Part 17

"Well, people are definitely still talking." Rig leaned back in his chair, placing his feet on top of my desk.

I glanced down at them, trying to decide if I cared about the papers beneath his shoes enough to tell him to move. I didn't. Shrugging it off, I focused on his words instead.

"Let me guess, it's not very flattering to me, right?" I smiled grimly, remembering the backlash of my previous life.

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"You can't go outside!" My mother screeched as soon as she saw me enter the outer hall. "Get back in your room!"

"But... I..." I hesitated, unsure. It had been a week since Ronan had broken the engagement and announced that he would marry Edith. I hadn't heard anything from the queen since. I had thought to go try to see her. Seeing my mother's expression, however, I second-guessed myself.

"Do you know what people are saying outside?" She laughed bitterly, pouring herself another drink. "They're saying that you were either too incompetent to be queen and he had to break it off... or that you were unfaithful."

I stopped in my tracks. "That's ridiculous! I had passed the Queen's training AND I've barely even left this house other than to go to the palace, much less spend time with another. When could I have been unfaithful?"

"That's not what they're saying out there." Mother tossed back her drink in a single shot, wincing before pouring another one. "Apparently you were going to the Royal Gardens to meet other men fairly regularly."

"But I was with Edith the whole time! She'll vouch for me!"

She smiled at that. "Will she?"

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"Quite the opposite, really." Rig laughed. "The Queen stepping forward when she did helped quite a bit, and apparently your teacher Mrs. Rendler has been telling anyone who will stand still long enough that you were the best student she had ever had, a genius."

A broom swung down at his propped-up legs, swiping them off the desk. Rig's feet slammed to the ground and he looked up, insulted, at his attacker. Hallers, clutching the broom, a self righteous expression on his face, didn't respond, only cleaning off my desk and sorting the papers quickly before stepping back towards the wall.

Rig frowned, but didn't put his feet back up on the desk. "You already have a great reputation within the duchy, due to the reforms you've done with the government, as well as financing so many to go to school and learn a useful trade. Most of the families here feel that they personally owe you, and word has spread that you would have been a perfect queen."

I shuddered at the thought. "And marry that idiot? I'd rather shovel manure."

"And that's what everyone else seems to be thinking as well." Rig's grin widened. "There's even a song that street performers are playing called 'Ronan the Ridiculous.' It's about an idiot who cheats on a wonderful woman, drinks himself silly and falls into a latrine pit."

I couldn't help but laugh out loud at that. "What? It's only been a week! How did they write a song so fast?"

Rig shrugged. "I don't know, but it must of come from either a very creative, or very vindictive mind. It's an extremely catchy tune, and the nickname for the prince is becoming more popular by the day."

From behind me I heard an evil chuckle. I turned around to look at Hallers, but he only smiled very professionally at me, with no sign that he had been laughing at all. I ignored the small suspicion building in my mind and turned back to Rig.

"I'm happy of course that I'm not considered a failure, but I worry about what kind of backlash we might see from the palace, given how much ridicule the prince is suffering."

I thought again of the smile the king had at the party, and how nervous it had made me at the time.

"Well, the Prince left on a hunting trip right after his party and has been gone for the last week. He may even be unaware of how poor his reputation is right now, but I doubt that will last long." Rig smiled viciously. "He's coming back today, and my sources say that the King has already arranged to speak to him privately later tonight before he retires for bed. "

He started to lean back and prop his legs up again, but after a sharp glance from Hallers, he sat back up with a sigh. "I would love to be a fly on the wall for that conversation!"

"... Do you know where they are meeting?" I asked, my mind racing.

Rig looked confused. "Well, apparently in the King and Queen's visiting room?"

"The one that connects the two suites?"

"Yes.... Why?"

I gave a devious grin. "Rig, how do you feel about a field trip tonight?"

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I gave him instructions about where to meet me, and a short while after the spy had left, Hallers knocked, announcing that I had another visitor.

For a moment I thought it might be Nate, and I strangely, I found myself smiling. I hadn't seen him since the party a week ago, which I thought was odd. I had a lot I wanted to discuss with him...

"Introducing Lady Erica." Hallers stepped aside to show the lovely young woman from the party. I felt a pang of disappointment, and shook my head, confused. Why would I be disappointed? How foolish.

