Ruled by Love (14 page)

The Royal Family would receive little support from their people and at the very least they would be exiled from Krnov and their very existence forgotten.

Zoleka's Third Eye told her that this was what was being planned.

She thought it would be the obvious policy for the Prussians to adopt without Krnov's neighbours being even aware of what was happening.

Now that Prince Vaslov and his men had arrived, Prussian strategy would not be as simple for them as it had been.

She was almost certain they did not have enough troops nearby to cope with any other country except for Krnov.

They would expect little or no opposition from the Krnovian Army or from the citizens themselves.

There were only two paths the Prussians could now take, Zoleka worked out.

The first was to build up a much larger force for the invasion of Krnov and that would undoubtedly take time.

The second was to abandon the idea altogether for the moment, which would certainly be the most satisfactory from Krnov's point of view.

But she knew how greedy the Prussians were.

They desired the coal and other valuable minerals that lay in the mountains.

If Udele was to make Krnov prosperous, she would undoubtedly need a husband, as only a man could lead the country as it should be led.

Zoleka was worrying again about the uncertainty of arranged marriages and she remembered that all too often they proved unhappy.

Looking at Prince Vaslov now, she felt that Udele was very lucky. She would be married to a strong Prince who would make Krnov as rich and prosperous as he had made his own country.

Having met so few men, Udele would undoubtedly fall wildly in love with him.

‘It would be most difficult not to,' mused Zoleka, ‘considering how good-looking he is and what a charming way he has of speaking.'

He was talking to Udele now and obviously paying her more compliments.

She was not only blossoming like a rose at hearing them, but she looked attractively shy.

‘That blush on her cheeks would entrance any man, young or old.'

Zoleka rose from the table.

“I hope that Your Royal Highness will dine with us tonight,” she asked, “and how many of your entourage will you be bringing with you?”

There was a pause before the Prince replied,

“I would like to know first whether I am invited to stay in the Palace.”

“Indeed you are. I never considered anything else. And let me tell you again how very glad and privileged we are to have you with us.”

“I will add to that,” said the Count. “Only a genius would have thought of bringing so many men here to stage a Royal Tournament that has never even been heard of in Krnov before.”

“Everyone will be very thrilled,” cried Udele. “Just as they will be thrilled with the races, which have not taken place for years.”

“I intend to win every one of them!” Prince Vaslov boasted.

Udele gave a little cry.

“You must not do that. It is the Count who thought of the idea and naturally he wants to win the big race.”

“What prize are you giving to the winner?” Prince Vaslov enquired of the Count.

“I had not thought about it, but as a distinguished visitor I think it should be your contribution.”

“Ask a silly question and you get a silly answer! All right, Franz, I will give you a Gold Cup or whatever you want. But I shall be extremely annoyed if you beat me to the winning post!”

“I shall be doing my very best!”

Both men were laughing and Udele said to Zoleka,

“Oh, this is so exciting! Please can we dance again after dinner?”

Zoleka glanced at the Count.

“Did you hear that request?”

“I did, but unless Vaslov is going to produce some ladies for us, the four Officers he is bringing to dinner will have to dance with each other!”

Zoleka thought for a moment before she proposed,

“I think it would be an anti-climax after the success of last night's dance. I am sure we can play card games or better still to gamble, which will be a different amusement. Then tomorrow night I will invite some pretty young ladies to please you.”

They all agreed to her suggestion.

Then the Count took Prince Vaslov away with him to show him where his men could pitch their tents and introduce him to some of his Officers who were teaching the recruits to ride.

“What I really want to see,” Prince Vaslov enquired before they left the room, “are your horses.”

“I am certain he can,” Zoleka murmured to Udele. “It is a pity the horses cannot dance otherwise they could come in after dinner!”

Udele thought this was very funny and she slipped her arm into Zoleka's.

“Please come and tell me what gown I should wear tonight.”

“Of course I will and I am sure you will find Prince Vaslov very charming and you will want to look your best for him.”

There was silence for a moment as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

As they walked upstairs, Udele remarked,

“He is nice and very good-looking, but rather old. I like dancing with Count Franz and would rather dance with him than anyone.”

The French chef was now well into his stride and the dinner was delicious.

Afterwards Prince Vaslov's Officers said they must go to see that their men were comfortable in their tents that they had been so busy erecting ever since they had arrived, and the Count had insisted that they should be in the Palace grounds.

Udele was rather frightened in case it annoyed her father.

“I am quite certain he will understand that we need the soldiers near us,” Zoleka soothed her.

As she spoke she gave the others a warning glance that they must not let Udele know that they were there to protect her against the Prussians.

She still had no idea of how worried everyone was about the present situation.

The two Princesses and the Count went to sit in the drawing room.

Anton Bauer kept coming in and out to report what was happening and any likely developments.

“They all have comfortable tents,” he said, “and the men seem satisfied with them. Prince Vaslov asked if his Officers can occupy rooms in one of the wings of the Palace and with some difficulty the Lord Chamberlain has eventually agreed.”

“As the Palace is as good as empty,” commented Zoleka wryly, “he can hardly say there is no room!”

A little later Prince Vaslov returned to confirm that he was delighted with all the arrangements.

“What I have come to tell Princess Udele,” he said, “is that she is to receive the band when they march into the City tomorrow with three hundred soldiers behind them.”

Zoleka's eyes lit up at the proposal, but Udele was looking nervous.

“It is wonderful that we shall have a band, but how do I receive them?”

“I am arranging,” replied Prince Vaslov, “that you will be reviewing my soldiers from a platform in the main Square. They will march through the City and form up in front of you and then you will say a few words to them.”

