“
Yes I do believe so, it has been very good talking to you.”
“
It has been good talking to you too my Lord Prince.”
Wollfen stood back and retreated to leave the Prince to his work.
Inside the walls of the city Wollfen rode along the main roads subtly feeling out for Dark’s beacon. It didn’t take him long to find it and he changed direction to close in. He would surprise them with his presence.
After riding for about fifteen minutes, he spied them up ahead walking along chatting. They spotted him from a distance and waved, well there would be no surprise now. Riding up he addressed them as strangers.
“
Good afternoon my fair ladies, should a pair of damsels like yourselves be walking along all alone without an escort?”
The two girls giggled and Dark responded,
“
We have been wandering these streets in wonder and have not been able to find any man worthy of our company. Do you, kind sir, know of anyone we could trust?” Night grinned behind Dark,
“
Hmm, I know I couldn’t do it, I would be spending my time thinking about how to ravish the two of you at once.”
Some onlookers gasped and the two girls giggled.
“
My dear sir that’s exactly the type of escort we are looking for.” winked Dark.
Wollfen hopped down and approached Dark.
“
Do I get to taste the product?”
Dark nodded in approval and they kissed passionately. A couple of the onlookers now walked off quickly. They had no interest in watching working women hawking their wares. One particularly dour old woman watched on still. Wollfen pulled away and nodded in approval.
“
Mm yes you will do. I will take you.” Night interjected.
“
What about me?” Wollfen looked Night up and down in appraisal.
“
I don’t know, how do you kiss?” he challenged,
Night walked up to him with a smile and got close. She leaned up to Wollfen’s mouth, then at the last second she turned and kissed Dark full on the mouth instead. Now the two girls were locked together and the last of the people near them made off with some derisory remarks. Wollfen laughed out loud.
“
You two are a pair of vixens!”
They all laughed and the three of them locked arms walking along with Wollfen leading his horse by the rein. Now and again Night would give a stern looking passerby a little wave and smile.
“
You know Night, you are becoming more and more like Loranda everyday.” They all laughed again.
“
Oh I’m sure I have no idea what you are talking about,” winked Night.
They spent the afternoon taking in the sights of the city and at one time Night and Dark had tried to skate in their flat boots on a frozen fountain. It had been quite funny watching them slip and slide while trying to hold onto each other. One time Night fell hard on her butt and Dark helped massage it.
“
Do you need a hand with that Dark?” offered Wollfen.
“
No!” a sore Night responded.
He shook his head.
“
You two are crazy.”
Back in their quarters they took off their wet boots and placed them by the fire. Dark looked around.
“
I’m famished, shall I grab a pile of food for us to eat here?”
“
No Dark, don’t get much food, the people of this city are heavily rationed.” Dark looked a little confused.
“
I saw they are cooking two whole deer in the kitchen and a huge amount of vegetables.” Wollfen looked at her in surprise now.
“
That’s strange, Prince Fitzgerald seemed quite clear to me on the subject.”
He got up and asked them to wait, he went to the Prince’s office and requested a quick audience. He was ushered in and approached the prince at his desk.
“
My Prince, I have a point I wish to bring up with you,” Prince Fitzgerald nodded his head for Wollfen to continue, “It has come to my attention that full banquets are still being served here in the castle while the rest of the population is being rationed. Is this correct?”
“
I am afraid so Wollfen, another of the King’s indulgences. It is his opinion that whether he eats his fill or not, it will not make much difference to the daily rations of the rest of the population.” Wollfen couldn’t believe his ears.
“
That may be so but he risks the very real possibility of alienating the people here and if things get very bad in later months they just may turn on him, surely he is aware of this?” The Prince had a pained look on his face.
“
Yes, I have argued the point with him time and again but he will not listen. He is King and as far as he is concerned he has the right.”
The Prince watched Wollfen as he could see the man getting quite upset.
“
Please Wollfen, I understand how you feel on this. I myself refuse to eat at those banquets and I have made quiet instructions to the kitchen staff that all leftovers are to be distributed beyond the gates to the poorer sections of the city, it’s a small gesture but hopefully it will do some good.” Wollfen was shaking his head.
“
No my prince, that will only exacerbate the situation. That act will give the people a good idea of how well all that reside within these walls eat. I am sorry Prince Fitzgerald but I cannot find myself having too much respect for the King, your father.”
The Prince surprised Wollfen by barking a laugh at him.
“
Ha! You and me included! Let me tell you, there is no love lost between my father and I. I think him a self indulgent, weak spineless fool. I cannot believe that I and Prince Alard are born of his loins to tell the truth.” Wollfen looked on in wonder.
“
How is it then that you hold such a high office?”
“
That’s easy, his favorite son convinced him to give the office to me or there would be consequences. I do believe my brother threatened to quit all his offices of responsibility before the King relented. I owe Alard much in that respect, but I do know I have earned my father’s grudging respect in orchestrating the defense of this city since taking office.”
Wollfen realized that there was a power struggle going on within these walls, as if the siege was not enough the King was still playing his stupid political games. Wollfen addressed the Prince in a firm tone,
“
My Prince, may I be so bold as to speak openly?”
