Chapter 25: Contraband
The next day I sought out Lynn. She was my best friend, and I intended to stay her best friend as well. I found her in the parlor, wearing another empire cut dress- this one in a canary yellow and yellow chiffon. Lynn was a summer, and avoiding yellows was a good idea for summer people. But she’d chosen pale unsaturated yellows and was getting away with it.
“How are you doing?” I asked, walking to the table where she sat.
“I’m on edge.” She said, and nodded for me to sit, “Still no word from the prince. I don’t understand why nobody knows where he is.”
“It was like this in the game,” I said as I sat.
“And it was weird there. No discussion. Weird. He was the only one you couldn’t visit. He always had to come to you. I assumed it was a difficulty level thing. But it has to actually be something now, doesn’t it?”
I nodded. “I don’t know what it is though. It feels a lot more suspicious in person though, don’t you think?”
Lynn grimaced, “More conspiracy theories? But of course you’re right. It is odd, and it feels sinister in person.”
“Still,” I said, “You aren’t Baron. And so, you can’t order the Octavian spies to go searching for him. So, we may as well try to pass the time.”
“Like you are with Vincent?” She asked..
“I was picking his brain for information about Fiona. Did you know they used to court?”
Lynn nodded, “Of course I knew, back when Fiona’s mother was Countess. Ren, who are you talking to here?”
“Okay,” I waved my hands, “But the point is that I didn’t know it. I didn’t know they trained together either. But Vincent gave me great news. He says Fiona is so happy she’s humming as she works. So, I’m in with a chance.”
Lynn raised an eyebrow, “You’re pursuing this then?”
I nodded. “Given the option. Marrying some dude as a birthing vessel for his heirs, or marrying the smoking hot countess? I’ll take the countess.”
Lynn grinned, “Alright, fair point. You go girl.”
“Did you seriously just say that?”
“Yes, I said it. You will need to be friends with Vincent then. Remember that in order to court Fiona successfully, you need a good relationship with Vincent. You’ll need to have at least 75 points in respect with him before you successfully woo her.”
“Does that even apply to me?” I asked, “I’m not following the walk through. I’m also not the heroine. How far do the game rules extend, do you think?”
“I don’t know, but using what we know still seems wise.”
I nodded, “That makes sense. Vincent is a sweet guy, so I don’t mind building a friendship with him.”
“You know,” Lynn grinned, “If you finish the game marrying Fiona, and then do it again marrying Vincent, it unlocks a secret ending where you can marry both.”
“I’ve never seen that ending,” I wrinkled my nose.
“It’s interesting. Polyamory is legal in Ys, of course. But it is scandalous.”
“I met Baroness Wander,” I said.
“Who?” Lynn asked.
“Fiona’s teacher.”
“Oh, Lady Battle Ax. Of course. She’s not in the game. They only mention her. Why bring her up?”
“She has two husbands and two wives.” I said.
Lynn laughed, “Good for her.”
“Seems like a lot of juggling,” I said.
“This feels better,” Lynn said, “More like old times. Want to play some cards?”
“How? I’ve only seen tarot cards around.”
“We’ll make something work.”
Lynn and I decided to play blackjack with a tarot card deck. We had removed the major arcana cards. And we were playing with the minor arcana, the cards that became modern playing cards. After a few rounds of play, our fathers arrived. They dressed in such nondescript clothing I didn’t even take note of it. It took a few more rounds before I realized that they were watching with interest.
Once I noticed they were watching, my mind turned back to my old life, and my own father. When I turned fourteen, a boy asked me out. I was still pretending to be straight, so I said yes.
My dad said no and broke my arm.
In the emergency room, he’d told the hospital staff that I’d fallen off my bike. The staff noticed that I had no scrapes or bruises from a fall off any bike. They managed to separate me from dad. And I had made the mistake of telling them the truth, about me and about what dad did to my mom.
The police arrested him. And mom chased a full bottle of sleeping pills with a full bottle of whisky in response. And I was alone, except for Lynn.
“Daughter,” my father said, “Your uncle and I think we understand this game now. May we join you?”
Lynn grinned, “Of course, if you want to lose to Ren. She knows how to card count.”
“What is that?” my uncle asked.
“She can keep a running total in her head of the total value of the cards already played. It tells her what cards we're most likely to deal. She learned it from a book.”
“Is card counting hard to learn?”
"Hard to learn enough to use. Easy to learn enough to understand what it involves,” I said.
Manfred entered the parlor, “Presenting, his royal highness, Prince Wulfric Hardradason.”
I jumped and dropped my cards.
Lynn looked at me, “Hit me,” she said.
“Don’t give him ideas,” I whispered as Wulfric stepped into the parlor.
Wulfric walked towards us. Lynn stood and curtsied. I gritted my teeth then stood and curtsied. He stopped five feet from us and bowed. He turned and bowed to my uncle and father, who returned the bow.
“Your royal highness,” Lynn said, “I had worried that I had seen the last of you.”
“I’m persistent. But I’ll admit that your cousin’s apology helped. I wasn’t looking forward to getting slapped again, if I returned.”
“Allow me to apologize again. I lost my temper. It was inexcusable.” I said, holding my voice contrite.
“I accept your apology. I would be a poor example of royalty if I couldn’t be magnanimous. Now, we have business. As I said, I received your cousin’s message. I received her apology. And I received your acceptance of my proposal.”
“Yes, and do you have an answer?” Lynn asked.
“I do,” He said. “Now I am afraid that I must tell you that I also cannot accept such a sudden proposal.”
“What do you mean, highness?” Lynn asked.
“I was wrong. I am man enough to admit that. The courting process exists for a reason. And I know now that I must honor it. If we are to marry, I must win your hand.”
“That is noble of you, highness.” Lynn answered.
“It is,” Wulfric said, “I have sent messengers to Myrddhin House and to the Castle by the Sea. Your other suitors should be aware of this by now. Although I understand that the countess is now courting the Lady Karen?”
I nodded, “She is, highness.”
“Well, I suppose that narrows the field. But three suitors are still more than enough. I would ask that I impose upon House Octavian to have a new party to restart the whole wooing process. Everything started on the wrong foot. We should set it right.”
“Of course. I ask for my father's indulgence,” Lynn said, pointedly looking at her father.
Giles Octavian nodded back to his daughter, “Yes Lynn. I will hold it tomorrow evening. I will send messengers to Myrddhin House and the Castle by the Sea as you have. Then it is only a matter of advising the nobles of House Octavian.”
“That is good. I look forward to this hunt.” Wulfric looked at me as he spoke. He didn’t blink.
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