by Robin Roseau
* * * *
I sat quietly for the morning briefing. Father, Ahlianna, and I were in attendance. Bellard, Father’s secretary, was offering a review of the news, status updates on various activities, and the like. This was how Father kept track of things that might otherwise be below his notice, and I knew Bellard had three people whose job it was to assemble the report for each morning.
“An investigation has begun on the fire at The Invisible Mark.” The tailor shop fire had been reported last week
Father stirred. “Why?”
“Ruvend Engella asked for one.”
I lifted a finger. Father noticed and nodded to me. “I thought the shop was owned by the Chaeselor family.”
“It is,” Bellard replied.
“Then what is Mr. Engella’s interest?” I asked.
“A concerned citizen.”
I nodded, although I was unsatisfied. Bellard continued his report, touching on the remaining issues. I barely heard a word of it.
“That doesn’t make sense,” I said eventually.
“I’m sorry, Princess?” Bellard replied.
“That’s not what she means,” Ahlianna said. “She’s still thinking about The Invisible Mark.”
“It doesn’t make sense,” I said again. “A concerned citizen. Mr. Marshdown, is that the entire explanation?”
“It does seem odd,” Bellard agreed. “Should I look further into this, Your Majesty?” That was directed to Father.
“No. Darfelsa will see to this.”
“I need to know who is leading the investigation,” I said immediately. “Father, how much attention do you want me to devote?”
“It was your observation,” he replied. “Follow it until you’re satisfied with the answer to your question.”
I nodded.
“I’ll have everything for you, Your Highness,” Bellard promised. “Is an hour sufficient?”
“In my office,” I confirmed. “Thank you.”
Bellard was efficient, and a staff member reported to me. The information was sparse, but it was enough to dig deeper.
So I did, and it was two days later that I sat in an unremarkable carriage, Sergeant Felist with me. And then there was a knock on the carriage door.
We descended, crossed the street, and entered a modest office building on the edge of one of our warehouse districts. Royal guards stood by the entrance, and more near every door I would pass. Various workers stared at me, none of them moving. But with guiding gestures, I made my way through the building until I passed through a double door into a single office, smaller than I was expecting. I came to a stop.
There were four more of Sergeant Felist’s guards, all from the group that had attended me in Gandeet, and one man, somewhat older than Father, seated behind a neatly-organized desk. I spared the office a glance before focusing on the room’s occupant.
For his part, he stared and then slowly stood, careful not to startle the guards. He made his way around to the end of his desk before offering a deep but imperfect bow. “Your Highness,” he said before straightening. “That explains the royal guards.” He left the real question unasked.
I closed half the distance. “You are Ruvend Engella. If we have met, I do not remember it.”
“We haven’t,” he stated. He looked away then offered a nervous laugh. “It has been many years since I have felt this undone, Princess.” He looked back at me. “I’m sorry, but I am unsure of the protocol. Should I offer tea?”
“You could, but this isn’t a social visit, Mr. Engella. Let’s not worry about protocols. Sit.” I gestured to his seat behind his desk then moved to one of his guest chairs. He took his seat, and then I took mine. Protocol insisted I should have sat first, but I didn’t want to be caught unaware. I didn’t think he would be sufficiently foolish to anger the guards, but I didn’t want to depend on them more than necessary. I looked into his eyes. “Do you have any idea why I am here?”
“No.”
“I have one question,” I said. “And then I’ll remove this disruption to your business.”
He smiled. “I think I can forgive a minor disruption. What can I do for you, Your Highness?”
“What is your connection to The Invisible Mark.”
“Ah,” he said. “I would not have expected such a minor issue to rise to such a lofty level. May I ask how that occurred?”
Deflection. I considered but decided to answer him. “Do you know that Father receives a morning briefing to discuss the going-ons about Flarvor?”
“No, but I’m not surprised.”
“So you probably didn’t know that I have begun attending. My sister has, for years, but my involvement is new.”
“You haven’t been living here, Your Highness.”
“True, and if I hadn’t been doing what I was doing instead, I probably wouldn’t have been in attendance. It was reported an investigation had begun. Father asked why. The answer didn’t make sense. I am here for an explanation.”
“It is a minor issue,” Mr. Engella stated.
I looked into his eyes. Ruvend Engella was not a lord. He carried no title. He was a businessman and probably a criminal, but if so, his crimes were along the lines of skirting the edges. Not corrupt, not really, but more willing to bypass those laws that might be inconvenient to him. I smiled. “It was a minor issue until your name was mentioned.”
“I mean no disrespect, Your Highness, but it remains a minor issue.”
“And yet, a puzzling issue,” I replied. “You are under no obligation to answer my question, but I hope you will.”
“I have no connection to The Invisible Mark,” he said. “Not a single direct interest.”
“You have an indirect interest, then.”
“Not of the sort you mean.”
“I checked. There have been no fires at any businesses I could track to you. I found no sign that a member or known business associate has an interest in the business in question as anything more important than a customer.”
