That Dancing Princess

Chapter Ten

 Kobra found Anette and Sharon in the middle of a chess game at the little table by the window. She knew what she had to tell them, but she was afraid to, and she wasn't even sure how to tell them. But they were the oldest two of the princesses, and they would surely know what to do about this.

"Good afternoon, sisters," she said, cautiously stepping forward.

 "Kobra." Sharon gave her a smile. "Is something the matter? You look nervous."

 "Yes, there is something. But I really don't know how to tell you."

 Anette looked around the room. "I think we ought to go somewhere a little more private for this, whatever it is."

 Kobra followed them up to their bedroom, and Sharon looked around the hallway before quietly closing the door.

 "Whatever it is, it's clearly very serious," said Sharon. "We're alone now, dear, so you can tell us now."

 Kobra took a deep breath. "Someone knows our secret."

 Sharon raised her eyebrows. "You're serious. Kobra, who would know? We haven't told anyone."

 "Unless you did tell someone," Anette added.

 "I didn't tell anyone," Kobra said. "He find out himself. He followed us somehow, and he put the branches in my bouquet."

 "You didn't mean Roy, do you?" Sharon asked.

 "No, certainly not. It's that assistant of his, that Stargazer boy. He followed us there one night, and he put a little branch with silver leaves in my bouquet. I asked him why, and I offered him money in return for his silence. But he wouldn't accept the money, and he hasn't told anyone. I don't know what he plans to do, but it's driving me mad. Just yestreday, I spoke to him, and...he told me that we need saving from ourselves."

 "Well, he shouldn't have told you something like that," said Anette. "He clearly doesn't understand. I certainly hope you put him in his place."

 She shrugged. "I suppose I did. I did slap him rather hard. But I don't know what to do. I don't think he means to harm us in any way, but I don't want him to tell anyone."

 "Well, of course we don't want him telling anyone," said Sharon. "This is very serious, Kobra. I'm glad you decided to come to us. Now we can all figure out together what should be done about him."

 "But what shall we do?" Kobra asked.

 "Anette, you're the oldest," Sharon said to her. "Any ideas?"

 The other sister shrugged. "Well, I suppose we could have him sent down to the dungeons. But he could still talk, could still tell someone. So, the best solution would probably be to kill him!"

 "No!" Kobra cried. "Absolutely not! I refuse to see any harm come to him!"

 Both her sisters stared at her, surprised by the outburst.

 "Kobra, I didn't think you would become so attached to a gardener," Sharon remarked. "Anette does a point-"

 "No. No, you won't. If you do, or you try to, I'll go and tell Father myself, I swear I will."

 Anette sighed. "Kobra, you're getting hysterical. You wouldn't actually tell him."

 "Perhaps I would," Kobra said.  

 "Please, this is not helping anyone," Sharon said. "All right, so we won't kill him. A murder would be rather difficult to manage, anyway. But I do have another solution."

 "What is it?" Kobra and Anette asked in unison.

 "Isn't it obvious? We do the same thing we've done with all of our suitors. We make him one of them. Kobra, you get him to come here tomorrow night, and we'll soon rid ourselves of him."

 Anette nodded. "It would be easier than having him murdered."

 "Can you make sure he comes, Kobra?" Sharon asked.

 Kobra nodded slowly. "I'll make sure. I promise."

 It was the right thing to do. She knew it was what was right. But the idea of making him like the rest of them make her stomach churn. He wasn't like the rest of them, and he didn't deserve that fate. He had intelligence enough to discover their secret, and had kept for them.

 And she remembered what he'd said about their suitors. They were people, with lives, with family. Family who probably missed them. Someone somewhere must miss them, she realized. Perhaps what they were doing...really was wrong.