Peerless

7: Grand Prince

As Adolph sat in the coach with Hoopoe he went over the letter in his head. ...In my house a sister killed a brother, and a brother killed a sister. No one is above suspicion. Her Majesty.

Hoopoe reached over and fixed a button on his frock coat. She could tell he was still sulking over the news of investigating the grand prince by the way he stared into his hat. She patted his hand. "Adolphus Peerless, why are you so nervous?"

"It's a delicate situation. I want it to go right. Most everyone thought the grand prince would take the throne, yet his majesty has brought up some unknown. Now, here we are chasing after the grand prince to soothe the queen mother's fears."

"Would she fear her own child? I thought she was unfit."

"No monarch has ever slept easy. My grandfather used to put us to sleep with stories of kings killed by their sons and princes killed by their mothers."

"Who could sleep after that?"

Adolph chuckled. "I just want to make the right choice."

"No one expects you to be perfect."

"They would have expected it of my grandfather."

"But you are not Solstice Peerless."

The coach stopped and Adolph opened the door. There was a scent of hickory in the air as the crisp breeze teased the red-headed canopy of the oaks. A flock of robins rustled in the grass, dressed in handsome brown and gossiping about their fashionable red breast. Square Park was vast, colorful and tranquil but on this day, it was void of people. This day was reserved for the prince.

Adolph and Hoopoe approached where his royal highness was set up. The pergola was draped with sheer curtains. Palace guards surrounded it, each with his weapon over his shoulder. Flags fluttered in the cool breeze and the laughter of women and men floated out of the silken shelter.

When the guard announced them, Choi Yoon-Gi stopped playing with his ladies and manservants and promptly took a seat. "Welcoming to Deciduous County, Your Honor. Isn't Flemingburg beautiful?"

Adolph and Hoopoe bowed.

"Who have you brought with you?"

Adolph looked at the curtain. He could make out the faint outline of the prince bobbing around. "This is my wife."

"Your wife. She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I have seen many women, Judge Peerless. The women I have with me today were handpicked for their beauty. Did you know each one is named after the calendar? And I didn't have to do it myself, it just happened."

Adolph tried making sense of the jargon. "The grand prince must have good fortune."

Choi Yoon-Gi laughed. "So, Adolph Peerless, why have you come to speak to me today? You could have come into the palace."

"Your Royal Highness has run away from the palace."

Choi Yoon-Gi and his assembly laughed. "What do you want to know? I'm busy."

"I want to know about your brother, King Choi Yoon-Su. It must be difficult with his passing."

"It is not easy to explain. I have been expecting his death for so long, now that it has happened it is no more than a bird flying away. Besides, I hadn't seen him in years."

"But once you were close?"

"As good as royal siblings can be. We were often separated, but Choi Yoon-Su could be fun when we got away. He hid snacks in his sleeve and warned me never to tease Court Lady Ma."