After a further two hours of travel, the village of Chambery finally crested the horizon. It was a bleak sight; there were no walls for protection, nor even a formal gate to mark the entrance. As we trotted into the settlement, the atmosphere was thick with dread. The villagers, clad in little more than rags, looked skeletal and gaunt. They scrambled aside in terror at the sight of Geri, their hollow eyes wide with fright.
We proceeded to the village centre, where a single family stood waiting to greet us. They stood out like a sore thumb; they were well-fed, dressed in appropriate woollens, and possessed a certain portliness that the rest of the village lacked.
A man in his fifties stepped forward. Behind him stood a woman in her thirties and a young girl of about thirteen.
"Greetings to Her Highness's envoy," the man began, bowing low. "We have long expected your arrival in our humble village."
Aldea dismounted her horse, her expression guarded. "Greetings to you as well."
The man straightened, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "It seems my lady's escort is a trifle weary from the journey; that was a greeting more suited to a commoner than a noble."
"Is that so?" Aldea replied with an awkward, cold smile.
Zoe, still perched atop her horse, intervened with a sharp tone. "As you say, sir, this lady is weary. It would be best if you stated your name for this commotion of stopping Her Highness's retinue."
"Apologies for my rudeness," the man said, though his eyes remained calculating. "My name is Rudyard. Beside me are my wife, Malta, and my daughter, Florence. We wished to greet Her Highness personally; we have worked quite hard to make this place what it is." He cast a long, suspicious glance at Geri. "It seems the Princess has acquired a most... unique pet."
"You have worked hard to 'make this place'?" Zoe repeated, her voice dripping with suspicion. "An interesting statement, considering no Baron has been appointed here for years. Who, then, has been overseeing the village?"
"I have," Rudyard said simply. "May I see Her Highness?"
Zoe glanced at Aldea and gave a sharp nod toward me. Aldea approached Geri's side. "It seems he wishes to meet you, Your Highness."
"Does he seek an audience, or merely a greeting?" I asked.
"I suspect he simply wishes to see your face," Aldea replied.
"Then lead the way." I jumped down from Geri's back. Louis immediately moved to my side, his hand never far from his sword hilt.
Rudyard watched us, his confusion growing. He saw a girl in plain, commoner's travelling clothes walking toward him, escorted by two warriors. He turned back to Zoe. "May I know who this is?"
Zoe ignored him, turning her horse back toward the main envoy.
I stopped in front of the man. "State your name and your purpose for halting this retinue."
Rudyard and his family exchanged bewildered glances.
"I shall ask but once more," I said, my voice hardening into the tone I used when dealing with difficult bureaucrats. "State your name and your purpose."
"My name is Rudyard," he stammered. "I... I wish to see Her Highness."
"Just that? You have stopped a royal envoy merely for a look?"
"I have worked hard to govern this village, so I thought perhaps..."
"Ah, you have other interests. You seek an audience to justify your position."
"May I see Her Highness?" he repeated, his eyes searching the carriage behind me.
"You have already seen her."
Rudyard's brow furrowed. "I do not take your meaning."
"It seems you are unfamiliar with the Princess of this Kingdom. To be clear: My name is Caroline, the First Princess of this Realm. You are looking at Her Highness."
The colour drained from Rudyard's face. He and his family dropped to their knees in the dirt. "I... I apologise! Please, forgive my wretched rudeness! We did not recognise Your Highness... we beg your mercy!"
"Cease your kneeling and stand up," I commanded. "I do not care for commotions. It is said you governed this village in the absence of a lord?"
Rudyard stood, wiping the dust from his knees. "Yes, Your Highness. I have worked tirelessly..."
I looked at the starving peasants in the distance and then at his rounded belly. "I can see that. Now, as we have only just arrived, you shall show me to the residence where I am to live."
Rudyard began to sweat, his eyes darting toward his wife. "I apologise again, Your Highness, but the Baron's residence... it cannot be occupied just yet."
"And why is that?"
"It is... undergoing extensive renovations. It is currently uninhabitable."
I felt my instincts flare. This smelled of a cover-up. I turned to Louis. "Did His Majesty mention any renovations to the manor?"
