Full Text for If Love Be True

What follows is the full text for the scenario "If Love Be True".

The guard regards William coolly but does not respond.

Although the design has been somewhat modified, William is amused by the amazing familiarity of the structure. "We are in front of some kind of castle," William says. "It's been updated, however, as I see power lines concealed in a few places. My guess is that they are technically on about the same level as us."

Taking a few steps down the roughly hewn steps, William scrutinizes the gardens that stretch around the foot of the castle. "Very pretty," William says. "Think we should take a look down here?”

Thumping at mortar with the butt of a small adjustment tool, William gives a triumphant grunt as a hollow appears in the base of the fountain. Suddenly a small door opens, spilling an oddly shaped device onto the lawn.

"Bomb!" Katya screams, diving to cover it. She counts to ten, recounting a score of memories for each second, wonders with each breath if it will be her last. Her countdown in the twenties, she flexes to look at the device pressed hard against her ribs. Feeling safe, she wriggles around to examine the device. "I think it's safe to assume that this wasn't planted to kill us, but someone is plotting a murder. They'll probably plant another one once they find this one missing."

William sucks at a thumb pricked by the thorny bushes. "There's a hatchway here" William says.

Her eyes livid with fear and embarrassment, the queen attempts to cover her shimmering body. "These are my private quarters!" the queen screams. Turning she begins to stamp on an alarm button set into the floor. "Guards! Guards!"

Her face shaped much like her mother's, the princess is a striking creature as she prowls the veranda outside her room. "My mother will wed me to a thing," the girl says, her voice threaded with venom. "I can't stand it...him. He depresses me. Every time I so much as look at him I feel ill." Her hand delicately falling to the rail, she glances up. "I love another. One that lives on another world who used to work for us. If you help me I will see that you have great rewards. Will you?”

"I knew instantly that I would like you," the girl says enthusiastically, her down covered head shimmering with greens. Moving to the door, she indicates the back wall of her room. "I know that there is a back passage into this room that the servants used when I was a yearling. Unfortunately, that heavy case there is nearly unmovable. If you can find a levitator, we can get through there and I can meet someone who will take me to Henresia. When you come back to take me to the wedding, we will slip out that way!"

"Oh, you traitor," she hisses. "I hope that you can live with your conscience. I hate all of you!"

"We have to hurry now!" the princess whispers. "The guards will become suspicious soon when we don't reappear at the wedding. Out through the secret door, through the servant's areas, and then into the back garden!"

Tears streaming down her gentle cheeks, her head hung down in misery, the fragile creature's words are couched in quiet sobs. "I shall do my mother's bidding then if you will not help me escape. Take me to the wedding if you won't open up the secret passage. I shall die without my secret love!" With a melodramatic sweep of her hand, she responds to nothing said to calm her nerves.

"May I get you something?" the servant asks, his words stuttered. "I highly recommend an Aeron's Specialty. It's very well balanced." Got to be diplomatic, William thinks, staring at the disgusting pink drink. Surprisingly the taste is very smooth. "Citrus. Say what's in this?" William asks the servant, taking another sip. Something floats to the top of the liquid. Picking it out of the drink, William accidentally drops the wet wad on the floor.

Written on the paper is some kind of code, and below it are the words: servant's secret.

"It's amazing who they hire to take care of the minors about this place," an Avian citizen says. "They used to hire people from Henresia. Personally I think they should stick with the agreed star designations. Subra II should be called Subra II!"

Her feathers starkly contrasting with those of the avians around her, the woman speaks in hushed tones. "Don't trust the queen's advisor, Geal. Algieba is in the midst of a tremendous power struggle and they would swallow our world if given half a chance. He is up to something, I am certain of it."

"I am pleased that you could make our banquet." Casting her glance across the room, she looks at her subjects. "My sister believes that we would marry her to a monster. Granted her husband will be very alien, but it is the only way to ensure a lasting peace between our cultures." Taking a sip from a pink drink, the woman continues with a suddenly stern sound in her voice. "She is still in love with a man we used to employ. She has attempted numerous times to escape to him, but he was dangerous, even for his own kind. She will plead with you to help her, but do not. It will only lead to ruin for all of us."

