Clair was stuck in her own head as she was nudged causing her to jump a little but not make a noise as she looked around at the other. She listened to them speak, whenever she thought to reply another girl spoke first, and she remained quiet. That is until the group stopped and looked at her, causing her to swallow her food and tap her mouth with the napkin before replying.
"The gadget part of the umm, covert ops very much interest me, I suppose the quiet part would also suit me I suppose. I just may not be so good in the espionage parts" She admitted.
"I can make my own gadgets, if necessary maybe even on the go."
Millicent nodded. "Mayhap we should talk after breakfast. You fancy yourself an inventor?" Monterisso knew very little about the Crimson Avenger, but more than Cordonia and Ramsford combined. "Do you help the red dressed vigilante?"
"Bother." Ramsford noble groaned.
Grovershire quickly gave the spy a bit of information, leaving everything else up to Clair. "How do you think she's eleventh place after the ball. She represents the Avenger in court this season."
Millicent nodded again. "Now that makes sense." Turning to Clair, she asked, "The queen of Monterisso is always looking for more gadget inventors. I'm even more intrigued to speak with you later."
Clair nodded to Millicent, blushing as that is how most people knew her at this point, it was strange to meet someone who did not yet know of her in relation to the Avenger in this environment.
"Well I only started to work with her recently, technically she is not yet using anything I have made, we are in the research and development stage at the moment. But sure I would be happy to talk shop with you after we eat." She nodded, excited to have a topic she actually knew how to talk about.
"Oh except a sword that the town commissioned for her." She added.
Clair returned to eating quietly, she felt a little more comfortable now that she knew she could talk about her inventing with the other nobles, perhaps even bring some more business to her family.
As breakfast dishes were being cleared away by the castle servants, the other tables watched as the kings and Princess Calla arose in unison, followed by her top five suitors. Gregor announced everyone was excused from the dining hall, before leading his daughter, her top five suitors and his royal guest out the veranda and to the garden and maze where Amethyst, Calla and Clair spoke just the night before.
"Shall we away to the front lawn, then?" Calla Grovershire asked as they were all free to enjoy the rest of their morning.
The Ramsford noblelady nodded curtly. "That would be prudent."
Ruby, the Cordonian noble at their table shook her head sadly. "Bernice, can't you be cordial without pomp and circumstance?"
Millicent asided to Cassandra, close enough for Clair to overhear. "Bernice is so stuck up, it's a wonder one cannot see the stick protruding."
Cassandra raised an eyebrow. "Stick nothing, it's a bloody tree trunk!"
Clair thanked each servant as they came in and cleaned, feeling bad for those that we're cleaning the dishes for her.
Clair nodded when asked if they should go to the front lawn, some open air and less crowded space would do good for her nerves.
As the other girls started to trash talk Bernice Clair couldn't help but nervously giggle at their comments, not knowing the woman and feeling bad for the talk behind her back. Perhaps this was just how nobles were? Or was this woman truly terrible?
Clair walked with the others outside, thinking about what she might say if the gadget topic came back again, as well as what she wanted to ask.
The court would find the front was spaced out with tables and chairs, enough to sit even seven of the eight on the royal walk in the gardens with one chair seated well away from the others that had it's own umbrella.
Apparently, what Princess Calla had said earlier about her having to be in the festivities was accurate. She would have to fend for herself among the regular chairs encircling the tables.
There were a few two people tables scattered about the lawn, but only one had a reserved sign, handwritten, and neatly folded so it would stand on it's own. Noticing this, Millicent grabbed one of the other two person tables. She politely beckoned Clair. "Join me?" A servant came quickly asking if they would like some tea. "Some herbal would be divine, there's a good chap." She smiled at the servant. "Would you like some as well?"
In the village, as it neared noon, Amethyst wondered if maybe she hadn't read the signs wrong when Tuxford burst in out of breath. "Handler, ol' bean! Dame Amethyst! There's been trouble at the dollmaker's and the old oak tree in front of it! We need all available bodies! Mrs. Handler, ma'am, you too! Someone needs to comfort the family!"
Clair would nod and join her at the table.
"Yes, Thank you."
She looked toward the servant and nodded.
