“So you know my exploits, do you,” Laura scoffed. Her mouth formed a kind of dour smile. “And, why haven’t you brought this up before?”
You sighed, “It’s your life. I have no business messing with it.”
“But if I don’t help you sow your royal oats, you will tell Mother, have me publicly humiliated, or some other such, is that the gist of it?” she prodded.
“What!? No! I just meant you know how to keep a secret!” you exclaimed. “Thor’s Hairy Balls! Laura, I am not blackmailing you! I am asking for a favor, Woman.” You shook your head.
She looked at her brother out of the corner of her eye. “So you say.” She took a slow breath and you felt your patients thinning. “Okay, Little Prince, you asked my aid and you seem to honestly ask for it.
“So you want to find a lover, whom you may honestly seduce, who will not simply give into the authority of the crown?” You nodded you did. Tired of standing you sat beside your sister. “Kenneth, you will be crowned king within the month. How do you expect to seduce any woman so quickly?”
“I have been thinking about that,” you answered. “I think that before I take the thrown it is important I go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and humble myself before God, before I take on this heavy burden of ruling our land.” You had a devilish grin on your face.
“That would work, if Captain Gregoric wouldn’t insist on sending half the army to protect you.” Laura covered her mouth as she laughed.
You slapped at her hand. “I have thought of this too, Laura. That is why I came to you. I need your help.”
The princess looked out across the waters. “Let me think.” She considered it for some time. It was a difficult problem. If you just disappeared, their cousin, Lord Alfred the Duke of Wiltwoode, would seize the chance to become king, and worse if found out that you was without guards he would not hesitate to attempt to have you assassinated. Laura found herself having fun imagining ways of duping the entire country. A bevy of swans landed on the waters. The bevy split into two smaller groups and then one of the swans dove beneath the water. “I have it!”
“Do you? Well, wait no more explain.” You encouraged.
“We shall tell Gregoric that you find Alfred’s ambitions to be too great a threat. Thus, you have devised a trap. You will, as you have suggested, say that you are going on a pilgrimage, not to the Holy Land but to Rome. Gregoric is to take twenty soldiers to protect you on a slow and arduous journey to Rome.”
You did not like this plan, it in no way was lending to your escape. “Twenty is too many for me to slip away and too few for Gregoric.”
“I know, and you won’t be going to Rome.” The twenty-three year old girl had a look of cunning in her eyes that said she had lived for centuries. Wisdom was there, deeper and yes darker than the green of those same eyes. “You will tell the old marcher that you truly seek to make so pious venture, to cleanse yourself of your youthful indiscretion, but that you fear the cunning of Lord Alfred. Therefore, he is to make a show of your departure for Rome, when in truth you shall go to the Holy Land. You must go alone, or else Alfred might detect your plan.” She smiled at her own cunning. “Here is the keystone; you shall send a false king for Gregoric to ‘protect.’ If Alfred does send his assassins then Gregoric will capture him, then there will be enough evidence to execute the old bastard, and you will begin your reign a far safer man. And if he doesn’t send his assassin you shall know that shriveled old vulture has got the balls to kill you when you are all but wrapped with a bow and place on the headsman’s block.”
You were impressed, this was a plan in and of itself, which would have been very wise advice even if a ruse. “Ye gods! Laura, remind me to keep your counsel close when I am king,” amazed at your sister’s plan. “And you happy,” you added, realizing she would be a dangerous enemy.
“Laura,” you asked. “What do we tell Bishop Lackesooth?”
“The second lie,” she answered. “If he thinks he is in the inner circle he will not go searching for secrets and he won’t be as offended when the plot is revealed.”
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