I stood up to greet her with a smile. "Lady Erica, what brings you here?"

"Can we speak privately?" She looked around, clearly nervous.

Studying her for a few short moments, it was easy to recognize a familiar air about her. I had probably looked very similar in my previous life multiple times.

She was desperate.

"Let's take a walk in the garden." I led the way, and she silently followed behind me.

As we entered the flower garden, I heard her take in a deep breath. "Wow, this is very beautiful, you must have a wonderful gardener!"

I looked around at the thriving flowers surrounding us with a smile. "Nope, that's just Henry."

"...The Duke's heir?"

"Yep. That's him." I found a few benches, sitting down.

She sat down as well, staring at me. "He likes flowers?"

"All plants, actually. But he took one look at my pathetic attempts of a flower garden and banned me from meddling." I sighed. "It's beautiful, of course, but it's a little insulting to not have any say in my own garden."

Erica laughed, the first happy sound she had made since arriving at my home. She seemed to catch herself, falling into silence. Letting her think through things at her own pace, I simply enjoyed watching the flowers, knowing she would speak up when she was ready.

It didn't take long.

"I need your help!" She clasped her hands together in her lap, they were trembling. "I know you don't know me very well, and have no reason to help me... but I heard that you help others and I didn't have anyone else to turn to..." Erica was babbling at the end and I held up a hand, stopping her stream of anxious words.

"What do you need?"

Her face turned bright red. "So... I'm in love. But..." She hesitated again, looking at me pleadingly as if hoping I would know without her saying

"It's with the Captain of the Eastern Guard, rather than your earl fiancé."

"H-how did you know?" Her draw dropping in shock, she visibly gathered herself together. "I hope you won't tell anyone..."

I permitted a small smile to cross my face. "You would be horrified of the secrets that I am privy to, Erica. Yours are comparatively a light burden to bear. Now, you've been in love with him for years, what's the issue now?"

"I- well, I..." She shook her head. "I think the Earl of Beral has known for a while, he seemed to make a few attempts to discredit my Robert, but somehow those charges always ended up going away."

The earl certainly hadn't done much this lifetime. In my last, Erica's love had been ruined and had "disappeared." She had been forced to marry the Earl of Beral a few weeks before my engagement was broken. This time he seemed much more distracted...

It's probably because mother's spending all her time away from home.

I chuckled quietly at the thought. I had seen or heard very little of her since our confrontation. She came for birthdays and other major events as instructed, but otherwise was staying in one of the earl's homes.

It would explain why there was not as much rush from his end to force his young fiancé to marry him. The few rumors he had paid to start about the Captain stealing money from his troop were easily dispatched with by Rig and his group. I had thought we were in the clear now that the time of their wedding in the last lifetime had passed.

But perhaps that wasn't the case.

"Lately... things have gotten worse. Robert was attacked by some thugs on his way to his post several days ago. He fought his way out and escaped, but he thinks they were too well armed and prepared to be simple thieves. He thinks they may have been hired to kill him." Her knuckles whitened in her lap. "I'm so scared for him!"

I studied her carefully. "What do you want of me?"

"Well, I heard that you have a few schools where you teach others to become seamstresses, and then help find them work."She stared down at her hands as she spoke.

That surprised me. "Are you looking to be a seamstress?"

Finally she looked up, a determined light in her eyes. "I am a skilled at sewing, one of the best. I want to run away with Robert and start a new life. But to do that, I need to have a job."

"Well, points for having some practicality." I stood up, pacing as I thought. "If Robert leaves... he'll be charged with desertion."

"Yes." She didn't flinch away from the word.

"You'll have to leave the country, otherwise they'll find you two and you'll be much worse off than you are right now." I muttered as I walked back and forth, my thoughts racing. "He's a skilled guard... and you can sew..." I looked up. "Are either one of you skilled in numbers, would be able to look after the books, run a business?"

Erica looked confused. "I know Robert manages the money his troop receives so that his men get paid... but neither of us have business experience."

"Not ideal, but you can be taught the rest..." I stopped in my tracks, smiling. "Okay, it's decided."

"What is?"

"You and Robert work for me, now. I have been looking to open up a new branch of Prosperity in a nearby country, and you two may be just what I need. You will take orders and sew, Robert can guard the shop and help with the accounts."