"Yes please, thank you"
Once the servant left she looked at Calla.
"Umm, can I ask, why are you helping me, aren't we supposed to be like competing? Not that I don't appreciate it, I really, really do"
Mr. Handler looked at Amethyst
"Sounds like we need to gear up again"
Grovershire just raised an eyebrow. "We're rivals, not enemies."
As Millicent chuckled, she couldn't help but say, "Seconded." She cleared her throat. "Although there are some, and I don't think they're very noble or ladylike if they don't give each other pointers. But I digress... I want to learn more about your invention ideas. You say you could make one on the go? I'm definitely intrigued." She then laid out a scenario for Clair. "Let's say some information leads us to a tower, but the bad guy locks us in. What gadget could you make, using rope, our swords, assuming you have one, and some odds and ends in the tower cell with us. We both need to live to tell the tale, now. Our mantra is 'no team members left behind'."
Even Calla and Cassandra exchanged glances and were curious about how Clair would get Millicent and herself out, alive. Bernice walked off, shaking her head, and muttered, "Rubbish. You're hung." Ruby gave Bernice a dirty look.
--------------------
In Dunwyn, Amethyst nodded first to her mentor and now fellow knight and 'father friend', before giving a nod to Mr. Handler. "Expect no attacker, but be ready for anything." That was something Sir Rock used to drill in his men when coming upon a scene of a battle long over.
Tuxford raised an eyebrow. "My word. You are your father's daughter. Well said." He then looked at Mrs. Handler. "The dollmaker and his two daughters need consoling. I hope you are up for it."
After making sure they were armed and ready, Tuxford led them to the massive oak tree, where some of his men were holding back the crowds, most townspeople staring aghast at the sight of the two recognizable figures swaying limply in the branches just out of reach, nooses tightly around their necks.
Amethyst read the handscrawled message aloud. "Scelestos pendet.¹" Her eyes went wide. "Oh my Lord... That's Robin Hood and the Crimson Avenger! How were they even captured?!" She covered her mouth, shaking, wondering if that was really Princess Calla hanging there high in the tree. "King Richard needs to be alerted about this lynching... Robin Hood was cleared of those charges by him! Duke Igthorne and his men have hung two innocent people! As a warning to the rest of us!"
Tuxford nodded gravely. "We need to get them down from there. This is NOT how I wanted to unmask the Avenger. I actually thought highly of her."
It wouldn't be noticed until both were carefully brought down, that they were life-size dolls of the heroes, painstakingly and lovingly made by the dollmaker and his daughters. They were meant to be gifts to Richard and Gregor on their birthdays... But Cornwall got to them first by breaking into the shop and stealing them.... Information that would shortly come to light.
Clair blushed and nodded.
"Oh, admittedly I don't really know the difference"
Clair listened to the scenario, enjoying the hypothetical game.
"Hmm, well there are still a lot of unaccounted-for variables there, what kind of room are we in? That could determine what odds and ends we get, those could be crucial. Is there a window barred or otherwise? How high up are we?" She asked as she started to think.
"Oh yes, what kind of rope as well?"
-----------------------------------
Mr. Handler nodded.
"better safe than sorry if what you said was true"
As they arrived and saw the hanging 'bodies' Both the Handler's hearts sank as they considered the fact that if Clair was with her at the time, she of met a terrible fate, neither of them wanted to even consider such a thing happening to their daughter. Was this the risk she took by aligning herself so closely with the Avenger, would she be hunted next? They trusted she was safe at the court, and that if anything happened it would certainly reach them in no time.
Once the dolls were revealed to be just that they took a breath of relief for the two, but still were concerned for their daughter. They helped to consol the others and try and help learn who had done this.
Millicent nodded her understanding. "Alright... We'll say the tower is about half the size of King Gregor's, here." She pointed to it. "Judging by it's outside circumference a cell in that tower would be about 30-40 feet. Most eastern European tower cells where this intelligence test would likely take place, is quite cramped. Only 15-20 feet." She then pointed up to the lone window high above. "Gregor's, like most, is barless. Escape would still be near impossible as I judge that window is 50 feet up. That's par for the course, if you know anything about Scotland's game they call golf."
