Chapter 126: 7-9 Planning the Visit

Stahlia, 17 Years Old, Eighth Month of 949

And so, with the “blessing” of Emmanuel, my entourage was allowed to enter the Free Cities Alliance's territory and make camp within a day’s march of the border city Zesten. Currently, the men were busy constructing windbreaks for our base; according to Alriss, the plains around Zesten were rather dangerous at night. From how he had described men and horses being picked up and carried away, it sounded like a hurricane blew through each and every night.

For this reason, we had opted to wait a reasonable distance from the edge of the plains and then get as close to the city as we could before making a semi-permanent camp. While there were natural and artificial berms, they were far too few for a group of our number. So instead, we applied some light military engineering, much to Emmanuel’s chagrin. Evidently, he and his father had assumed that the plains were an impassible natural barrier securing their city against invasion. Seeing how easily my soldiers and knights circumvented their threat went a good way toward mollifying him and proving my assertions that our intentions were peaceful.

I would like to know what the source of the winds is; something like that can’t be natural. But that’s not important right now, nor is it my purpose here... And Felicity still hasn’t shown up... Even though we’re well across the border now…

Forcibly, I put the worries for that one out of my mind; she had been fine alone on the streets of Drakas while I was in my coma, and she would be fine now. Of more immediate importance was how I would get anything done in Zesten, though I did have the beginnings of a plan.

“No. I can’t allow that.” However, Lord Alriss did not seem to like my idea.

“…And I say, I must agree with Ser Knight. I cannot allow a foreign dignitary, no less a monarch, to wander Zesten without an escort.” And Emmanuel seemed to be taking his side in the matter.

I sighed, “I understand and appreciate your concerns, Lord Alriss; you are concerned with both my safety and the image a monarch presented on her own. Lord Emmanuel, I also understand your own concerns, both of them. Your city would lose face if they allowed me to go about without an honor guard. Likewise, you cannot have me moving about without supervision. After all, Zesten and The Free Cities Alliance have their own matters of state secrets just as we have ours.”

“I am glad Your Majesty understands.” “Thank you for being reasonable.” The two of them were quick to thank me for accepting their rebuke. Perhaps a little bit too quick, considering I was not yet done.

“However, I would like to see things from a different perspective. My apologies, Emmanuel, but I cannot allow you to curate my experience in your city. Lord Alriss, we are both well aware that I am more than capable of defending myself. That said, I believe there is a way we can all be satisfied.” I nodded, and Sasha stepped forward.

After receiving a small box from her, I paused, “Peoni, Beatrice, the two of you are dismissed.”

My spare maids both knew better than to question such an order, especially when a high-ranking noble and a foreign dignitary were present. To say nothing of Sasha, whom they feared. Without complaint, they both stood and moved to exit the carriage. This left Lord Alriss, Emmanuel, Sasha, myself, and two knights serving as guards. I locked eyes with Lord Alriss. A moment later, he gave in and ordered the knights to leave us.

“Thank you, Lord Alriss. I will keep this as brief as possible; it should now go without saying that this box's contents are one such state secret of Drakas. I am exercising my authority to reveal it to you, Lord Alriss, and to you, Lord Emmanuel.” From the box, I removed a ring identical in every way to the one I was currently wearing.

Then, I removed the ring I was wearing and placed the one from the box on my finger. As the nostalgic feeling of the illusion wrapped around me, I nodded. Something about this was more comfortable, despite the weight and texture of the two being the same.

“…Was, was something supposed to happen?” Emmanuel’s question was fair and perhaps to be expected. After all, the way this illusion worked, it would not affect him since he had witnessed the activation.

Lord Alriss, on the other hand, widened his eyes, “Your majesty, for just a moment, did you get younger?”

Oh, now that’s interesting; it seems he saw the illusion activate, and his perception was able to observe it for a split second before his subconscious dispelled it.

“Lord Alriss is correct; this is a magic tool that changes my appearance to what it was before I received the gods’ favor.” Before I aged myself. “Their favor, which I had received quite some time before we publicly announced it during the succession war's final days.” Pausing, I gave my words some time to sink in.

Emmanuel had a subdued reaction. For him, the revelation was relatively minor. For Alriss, it was more substantial. While Emmanuel heard that Drakas had a fairly high-tier magic tool, Alriss heard that Rupert and I had deceived the entire kingdom. A deception that was still ongoing. I was not concerned that he would suddenly change loyalties in favor of Antonio, the late first prince, but there was a possibility the realization would shake him.

“How long?” After a pause, that was his only question. How long had I been using this ring? Then, he guessed correctly, “Since the incident with Count Francois?”

It says volumes about his current state that he forgot Emmanuel is still present.

