“Could you please give us a moment?” she asked her father, her eyes flicking to include Jeera in her request.
“You want me to leave you alone in a dungeon with the girl who just threw herself at your mother and me, and who is now under suspicion as an assassin to the throne?” The king sounded both sceptical and incredulous. “Not to mention her trespassing friends, who are here to to stage a prison break.”
Put like that, Alex realised the situation wasn’t all that wonderful for any of them.
“I guess not,” D.C. murmured her acceptance. She stepped closer and turned to face Jordan and Bear. In a wavering voice, she said, “I wanted to tell you sooner, but I wasn’t sure how.”
“Tell us what?” Jordan asked, repeating Bear’s question.
“I’m the—” D.C. began, but she coughed mid-sentence, as if the words were stuck in her throat. She moved her eyes to Alex again who nodded reassuringly, prompting D.C. to take a wobbly breath, stand up a little straighter, and say, “I’m the princess. Of Medora. And, um, it’s my birthday party that we’re celebrating tonight. Surprise?”
Jordan and Bear stared at her in silence, their expressions not giving any indication as to what they were thinking.
Alex could practically feel D.C.’s tension until, finally, both boys looked at each other and shrugged.
“It makes sense, if you think about it,” Jordan said contemplatively. “You always were a prissy little—”
When the king cleared his throat loudly, Jordan’s gaze flicked up to the monarch’s stern face, and he finished lamely, “—uh, princess.”
D.C. released a breathy laugh filled with relief. “You’re not angry that I didn’t tell you?”
“We didn’t know you properly until recently,” Bear pointed out. “What right do we have to be angry?”
D.C. beamed at them both and rushed forward to wrap her arms around them.
“Can someone kindly explain the apparent importance of this moment and why we’re all down here in the dungeon to witness it? I presume the events are linked?” King Aurileous asked.
“Yes, Father,” D.C. said, stepping away from the boys. “You see, these are my friends, Jordan Sparker and Barnold Ronnigan.”
The boys waved cheerily to the king as she said their names.
“For a while now I’ve been putting off telling them who I am,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting to see them here tonight, and I’m guessing Alex was just as surprised.”
D.C. looked at her for clarification, so Alex picked up the story from “When I saw Jordan and Bear enter the ballroom, I knew I had to get Dix’s attention so she could escape before they recognised her,” Alex said. “Launching myself at you and the queen seemed like a pretty good distraction.”
Jeera let out a quiet snort and Alex looked at the king sheepishly. “I’m so incredibly sorry, Your Majesty. If I’d been able to think of an alternative, please believe that I would have taken it.”
There was silence while everyone mulled over her explanation.
“Oh, and I’m not an assassin, by the way,” Alex quickly added. “Promise.”
Someone around the corner laughed quietly and she wondered who else was listening to their conversation.
After a moment the king nodded to Jeera to open the cell. When the barrier was down, the Warden gave a quick nod of deference to him, sent a mysterious yet entertained smile in Alex’s direction, and walked away, leaving their small group alone but for the company of the dungeon guards.
The king stepped into the cell to join Alex. “Loyalty can be the strongest motivation for courage, Alexandra.” He held her gaze with the same uniquely coloured eyes that D.C. had inherited. “What you did was very courageous, if somewhat dramatic, and I thank you for being loyal enough to my daughter that you would risk your own well-being. Twice, now, if we consider what happened with Aven a few months back.”
“At least this time she didn’t end up with a knife through her lungs,” D.C. said. “That’s progress.”
“No, but the penalty for an assassination attempt is execution,” the king said, causing Alex’s breath to hitch. “Alexandra had no guarantee that any of us would have come to stop that from happening.”
Alex hadn’t considered the idea that someone wouldn’t have come to help her out. And considering the consequences, she was glad the thought hadn’t crossed her mind. Execution? Seriously? Yeesh.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” Alex said, uncertain how else to respond after receiving a compliment from the king. “I, uh, promise not to do it again. Or, worst case, I’ll try to let you finish your dance first if there is a next time.”
King Aurileous laughed, causing his entire face to light up. “I’m sure my wife would appreciate that, Alexandra.”
“Alex,” she insisted.
He smiled at her warmly. “Alex, it is. And now it’s time for us to get out of here and enjoy the rest of the party.”
“You can’t be serious?” Alex said, forgetting that she was speaking to the ruler of Medora. “I can’t show my face up there again!”
“Nonsense,” the king said. “No one will recognise you.”
Alex doubted that, but she obediently followed as he led them out of the dungeon and through the maze-like corridors back to the ballroom.
“Perhaps I was mistaken,” the king murmured, when the room full of people went silent upon their entry. Even the orchestra stopped playing mid song.
“You think?” Alex muttered sarcastically, attempting to hide behind her friends. It was no use though, as it was clear that everyone recognised who she was.
The king apparently realised that as well, and raised his voice to address the crowd. “My friends, I hope you enjoyed our earlier re-enactment of The Inebriated Guest. Rest assured that it was a theatrical act for your entertainment, and not, as some of you might have presumed, an assassination attempt. In fact, I would like to present the leading actress, Alexandra Jennings.”
Alex’s jaw dropped at the king’s declaration that she’d been acting like a drunken fool on purpose. She was even more surprised when the audience started applauding her performance, hesitantly at first, and then more boisterously.
D.C. pushed Alex forward to stand beside the king who whispered for her to take a bow. She’d never felt more uncomfortable in her life, but she did as she was told, and the people cheered louder as she curtsied.
“Now that the entertainment is over for the night, please continue to enjoy the celebrations,” said the king, and the guests slowly turned their attention away.
“That worked rather well, if I do say so myself.” King Aurileous sounded pleased. “Now, off you four go, and do try to stay out of trouble.”
The king walked away and Alex hoped he was off to explain to his wife the truth of what had happened.
“So Alex, how does it feel, being known as ‘The Inebriated Guest’?” Jordan asked, smirking.
Alex sent him a dry look. “Better than it felt being known as the assassin. I’m making my way up in the world.”
“What are you two even doing here?” D.C. interjected, and Alex was grateful for the change in topic.