The Contest

Chapter 18: Prince Broderick Lumos III

General and Captain Petaram flank me as I march through Laughery. A small detachment of five guards follows us and a single guard leads the way, protecting us from the masses as they swarm in packs and huddle in alleys. The town is on edge, as they naturally would be. I turn through a small row of buildings onto another road that looks just like the last, flanked by rows of houses that look just as thrown together as the rest. It makes me sad really, that people in my kingdom should have to live in such conditions while I live in lavish comfort in the Capital. Unfortunately I have no time to ruminate on such things, I have been sent on a mission by my father.
One of these houses has a special someone in it. One of these houses, just like the rest, has someone unlike everyone else in Laughery. When I pressed my father for details, he simply said, "Go talk to her. She'll know what needs saying, and if not, I'm sure things will sort themselves out. They always do." That always cheery view of the world may be a problem during a crisis like this. My father wanted to come himself, but told me that he had to remain behind to receive any possible reports of attacks on anyone else.

General Petaram orders the company to halt in front of an unremarkable house with an unremarkable yard, hopefully containing a very remarkable person to warrant such trouble. Captain Petaram approaches the door and knocks, quick business-like raps, followed by waiting. "My Prince," General Petaram whispers from my side. "If I'm correct in who I think this...person may be, I want you to keep your tone level, your attitude in check, and your hands where they can see them, understood?" I look at him indignantly, "My attitude is fine, General." He raises an eyebrow and I understand his point. I take a deep breath as the door creaks open rather quickly to reveal a woman, probably slightly younger than my father.

She looks tired, her face the only thing betraying her age. Through this mask of weariness she still has a kindly youthful disposition, so much so that I can see it from this far away. Her blond hair is pinned back, but many strands have fallen loose and dangle in front of her pure blue eyes. She slouches against the door until she sees the contingent of guards and Captain Petaram outside her door and stands at attention, straightening her back faster than what is probably healthy at her age. The general and I stand back, waiting for Captain Petaram to gain us entry. Is this woman who we were sent to speak with? I step closer, staying hidden behind the guards but getting close enough to overhear the conversation between Petaram and the woman.

"Madame, we need to gain entry into the house. We have orders from His Majesty, the King of Regnum, to speak with Adara DeLaughery," Petaram starts, all business for this meeting. The woman squirms a bit under the scrutiny of Petaram's gaze, but she politely says, "Sir, if you are referring to my mother, may I ask what business the king himself has with her?" Petaram notices her discomfort and softens his demeanor, "Madame, this is a matter of national security. If I could tell you, I would, but we need to speak with Adara DeLaughery and soon. And with the utmost discretion if you don't mind."

With a clanking of armor and weapons, the contingent of guards forms us around the perimeter of the house, evenly spacing the six bodies between the corners and the few entrances. I follow General and Captain Petaram into the small house following after the kind woman. The room we find ourselves in is small and cozy, with an older woman sitting in one corner that General Petaram takes an immediate interest in. Two younger women, around my age or so, shuffle quickly out of the room with the woman who let us in. No doubt this is all one big family sharing a home. One of the younger women catches my eye before she is hurried out of the room, her emerald green gaze pinning me in place. Her curly brown hair falls just below her shoulders and obscures our eye contact as she turns away. I feel something I don't understand, but I shake my head to clear it and turn back to the only other person in this room.

Captain Petaram approaches the old woman in the corner with a sweeping bow. "Greetings, Madame DeLaughery, I come bearing the King's tidings." The woman cuts off Captain Petaram by standing and smiling at General Petaram. "My goodness, Sylvester? It has been a while since I've seen you, how are you dear?"

General Petaram quickly shuffles forward and nods his head, but the woman reaches out and takes his hand. He clears his throat and says, "Yes Adara, it has been quite a while. I've been well, thank you." He hurriedly pulls his hand back, breaking the contact as soon as it would no longer be seen as rude. He smiles weakly and pulls back to his own isolated corner opposite the woman. I can't believe what I'm seeing; General Petaram is afraid of this frail old woman.

