Panic at the Faire

Eight Months Since Entering, the previous night

Iris carefully sipped her tea as Rufus placed another cup of the same next to Michiko, who sat opposite a small side table. Between them were various creams and sweeteners, in case either diner chose to partake.

"I'm glad we could have this moment to talk," Iris began, as disarmingly as she could. She wanted this meeting to be comfortable, as she was well aware that the power-dynamic could make it otherwise.

"Of course," Michiko nodded. "Your family has been very kind and generous to me. I couldn't have asked for a better host or employer."

"Think nothing of it," Iris waved with a smile. "And please... don't consider us 'employers'... you've been here for more than six months. We know you're in a very difficult situation with... Mitsuha's disappearance... but just know that... we're not going to just cast you aside. You're free to stay with us as long as you feel necessary."

Michiko nodded again. "I'll do my best to be worthy of your family."

Iris sighed internally. The class system was just too hard to overcome, so she let that go. "I'm sure you will." She paused. "The reason I wanted to talk to you... It's about Daniel inviting you to the Festival tomorrow. Have you thought about whether you plan on meeting with him?"

"Eh?" Michiko seemed surprised then looked away. "I guess... I was hoping to spend some time with someone... more my station. Everyone I've been working with these days... are all nobles."

"Nonsense," Iris insisted. "Just because someone is a noble doesn't mean they can't be your friend. Sabine's your closest friend and she's a Royal."

"But we can never be equals," Michiko clarified. "That's a part of the class-based society, isn't it? No noble will ever have a serious relationship with me, will they? I have no dowry, or title or land to offer. Marrying me would be like adding an anchor to their family line, wouldn't it?"

Iris wanted to protest, but couldn't. Michiko's strengths... her intelligence, her skills... in this society, meant very little when it came to social status, which was more the pity, Iris thought. "I... understand. Just... be wary of strange men... it doesn't take a noble to want to take advantage of a young, pretty girl like yourself."

____________________________________________________________________________________

Despite the art-house aesthetics, any cake's fate was inevitably to be eaten, so in the end, Sabine's cake was set to be cut carefully into servings. Michiko wanted Sabine to have her full satisfaction first. However, even a girl of her healthy appetite couldn't eat an entire three-layer cake all by herself; not that she would do that in public, as it would hardly appear very lady-like. Nevertheless, it was also far too small to serve the general public on an unlimited basis, who those nearby were already drooling at the thought. Fortunately, Sabine, ever mindful of her civic responsibilities, came up with an idea.

"Hear ye, hear ye...!" Princess Sabine called out via an amplified microphone up from the center stage. "Come one, come all... we're about to raffle off a chance to help the city orphanage... and ten lucky winners get to join me to feast on a Michiko Nakamura specialty cake!" As the cake was presented on an elevated platform, there was an audible reaction. Among various nobles, the name drop stirred recognition from those who were at the Pasteur's birthday party, as word had slowly leaked out who had made the desserts that night, along with some other noble gatherings she had made desserts for in the past few months.

"Wait, what...?" Michiko asked out loud. "Where did that loudspeaker come from? How does this society get an amplified speaker set up?"

"Oh, Lady Mitsuha set that up, back for the great Reversi and Shogi tournaments*," Anel explained, as Sabine continued her oration to the crowd. "She implied there might be another one, but I'm not sure... this last one caused so much chaos in the Market Square... and there's really no larger venue to hold it."

*see Manga Chp71 /LN Chp29

"Really...?" Michiko wondered. "What were the prizes?"

"Um..." Aleena blushed slightly. She suspected what she was about to reveal might be a tad embarrassing. "Portraits of the Lightning Archpriestess, lunches with her, head patting, cheek squeezing, walks with her, and I think first place was a dinner date."

"Y-you're not serious..." Michiko said with disbelief. Okay, sure... we used to pet Mitsuha's head all the time in junior high because she was always the shortest girl in class, but that was just for fun. Did she really turn that into yet another money-making scheme...!? "And people accepted those as... prizes for the tournament?"