Opting to ignore his slight misstep, I answered his question briefly before continuing to move my scheme along,  “Yes, since then. Though things are more complicated than that.” I glanced at Emmanuel, hinting to Alriss that this was as far as I was going to go in present company, “That said, I once removed the ring to travel incognito; the world then knew me by my younger appearance. It should be impossible to suddenly age four years. Likewise, it is generally impossible to grow four years younger. If Emmanuel permits, I intend to enter the city as the daughter of a merchant who accompanied Her Majesty’s dispatch.”

This was a gamble on my part; I could have easily done this without informing Emmanuel, and he would have been none the wiser. However, it was my hope that he would recognize that fact and that I was aiming for a compromise.

“…While this is certainly impressive, I need to know if it works. You claim that the tool changes your appearance, but I do not see it.” His tone had become stiffer, causing Alriss to straighten his back. Paying him no mind, Emmanuel continued, “However, I can appreciate what you are trying to do… I will speak with my father, but I believe he will permit you to utilize this plan, provided you still allow an escort of the city’s soldiers to accompany you. That is if this illusion is as effective as you claim it is.”

I nodded, “Then, please call for one of your guards; the simplest way to demonstrate the efficacy would be to have it work, would it not?”

Emmanuel agreed and rose to his feet. Despite having guards and holding a position of authority himself, he had not brought a servant with him to this meeting. Shortly after that, we were joined by one of his men. Upon seeing me, the man looked surprised and carefully examined his surroundings. He looked back at me a moment later, and his eyes widened.

“Emmanuel, assuming the tool you wanted me to appraise was meant to disguise her majesty as a little girl, it worked. At least until I realized that her majesty must have been that girl, after which the spell failed.”

Oh, that’s good to know.

I had already known that the illusion would fail if the person came into physical contact with my body or if they somehow witnessed something that would give it away. However, up to this point, I had assumed that something physical, an observation, was the only method of dispelling it. This was the first instance of someone logically reasoning the illusion to dispel it.

Though that said, interesting is all it is. There isn’t a risk of this becoming a regular occurrence unless in deliberately engineered circumstances, such as the ones from just now.

“Very well. Your majesty, with Leon’s testimony, I will accept that your tool works as you say it does, and I will carry your request to my father. Unfortunately, with the night winds, I will have to depart soon. Unless, of course, you wish to delay his response?”

“No, that will be fine. I have nothing else of importance to bring up just yet.” Sasha responded to the fact that our meeting was nearing its conclusion and presented Emmanuel’s guard with a bundle of documents.

“In lieu of his grace’s servant, please accept these papers, Sir Leon; they are documents legitimizing the Alriss Caravan and its authority to conduct trade and do business in the name of the Drakan Crown.”

“You may give those to me; I prefer conducting my business personally.” The fact that she had attempted to hand something to one of his guards was ignored, and Emmanuel moved to receive the documents himself. Though small, it did provide some insight into the internal politics of our opposition’s court.

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“Of course, by your grace.” Sasha curtsied and stepped aside.

Emmanuel tucked the papers into his coat and stood to leave. Once he and his guard departed the carriage, Sasha secured the door, and I motioned for Alriss to express his thoughts.

“With all due respect, Your Majesty, I wish you had informed me of the ‘Alriss Caravan’ ahead of time. That said, the meeting went rather well from where I was sitting. Though I would not have revealed the existence of a magic tool like that… Lord Gustav’s work is always impressive.”

“Thank you for your honesty, but that is not what I was asking your thoughts on.” My statement hung heavy in the air between us. It went without saying, but I had wanted his thoughts on mine and Rupert’s deception. But, like as not, Sasha was my only confidant in that, and now that someone else was aware of it, I found that I desired another perspective.

Lord Alriss chose his words very carefully, “I think, that, at the end of the day, it does not matter. In the short term, many might not have died if you had not played a farce. But I do not have the same information you and His Majesty do. Therefore, if His Majesty chose this route, I believe it was the best action.”

Well, that was a very diplomatic way of saying you have reservations but won’t let them affect your judgment.

 “Then, regarding the merchant charter, it is not strictly for this outing. It is, in fact, an entirely legal document authorizing your house to conduct business within the Free Cities Alliance on behalf of the crown. Rupert authorized it before our departure to be given to you as a boon. While I am using it in a scheme and have neglected the ceremony, please accept it with our blessings.”

Sasha produced another document and presented it to Lord Alriss. He regarded it with a rare surprised expression, then received the papers with grace, “Thank you for placing your trust in me, and my gratitude to his majesty as well.”

Considering the scale of what he had just been given, the speed with which he recovered his surprise was commendable. Until recently, Drakas had been a largely closed economy. We did have some limited trade, but it was all handled by foreign parties. This would be the first license and the officially recognized writ issued and the potential status and monetary gains the Alriss house could make were ludicrous. His composure upon receiving it meant that he was either an idiot or the absolute correct person for the role. Given our interactions up to this point, and despite my new reservations, I thought it was likely the latter.

