The Queen's Admiral

Chapter 34: Conspirators

Chapter Thirty-Four: Conspirators

The Coronan guards accompanied by the Southern Isles forces moved fast as news of the assassination attempt on Prince Heinrik spread throughout the castle. Quick as they may be, they were not able to catch the assassin. General Sauer, the no-nonsense head of the Coronan guards told me that they found nothing but an empty tower. He then ordered all exits to the castle be secured, the royal guests returned to their respective apartments for safety, and a floor-by-floor search conducted.

I gave my statement to General Sauer about my experience and handed to him the arrow fragments which by now cannot be discerned apart from any ordinary arrow. I said nothing about recognizing the arrow as Arendellian of make. I had a distinct feeling that should I reveal such information Prince Heinrik would use it to pressure my aunt in supporting him as a show of innocence. When it was over, he and the younger Lietenant Pfeiffer offered to escort me back to the Arendellian wing.

"Do you think the assassin could be targeting you, your highness?" Lt. Pfeiffer asked as we walked. He was a jollier fellow than his General. I remember him as the guard that came with Prince Peter to Arendelle who had the unfortunate job of playing the referee between me and his wayward prince when Peter played those tricks on me years ago.

I shook my head. "I don't think so. I was quite far from Prince Heinrik when it happened. And the arrow came at a rather odd angle. Even if I hadn't intervened it would probably have missed him by a foot."

"So you think it was just a warning shot, meant to scare Prince Heinrik?" asked the Lt. Pfeiffer.

"Could be," I replied. "Or the assassin was just a bad shot."

General Sauer agreed. "We can't disregard the possibility that the arrow was still intended to kill. With the war going on in Southern Isles, King Sigurd might have sent someone to do away with his brother for good."

Lt. Pfeiffer made a tsk-tsking sound. "This is such bad business having brother against brother. And I thought King Sigurd was a such nice man."

"You know King Sigurd?" I asked.

"I met him years ago," Lt. Pfeiffer answered. "I escorted Prince Eugene and Prince Peter to the Southern Isles for a royal visit once. There was some talk before about promising Prince Peter to King Sigurd's granddaughter Brigitta but Queen Rapunzel didn't want to formalize an engagement unless her son liked his would-be bride. So they went for a visit to get introduced. King Sigurd and his son Prince Morten were very hospitable even to us guards. I got to know a lot of common folk from the Southern Isles and they all think him a very good king and the prince a perfect heir. They adore his granddaughter even more." He paused as if recalling the memories. "That little princess was really something else. She was only about nine years old then but she was already well-loved by her people. She had such charm that she even got Prince Peter to follow her around and behave at the same time. He was so well-mannered for the length of those three weeks he spent there. He didn't pull a single prank and it made my job a lot easier."

I fought to hide a snicker at the last comment. Knowing how much trouble Peter gets into, it must be hard for his escorts to keep him in line.

"It's too bad the engagement didn't push through and she didn't survive," agreed General Sauer. "I think she would have made a fine bride for our prince. Maybe she could have even tamed him into the role as the future king."

The open statement from the serious General was a mark of how frustrated the Coronan guards must be of Peter's childish attitude. I remembered he was set to meet that crazy man Crochet tonight on his ship. I wondered if he was alright and I thought maybe it would be best to inform General Sauer of his whereabouts just in case.