Gift of the Fox

Chapter 21: Liz's Plans

Liz and Tiegan were walking back to the palace from the river. They had just washed all the clothes and were going to hang them on drying ropes. They were talking, both of them in a cheerful mood:

"So, you've heard that news from the battlefield too?" Liz smiled, "It looks like our girl has already gained the respect of the troops!"

"Haha, I knew it! Tamie was always so smart!" Tiegan clenched her fist in joy. "They say she bombed the entire enemy army inside a snowy cliff pass!"

"They also claim that she did it together with a Qartlandian warrior who operated with the Sorovs at first. Do you think it could be her brother?"

"It would be amazing if he was. Tamie loves him so much! She missed him too much when she was here. I often envied her on that behalf - I've always wanted such loving siblings too."

"Hey, you have us, sis!" 

Liz touched her shoulder in a comforting manner. Tiegan grinned at her happily:

"Yup, we're all sisters!"

"Oh, by the way - have you also heard that they now deem Tamie a legendary son of the mythical nine-tailed fox queen and the celestial dragon emperor? These Wanglongians are nuts - they can't believe such geniuses as Tamie can exist, so they come up with mythical stories instead!"

"Well, Tamie is indeed our fairy-tale heroine." Tiegan laughed. 

The girls hung the clothes on the drying ropes and went to clean rooms in the palace. While Liz was walking through the corridors, she saw Jack, her close friend, talking with his master, Prince Wang Wu:

"Do you think it was wise to send such a dangerous man at Wolf Prince's disposal, Your Highness?"

"Now that I think about it, it was rather a hasty move on my side." Wu put a hand to his chin. "With the help of such a self-sacrificial servant, Shao will be able to accomplish great deeds. Who knows what might happen..?"

Liz got interested - why were they so fearful of the 4th prince and his new servant?

I hope Tamie's not going to put herself in trouble...

"Hey, Liz!"

She awoke from the thoughts and looked at Jack, who was waving a hand at her.

"Hello, Jack."

"Can you come over for a minute?"

Liz blinked - he asked her to come over when there was a prince present?

He is out of his mind... 

Nevertheless, she walked up to them. She bowed to Prince Wang Wu, who was playfully sitting on the bannisters of the terrace, and then turned to Jack:

"What is it?"

"Well, I know you and Tiggie got close to that guy before he left... Xin Tao, that mysterious lad who appeared in the forest out of nowhere - His Highness 4th Prince Wang Shao's new servant. So, His Highness 5th Prince Wang Wu wonders what type of a guy he is. Recently, there have been rumours... Well, you know, how he crazily bombed the entire Sorovian army through the pass... So, we need to be on alert. Can you provide some information?"

Liz got startled - Tamie had been a boy for only a month and had already raised this much of a ruckus in the palace?!

She should have been a little more prudent! Ugh...

In response to Jack, she only bowed again to Prince Wang Wu and said:

"Xin Tao is a courageous man, it's true. But he is partly Qartlandian, so I guess he must also be skilled at other battle styles than the Wanglongian one. If he knew he was not going to succeed, I doubt he would charge in so selflessly in that mission."

"Hmm, that is interesting..." Wang Wu smiled at her, "They say that a Qartlandian captive general of the Sorovs followed him on that mission too, so it does make sense - it must be a Qartlandian thing... But I want to know - is that boy, as far as you've observed, ambitious?" 

Liz widened her eyes in fear:

Heck... Tamie's more ambitious than anyone I know!

She quickly regained her composure and answered:

"As far as I've observed, he is just a man who diligently fulfills his duties."

"Okay..." Wu chuckled, for he had perfectly noticed Liz's alarmed face she had hastily hidden. "Liz Schettner, right?" 

He jumped off the bannisters, walked up to Liz, and raised her chin. She looked up at him in fright:

What does he intend to do?

"Y... Yes?"

"I hear you are from a noble clan of Frankheim. It is a pity a noblewoman such as you has fallen in such a calamity..." Wu caressed her once-flushed lively cheeks, which now had sunken from so many troubles in her life. "I think as both of us are nobles, we can find a common language, Miss Schettner. I am currently unmarried. For a prince of my age, this is not considered too good. So, I'd like to form a deal with you - I can offer you my help in becoming a noblewoman again and in restoring your lost dignity, while you shall help me observe Xin Tao from afar and send me some details about his and Wang Shao's relationship and plans. How does it sound?"

No wonder this guy has Jack as the main servant - he's just as crazy as him... So, he offers me a marriage, and thinks that, in return, I'll betray my best friend and sister? However, I do wish to become a noblewoman again. Hmm, I think Tamie too shall help me in this affair. It is time we girls took the lead...

"You've got my word, Your Highness. I expect you to behave like a true nobleman, however, and keep your promise too."

"Since you are a noblewoman by birth, our marriage wouldn't be opposed to by my parents. Since that obstacle is overcome, there are no other problems posed to our plan. So, I guess, I am able to keep my word."

Liz bowed to him and left to resume her work. When she got far off from the prince and his servant, she chuckled and uttered in Frankish to herself:

"I'll straightly tell everything to Tamie. These boys think they rule the world. I say, we girls can toy with them from behind the curtains..."