and he wanted to prepare his words carefully. He knew George would argue with what he had in mind and he knew that George was trained in logic and the ability to express thoughts clearly and precisely.
Eventually, the time came when the Emperor and Shukin reined in their horses and indicated a steep, narrow track leading downhill to the south-west.
‘You leave us here,’ the Emperor said. ‘It’s about a day’s ride to Iwanai this way. I doubt that you’ll run into any more of Arisaka’s men on the trail. Take care when you reach the port, however. Stay out of sight as much as you can until you’re aboard your ship.’
‘One of my men will guide you,’ Shukin said.
But Horace shook his head. ‘Not one of your Senshi,’ he said. ‘A servant will be fine. You need all the fighting men you have with you.’
Shukin nodded, acknowledging the wisdom. ‘Good point. Very well, one of the servants can guide you.’
Horace sat silently as George made his farewells. The Emperor, he noticed, looked quizzically at him while this was happening, perhaps sensing what Horace had in mind. Eventually, George slapped the reins on his horse’s neck and turned his head towards the steep, narrow track.
‘Come on, Horace. It’s time to go.’
Horace cleared his throat uncomfortably.
‘That’s the thing, George,’ he said. ‘I’m staying.’
Toscana
‘Evanlyn? Here? What on earth can she possibly want?’ Will asked of no one in particular. He could never think of the princess by her real name. He had met her as Evanlyn and shared so many dangers and adventures with her under that name that she would always be Evanlyn in his mind.
Alyss’s immediate reaction was one of suspicion. She’s here to barge in between Will and me, she thought peevishly. She knew that Will and the princess had been very close in the past – and remained so – and this made her suspect the worst of Evanlyn. She thought of her by that name as well because it made it easier to dislike her. If she thought of Evanlyn by her real name, Cassandra, she had to acknowledge that she was the Princess Royal of Araluen and afford her the respect due to that rank. As Evanlyn, she was just another girl, trying to get her hooks into Alyss’s boyfriend.
After that first knee-jerk reaction, Alyss recognised that she was being unreasonable. Even Evanlyn wouldn’t go to so much trouble simply to interpose herself between Will and herself, she realised. There must be some other, more important, reason behind her sudden arrival. Was Evanlyn here to cancel Araluen’s agreement to the treaty conditions, and nullify the hard work that Alyss had put into the negotiations over the past five days? Perhaps Araluan policy had changed towards the treaty between Arrida and Toscana? It would be extremely awkward if that were the case – after all, the treaty had been signed and ratified and she had witnessed it on behalf of the Araluan crown.
‘Perhaps we should invite her in and ask her,’ Halt said mildly, in response to Will’s question. He had seen the furrows of concentration on Alyss’s face and he had a shrewd idea as to the thoughts that were going through her head. But it wouldn’t do to leave the Princess Royal cooling her heels in the anteroom while Alyss got over her pique.
‘Of course,’ the tall blonde girl said, gathering her thoughts, annoyed with herself for acting in such an unprofessional manner. ‘Please show her in, Edmund.’
The attendant, who had been hovering anxiously, aware that he was keeping the princess waiting, nodded gratefully and withdrew, leaving the door open. A few seconds later, he reappeared, standing aside as their visitor entered.
‘The Lady Evanlyn, to see you,’ he announced.
Halt frowned. The princess only used that name when she travelled unofficially or incognito. Halt knew it reminded her of a time when her life and behaviour weren’t constrained by royal protocol and court procedures. He rose now and
Eventually, the time came when the Emperor and Shukin reined in their horses and indicated a steep, narrow track leading downhill to the south-west.
‘You leave us here,’ the Emperor said. ‘It’s about a day’s ride to Iwanai this way. I doubt that you’ll run into any more of Arisaka’s men on the trail. Take care when you reach the port, however. Stay out of sight as much as you can until you’re aboard your ship.’
‘One of my men will guide you,’ Shukin said.
But Horace shook his head. ‘Not one of your Senshi,’ he said. ‘A servant will be fine. You need all the fighting men you have with you.’
Shukin nodded, acknowledging the wisdom. ‘Good point. Very well, one of the servants can guide you.’
Horace sat silently as George made his farewells. The Emperor, he noticed, looked quizzically at him while this was happening, perhaps sensing what Horace had in mind. Eventually, George slapped the reins on his horse’s neck and turned his head towards the steep, narrow track.
‘Come on, Horace. It’s time to go.’
Horace cleared his throat uncomfortably.
‘That’s the thing, George,’ he said. ‘I’m staying.’
Toscana
‘Evanlyn? Here? What on earth can she possibly want?’ Will asked of no one in particular. He could never think of the princess by her real name. He had met her as Evanlyn and shared so many dangers and adventures with her under that name that she would always be Evanlyn in his mind.
Alyss’s immediate reaction was one of suspicion. She’s here to barge in between Will and me, she thought peevishly. She knew that Will and the princess had been very close in the past – and remained so – and this made her suspect the worst of Evanlyn. She thought of her by that name as well because it made it easier to dislike her. If she thought of Evanlyn by her real name, Cassandra, she had to acknowledge that she was the Princess Royal of Araluen and afford her the respect due to that rank. As Evanlyn, she was just another girl, trying to get her hooks into Alyss’s boyfriend.
After that first knee-jerk reaction, Alyss recognised that she was being unreasonable. Even Evanlyn wouldn’t go to so much trouble simply to interpose herself between Will and herself, she realised. There must be some other, more important, reason behind her sudden arrival. Was Evanlyn here to cancel Araluen’s agreement to the treaty conditions, and nullify the hard work that Alyss had put into the negotiations over the past five days? Perhaps Araluan policy had changed towards the treaty between Arrida and Toscana? It would be extremely awkward if that were the case – after all, the treaty had been signed and ratified and she had witnessed it on behalf of the Araluan crown.
‘Perhaps we should invite her in and ask her,’ Halt said mildly, in response to Will’s question. He had seen the furrows of concentration on Alyss’s face and he had a shrewd idea as to the thoughts that were going through her head. But it wouldn’t do to leave the Princess Royal cooling her heels in the anteroom while Alyss got over her pique.
‘Of course,’ the tall blonde girl said, gathering her thoughts, annoyed with herself for acting in such an unprofessional manner. ‘Please show her in, Edmund.’
The attendant, who had been hovering anxiously, aware that he was keeping the princess waiting, nodded gratefully and withdrew, leaving the door open. A few seconds later, he reappeared, standing aside as their visitor entered.
‘The Lady Evanlyn, to see you,’ he announced.
Halt frowned. The princess only used that name when she travelled unofficially or incognito. Halt knew it reminded her of a time when her life and behaviour weren’t constrained by royal protocol and court procedures. He rose now and
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