"Not just Scotland. We play it in Cordonia, as well as England's polo played on horses. I believe it's one of our challenges during court season." Ruby stated. "The polo, not the golf."
The Monterissan waved her off. "Very well, if you must be technical... The game originated in Scotland. And might I correct you, dear Ruby, but polo originated have in England, seeing as we do play it in Monterisso as well." She cleared her throat. "Back on track, more than likely we would be served rations, but all silver save the spoon, would be dulled. Both our knives and forks. They may even be tarnished. Beds would likely be straw, but we'd also have two chairs and a table of hardwood." She shrugged. "As for type of rope, we only have a standard kind issued on missions. Well braided, course fibre. The kind you probably have in your workshop. Fancier and stronger ropes are saved for sailors, not agents." She nodded. "There you have it. 15-20 foot circumference cell room, 50 foot drop out an unbarred window, hardwood furniture, plenty of straw, our two swords and dull cutlery, save the spoon, but I've never known a spoon to be sharp edged. Now get us out of the tower, alive with a gadget you come up with."
-------------------------------
Dr. Monroe solemnly arose from the examination. Both heroes hats had been sown onto their heads and Avenger's mask sown around her eyes. "If these dolls had been real people, they'd surely have died, as you can see," The doctor pointed to different rope marks around the necks of both, "They were hauled up into the tree by their necks, which is why their heads lean to the one side."
"I made it to Avenger's meeting last night, along with my oldest who helped me put together the Crimson Avenger doll." He pointed to that particular one of the two. "Robin Hood was all my youngest's idea. After word reached us that King Richard had pardoned him, she was already designing that doll to be presented to Richard himself, on his birthday this year." He looked at the two broken (at their necks) dolls, and could be seen to be struggling emotionally. "We could repair them, by tearing out the seams and restuffing... But... It won't be the same, now, we can't give them as gifts to their intended monarchs." He buried his hands in his face as both daughters wept with him .
The youngest shook her head. "While father and sister were at Avenger's meeting, one of Sir Cornwall's men visited. I was just setting Robin up so that he could be shown to King Richard should he have visited this morning." She shook her head. "I didn't think anything of it since he didn't try to charge me taxes, and looked around the store, and since nothing was disturbed..." She trailed off.
The dollmaker dried his eyes with his wrists. "Cornwall was so adamant about hanging her. I didn't know he also wanted Robin hung as well."
Amethyst pulled Mr. Handler aside. "That makes sense. It's no wonder he sides with Igthorne. Cornwall would hang one of us if he thought we went rogue. I don't know about you, but I smell Igthorne about it. This was too planned to just be Cornwall, and he thinks threatening the village isn't worthy of hanging, he's got another thing coming. Help me look around the tree for clues. We're looking for oversized footprints, horseshoe nails, anything to tie Cornwall AND Igthorne to this lynching. Neither king wants these heroes molested, little alone hung. This was a deliberate act to scare the populous into submission of their tyranny. I'm sending word to King Gregor when we get back to the house. I will also ask of Clair's wellbeing. Now you see why I asked my princess to allow me come to you two."
Clair nodded at the explanation then pulled out her notebook and started to excitedly explain a pully system in which they would essentially make a makeshift elevator system, using the rope and straw braided in a specific way, explaining the tensile strength it could gain with some modification with available materials. All the while showing illustrations she would make in her notebook. These of course included testing methods to make sure they didn't fall to their deaths. As well as a secondary plan where they could use similar methods to make wide flat devices that could slow their descent (paraglider) but that would require much more testing.
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Mr. Handler nodded doing his best to keep his worry for his daughter in check, he just had to believe she was fine for now. After she had finished explaining he got his wife and explained the same to her. Afterward, Mrs. Handler looked for clues with Amethyst as Mr. Handler talked with and helped to console the dollmaker's family.
Mrs. Handler had a better eye for detail then he did, so figured she would be better at seeking out clues. While he was actually quite good at consoling people while also managing to get information out of them.
Millicent shook her head. "We wouldn't get plan B out the window in order to float down, providing we could even test it in our situation."
