In a Weary World

Chapter XIV: Under Arrest

Ninety percent of most magic merely consists of knowing one extra fact. -- Terry Pratchett, Night Watch

"Under arrest?"

With those two words, the bottom seemed to have dropped out of Hjalmar's world. He staggered and fell against the door-frame. He reviewed every action he had taken since arriving in Therlund. What laws had he broken?

"Why?" His voice seemed to come from somewhere far away.

"On suspicion of kidnapping the Princess Rigmor."

Oh. Oh no. He had known this would happen! He had warned Rigmor, and she had insisted it wouldn't!

"And I have here an arrest warrant for the woman known only as Solvej, no surname listed, on suspicion of being your accomplice," the policeman continued. "I understand she lives next door to you."

~~~~

"Well, this is a fine kettle of fish you've pickled me in!"

"Stop whining," Solvej said from where she was sitting on the bed in the cell next to Hjalmar's with her head in her hands. "How was I to know this would happen?"

Hjalmar glared at her through the bars that divided their cells. "You should have at least guessed the king and queen would be looking for their daughter."

"I did guess that. I didn't expect there to be an arrest warrant out for anyone who happened to be near her!"

The two of them relapsed into a sullen silence.

~~~~

Berit Høyer took her duties as the King's Spymaster very seriously. She had been shocked when Princess Rigmor disappeared, humiliated and irate as the weeks went by with nary a sign of the princess, and delighted when one of her spies finally brought a report of a confirmed sighting. A confirmed sighting in Therlund, no less. The princess had been right under their noses the entire time!

The princess, it turned out, was in the company of two suspicious characters who appeared to be teaching her something. Berit had immediately contacted the chief of police and ordered him to issue an arrest warrant.

With the two suspicious characters safely out of the way and awaiting questioning, Berit now had to make Princess Rigmor see reason.

This was easier said than done.

Berit decided to personally apprehend the Princess. It would be less alarming for her, she thought, if she saw someone she knew from the palace instead of a random police officer. Rigmor would be happy to come home, she was sure. Now that she had experienced life outside the palace, she would be eager to return home to safety.

When she forced open the door of the Princess's lodging and was greeted with a dish thrown at her head, she realised she may have miscalculated somewhere.

"You won't take me, monster!" Rigmor screamed, advancing on her with a poker in hand.

The Princess abruptly stopped when she realised that the intruder was not a monster of either the human or supernatural varieties, but instead a decidedly taken aback Spymaster. If Berit had been in less danger of having her brains beaten out, she would have thought the dumbfounded look on the Princess's face was hilarious.

Princess Rigmor coughed awkwardly and set down the poker. "Oh. It's you. I'm sorry, I thought you were a goblin."

Berit straightened up and tried to gather her wits. "Your Highness, I have come to escort you back to the palace."