Bowing before William, Geal's scaled body seems like a suit of armor. Appropriate in a castle, William thinks. "I am pleassssed to see that the princesssss will be so well protected," he says with a serpentine lilt to his voice. "There are many dangerssss that accompany being a powerful woman's daughter. She requiresss protection of the greatesst kind.

"Brother," Geal says reverently. "I must asssssume that you have come with word from Algieba." Looking to see that no one is watching, he leans closer. "Come to my room and we sshall discusss thisss. I must know if Issshtao still retainsss the ssseat of power."

Emptying his pockets, William sorts through the assassin's belongings. "Identification indicates that he was from Algieba," William says, reading from a sheaf of papers. "Here is a note from president Ishtao ordering the assassination of the princess." Examining lastly a handful of small knobs, William identifies them easily. "Detonators. He was going to plant a bomb. Maybe several."

After a sleepless half hour, William rises from the mat and begins to pace up and down the room. "Can't sleep," William says. "Too many things to worry about."

"You are to meet privately with the princess," the messenger says. "She is in her quarters. You may also attend the feast in the banquet hall."

His nostrils flaring somewhat in pleasure, he hisses a quiet welcome. "I am glad that you have come brothersssss," Geal says. "I ssssscarcely had time to get here when I had seen that you had left the party. Our planssss are in place now. When the princesssss weds, we shall ssssee a new era begin. Remember to bring her right to the fountain. Truly you are brave and honorable.”

William waits for a reply from the creature, listens to its oppressive breath laboring in the small room. The sound seems to come from far away, sheltered by the entity's large fanlike arms. CHANGES WITHOUT NUMBER. ...William gags as something takes control of vocal chords... THE WEDDING MUST OCCUR. ...the words come not from William's mind but from outside, from the alien, forcing their way in... OUR MARRIAGE IS THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE THAT THE ALGIEBIANS DO NOT GAIN CONTROL OF THE SECTOR. THE PRINCESS MUST MARRY ME OR BOTH OUR WORLDS PERISH. Gasping for air, William massages aching throat muscles as the alien releases its mind control.

"The counselor lies," the servant says, his gaze pointed at his leatherbound feet. "I have heard things in the secret corridor behind Geal's rooms. He wants the princess dead, not alive. The queen will not listen to me. Search the garden for the entrance." Grabbing the servant's chin, William forces the creature to look up. A livid scar runs down the man's face from temple to chin. "The price for my insolence," the avian says, covering the wound.

"Ah, you must have come to watch the princess through this," the man says. He looks at William curiously, then apologizes. "Forgive me, I do not see humans often. Since the Concierge locked up the Izar system, it is truly rare indeed to see one such as yourself...Would you do me a favor? Would you go and see the Yeumanchu prince? He's in the last suite on the right before the throne room. He's been in a dark mood since all the Algiebian activity started in this sector. He could use someone to cheer him up."

Peering with sharply violet eyes, the aged woman smiles at William. "I have been expecting you," she says, touching a chair back. "They said that you would come." The hours pass as she chats conversationally while William searches for an excuse to leave. "...and then, the queen's Domen went into a rage when her young suitor set the flags aflame. Kept all the guards busy for hours. Would have thought that the whole castle was coming down."

"Princess, you've come!" the avian says, "Come with me. The ship is waiting. Hurry, but be quiet about it!" Her face lit with a holy radiance, the princess turns and mouths a thank you. "I would suggest beaming out. Mother will doubtless be looking for me and you too. Goodbye and thank you!" Lifting the hem of her dress, she turns with a swirl of skirts and heads off. Something clatters on the ground behind her. "Please take that to He Who Speaks on Henresia. I'll meet him soon!" she shouts.

