{"id":22717,"date":"2020-06-11T13:01:15","date_gmt":"2020-06-11T17:01:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/tellest.com\/?p=22717"},"modified":"2020-06-11T13:01:15","modified_gmt":"2020-06-11T17:01:15","slug":"short-story-the-princess-of-raleigh","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/short-story-the-princess-of-raleigh\/","title":{"rendered":"Short Story – The Princess of Raleigh"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Princess of Raleigh
\n<\/strong>A Tale by Aaron Canton<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Zenda Raleigh\u2019s mouth curved up in a fierce grin as she shot an arrow through the thick forest and toward the distant deer. The animal jerked once as the arrow hit it squarely in the neck, but even as it raised a leg to run, it was already bleeding and starting to totter. It only managed a few steps before it collapsed at the base of a huge oak tree surrounded by orange flowers. \u201cYes!\u201d cheered Zenda, pumping a fist even as she slung her bow across her back and trotted towards the animal. \u201cPerfect shot!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell done,\u201d said Katherine Anadail, Zenda\u2019s lady-in-waiting. She brushed a few strands of her long, blond hair behind her head and hurried after Zenda. \u201cShall I call the horses? If we load the deer quickly, we can get back to the castle by teatime.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat, already?\u201d Zenda glanced up towards the canopy. Even though the girls were only an hour outside of Viscosa proper, the forest they were in was thick and untamed, perfect for hunting. Still, there were a few gaps in the trees where the sun was visible, and it hadn\u2019t moved all that much since the two had arrived. \u201cWe only just got here,\u201d Zenda teased. \u201cDidn\u2019t you say you wanted to get out of the castle? In fact, didn\u2019t you pick this spot?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSure, but I thought we\u2019d go for a quick hike,\u201d said Katherine. Zenda made an exaggerated frown, and after a moment, Katherine laughed. \u201cWell, perhaps a longer hike. You know I like hunting with you, Zenda. But we have things we need to do. Well, you do, anyways.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda shook her head as she reached the deer. \u201cWhat I need to do right now is get this guy cleaned and dressed. Once that\u2019s done, we can keep exploring. See if we can find some herbs or flowers for a garnish\u2014not those, though.\u201d She gestured at the orange flowers. \u201cI was talking to Ranger MacNair about how to identify edible plants, and he said those type of flowers will knock you out. But I\u2019m sure we can find some good ones deeper in. Plus, this forest is green enough that\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cZenda.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2014there should be a source of water around here. Maybe ducks. And you know what that means, right? Duck eggs and venison over a campfire\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cZenda!\u201d Katherine moved a step closer to the other girl. \u201cThat\u2019s not what I meant. You have official duties to attend to.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda looked at Katherine for a few moments before frowning. \u201cI\u2019m not a princess, Katherine. I haven\u2019t been for years. Not since Dad…you know…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou still have responsibilities\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, Katherine, I really don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda Raleigh was several inches taller than her friend, standing at over six feet. She had a lithe, athletic build, with brown hair cut short and a fashion sense that trended towards the rugged and practical. The only jewelry she wore, tucked under her clothes where nobody could see it, showed no signs of her former royal lineage\u2014just a little heart-shaped ruby, given by her father on her last birthday before he died.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve been over this,\u201d said Zenda as she drew her skinning knife from her belt. \u201cMagnus is the king now, and he\u2019s been king for years. That means I\u2019m not in the line of succession. I don\u2019t have any obligations, other than to show up and be alive whenever some noble spreads rumors Magnus is a usurper and secretly killed off the entire Raleigh bloodline, including me.\u201d She began to skin the deer with a series of quick, expert cuts. \u201cSince right now nobody\u2019s going around saying Magnus killed me, my time\u2019s wide open.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat isn\u2019t what I meant,\u201d pressed Katherine. \u201cYou\u2019re supposed to be the monarch right now. Magnus is illegitimate, and everyone knows it. He was supposed to be the regent for a little while when your dad died, until you got older, and even though he got the nobles to agree to keep him around forever, that doesn\u2019t make it right that he\u2019s still running things!\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda shrugged. \u201cLook, it\u2019s not like he\u2019s pillaging the kingdom. Everything\u2019s pretty much the same as it was when Dad was in charge. Magnus spends most of his time locked in the library with his scholars talking about how Raleigh worked when it was founded. I mean, does anyone really care if he wants to rename the roads or bring back the old types of coins instead of using the new ones? I sure don\u2019t, and I don\u2019t think I\u2019m the only one.\u201d<\/p>\n

Katherine shook her head. \u201cThat doesn\u2019t matter. It\u2019s your job and\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI never wanted to be queen, and you know that,\u201d snapped Zenda. She opened her mouth to say something else, then caught herself and was silent for a moment. When she spoke again, it was in a softer voice. \u201cI never liked the fancy stuff, even when I was little. I always liked running around in the woods more, and I really hoped Dad would have another kid that could take over someday so I wouldn\u2019t have to do it. And then Dad died, and every time I see the throne, I think of him, and… Look, if I didn\u2019t want to run things before, I definitely don\u2019t want to run them now.\u201d She shrugged, then returned her attention to skinning the deer. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter anyways. Right now, I\u2019d rather go hunting, or fishing, or on adventures, like when we checked out those caves last month. And I\u2019d rather be a ranger or a knight when I grow up than another royal who sits on fancy chairs, wears stupid clothes, and talks about taxes all day. What\u2019s wrong with that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong is that your father died years ago, Zenda, and you still haven\u2019t taken up your birthright,\u201d said Katherine in an equally soft tone of voice. \u201cI understand you still feel sad, but you need to get past it. Magnus must be dethroned before he destroys everything. And you\u2019re the only one who can do that, because you\u2019re the only one who can replace him without being a usurper yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHow is some scholar-king going to destroy Raleigh?\u201d said Zenda, an exasperated tone creeping into her voice. \u201cAnd why are you upset about this now? Like you said, Magnus has been king for…what, five years now? But in the last couple weeks you\u2019ve gotten obsessed about this. Why?\u201d<\/p>\n

Katherine hesitated for a moment, and Zenda raised an eyebrow. She\u2019d known her lady-in-waiting for years, and this was what it looked like when Katherine steeled herself to do something unpleasant. \u201cKatherine?\u201d Zenda repeated, forcing herself to speak calmly and without a trace of annoyance. \u201cIs something wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c…yes,\u201d said Katherine. \u201cI… I had another motive for choosing this spot today. Could you please follow me?\u201d<\/p>\n

She led Zenda deeper into the forest, and though Zenda cast a sad glance at the deer carcass they were leaving behind, she followed. She knew better than to doubt her best friend. \u201cHave you heard the rumors that Magnus had a hand in your father\u2019s death?\u201d Katherine asked.<\/p>\n

Zenda sighed. \u201cSure. Of course, everyone suspected him; when a king dies, everyone thinks it was the heir, if there\u2019s an heir that\u2019s old enough, or the regent if there isn\u2019t. But they caught the real killer. It was Adrayos, that knight who thought my dad didn\u2019t appreciate how many of his friends died in the Battle of\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAdrayos did it, but that wasn\u2019t why,\u201d said Katherine, a fevered tone entering her voice. \u201cThere\u2019re stories that he was paid to do it by Magnus.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know there\u2019re stories, but nobody ever proved it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Katherine grimaced. \u201cThere\u2019s proof now. Come on, we\u2019re almost there.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few minutes later, they reached a large rock with an odd shape; to Zenda\u2019s eyes, it looked almost like a unicorn. Some earth had been turned over near its base. Katherine stood by the disturbed ground and began to speak. \u201cThere\u2019s a trapper family who lives near here and comes to market occasionally; my uncle is friends with a few of them. Two weeks ago, they told my uncle they were trapping in this part of the woods when they got stuck under this rock in a rainstorm. One noticed a faint gleam under the soil, so they dug a little, and…\u201d She gestured at the dirt. \u201cThey found a sword.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd didn\u2019t take it with them?\u201d asked Zenda, curious despite herself. \u201cEven if it\u2019s old, they could use it or sell it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey couldn\u2019t move it. I mean, they uncovered it, but they said they couldn\u2019t pull it out of the ground\u2014it\u2019s magically fixed there\u2014so they reburied it while they tried to figure out what to do about it. But they described what it looked like and… Well, you\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda knelt by the dug-up earth and cleared it away until she saw the gleam of a bright, sharp sword that looked like it had been buried a couple days prior. Several sigils were etched onto the blade, but when she tried to lift the sword to look at them more closely, she found she couldn\u2019t. The sword was stuck to the dirt beneath it as if affixed by mortar. \u201cOkay, that\u2019s odd, but…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst, look at the hilt. Isn\u2019t that Magnus\u2019s seal? They described all the markings to me, and when they mentioned that one, I knew it sounded like his.\u201d<\/p>\n

