Chapter 56: Temptation

"For shame, Guildmaster Trent. You will spoil Megan's homecoming. You can always be stuffy tomorrow Let her enjoy her family..." chastised a striking petite woman in an exquisitely tailored turquoise silk dress. She had matching combs that kept her long raven hair in place. I would place her a few years older than Megan with the same underlying beauty and poise to her elfin features. That they were closely related was obvious.

"I apologize, Lady Yolanda, but this man broke the law. It is the duty of the prince to enforce those laws." The Guildmaster was a fair looking bald man in his early thirties. He was wearing fine red robes with the cowl pulled back.

I resisted reaching out and slapping that black goatee off of his face.

"Guildmaster Trent, you will have to deliver your charges to the magistrate. This is neither the time nor the place." With that Prince Konnor dismissed the Guildmaster and turned his attention to me. Me, he scrutinized carefully.

"Thank you for returning my daughter to me. I am in your debt, sir." He bowed to me.

Before I could respond, Megan corrected him. "Father, this is Lord Charles of America."

"My apologies, Lord Charles. I was under the impression that you were a wizard."

"Understandable, Your Highness. Your impression was correct, I am a man of power. Even with this buffoon calling me out, I have little reason to hide it."

I heard a couple of soft groans, from both Chandra and Megan. The rest of the assembled nobles, except the prince and Yolanda, gasped. Prince Konnor smirked and Lady Yolanda looked interested.

"Come, come, let's not stand in the streets all evening. You must be tired after such a long journey. Lord Charles, you are invited to stay with us in the palace for as long as you like."

"My prince, I must protest. The council will hear of this," interrupted the Guildmaster.

"I expect so, they always do." He assigned two of his men to show Hector and Armand the stables and then take our guards to where Chandra and I would be staying.

I was tired of the Guildmaster already. "Prince Konnor, how much would it cost for an exemption that allowed me to practice magic?" I asked him as he offered his hand in greeting.

"What's the going rate for membership in your guild, Trent?" the prince countered after releasing my hand.

"What? It's three gold. Why are you asking, My Prince?"

"Because I am granting Lord Charles a special exemption; for the price of five gold, three of which will go to your guild, he may practice all the magic that he wishes in this country for as long as he is here."

The prince, Chandra and I were the only ones that didn't stop walking when he made that declaration.

"Charles, did you have any trouble in the mountains? I have heard that the pass is treacherous even in the best of weather."

"No, Your Highness, we happened to come across a small obstacle at the entrance to the pass on this side of the mountains that we easily overcame." I shrugged. "We did spent one night on a plateau with a pleasant little waterfall and some remarkable views of the surrounding mountains. That alone was worth the trip."

There was a strangled yelp and a protest of 'My Prince' from the Guildmaster, which went unacknowledged. We continued on to the palace, the prince casually grilling me to get a feel for who I was. Being an unknown quantity who had spent considerable time with his daughter, that made sense to me so and I was letting him.

"How have you found my Principality so far, Charles?"

"So far, Prince Konnor, your lands have been wet. We seemed to have encountered a typhoon yesterday."

He chuckled, "Yes, that was quite a storm we had, wasn't it? We get those sometimes. Our Lord Oceanus likes to make sure that we don't forget him. You should be at sea when he sends one of those after your ship. My first time at sea I was Morgan's age, the wave that hit the side of our vessel was thirty feet high. It washed four men overboard. I was so scared that it took two men to make me let go of the rail." He laughed fondly at that memory.

"I can imagine. That's why I plan on staying land locked. You can have the sea, I'll walk."

We both laughed at that. The rest of the trip to his palace he spoke about the weather and how his son had returned the day before yesterday, just beating the squall in. He did glance back at his son who was walking between Yolanda and Megan. Not even a flicker of relief crossed the prince's face. He was good. This man was a professional politician and I needed to remember that.

Megan looked a little tense, Morgan was chattering excitedly about his first voyage and Yolanda caught my eye. She was interested. Very. Behind them was a small group that included Chandra, his guards, the Guildmaster and a couple of other members of his entourage that had not been introduced. Thinking on it, our first meeting was strangely informal.

Prince Konnor dismissed the assembled nobles and the guildmaster too. They each welcomed Megan back with smiles on their faces and departed. Even Guildmaster Trent offered a pleasant smile and a warm welcome back for her. None of them gave me more than a polite nod before adjourning.

"Did you kill a wizard in Silverdale, Charles?"

Who told him?

Megan sent Grant here to get him out of our hair. Maybe to prepare her father for our arrival too. I wonder what else she told him about me?

"His name was Bertran. You don't want to know what I found in his lair."

"Oh?"

"He used his magic to suck the life out of his victims," I said for his ears alone. He lost a step at my admission though his face never changed from his friendly expression.

"Are you alright, father?" Morgan asked, seeing his father stumble.

"I'm fine, my son. I wasn't watching where I was walking." he said with good humor.

I'd have to be careful with this man, I couldn't read him in the slightest. Even with the admission of what I found with the wizard, which caused him to misstep, his expression never changed from that of friendly interest.

The conversation returned to our trip and what I thought of his city so far.

"I like the way that your city is laid out, the different districts, the markets and even the rivers seem to be aligned for maximum efficiency. Your daughter told me about the fine for dumping in the bay and I believe that that is an excellent idea. I will have to take a more detailed tour for a better grasp, Your Highness. After a few days of rest I would like to visit the Bazaar and do some shopping."

"That makes sense, until then if you need anything please feel free to ask, one of my staff will see to it."

"I would prefer that my Postulant be placed in a room adjacent to mine." His left eyebrow rose in question at that.

"My Postulant is Chandra Rosewood." He recognized that name instantly. I knew that the same questions that I'd recently began to ponder were already crossing his mind. He was a true politician while I was just learning. "I would like your word that she is to be returned to her father in perfect health if anything would happen to me."

"Granted. How long do you plan on staying?" We entered the palace, I had been distracted so I didn't take a good look at the outside, I only remembered the flowers that overflowed the pathways.

"I haven't decided. Your daughter has become a friend., I would also like to see some of your lands before I leave." He nodded as if I hadn't said anything new.

"I hope that you enjoy your stay." He felt sincere, but he could have also told me that he wanted to boil me in oil and his tone and smile would not have given anything away.

"Uncle, I'll show Lord Charles to his rooms so that you can spend time with your daughter. Did I hear correctly? His Postulant is to have the rooms next to his?" Yolanda's voice was similar to Megan's. It had the same melodic undertones, while being a touch deeper.

"Thank you, Yolanda. Take him to the guest rooms in the east wing. See to it that Chandra has the adjoining suite would you?"

"I shall, Uncle."

"Thank you again, My Lord, for rescuing me. I am in your debt." Lady Megan curtsied to me. She was still choked up about returning home. At least that is what I thought that she was choked up about.

"It was my pleasure, My Lady." I returned her curtsy with a formal bow myself.

Morgan escaped his sister's grasp and extended his hand. "Thank you, Lord Charles, for saving my sister."

"You are welcome, Morgan. I thought that your sister was worth saving, don't you agree?"

"I agree Milord," said the young man.

"I, too, want to add my thanks for bringing Megan back to us, Lord Charles. I hope that she did not cause you too much trouble." Her open and friendly smile put me at ease after the absolute taciturnity of the prince.