“I am an upstanding citizen, loyal to your father, Princess Darfelsa,” he said. “You spent more time on this than necessary. You could have come here first.” I didn’t respond to that. We both knew that wasn’t entirely true. “I will make an offer.”
“Excuse me?”
“I am willing to answer your question, Your Highness. What I don’t want is the answer making its way back to the investigators.”
“Oh?”
“If there is a connection to interests I hold dear, I would rather they discover that for themselves.”
“Why?”
“Several reasons. The main is simple: I am unsure there is a connection.”
“You suspect.”
“Only suspect.”
I considered. “Am I going to feel obligated to share what you tell me, Mr. Engella?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “I presume you would tell your father.” He looked around.
“These guardswomen are loyal to me. Sergeant?”
“No one on my team talks out of turn,” said Sergeant Felist.
“Who else will be in attendance when you report to King Leander?” Mr. Engella asked.
“Sergeant Felist and my sister,” I replied.
“Princess Darfelsa, I wasn’t expecting to take additional notice on this issue.”
“I’m not sure I believe you.”
“I most certainly wasn’t expecting such exalted notice.”
“That I can believe,” I agreed. “You could have raised awareness through less obvious means.” I paused. “Your interest isn’t entirely casual, and you wanted to ensure an investigation.”
“Quite. Princess, if it came out that I told you more than you already know, I could draw attention I don’t care for.”
“You have an invasion of the royal guard, Mr. Engella.”
“And they have an impeccable reputation,” he replied. “I have nothing to fear from your guards, Princess. Nor from the investigation.”
&nb
sp; “There’s a connection.”
“I have never been in the shop in question,” he replied.
“So the connection involves the people you think started a fire.”
“I don’t know who started a fire, or this would already have been handled.”
“Through means I might approve?” He didn’t answer, but then I said, “If I can keep you out of this any more than you’re already in, I will.”
“Are you familiar with the concept of protection? A company is approached and offered protection, for a price. And if one does not choose to pay it, one may discover the world is a more dangerous place than previously thought.”
Mariya swore. It was under her breath, but I heard it, and I thought perhaps Mr. Engella did as well.
“Personally,” he added, “I think I rather wish it was the good sergeant who was leading this investigation.” Mariya swore again. “I have no evidence your concerns are valid, Sergeant. People who offer protection have, in the past, worn a uniform. But I know of no one currently doing so.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Mariya replied.
“Your businesses have been approached,” I said. “Did you pay?”
“Not my businesses, but that of lesser associates. One didn’t pay.”
“Was anyone hurt?” Mariya asked.
“No, but only by chance.” He shifted his attention to me. “While I was surprised to be invaded by your guards, I am not at all unhappy about it, Princess, if you can keep my name from being bandied about more than it was to draw your attention to me in the first place.”
“How sure are you the incidents are related?”
“I suspect, Princess, that is all. I do not trust in coincidence. An associate is invited to pay for protection and declines. Three days later, there is an accident in his storeroom, a large shelf crashing down, immediately in front of my associate’s eldest daughter.” That was my turn to swear. “No one was hurt,” he added quickly. “But the goods underneath were crushed. Two weeks later, I heard of a fire in a place not known for fires.” He sighed. “How many know I invited an investigation.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “It’s in a report.”
“It wasn’t supposed to be,” he muttered. “I asked a favor from someone who should have been able to induce an investigation without repeating my name. Princess, I would take it as a favor if a simple answer to the fire wasn’t accepted at first blush.”
“I know almost nothing about arson investigations,” I replied. “I don’t know how likely it is they can prove intention.”
“Fires start somehow,” he said. “They don’t come into being on their own. And that nearly always leaves some sort of evidence behind, if investigators search carefully enough. This is especially true when the fire is extinguished promptly.”
“And thus hasn’t destroyed the evidence.”
“Just so.”
“Do you want a return visit from me if the fire investigation stalls?”
He paused. “Do you think that could be done without drawing unwanted attention?”
“No.”
“I could come,” said Sergeant Felist. “Would you have more expansive information, Mr. Engella?”
“If the fire investigation leads nowhere, then yes, I would have more information.”
“All right, then,” I said. “Mr. Engella, what will you answer if anyone asks why I was here.”
“I am most unhappy I am unable to perform business north of our border,” he replied. “It was quite kind of you to explain the rules to me.”
* * * *
I reported everything to Father, Ahlianna, and Bellard the next morning. We sat quietly for a minute. I watched Father, who held an expression I’d seen before: anger mixed with a certain amount of sufferance. Finally, he said, “Well, Darfelsa, it appears you have answered your question, and it turned out to be an exceedingly astute question at that.”
“Yes, Father.”
“If you’re seen involved in the investigation yourself, the wrong people could put the pieces together.”
“I had that thought as well.”
“Bellard, if there’s a protection scheme going on, I want it squashed,” Father said.
