Foxtails and Fairytales: Facades and Fables of the Phantom Prince

[Arc 9] Ch. 1 New Mission

Sebas

"Is your plan to ruin my reputation, what is this all for again?" I pouted.

"Tonight, we are going to a prestigious gathering of mages. Julie, the infamous Magus Initiate and daughter of both the Bluecoasts, received an invitation. The magic knights are peacekeepers and will be at the event, but they can't be everywhere and see everything. Especially with how understaffed we are due to the holidays. That's where you two come in." Sable explained as she tried different things with my hair, but she never liked anything and started over several times.

"So we are supposed to guard a bunch of holier-than-thou partiers? Mages? What?" I growl as her touch is neither as gentle nor as pleasant as Julies.

"Stop pretending to know everything and just listen." She lightly slapped me on the head. "You only have to guard one extra-holier-than-thou person. This ball is a gathering of notable mages, nobles, and magic knights to make connections, discuss theory, secure sponsors, you get the idea. The one you are in charge of is an Elf Princess boasting the Bluecoast lineage and is a favorite to become a Magus initiate. Unlike CERTAIN people who skip a few steps and then have their head in the clouds..." She tilted her head toward Julie who smiled sheepishly. "...becoming a magus initiate is much a harder and procedural. It's both cutthroat and prestigious. Shannon Arledge, the great granddaughter of one of the twin elven kings and second in life for secession of the Lakeside castle behind her uncle. She's a hot-headed genius water mage and she's is the poster girl of the conservative mages, so she has a lot of supporters in the anti-sorcery movement."

"She sounds like a charmer." I sigh.

"She is. Between her beauty, talent, and lineage she's the entire package deal. She's even boldly declared she'll conquer the heart of the Phantom Prince." Sable remarked and I felt like she was gauging my reaction. I merely raised my eyebrow in an 'is she serious?' face.

But Julie clicked her tongue. "Sebas isn't the type who can be conquered."

Sable laughed at that. "Tell me again how you and Nerinin secured your first engagement to him? Hm? Besides, you don't have a stick in that fight anymore Mrs. Teach. He also shut down Minerva with the most legendary rejection in history. And he disappeared into the wind with a pleasure slave and a red-eyed woman of some sort. He is first in line for the Teagon throne with no real competition and has already established poignant relationships with the central kingdoms. The Phantom Prince is the very definition of a man to be conquered."

"I just... don't like you talking about him that way." Julie tensed.

"I didn't mean anything by it, but if you look at things from her point of view, as an unspoken-for princess that shares a border with Sudaven she's the logical choice. Her nearest competition is the princess of Grandine who is also dating Flint. After throwing his sisters out for obvious reasons, you are the only notable girl from Teagon, and the only reason you were given the time of day before you bowed out was because of your Magus Initiate. And Minerva... well that's not happening. The Galavan kingdom's princess is already married and pregnant. The only princess left for miles is Shannon, if she can nail the magus initiate slot, she'll be able to prove she's his peer on more than one level. Take into account the ties through the Bluecoasts she'll have no problem meeting him... There." Sable finished with my hair and admired her work.

"In Shannon's mind, she's already won." Sable screwed her face and then scratched the edges of my hair. "It just doesn't look right without a little mess, does it?"

Shannon Arledge. I'd never even met her! She sure is presumptuous. She's an elven princess and... a relative to the Zorlo and Nelfa... I got shivers. I'm going to have to watch out for her.

"Back to the mission, what exactly am I supposed to do?" I unconsciously ran a hand through my hair and Sable turned blue.

"All my hard work~" Sable nearly cried. And after realizing that any more effort would be fruitless, she just sighed. "You just have to be yourself. and if anything happens, protect Princess Arledge."

"Be myself? Why does that seem like a roundabout insult of some kind?" I asked and I noticed Julie chewing on the knuckle of her thumb while seemingly troubled.

"Yep, you just have to make sure all eyes are on you. If you show up with Julie after being on a date with Minerva, and Julie shows up with you even though she's publicly dating Flint, people will take notice. Other than that, you are a warlock who uses unique water magic, have no respect for authority, you're an open supporter of Sorcery, and you're a Sovereign. Meanwhile Julie is the student daughter of the Bluecoasts, the Phantom Prince's ex, and a Magus Initiate already. Trust me, she'll approach you. You just have to keep her attention. Seduction doesn't seem to be your strongest feature, so we'll leave that out since we have to maintain the narrative you two are dating behind the backs of your lovers for the attention. Then just talk to her, I'm sure you find something to argue about. I don't care if you chat about flower magic or challenge her to a duel, just keep her near you and keep all eyes on you."

"We're going for the 'no one will try anything if everyone is looking' approach. Oh goody." I sighed.

"But we aren't dating behind anyone's back." Julie suddenly jumped back into the conversation after hearing something that troubled her even though she'd missed the rest.

"Could have fooled me, Boots." Sable teased as Julie's face burned at the nickname as she not so subtly tried to hide her boots inside her dress. "Maybe you and Flint have that 'already an old couple' relationship, but when comparing when you are around him to when you are around Hyde it's like night and day. Flint seems more like a friend, while the tension between you and Hyde is so thick it makes me want to shout, 'just kiss already'." Sable grabbed my head and tried to salvage her work on my hair.

That... made me feel really happy. Like I was beating Flint. I restrained myself form striking some embarrassing victory pose.

"See you are both blushing already." Sable giggled.

"Cut it out, its not like it made me happy or anything." I shook my head free from Sable's hands and walked toward the window to "fix" my hair myself in the reflection.

Meanwhile Julie squatted unceremoniously on the ground and buried her face in her hands just like she did when we were kids. "Oh pits, oh pits, oh pits. This can not be happening."

"Oh, it's happening." Sable grinned at how fun it was to tease us. "Julie, your job is to be all over Hyde like white on rice in a glass of milk on an alabaster plate in a snowstorm."

"EEEEHHHH~" Julie looked up at Sable with a distressed face as red as her lipstick. "You never said anything about that!"

"I didn't think I had to. Your going on a date, Jules. A Da~te!" She stressed the word while putting one hand on Julie's shoulder. "You are going to hold his arm, his hand, dance, flirt, chat, joke, pout when he talks to another woman. You'll have to brag about him, start a lovers' quarrel. The whole regiment. And of course, protect the VIP in case something happens, which hopefully won't because of the charade we are putting on."