The Prince's Darling Detective

***

“Are you sure you won't marry me?” Travis asked, casually, as he sat down in the chair facing the large desk.

“For the... forty second time, no.” She wrinkled her nose at him, but her voice was far from insulting.

“I can't believe you actually keep count.”

“I can't believe you actually keep asking.”

“Gonna ask until you say yes, Kate.”

“When the stupid law changes, maybe I will. If I still like you by then.”

“You're cruel. So cruel.” This conversation had happened roughly forty two times, and the teasing had no sting to it. The law in question was the one that said, at least in part of it, that anyone who married a Prince of the realm had to be a Princess, and could hold no other job. In the hundreds of years it had been on the law books, it hadn't been much of a problem for any of the ladies chosen by the Princes. Until now.

Prince Travis was the only son and heir, and he was madly in love with the brilliant Kate, who was the best detective in the entire kingdom. She had no intention of giving up that position for a tiara and royal boredom.

They had asked his father King Reginald to change the law, since he was the only one with the power to do so, but the King had refused thinking that it would force his son into a more politically advantageous marriage. However, Travis refused to even consider anyone but Kate, and until he could marry her, swore he would marry no one at all.

In one more attempt to convince his father that having a Queen who was brilliant at problem-solving would only benefit the kingdom, Travis was at her office today not just to enjoy her company, but to hire her.

“Father is finally letting me look into the disappearance of that Ambassador, Kate,” he told her. “I was thinking, if we work together and solve the whole mess, maybe he will see how wonderful you are and finally get rid of that silly law.”

Kate sighed. Travis worried for only a second that she would say no, because they had discussed marriage several times and he had no doubts that she loved him and would likely say yes, royalty and all, if not for the need to give up her old life. She had fought hard for the respect she had, and enjoyed the work, in addition to being brilliant at it. She brushed at her forehead out of habit, like she did when her hair was down and not up in its neat and proper knot, suitable for an unmarried lady of some status working in public. “We both know I am more cynical than you, Travis, so it shouldn’t surprise you that I don’t hold a lot of hope that your father will relent, even if I solve this single-handedly. I’ll likely get a fine reward and a public thank you, but I’m not going to expect half the kingdom and the Prince’s hand in marriage.”

Travis sighed. “Father just really wants that alliance with the younger Gillik princess. He agrees we need a better seaport, and sees selling me off as the best way to get it. But there are plenty of ways to increase trade through Gillik without her and I having to marry each other. We don’t even like each other. And she’s in love with her stable master anyway. Please say you’ll help.”

“Of course I'll help. You know I've been nosing around already. It's an interesting case.” A delegation had come from the neighboring kingdom of Arriland to meet with King Reginald about trade agreements. The party of six men had lodged in the Palace as honored guests during the talks, until suddenly there were five. The highest ranked member of the party, a Count in his own kingdom and a nephew of that King, was seen to leave the Palace by the main gate one mid-afternoon, and never returned.

“You probably know I’ve already been asking around.” She toyed with a pen while she talked. “The guards noticed no one suspicious, no signs of anxiety in the Count when he left, nothing for them to remember at all. I also talked to the staff of the Inn closest to the Palace, and had a report from that innkeeper that the Count had stopped and asked for directions to a good tailor. The suggested tailor had a jacket, left by the Count, which had needed minor repair to one shoulder seam, a simple and common request according to the tailor's wife. The jacket, which they happily let me inspect since I helped then with that burglary they had last year, was clean, newly repaired, and had no pockets or surprises that I saw. The Count obviously never returned for it, but had paid half the cost upfront in good local currency. Now I’m official, I can talk to the remaining delegates, and maybe get more information from the Palace staff.”

Travis sat and watched her, smiling. Her brown hair was sun-bleached on top and it highlighted the braids she had looped up around her head to keep them out of the way. Her eyes were light brown, and reminded Travis of amber, and below the left one was his favorite freckle in the entire world. As she looked down at her notes, she rested her chin in her left hand and her smallest finger tapped absently right next to that freckle. “I love watching your mind work,” he told her.

She smiled back. “I suppose having your father owe me a favor could be useful. And I get to work with you. We make a good team.”

“Too bad my father refuses to see it.” Travis scowled, but not at her. The prince knew that his father's attitude wasn't going to stop her from doing her job. Having your King owing you a favor was seldom a bad thing. He knew the King was getting angry letters from the Count's family demanding news and answers, neither of which he had to give at the moment.

Kate interrupted his thoughts. “Can I come tomorrow morning and talk to the delegates?”

“That should be fine. Negotiations on the trade agreement have been rather put on hold, so they haven't had much to do. I'll check, but I don't see a problem. If there is, I’ll let you know.” Standing to let himself out, he leaned over the desk to give Kate a short kiss. “Love you. See you tomorrow.”

“Love you too. I'll send for you when I get to the Palace in the morning then.”

“Thank you for agreeing to help us.”

“Thank you for letting me in on the biggest mystery we've had in years, silly.” They both chuckled and Travis let himself out, waving to Kate's elderly landlady as he passed. She gave a small curtsy, but she was used to his comings and goings and knew he didn’t mind if she didn't bend more than her knees could handle. In fact, he didn't mind if she did it at all, but since she insisted, he told her to at least not hurt herself over pointless protocol.