-The Queen-
The Queen was feeling ill. She always became a touch feverish whenever she was tormented by her children. Her son could be anywhere and she was just sitting here waiting for her spies to return. It was torturous.
When Trevor returned she was waiting in the front foyer sitting on chairs that rarely got any use.
"Trevor!"
She called out to him once he passed her. He was startled and jumped sideways.
"My Queen, I have returned."
"Yes, I can see that Trevor! Just tell me what happened!"
"Your fears were correct. I followed the Prince from a distance just as you requested. I am not aware of any illicit details, but the Prince took flowers and participated in a seemingly clandestine meeting with a young woman."
The Queen frowned. Her mind was calculating different outcomes and actions.
"Where was this? Who is the woman?"
"I did not dare to draw near enough to see her face, but he met her at Bellview manor."
Leticia was shocked. She recalled Lady Tremaine and her two daughters. They were the current residents of Bellview.
"Are you sure? It was Bellview?"
Trevor laughed, "Yes your highness. Bellview is not easily mistaken."
The Queen nodded. He was right. "Thank you, Trevor."
"Is there anything else I can do for you?" He asked.
The Queen looked at him, but she did not really see him. She was layers deep in this mystery. She waved Trevor away and she went to her rooms.
"Is there anything you need my Queen?"
Her maid, Illya, asked as soon as she walked through the door. The Queen was prone to odd illnesses and fainting spells, but Illya had never seen the Queen look so dazed.
"Bring me a courier." Leticia said.
Illya nodded and left. Leticia sat down to write a missive to the famed Lady Tremaine of Bellview manor.
The Queen vaguely remembered Lady Tremaine's two daughters. She did not remember them well, but what she remembered did not make sense. It was such an odd choice, but if that is who her son chose, she would try to make it work for him.
-Anastasia-
Mornings were dull in Bellview. Everything was dull in Bellview. Mornings especially were spent lounging, snacking, and waiting for her mother to tell take them to town.
This morning, Anastasia had woken up late. She did not even bother changing out of her night dress before she went down to breakfast. Her mother would say something, but Anastasia did not care. Her mother would say something even if she had put on her best dress.
Anastasia had just got to the bottom of the stairs when someone knocked on the door. Anastasia froze.
Drisela poked her head out of the dining room and their mother walked around the corner. The moment her eyes landed on Anastasia's dress, she frowned.
"Get dressed. I raised my daughters to have more class than that."
Anastasia retreated a few steps up the stairs and out of the way while her mother opened the door. She heard a short, muffled conversation about a letter before the door closed.
"What is it mother?" Drisela asked.
There was a short moment of silence where Anastasia slowly trudged up the stairs. She stopped short when her mother let out a scream.
Anastasia whirled around on the stairs and ran back to the entrance. Lady Tremaine stood, a piece of paper crumpled in her hands, with tears streaming down her face.
"It has happened. Finally. After all these years." Lady Tremaine repeated over and over again.
Anastasia's heart thundered dangerously. She had never seen her mother break. Drisela backed up until she stood next to Anastasia. They were terrified to move.
Lady Tremaine rubbed her face with her gown sleeve, smearing face paint onto her sleeve.
"Girls." She said, turning to them tearfully with a smile on her face. "It has happened."
Lady Tremaine held out the crumpled letter to the both of them and Drisela took it. They both read it at the same time.
Lady Arredia Tremaine,
I would love if you and all of your exquisite daughters would come to the castle for tea This upcoming Friday. I am excited to get to know you and our situation better.
-The Queen
A scream burst from Anastasia's throat before she had even realized she was screaming. Once she failed to fit the glass slipper she thought her dreams were over, but now her hope arrived on fancy stationary in the Queen's handwriting.
-The Prince-
It took two whole torturous days to get the council to agree on everything. Two whole days he was trapped in council rooms and meetings, unable to do anything. The moment the verdict was finalized, and the proposal was made policy, Charles was ready to storm the gates of Lawrence Seaver's house and throw the offer at his feet.
"You do not have to personally extend the invitation Charles. We do have people for that. We can send him an invitation to the castle and talk to him about it here." His father offered.
Charles laughed. He would not wait any longer.
"I want to finish this myself." Charles said.
