Hal straightened his beard as he strutted confidently down the sunny hallway of the royal palace. He wore a formal blue coat with an array of golden flower patterns spread across it. His dress trousers were a matching blue, and his boots were polished to a brilliant shine. Gillian had said it was his most dashing outfit, and he agreed with her.

His mind was focused on his destination, so it was an unpleasant surprise to see Duncan approach him from a side corridor. He looked his same old self, if a bit more roguish. Perhaps that was simply a result of Hal seeing him as an enemy rather than a friend.

“Hello Hal! I have been looking for you. You are a hard man to find.” Duncan grinned and shook Hal’s shoulder playfully.

Hal smiled back but stiffened slightly at his touch. “It’s good to see you, friend. What do you want?”

“Um, it’s a silly thing really. Cass has been pestering me for a while to say something about it. And now here I am, I guess.” Duncan crossed his arms and bunched his shoulders awkwardly. “Apparently you have been avoiding me lately, and I should be worried. In my opinion, it’s just that you’ve been busy organising the Council.” Nevertheless, Duncan looked searchingly into Hal’s eyes, eager for a response.

He agrees with Cassandra, or he would never have asked. I should respond seriously, brushing it off would draw unneeded suspicion. Does he smell of rum more strongly than usual? Maybe not.

Hal furrowed his brow sadly and crossed his arms. “I’m sorry that I haven’t been communicating with you properly, it’s just that I’ve been rather busy. Again, I apologise if it has caused any unneeded stress.”

Duncan’s stance relaxed and he waved Hal off. “No, no. It’s fine. Cass was pestering me about it, that’s all. No need to explain, I understand.”

Hal nodded and smiled at Duncan chummily. “Sounds like Cass has been sticking her fingers in your pie recently.”

Duncan rolled his eyes. “Ugh. It’s like she thinks everyone is out to get me, and I’m just standing in the street with no clue what’s going on. Makes me feel a fool. But I always tell her, ‘Hal’s a friend. We can trust him no matter what.’ She rarely listens to me though. Bloody woman.”

Hal laughed and said, “Sounds like you have your hands full already. I’ll get out of your hair.”

“Will do. See you.” Duncan patted Hal on the shoulder again and walked off.

Hal waited until after he had turned the corner to brush his shoulder and then continued on his way. Eventually, he reached the entrance to the royal apartments. Two guards barred the door with spears and silent stares hidden behind slitted visors.

“Lord Hal Landoran, Council of Inquiries.” Hal pointed to a golden badge on his left lapel, over his heart. The badge was a small decorative letter knife, no larger than a man’s little finger. It pointed straight down.

The guards lifted their spears and opened the door. Hal strutted in and took a deep breath full of rose and cinnamon. The first thing that drew his eye was the fountain. Gentle forest animals made of white marble leaped majestically from the centre of the fountain, spouting water from their mouths so that it would splash pleasantly below. Around the fountain were a small garden of bright flowers and carefully manicured hedges. Many coloured butterflies fluttered around the open space, freely travelling in and out of open doors and through corridors that led deeper into the complex. Hal asked a passing maid where princess Myra’s bedroom was, and he bowed in thanks after she pointed it out.

Hal knocked on Myra’s door and a faint voice told him to come in. Myra’s room was surprisingly sparse. A canopy bed with bare white sheets and three pillows sat at the centre of the back wall, directly opposite the door. A row of bookshelves decorated the left and right walls, all of which were completely full of books that appeared to be academic. There was scant else except for a small cabinet that held her clothes, although by the size of It Hal assumed the rest were stored elsewhere.

Myra was laying on her bed reading a book. She looked up at him and got up quickly, startled. “Hal! I thought you were a maid. Turn around so I can get dressed.” She was wearing a billowing shift that looked fit for a woman twice her size.

Hal nodded graciously and turned around. Over his shoulder, he said, “Good evening, princess. I apologise for catching you unawares.”

“How did you get in here?”

“I’ve been granted certain privileges due to my being in the Council of Inquiries, princess.”

“Oh. I see. Have I done anything wrong?”

Hal heard that she had finished getting dressed, but he knew better than to turn around without being asked. “No, you are in no trouble at all. I am just here to ask you some questions, if that is alright with you, princess.”

“Turn around. And call me Myra.” Myra sat demurely on her bed in a frilly pink dress. The book she was reading was nowhere to be seen. “What questions do you have? I am happy to comply."

Hal looked around for a place to sit but found none. He widened his stance and clasped his hands in front of him. “First, I must establish a few things. My son Carwyn, as you know, has told me about your father and his abuse against your mother.”

Myra gasped and shook her head in disbelief. “He promised not to tell. I… I…” She stood up and looked desperately at Hal. “Please don’t do anything. I beg you.”

“Myra, I have a duty to the realm. Queen Ailith, your mother, deserves to be freed and her family deserves to know her plight.”

Myra covered her face and began sobbing uncontrollably. Hal continued to speak over her weeping. “You will have to provide your testimony to several people, and you may be questioned thoroughly. No matter what is said, you are not guilty of anything. Remember that you are not the one in trouble.”