The Prince gestured in the affirmative nodding his head and waving his hand for Wollfen to continue on,
“
I have seen sieges before where the people of the city in question were starved into submission and when it came close to the end, in almost every case the locals turned on their royal leaders before capitulating. You understand what I am saying yes?”
The prince acknowledged him and bade he go on.
“
I would advise you to remove yourself from this castle and establish a headquarters out in the city somewhere preferably where the locals can have access to you. It will make for a more demanding test of your time but it will pay dividends later if people can identify with you. If you show yourself to be of the people and for the people they will more readily serve you and do what is right as opposed to simply obeying orders.”
Prince Fitzgerald thought about what Wollfen was saying. He could see the practicality of it.
“
Do you really think it would get that bad? Do you think that the administration in the castle here would be in so much danger later?” Wollfen nodded.
“
Yes, in the event that the Isogorreans gain the upper hand and the siege has even limited success, it will be the royals within these very inner walls who will be in real danger, not from the Isogorreans initially but from the people. You must also consider this, if in the event the city falls the people will need a leader not only to save them here but also lead the nation afterward, a better leader than your father.”
Wollfen was telling the Prince exactly what the future held and he was smart enough to hear it. Prince Fitzgerald sat back in his chair staring at Wollfen.
“
I hadn’t really thought out that far to tell the truth, I have spent many a year out in the northern wilds in charge of a garrison of five thousand men. I gave them orders and they obeyed. It was as simple as that. What you speak of is so much more.”
“
Then you must change your mindset Prince. You must have in place the capacity to take over and lead the nation if it comes to that. You and your brother are the future of this nation and its highest leaders. You must prepare for that leadership change and not when your father is on his deathbed. For if you do it will be too late. I am not suggesting you usurp your father’s powers. Simply have in place the mechanisms to ensure a smooth transition to the next generation and that means you.”
The Prince shook his head.
“
My brother is heir apparent, he is to be the next King.” Wollfen remained patient.
“
And if he falls in battle or is maimed and cannot carry on the office of King? You still make preparations anyway Prince. You have spent many years not having to deal with any real responsibilities because of your father and your relationship with him. He sent you to the wilds when you were old enough, but that is no excuse. You were born into royalty and as such the burdens realized or not are yours to bear. You must always be ready regardless of whether you are called upon to do your ultimate duty in service of the nation or not.”
The Prince looked down at his desk deep in thought. He hadn’t given too much consideration to the future beyond having a grudge against his father. Wollfen was right, he not only had the job of being commander of the military, he also had to consider his responsibilities to the people beyond that too. He would have to start making changes, a lot of changes and soon. He looked up at Wollfen,
“
I thank you for your frank counsel Wollfen. You are indeed a wise man, is there anything I can offer you?”
He shook his head,
“
No my Prince, it is enough that you heed my words and you don’t need to thank me. I do what I do in service to all.”
The Prince bowed his head as Wollfen did too. Wollfen removed himself from the room. It was a strange last sentence from a man who held no positions of office.
Prince Fitzgerald felt a charge now. He didn’t feel like the outcast that his brother had to stick up for so much anymore. He realized the truth of Wollfen’s words. It was up to him to make a difference. Yes, there would come a day when his father would no longer be there and he had to prepare. He would not be able to blame his father for the missed opportunities in his life from then on. He had to act, not just for the good of the people, but for his own self worth too. He called out to all his servants.
“
Adjutant! There is to be a meeting! Get everyone in here for me to make some announcements, get going!”
He set the ball rolling. Within a week, his entire administrative team would be moved out of the castle and amongst the people. He realized not without some pleasure it also meant he was away from his father too.
Dark and Night were both chewing the remains of a small meal when Wollfen returned and as he walked in they both gave him a guilty look.
“
Sorry my darling, you were gone so long we got rather hungry.” Wollfen looked them over but he wasn’t mad.
“
It's alright you two. I don’t expect you to starve yourselves, but you could have left a little for me?”
Dark held out the plate that had the smallest piece of beef jerky on it. He gave her a dim look and shook his head.
“
Very funny. Lucky I’m not hungry huh?”
She grinned,
“
More for me then.” and popped it into her mouth.
Now they had time to kill again. They wouldn’t need to move out until morning so Wollfen went to a recliner in the corner, sat back closed his eyes and did some serious thinking. There was still the issue of getting out in the wee hours while it was still dark and making sure they didn’t get captured by the Isogorrean soldiers out there. He would have to talk to the Prince again and find out how they got messages out. Then there would be the trip. He decided their first port of call would be Windere and seeing Night’s father. She may not like it but it was about time she faced her next hurdle in healing from that terrible incident so many years ago. Finally Wollfen got up.
“
Where are the other men?” Night looked to Dark.
“
They would be down in the soldiers quarters talking. Vaughn was saying he wanted to find out how things were going here.”
Wollfen decided he wanted to catch up with them.
“
I’ll be gone for awhile, please try to keep out of trouble?”