Cassandra narrowed her eyes and furrowed her brow. "Plan A would actually be your best bet. You would only have limited time to pull it off, though." She looked at Millicent. "One of the first things you would need to do upon capture is time the guards' rounds, plus once you start, save enough straw to hide your contraption from your captors."
Leave it to an Amazon to poke holes in an otherwise flawless plan. Millicent made a face. "I hate you right now, Cass." She grunted.
Even Calla Grovershire called the spy's bluff. Chuckling, she retorted, "No you don't, Millicent."
The Monterissan quickly agreed that she didn't before turning back to Clair. "Would that we could send both these ideas to Queen Amalas. And it reach her before court season comes to an end in mid-January. She would definitely want to meet you."
Only the Ramsford noble who had wandered off uninterested in what the others were talking about, didn't agree with the Monterissan. Calla, Cassandra, and Ruby all nodded.
Ruby commented, "Our own queen, Kenna Rhys, would also be interested in this, and as snarky as she is, I'd even show these to Olivia. The current leader of our courtly games."
-------+------------------
The dollmaker sat with his daughters on each side of him as they sat in a circle with Handler. "Who would want the life-size dolls of our heroes, even if we repaired them? And now what do we get for the king's?" He shook his head. "And why hang the real ones at all if they've merely just made the law work better for us by circumnavigating it? Even Robin stealing from those that could afford it, and didn't care for the poor or starving, gave to those who needed it... The poor and starving. Avenger bends over backwards for us, and doesn't kill. Hell, if she's stealing from anyone, she's stealing from herself!" He looked forlornly at the doll of the Avenger as the youngest daughter went over to the doll of Robin Hood.
"I'm fixing him. I just need help getting him on the workbench. I don't know what I'll do with him after... But I'm fixing him." She said, causing her eldest sister to look at the Avenger doll and back to her father. The youngest continued. "We all put too much love and supplies into these to abandon them."
Meanwhile, Amethyst was running her hand along the trunk of the tree. "Mrs. Handler. You probably noticed these subtle scuff marks on the tree trunk and the branch where the dolls hung... Do you suppose there were more than two people? I don't know about Cornwall, but Igthorne would not have helped hang them. Orchestrate it, assuredly, but not help hoist. Any signs or suggestions of torn or burnt paper with instructions or orders?"
Clair blushed at all the responses, not thinking this was any more than a friendly chat about a hypothetical situation, her father used to play this game with her all the time.
"Oh wow, none of that is necessary! It was only a silly hypothetical, what would you all of done in the same situation?" She asked wanting to deflect the conversation from being about her.
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Mrs. Handler placed a hand to her chin in thought.
"I am unsure, but if we get statements about who is at the courting, who left with who last night or arrived this morning, we might get some ideas."
Mr. Handler meanwhile looked to the others.
"You had might as well try to salvage both Dolls, who knows perhaps you can make them better then they were before, I can't count the number of times my daughter has wrecked a months-long project, but kept at it and got it better each time"
Millicent patted Clair on a shoulder. "Brainstorming hypothetical situations can bring out very sound gadgets. This pulley system idea is proof of that. I say it's got merit to even the Avenger for getting up and down buildings. Doesn't she already use some kind of rope gadget to swing across gaps?" Problem was, it was just a piece of rope. One usually left behind. Millicent would accidentally spark another idea. "I wish even we agents had some sort of retractable grappling device to make things like swinging rooftop to rooftop, or scaling walls easier than it is now. Getting down might be a challenge, but going up would become a cakewalk."
--------------------------------
The dollmaker nodded. Technically, there was nothing really wrong with the doll except a snapped neck. My youngest had her Robin Hood salute as people passed by. She is mechanically inclined. Maybe after repairs to Avenger's neck... I could ask her to detect motion and salute." He shrugged. "If we repair them well enough... The only ones that would know what happened to them is us. I would still feel bad giving it to the king."
He stood up. "Help my youngest get Robin Hood on the workbench, will you please?" He and his oldest daughter lifted the Avenger doll to carry her back inside, to be next on the workbench.
"You know, the princess keeps putting off meeting the Avenger. If you gave the doll to her... It might change her mind about meeting the real one." Amethyst said as she came over. "Excuse us, I need to borrow Mr. Handler."
