pretentious way. Sadly, he, himself, was too dull to notice his own bad acting. The only thing that made people tolerate the 25-year-old oddity was his family's name, wealth, and power in the Queendom.
The three ambassadors were getting themselves ready for the wedding. Tanya was wearing a lovely dark green dress she had brought with her for such formal occasions as this. Desmond, likewise, had a custom-made blue suit. Lazlo, the novice diplomat, had not thought to pack fine garbs for balls or parties such as this.
Luckily, Tanya knowing this, had sent Lazlo into town a week ago to a tailor and had formal garbs fitted for him. Tanya sent Daniel to fetch them this morning after receiving word they were ready from the tailor. Lazlo now had just tried them on. The dress jacket was black as were the pants. The inner dress shirt was white and buttoned down the center. "I feel really strange in this get up." said Lazlo a bit embarrassed only to himself. "Nonsense, you look very nice. Very dashing!" replied Tanya in a dismissive sort of way.
Desmond looked up, he had been searching for something, "Yes, very dashing, indeed. I am sure the ladies won't be able to keep their eyes off you, including a certain young attractive princess." Lazlo rolled his eyes, "If you say so. I think I look stupid. And this isn't even practical. Look! The coattails just droop over the back of my swords. I look like a bird with its tail feathers sticking up."
Tanya walked to the warrior as though she were a mother undid his outer belt that had his swords attached to it and toss them on the bed, saying, "It's a wedding, not a battlefield! You won't need your swords. They'll have guards there, even if something does come up. Why don't you just take the day off from being Captain Lazlo and just be Ambassador Lazlo today, please?"
Lazlo acquiesced to her request and she helped him re-adjust his coattails. Thud! "Ouch!" yelled Desmond having bumped the side of his head off the open closet door. "What are you doing?" demanded Tanya. "I told you before. I am looking for my silver cufflinks. I know I brought them with us. I saw them last night on the table, and this morning they were gone and I can't find them for the life of me." answered the older bearded man.
Ding, Ding, Ding, Dong! "Those must be the chapel bells. So, it must be noon. Which means we should be making our way to the ceremony. It starts in about an hour." insisted Tanya. Lazlo and Tanya made their way to the door, but realizing they were one short, spun around to look at their straggler. Making eye contact Desmond said, "I really want to find those silver cufflinks. They were my grandfather's. They even have the insignia of the Obel banner etched on them. If I haven't found them in the next five minutes, I'll catch up to you. Just save me a good seat."
The others just nodded and made their way out, Tanya yelling back to him, but at the same time giving orders to her pupil, "I'll send Daniel up to help you look for them. He's not going anywhere today. So, he might as well be useful to at least one of us for a change." With that the two departed leaving Desmond and Daniel to search for the silver cufflinks.
After about 10 more minutes of searching and still nothing. Desmond gave up, sadly. Daniel offered to walk with him the three blocks from the Barows's villa to the chapel where the wedding was beginning to start in less than an hour now. The two foreigners started their walk and as soon as they turned the first corner, they noticed many well-dressed nobles heading in the same direction. Thus, they just followed the crowd.
However, about the second block, Desmond noticed something unusual. In front of one of the closed shops was a man dressed in very fine purple, yellow, and green dress robes. He stood out from the rest of the more traditionally dressed crowd fairly well.
Despite his unusual choice in colors that is not what caught Desmond's eye, rather it was the silver buttons on the man's arm sleeves glistening in the sun. Desmond got Daniel's attention and the two men walked over toward the man, who was clearly standing still in front of the closed shop's door. They had made eye contact and he wasn't moving.
The older ambassador extended his hand in greetings, "Hello there, sir. A fine day for a wedding, eh?" The colorfully dressed man replied, "Oh yes, it certainly is. Truly, the Sun Rune has blessed us this day with very good luck, indeed." saying this part in a duplicitous tone. The stranger reached out his hand to meet Desmond's open hand in the air and they shook hands in a very overly aggressive manner. Desmond not holding back anymore pretensions turned the man's arm sideways. So, the side with the cufflinks was facing upwards and sure enough those silver circles had engraved on them the Obel crest.
"These are mine! Where did you get them?" demanded the older statesmen. The strangely dressed man pulled his arm back, freeing it from the old man's weaker grasp. He then let out a crafty smirk across his face. He leaned back against the door, which was not locked despite being closed. He ran inside through the shop, which turned out to be a bakery, and ran out the back door to an empty alley. Desmond took after him as fast as he could go at his age and followed him into the alley. Daniel called out from behind, "No wait, Sir! Wait! It could be a trap!"
Daniels words proved to be very prophetic. No sooner had he caught up to the 2 men, when suddenly 4 very large and muscular thugs came out of hiding catching them off guard. Dawning on them what they had just walked into, both men tried to back up to the back door, but to no avail as a 5th thug appeared in the door way to block off their escape. They were trapped!