Udele gave a little cry.

“But what shall I say to them? I have never made a speech in my life.”

“Then it is time you learnt. All you have to do is to thank them for coming to visit Krnov, say just how pleased everyone is to have them and that you are looking forward to the Royal Tournament.”

Udele still looked frightened as the Count added,

“I have been sending my men all over the City to tell people about the Royal Tournament. I am quite certain the news will spread like wildfire and everyone will want to be present.”

“I think the site you have found for the ceremony is excellent,” remarked Prince Vaslov.

“It wants a lot of tidying up and some repairs like everything else in this place, but it will seat a large number of people and there is plenty of room for those standing to see what is happening.”

Prince Vaslov smiled at Zoleka.

“You see,” he muttered, “when you have two men to arrange matters, who know exactly what they want, everything falls into place!”

“I am full of admiration for you both and please do not worry about your speech, Udele. I will write it down for you and you can learn it by heart.”

“Oh, thank you, Zoleka! I am certain that you have made plenty of speeches, but the only person I have had to talk to has been a governess.”

“Well, where you had one person, now you have a cast of thousands,” Prince Vaslov intervened, “and every one of them thinking how wonderful you are.”

“Will they really think that? Perhaps they will be disappointed in me.”

The Count jumped up.

“I will tell you what they are going to see.”

He took Udele by the hand and took her across the room to a long mirror in a gilt frame hanging on the wall.

“Now look into this magic mirror and tell me what you see.”

Udele obeyed him.

“I only see me!”

“Exactly!” answered the Count. “And that is what your people and remember they are
your
people, are going to see tomorrow. Someone very lovely, very smart and, of course, someone who loves them.”

Udele gave a little laugh.

“Now you are teasing me, but I will try to look all of those things.”

“You look them all now,” he asserted. “And that is why you are going to delight the whole of Krnov as it has never been delighted in its history.”

Listening Zoleka thought he was being very clever with her as it suddenly struck her how strange it was that they had not seen Prince Majmir since the night of her arrival.

Very quietly while Udele was talking to the Count, Zoleka asked Prince Vaslov,

“Have you any idea how His Royal Highness is?”

“I imagine he is quite happy drinking in his rooms,” he replied scornfully, “and is totally oblivious of what is happening. I believe the only one who sees him regularly is the Lord Chamberlain.”

Zoleka mused that meant there were two unpleasant people together, but decided not to say so.

“As we have so much to do tomorrow,” she suggested, “and Udele must learn her speech before she goes to sleep, we are now retiring to bed. I propose that you two men, after all the work you have done today, do the same.”

“We will try and obey you,” smiled Prince Vaslov, “but first I want to show Franz something very new, which I have invented for alerting my men if there is any danger.”

“Why should there be any danger?” asked Udele in an alarmed voice.

“Even soldiers have accidents with their guns and their horses,” Zoleka said quickly, “and it is very sensible of Prince Vaslov to be concerned about it.”

She gave the men a warning glance before they said goodnight.

She and Udele went upstairs.

“It will be wonderful to hear a big band playing,” Udele was saying as they reached their bedrooms.

“I am looking forward to hearing them too, now let me write down your speech for you. If you read it aloud two or three times before you go to sleep, you will find you will remember every word in the morning.”

She went into the boudoir and Marla followed her.
It only took her a few minutes to write down what
she thought Udele should say and it was very much along
the lines that Prince Vaslov had suggested.

“I will say it over and over to myself, Zoleka. I don't want you all to be ashamed of me.”

“We shall never feel that, Udele, and now you are so important, you may have to make a number of speeches. But don't be frightened. Just remember that people want to hear your voice and listen to what you are telling them.”

“I will remember and I only hope it's true – ”

She gave Zoleka a big hug.

“You are so incredibly kind and marvellous to me. Everything has changed since you arrived in Krnov.”

“And it will continue changing and always getting better and better.”

Zoleka only hoped as she spoke that what she was saying was true, but she had to admit to herself that things were very different from when she had arrived.

Dinner tonight at the Palace had seemed even more enjoyable because Prince Vaslov had been present.

Zoleka found him more interesting every time she spoke with him and she could certainly believe that he was an outstanding Ruler of his own country.

What she found rather strange was that, when they were talking or arguing with each other, she felt she could read his thoughts.

And she had a suspicion that he could read hers.

‘Perhaps he too has a Third Eye,' she thought, ‘which would be really something really unusual.'

When she climbed into bed she was still thinking about him and she strangely found herself looking forward to tomorrow and being with him again.

He was surely the most attractive and singular man she had ever met.

*

Prince Vaslov had arranged for them to arrive in the Square at ten o'clock exactly and this meant that they had to drive from the Palace dressed in their very best clothes.

Zoleka chose a lovely green dress for Udele and a hat with a brim that did not hide her face. Udele had wanted to wear one of the larger hats they had bought which was certainly very pretty but hid her features.

However Zoleka told her firmly,

“It is always a big mistake for Royalty not to show their faces. The one I have therefore chosen for you will make it possible for everyone to see your eyes.”

“I would never have thought of it, but I will always remember everything you are teaching me, Zoleka.”

Udele looked very lovely and most attractive when they walked downstairs so that even the elderly
aides-decamp
glanced at her admiringly.

The Lord Chamberlain, however, was disagreeable as usual.

He was, Zoleka knew, absolutely appalled at what was taking place both in the Palace and outside.

The Count had said gleefully,

“He nearly had a fit yesterday when we told him all the Officers from Cieszyn were to occupy the East wing.”