The king shook his head, wondering when his son had become so passionate about foreign trade.
"At least bring a second man. Someone official."
Charles nodded, "I know just who to bring."
The Westire estate included miles of sprawling countryside that wrapped around the edge of Harron City. The butler met him in the courtyard when he rode up.
"Are you here for a social visit Prince Charles?"
"No, I have an errand to run and I need Derrick. Is he here?"
"Certainly my Lord, he is inside. Let me take your horse to the stables and then I can-"
"I will be back. Keep the horse here, I will be just a moment." Charles said, taking the stairs two at a time.
"Derrick!" He yelled, marching through the door and going towards the parlor.
"He is upstairs Milord" A maid said, poking her head out of one of the rooms.
"Derrick!" He shouted again, following the maid's advice up the stairs.
"What in the world has caused you to run about shouting?" Derrick asked, meeting him at the top of the stairs.
"I have a problem, and I need your help."
"Listen, I told you it was a bad idea to promise a group of women you would marry them if they fit a shoe. I cannot help you out of this one."
"No, not about that. I need an outrider for official business."
"Oh, alright. What will we be doing?"
"Cinderella is engaged."
"To you?"
"No, of course not to me. It is Lady Tremaine. She arranged a marriage for her."
Derrick snorted, and then broke out into laughter, but his chuckles died short when Charles remained stoic.
"What? It is kind of funny. I told you to just tell everyone who you were and court her officially, but you did not listen to me, and now she has gotten engaged."
"I am glad you can find humor in the situation. You will find it even more funny to know that we will be breaking up that engagement."
Derrick put his hands up, "Wait a second Charles. Who is to say she even wants her engagement broken up? Your own ego might be getting in the way of things. First the girl abandons you on the dance floor, and then she gets engaged. She might just not like you."
"She is engaged to Lawrence Seaver."
"Lawrence Seaver as in that crazy man who followed your sister around for an entire season?" Derrick asked incredulously.
"Yes. Lawrence Seaver, as in the man who tried to black mail my father into letting him marry her."
Derrick shook his head, "Alright, I am in. That prick deserves everything that he has got coming to him. What is the plan?"
"Put on something ridiculously official. We have a proposal for him from the king."
Lawrence Seaver had an impressive property and an even more impressive house. Everything dripped with money from his intricate columns that stood outside his house to the gold leaf detailing his moldings.
He was the only man in the country who would welcome the crown prince into his home and make him wait for half an hour.
Derrick was rifling through the room. It was some sort of bizarre trophy room that held evidence of extensive travel. There were small intricate trinkets on shelves and a large variety of pelts hanging over the fire place. Everything about the room was supposed to instill respect and intimidation in every visitor, but Charles was just bored. He could wait patiently for hours if it meant he could get what he wanted.
"Look at this one!" Derrick said, holding up a particularly ugly vase. "Do you think his granny gave it to him or do you think he actually paid money for this?"
The door opened and Derrick fumbled the vase before returning it quickly to the shelf. He walked to the side of Charles and Lawrence adjusted his coat with a leering grin.
"I'm sorry for the delay." He crossed the room and bowed quickly. "Your highness, it is an honor to have your presence here today. What can I do for the crown?"
Charles smiled. He had planned on being completely cordial, but just standing in the same room with him made his blood boil. He wanted to rip up the offer that the council had drafted and burn his house to the ground. They both stared at each other in a silent battle of wills.
"The prince has a proposition for you that you would benefit from hearing." Derrick said, looking between them both, "Please sit down."
Lawrence looked at the Grand Duke, chuffed at being asked to take a seat in his own home, but he relented and sat in an armchair. Derrick and Charles sat across from him on a long couch.
"What sort of proposition?" Lawrence asked.
Charles leaned back and folded his arms. "You are being extended an invitation to do business with the crown. We are in need of a foreign trade representative and your skills match the brief."
Lawrence dropped his carefully chosen demeanor for a moment while he registered what The Prince had said. It took him moments to think it over while he broke into a wide grin.
"I am flattered, your highness. You really could not have chosen a more skilled businessman and negotiator than I. We will become very rich together."