The seal in question was a rough rectangle with a few lines crossing it, making it look like the page of an old book. \u201cSure, but…even if it\u2019s his, just because the sword is here, that doesn\u2019t mean it was used for something bad. Besides, if Magnus really was involved in Dad\u2019s death, why would he have Adrayos use a sword anyone could trace back to him? I know you don\u2019t like him, but he is a scholar. He\u2019s not dumb.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, but he might not have had a choice,\u201d said Katherine. \u201cLook at the markings on the blade. You know I\u2019ve been studying a little magic, right? Not enough to cast it, but enough to recognize spell sigils. So, when the trappers described the marks on the blade, I knew what they were and what they did. Those are powerful dispelling wards\u2014they cancel the magic of whatever the sword hits.\u201d She paused. \u201cYour father wore clothing enchanted by the country\u2019s best archmagi when he was murdered. Nobody ever figured out how the knight cut through those clothes, and nobody found his weapon. Nobody cared after they caught Adrayos trying to flee the castle and sent him to jail forever. But if Magnus happened to have a sword of his own that could break those kinds of spells…and if he gave it to Adrayos, had him kill your father, and then somehow retrieved the sword while everyone was chasing his hired killer so he could hide it deep in the woods where nobody would find it for years or more…\u201d<\/p>\n

She trailed off, and Zenda could only stare at the blade before her.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Until recently, the assassin who had killed Zenda\u2019s father had been imprisoned in the newer jail near the edge of town. It was built from thick stones, and its passages were dutifully patrolled by respected veterans of the city guard, making it one of the safest places to secure Raleigh\u2019s criminals. But Magnus\u2019s reforms had included bringing back the dungeons Raleigh\u2019s third king, Raghnall Raleigh, had built into a basement of Raleigh Castle, so the assassin and a few more of Raleigh\u2019s worst criminals had been moved there.<\/p>\n

It was a typical example of how Magnus was running things, Zenda thought as she approached a staircase leading down to the basement level. Housing the prisoners in the castle dungeon was certainly a change from how the last few kings had done it, and it definitely didn\u2019t seem to be most urgent issue that needed attending to, but it wasn\u2019t doing any harm, and it wasn\u2019t like Magnus was profiting off of it, so who cared? And if all Magnus wanted to do was make little tweaks like that, why would he think it worthwhile to assassinate King Bidouin? People usurped thrones to loot treasuries, or execute enemies, or set themselves up as gods. Not to relocate a dozen prisoners.<\/p>\n

Zenda had to admit, as she descended, that she still didn\u2019t really want to do this. There had to be a dozen holes in Katherine\u2019s theory. For instance: suppose the assassin had used one of Magnus\u2019s enchanted blades to kill King Bidouin, as Katherine had guessed, and then Magnus had hidden the blade in the woods. How would he have gotten the blade away from the murder scene in the first place? Magnus was one of Bidouin\u2019s highest-ranked advisors; as soon as the murder occurred, he would have been surrounded by guards in case someone tried to assassinate him too. How could he have gotten away from them for long enough to find the murder weapon and hide it?<\/p>\n

Her father was dead. She still woke up some nights desperately missing him, and Katherine… Katherine didn\u2019t get it. She\u2019d talked to Zenda all the way home about the official acts they could do, how even as a deposed princess Zenda could still call upon the lords and nobles to open an inquiry or take other official acts. But Zenda had always hated anything that involved dealing with nobles, even when she\u2019d been little and forced to get wrapped up in stupid dresses and smile politely for three hours while her father talked with boring people about boring things. And now that whenever she went to the parts of the castle where business was conducted, and she was immediately reminded of her father\u2019s untimely death, she had less desire than ever to meet with the nobles. Her father had been killed by some horrible retainer; she just wanted to accept that and move on with her life. Go hunting, or fishing, or adventuring. Get away from the castle and everyone in it.<\/p>\n

But Katherine was her best friend. Her family had served the Raleighs for centuries, and even as children, Katherine had always been ready to rush off and get Zenda a juice or a toy or anything else she wanted. She could do this one thing for her friend…especially if she did it her way.<\/p>\n

The fun way.<\/p>\n

Zenda reached the bottom of the stairs near the first checkpoint, but she didn\u2019t turn down the corridor to the dungeons themselves, as the guards would then see her. It wasn\u2019t like she had a legitimate reason to be in the basement. Instead, she went down the hall to the wine stores, but stopped halfway there at a small door barely wide enough to fit through. After looking around, she forced the rusted door open and slipped through it.<\/p>\n

The old castle had been expanded by several generations of kings, and some expansions had been haphazard, with new structures built but then badly integrated into those already there. The dungeons, which had been built some time after Raleigh Castle itself was erected, were among them. And, thanks to having gone exploring all over the castle when she was little and learning every detail she could about it, Zenda knew those dungeons included two large suites for the royal family in case the castle was breached and the king needed to take shelter in a defendable area with checkpoints, armories, and plenty of guards. Someone had evidently decided that, since those shelters would need stocking, there should be a servant\u2019s passage so supplies could be brought in to both of them without bothering the guards\u2014but that passage would need to be narrow enough and have sufficient defenses so bulky, armored criminals couldn\u2019t breach it and free their compatriots. The shelters had, ultimately, never been used for their intended purpose, but the servant tunnel was still there and still provided access to both suites\u2014if Zenda could get through it.<\/p>\n

It was a dark, tight, claustrophobic passage, but Zenda felt more at ease within it than when she was in the castle\u2019s formal rooms. She felt her way forward, moving quickly but carefully enough that she didn\u2019t trip on the rough stones, and when she felt a stone move under her touch, she picked her way around it to avoid setting off any pressure plates or traps. Then came a point where she tried to step forward only to feel her foot descend through empty air, and for a moment she tottered on the edge of the pit trap, but she caught herself and made a standing jump across the pit without trouble. When she landed, she looked down into the pit behind her, saw the faint gleam from some rusted spikes, and managed a small but exhilarated grin. \u201cWay better than talking to the nobles,\u201d she muttered.<\/p>\n

She reached the suites after about twenty minutes. The door was closed and secured with a bar, but there was a crack she could slip her short sword through to pry the bar up. When she got it open, she rushed into the suite and peeked through its front door. There were two guards in the dungeon hallway, but their backs were to her, and she quickly opened the door and darted down the next corridor without arousing their suspicion. That put her among the regular cells, a series of rough cubes carved into the stone and blocked off from the hallway by thick iron bars. And in the last one was…<\/p>\n

Sir Robert Adrayos. The knight who had killed King Bidouin.<\/p>\n

Zenda\u2019s breath caught as she approached his cell. The knight sat on the bed, looking sullen and withdrawn, but as she neared him, all she could see was Adrayos grabbing his sword and stabbing her father. She\u2019d heard the stories of the witnesses; her father had been unarmed and at ease as he\u2019d approached Adrayos to ask why the knight sought an audience. Adrayos had looked her father in the eye, whipped out his sword, and…<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want something, girl?\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda came back to reality and saw that Adrayos was staring at her. \u201cYes,\u201d she said quietly, forcing herself to maintain a blank expression. \u201cI have questions about King Bidouin\u2019s murder. There\u2019s evidence someone else was involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat so?\u201d The knight\u2019s mouth curled upwards. \u201cI already told the guards it was all me, girl. There ain\u2019t nobody else.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there is another party,\u201d continued Zenda in a strict, controlled tone, \u201cand if you have evidence of it, we might be able to reduce your sentence.\u201d That was a lie, but Zenda had figured the knight\u2014who had already been in jail for several years and would never leave it unless he escaped or made a deal\u2014might go for it. \u201cAnd you could be given protection if needed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs that right?\u201d Adrayos smirked. \u201cWell, too bad for me. Like I said. Ain\u2019t nobody else.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda frowned. Adrayos\u2019s tone was almost mocking, like he knew something and was pleased Zenda couldn\u2019t make him say it. \u201cWhereas if you conceal evidence\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Adrayos leaned back on the bed. \u201cNothing to conceal, girl. I got mad old Bidouin didn\u2019t care about all the knights who got killed in his stupid war, so I killed him. All there is to it.\u201d He grinned. \u201cWhat, don\u2019t you think I\u2019m…trustworthy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda could feel her knuckles starting to hurt as she tightly gripped the hilt of her sword. \u201cThis is serious. You might want to stop joking\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHalt!\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda swiveled to see two guards on patrol staring at her\u2014and behind the one who had shouted, giving her a quizzical look, was Magnus Lorethal.<\/p>\n

