The Final Straw

"You should have told me last night," Brinn, disguised as Mairwen, fussed quietly at the fake Renat.

Alvar looked ashamed. "I was too caught up in the prince's magic and sickness. I really thought the assassin would be caught before he was able to go south."

The two elves sat huddled in the corner of the prince's bedchamber. They turned and looked at the prince, who was lying on the bed. Alaron had had a fitful night, but he seemed still enough now. Satisfied, the spymaster continued her clandestine conversation.

"You are sure the guy--what did you call him? Hemel?-- Are you sure he has not been caught?" Brinn tried to keep her voice down. She would have preferred to have this conversation elsewhere, but the Doctor had warned her that Alaron should be monitored at all times until he was awake.

"I was just in the hall pretending to be worried for your safety...I mean Mairwen's safety. Do not look at me like that. I am always worried about you." Alvar ran his finger along Brinn's arm to soften the daggers that she was staring at him. "Anyway, I asked the guards if they had any news, but they believed that Hemel escaped the city. Most have stopped looking and returned to the palace."

"That is pretty quick to make that assumption and give up. I wonder if Cafer called off the search." Brinn shook her head. "What do I tell the boy? He is not going to be happy..."

"The truth would be nice. Especially because he can hear you..." Alaron's eyes fluttered open as he looked at them with slight annoyance.

"The assassin Hemel was asked to go and take out the leader of the group that escaped from Xander. That means Emperor Devrim, Princess Mairwen or both could be in danger."

"You want to join the search?" Alaron could see the anxiousness on Brinn's face.

"I feel responsible," the spymaster admitted.

"Are you kidding? Without your little jailbreak, all three of those dangerous men would be loose, and we wouldn't even know they were missing. This is not your fault. But I will speak to the one responsible shortly." Alaron rolled onto his side and groaned.

"Are you strong enough for that? Maybe you should wait…" Brinn stopped as the boy sat up.

"The tonic helped," Alaron assured her. "Not as much as that other healing water, but I feel better than I did."

The boy swung his feet off the edge of the bed and stood slowly. He quickly sat back down.

"Maybe you should get some breakfast in you. That and some fresh air will help." Brinn looked at Alvar, who nodded and went to find a servant.

"Fine, fine. Some food and a walk around the gardens, but then I will meet with Cafer." Alaron laid down back on the bed as he waited.

"We will see how things go after you eat," Brinn refused to agree to his plan. "Take more of this." She offered him some tonic from a container by the bed.

Alaron chuckled at her obstinance. "Whatever my nursemaid says...I will listen." He dutifully drank what she offered. After his strong reaction to the water before, the doctor had given him a regimen of small doses to take of the tonic in hopes he would handle it well and stay healthier for longer. While the doctor did not like that Alaron opposed the Empress, he also did not want to see him die.

"Don't call me a nursemaid!" Brinn recoiled at the term. She had never been the nurturing type. "I can go find Nanny. She will nurse you back to health."

Alaron shot up on the bed at this. He was suddenly very awake and energized. "No need to call Nanny. I am fine."

"Good to see she still puts a little fear in you. Maybe I should have led with that last night," Brinn smiled.

"It is the tonic that helped, not Nanny. I am not afraid of anyone," the prince lied. He stuck out his chin defiantly, which accentuated his gaunt face.

Brinn stared at the dark circles under the boy's eyes. "We will have to fix your face before you go out. I will retrieve some of Mairwen's make up when Alvar returns."

Alaron touched his face looking truly horrified. "....Make up?"

-----------------------

After breakfast, Alaron was able to get dressed for the day. It seemed the doctor was correct: the tonic was not as potent as the pure water, but it was enough to get the prince on his feet and moving. With a little make up applied to his face (courtesy of Brinn), the prince appeared almost normal. A keen observer could see that his walk was slow and measured, but Alaron held himself so proudly that no one thought anything of him walking arm in arm with his devoted sister.

Alaron, Brinn and Alvar disappeared from view and found a secluded place in the Spring Garden. Brinn released him and the prince was able to walk unassisted, though slowly.

"You have to stop using magic like that," Brinn scolded him as she watched him struggle. "You are killing yourself more quickly. You cannot let the villains have that satisfaction."

"I know... But it feels so good when I am using magic that I cannot stop. I forget about the price until it is too late." Alaron admitted his shortcomings.

The openness of his words surprised Brinn. "Try harder," she admonished, not sure what else to say.

Her eyes wandered along the thick, leafy vines of the walls. It was fall, but somehow the Spring Garden grew thick and lush year round. Even the wooden bench on which she now sat was surrounded by untamed flowers. The royal gardener must have been among those who either escaped or would not join Alaron. The foliage was already out of control after all the days of neglect.