“I can add the appropriate people to the investigation, Your Majesty.” He glanced at me. “And I can do it quietly.”
“Whereas involving either princess isn’t going to be quiet at all. Handle it.” Then he shifted his gaze to me. “Or did you have another suggestion?”
“No, Father,” I replied. “But I hope we continue to receive reports.”
“We will,” Father agreed.
I won’t go over the details, but I would have one more conversation with Mr. Engella, only three weeks later. For this, Ms. Pelonden received a request for the meeting and was ready to turn him away, but asked me first.
“I’ll see him,” I told her.
“Princess…” she said. She didn’t typically call me that.
“I’ll see him,” I repeated.
She didn’t look happy, but we met in the library that afternoon. I didn’t want to do it in my office, although I didn’t have a good reason for that. We sat, and I poured tea for both of us. We both sipped for a moment. Mr. Engella smiled and set his cup down. He looked around.
“First time in the palace, Mr. Engella?” I asked.
“In this portion of the palace,” he countered. “And the first time I’ve shared tea with someone like you, Princess Darfelsa.” I inclined my head and then waited. Finally, his gaze turned back to me. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” I replied. “Although you know it wasn’t only for you.”
“Thank you, then, from everyone else.”
I inclined my head again. “I did little.”
“Sometimes all it takes is asking the right question and forwarding the right answer to the right people, which is what you did. Am I right?”
“I suppose you are.”
I sipped from my tea, watching him. I thought he had more to say. He picked up his own tea but looked around, not drinking. “I’m not a bad man,” he said eventually.
“I do not believe I have suggested you are.”
His gaze shifted back. “I have a reputation, and I imagine you’re aware of it.”
“I imagine.”
“Is that why they’re here?” He gestured vaguely towards the guards.
“Are you offended?”
“That would be foolish of me.”
I set my tea down again. “With only a few exceptions, they would be here regardless of who I was meeting,” I replied. “If I pick and choose when they accompany me, then you would be justified to be offended, as would the other people who meet with me.”
“If you were to pick and choose,” he countered, “and if I were the one advising you, I’d definitely advise their presence when meeting someone with my reputation.”
“Perhaps,” I said.
“I’m not a bad man,” he repeated.
“Do you believe I’d be sitting here in my finery, drinking tea with you, if I thought you were?”
“Why did you accept my request to see you?”
“I wanted to see what you had to say.”
“What do you think I might say?”
“I’m not sure if you’ve already said it,” I answered. “I don’t know what else. Perhaps you wish to tell me the investigation should continue.”
“If so, I don’t have a direction for you.” Again, I waited. He looked everywhere but at me, then set his tea down. “I’ve taken enough of your time.”
“Oh, just say it, Mr. Engella,” I replied, exasperated. “If all you came to say was ‘thank you’, flowers and a note would have been sufficient.”
He sat on the edge of his chair for a moment then appeared to come to a decision, settling back. “You know the town is talking about you.”
“From what I’ve been told, the town has talked about me since Mother announced she was to have a second child.”
“I’m fairly sure you know this is new talk.”
I considered playing the coquette. Instead, I inclined my head. “And?”
“If I ask, will you answer honestly?”
“I don’t know, Mr. Engella, as I don’t know what you intend to ask.”
“Are you aware the wager houses are accepting wagers over you?”
“I have not been officially so informed,” I replied. “What sort of wagers?”
“I suppose the wagers are actually over your various suitors, and how long they will remain suitors, and who might step in to fill the gap.”
“Ah. And are the wagering houses losing money?”
“The wager houses never lose money,” he replied. “They do not wager directly; they are, in effect, a clearing house for people who wish to make such wagers.”
“And they take a little money from each win or loss.”
“Just so,” he said. “Well, technically, one places a wager with the house, but someone else has wagered differently.”
“I believe I understand. If I were to learn of this officially, I would be officially appalled. Unofficially, I hope no one is gambling with money they can’t afford. Why do you bring this up? Do you hope for the inside story in order to place more accurate wagers of your own?”
“No.” Again, he looked away.
“Really, Mr. Engella. I cannot frighten you this much. Just ask whatever you want to ask.”
He didn’t look at me. Instead, he stared at one of the bookcases but asked, “If one were wagering, should one wager you and Ms. Robella will become married?”
“Ah,” I replied. “How do you feel about that, Mr. Engella?”
He turned back. “I don’t particularly care who you marry, as long as he or she is good to you.”
“Is that what you would have said a month ago?”
“A month ago, I wasn’t paying much attention to you, but if asked, I imagine I might have had a different opinion. And then we met.”
“And then a certain issue was resolved.”
“True, but it was meeting you that made the difference.”
Again he paused. I shook my head. “I understand this seems like a delicate conversation to you, but I am more practical than you may believe. I am calmly sitting here with a gentleman of storied repute. Do I appear scandalized to accept this meeting?”