"...one silver coin per ticket, and remember, it's for the children!" Sabine reminded everyone, as the public surged forward, offering their money. It wasn't just for the cake, everyone knew; it was private time, even briefly, with the Third Princess, which was potentially far more valuable.

"Yeah..." Anel put his hand behind his head with a trace of embarrassment. "Looking back, and maybe from an outsider's perspective, I can see how it may look a little cringey... but you have to understand... she had just saved the city from the Aldar Empire last year and stopped the Vanel naval invasion a few months ago... she's seen by many almost like a divine messenger. Some people even carry around little dolls of her with her real hair* as a token of good fortune."

*see Manga Chps67 /LN Chp28

Michiko recoiled, "Th-that sounds... honestly, if that were me, that'd really creep me out... and you're saying she approved of someone making and selling those...?!"

"Actually... I'm pretty sure that was the orphanage kids doing that..." Aleena admitted. "She told us that she took care of the matter and that if we ever saw them selling any more with her hair to let her know, but the regular dolls had her permission. I think the hair-bit was just as creepy to her as it would be to any girl."

Michiko thought about what Aleena said, glanced up at Sabine, then back at Anel and Aleena. "And these are the kids we're trying to help?"

"Now, now, they're good kids," Aleena assured. "And the orphanage is constantly underfunded by the city. Any kind of money they can get would be helpful. That's why they're selling popcorn in the next aisle over," she pointed towards a wooden cart being manned by a group of children. "Mitsuha herself always tried to take a personal interest helping them out. The dolls were... just a misunderstanding they cleared up." She didn't elaborate that Mitsuha ended up taking 20% of their profits as punishment when she discovered the unauthorized use of her hair.

Michiko shook her head and sighed. I swear Mitsuha... if I ever do see you again... as soon as I'm done crying my eyes out... we're going to have a talk about what else you've been doing here...

____________________________________________________________________________________

Baron August Von Tomsen rode the carriage at the front of the caravan of men along the roads just inside the city walls, leading to the docks by the large river that ran through the Capital City. Most of the men were concealed in covered wagons, to hide their strength and true purpose; to an outside observer, this looked like a larger-than-normal merchant caravan. Like most cities in olden times, the Capital City relied on the river for water and sanitation. The port was also an important source of trade, allowing the small cargo ships access to the Capital's markets. Since the Vanel invasion, the Lightning ArchPriestess had divided the captured vessels between three parties; one for Yamano County, one for Bozes County, and one for the Capital, with the intent that the country as a whole began using these vessels for trading voyages for the purpose of training crewmen*.

*see Manga Chps66 /LN Chp27

As they got near to the harbor, the evening was slowly approaching, which was just about the perfect hour. It was the period of time when the ground had begun the darken, but the skies were still lit. The contrast made it difficult to see details of people until they were up close. Combine that with the Festival requiring additional city guards to maintain order, security around the docks was spread thinner than normal. By the time any kind of serious response could arrive, it would be far too late.

August took a moment to pray... this is to right the wrongs done to my family, he told himself. Give me the courage to do what must be done... If the guards and sailors protecting the ship fled or dove overboard, he was prepared to allow them to flee to spare their lives. His goal was the ship; it was a key part of the rebel's plans. Once the ship was seized and unmoored, they were to sail it into the middle of the widest part of the river and assume the position, allowing the ship's cannons direct line-of-sight to their target. Being a ship, they would also have the freedom of movement that would make any kind of counter-assault or boarding extremely challenging.

____________________________________________________________________________________

"Michiko!"

Michiko turned around lit up with recognition. "Daniel!" She waved as he came over, holding a cup of flavored tea she got from Paradise's booth. They held hands for a moment and then Daniel took another moment to look Michiko over. "You look... great," he said, then looked up to the stage. "I heard you came with the Princess?"

"Yes," Michiko acknowledged. "She and I... well... we've recently become very close."