She would have the couple meet up back at the tree only after Handler would help the youngest daughter get the Robin Hood doll on the workbench. Amethyst cleared her throat with both now present and away from prying ears, having also pulled her mentor, Sir Tuxford, in the meeting. "Did the Avenger give you her new meeting place after the town meeting, afternoon last?"
Tuxford nodded. "All messages are to go to Dr. Monroe and be picked up by only you or I, and delivered to Gregor if she doesn't get them first. Odd that the request is good until the end of January when it's the beginning of October. It's usually two months in one place."
Amethyst made a face. That meant Calla had planned to be at court all along, but as the Avenger until she got hurt. "Of course." Amethyst then relayed what Mrs. Handler and supposed about checking who came and went during the ball among the knights. She also explained that it was odd how most of the respectable knights never got the message. "Most of my and Sunrise's squads were not in attendance, yet Cornwall was there in full force."
Tuxford nodded and sighed. "Half my men also didn't show up until I was getting ready to come here just about midnight. One of them informed me that the runner never showed up."
Amethyst took a deep breath. "Which begs the question... What time do we set this for?" She looked at the Handlers. "I arrived to your store just before eight and passed the tree a few minutes before that. No dolls hung from the tree then."
Tuxford shook his head. "Same holds true for half past nine. The dollmaker just put out his oil lamp and I entered the inn there in the centre of town." He thought for a moment. "I didn't leave the inn until I heard the commotion about half past seven. That's when I ran to get the Handlers, and you just happened to be there also. I had thought I had seen you last night, but wasn't sure. I'm glad I kept the runner from going to Gregor to have you summoned to town."
Amethyst nodded. "Around midnight. I patrolled in front of the house/shop because I couldn't sleep. I could make out the tree, but not details. It's too far away, and last night was especially dark."
Both turned to the Handlers to narrow down what times to focus on. It looked like whenever it happened, it was between ten and seven. But would Mrs. Handler agree to that or give different hours of interest?
"..." Clair's eyes widened as the woman talked, had she accidentally revealed what she had been working on for the Avenger?! That was where she got the pully from, the same concept! She needs to be more careful when talking about inventions, she gets too excited!
"Huh, a-anyway, s-so all of you are hoping for the princess's hand, right? Do you all know her well?" She asked trying to get off the topic before she spilled any other information.
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Mr. Handler smiled and nodded at them.?
"I am sure it would, excuse me a moment please," He said before going with Amethyst once he had helped them.
Both the Handlers thought to themselves about the hours, but Mrs. Handler spoke up first.
"We are certain none of the dollmakers family herd anything at any specific time, putting them up there would probably not be too quiet a task. Or hearing someone come into here." She asked still thinking.
"Perhaps it was later at night if they were at the ball then came here once it was done." Mr. Handler suggested.
Cassandra was the first to answer, as those from the mainland continent seemed to be contemplating their answers. "Those of us in England, yes. We would know the princess quite well. Diana and I pretty much grew up with Calla in the same circles. We all could attest she was always a bit of a tomboy."
Calla Grovershire was next. "When the incident with Cavin happened in a ball during the court season on Princess Calla's 13th year... It was I that was the runner sent to Brittania Amazona, to inform Diana, crown princess of that realm about Calla leaving court, swearing off men and wanting nothing more to do with court... Until now."
Princess Calla and her five top suitors would arrive at that moment. "What's this then? Gossipping about your wayward princess?" She teased, winking at everyone there. "I'm going to speaking with each of you for a little bit over at the reserved table." She pointed, where Bernice, the Ramsford noble was already standing. She sighed. "I guess I'm starting with Ramsford." She looked apologetically at Diana. "I know I promised you Cassandra would be first, but you know what will happen if I don't deal with Ramsford first. Our wines could be cut off. I swear she's just looking for an excuse."
Olivia frowned giving Diana a knowing look. "And I hope you get to deal with Ramsford in the hand-to-hand, Diana." The Lythikan noble commented, referring back to what Diana had reminded Olivia earlier about the courtly games. It looked to the Lythikan that Ramsford was going to be Diana's bane like the other snobby one was Olivia's.
She then folded her arms giving everyone there her trademark smirk, which passed for a smile. "What were we just talking about?"