The current king of Raleigh was tall but thin, with hair that had been wispy and washed-out even when he was younger. He wore the same style of clothes Raleigh\u2019s first kings had worn, but his body was slight enough that the ornate outfits almost seemed to wear him instead of the other way around, and the crown on his head\u2014before Zenda glanced away from it\u2014looked almost too big for his slight form. His eyes were a somewhat hazy blue, though they seemed more focused when viewed through his exquisite ivory-framed spectacles. He looked like a scholar who never left the library; he was, in fact, the absolute monarch of the country.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was… I wanted to see the man who killed my father,\u201d said Zenda before the guards could ask more questions. Beads of sweat formed on her neck, and it occurred to her again that\u2014deposed princess or no\u2014she didn\u2019t have the right to be down there. Distantly, she wondered if Magnus would dare to have her arrested. If that happened\u2014<\/p>\n

But Magnus was already waving off the guards. \u201cIt does not matter. There is an old custom of Raleigh leaders\u2014kings, nobles, high officials\u2014personally interviewing prisoners to ensure that justice is being carried out correctly, that no innocent person was arrested, and no guilty person given undue leniency. As the former heir, you qualify.\u201d He passed the guards to approach Zenda. \u201cAlthough, in the future, perhaps such visits could be scheduled in advance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c…of course.\u201d Zenda paused. \u201cUh…what are you doing here, Your Majesty?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFulfilling that same custom.\u201d Magnus reached Adrayos\u2019s cell, and Zenda noted how the prisoner tensed, as if he were now in the presence of someone who he needed to keep happy. Of course, that could be because Magnus was king and could order him executed, but…<\/p>\n

\u201cBy the way, Zenda,\u201d continued Magnus. \u201cYou should know that there will be a large celebration in the grand hall tomorrow evening. I understand you were planning a hunting trip then, but if you do wish to attend the banquet, you\u2019re more than welcome.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda frowned. \u201cWhat is the celebration for?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDiplomats from Daltain are arriving, and they must be appropriately honored, as per our ancient traditions.\u201d Magnus smiled. \u201cWe have erected an altar that exactly matches the one King Cailan Raleigh is said to have built to honor his treaty allies, down to the last bit of filigree. We have also set aside scores of cattle and pigs to be sacrificed like the old rituals require and trained dozens of entertainers in the traditional dances and musical performances Kings Cailan and Quintus were known to prefer. Just as they demonstrated their wealth and honored their allies, so we shall honor ours\u2014and Daltain will then be as loyal to us as Quintus\u2019s and Cailan\u2019s allies were to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda raised an eyebrow. \u201cYou\u2019re sacrificing scores of cattle? Isn\u2019t that expensive?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBy returning Raleigh to its era of greatest prosperity, we will earn back all the money we spend on reforms and then some.\u201d Magnus\u2019s eyes twinkled. \u201cWe will bring forth a new Golden Age.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut…\u201d Zenda paused. It was true that Magnus wasn\u2019t keeping the money and that it was all being spent on securing alliances for the kingdom, but still… that was a lot of money to go up in smoke. She remembered her father having cut back on diplomatic parties, and she also remembered him telling her his own father had cut back on them as well to preserve the kingdom\u2019s treasury. \u201cI don\u2019t…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019d like to sit in on the council sessions where these issues are discussed or take part in my scholarly studies where we research ancient Raleigh customs and determine which ones we should bring back, you are more than welcome, Zenda,\u201d said Magnus in a tone which made it clear he knew virtually nobody would ever want to actually do that. \u201cIn the meantime, I do need to speak with Adrayos. Guards, if you could please escort Zenda here back up to her room?\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda hesitated, but there was nothing else she could do at the moment. She had no choice but to let the guards take her away.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cYou tried to sneak into the jail?!\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda scowled at Katherine as she flopped on her bed. Except for one wardrobe in a corner of her room, which held her royal vestments in case she ever again became involved with something formal, the room\u2019s contents looked more like those of a knight than a member of the royalty. Her swords, bows, arrows, and other equipment were carefully lined along one wall, and most of the furniture was rough-hewn, the kind where it wouldn\u2019t matter if she nicked something while practicing with her sword. Her bed was small and tucked into another corner, so she had enough space in the middle of the room for exercises. This meant that, when she was on her bed, Katherine had to move a chair across the large room so she could sit down and talk to the princess.<\/p>\n

\u201cSure. You said you wanted me to investigate, so I tried. But the guy didn\u2019t want to talk to me.\u201d Zenda shrugged. \u201cStill, sneaking in was kind of fun… You know what we should do? We should see if there\u2019re other secret passages around\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course he didn\u2019t want to talk to you!\u201d snapped Katherine. \u201cWhy would he tell a random person about the conspiracy he was involved in?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat conspiracy? Like I told you, I don\u2019t believe Magnus is guilty of anything except wasting all his time in the castle library.\u201d<\/p>\n

Katherine shook her head. \u201cI think you just don\u2019t want to believe it. But you know the truth. There are too many coincidences.\u201d<\/p>\n

It took a moment for Zenda to muster a response that wasn\u2019t just snapping back in anger. \u201cLook, I didn\u2019t find anything, even though I investigated\u2014like you asked me to. Can we be finished with this? Some elk were cited in the woods north of here, and tomorrow\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Katherine grimaced. \u201cNo, we\u2019re not done!\u201d she insisted. \u201cYou can look into it as the princess! Or former princess, anyways. You can do things. There are people you can talk to. Protocols you can invoke. You could get things done if you didn\u2019t decide to act like a…a common thief!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that\u2019s not the way I like to do things\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat doesn\u2019t matter!\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda\u2019s eyes widened. Katherine had never yelled at her; in fact, she couldn\u2019t recall the lady-in-waiting ever yelling, period. But now Katherine\u2019s face was red, and she glared directly at Zenda.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have an obligation to do something!\u201d Katherine insisted. \u201cIt\u2019s your job! The people need you! It doesn\u2019t matter that…that doing formal things bores you or that you hate the stupid dresses. You have to do it!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKatherine,\u201d said Zenda in a low voice. \u201cI don\u2019t need you to tell me what to do. I don\u2019t want to get involved in\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy not?\u201d demanded Katherine. \u201cI know how much you loved your dad. I know you\u2019d want to get back at anyone who hurt him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda stood and approached Katherine. \u201cStop talking.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I know you\u2019re not afraid\u2014I\u2019ve seen you face down wolves and bears in the forest. And those bandits we ran into on the way back into Viscosa three months ago. So, you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI said, stop talking.\u201d Zenda felt herself beginning to growl. \u201cNow.\u201d<\/p>\n

Katherine shook her head. \u201cSo, I don\u2019t understand why you don\u2019t want to try dealing with Magnus the right way. Is it that you don\u2019t think you can handle your royal duties?\u201d Zenda\u2019s eye twitched, but she said nothing, and Katherine continued. \u201cDid you forget how? Did you\u2014?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI just can\u2019t do it!\u201d yelled Zenda before she could stop herself. \u201cI can\u2019t do it, all right?\u201d<\/p>\n

Katherine froze. \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda, almost as stunned as Katherine, took several seconds to respond. \u201cWhen I was learning how to do all those things,\u201d she said at last, \u201cit was from Dad. And then he was…he was murdered three rooms down from me. I came in when I heard yelling, and I saw him on the ground… I saw blood everywhere…\u201d<\/p>\n