Emmanuel returned the next day bringing with him a writ of his own, this one recognizing the Alriss Caravan. Additionally, he had two extra guards, “These two will accompany you while you are in Zesten; that is non-negotiable. And, be forewarned that they are both under contract to my father; you will not be able to influence or coopt them.”

He was much franker than he had been yesterday, a change I appreciated. Though, Lord Alriss did seem miffed about it. He did not raise any objections, though, as this was not one of our citizens, and I had not visibly reacted.

Everything is more or less how I assumed it would be. Though being handed a pair of guards is unexpected, I thought we would be given an escort when we arrived.

I looked the two of them over. They were more or less the same in arms and armor as Emmanuel’s own guards; a single short sword with a slightly curved blade and light armor covering only the vital organs. The only notable difference was that these were visibly older. Probably, somewhere around their fifties, they were likely veterans with a long service record.

They’re taking me quite seriously, then. Good.

“Thank you for your consideration; I will keep that in mind.” I did not intend to turn the guards or leave them; my trip would be rather long, and we would probably spend a lot of time in the Free Cities Alliance. It would not be a good idea to stir the pot and create diplomatic tension. Besides this, this was only the first stop; the odds of gaining any leads here were extremely slim.

“Regarding my visits to Zesten, I would like to go in disguise tomorrow, then make a public appearance as myself the day after. I understand having such a large force so close by is likely going to be causing some degree of angst among the populace; the faster I move, the better for you and your father, no?” My first visit needed to be incognito; there were some things to do and others to watch for that could only be done before the Drakan Queen’s visit. That visit was, undoubtedly, going to alter the settlement's atmosphere significantly.

“That would be a great help, yes. Though we would prefer you make an official appearance first, we are willing to compromise; it will give us an extra day to ensure everything is in order.” He was most likely referring to the reception.

“Thank you for the accommodation. Then, on my end, I would like to bring Lord Alriss as the head of the merchant company and the father of my cover. Then, for our protection, two knights each. That is the minimum Drakan law allows for and is already disregarding my true status.”

Emmanuel reacted in a visibly negative manner but did not move to push the issue, “That is acceptable to my side as well.”

With permission secured, it came time to plan the parade for my second visit to the city. After all, this was going to be a historic occasion. As such, it was a task best not delegated, and so I handled it personally. Even if my involvement was strictly limited to okaying or denying other people’s plans. Lord Alriss would occasionally chime in when a matter or question of security came up. Still, for the most part, he said very little. By the time Emmanuel left to return to the city, we had an operational plan.

I was to go undercover with Lord Alriss, four of our knights, and the two babysitters from Zesten. Emmanuel had provided us with the name of a hotel in the more affluent part of the city and promised to make arrangements for us. The following day, we would slip out of the walls as soon as the winds died down, then meet up with a parade column. They were allowing two hundred of my soldiers and knights to participate, and we would form up with the city guard and members of Chair Zesten’s personal forces.

“Then, I have much to do. But, if I might say, cooperating with your grace was far more straightforward than I had expected when my father first gave me this task. I shall see you on the morrow of tomorrow, by the gods’ grace.” Emmanuel said to me by way of farewell.

Once he had departed, I returned inside my carriage and collapsed into one of the seats, “That was exhausting.”

Dealing with Drakan nobles is terrible enough, but foreigners are entirely different.

Messing something up at home would be easy enough to spin a story, spread some rumors, and lean on supporters. In a word, I had options. Messing up abroad though… there was far less recourse. If not for my [Acting], there was little doubt that something would have-

“Let Felicity go!” A familiar shout from outside my carriage ripped me from my thoughts, and I spun back into action mode.

While Peoni and Beatrice seemed a bit caught off guard, Sasha and Frieda adapted quickly to the change, and in only a few seconds, the former was outside dealing with the problem. When I exited myself, I saw Felicity being gripped firmly by her arm, held by one of the knights who had been tasked with watching the carriage. It was a testament to my patience that I did not launch into an angered tirade at him; he was, after all, only doing his job.

“You may release her.” At the sound of my voice, the knight immediately snapped to attention and complied.

Felicity ignored the surroundings and ran toward me before stopping just short of a collision, “Stahlia Nee-chan, Claire-chan says, ‘Franklin is-’ Eeep!”

I cut her off by catching her arm myself and dragging her into the carriage, leaving the bewildered knight for Sasha to handle. Felicity was obviously distressed by something and had apparently found Franklin, but that didn’t mean she could begin talking about Claire in front of random people. Likewise, my thoughts were in turmoil of their own; seeing her had re-awoken the anger and fear I had felt previously, but they were both overshadowed by relief. Relief that she was safe and sound.

Just what in the world happened to her…?

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