Forest Kingdom Trilogy 1 - Blue Moon Rising

shadows between the torches. Julia shrugged, and continued down the corridor. She rounded a corner, and then jumped back, startled, as an armed guardsman appeared suddenly from a concealed doorway. Julia's hand flew to the sword at her hip, and then she relaxed as she recognised the guard.
    'Bodeen! What are you doing here?'
    'Dying of thirst, mainly, Princess.' The short, stocky guard lowered his sword, and sheathed it. 'Three hours I've been on duty, and not so much as a cup of mulled ale to warm my bones.'
    'It's a hard life in the Guards,' said Julia amusedly. 'What exactly are you guarding?'
    'Oh, just some party,' said Bodeen. 'Private get-together for some of the Lord Darius's friends. I didn't know you'd been invited, Princess, I wouldn't have thought you were the type.'
    'I wasn't, and I'm not,' grinned Julia. 'I'm just going to gatecrash the party to annoy Harald.'
    'Prince Harald?' said Bodeen. 'I don't think he's in there. Certainly he hasn't passed by me.'
    'Oh.' Julia frowned. She was sure she'd followed the servant's directions exactly . . . the damn Castle must be up to its old tricks again. Ah well. 'What are you doing here, though, Bodeen? With all those jewels you picked up in the counting house, you could have retired from the Guards and bought yourself a tavern.'
    That's what I thought,' said Bodeen grimly. 'Unfortunately, the King made me hand over everything I'd found to the Seneschal.'
    'Not everything, surely?'
    'Everything, Princess, right down to the last gold coin. Makes you weep, doesn't it? All those jewels ... I mean, it wasn't as if the King would have missed a few, after all. If it hadn't been for you and me, he'd never have seen any of them again. Well, I've learnt my lesson. You can't trust the aristocracy, not even your own King.'
    'But. . . didn't you at least get a reward for helping rediscover the South Wing?'
    'Just doing my job, Princess. That's what they pay me two silver ducats a week for.'
    'That's disgusting,' said Julia flatly. 'I think I'll have a word with the King about this.'
    Bodeen raised an eyebrow. 'I wasn't aware you had any pull with him.'
    'When you get right down to it, I don't,' said Julia wryly. 'But it's worth a try.'
    'Yeah, sure. Thanks anyway, Princess.'
    Til tell you what I can do—I can break into Darius's party and bring you back a drink. How's that?'
    'It's a nice thought, Princess, but if you haven't an invitation I can't let you pass.'
    'Oh, come on, Bodeen, you can let me sneak past. I won't tell anyone.'
    'I'm in enough trouble as it is, Princess, I don't need any more. Thanks for the offer, but no.'
    'Bodeen ...'
    'Get away from him, Julia.'
    Julia spun round to find King John standing at the corridor intersection, staring grimly at Bodeen. Behind the King, filling the corridor from wall to wall, stood a full company of guardsmen, each man wearing the distinctive scarlet and gold markings of the Royal Guard.
    'Stand aside, Julia,' said the King. 'You don't want to get blood on your dress.'

    Prince Harald wandered over to the punch bowl and refilled his glass. So far, the punch was the only thing that made this party bearable. He sat on the edge of the buffet table and stared sardonically about him, one leg idly swinging. Now that Darius and Cecelia had ostentatiously removed their masks, others were following suit. Mask after mask fell away as the revellers gained in confidence, but the faces
    revealed were flushed with anxiety and too much wine, and their laughter was forced and harsh. Harald smiled sourly and sipped his punch. Treason didn't come easy at the best of times. He stretched tiredly, and wondered how much longer the party would last. He'd had his fill of the courtiers and businessmen and Lords and Ladies, and all their many promises of what they'd do for him when he became King.
    And, of course, what they expected from him in return. Harald grinned suddenly.
    He had a few surprises in store for them.
    'Prince Harald, if we might speak with you a moment?'
    Harald looked up at the three Landsgraves standing before him, and nodded curtly. 'Of course, Sir Blays. After all, this is your party as much as mine. What can I do for you?'
    'We need your decision,' said Guillam, smiling unpleasantly. 'And I'm afraid we must insist on knowing it now.'
    Harald surged to his feet in one smooth motion, and stood towering over the Landsgrave, his hand resting on the pommel of his sword. 'You insist to me again, my noble Landsgrave,' said Harald