She took a shuddering breath and sat back on the bed. Katherine rushed to her side. \u201cI didn\u2019t know you saw his body.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I did. And after that, every time I see his throne or his crown or clothes like the ones he wore…all I can see is him. I see how he should be in that throne, wearing that crown, the clothes, everything. And then I can\u2019t stop myself from thinking of his death again, and… I can\u2019t bear to even look at them.\u201d She let her head drop. \u201cSure, I never really liked doing princess things in the first place, but after he died, after I realized I couldn\u2019t stand being in half the rooms in the castle because I couldn\u2019t stop thinking about what he\u2019d have been doing there if Adrayos hadn\u2019t murdered him…well, I started spending a lot more time in the woods.\u201d<\/p>\n

Katherine took her hand. \u201cYou never mentioned\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course I didn\u2019t. You\u2019re my friend; I didn\u2019t want to dump all that on you. But…\u201d She took a shuddering breath. \u201cI can handle whatever we run into in the woods, or when we\u2019re fishing, or even when we\u2019re on the roads. I can\u2019t get through two minutes in Dad\u2019s throne room without wanting to run away, and whenever Magnus wears Dad\u2019s crown, I can\u2019t even look at it. So why should I torture myself?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause you have a duty,\u201d whispered Katherine. \u201cLike I have a duty to help you with anything you need, and the knights have duties to protect Raleigh, you have a duty too.\u201d She clenched Zenda\u2019s hand. \u201cTo your father. And the kingdom.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda shut her eyes. \u201cBut I don\u2019t\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy parents told me about your father. They said that sometimes he had to do things he hated\u2014like when he led a makeshift army of conscripts and peasants to defend the city against bandits, because all the knights and guards were off at war and he was certain he would die. Or when there was a famine, and he had to laugh and tell everyone how a great harvest was just around the corner while he and his family were as hungry as anyone else. He did those things because they were his duty. And Zenda… I\u2019ve known you since we were six.\u201d She tilted Zenda\u2019s head up, and the princess opened her eyes to see her friend smiling. \u201cI know you care about fulfilling your duties just as much as he did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda said nothing.<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think Magnus was involved with your father\u2019s death?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t want to think that,\u201d Zenda protested feebly. \u201cThere\u2019s no proof\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut there\u2019s a lot of coincidences. Please, Zenda. Do you think it?\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda let out a soft breath and forced herself to think back on everything that had happened. \u201c…yes,\u201d she said at last. \u201cYes, I do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCan anyone else get back at him besides you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d admitted Zenda. \u201cI\u2019m the princess…and it\u2019d look suspicious if something happened to me, anyways. Anyone else he could have exiled or killed. Me, he can\u2019t touch without making himself look suspicious.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo. Will you investigate and uncover the truth?\u201d Katherine guided her head to look at the wardrobe with her royal vestments. \u201cThe right way?\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda froze, feeling stupid as she did so. Katherine had been right about her facing down wolves and bears; once she\u2019d even had to fight a large exotic cat that had broken out of a traveling zoo and was charging at her and a few kids sheltering behind her. But to go back into those rooms where her dad should have been…<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t know whether she could do that alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cWill you help?\u201d she asked at last.<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course,\u201d said Katherine at once. \u201cThat\u2019s my job. And…and you\u2019re my friend.\u201d She smiled gently at Zenda. \u201cWhatever you need.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda nodded, then steeled herself, rose, and carefully approached the wardrobe. \u201cThank you,\u201d she said. \u201cYou\u2019re wonderful. I don\u2019t deserve you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Katherine giggled at that, and Zenda cracked a smile. \u201cSo,\u201d the princess continued, trying to fight jitters she hadn\u2019t felt even when facing down charging wolves. \u201cHow should we start?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe sword\u2019s our biggest clue,\u201d said Katherine. \u201cBut we can\u2019t move it. And… Wait, how do you think Magnus got it out of the castle, anyways? Could he have done it himself?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo,\u201d said Zenda at once. \u201cHe was surrounded by guards that day. He would have needed another accomplice. But how can we use that? Even if we confront Magnus in front of people, he\u2019ll be able to get the sword back himself before we can do anything. So, we can\u2019t…\u201d She thought back to her protocol lessons, and then after a moment, she had it. \u201cNever mind,\u201d she said abruptly. \u201cI have an idea on how to start.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The clothes made Zenda\u2019s skin crawl.<\/p>\n

Katherine had helped her dress in the formal outfit appropriate for the receiving of ambassadors, with all the frills and jewelry and even a stupid corset. They were decorated with various symbols and seals of importance in Raleigh, including the Raleigh family crest stitched into the hem, and as soon as it touched her skin, Zenda wanted nothing more than to rip it off. But she caught herself, and after a few breaths\u2014and some support from Katherine\u2014she could get the rest of the accoutrements on. Now she and Katherine\u2014the latter in her own formal outfit, less fancy than Zenda\u2019s royal ones but still incredibly decorative and expensive\u2014were approaching the diplomatic celebration Magnus had invited her to.<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember the plan,\u201d murmured Zenda. \u201cBack me up, whatever I say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat will you say?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat will depend on what everyone else does,\u201d she said. \u201cBut you\u2019ll know it when I say it.\u201d And then they were at the threshold of the castle\u2019s grand ballroom.<\/p>\n

For a few moments, Zenda couldn\u2019t even recognize it. There was indeed a large altar built along one side which was incredibly ornate; the structure was built from a rare wood Cailan Raleigh favored; and Zenda couldn\u2019t count all the jewels and pieces of filigree worked into its surface. The room itself had also been redecorated, with paintings and statues in the historic styles replacing the more modern ones Zenda\u2019s father had preferred. Even the silverware on the table had been replaced by utensils carved in the older styles, and Zenda felt a shock of anger at the sheer waste of the kingdom\u2019s money the renovation represented.<\/p>\n

But those elements were ultimately unimportant. What mattered were the hundred guests, ambassadors, nobles, and scholars mingling in the room. Back when she was a child, Zenda\u2019s father had taught her how\u2014<\/p>\n

Zenda tensed again at the thought of her father. She almost turned back to the door, as if to run away. But Katherine was there, gently moving to keep Zenda in place. And after half a minute, the impulse to flee passed, and she could think on her father\u2019s lesson\u2014how to scan a room full of people in ornate costumes who all blended together and identify the crucial ones. They were the ones who held their own little courts, the ones who had their own hangers-on and followers, the ones who were leading and not being led. That didn\u2019t apply to most of this group\u2014Magnus and his scholar-court weren\u2019t much for leadership\u2014but she just needed a few…<\/p>\n

There. A man in a red outfit with the Daltainian symbol prominently embroidered on his coat; he was probably the lead ambassador. A portly woman lecturing to a dozen listeners; she was likely a noble, and a fairly prominent one, given the scorn she heaped on other esteemed guests she wagged a finger at. Another man, this one bald and wearing the simple outfit of a scholar; from the deferential gestures of the others in his presence, he was probably a high-ranking official. And then, of course, there was Magnus himself.<\/p>\n

The king seemed more animated than Zenda had ever seen him. He smiled easily, laughing at jokes, even trotting at quick speeds as he rushed from guest to guest. He looked like… well, like how Zenda had felt when she\u2019d first taken up sword lessons and done well enough that her trainer had complimented her to King Bidouin. Like he was celebrating some great accomplishment.<\/p>\n

Zenda curled her lip. Now that she could admit to herself what Magnus had surely done, she couldn\u2019t stand to see him happy. \u201cI,\u201d she murmured, \u201cwill bring all of this down upon your head.\u201d She squared her shoulders and nodded at Katherine. \u201cShall we?\u201d<\/p>\n

They moved across the floor gracefully, respectfully, in perfect accordance with every protocol lesson Zenda had sat through in her youth. Zenda reached the Daltainian ambassador first, waited a few seconds for a break in the conversation, and then expertly slipped in between two of the people around him\u2014another skill her father had insisted she learn. The man looked at her, confused. \u201cOh, hello,\u201d he began.<\/p>\n