The bells rang aloud as Robert approached Graess near the VIP entrance of the chapel. "Where have you been, Robert?" asked his brother. The older replied, "Trying to get away from Lord Rovere. For an old man in poor health, he sure can talk your ear off. It seems his niece informed him of your recent exploits in Lordlake. He was very grateful to you and the Queen's Knights for saving everyone." "It was no big deal. I am sure you or Rose would have done the same thing if you were in my place." he countered modestly.
Robert added, "Perhaps. Perhaps. Regardless, he sends you his 'warmest appreciation' as did Lady Rovere." "His wife?" Graess inquired. "Well, her too. But I was referring to the younger Lady Rovere. Milas. She's looking quite lovely. Maybe you should go talk to her after the ceremony." Robert said with a tone of half jest.
Graess face started to turn a bit flush as his brother grinned. The swordsmen rebuffed him. "Robert, I told you, we are not having this discussion again. Her high noble family would never allow that relationship. Queen's Knight or not." The larger halberd wielder could hear a hint of sadness in his brother's voice.
Robert was silent for a moment before adding in quieter voice, "Rovere's men were able to confiscate most of Bennett's weapon supplies. We're adding them to our own secret defense cache, just in case Nagarea…" The knight immediately stopped speaking as some VIP guests approached them to be let in.
The 12 o'clock bells were ringing at the chapel. "Hear that, Princess? It's almost time. We only have an hour till the ceremony starts." "I know! I am almost done. Don't worry." Olinda said as she let her medium shimmering hair down.
Normally, it was straight, but for this special occasion she had decided to curl it for only the third time in her life. Which, if possible, made her look even more beautiful than normal. This coupled with her very slender pink satin strapless dressed that maybe showed a little more of herself off than she was use too.
This, of course, led Rose to tease her that morning that this would be the first wedding in many years where the audience would be looking more at the maid of honor than the bride during the service, because she was so dazzling to behold. Olinda appreciated the compliment, but her eyes suggested to Rose that she didn't find it funny.
Soon they had made their way out of the palace to the back entrance of the chapel where it was still being guarded by both brothers. However, a small detachment of troops had, also, now joined them. The main entrance, itself, was being watched by dozens and dozens of the strongest Palace Guards. Security was extremely tight since many important people were present to celebrate this grand occasion.
Yet, still having a few minutes to kill before they needed to be inside Olinda and Rose stopped to chat with the brothers. About that same time, Lazlo, Tanya, and the two recently promoted Razril Knights, Duncan and Clark, who were the only 2 that had survived that Dagon attack many months before, were now escorting their charges to the chapel without incident.
Whistling the way men do when they see an attractive woman walking down the street, Robert let out a very loud whistle directed at Princess Olinda. Then he said, "Wow, your Highness, you look extraordinary! I mean... Umm, you umm, you look very lovely today, my lady."
Olinda smiled. She turned a little pink, but quickly returned to her normal color as she was use to these kinds of comments from noblemen; just not usually Queen's Knights. Graess, likewise, complemented the princess on her appearance, but was a bit more tactful to say the least.
As the small group of Islanders approached them, Olinda was first to speak up, "Oh, Lady Tanya what a lovely emerald dress. I just love the fashion your people have in the Island Nations. Oh, and, Sir Lazlo that suit. Is it Falenan design? You look very handsome in it. Very dashing!" Tanya gave Lazlo a small I-told-you-so type of nudge with her elbow. Lazlo smiled at the compliment and replied in a sort of stutter at first before he could find his words finally midsentence, "You look… That dress is quite beautiful, your Highness." She, likewise, smiled at his words.
However, just as Rose was about to suggest they all go in and find their seats, two of the palace guards that should have been in the front came running up to them in full sprint with Daniel at their heel. When they realized who it was, the two diplomats were in shocked to see Tanya's pupil with a few bruises, a black eye, a bloody nose, and his clothes a bit torn. "What happened? Where is Desmond?!" exclaimed Lazlo.
Daniel took a moment to catch his breath, and then began to explain the whole story. "…And then we followed him into a back alley. We got jumped by some ruffians. They've taken Desmond hostage. They said they want Princess Cyrah to come down herself in exchange for the foreign diplomat."
"That's ridiculous! It's her wedding day! They would have to be insane to think the Queen's Knights would allow that." interjected Robert. "I think that's the point!" said Graess and Tanya at the same time as though they both had the same thought.
"They said if the princess doesn't come down to the docks warehouse by 1pm, then they will kill Desmond, which in their minds I think would end the peace talks. They threw me outside back onto the main street and told me to go deliver my message to the princess. I think these might be the same radicals, who attacked you on the first day of the Talks." added Daniel with his own speculations.
Graess now cut in, "Daniel, tell me again what that strangely dressed man looked like once more?" As Daniel described him again an expression of realization went off in the Knight's mind. He said, "I think, I might know who this man is, but first I want to be sure. You (turning to one of the 2 guards that had escorted Daniel over) go inside the chapel, don't make a huge scene, but bring Amoz Barows out here at once. I think he might be able to shed some light on this." The guard followed his orders.
