A Chosen Love - Book 1 The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter Ten

Louis followed his royal cousin and Rao Chang into the castle office.

Prince Leopold commanded Sir Samuel to leave them.

Obediently exiting his own chamber, Samuel was encountered by his tearful wife. Jane wished to speak with her husband about the 'interrogation' of her niece, and the 'spell' the foreign doctor had cast. 

Samuel whisked his wife away so they could talk in private, away from the absorbent ears of the castle guards, servants and slaves.

Back in Samuel's office, Prince Leopold stared cynically at his cousin. He chastened, "How diabolical can you get? The great Louis Chatelain decided to take the law into his own hands! How far did this practical joke go? Did you retain the ransom?"

Louis recounted the rest of his agenda, adding, "Lady Elissa has been tormented. Rao Chang must have revealed this for you? And what would the mighty Leopold have done, had he met Lady Elissa, riding alone, practically out of her mind because of her intolerable brother?"

Ignoring Louis' question, Leopold said coolly, "You don't know the half of it, Cousin! But a coffin? How do you think Dorai will feel when he hears the name of the knight who arranged the spine-chilling April fool's entertainment?"

"You aren't going to tell Dorai that it was me?" Louis could not believe his royal cousin's threat.

"I've not decided what I will do yet. Lady Elissa has amnesia and remembers nothing after her father's funeral. So you see, Cousin, she does not remember her brother planning the betrothal, or anything about Sir Louis. How long she has this amnesia is dependent upon our friend, Rao Chang. I'm not decided, but perhaps I shall have your betrothal annulled."

"You can't do that!" Louis protested, aghast. His eyes stared into those of his cousin's, then at the bright black beads of the doctor. "You... you can't make her forget —me?"

"We have. The matter is no longer in yours, or Dorai's, control. That brings me some measure of relief. Both of you are obnoxious!" Prince Leopold turned to Rao Chang, "You must look to the patient. How long will it be, before she wakes?"

"She will wake when the evening meal is ready. Then she will feel hungry and the sustenance will be good." Rao Chang bowed and began backing from the room.

"Send Sir Dorai down here, Rao Chang," Leopold waited until the door closed.

He spoke to Louis, "I'm still deciding what to do about this affair. In the meantime, Rao Chang tells me that Lady Elissa needs rest and must be kept as free from anxiety as possible. If Dorai or you, Louis, cause her any anxiety, I'll have you banned from visiting her!"

Louis' mouth dropped open. He shook his head, asking, "Why the sudden interest in Dorai's sister? It is I who am betrothed to her. It is I who should be making the decisions."

"You, Louis? You, who had Lady Elissa's phantom nailed into a coffin to present to the brother of your betrothed? I don't see you as being very responsible. From all I've heard this afternoon, it seems that she lived a life of mental torment from her brother and I do not intend that a tug-of-war take place between you and Dorai! I will think about her future. I will discuss the situation with Father..."

Louis interrupted, his voice trembling with anger, "You'll tell uncle? What has he...? —This whole matter is out of all proportion. A little puddle has belched into an ocean!" Louis' face was as black as thunderclouds. He struggled for control, to prevent shouting his mind at the prince. Had he and Leopold not done much worse in their 'practical jokes' together? More bizarre 'lessons' had been enacted from the prince's own ideas.