Chapter 5 Plans at the Palace

Meanwhile, the royal palace shone in the distance during the day from the view of the town. A group of doves gathered near a stained glass window, and suddenly, there was some cursing and yelling coming from inside. Suddenly, a crown crashed through the window, startling the doves and they flew away.

"My son has been avoiding his responsibilities long enough!" A rough male Scottish voice shouted. "It's high time he married and settled down!"

The Scottish voice came from a tall man with tan skin, blue eyes, scraggly black hair and beard. He wore a royal black dress shirt with a dark blue sash, golden epaulets, dark-blue pants with a silver stripe, and black boots. He banged his fist on the desk, shaking off the items. This was King Archibald Haddock, and was in a very bad mood.

From behind a fallen shield, a slender humanoid dog with brown hair and sideburns with glasses peered out. He wore a redcoat, tan pants, and boots. This was the Grand Duke Delbert Doppler, and he was very nervous around the king, sensing his exploding temper.

"Of course, your majesty," Delbert said, trying to calm the king. "But we must be patient!"

"I AM PATIENT!" Haddock roared, throwing a bottle of ink towards Delbert, causing him to duck behind a shield.

Haddock soon calmed down and moaned, "I'm not getting any younger, ye know. I want to see my grandchildren before I leave."

"I understand, sire," Delbert said, trying to comfort the king.

"No," King Haddock said, turning away. "No, you don't know what it means to watch your only wee grow farther, farther, and farther away from you." He looked up at the several portaints hanging on the walls.

The first portrait had a picture of Captain Haddock holding a baby boy with dark brunette hair, brown eyes, fair skin, and thick dark eyebrows. This was Prince Dallas or Dally for short. The next portrait had Dally riding the back of his father when he was a young boy. Another painting with the prince riding on horses with his father as a teenager. The final portrait revealed Dally now all grown up. He was a handsome man in his early twenties riding on his white steed. He was wearing a white cream-colored royal jacket, red pants with a gold stripe, a golden belt, black boots and opera gloves.

"I'm…I'm lonely in this desolate place," Haddock admitted sorrowfully as he and Delbert stared at the portrait. "I want to hear the pitter patter of his little feet again." Haddock broke down in stress and tears, and sobbed into Delbert's shoulders.

Delbert did his best to comfort the king. "Now, now you Majesty," Delbert said, taking out a handkerchief and blowing his nose. He patted the King's shoulder. "Perhaps if we just let him alone…"

"LET HIM ALONE?!" Haddock exclaimed, as he pushed the Duke onto the desk. The king went straight to the desk and stammered, "W-w-with his silly romantic ideas?"

"Uh, but, but, sire," Delbert said, nervously smiling and exited from behind the chair. "In matters of love..."

"Love? HA! Barnacles!" King Haddock said and he looked at two porcelain figurines of a man and a woman, known as bookends, holding up three books. "Just the boy meeting a girl under the right conditions, so…" He shoved the books away and pushed the figurines close together. "We're arranging the conditions."

"But your Majesty, if Prince Dallas suspects…" Delbert began.

"Suspect? Ha!" Haddock mocked and shoved the bookends away. "Look, the boy's coming home today, isn't he?"

"Uh, yes sire," Delbert admitted and he backed up across the surface of the table.

"Well, what could be more natural than a ball to celebrate his return?" Haddock asked his advisor with a grin.

"N-n-nothing sire," Delbert said, smiling nervously as he continued to back away while King Haddock crawled across and sat upon the surface of his desk.

"And all the wee eligible maidens in my kingdom just," He gave a snicker. "Happened to be there… Why, he's bound to show interest in one of them, isn't he?"

Delbert remained silent, until Haddock grabbed the humanoid dog by his jacket.

"ISN'T HE?!" King Haddock shouted.

"Y-y-y-yes, sire," Delbert stammered.

"The moment he does," King Haddock giggled, picturing the ball. "Soft lights… romantic music…"

Delbert rocked back and forth in his chair dreamily, until the King finished, knocking Delbert down. "All the trimmings!"

Delbert fell towards a suit of armor and knocked it over, and the helmet ended up covering his head.

"It can't possibly fail, can it?"

Delbert lifted up the helmet and looked at the king. "Y-y-yes, sire…n-n-no, sire!" Delbert stuttered, and closed the helmet to think of a good date for the ball. "Very well sire, I shall arrange the ball for…"

"Tonight!" King Haddock added, smiling.

"Tonight? Tonight?" Delbert exclaimed in shock as he lifted the helmet. "Oh but sire…"

"Tonight!" Haddock roared and headed to Delbert. "And see that every eligible maiden is there! UNDERSTAND?" The king closed Delbert's helmet and left.

Delbert was left with a whirling headache as the last word echoed in his helmet, and replied gingerly, "Yes, your Majesty."