“…my father,” Verette finishes slowly. “What do you mean, the roots?”
“The silver roots from the tree. They’re picking up vibrations.” Rapunzel doesn’t see any comprehension in Verette’s eyes. “They run at least as far as Third Street Hospital.”
Verette runs a hand down her face. “Of course,that’swhy it’s safe to talk on the water—right. Okay. We have alotto catch up on.” She points to lights glimmering through the fog, drawing closer. “My pleasure barge is about to pass us. We’ll jump on from here.”
The vessel drifts into sight almost unnervingly close to the dock’s end, blazing with brass lanterns cut like the sun, moon, and stars and festooned with banners bearing the royal Asteran seal. Verette taps Rapunzel’s shoulder. “You go first.”
Rapunzel backs down the dock, then takes a running leap and lands on the deck with a stumble. Deckhands politely but firmly help her out of the way. Rapunzel spots neat little verette charms swinging from their belts, with indigo ribbon, brass beads, and the white shell moth.
Just like at Third Street Hospital.
The captain, the helmsman, every crew member she sees, they all wear the same verette.
Eugene and Verette each land with a thud as Rapunzelchecks on Pascal in her satchel. He’s still curled into a ball in the little coat she made him, sound asleep from the chill.
“Your Highness, what onearthis going on?” Cressien is gripping the barge’s railing with both hands nearby, looking distinctly green around the gills. He attempts to step toward them, then reconsiders when the deck gently rolls beneath their feet.
“My father was about to have Princess Rapunzel detained,” Verette says.
Eugene wobbles over to Rapunzel’s side. “And he’s been intercepting our messages. I found your reports in his study with the seals broken.”
“What?”Rapunzel gasps.
Verette’s face tightens. “My father is…especially rash where the People’s Dagger are involved. We’re going to put distance between you before he does something we’ll all regret. Please, Princess Rapunzel, follow me.”
“Just Rapunzel is fine,” Rapunzel says as she follows Verette down a narrow, steep set of stairs into a salon below deck.
The other princess is already rummaging in a closet nearby. She emerges with a spare plain blue crewmate uniform in roughly Rapunzel’s size, and passes it over. “Here. Go change in my cabin and leave your gown inside, then stay down here. We’ll have a crew woman pose as you above deck in case we’re being watched.”
Rapunzel ducks into the cabin. She’s just belting on the sturdy breeches when the barge tilts and a narrow door nearby creaks ajar, revealing a cramped little closet.
Verette charms—yarn and clay beads, silk ribbon and crystal, lopsided and expertly crafted—crowd every hook, shelf, and bin inside it. Foremost on one hook is the charm the little girl gave Verette just a couple of days ago.
Verette said people liked to give them to her; Rapunzel just didn’t realize how many she actually meant.
When Rapunzel leaves the cabin in uniform, a sailor is already waiting outside to change into the violet silk gown left on the bed, a heavy velvet cloak draped over an arm. Rapunzel returns the sailor’s bow and paces around the salon, only stepping aside to let the crew woman pass above deck, the hood of the cloak now drawn up to hide her hair.
It’s funny; one of the many,manylines on Rapunzel’s itinerary was a trip around the bay on a royal pleasure barge, but considering that was supposed to happen on the coming Tuesday, they’re well ahead of schedule. Though she imagines Councilor Teophine had different circumstances in mind.
Verette’s voice trails down the open stairwell:
“…we’ll take the dinghy to Merchant’s Crescent in fifteen minutes. While I’m gone, take the barge two full circuits around the bay, and make sure the doubles keep their hoods up. We’ll row the dinghy back out to meet you close to midnight.”
“Understood, Your Majesty.”
Verette pauses atmajesty, but all she says is “Fitzherbert, you should go change.”
“Don’t threaten me with a good time.” Eugene all but bounces down the steps, a crewman following, and swipes ashirt, jacket, and breeches from a nearby closet with an air of utmost mischief, despite being directed specifically to do so. After a moment he emerges from the cabin in disguise and tosses his fancy suit to the crewman, then flops into one of the salon’s chairs and drops a handful of parchments onto the table. “Cressien’s hugging the railing right now. I think they won’t switch him out until the last minute.”
“Are those the messages Enver intercepted?” Rapunzel makes herself stop pacing and sit next to him at the small round table. He nods as she picks one up and finds one of Cressien’s reports, dated for Friday, their first full day here.
She shouldn’t. She knows she shouldn’t read it, that it’s only going to get in her head.
She can’t stop herself from smoothing the parchment out anyway. Eugene makes a noise, but doesn’t stop her.
The report starts off relatively neutral, detailing King Enver’s peculiar reactions, observations of the Asteran economy and rituals, notes on the governmental structure. Then she finds the note she was dreading:
…Princess Rapunzel’s general well-being remains satisfactory. However, she has largely disregarded my instruction on etiquette and decorum. I continue to believe that this is beyond her current diplomatic capabilities, and that her lack of preparation and experience will ultimately jeopardize the mission.