This would be Clair's chance to find out how the leading lady of the court season knew Princess Calla.
-------------------+++--------
Amethyst began pacing, another habit she picked up from Sir Rock, her father. "So what are we saying then? One? Two? In the morning?"
Tuxford frowned and shrugged his shoulders. "I'd like the hours figured out before I send the runner to the king, Dame Amethyst."
Amethyst nodded. "I have a message I want to send myself. Checking up on a few ladies of the court, and who all of the guards were excused from court guard duty. I'm betting Cornwall is one for sure."
Tuxford nodded. "I'd lay lots on that one myself. It's no secret that neither member of the royal family trusts him. It obviously took two people to carry the dolls into the shop, it's reasonable to assume there was at least two knights to grab the dolls and sling them over their shoulders like sacks of potatoes. Timing is the only thing missing."
Amethyst shook her head. "I didn't hear anything when I went back inside the house, which makes me reiterate the question, Mrs Handler... Are we talking one or two in the morning for the break-in?"
Clair nodded as the girls started to explain how they knew Calla, happy the attention was being taken off of her for the time being anyway. She dare not say a word and drive them off topic and back to her, the inventions, or her relationship with the Avenger.
As Calla approached again in her group Clair wasn't sure what to do, she wanted to wave and say hi to her but was this too formal a setting, were there too many eyes and ears around for her to act that casually with her? Instead, she kept quiet and instead listened in on the conversation.
Diana nodded.
"Yes, I look forward to all of the competitions, I am sure everyone will get a chance to learn lots from each other" She replied keeping vague enough not to get in trouble.
As they left Clair looked at her and paused for a moment before speaking up.
"So umm, how do you know the princess? Why do you want her hand?"
--------------------------------
Mrs. Handler shrugged.
"It's impossible to tell unless someone heard something, if there was rain or something we might be able to tell, but there was nothing here that I am aware of that could tell us a specific time."
Olivia held her smirk, arms still folded but relaxed (it's possible). "Who said I'm after Princess Calla?"
This caused Grovershire to give Olivia a surprised look.
Olivia chuckled. "Not that she remembers, but the princess visited Lythikos just before the mid-season ball in Dunwyn, where we went skiing and got caught in a snowstorm at one of my chalets. I had no idea she had an interest in weapons." She looked at Clair more than the others, since that's who asked. "Gregor was arranging a new trading schedule and route, and Calla was the one who insisted on meeting me. She continues to impress me."
Ruby shook her head. "Weren't you in trade talks with Queen Kenna of Cordonia as well, Olivia? That was roughly three and a half to four years ago also."
"Dunwyn wasn't just coming out of a civil unrest. Queen Kenna had just patched the country together, reuniting their great houses." She glanced around to the other noblewomen. "Unless you're up on your history, none of you others would know much about that unless you bordered Cordonia."
"We're close, but not next door neighbors." Millicent stated, "But don't sell us short, Olivia, Monterisso is well aware of it."
Olivia shrugged. "So, yes, Lady Clair, I'm familiar with the princess, skied with her, and did trade business with her. I respect her, but actually wanted to court someone else. Granted, winning Calla's hand would only help the current trade talks with Gregor regarding Lythikan weapons. Hell, I wasn't even trying last night. I probably only put half my usual effort into the courtly mannerisms. I only had one dance with Princess Calla all night."
Millicent and Ruby both looked perplexed, before looking at Clair to see her take on this.
Meanwhile, Princess Calla called for Cassandra to join her at her table.
Olivia Nevrakis of Lythikos she's supposed to be about 25. Seven years Princess Calla's senior.
-----++++++-----------------
Tuxford shook his head. "No rain, ma'am. Not that I could see. Everything did have a touch of dew though, which would include the dolls. How much I couldn't tell you, since they were relatively dry by the time we got them down from there just after noon."
Amethyst shook her head. "Bother. That means two, no later than three. That would have been too far away for me to have heard anything. Perhaps Mr. Handler and I should talk to the dollmaker again, or his daughters, and see if something woke them from sound sleep around one to three?" She glanced at Tuxford. "If you don't mind waiting here for about half hour tops."