"Wait, what?" Erica's face fortunately had no trace of resentment on it for me planning their lives, and only showed bewilderment, "You own Prosperity?"

I paused. "You didn't know? I thought that's why you were asking for a job."

"I thought you might have connections because you always have such beautiful dresses!" She shook her head. "I never suspected..."

"Well, now you know." I patted her on the shoulder. "I'll arrange the paperwork for you to cross the border, and for somewhere for you to stay while you set the shop up. But you'll need to leave soon... will next week work?"

She stood up as well, smiling. "I'll talk to Robert, but I can't see us getting a more generous offer." Throwing her arms around me, she gave me a hug. "Thank you!"

I waved a hand, dismissing her words. "Don't worry, I needed to open a new branch store anyways, so it's to my profit."

"Still..." She looked unconvinced.

"I'll contact you in a few days once arrangements have been made, but first..." I stopped, feeling the need to change the subject. I looked around as an idea struck me. "Let's get you a flower to take on your way!"

I made the offer and bent over a bush with large yellow blooms. But just as I reached out to pick one...

"HOLD IT!" Henry rushed towards us, his face as angry as I had ever seen. "Why are you touching my beautiful geraniums?!"

I stepped back, holding my hands up to show they were empty of flowers. "I was just..."

"Just tearing out one of my prized blooms as a present?!" He sighed. "Have I taught you nothing, cousin?"

"Fine!" I rolled my eyes. "How do you propose we give her a flower then?"

Erica looked between the two of us, her eyes wide. "I don't need a..."

"Of course we're giving you a flower!" Henry snapped. "Everyone should have a flower! It just has to be done right!"

He then proceeded to carefully dig a flower out of the dirt, preserving it's roots and replanting it in a ceramic pot. He then lectured the poor girl extensively on the proper care of the plant before gently placing the pot in her hands.

Hallers saw the slightly confused Lady Erica out, and I turned to walk back to my office. But Henry patted my arm, stopping me.

"Oh, cousin, before you go... this was mixed in with the letters I received today." Henry reached into his coat pocket, pulling out a letter. "It's addressed to you."

Curious, I opened the seal, and read the words in the letter:

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To the Lady Lenora:

I apologize for communicating through this letter, but I wanted to assure you I wasn't dead or run back to my country without saying goodbye.

Your former fiancé dragged me along for his birthday hunting trip. We're returning today, but I worry that I won't be back early enough to be able to visit.

If you permit it, I would like to stop by your home tomorrow. I greatly miss our talks together. If nothing else, it will be a reprieve after a week spent in Ronan's company. If I hear one more comment about how wonderful his horsemanship is I may be physically ill.

I look forward to seeing you, and hope to find you in good health and high spirits.

Yours truly,

Nathaniel.

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"Good news?" Henry asked.

I realized I was smiling as I read it, and wiped the expression from my face as I folded the letter once more. "No, nothing important."

I felt a pain in my stomach again, and rubbed it absentmindedly.

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Later that evening I snuck out of my home again, meeting Rig at the usual spot.

"So what's this about, girl?" He grumbled, looking tired and stretching as he spoke.

I grinned. "We're going to spy on the king."

That caught his attention. He paused mid-stretch, his mouth wide open in shock. After a few moments he recovered, and dug a finger into his ear as if trying to clean it out

"Sorry, I think I misheard you... What are we doing?"

I laughed. "We're sneaking into the palace, and we're going to listen in on that conversation between the Prince and the King." I looked up at the sky. "Before the king retires to bed was when they arranged to meet right? We should be right on time if we leave now."

Rig stared at me. "You're crazy." He sounded impressed.

"I am, but not about this." I grabbed his arm, pulling him along. "Come on."

"But... how..."

"I know how to get in, AND a secret passage behind the visiting room." I felt a moment of anxiety, trying desperately not to think about the LAST time I had been in those tunnels.

"It's risky, girl." He shook his head, even as he followed behind me, making no other sounds with his movement.

"It's necessary." I thought once more to the king's cold stare. "I need to know what they're planning."

"Well, if you say so." Rig shrugged. "You only live once, right? Might as well make it interesting."

Smiling I pulled him along. "Not exactly true for all of us, but still, let's go."