The Threat
The Never Ending Quest - Episode 86765
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Whilst Checkers had not entirely given up hope of being able magically to
transport herself home, the tome seemed to offer no alternative poems
that might have that function. She was aware of how much good fortune she
had needed to reach the Eveninglands successfully, and realised that to
attempt the return journey on her own and without magical aid would be
foolhardy. So it seemed
that she would have to be patient and wait until Aqualaria was ready to
send a small naval expedition across the ocean. And preparations for that
would not begin until after the big wedding, as that was monopolising the
attention of the Aqualarian royalty and navy at present.
One consolation for Checkers was that she would now be able to be one of Astra's bridesmaids. But a few weeks before the big day, a cloud was cast over the preparations. A message was received from someone claiming to be a powerful wizard, though no-one recognised his name. He demanded - and to demand rather than request anything from royalty was shocking in itself - that a bride be given to him from the royal house. He threatened that the marriage of Fred and Astra would never take place if his demand was not met. The Queen and her council of advisors, which included the Prince Consort and Princess Astra, met to consider this demand. They were unanimous that it could not be met. Even had it been phrased as a polite request rather than an ultimatum, it could not have been acceded to. Aqualaria was enlightened enough to believe that women should not be forced into marriage against their wishes. That applied even more strongly when the only two candidates, being single and of marriageable age, were so young. They were Astra's younger sisters: Belinda (18) and Carola (14). The Chief Minister summed up at the end of the meeting, adding: "If you give into one blackmailer, that will be the signal for more to try their luck. Even if this wizard is as powerful as he claims, and we have no evidence of that, he must be refused." So the wizard's courier, who had been waiting for a reply, was sent back to his master with a flat refusal. "Though presumably, if he's really such a powerful wizard, he will already know our decision," Astra commented wryly to Checkers when she saw her in the palace garden shortly afterwards. "If he was so powerful, couldn't he simply magically abduct whichever princess took his fancy?" Checkers asked. Astra frowned. That was not a comfortable thought. "I suppose that doing that, assuming that he could, wouldn't give him the privileged position that marrying into the royal family would. I imagine that is that he craves." Security was stepped up around the palace, both of the conventional and of the magical kind. However it was made much harder by the stream of visitors from far-off landa who were now starting to arrive for the wedding. The security had also to be discreet, as the threat had not been made known to the general public. The Queen had no desire to cause a panic. Checkers looked through her tome, but could not find anything that seemed likely to be of help.
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JH
6/1/2009 2:12:49 PM
Extending Enabled
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