Page 10 of How Not to Marry a Prince

"Your Highness, beg pardon for the interruption."

Amador turned away from the meeting and stared at Vladlena, who rose from her bow and continued, "There is a minor disturbance in the offices that requires your attention."

"Of course," Nazaire said. "I'll be back soon, my friends, or see you later in the day. You can linger, Vladlena, I hardly need an escort to the offices."

Silence fell as Nazaire departed, though given the way Vladlena and Marcellette were staring at each other, there was clearly an intense conversation going on all the same. "You left early," Marcellette said coolly.

"I had duties to attend—I promise, that's not an excuse. Misha came for me."

"Very well," Marcellette replied, and fanned herself. "I presume you'll be present tonight, so we might revisit our conversation?"

"There's nothing to revisit."

Marcellette snapped her fan shut and sharply waved Vladlena off with it. "We'll just see about that. Go be infuriatingly stubborn somewhere else."

"My lady," Vladlena said stiffly, looking briefly hurt before she turned sharply on her heel and strode off.

Curiosity helplessly piqued, Amador said, "That was a curious conversation."

"Frustrating is more like it," Marcellette said with a sigh, opening her fan again. "Vladlena is nothing if not stubborn, no matter how logical an argument you present to her. No matter how much easier and grander life would be if the damned woman would just listen to me!"

Amador smiled. "I see."

Marcellette slid him a look, eyes glittering and pensive over the edge of her fan before she snapped it shut. "I rather think you do."

"Let me guess: she is not nobility, and so will not consider the offer I suspect you've made."

"You do indeed see."

"Seems to be a fair bit of that sort of thing around here."

Marcellette's brows shot up. "Oh? What gossip do you know that I do not, my dear new arrival?"

"Oh, I think you know it." Amador's smile widened, unable to resist the thrill of a possible co-conspirator. "Let's say I was wandering the gardens and saw some things."

Snorting in unladylike fashion, Marcellette rolled her eyes. "They're a pair, aren't they? Staring right at each other with puppy eyes and everyone but them notices. You're an astute little bastard, Your Highness."

"Amador, please."

She grinned, all mischief and delight. "If you really want to see something interesting, meet me in the blue garden about a quarter to midnight."

The gong sounded, signaling the end of the debate, drawing their attention back to the meeting. The clerk called out the final issue, which was about the Barony Pelletier.

"Baron Pelletier, you are without an heir, and in ten days you will have exceeded the grace period you were granted," Sohan said. "I sympathize, I do, as I am facing much the same myself, though I have a few years yet. Have you any heirs in mind?"

"Not at this time, though I am still pursuing a couple of possibilities. If I could have—"

"No," Sohan said. "We've granted you leniency twice already, more than is typically granted anyone. In ten days, when this council reconvenes, you will present an heir or accept those chosen for you. Per the requirements of the law, the council will appoint an heir and a spare. Councilors, present your candidates and explain your decisions."

"Such an intriguing law, I've never seen its like," Amador said as he sat back, letting the debate wash over him as the various names meant little to him. "What provoked it? I cannot think the nobility were pleased."

Marcellette fanned herself. "Amusingly, it was the nobility that forced it through, several generations ago, to prevent a rather cretinous woman the king had designated his heir from taking the throne. It was a good decision, because she was very much the backstabbing traitor everyone suspected, but the caveat to ramming the law through was that it applied to the noble houses in addition to the royal house. For the most part it works well, but I am concerned with this one. Many of us are."

"Oh?"

"Pelletier lands provide a great deal of fishing and other resources found in the lakes and rivers that span them. They also have access to a mountain pass that is crucial to a popular trade route, and those very same mountains provide still more important crops that only grow in that climate. All in all, it's a lucrative estate, more than you'd expected of a barony, so to say it's coveted…" Marcellette pursed her lips. "Everyone down there is hoping to get hold of it for themselves via their puppet of choice."

Amador frowned. "Why not appoint his own kin? Is there some reason he won't consider the woman who is clearly his own flesh and blood?"

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