"The city Guard and a detachment of the Royal Brigade have been scouring the city tonight," Maylor said. "I suspect that word has come through to the conspirators that the Prince has escaped from wherever they had him. They must be frightened that he is here, under their noses. Which he is. But where did he come from?"
"They made the switch on Argyle. Quite a nice tale... you should hear them tell it sometime. Dungeons and midnight escapes, and all sorts of bits you'd never expect to hear outside the ancient novels or operettas," said Kole.
Maylor was relaxing in his own deep chair now. "I was afraid, for a while, that we were about to go to war with
Davion. The broken treaties, the dismissal of so many of the old councillors that Hanse Davion trusted, not to mention that important announcement they have been touting for the past week. All those things were making me nervous. A war is no place for a man who likes his comfort."
"So what do we do now?" asked his son. He didn't look like the same young man who had been brought in, disheveled and flushed, a short while before.
"We take the opportunity they are giving us. We produce the real Prince and his friends at the palace when they have all the communications people there, all set up for their grand announcement. Then we demand, with all the weight our House can muster, that both be tested."
Kolek Efflinger nodded, his eyes even brighter than before. "And then...we shall see."
33
Avalon City was abuzz. Under the rulership of the Davions the people had become used to a smooth and peaceful life on this principal world. But now something seemed amiss. Ardan could feel it, even through the walls of the chambers he was sharing with the rest of his friends.
The snatches of conversation floating up from the street, the roars from the tavern below, even the whispers of chambermaids in the corridor outside their door all spoke of unease among the commoners. Sep, being the least recognizable of them, would don Ardan's hooded robe from time to time and slip out to gather news. It was uniformly bad.
"Some sort of announcement is in the offing," she said, as she doffed the robe and accepted a cup of soup from Ardan. "And war with Steiner is being rumored everywhere. Nobody is happy, Your Highness. Not at all. Your name is mentioned in tones I have never heard before. This imposter is going to ruin the Federated Suns in short order if we can't find some way to stop him."
"There is no time to foment a rebellion," said Hanse. He was staring down from the narrow window whose dirty glass hid his face from the street "We have no one left in office to whom we can appeal. We can only trust Efflinger to pull this thing out of the fire for us. Who would have thought that Steiner would be the saving of our whole system?"
"You chose well when you signed the treaty with Steiner," said Ardan. "And even better when you contracted marriage with Melissa. You'll be pleasantly surprised when you see her again. She has grown into a woman of wit and strength. Much like her mother, though gentler-seeming."
Hanse smiled absently. Ardan knew that in his mind's eye Melissa was still the child he had known before.
"Just hope that the day will come when that marriage can come to pass," said the Prince. "We are in a predicament. We cannot come forward, because the Guard would hustle us off to prison before we could attract any attention to our cause. I do hope Efflinger has something up his sleeve beside his lazy arm."
That evening, they learned that lazy as the ambassador's arm might be, it was effective when used to capacity. At mid-afternoon, Sep called the others to the window, pointing out Kolek Efflinger as he came into the inn with a pretty young woman much younger than he. The fugitives listened closely as a confusion of steps and running chambermaids came down the hall into the flat adjoining the one they occupied.
"I will need a personal attendant," the young woman was saying. "And I must go shopping at once. Will you see to that, my sweet?"
Kole's voice replied in a mumble, but his words must have been agreement, for she began to giggle. Doors opened and closed. The landlord's voice, too, sounded in the passage, conveying his willingness to assist with anything the distinguished couple wanted. They had only to ask.
Then the hubbub died down again. Heels tapped next door. Kole spoke quietly. The girl replied just as quietly. Everything became very still.
Jarlik grinned at Hanse and Ardan. Ref chuckled, and Sep tapped her fingernails on the table. What on or offworld was the young idiot playing at now?
There came a light tap at the door connecting their end room with the adjoining set. Jarlik stepped lightly as a cat to unlock it. Kole slid through and closed the panel behind him.
"Neat, eh?" he asked.
"She's a pretty one, yes," said Hanse. "But how will that help us?"
"Why, she's going out to shop this afternoon. Shell be bringing in parcels of all sizes and shapes. She will wear me completely out, paying for her purchases. And of course I shall buy some few matters for myself, too." He looked at their shabby uniforms, the noticeable robes.
"If you are to go to the palace tomorrow for the Great Revelation, you need to look a bit more sharp," he said.
The light dawned for them all. They would be outfitted with fresh clothing, even disguises, if necessary—all in a completely unsuspicious way. Even if Kolek were being kept under close surveillance, who would guess?
"The backstairs go down through the servants' quarters and end in an alley on Leather Street You can go out after dark without seeing a soul. I know, because I've done it many a time. Prillie used to live in this set of rooms, instead of those next door." He looked sly.
"Don't ever tell my father, but I expect to marry the girl, when I'm ready to settle down and find work. Father will never consent, and will probably cut me off without a credit so I'll have to be the one to make our living."
Hanse smiled broadly. "Come to me when you decide to take a job," he said. "I can always use sneaky people."
Kole nodded. "I thought you might," he said wryly. "Now I'd better go and help to buy out the town."
With a plan in progress, the five relaxed enough to nap the afternoon away. It was well done, too, because nobody could possibly have slept when the procession of parcels began to arrive next door. Sep, peering through a crack in the door, exclaimed at the variety of delivery people going and coming in the passage.
It took an hour and a half for all the bundles, packages, boxes, and bags to come to roost in the apartment next door. Then Prillie whispered at the connecting doorway, and the fugitives tiptoed into her bedroom, which was piled high with goods.
There was a gorgeous gown for Sep, but she was aghast at the idea of a Mech Warrior wearing a cloth-of-gold overdress over full-legged pantaloons of white silk. Not to mention the jewels for hair and hands and bosom.
"You will never be recognized as Candent Septarian," said Hanse. "And it will get us into the grounds, I am sure. Besides, everyone will be staring so hard at you that nobody will notice any of the rest of us."
"Many thanks, Highness," growled Sep. "Once inside, we can get to barracks, where I can change. And then we'll be just another unit of the Guard, back on duty after leave. Denek has posted the orders."
For the men, there were formal uniforms. Kole had even managed to find the proper medals for Hanse and Ardan, while for Ref and Jarlik he had provided campaign clusters that put them into many places where neither had ever set foot But they looked impressive.