“I’m so stupid.” Myra fell back onto her bed and stared despondently at the roof, her face splotched with red and slick with tears. “I’ve ruined everything. I never should have told Carwyn, I should have known.”

Hal quickly walked over and sat down next to Myra’s dangling legs. “Trust me, if that boy had any other father your secret would never have been told. But his father is one who must ask these types of questions.” Hal patted Myra’s knee reassuringly. “Carwyn is an honourable boy. I convinced him that telling me was the right thing to do, and I hope to convince you that it was as well.”

Myra sat up and moved away from Hal, but only slightly. “Who must I talk to. I will do what you ask, that is the best course, for everyone.”

“Indeed, it is.” Hal smiled, a father to a responsible daughter. “I will take you to my headquarters and there you will talk to Chieftess Olga and King Foucaud. Justice will be swift, and your father will probably be apprehended soon after that. It is important that things go quickly so that your father cannot escape. Is this alright with you?”

“Yes.” Myra sniffled and wiped her nose. “Let’s go.”

They walked out of the room, Hal leading Myra. A man dressed as a gardener gave Hal a look and he gave an infinitesimal shake of his head. The gardener went back to cutting a hedge as if nothing had happened.

“This way.” They walked out of the royal apartments without notice.

Hal and Myra walked through several minutes of silence until they reached the headquarters for the Council of Inquiries. It was in a forgotten corner of the palace, previously used to store lost items and tools waiting to be repaired. The undecorated room was filled with desks and cabinets stuffed with documents. A group of dozen men and women in black uniforms with small letter knife badges worked hurriedly to transcribe documents and whisper messages in distracted ears. It was difficult to see the intricate web of efficiency behind their movements, but Hal could. Hal was looking at a well-oiled machine of his own design.

Hal took Myra into the only side office, a small room with a single oak desk covered with neat piles of letters and papers.

In front of the desk sat King Foucaud and Chieftess Olga, as promised. With a start Hal saw Chieftain Brack sitting amongst them. Hal had heard that he was joining the Coalition but expected him to be keeping to himself. They appeared to have been deep in conversation before Hal had opened the door. Foucaud huffed indignantly at Hal.

“We’ve been waiting here long enough to die of thirst three times over. Lucky enough for us, the leak in your-“

Foucaud stopped talking and cleared his throat awkwardly at the sight of Princess Myra.

Brack looked up at Hal and smiled. “I heard that there was a meeting of utmost importance regarding King Harold, so I thought I should attend. I hope that’s alright with you?”

“Of course, I am honoured to have met you finally. Although circumstances may have been better.” Hal pulled out his chair and gestured for Myra to sit in it. “I hope the room is not too confining, princess.”

Myra sat down and shifted uncomfortably. “I wish I would have worn something a bit more comfortable.”

“Your mind should not be focused on comfort, girl.” Olga crossed her arms over her Efir steel breastplate. “This is the most important moment of your life, act accordingly.”

Myra nodded seriously and sat still, placing her hands carefully on her lap. “Please, ask. We are running out of time.”

After locking the door Hal pulled out a fifth chair and sat next to Brack. He cleared his throat and began the questioning. “Tell us your accusations. Work from the beginning and be specific with absolutely everything you know and did. Every detail. Even those that may seem unimportant could be the most important. Do you understand?”

Myra took a deep breath. “Yes. The first time I ever suspected was when father spilled mother’s drink one morning. He swore and seemed very agitated, more so than would seem appropriate. Instead of ordering a servant to get something new, he got it himself, and he-“

“Wait.” Foucaud looked at Hal and Olga with an alarmed expression. “What is she saying? My understanding was that this discussion would be focusing on matters of war or some such. Why is my granddaughter here talking about my dying daughter? What is this?”

Myra looked at Hal questioningly and he shook his head. “Myra believes that Harold is poisoning your daughter. That is the short of it.”

The room went silent, except for the sound of Foucaud’s grinding teeth. Everyone looked at him. A vein stood out on the side of his head and his fists shook with strain. He bent his head and touched his fists to his closed eyes. He whispered something too quiet to hear.

“What was that old boy?” Brack said in a comforting murmur.

“I said.” Foucaud was almost growling, his teeth bared at Brack. “That bastard is dead. And nothing will stop it. Nothing.”

“We have to kill him this afternoon. Any longer and he could escape or kill Ailith.” Hal said.

Brack clapped his hands and got up. ‘We can discuss the aftermath later. I say Hal secures Queen Ailith, Foucaud and I detain Harold, and Olga gathers some men to help smooth things over. I’m sure his personal guards aren’t gonna want to hear our reasoning.”

Olga nodded and left the room, soon to be followed by Brack and a seething Foucaud. Hal moved to follow before remembering Myra. He looked at her, ready to see a blubbering little girl far out of her element. Instead, he stared in disbelief.

She was staring right back at him with a smug grin. A woman whose grand plan had just fallen into place.

Hal looked away quickly and left the room. He tried not to think about it.