"Eh? That's pretty amazing! All the more reason you should...um..." Daniel trailed off. He was thinking someone who was already a friend of the Royal family had every reason to make this place their new home, but worried that might still be a sore point to bring up.

"It's OK," Michiko said, as she read the concern on Daniel's face. "You're right, Sabine has been very kind and welcoming to me in every way. The cake is just my way of showing my gratitude."

"Yeah... she's turning it into something special..." Daniel noted, looking up at the stage. Sabine at this point was encouraging tickets like the best carnival barker. "It's gotten everyone excited. I even bought a few myself."

Michiko looked a little surprised. "You shouldn't have done that. I could have just made some cake separately for you."

"Well, it's for a good cause," Daniel shrugged. "Besides, it's highly unlikely I'll win any of the ten lucky draws. Some of the nobles I saw buying tickets in the line were spending upwards of fifty or even a hundred gold."

Michiko almost spat up her drink. "For that much money, just come to me and I'll bake them a customized cake personally," she said disbelievingly.

"I'm guessing it more about personal time with the Princess," Daniel mused. "Anyway, they're going to be clearing the center floor soon for dancing, just before the lighting of the lanterns. Can I ask for a dance?"

Michiko nodded. It's been a while since I danced with a boy, she thought. I've seen my share of dancing at noble balls... I wonder what kind of dancing they do around the commoners in this country...

____________________________________________________________________________________

In the harbor area, a small group of guards kept an eye on things, but truthfully, their job usually involved breaking up fights between drunken sailors and merchants, or protecting cargo from theft. At present, they were almost at half-strength, due to all the extra security being provided for crowd control for the Festival; fortunately, the harbor foot traffic was equally light, as most people were heading to the town square. The only people that would be here either had urgent business, or perhaps they just weren't very social.

There were a handful of guards watching the harbor docks, but they were somewhat lax at their jobs. The theft of ships was a rarity; stealing the galleon itself seemed a near impossibility. For one, thieves would need a crew capable of sailing such a vessel and there weren't that many trained in these types of ships. In addition, for any kind of distant travel, they would need supplies, which would need to be loaded. Unless the thieves were just planning on making a few circuits around the bay, they would starve or die of thirst before going very far, and why would anyone do that?

The lead guard glanced at the approaching caravan. Kind of late for a delivery, he noted; all the shops in the area were closed with many of the larger, more successful ones running booths at the Market Square. Maybe they were just here to drop off their cargo, he thought.

"Now!"

At once, the men concealed inside the wagons surged out from front and back. The lead guard was overrun almost instantly and rendered unconscious. Three other guards along the docks snapped to attention, and drew their weapons. However, it became instantly apparent that they were outnumbered more than ten-to-one. August strode forward, with his soldiers flanking his side, and archers ready to shoot.

"Let's not be foolish here, gentlemen," August said politely, but with a clear underlying menace. "Surrender quietly, and you may live... of that, you have my word."

The guards looked at each other, then silently surrendered to the invaders, as other men surged past the guards and quickly ran up the gangplank and boarded the galleon. The guards were tied up; they would be discovered in under an hour, but we'll be gone by then, August was certain.

On deck, the lead boatswain took charge; he was a former Vanel seaman who had been offered citizenship, but was then approached by Jerome, offering him a better deal. The rest of the soldiers went quickly and quietly to their assigned stations. This takeover had been rehearsed and practiced in secret for months, but now that it was happening for real, the tension was palpable. Sails were quickly unfurled and the anchor was lifted. The ship had only limited powder and ammunition, but that was fine; they would be met soon by other members of the rebel faction, along with a key player to ensure their safety, if all went according to plan.

____________________________________________________________________________________

At the center stage of the Festival, as the sun began its final descent and the skies began to darken, the Festival organizers began to clear the center of the square to form an open space. A group of musicians set up on one side and prepared their instruments. At the rooftops, lanterns were lit one-by-one.