Tuxford just shook his head. "As long as the runner can make it to the castle by dark, Amethyst... We have time. I'm going to stay in town while that court nonsense is going on, anyway."
Clair's eyes moved from girl to girl as they spoke, listening to their reasons for being here and how some of their main goals were not actually to get Calla's hand at all. Of course, she didn't get lots of what they had been talking about, politics were not her strongest suit after all.
As she noticed she was being looked at for a take she cleared her throat and spoke up.
"Oh umm, I didn't realize that there could be other reasons to be here unless you wanted the princess's hand or she wanted yours" she replied without thinking, after all, she was here because the princess wanted her to be, perhaps there were others like her.
Mr. Handler nodded to Amethyst.
"Let's go question them, perhaps working on the dolls will distract them enough that they won't be too distraught about the thought of those people coming at night" he suggested.
Olivia gave a curt nod, along with her smirk, as she relaxed her arms the rest of the way, and put a hand on her hip (like in image) "That's why there's court twice a year. I love the winter, so started coming to the fall courting season two years ago. Just wait until around Christmas, Lady Clair, if you're in the top five, you go hunting for the biggest game there is. A Christmas tree that will be set up right in that large foyer in the alcove near the stairs leading up."
Cassandra returned as another noble was called to visit the princess. She arrived just to hear about the Christmas tree being the biggest game in the fall courting season hunts. "Yes, I suppose 30 feet would make it the biggest game, but since it isn't running or trying to otherwise escape us, I don't really think we're hunting."
Ruby scoffed. "Please Cassandra, you're using all the scouting skills from a previous game, the tracking and discernment in the foxhunt, marking where you've been... It's a hunt!"
Olivia and Calla Grovershire both rolled their eyes simultaneously. "Regardless, it's one of the more fun hunts and comes a week after we paint portraits of the one we are courting during the season." Grovershire explained to Clair as Olivia nodded.
"Usually by then, we're about three quarters the way through the season and it's been thinned out substantially. Right now there's about 50 women. Come the yule tide, it'll be halved. If they don't quit, there's periodic trimmings of those who have fallen too far behind the top five to get there. Tomorrow, in archery at Nottingham, the cream WILL rise to the surface."Olivia stated. She then glanced over at Princess Calla's table. "Is it my imagination, or is the princess not calling us in order?"
Grovershire quickly nodded. "She isn't calling us in GREGOR'S order. Nor in order of her own favorites. She's been unusually random."
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The dollmaker was glad to see Handler and Amethyst back at his workshop and let them in, quickly checking both ways before shutting the door. "You're just in time to see my eldest daughter and I take Avenger into surgery, as it were, Robin has come out of his looking good as new."
As the two, wearing jewelers glasses began undoing the stitches that held Avenger's neck in place on one side, he asked, "I figured the questions weren't finished." He pointed to the doll's smiling face. "She wouldn't leave questions she needed answers to." With the stitches removed, he called his daughter to bring the sawdust and cotton mixture that would straighten the doll's neck.
Amethyst cleared her throat. "One of the main questions is if you heard any noise in the wee hours of the morning."
The dollmaker looked askance to his youngest. "Meghan?"
Meghan sighed. "I think T.C.¹ got a little rambunctious with the trash cans around two or three. I'm right over them and all three were knocked over."
"T.C.? Who's T.C.?" Amethyst asked.
"Our white tabby, Top Cat¹. He always comes in the open window in the back after his prowling. Usually knocks only a lid or two off. This morning the silly thing somehow knocked all three cans over!"
Just then, a cat that was actually yellow, and coloured in such a way it looked like a can of paint fell on it, started rubbing against Mr. Handler's leg. Amethyst shook her head. "I thought you said he was white? Looks like T.C. is quite the troublemaker." She nodded to Handler. Unless he had a follow up question, it was evident how the knights got in, and poor Top Cat was the perfect patsy due to his reputation.
¹-shout out to a cartoon that was shown in prime time in 1961, named Top Cat
Clair smiled as she heard the explanation of how some of the girls weren't even interested in Calla, some just wanted to participate in the fun events! Perhaps that was more so why Calla invited her to join, so she could get out and participate in these events. She could see her parents putting her up to that, they always said she needed to get out more.