He clearly wanted to say more, but he hesitated for just long enough that Zenda could get into the conversation without seeming rude. \u201cHello!\u201d she said in a refined voice that sounded as pleased as possible without getting oleaginous. \u201cI\u2019m Zenda Raleigh\u2014the former king\u2019s daughter. You must be the head Daltainian ambassador. I hoped to meet you here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh\u2014really?\u201d The ambassador raised an eyebrow, and Zenda could tell he was assessing whether she was merely flattering him. \u201cI didn\u2019t know I was so popular here.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I had a few things I wanted to ask you. I\u2019m sure you know King Magnus is trying to bring back some traditional rituals and mores to Raleigh culture.\u201d The ambassador nodded. \u201cAs how one of the first links between Raleigh and Daltain was the exchange of a few members of their respective noble and royal houses, and as I\u2019ve always wanted to see Daltain, I was hoping there might be something similar now. You\u2019ve had the Allegiance Meeting, right? Where exchanges like this would have been discussed?\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda hadn\u2019t remembered every detail of Raleigh\u2019s history from her lessons; given how long it had been since she\u2019d studied, she would have had trouble choosing some parts of the country on a map. So, she and Katherine had spent most of the last few hours buried in the castle\u2019s library looking at the historical tomes Magnus obsessed over. They\u2019d learned that, during the first visit of the Daltainian leader to King Cailan\u2019s castle, they\u2019d had a long meeting discussing the possibilities of various exchanges of people to foster allegiances between their nations. Magnus, Zenda was certain, would have done his best to replicate that meeting.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes,\u201d said the ambassador, the suspicion gone from his face\u2014he\u2019d clearly concluded that Zenda had shown enough knowledge that she was genuinely interested and not simply a sycophant. He then extended his hand, holding it at a slight angle. \u201cAnd if you\u2019re willing to live in Daltain for a few years, we\u2019d love to have you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWonderful!\u201d Zenda smiled and executed a perfect curtsey, then took his hand and clasped it in just the right way\u2014strong enough to add emphasis and formality, not so strong as to seem \u2018unladylike\u2019 or crush his hand. \u201cCan you come with me for a few minutes? I\u2019d love to talk more about it with you.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ambassador nodded, and Zenda led him across the floor towards the other important guests. She continued to move according to the rules of formal etiquette\u2014if she began sprinting, not only would she earn some odd looks and alert Magnus too early, but she might make the ambassador think she was eccentric and lose interest in talking to her. Katherine remained by her side, ready at a moment\u2019s notice to chime in, the quintessential lady-in-waiting. It only took a few seconds for them to near the next person they needed to talk to, the portly woman.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs I was saying,\u201d she told her listeners, \u201cI think the tax policy is egregiously wrong. We can\u2019t possibly provide all these forests for the exclusive use of our hunters unless we get something in return. If we\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t know about that,\u201d interrupted a person in her group. He was a younger man with rougher clothes, and Zenda figured he was an heir to one of the poorer baronies. \u201cThe hunters pay a lot as it is, especially with King Magnus\u2019s tax increases. We…\u201d<\/p>\n

He trailed off, because the woman glared at him. \u201cI mean…\u201d he stuttered. \u201cThat is, I…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes?\u201d asked the woman in an icy, hostile voice. \u201cI believe you were saying something of incredible importance?\u201d<\/p>\n

The man blushed. \u201cExcuse me,\u201d he said at last and almost sprinted off. The woman made a \u2018hmph!\u2019 noise before returning to her lecture.<\/p>\n

Zenda winced to herself, then waited for the next break in the conversation. When the woman reached the end of her next thought, Zenda quickly slipped in. \u201cBut haven\u2019t you heard?\u201d she said as she reached the woman, using a tone that mixed empathy and urgency. She let her hands clasp each other a little and allowed her mouth to quiver a faint amount; the effect was that she looked like she was genuinely worried, but also restrained enough that she maintained her dignity and thus could be addressed by the noble without tarring her reputation. After all, even in a real emergency, no self-respecting noble would talk to someone in hysterics. \u201cThe taxes will be decreased for the hunters next season,\u201d she lied. \u201cKing Magnus will decree it next week.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat?\u201d demanded the woman, indignant. \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda thought very quickly to come up with a reason but couldn\u2019t think of one\u2014she\u2019d barely paid attention when her father had discussed taxes with her. She opened her mouth to say something\u2014<\/p>\n

Katherine murmured, \u201cHunter Gift, Year of Gaune 30,\u201d in her ear.<\/p>\n

That reminded Zenda of something they\u2019d read in the library earlier, and she brought the story to mind before continuing. \u201cBack when King Raghnall was crowned, he was so grateful to the hunters for their support in driving off bandits that he slashed all taxes on using the forests for ten years. King Magnus says that if we bring back that custom, we\u2019ll have a more bountiful hunting season.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWell…\u201d the woman frowned. \u201cI… I disagree. Do you suppose I could meet with the king to discuss it for a few moments?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, of course. I can show you to him on the way over. This way, please.\u201d<\/p>\n

She moved across the floor again, with both the ambassador and the noble trailing her, until they reached the scholar Zenda had picked out earlier. \u201cPlease excuse me,\u201d said the man as they approached. \u201cKing Magnus has tasked me with determining how wide the new canals should be, and I have no time for chatter.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAh, of course.\u201d Zenda gave an apologetic glance at the noble and ambassador to convey that she disliked this interruption and if they would only be patient she would get going again as soon as possible. Then she turned to Katherine. \u201cWe understand how important the canals are. Didn\u2019t you tell me you were reading about them in that diary by… What was his name? King Quintus\u2019s civil engineering captain?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cCortelo Radgers,\u201d said Katherine at once. That impressed Zenda, who knew she surely had seen the name during their crash course in Raleigh history, but hadn\u2019t remembered it herself. \u201cHe designed all of King Quintus\u2019s big projects. You were right, by the way. His diary is fascinating.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have his diary?\u201d asked the scholar. \u201cDid he…did he leave details of his work?\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda glanced back at Katherine, who smiled. \u201cOh yes. So many, actually, that it\u2019s taking a long time to get through. But I promised my mistress I would be done by the end of the season, and I will.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood.\u201d Zenda turned to the scholar and said, as if in explanation, \u201cI\u2019ve always believed in educating one\u2019s servants. Since she had a knack for understanding bridges, canals, and that sort of thing, I had her read a few books I found on the subject. And\u2014well, no, never mind. We should leave you to your thoughts. Please, excuse us.\u201d And she hurried on with Katherine and the others in tow.<\/p>\n

\u201cWait\u201d said the scholar. \u201cIf you have\u2014please, let me borrow that book!\u201d But Zenda kept far enough ahead of him that he had to rush after her.<\/p>\n

Zenda hid her smile, then took a breath as she approached Magnus, who stood near the altar and gazed at it appreciatively. If she screwed this up, it was all for nothing… She had to get it right. \u201cKing Magnus,\u201d she said as they approached. \u201cThis is a lovely party. Thank you for inviting me, Your Majesty.\u201d<\/p>\n

She bowed with impeccable courtesy, and Magnus matched her with a bow of his own. \u201cOf course, Zenda,\u201d he said. \u201cI am pleased that you like it. And look.\u201d He gestured at a few of the rubies set in the altar\u2019s side. \u201cThese are from King Quintus Raleigh\u2019s ceremonial suit of armor. I had a royal mage confirm their authenticity. This is the first time they\u2019ve been used for a ceremony in centuries!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d said Zenda. \u201cBut I wanted to introduce you to someone.\u201d She glanced at Katherine before continuing. \u201cThe noble\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Katherine suddenly jolted, a sharp motion completely out of place in the formal room. Magnus and the others all turned to her…as she and Zenda had rehearsed. \u201cZenda,\u201d Katherine continued. \u201cI\u2019m sorry, but I just remembered. Those knights you said you wanted to talk to visited today\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot now, Katherine,\u201d said Zenda sharply. \u201cThis isn\u2019t a good time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKatherine!\u201d growled Zenda. \u201cI am talking to the king.\u201d<\/p>\n