"Hail to you all," the MC announced on stage. "May you all remember the year and celebrate the Festival in the spirit of harmony and family. Let's have a toast to celebrate another year of prosperity and happiness... remember those who are no longer with us... and welcome the coming winter to lead us to another year of success!"

Daniel extended his arm and beckoned Michiko to the dancing floor, as other couples also began their dance. Michiko took his hand and he skillfully escorted her onto the dance floor as the music began. Daniel and Michiko then glided across the dance floor, in the manner of a ballroom dance, while the rest of the participants seemed like clumsy dolls by comparison. Despite her lack of training, Daniel's guidance made up for any imperfections.

"You dance... very well," Michiko whispered to Daniel. On her waist, she could feel his subtle cues on direction and cadence. To the people around her, they must have looked just like a young noble couple.

"You flatter me," Daniel insisted, and the dance continued. He thought about what he was expecting... nay, how he was hoping how tonight would turn out. It was almost enough to forget about the notions of war and conflict his father was constantly drumming into his head. How could anyone find this wrong...?

As she danced, Michiko drifted back to all the times she had imagined a scene like this playing out. Like many young girls, she had had her fantasies that a handsome young prince would one day dance with her just like this. But dreams were for children, as she had told herself many times in these past few months... She glanced at Daniel's hand for a moment and sighed. And it was time to wake up...

The dance concluded, and the crowd gave light applause. Michiko looked at Daniel with a sense of definiteness and sighed. "That was nice... but can we talk...?"

"Sure," Daniel led them to one side of the Square.

Once they found a relatively quiet part of the square, Michiko took a breath. What she wanted to say wouldn't come easy, but she felt that there was no choice. "There's something I need to know... and I'd appreciate a straight forward answer if possible."

"What?" Daniel asked with confusion.

"Do I call you Daniel Lafette... or should it be Daniel Von Lafette?" Michiko asked, with some regrets.

Daniel froze at the implied accusation. "I... I'm not sure I follow..."

Michiko paused for a moment. "I didn't want to believe it... but the clues just kept adding up... " She sighed sotto voce, "I guess I'll have to admit to Iris-sama that she was right all along..." She continued, "The dagger you gave me... Theodore confirmed it's one that's carried by Aldar noblemen who serve as soldiers. But perhaps you got it from a shop that sold it as war salvage from last year's invasion. Except, it happens to have the same seal as the one on your short sword you're wearing, and your signet ring. Then there's the way you dance... " She motioned out towards the Square, where another song had started and the people were dancing, but in a more casual manner, and in larger groups. "As I said, you dance very well... as if you've had received training from a Noble's preparatory school. I know about these schools because both Theodore and Beatrice are attending them, where they teach the nobles about the ways of society... among them, ballroom dancing."

Daniel lowered his head and sighed. "It-it's not what you think." He took a moment to reflect. "My family hasn't been... among the nobility for over a year. My father lost his title in the last invasion. But that doesn't change any feelings I have for you!"

"So, you weren't at that ball to spy on the nobles?" Michiko felt a little hypocritical asking that, since that's exactly what she was doing.

There was a long quiet pause. "Michiko... you once told me that... you missed your homeland... your college... and feared to never see your parents again. Don't you think that's the same for me? Yes, I'm also trying to find my way back home, just like you. Wouldn't you do anything you could... if it meant having a chance to see your parents again?"

Michiko began to tear up and slowly shook her head. "If it meant betraying the people I call my friends... turning my back on the family who had shown such kindness to me... then I would wish I never saw my parents ever again... so they wouldn't have to bear the shame of what their daughter had become..."

There was another pause as Daniel backed up, with an expression of disbelief on his face. Before he could utter a word, he was interrupted by several loud pops. "Wha...?!"

Both Daniel and Michiko looked up and saw a handful of people suddenly drop to the ground, clutching parts of their bodies, where blood was immediately apparently. That sounded like gunfire, Michiko thought as fear began to take hold. The crowd began to panic and run in random directions as additional pops could be heard.