As they discussed if looking for a tree was bunting or not Clair simply listened as she also re-considered Calla's motivation for inviting her here. She surely wasn't interested in her right? It was for the Avenger thing and to have some fun, that made more sense than a princess being interested in her for sure. Those thoughts actually helped Clair relax a little, it was less stressful than thinking about what happens beyond the games if she was never meant to win anyway.
"Hmmm, maybe we can look at the names she calls and try and figure out if there is a pattern. perhaps there is some method to her madness as they say.
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Me. Handler was happy to let Amethyst lead the investigation as he listened and watched, ready to chime in if needed.
As the cat rubbed on his leg he bent down and gave it some scritches.
"Yeah the proverbial cat isn't fully out of the bag, to mind the pun, but it seems we at least have a solid lead on what likely happened and when. We can try and confirm with the times we get later." he explained.
Ruby shook her head. "We should have done that from the start, but even if we had, it's just way too random..."
"Ruby Rose Rhys and Aurora Service¹! Both of Cordonia, please!" Princess Calla called.
As Ruby and another noble headed to the table, Ruby grabbing an extra chair, Olivia stared after her. "Now it makes sense. Even for a Cordonian, she knew her history too well. Ruby is Queen Kenna's daughter."
Cassandra blinked at her, then looked at her sister. Aurora was in the top five currently with Olivia and her. "Diana? Did you know that Ruby is PRINCESS Ruby of Cordonia?"
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Amethyst nodded with a sad sigh and pat on the back. "Not an issue, Sir Handler. We've done about as much as we can until we hear from Gregor or the Avenger. The case is stalled, although we did find out they've added breaking and entering, and stealing to their long list of crimes just against the Villagers of Dunwyn."
Amethyst asked for a report on the well-being of Clair and the princess, and an update on who got the lead, as well as transportation for the Handlers and herself to Nottingham for the archery challenge tomorrow.
¹-Aurora was my character when I first did The Royal Romance visual novel from the Choices app.
Cassandra shook her head. "While I agree with you, Lady Clair, that it would unite the two kingdoms, it's Aurora that is in the top five currently, and not Ruby." She then nodded to her sister about the ruler of Brittania Amazona suspecting Ruby was the princess of Cordonia.
Olivia stretched and headed to the mallet rack. "Any of you ladies fancy a game of croquet? I might be a tad rusty, as I only play it during courting season. I haven't played in ten months, since the yule tide last year."
Millicent chuckled. "I remember that, Olivia. It was the first, and last, time Gregor allowed indoor croquet. I think my ball is still stuck in the wall, there in the ballroom."
The Portavira noble had come over to investigate and heard Millicent remark that. "I expected Olivia to be the one to play indoor croquet like a round of golf, Millie, not you. I still say you should have shouted 'fore' before whacking your ball!"
Olivia laughed. "Right. At least it wasn't me getting some game or other banned from indoors.... This time."
"I still can't believe you got darts banned. That's quite the pastime in taverns and pubs." The Portavira noble smiled at Olivia, turning her back to Clair accidentally, revealing her dolphin cape in all it's glory, to Clair. She hadn't meant to be rude, but this would possibly serve as an icebreaker for Clair to speak to yet another European noble.
Clair nodded, not saying anymore as she looked between the other girls as they spoke, feeling more introverted as the new girl joined them. She had just hardly gotten somewhat comfortable with these girls that were there.
As they spoke she was surprised at how strong these girls must be, to lodge a ball into the wall by hitting it with a small mallet? that was darn impressive and scary! Any one of these girls could easily overpower her if they wanted. Why did she find that both terrifying and a little... exciting? That can't be right, she was just a little overwhelmed, that's all.
As the Portavira Noble turned her back to Clair she slumped down a little, she already felt as if she didn't belong but perhaps this was more confirmation of that very fact, though she did think the cape design was pretty, and was curious if she had come from an oceanic kingdom, given the dolphin symbol. Of course, all these thoughts stayed in her head as she sunk into her chair. Clair also felt more out of place as all these girls seemed to know each other and have stories and memories of past courtings, while she knew nothing and no one.