"I recall no such mention, Your Highness," Louis said, his gaze fixed on Rudyard.
"This is a problem," I mused. "It would be quite troubling to have no roof over our heads. Wouldn't you agree, Louis?"
"Highly troubling, my lady."
"Might I offer a suggestion?" Rudyard interjected quickly. "Your Highness and the retinue could stay at the village inn."
"A fine suggestion. Louis?"
"It seems a fair alternative," Louis replied.
"Splendid," I said, catching Rudyard's look of relief. "But tell me, how long will these 'renovations' take?"
"A month, Your Highness."
"A month? That is a remarkably long time for a simple renovation. Perhaps the workers are not being rushed? Or perhaps it is our fault for arriving so suddenly after the King's appointment?"
Rudyard's sweat was now visible. "No! It is not Your Highness's fault! It is mine... I have been lax in supervising the work."
"Well, if it is your fault," I said, allowing a cold smile to touch my lips, "then as a recompense, you shall pay the inn for all our accommodations."
Rudyard blinked. "If it is merely Your Highness's room, I can afford—"
"Not just me. All of us. My knights, my maids, and my companions. And you shall find a suitable barn or ranch for my beast and our horses. Do we have an understanding?"
"Yes... yes, of course. I shall arrange everything," Rudyard stammered.
"Excellent. Now, lead the way to the inn."
The inn was a modest, two-storey building—the only one of its kind in Chambery. Rudyard scurried inside to book every available room, along with the backyard and the stables. Once he had handed the keys to me, he bowed again. "I hope you enjoy your stay, Your Highness."
"I am not here for a holiday, Rudyard. I am here to work."
"Forgive me, Your Highness."
"You are very fond of seeking forgiveness. You may leave and return to your family."
Once he had gone, everyone began moving our belongings into the rooms. The innkeeper, his wife, and their two daughters came out to help. Louis, ever the overprotective knight, forbade me from lifting a finger, so I found a seat at the bar.
The woman behind the counter watched me as she polished a glass. "It is rare to see a noble staying in an inn," she remarked.
"Is it?" I asked, bored. "Why is that?"
"Usually, they go straight to the manor. On what business have you come to our village, my lady?"
"I have come to work."
"And what might a noble's 'work' be in a place like this?"
"I am the new Baroness."
The woman froze, her glass nearly slipping from her hand. "Oh my! You are to be the Lord? But... we already have a Lord."
"What do you mean? Is there another Baron here?"
"The man who just paid your way—Rudyard. The people here consider him the Baron."
"Hooo. And why is that?"
"A year ago, Count Regis came to the village. He brought Rudyard with him and told us he was to oversee everything. We commoners don't know the ways of the nobility; we simply assumed the Count had appointed him the new Baron."
"And who is this Count Regis?"
"The Count of this county, my lady."
I sat back, absorbing this. Technically, as a Baroness, I was now a vassal to this Count Regis.
Louis approached then, interrupting my thoughts. "Your Highness, the rooms are ready. You should take some rest."
The woman behind the bar gasped. "Your Highness? Are you... royalty?"
"I am Caroline, the Princess," I said. "But in this village, I am simply the Baroness. I believe the commoner's clothes made me difficult to recognise."
"Forgive me, Your Highness! I didn't know!"
"It is no matter. Are you the owner here?"
"My husband is. These girls are our daughters."
"They are hard workers," I said, standing up.
Louis led me toward the stairs. "Who is this Sir Regis you mentioned, my lady?"
"He is the Count of this region. By rank, that makes me his subject."
"Absurd," Louis grumbled. "You are a Princess."
"In the capital, yes. But here, I am a Baroness—the lowest rank of the peerage. I must follow the rules of the hierarchy for now."
We reached the end of the hall. Louis opened the door to a large corner room, where the rest of the team was already waiting. Aldea, Darryl, and Zoe stood by the windows, while Elpis, Cailean, and the sisters sat upon the beds.
"Why is everyone gathered here?" I asked.
Louis stood before me, his expression grave. "There is a matter we must discuss, Your Highness. We have only been here an hour, but it is already clear... there is something deeply fishy about this village."