Alvar's ears pricked up. "Someone is coming! What do we do?"

Brinn had heard it too and thought quickly. She stood and pushed the wooden bench that was under her up into the thick vines. "Get on it and hide!"

"I hide from no one." Alaron's former arrogant attitude returned.

"Do not be an idiot," Brinn grabbed him by the arm and jerked him toward the vines. "It is Cafer and his cronies. Don't you want to know what they say when you are not around?"

The prince allowed himself to be shoved into the greenery as all three of them hid atop the bench within the vines. Sure enough, Cafer, Xander, and Baak entered the secluded area a short time later.

"I still think..." Xander stopped as Cafer held up his hand and closed his eyes.

The advisor sensed the ground, and finding no one to be near, he nodded. "We can speak freely."

Brinn's heart leapt. She had chosen to get on the wood bench to avoid the gnome's detection. If she had not, they would have been caught instantly. Fortunately, Cafer was too confident in his abilities. Now, he would not guard his words as he should.

"I still think the princess too big of a problem to ignore." Xander complained. "She spent the night in the prince's room. What do you think they talked about? I promise you it was not about the weather."

Baak joined in, "And now somehow they have both disappeared into thin air. No one in the palace seems to know where they have gone. You have lost control of the prince, and the princess is to blame."

"Princess Mairwen has always had a strong influence on Alaron..." Cafer began to pace. He came so close to the three spies that they held their breath for fear of being discovered.

"It is time to break that bond. I will take her off your hands as my wife." Baak's eyes were filled with lust and greed.

"Alaron would never agree to that." Cafer held the bridge of his nose.

"Then make him agree. Why else do I keep you around if you are not useful?" Baak warned.

Cafer jerked his head toward the gnome king with a murderous glint. "Your Majesty, I keep things running smoothly. I clean up both of your messes. I even released assassins to fix Xander's mistake," the advisor gritted his teeth as he spoke.

"Ha! And look how that turned out. Two of your assassins were captured before they even got out," Xander gloated.

"But one escaped! Hemel and I have worked together many years. He will not fail again." Cafer was sure on this point.

"He failed before. I am sure he would not make the same mistake twice," the pirate's voice dripped with sarcasm. His hand rested lightly on his sword as he held an amused grin.

"At least he didn't crash four of his ships trying to get some lousy castle dwellers. How is the ship building going? I will not be sad to send you on your way." Cafer stood up tall to challenge the pirate, though his head did not come much above Xander's shoulder.

The captain's face reddened as he leaned down into the gnome's face. "I would like to see how you would have handled that grey-eyed nobleman in battle. My ships will be done as soon as possible. If King Baak would spare some gnomes, I would be done that much quicker."

Baak shook his head. "Gnomes do not like water. Even the idea of something floating atop it is repulsive."

Xander took a step away from Cafer and gave a mischievous smile to the king. "Then perhaps when I go back to sea, I will take the princess with me rather than let her marry you. You would all be too cowardly to follow me into the water."

The ground rumbled slightly as Baak's eyes flashed. Cafer could see things quickly getting out of hand. Inhaling sharply, he stepped between the pirate and the king. "Alaron is getting out of control, I admit, but I will handle the prince like I always do. That boy would never know what to think if it were not for me. I can break his bond with the princess. They will be little more than acquaintances when I am through. And on top of everything, I will check with the shipwrights to speed up the building of the pirate ships. I will make things smooth once more."

The tempers of the other two quieted. "Make sure you do as you promised," Baak threatened. "You are, at the end of the day, replaceable."

"Understood, Your Majesty." Cafer bowed.

"I know a way to settle this," Xander said to the king.

"Chess?" Baak raised one eyebrow.

"Chess," Xander confirmed. "This time, maybe you might actually beat me."

The two left the small courtyard together without a backward glance at Cafer. The advisor kicked at the flowers at his feet and scowled. "Those two fools think they can get along without me. They have another thing coming. Without me, they are nothing!" He marched from the garden with a determined scowl.

Brinn had been so focused on listening and staying hidden that she had not looked at the two by her side. Now she glanced just in time to see Alvar disappear completely and go to check the area. Once he was sure that the area was clear, he returned to help the other two from their hiding spot.

Alaron was so pale, his face seem completely void of blood. Brinn pulled the bench out for him to sit. She was afraid that the exertion of hiding had been too much and he would faint.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

The prince shook his head. "Cafer will 'handle me'. He will 'break the bond' with my sister...as if such a thing could happen." The boy brought his palms to his eyes and let his face fall. "What a fool I have been! What an utter, incompetent fool! This is the final straw..."