A Larna (Susanna) Interlude

The paperwork came to an end.

…

Wait, it's ended? The paperwork is ended?

She almost celebrated, but her heart had been broken before. She looked around fearfully. But no, her former subordinates were gone and Rafael– to think she'd let him use her fake name as his fake name!– wasn't coming up with a new pile. He probably would tomorrow, but as of now, the paperwork was over!

…

Yes! Yes! After ten thousand years, she was free! It was time to… MAKE MAGIC TOOLS!

…

Oh, wait. She wasn't allowed to do that for another three months unless specifically ordered to.

…

Abyss consume, this sucked! Whose hexed fault was this?!

…

Oh, right, it was her own fault for (getting caught) going without authorization.

…

Sighing, the woman who was known as Larna Smith gathered her meager things and headed for home, such as it was.

After changing carriages three times, a short time hiding in a barrel, and into a fourth carriage, Lady Susanna Randall arrived at the castle, visiting her fiancé as expected, if a bit later than usual.

She stopped in front of his door and knocked. "I'm coming in," she said.

"Please," came the response from inside, and Susanna entered, the lock resetting as the easy-open magic tool that unlocked with his voice she'd given him long ago closed behind her. He turned to face her, and his usually flippant looked became concerned. "You look like swamp. Again."

"My job's no fun anymore," she whined. "Everyone's bullying me again! And my cute little Rafael who I even promoted to Vice-Director is being a bully."

Yes, Larna Smith was in truth Susanna Randall, fiancé to the first prince! Mistress of disguise! Ah, but not really. While they'll likely eventually have to get married for convenience, in truth she was merely a convenient shield to protect him from marriage proposals and other troublesome people. Which was not to say they weren't friends. In truth, they were actually very close friends, knowing each other's deep, dark secrets in mutually assured destruction but also enjoyed each other's company and opinions. They were good together, in their own way.

Though if Jeffery ever became king, Susanna would have to fake her death on general principle. Being queen was no fun! Especially if you couldn't be a bloody, mad queen who did (fun) evil shit like declaring wars on giants and stuff.

"I blame you for this," Susanna said, glaring at her (best friend) fiancé as she dragged herself to her favorite chair and slumped down, exhausted. She was finally getting feeling back in her hands. Argh, she hadn't missed these pains from her newbie days!

"Me?" Jeffery looking offended. "What did I do?"

"You had me investigate this instead of bringing it to the proper authorities," she said piously. "As you should have in the first place. Shame on you, not complying with the law."

"As I recall, you were the one who started cackling and going on about how fun it was going to be," Jeffery said, but he also scooted over to the chair opposite her and started pouring her tea. "I have the gist of it, putting it together from rumors and reports around the palace, but I still want to hear it from you."

"You probably know more than me," Susanna said, "but on my end…"

She gave him her report, short as it was.

"Hmm. Someone like Mason scurrying around in the dark, and then going after Ian and Jeord... unforgivable. I suppose we will really have to... utterly, completely, crush him, then," Jeffery said, a dark smile coming over his features. "… is what I would say, but it seems Lady Maria has already taken care of things there. Still, making sure the little rat doesn't escape his terrible fate is well within my power… and making his fate more terrible, too. Ah, but I'm glad that it all ended without event! So tell me... are my wonderful brothers doing well?" he asked, the previously dark smile on his face now replaced with a pleasant one.

"Yes. Well indeed. Prince Ian seems to have grown closer to his fiancée now, and seems better off for it."

"Good to know! Ah, I suppose I'll have to start being nicer to Selena now…" With that, Jeffery jumped out of his chair, ran towards the wall, and drew back the curtains that hung there, revealing the protraits of the other three princes. "Ahh, my preeciiooouuuus brothers are truly, truly wonderful," he said, stroking one of the frames in a creepy way that Susanna had long gotten used to. It was almost cute, really. . "Ahh... those eyes. Just like mine." Again and again he mouthed off these and other cringe-y things, lost in his own world. Susanna blocked it off, enjoying her tea, lost in her own thoughts.

She had long thought Katarina Claes was an interesting girl, from the rumors and how amused her fiancé was whenever relating what she and his younger brothers had gotten up to. But her personal interest was aroused once during the twin younger princes birthday party, when she had seen the girl start eating at an alarming rate. Then she started gulping down a cup of wine, quickly got drunk, and then turned the cup upside-down as if wonder where all the drink had gone. She hadn't expected to see something like this at a party held within the castle walls. At least, not with someone who wasn't a fat old man already round enough to be the Covetous Demon of the old tales. She's been surprised... and that was when she truly developed an interest in this girl. As she'd continued looking into her, she heard more and more interesting things. Now that she had gotten the chance to actually speak to Katarina for an extended period of time, she realized that Katarina was infinitely more interesting and wonderful than she'd thought!

But Maria Campbell…

Such coldness, such ferocity, such strange propriety! The stories and rumors she had started, going up and down the country like some kind of lost hero from a time long past, righting wrongs, saving children, generating paperwork… it had been the first time Susanna had really joined in gossip, and why wouldn't she? The young woman was obviously so gossip worthy. Rafael had been absolutely worthless at shedding any light about her though, despite the fact it was well known they were seeing each other, just getting a mushy and stupid lovestruck look on his face that was at least funny in its own right. And very convenient for sneaking more paperwork onto his desk.

Susanna had been in attendance at her knighting, as had many. The little dear had actually looked confused about why she as there. It was the first time anyone in attendance had seen someone seeming to try and refuse a knighthood. Most knighting ceremonies were exactly that, a ceremony marking when some lord or lady had reached the level of training and been judged by at least three covenants to be worthy of being raised, if not into their covenants. A commoner being granted knighthood and ascension to nobility was rarer, and no one had ever actually refused.

Until that time. Until someone had said to the king's own face that she had 'done nothing to deserve the honor', when there were several towns celebrating her deeds, and the paperwork to back it up. And hadn't been lying when she said it. Oh, she had been knighted anyway, despite looking like she expected to be executed. And everyone thought that had been it, that she would settle into pleasant commoner hedonism as she took her lands and money and relaxed.

And then most of the notables of the kingdom had seen the night sky bloom with flowers of light, and Susanna was reminded that there were wonders still to find in this world…

Katarina Claes… Maria Campbell… such interesting young women… !

As Susanna continued indulging in these thoughts, she couldn't help but realize that her expression began to resemble Jeffery's as he continued staring at the portraits on the wall.

Later, she returned to her own house in the city. It was dark and quiet, but her staff knew to expect her at odd hours, and her trusty butler Hayden was prompt as usual, summarizing the post and invitations that had arrived and preparing a light dinner for her. And one emergency that she must know about immediately.

Susanna looked at the envelope in her hands. It was of fine stock, of the sort that was used by the higher echelons of nobility. And it was simply addressed to her and marked 'private'. Hayden had already checked and there were no strange powders or potions on the envelope, no poisoned needles in the sealing wax.

Susanna was curious. It was what had gotten her started on magic tools. It was what made her a keen investigator. It was why she got into so much trouble.

She opened it.

The words within chilled her for the first time in years.

Larna Smith, you have been dismissed as a maid of House Berg with no references, owing to your disloyal service to the house and lack of competence.

– Lady Selena Berg.

Susanna hastily checked the envelope. In the same handwriting was her name: 'Susanna Randall, Private Correspondence'

For a long, long time, she just stared.

And then she started to laugh…