Then without warning, Michiko felt several hands grab her roughly. "Kyaa...!" she screamed.

"Let her go!" Daniel commanded as he leaped forward, and tried to attack the man who grabbed Michiko, but was shoved back by three other men. He struggled to get back up, but then froze as he locked eyes on one of the attackers. "You..."

"Get her out of here!" ordered the lead attacker, who then turned to Daniel. "Stay down if you know what's good for you!" he snarled.

Michiko caught a split-second glance with Daniel before the men who grabbed her carried her away. She tried to kick and struggle, but they far outclassed her strength. They carried her towards an alley, away from the screaming crowds.

"Gag her and get her ready for transport!" the lead attacker ordered.

____________________________________________________________________________________

"Damn it!" Sven cursed, as the crowd of panicked faire goers ran to and from in front of his line of sight. He was the tallest member of the team, but even he couldn't see over the surge. Luckily, they had planned for that.

"Eagle 5, Knight 4," Gritt called into a hand-held radio. "Find our girl!"

Up high on one of the rooftops, Ilse scanned the crowd with binoculars, another gift provided by Anton from Lady Mitsuha's stash of private equipment. He's going to have some explaining to do, if Lady Mitsuha ever returns, Ilse thought, but quickly pushed the idle musings aside. She pulled her radio. "I see them... twenty-five meters north-east of you. They're heading to the alley between the two apartment buildings along the side street."

Sven and Szep led the way, pushing their way through the crowd. They couldn't use lethal means against innocent civilians but both men had their weapons out, in anticipation of the inevitable. Gritt was right behind them, sword in one hand, radio in the other. Thank the Goddess Major Willem convinced Anton to loan Lady Mitsuha's magical long-range communication devices to us... we'd never be able to coordinate like this without them. She was somewhat annoyed by his insistence that Lady Mitsuha's protocol was to use code names when in combat situations... something about protecting identities if they were overheard. Who else in this world even has these... magical devices, she grumbled to herself, no one else is listening! Major Willem went on to explain that Lady Mitsuha was 'White Rook', Princess Sabine was 'King 7', and the King was 'King 1'. "So, what are you... 'Knight 1'?" she asked sarcastically. Nevertheless, orders were orders.

"I see her!" Sven declared and surged forward, followed by Szep and Gritt. Four attackers, one of them was carrying someone in a bag. That man would probably be combat ineffective, as long as he was carrying her, but at the same time, we need to be extra-careful about attacking him to avoid hitting his hostage by mistake. That left three active threats, at least in front of us.

Up above, Ilse followed, jumping between the narrow alleys that separated the rooftops, keeping an eye out for musket men. They knew their enemy had people firing into the crowd, and unlike the Kingdom's soldiers, they had been fully briefed on the musket's weaknesses. Whoever fired would take twenty to thirty seconds to reload, and they would have to stand stock still to do it. She estimated six to seven shots had been fired in rapid succession, which meant she had to keep an eye for multiple attackers.

The enemy group turned to face the mercenaries. The three of them were too obvious so there was no point in trying to sneak up on them in the crowd. The three enemy soldiers attacked Sven, who blocked their attacks with his great sword. The blocked attacks left each man exposed to a counterattack. Behind Sven, Szep used his spear's superior reach to stab each attacker one-by-one. With the three attackers crippled, Gritt surged forward at the last man, who was desperately trying to draw his weapon, despite having a struggling hostage on his shoulder. Feigning an attack, Gritt raised her sword and for a moment it looked like she was going to chop the man down. In response, he tried to interpose his hostage as a shield, but Gritt anticipated he would try that; switching her grip at the last second, she grappled the hostage, then allowed her body weight to rip her free from the man's grip. She managed to tumble to the ground, allowing herself to take the brunt of the damage and cushioning the hostage with her own body. Behind her, Szep slashed forward with his spear, slicing the man across the ribs. Some light body armor managed to block the attack from reaching his vitals, but he stumbled back in pain.