Magnus held up a hand and smiled gently. \u201cNow, now,\u201d he said. \u201cServants often have valuable wisdom. That was one lesson Quintus Raleigh insisted all his heirs and nobles learn, after his own groom alerted him to an ambush and helped him sneak out of an inn before it was burned down by his enemies.\u201d He turned to Katherine. \u201cWhat is it you wanted to say?\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda had to work to contain her smile. Quintus had indeed believed that; in fact, the inn ambush was one of his more notable adventures. Which meant that Magnus, who was obsessed by the ancient kings, couldn\u2019t have said anything but what he\u2019d said, which, she\u2019d wager, would go very badly for him.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Katherine was speaking again. \u201cWell…Zenda, my mistress, had some knights exploring an area of the woods. A few peasants had found an old sword with some odd sigils, and…\u201d<\/p>\n

Magnus\u2019s eyes widened. Just slightly, but Zenda saw it. And she knew for sure.<\/p>\n

He was her father\u2019s killer.<\/p>\n

\u201cI talked with some mages about the sigils the peasants described, and they said those sigils were magical\u2014and that they could have made a sword sharp enough to have cut through the protective clothing the old king, Bidouin, used to wear,\u201d said Katherine. \u201cSo, I told my mistress, and she mentioned that they never found the murder weapon\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see,\u201d cut in Magnus. \u201cBut…it is probably a coincidence. After all, oftentimes a blacksmith will put markings in a blade to make it look magical and expensive even though it is mundane.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cExactly,\u201d said Zenda. \u201cThat\u2019s what I said.\u201d<\/p>\n

Magnus smiled. \u201cThen\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBut I felt like I had to look into it anyways.\u201d Zenda sighed. \u201cWhen I was little, my father told me a story about how King Quintus, when he learned an uncle he\u2019d thought had died in a hunting accident may have actually been murdered, he conducted an investigation himself. He called it the, uh…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cRoyal Penance,\u201d chimed in Katherine.<\/p>\n

\u201cRight. He said he had a special obligation to make sure the killer was caught, because an attack on the royal family wasn\u2019t against one person, but against the whole nation. And so, he investigated and searched until he found the killer. And, since you\u2019re always saying how we should stick to tradition and follow our ancient values, I felt I should do the same.\u201d<\/p>\n

The ambassador coughed. \u201cBut, ah, didn\u2019t they catch your father\u2019s killer?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, but he didn\u2019t have time to get out of the palace. So, if his sword was hidden in a forest, he must have had an accomplice. And I need to find that person…again, assuming the sword\u2019s real. It\u2019s probably not. The knights today couldn\u2019t find the sword again, so for all I know, it might not exist, and the peasants could be lying for some reason. But I have to be sure.\u201d Zenda gave Magnus a cautious glance. \u201cDon\u2019t you think so?\u201d<\/p>\n

Magnus hesitated, and Zenda grinned fiercely to herself. Magnus surely wouldn\u2019t want a real investigation, but what could he say? He\u2019d no doubt already spent a lot of time telling the ambassador how much he valued all tradition, no matter how expensive or pointless\u2014the stupid altar was proof of that\u2014so if he objected to Zenda\u2019s request now, that would look very odd to the ambassador…who would no doubt tell all his colleagues about the incident, potentially derailing the alliance with Daltain that Magnus was working on. The noble would surely be suspicious if Magnus looked like he was trying to head off the investigation into the murder that earned him his kingdom. And the scholar could, of course, be relied on to confirm Zenda\u2019s story if Magnus lied and said she must be mixing her history with some other ruler. Magnus had no way out of this, and if he refused to support her, they would all tell everyone and make Magnus look guilty even without Zenda investigating. Meaning…<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, as it\u2019s in accordance with tradition, I approve,\u201d said Magnus. \u201cIn fact, I\u2019ll help. I can have a full battalion of guards search the woods for that sword. If it\u2019s there, we\u2019ll find it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda was sure they would\u2014and was also sure Magnus, who no doubt knew exactly where the sword was, would slip out beforehand and swap it for a non-magical blade that could never have killed Bidouin. She and Katherine had determined it would be impossible to retrieve the sword themselves, and even if they could get it, Magnus could claim they\u2019d taken it from his stock themselves and planted it. No, Zenda needed something else… And now that Magnus was committed…<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you so much, Your Majesty!\u201d said Zenda brightly\u2014and just loudly enough that others looked in their direction. \u201cWhile they do that, I\u2019ll take care of the other thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll talk to Adrayos,\u201d she said as the others listened in. \u201cSee if I can get him to talk about the conspirator who got the sword out of the castle for him. You know, like how King Quintus interrogated the hunter who killed his uncle and figured out the truth himself.\u201d She smiled. \u201cHe\u2019s already in the dungeon, so could you have him available to talk around noon tomorrow?\u201d<\/p>\n

Magnus froze for a moment, but there was no way out, especially not with so many witnesses. \u201cOf course,\u201d he said at last. \u201cWe must follow tradition.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you, Your Majesty!\u201d repeated Zenda. \u201cI truly appreciate it. And…\u201d she turned to the noble, who was staring at Magnus. \u201cI believe you had a request for the king?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The interrogation was situated, as Zenda had predicted, in a dungeon suite. That way they wouldn\u2019t have to remove Adrayos from the secured area and risk him escaping, and there was a squadron of guards nearby in case he tried. Plus, Magnus would no doubt be reassured that Zenda couldn\u2019t have snuck in anybody else to eavesdrop.<\/p>\n

Of course, Magnus didn\u2019t know about the precaution Zenda had taken, which suited her just fine.<\/p>\n

Zenda reached the dungeons exactly on schedule, carrying a tray with a pot of tea and a few cups. \u201cWhat\u2019s this?\u201d asked a guard.<\/p>\n

\u201cAccording to the histories, when King Quintus interrogated his uncle\u2019s killer, he served tea first,\u201d lied Zenda. \u201cIt was bespelled by a mage to be a truth serum. I don\u2019t have a mage, but King Magnus still wanted me to mimic King Quintus\u2019s methods as closely as possible otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n

The guards exchanged exasperated looks, but nobody said anything. It was well known by now that once King Magnus decided something was traditional, it was impossible to talk him out of pursuing it, no matter the expense or the consequences. Granted, if the guards memorized the histories themselves, they might have realized Zenda was making this up and that there was no indication Quintus had served anything during the interrogation… But, as Zenda had guessed, the guards weren\u2019t nearly as obsessed with old stories as Magnus was.<\/p>\n

Zenda was searched for weapons\u2014the guards explained they had to check in case she was trying to assassinate her father\u2019s killer\u2014and one sampled the tea, making Zenda pour a sample into a flask and then tasting it, to verify it wasn\u2019t poisoned. When done, they guided her to the suite she\u2019d gone through during her visit to the dungeons two days prior. Upon entering, she noted the servant\u2019s door was shut and presumably locked from the other side. That was expected; after the celebration the previous night, when she and the guards were discussing how the interrogation would work, they had insisted she explain how she had gotten into the dungeons the first time, and she hadn\u2019t been able to avoid telling them. Now the door between the servant tunnel and the suite was barred from the tunnel side, and the door between the servant tunnel and the main castle basement was locked from the basement side as well. Thus, the suite was completely isolated… or so Magnus surely thought, anyways.<\/p>\n

A few minutes after Zenda seated herself in a comfortable chair in the suite, the front door opened, and three heavily armed guards led Sir Robert Adrayos in. They roughly flung him into the chair opposite Zenda, then took up posts\u2014one to each side of him, and the last one blocking the door. As soon as they were done, Zenda rose and courteously inclined her head at the guards. \u201cThank you, brave knights, for your assistance,\u201d she said, quoting words Quintus Raleigh was recorded as saying so many years ago. \u201cPlease, partake.\u201d<\/p>\n

She poured tea for all three guards, herself, and Adrayos. When she offered the cups to the guards, though, they hesitated. She dropped her voice and lied, \u201cIt\u2019s tradition, and Magnus told me he would be upset if we didn\u2019t follow it…\u201d<\/p>\n

That did it. The guards all drank deeply, and Zenda rose her cup to her lips. Adrayos, though, stared at her and didn\u2019t touch his tea. \u201cStill got nothing to say, girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda gave him a long look before lowering her cup, then sat primly back in her chair. \u201cBe that as it may, I have some questions regardless,\u201d she said. \u201cFor instance: when did you decide you wanted to kill the king?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adrayos sneered at her. \u201cTwo minutes beforehand. I stubbed my toe, got real mad, and thought, well, why not dabble in regicide?\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda showed no reaction to his sarcasm. \u201cLet\u2019s try something else. Where did you get the sword?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMagical pixies brought it to me when I was on the pot,\u201d Adrayos said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy did\u2014?\u201d<\/p>\n