Lazlo now spoke up, "What are we going to do about Desmond? We need to go rescue him. We need a plan? Obviously, we can't have Cyrah go! But we have to think of something." "I'll go." spoke up Olinda in a surprisingly bold tone. "Princess, No, it's too dangerous!" the 3 knights and 2 ambassadors said in unison. "But we have to do something! We can't let Mr. Desmond die, but also, we can't stop this wedding either. They want a princess, right!? So, if Cyrah can't go, I am the next best choice." Olinda said defensively.
Rose was staring at Olinda in disbelief and then looked at Tanya, who was standing beside her in that fancy green dress. Then, it hit her. "Oh my god, I have an idea. It is crazy! But I think it might just work. (Now turning toward the brothers) We don't have much time maybe only a half hour until these kidnappers' deadline is up and they will kill Desmond. I will need 10 minutes to go to the palace and get a few things. We'll probably, also, need horses. As there is no way we can get to the docks in time without speed." Turning to the other guard, she ordered him to the stables to get horses and bring them here; where they agreed to meet back at in 10 minutes.
As Rose and the guard departed to put their plan into motion, Amoz Barows and the other guard returned. Amoz in his normal fake cheery voice said, "Oh, good day, your Highness, may I say you're looking exceedingly breath-taking today."
Olinda smiled a fake, but polite, smile in return. He continued, "Oh, and if it isn't my favorite ambassadors! Tell me, how do you like the rooms at my father's villa? Why the rooms there are the finest in the whole Queendom. After the Sun Palace's rooms, of course. He-he."
"Enough!" barked Graess, "We have a situation!" With that he brought the bloviating politician up to speed and gave him a description of Desmond's main kidnapper. "I thought I've seen a man matching that description in your family's service. Once, I had business in Rainwall, where I swear, I saw you once talking to this man. Who is he?" Barows looked like he had seen a ghost. He now was as pale as Daniel's normal dull complexion.
Sheepishly Amoz answered, "Well… Umm…" "Spit it out already! We're running out of time!" Robert yelled. Barows finding his voice said, "His name is Wozz. He was the Former Captain of the Guards, for my father. My father fired him 6 months ago for stealing from us! I Swear! We have no connection to this man (turning to Olinda with a little desperation in his voice). We have had no dealings with this man in months. I don't know why he would do this. He is a very serious guy. If he says he's going to do something, then he will. He's not a fool and he's pretty strong."
"Is there anything else you can tell us?" demanded Robert. After informing them that he knew nothing else. He took his leave from them, but not before insisting one last time of his family's innocence and how they had nothing to do with this.
A man at the highest window of the tower above the chapel could now be heard blowing loudly a trumpet indicating the wedding was going to start in 20 minutes and that people needed to get to their seats soon. Just then Rose returned with a bag in her hand. "I didn't have time to change here. I'll have to do it on the way." she exclaimed when asked what it is. Still, this answered just raised a few more questions. The red-head reassured them with a simple: "Trust me. This plan will work." The guard soon returned with 5 horses ready to go.
Lazlo spoke up again, "Good, let's go save Desmond! We're running out of time!" Tanya now reluctantly spoke up, "Lazlo, you can't go! You and I, and the Princess need to go inside to the wedding!" "What are you talking about? Desmond is in trouble. I... We need to rescue him. The wedding can wait!"
Tanya rebuked him, "No, we both have to go in there! Look, I want to save him as much as you do! However, if neither of us, or just I, go in there for the royal wedding the nobles in there will see that. How will it look to them if there are two empty chairs beside me at this wedding? We will lose face with the nobles of this country. To them it would seem like we blew off the most important event in this country for easily the next 20 years until the next wedding. What kind of pressure do you think those sour nobles would put on the Queen if we skipped her daughter's wedding?"
She continued, "This could kill the trade agreement. There is no way they would make a treaty of friendship with a group of people they think had 'better things to do' than attend this most important of days in their nation. Do you see now? We both have to go? If there is one empty seat that's easy enough to fix. We can just say he was sick, but regrets not being able to attend. However, that will not work if you go as well." Lazlo knew she was right and kick the ground with his foot and cursed under his breath.
The two marine knights, who had been silent up to this point, spoke up. Duncan Egan said, "Sir, let us go with you. Protecting you guys is our job. We failed at keeping Master Desmond safe. Let us make it up to him by helping to save him now!"
Lazlo agreed to this and turning to Rose said, "This is Duncan and Clark, two of our finest Razril Knights. Take them with you. Use them however you need. Both are very capable warriors." Rose nodded in acceptance. Then, she got on a horse. Robert and the 2 marine knights did likewise.
However, Graess remained standing. He told them that at least one Queen's Knight needed to stay behind and oversee security since the whole royal family and so many nobles were all here in this one place. Not arguing with that point, the 4 took off toward the docks as quickly as their horses would travel on the cobble-stoned back streets. Reluctantly, the others proceeded inside to their seats and Olinda took her place on stage as if nothing had happened and all was well.