"Yes, I am sure." the money did not matter to him as long as Lawrence Seaver was far far away from him. "I just have one single stipulation you need to know before you accept the job. It is a small thing, and I am sure it will not affect you at all."
"What is it?"
"This is a bit awkward, but my stipulation is for you to exit out of your current engagement." Charles laid it out plainly before all three of them to hear, but Lawrence acted as if he had just spoken another language.
"What?" His powerful facade faded away and it was a great deal of pleasure to watch as all his superiority left him high and dry.
"You have to understand. This proposal will make you an extraordinarily rich man. Your home is nothing compared to what you would be able to afford. It comes with power too. You would be an official foreign dignitary and when you retire you would most likely be given the title of nobility. Your complete command of a fleet of ships with the authority to make trade on behalf of the king himself. What I ask is nothing compared to that. There is a woman you have had the benefit of becoming acquainted with, and you must terminate your engagement. Those are my terms."
Every muscle in Lawrence's face tensed as he considered the deal.
"No. No deal." He said after a long moment of silence.
Derrick looked at Charles and shrugged. Charles had hoped that he would turn them down. That deal was the right way to handle the situation. It was the way a king would handle it. Charles preferred the second way.
"I think you should reconsider." Derrick said.
"I don't need to reconsider. I am a man of honor and I intend to uphold the agreement I made with a certain young lady. Your odd attempts to lure me away will not tempt me. I am not sure about your intentions towards my fiancé, but I would kindly ask that you leave my house and leave my future wife alone."
Lawrence was smiling perfectly smug as he felt he had gained the upper hand in the situation. The Prince sighed deeply.
"Alright, if that truly is your wish, I will respect it. Lawrence Seaver, by order of the crown I place you under arrest."
Lawrence looked between the Grand Duke and the Prince. Derrick stepped closer to Lawrence with his hand on his sword. Lawrence did not look so superior anymore.
"What are you playing at? You cannot just arrest me. I have done nothing wrong."
Charles smiled, sometimes it felt good to be the Prince.
"You are wrong, I can actually just arrest you. I can even take you straight to jail. I have heard the odd allegations of misconduct about your person."
"You cannot throw me in jail because of allegations!" He said, stepping back as Derrick walked towards him.
"That is where you might have a point. You will not be convicted over allegations, but I can throw you in prison and then throw your name at the bottom of an extensive list of offenders and encourage the judge to take his sweet time when it comes to dealing with your particular case. You will be released. After a year or two."
"It is a shame that we do not have a more efficient judgement system." Derrick added, shaking his head.
"Yes, a shame. I will see what I can do about it, but I must admit. It does not look very good for you." Charles said to Lawrence.
"You cannot do this to me. I am important. I have powerful friends."
"I wonder if your friends will be more interested in freeing you from your cell or freeing you from your wealth." Derrick wondered aloud.
Lawrence's hand fell on his slim saber that he kept at his side. He was probably debating between going to prison for nothing or taking a swing at the crown prince and going to prison for something that he earned.
Derrick stepped up beside Lawrence and clapped his hand on his back.
"Make the right decision Lawrence. Even if you fight us both off and escape, you will be completely ruined. I suggest you take the deal."
Lawrence looked between the two men, stuck in a difficult situation. Finally after a few more tense moments he hung his head in defeat.
"I accept your proposal. I can find someone better anyways. I was really only taking the girl on as a favor to her mother. I can find someone less simple and less loose. I wonder if the Prince knows that she is damaged goods." He said, turning to Derrick to speak.
Turning away from the Prince was his mistake. Charles grabbed Lawrence's shirt collar, drew his arm back, and punched him across this face as hard as he could. Lawrence fell backwards and Derrick charged forwards to stop Charles from advancing on him anymore.
"Leave it be Charles, we got what we came here for."
Lawrence jumped to his feet, his eyes blazing. "I am not an enemy you want." He threatened.
"You will not beable to be an enemy to anyone if you so much as speak her name again."
Lawrence smiled, "I wonder if the King knows that the little Prince is enamored with a house maid." He bit out.
Charles pushed Derrick to let him go, but Derrick would not move.
"We have a deal. There will be a contract of employment drafted."
Derrick said before he pushed Charles out of the house.
"Do you feel better?" Derrick asked him.
"Of course, I have wanted to do that for years."