The guard to Zenda\u2019s left suddenly slumped down against the wall, his sword falling from still fingers and thudding into the carpeted floor. The guard on Zenda\u2019s right took a step towards the fallen one before collapsing himself. Adrayos whipped his gaze back and forth between them, then turned to the guard by the door only to see him collapse too. \u201cWhat the\u2014?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNow,\u201d said Zenda in a stern, piercing voice. \u201cCan you give me some real answers?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d demanded Adrayos. \u201cWhy\u2014?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019ve held your tongue for years about why you did what you did,\u201d said Zenda. \u201cI figured that wasn\u2019t because you liked rotting in a dungeon while your conspirator went free. Magnus was somehow keeping you quiet. So, I also figured that, once I forced him to let me interrogate you, he\u2019d make sure a few of his thugs would be in here to ensure you didn\u2019t say anything. If you\u2019d given me a straight answer, I bet at least one of the guards would have killed us both, then told everyone you killed me, and he was forced to kill you to stop your escape.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adrayos gave Zenda a long look. \u201cYou\u2019re not as dumb as I thought, girl.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy name is Zenda Raleigh,\u201d said Zenda, saying\u2014for the first time in years\u2014her name with the gravitas and emphasis appropriate for the princess of a mighty kingdom. \u201cYou murdered my father, and I want to know why.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course you do. But, ah, there\u2019s one problem. All the guards are sleeping, and one of them\u2019s got the key to this room in his pocket. So, what stops me from escaping right now?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe dozens of other guards in the dungeon and the rest of the castle,\u201d said Zenda. \u201cAll the ones who aren\u2019t in on the conspiracy will kill you rather than let you go, and as for the rest, I think if Magnus was willing to let you escape, you\u2019d be out already. No, he wants you here, and if there\u2019s even a faint risk of you getting out and talking, he wants you dead. His minions probably have orders to kill you on sight if you\u2019re seen outside of the dungeons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adrayos considered. \u201cThen why shouldn\u2019t I sit right here until those goons wake up?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause, if you give me real answers, I can get you out of here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda leaned back in her chair, doing her best to radiate confidence and certainty. She could not in fact free Adrayos even if she\u2019d wanted to, which she didn\u2019t…but she had to stop him from realizing that. And so she sat up straight and rigid to radiate surety, met his eyes without blinking to emphasize self-assurance, and otherwise used everything she could recall from her protocol and etiquette lessons to assert, without saying a word, that she was a royal and could make anything happen that she chose.<\/p>\n

Adrayos looked at her for a long moment. \u201cYou\u2019d really do that?\u201d he asked. \u201cEven though I killed your father?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see you as a tool. I want the man who wielded you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nobody said anything for another few seconds, but then Adrayos\u2019s body relaxed a little as he settled back in his chair, and Zenda smiled to herself. She had him.<\/p>\n

\u201cFine,\u201d he said. \u201cGive me your word of honor, princess, that I\u2019ll be free to go. And I\u2019ll talk.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have my word.\u201d<\/p>\n

The knight was silent for a few seconds before shrugging. \u201cDeal, then. What do you want to know?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy did you kill my father for Magnus?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy sister,\u201d said Adrayos at once. \u201cShe married this idiot merchant who takes goods into and out of Warus. During one trip, they got captured by a warlord who demanded huge ransoms to let them go. Well, the merchant\u2019s rich family raised the funds to get him out, but what could I do? Your father was many things, but generous to his knights wasn\u2019t one of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda carefully kept her expression smooth. \u201cHow did Magnus find out?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI tried to petition King Bidouin for a loan, but he was busy. His majordomo said it\u2019d be a month before I could get on his schedule, and by that time, it\u2019d be too late. But then Magnus found out I was trying to get money from the king\u2014don\u2019t know how\u2014and had me visit his home instead. When I got there, he gave me a sword he said some old knight had once used to kill an archmage that was covered in protective spells, then told me that if I killed Bidouin, he\u2019d pay the ransom.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy didn\u2019t he kill you once you\u2019d done it, to cover his tracks?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo if anyone else ever looked into it, he could take them to me and have me confess all over again. Kind of hard for his political enemies to say he was behind it when he can trot me out on cue to swear that, no, it was all me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda nodded. \u201cHow did he know you\u2019d never tell anyone the truth?\u201d<\/p>\n

Adrayos\u2019s face twisted into a scowl. \u201cWhen he paid the ransom, he didn\u2019t actually bring my sister home. He set something up with the warlord where he sends over money every so often, and the warlord keeps my sister as a guest in his \u2018court.\u2019 If I ever tried to tell the truth, he\u2019d cut her off and let the warlord kill her whenever he wanted.\u201d Adrayos blinked quickly, and Zenda thought she saw tears in his eyes. \u201cSo yeah. I stayed quiet. Now, though\u2014once you let me out of here, I can get to that warlord\u2019s turf before Magnus gets him a message. I\u2019ll rescue her. And then, if you want, I\u2019ll come back and tell everyone exactly what I told you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u201d Zenda rose and began to pace, letting herself drift closer and closer to the servant door. \u201cThat would help convict Magnus…although some people might say you were only trying to deflect blame onto another. Do you have any proof of your story?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. He covered his tracks really well. Even that sword? When I looked at it, I saw his seal on it, and I asked him why he\u2019d carved that into a sword that he would use to assassinate someone. He said he\u2019d gotten it in trade from some old retired adventurer who was selling off all the stuff he\u2019d found in dungeons and ruins over the years, and the adventurer had been the one to carve Magnus\u2019s seal so that…well, so that if he used the sword for anything bad, it would be obvious it was Magnus\u2019s sword and then the adventurer could tell people as well. I asked if this wasn\u2019t a problem, but he said he\u2019d already had the adventurer killed, and he had some way to hide the sword after I used it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat way?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda was at the back door. \u201cYou\u2019re sure you have no physical proof?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019m sure, and that wasn\u2019t our deal anyways, Zenda.\u201d Adrayos crossed his arms. \u201cI held up my end. Are you going to let me out of here or not?\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda was silent for a moment. And then she smiled at him with an expression of contempt. \u201cNo. No, I am not. You\u2019ll rot in jail forever, killer. And Magnus will have your sister killed the minute he learns what you said.\u201d<\/p>\n

Adrayos froze, and then his face reddened and twisted in rage. He jumped to his feet and grabbed the sword of a downed guard. \u201cYou little cur!\u201d He charged her as Zenda hit the door\u2014<\/p>\n

And it easily swung open.<\/p>\n

Zenda jumped back through it and landed next to Katherine, whose dress was filthy but who had a fierce grin on her face. The two of them immediately slammed the tunnel door shut again before Adrayos reached it. Katherine turned the lock and then dove away before Adrayos smashed into the door with a loud crash. \u201cAhh!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d said Zenda. \u201cThis door was built to resist an invading army. He can\u2019t get through it.\u201d She turned to evaluate her handmaiden. \u201cAre you all right? I know your night couldn\u2019t have been great…\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m fine.\u201d Katherine took Zenda\u2019s hand. \u201cI\u2019m just happy I could help.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the celebration of the previous night, but before Zenda had told the guards how she\u2019d gotten into the dungeons, Katherine had slipped into the tunnel and then carefully hid in a pit. She\u2019d wrapped herself around the spikes without stabbing herself and had put a makeshift board over her head to conceal the pit. When the guards had come through, they hadn\u2019t even noticed that trap, and so when they\u2019d sealed the tunnel on both ends, they\u2019d done it without knowing Katherine was inside. When they were gone, Katherine had gotten out, unlocked the servant door into the dungeon suite, and then spent the night waiting for Zenda to come down and get Adrayos to confess.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd thank you,\u201d Katherine continued. \u201cFor doing this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThank you for making me see that I had to,\u201d said Zenda, as sincerely as she could.<\/p>\n