Gritt ripped the bag open, revealing Michiko with her mouth stuffed with a rag and her hands bound. She pulled the rag from her mouth; she didn't want to risk the slight chance that Michiko could choke on her own saliva.

"H-how did you...?" Michiko managed to gasp between coughs.

"Count Bozes got worried that something would happen, when we figured out what kind of person we were up against," Sven hurriedly explained. "He guessed that the Festival would be the best chance for something to..." Just then, another shot interrupted him, causing all three mercenaries to duck into the alley while still holding Michiko.

"Shooters!" Szep shouted as a second and third shot rained down on the group, with bullets striking the walls around them.

"Eagle 5, Knight 4, we're taking fire!" Gritt called into the radio.

Up in the roof, Ilse had already spotted the group of three men atop an adjacent roof, all holding muskets. She drew back and released her first shot of the night. The arrow hit home, as the first man gasped in shock and surprise, then fell forward down onto the street, screaming a Wilhelm scream on his way down. That drew the attention of the other two, who were in the middle of reloading. Yeah, right... she thought, that's going to take you another twenty seconds, even if you're well trained. I can reload in two... as she released her second shot, striking the man center mass. Realizing he was a sitting duck; the third man abandoned his effort to reload and dropped behind a wall to block line of sight. "Knight 4, Eagle 5, shooters down, you're clear."

"Good job Eagle 5, meet up at the rendezvous," Gritt said. She then turned towards the panicked crowd, with several people already injured or even trampled and glared. "If we ever find out who the bastard leading all this is, I swear..."

"Lafette..." Michiko managed to cough out. "His name is Lafette."

____________________________________________________________________________________

Daniel made it to his small home, escaping the crowds in the streets. He opened the door and froze... standing in the main room was Jerome talking to a vassal of Count Larson. He instantly remembered the man who he locked eyes with earlier that evening. For the first time in a long time, Daniel didn't feel fear when confronting his father, but anger. "Tell me you didn't have anything to do with this... " He pointed to the vassal. "Tell me you didn't hire this man to kidnap Michiko!"

Jerome looked at Daniel with cool, composed eyes, then looked to the vassal. "Leave us." He then turned to Daniel. "Yes... well... I wasn't sure you were in a position to handle the plan in full. I tried to... spare you the burden of the decisions that had to be made."

"Decisions...!" Daniel seethed. "People are dying out there!"

"And what did you think was going to happen, once the plan began?" Jerome countered with rising anger. "Did you think this was going to be a peaceful resolution, and we would once again resume our proper station with simple words?!" He slammed his hand on the desk. "Wake up, you young fool!"

Daniel flinched as if he were stung. "Why Michiko...? What does a lost girl have to do with your... grand plan?!" he spat sarcastically.

"That... lost girl... as you call her, is the key to the whole war!" Jerome retorted. He then forced himself to calm down. He might need Daniel for the next step, and he didn't want unnecessary emotion to cloud the issue. "She's the only person in the entire city... perhaps the entire world... who can read the Lightning ArchPriestess' writings. We're talking about advanced rifles, cannons, new forms of metal, explosive powders... perhaps hundreds of years of knowledge that we can't even conceive. Did you even see the ArchPriestess' soldiers? They wielded weapons so far advanced from us, they seem like magic! And it could be ours... if we can get... Michiko... on our side!"

Daniel trembled with uncertainty. His emotions were in a turmoil and he was on the verge of tears, but he didn't dare show that to his father. "Then... let me talk to her... maybe I can convince her that... Aldar isn't the evil empire she's being told."

Jerome regarded his son. Perhaps he's finally seeing reason. "Sadly, we don't have her. Some... mercenaries interfered and she's in the wind... probably being spirited away to the Bozes' mansion as we speak. Fortunately, we apparently managed to get a... consolation prize...."

