Starfall

Chapter 24: Troupes

It was late in the day when Prince Kevin and his escort arrived at a small farmhouse in the countryside. They had left Countess Tobi's castle before dawn and were exhausted due to lack of sleep.

"We're here." Kevin said.

"Where are we?" asked the armored rider next to him.

"A secret royal safehouse. We'll be staying here. We'll receive word on when it is time to leave."

"I hate to complain, but did I really need to ride in disguise? This armor is really heavy." Marco said as he raised the visor on his helmet.

"Marco Diaz supposedly escaped from the custody of the Former King of Xix to pursue another woman thanks to a love potion. We had to get you out of Countess Tobi's castle without being recognized."

Marco shrugged and began to dismount.

Kevin addressed the members of his escort. It was made up of guards who saw what happened in the hot spring chamber.

"Lieutenant. Rest here for the night. There should be enough room for all the men and mounts in the barn. I'll speak to the caretaker about food. In the morning you will continue your search for Marco Diaz."

"Found him! He's right there!" shouted a knight at the back of the group. He received a slap to the back of the helmet for his comment.

"Heh." Kevin chuckled. "Make conspicuous inquiries at towns and villages. Empress Ishtar must believe that the search for Marco Diaz is ongoing but unsuccessful."

"Yes, your Highness."

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After a while Star turned to face the throne room entrance where Ishtar and the mimic had departed. With a quiet wave of her wand, the heavy doors glowed with pink magic and closed with a loud thud.

A huge maniacal smile then plastered itself across her face.

"HAHA! YOU GOT NOTHING, ISHTAR! NOTHING! THE ONLY ONE GETTING THAT MARCO D...IAZ IS ME!" she shouted at the exit Ishtar just walked through.

Star performed a very crude dance consisting of pelvic thrusts and sassy neck movements.

"UH-HUH! THAT'S RIGHT! SHA-MON! WOOO!" she sang like a very famous and sadly departed Earth performer.

The dance was accompanied by grunts and a variety of rude gestures directed towards the closed doors.

"MARCO KNOWS WHAT'S WHAT! HE SAW RIGHT THROUGH YOUR FAKE! I'M GONNA GIVE HIM THE REAL THANG!"

Star had just added crotch grabbing moves to her dance when a voice sounded behind her.

"Star, is that absolutely necessary? I really do not wish to be reminded about who is going to be getting what.

"Dad!" Star spun around to see her father and blushed. "How long have you been there?!"

"I came back in through the private royal entrance when I saw Ishtar leave. What happened to the red haired woman?"

"Turns out she was a mimic."

"That explains it then. I feared that I was imagining things when I saw your dark haired cutpurse friend from Earth."

Star smiled. "Janna."

"They seemed very pleased with themselves. I was going to check if you were alright, but by your... dance, I take it that Marco did not, in fact, succumb to Ishtar's honeypot?"

"The mimic gave herself away and I played along."

"Then Ishtar is unaware of her failure?"

"That's right! I'm a great actor! Like in the high school play! The alien warrior princess Juliet saved Romeo from the clutches of Cyborg Tybalt and Vampire Count Paris!" Star said while pantomiming a boxing match. "The audience loved it! They were expecting tragedy not improv!"