Inside the room, Adrayos was smashing things. \u201cI\u2019ll get out of here and kill you, girl!\u201d He screamed. \u201cYou\u2019ll wish you\u2019d never met me! You\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHalt!\u201d It sounded like more guards had heard the commotion and reached the suite. \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWatch out, Adrayos went berserk!\u201d someone yelled. \u201cI think he knocked out the other guards!\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere\u2019s Zenda? Wasn\u2019t she supposed to be in here?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWho cares? Stop him!\u201d There were screams and a series of muffled thuds. \u201cGet him back to his cell! Now!\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda nodded at Katherine. \u201cI\u2019ll be right back. See you soon, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGood luck,\u201d said Katherine. \u201cI\u2019ll be here.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda rushed down the tunnel to the entrance into the other dungeon suite, the one she hadn\u2019t used the previous day, and the one that\u2014since nobody was supposed to be using it\u2014nobody had bothered to lock. She slipped inside, shut the door behind her, and by the time guards entered through the front door, she was sitting calmly in a chair.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhy is this taking so long?\u201d she asked. \u201cI\u2019ve been waiting here alone for quite some time. Why haven\u2019t you brought Adrayos in yet?\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 *<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\u201cDo you think Magnus will kill Adrayos?\u201d Katherine asked. \u201cOr his sister?\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda shook her head. She was sitting on her bed looking over her royal outfits and working out which she could still wear, and which would need alterations. \u201cAs far as any of them can tell, the guards brought me to a suite and Adrayos to another\u2014presumably to warn him not to answer my questions; they couldn\u2019t tell him that in the cell or the other prisoners might hear, so the suite would make sense\u2014at which point he grabbed a sword, knocked out the guards, and tried to escape. Magnus will punish him, I\u2019m sure, but since he won\u2019t know that Adrayos talked, he has no reason to kill him or his sister. Especially since, like Adrayos said, keeping the killer alive and able to confess all over again helps him fend off any other investigations into the assassination.\u201d<\/p>\n

Katherine was in a new dress; she had changed after Zenda had been escorted out of the dungeon area, gone back to the entrance of the servant\u2019s tunnels, and unlocked it. There hadn\u2019t been any passing guards to find that suspicious; they\u2019d all been called in to help subdue Adrayos, as Zenda had predicted. \u201cWon\u2019t the guards you knocked out say something?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. Remember those flowers I showed you in the forest a couple days ago? I went back last night and picked them, ground them into a residue, and coated the guards\u2019 cups with them so they would drink it along with the tea. That\u2019s what knocked them out, and I know from experience\u2014MacNair had me try some myself\u2014it\u2019ll leave their heads so woozy they\u2019ll barely remember getting up that morning. They won\u2019t know what they did with me and won\u2019t be able to disprove anything the others say.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI see.\u201d Katherine paused. \u201cWait, is that how you got the drugged tea past the guards? You knew they\u2019d test the tea, so you poisoned the cups instead?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. I read about someone doing that in my father\u2019s old history lessons.\u201d Zenda smiled wistfully. \u201cTurns out they were a lot more useful than I\u2019d thought.\u201d<\/p>\n

Katherine sat next to her. \u201cFor what it\u2019s worth…I\u2019m sure your father would be very proud of you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks.\u201d Zenda sighed. \u201cAlthough, honestly, I don\u2019t think he\u2019d be happy until we take down Magnus. We\u2019ve still got work to do.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t Adrayos\u2019s testimony enough?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo. Like I told Adrayos, Magnus would deny all the charges, and everyone would think Adrayos was trying to have someone else take the fall for his crime. But we have more leads we can investigate now. That adventurer who gave Magnus the sword\u2014even if he\u2019s dead, maybe he left behind business records. After all, he specifically carved the seal into Magnus\u2019s sword because he was worried Magnus might do something bad with it. If he was that paranoid, I\u2019m sure he\u2019d have left other clues. If we can find out who he is and go through his things, there could be evidence there. And we also still need to figure out how Magnus had the sword smuggled out of the castle. If we can answer those two questions\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Katherine clapped her hands together. \u201cWe\u2019ll have Magnus.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cYes. And then…\u201d Zenda looked at the formal dresses again and was reminded of when her father had given them to her as presents. This time, though, the thoughts, though sad, weren\u2019t paralyzing. They were inspiring. The man who had loved her, who had given her everything, was dead, and it was her duty to bring his killer to justice. \u201cDad will be avenged.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMy father helped your father hire adventurers. I can check his records\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

A knock sounded at the door, and before either of the girls could do anything, the person on the other side pushed it open. It was Magnus, and he had a sad expression on his face. \u201cZenda,\u201d he said. \u201cKatherine. I hope I am not interrupting.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda stood, using every ounce of control from her lessons to not let her true feelings show. \u201cOf course not, Your Majesty,\u201d she said. \u201cHow can I serve you?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI wanted to let you know,\u201d he said. \u201cAdrayos attempted to escape and injured several guards. Given these circumstances, I do not think it wise for you to attempt to interrogate him by yourself again. I will have a guard convey your questions to him and relay their answers… as King Abel Raleigh did when questioning Archmage Nyxus, who had used magic to break out of confinement and almost slay the king during a previous interrogation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda had expected as much. \u201cThank you, Your Majesty. I am grateful for your assistance.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course, my dear Zenda.\u201d He turned as if to leave, then paused. \u201cAlso, next week my court will announce our plans to rebuild the old Sea Temple that used to be on the waterfront. If you wish, you may attend the announcement.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI will, Your Majesty,\u201d said Zenda. Then she paused. \u201cWhere will the temple be built, exactly? I had thought the waterfront was full.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will need to tear down some buildings,\u201d said Magnus. \u201cNothing of importance. A few shops, an inn, the fish market.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIsn\u2019t that expensive?\u201d asked Zenda, as carefully as she could. \u201cAnd the people living there\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n

Magnus cut her off with a sweep of his hand. \u201cIt will be worth it. What are a few coins and a handful of people when the whole realm is at stake?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAt…stake?\u201d asked Katherine.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes.\u201d Magnus was quiet for a few seconds. \u201cDo you have any idea of the immensity of King Quintus\u2019s accomplishments? He forged a new nation from chaos and wastelands. He built a glorious society, a society with art, magic, commerce, and culture, from nothing at all. But now look at us. When was the last time Raleigh expanded or grew? What was the last incredible accomplishment we had?\u201d He shook his head. \u201cOur nation has cast off the traditions which made it powerful. I will bring back those traditions and return us to glory. Once we have embraced our past, once we are living exactly as our great first kings taught us to live…then nothing will be able to get in our way. We will build a nation that will make every other state look like a squalid collection of hovels. We will build the closest thing this world will ever have to paradise.\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t sound like he was lying, Zenda thought. As far as she could tell, he really meant what he said. \u201cI am pleased to hear it,\u201d she managed. \u201cAlthough it sounds like it will be a difficult task. Some will object.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNo matter. I will ensure that those who object cannot stop us.\u201d Magnus met Zenda\u2019s gaze. \u201cBecause I love this country, and I would do absolutely\u00a0anything\u00a0to bring it into the new Golden Age I know it is capable of reaching.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zenda suddenly felt very cold. She almost asked him if \u2018anything\u2019 included killing anyone who wouldn\u2019t support his projects…such as, say, a king. But that wouldn\u2019t be safe, and besides, she didn\u2019t need to ask. She knew.<\/p>\n

\u201cI…I am glad,\u201d she said at last. \u201cOn behalf of all Raleigh\u2019s citizens, thank you, Your Majesty.\u201d<\/p>\n

Magnus bowed and left. As soon as he was gone, Zenda shut the door and turned to Katherine, who was looking wan. \u201cWe have to stop him,\u201d she said. \u201cFast. Before he destroys the country.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know,\u201d said Zenda. She picked up a robe and turned back to Katherine, fierce determination in her eyes. \u201cAnd we will.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Princess of Raleigh A Tale by Aaron Canton   Zenda Raleigh\u2019s mouth curved up in a fierce grin as she shot an arrow through the thick forest and toward the distant deer. The animal jerked once as the arrow hit it squarely in the neck, but even as it raised a leg to run, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":22130,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Featured-Gaston-Short-Story.png","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1UVey-5Up","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22717"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22717"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22717\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22718,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22717\/revisions\/22718"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22130"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22717"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22717"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tellest.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22717"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}