I step forward and extend a hand, "Hello Madame DeLaughery, I am Prince Broderick Lumos III, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." She smiles brightly, her wrinkled gaze turning towards me as she gently takes my hand, "My, how sweet and polite, it's a pleasure to meet you as well, My Prince." I notice that her hands seem a bit warmer than normal, but nothing immediately hints at what the general could be frightened of.
She lets go of my hand and sits back down. Before any of us can say anything, she calls out, "Sera, dear, could you come out here." General Petaram steps forward and protests, "Adara, this is a meeting for your ears only." Suddenly the woman glares in the general's direction and scoffs, "Sylvester, really, if you plan to have this meeting with me, do you assume I'm not holding all of the cards? You need my consent for this, and I only consent with my daughter in the room."

Before General Petaram can protest any more, the woman who answered the door comes back into the room carefully. Her eyes flit from the Captain to the General, then widen in shock when they land on me. She sweeps into a deep curtsy before Adara says, "My dear, these men are here for a quick chat, I want you to come sit over by me please." Sera, as this younger woman is evidently called, quickly stumbles over to Adara and sits at her side, still eyeing me up and down. Sera addresses Captain Petaram, "Sir, may I ask a question of the young man over there?" She points at me, and I wonder what she's getting at.
"You wish to address Prince Broderick?" Captain Petaram clarifies. Sera shrinks back a bit, "You've answered my question for me, thank you." Her eyes somehow widen even more even as her mouth snaps shut. She didn't think I was actually the prince. Suddenly I realize how out of place this must all be, a Petaram escort and the Prince of Regnum in a small hut in Laughery. Absurd actually.
Adara is the one to snap us back to the situation at hand with a kind, "May I please know why I am being greeted by an old friend and a prince in my humble home?" None of us jump to answer, so I stumble through an improvised introduction. "Madame DeLaughery, as I'm sure you probably know, there was an attempt on the life of His Majesty today. An assassin of unknown origin possessing powerful Imperium assaulted my father during his speech today, and we're currently looking for information about the identity of whatever body or person may have hired such an assassin." She just nods silently, willing me to continue, though I have no idea where I'm going. Sera looks like she's trying not to say something, but we are here to speak with Adara, so I push forward through the urge to ask her what she wants to say.

"We have begun exhausting our expansive network of information to find any leads, but it was recommended that we also come to you, Madame," I struggle forward, not knowing where I'm going with this. Captain and General Petaram are watching carefully, not offering any of their own helpful commentary. Adara slowly looks me over with a gentle smile, but her gaze hardens and her lips form into a thin line as she says, "I told you people I was done. No more." Sera looks over with confusion, "Mother, what are you talking about?" Adara holds up a hand cutting her off and silencing a stuttering General Petaram, "I did not hire the assassin, if that's what you're implying. And I certainly have no plans to gather information for you. I'm done with this kind of work." General Petaram manages to stammer out, "Adara, that's not-" "Sylvester, dear, no. I am done with this. I refuse, even the orders of the king himself." As Adara says this, there is a slight flash from a corner of the room, and suddenly my father appears, leaning casually against the wall in full royal regalia. "Adara, my dear, let's not be so hasty." Everyone else in the room scrambles to show reverence for the king; Sera practically falls out of her seat. Adara just crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow, "There is another Champion of Light in this room, how do I know I can trust my own eyes?" My father slowly steps off the wall and says, "Salve Adara Ignis." Adara's eyes widen and a faraway look crosses her face, "I haven't heard that name in quite a while." She looks back up at my father, "Salve Broderick Lumos II." My gaze flicks between the two of them, and judging by the look of confusion on Captain Petaram's face, I'm not the only one who's confused. General Petaram on the other hand just tries to shrink father into his corner.