“Let’s see how they react to us,” retorted Alahara. “If they become extremely uncomfortable with our presence, we will know that we were their targets yesterday. That is a fact that we have not yet established. It is possible that they planned for someone else to come along.”
“Alright,” nodded Alastasia, “but only one of us will go. The other will remain here and be prepared to shield the one talking to them.”
“Fair enough,” agreed Alahara. “I will go talk to them.”
Princess Alahara backtracked off the bridge and found a path heading down to the riverbank. She walked up behind the boys and spoke loudly.
“Tayo,” called the princess. “A great day for playing in the river, isn’t it?”
The boys turned as one and stared at the princess. The two younger boys immediately ran off along the riverbank. The oldest boy stared, his mouth distorted as if he had eaten a particularly sour lituk.
“It is a nice day,” the boy finally answered. “You are one of the princesses, aren’t you?”
“I suppose,” Alahara frowned as she nodded. “I was hoping that you wouldn’t notice.”
The boy’s features showed alarm as his eyes narrowed. “Why would you say that?” he asked nervously.
“I don’t want to be a princess,” stated Alahara. “In fact, I don’t care much for living in Elvangar. Everyone I meet is afraid to talk to me because I am the princess, but I don’t care anything about any of that. I think I will run away, just like your friends did.”
“Really?” the boy asked with surprise. “They ran because they don’t like girls. They will get over it. Why would you run away? You have everything. You will be queen some day.”
“Not me,” laughed Alahara. “I am going to be on the first boat heading for Fakara when the war starts, and I am never coming back.”
“Never?” asked the boy. “But what if the war never happens? I mean there are a lot of people who don’t think we should be fighting for the humans. There may not be a war.”
“I hope there isn’t,” shrugged Alahara, “but I will find a way to leave in any event.”
“You aren’t for the war?” inquired the leader. “I thought all of the Royal Family would be for it.”
“Hardly,” laughed Alahara. “In fact, I might just protest the next time there is a demonstration.”
“I don’t believe you,” the boy retorted skeptically. “Even if you didn’t agree with the war, your father would not allow you to attend a protest.”
“Watch me,” countered Alahara. “The king does not own me. I bet a lot more people will come out against the war if I am there.”
“I heard there might be one tomorrow,” hinted the boy. “We’ll see if you show up.”
“If there is,” smiled Princess Alahara, “I will be there. You can count on it.”
“I have to go,” the boy said suddenly. “I will look for you at the protest.”
“What is your name?” Alahara shouted after the boy.
“Kara,” the boy shouted back as he entered the trail and disappeared.
Princess Alahara smiled and returned to the bridge where her sister waited for her.
“What was all that about?” asked Alastasia.
“I was just making friends,” grinned Alahara. “I have a plan for tomorrow. I will explain it later. Right now I must get back to the Society of Mages. You find Tamar and inform him of what we know. Ask him to meet us tonight in the palace.”
Chapter 10
Naming the Players
Princess Alahara raced to the Society of Mages. She avoided the busiest streets and kept herself to the alleyways. She slipped into the building without being seen and burst into Garl’s office without knocking. The Head Mage looked up with a deep frown on his face. His mouth opened to rebuke the princess, but Alahara held up her hand for silence.
“Berate me later for my horrible behavior,” the princess said quickly. “Right now you need to listen to the proof that I have brought you. We have no time to waste.”
“What are you talking about?” demanded Garl.
“If I am correct in my assumptions,” panted Alahara, “Salfour is about to have a visitor. We are going to listen in on the conversation.”
Princess Alahara walked to the window behind Garl’s desk. She leaned out and counted the windows from the corner of the building until she found Salfour’s office. She quickly wove an air tunnel and made it so that they could listen to what was said in the office.
“Please explain what you are doing,” prompted Garl. “I have never seen that particular spell. Who taught it to you?”
“The humans,” answered Princess Alahara as the sound of a knock on a door sounded. “We can discuss the spell later. Right now we need to listen.”
Garl nodded, but his puzzled frown indicated that he wanted an explanation. Princess Alahara ignored him as Salfour gave permission for his visitor to enter.
“Why are you back here?” snapped Salfour. “I told you that these meetings are to be kept limited.”
“This is important,” panted Kara. “I just ran into Princess Alahara down by the river.”
“Did she recognize you?” Salfour asked with alarm.
“Recognize me?” echoed the boy. “How could she? She has never seen me. I told you that we ran from the ambush without ever seeing them. The other boys got spooked and I was not going to stay there alone. She has never seen me before.”
Salfour sighed deeply. “Tell me what has caused you to come back here today,” he demanded.
“I want to renegotiate the fee for the protests,” declared Kara. “I can guarantee that thousands will show up tomorrow if you are willing to part with a little more gold.”
“Do not toy with me,” warned Salfour as sounds of choking came through the air tunnel. “Our deal is set in stone. What does meeting the princess have to do with this extortion attempt?”
“You don’t have to kill me,” choked Kara. “I was just trying to make some more gold. I have done good for you, haven’t I?”
“Speak,” demanded the mage. “What does this have to do with the princess?”
“She is coming to the protest tomorrow,” offered the boy. “She doesn’t believe in the war and wants to protest against it.”
“Are you a fool?” shouted Salfour. “She is the heir to the throne. There is no possibility of her being against the war that her father wants.”
“She doesn’t want to be queen,” argued the boy. “She hates it here in Elvangar because no one likes her. She plans to flee the first chance that she gets. She was planning on taking one of the ships going during the war, but she would leave sooner if the chance came up. Don’t you see? If one of the princesses is against the war, I could get thousands of people to come to the protest. That should be worth a bonus of some kind.”
“I cannot believe this,” Salfour said with uncertainty. “The king would not allow her to protest the war. It would surely defeat him and his cause.”
“She doesn’t care what the king wants,” the boy said adamantly. “She really hates it here. I could tell. She will be at the protest tomorrow. Mark my words.”
“And how did she find out that there is a protest tomorrow?” asked Salfour.
“I said that I had heard a rumor that there might be one,” answered Kara. “She said that she would be there. I will have a busy night tonight spreading the word about her coming. That should be worth a little more gold.”
“You will get nothing more until after the demonstration,” snarled Salfour. “If it is a huge success, you will be amply rewarded. If not, you had best be scarce around here. Now get out.”
“Where will Salfour go next?” Alahara whispered to Garl. “Will it be the office of Maraton or Levitor?”
“I do not know,” admitted Garl. “Can they hear through this spell you are casting?”
“Only if I allow it,” smiled Alahara, “and I am not allowing it right now.”
“Go two windows to the right,” instructed Garl.
Princess Alahara moved the end of the air tunnel two windows to the right. She waited in silence for some sound that would indicate the presence of someone in the office. She heard nothing.