____________________________________________________________________________________

Prince Lionel held himself up with as much dignity as the circumstances could allow, as a dozen soldiers around him pushed him to the waiting carriage. What a fool I was... why didn't I listen to Peter and my father... He was wracked with guilt, as he had just watched the men of this platoon killed or seriously wounded in battle, all to protect my damned pride...! His guilt was mitigated by anger however, when he saw Baron Burkhalt Von Tomsen approach. Or more accurately... just Burkhalt Tomsen..., he thought. What was this man doing out of prison?!

"I swear you will hang for this!" Lionel vowed.

"Oh, I don't think so, Your Highness," Burkhalt sneered. "I'm hardly alone in this little endeavor... there are more than enough among the nobility who... tire of this Kingdom's fawning of some foreign girl over loyal families who have served the country for generations. It was clearly time for a change."

"That girl earned those accolades...!" Lionel shot back. "She saved the Kingdom more than once, and has brought wealth and prosperity to the people... unlike you and yours who sit on your... legacy earned by ancestors long gone!"

Burkhalt slapped Lionel hard across the face, who stared back at his captor with defiance. It takes more than brutality to rule a Kingdom, Lionel's face said silently, and people like you will fall... if not to my family, then to the people who won't stand for power-mad dictators such as yourself...

"Take him to the ship," Burkhalt ordered. "Then send a messenger letting them know. They won't dare attack the ship, so long as His Highness is in the line of fire."

____________________________________________________________________________________

The carriage ride back was a cold, silent trip. Michiko wrestled with the emotions she was feeling... What a fool I was... was I so desperate for a companion that I missed all those red flags...? Was any of it real, Daniel... or was I just a pawn in this game of nobles vying for the throne? She felt ashamed and used... what am I going to tell the Bozes family?

"Hey," Gritt gently interrupted Michiko's moment of self-reflection with a hand on her shoulder. "We're back... I'm sure they'll want to have a talk with you..."

Michiko nodded, then paused. "Th-thank you... for saving me back there... I'm not so sure that I'm worth it right now," she added sadly.

"Bake us a batch of your cookies, and we'll call it even," Gritt said lightly, then turned serious when she saw Michiko's dejected looks. "Hey," she added firmly, "you're not the first person who's been taken in by a friendly face in a lonely place. Don't beat yourself up for being human."

____________________________________________________________________________________

"Lafette?" Count Claus Boses took the name grimly. "Was he on the papers we captured from last year's invasion?"

"One of the prominent families..." Iris confirmed. "Or they used to be... last I heard; the King of Aldar chose to punish many of the nobles he felt didn't give the invasion their all. The Lafette family was on that list; they were purged from the noble ranks and lost their lands along with much of their wealth. I believe their patriarch was Count Jerome Von Lafette, who won his titles as a war hero in previous conquests. Losing at last year's invasion probably cost him greatly, both personally as much as in wealth."

Claus sighed heavily and shook his head. What a disaster... so many people injured or killed... our people's traditions trampled... and for what? Some madman's revenge? He would have to take this information to Marquis Eibinger in the morning; at least now we have a name for our enemy.

"Am-am I to be banished?" Michiko asked softly, as she sat in the living room chair.

Iris looked slightly shocked at the question as Claus knelt down to Michiko. "I don't punish people who make innocent mistakes. We stand by what we said last night... you're as much a member of my family for as long as you need... at least until you can find a way to return to your proper home. We will need to meet with the Royal family in the morning however; they'll want to know everything you might remember about the Lafette family."

Michiko nodded her assent. Not like I have much of a choice... people are dead... the Kingdom's teetering on the brink of a civil war... If Count Bozes is right, and he would know the political situation far better than anyone, then we could all be facing dire times and it's going to get worse. And Sabine... was she hurt? I didn't see her once the shooting started. She has a team of Royal Guards; she should be fine. They surely would have secured her the instant things got ugly. Tomorrow was going to be a day of reckoning. I'll try and find her when we visit the Palace