A clatter. Somewhere nearby a chair moves across the floor. Voices. Searching the hall for a source, William glances up and notices an open vent, a cough confirms it as the source of the voices. Wedging a boot into a niche in the wall, William is able to inch closer to the open airduct. "...the bomb issss in place in the garden. When the princesssss steps next to it, she and the queen will both ssssuffer." "Fool, you've left the vent open!" an angry voice replies. A cold clang shuts off the conversation.

"It's like silk," William says, rubbing the fabric softly. "It's odd, though. It has a kind of oily feel to it."

Festive colors disappearing in a burst of flame, the flag quickly disintegrates, belching clouds of smoke. "That should get someone's attention," William says. In the distance a fire alarm begins to wail.

"Aliens!" the queen gasps, a fan of feathers rising along the crest of her regal head. Her birdlike eyes jitter as she tries to calm herself. "I was expecting... avians," the queen explains. "We have numerous reasons to be mistrustful of aliens. In the past four months, three attempts have been made on my life and I have reason to believe that someone may try to assassinate my daughter Jhenna before her wedding." A shuddering sigh passes through her blue painted lips as she considers William. "I will reward you well for your services, but I must test your worthiness first. Go to the arena and recover my banner from the contestants. We shall find out truly who and what you are."

"I watched on my monitors and I am satisfied that you can be trusted," the queen says. "A room will be made available for your..." A figure suddenly appears behind the queen and she inclines her head to listen to the message. Laying her hand against her chest she nods, then motions to William. "Forgive me," she says. "I am an ingratious hostess. You have proven yourself and so it is fitting that you accept a gift worthy of your efforts. Please take this gift as a token of my people's gratitude. Go now and nurse your wounds, take comfort in our beds, and tomorrow feast with us."

"To the wedding!" the queen commands, apparently distracted with other business. "I will meet with you there in a short while by the fountain."

Eyes darting erratically, his serpentine upper lip trembling, the advisor speaks cautiously, apparently unnerved by the translations made by the scanner. "Geal," he says simply. "I advise she who rulessss. Nothing but a simple advissssor."

"No spectator sports today," the avian says, hauling on a length of wire. "The arena has been placed on reserve by the queen for the next few weeks."

"You're a braver creature than I - or a fool. I envy no creature that wishes to stand between the princess and the Algiebian schemes. But it's your life." He quickly begins to explain the nature of William's test. "The test is designed to assess two factors, intellect and savagery. I will allow you into the arena. Around you will be four doors. Three of them contain heavily armed guards which will likely kill you, a forth contains moderately armed sociopaths. When you have fought to victory and recovered the queens standard, you will be set free. That is assuming that you live."

"Congratulations, victor," the avian says, his voice tinged with a hint of admiration. "The queen will probably be anxious to see you now."

Dark splotches on the door vaguely resemble droplets of blood, but William tries to ignore them while clearing off a plate set at the base of the door. Utilizing the S.S.C.L.U. scanner to interpret the symbols on the plate, William reads the interpretation. "This door is designated as unit LESQ." Below the designation plate a cryptic message has been raked into the floorpaint. "The first is in lasers but not in a star." Open this door?

"This door is unit LMBD." Below the designation plate is a strange message. "The second's in screams but not in a scar." Open this door?

"This door is unit LECF," William says, reading the designation plate. "There's also a weird message scratched into the floor. It says: The third is in cracks but not in quark." Open this door?

"Door designation LMNE," William says. "Someone has also written the words: The last is in force and never in work." Open this door?

An improvised crutch under one arm and a book under the other, the avian attempts to focus a clouded eye on William. "I'm not really, ach, in shape for visi, ngh, tors," he gasps in pain. "I barely made it out of the erh, the arENA alive. If YOU're here to h...help out then pay careful attention to the messages, rgh, next to the LEverRs. MAuh, maybe you won't, gah, end up like me."

"Are you here to escort her majesty's daughter?" the guard asks.

"Very well. I will announce you. She will receive you inside."

"The queen is too busy with wedding preparations to bother with casual visitors. Kindly leave," he says.

"Bring me the princess, I will take her somewhere safe!"

"All right, back down the hall with you young miss." the guards warn William motioning with guns. "I noticed her missing. Get her back to her room before things get violent.”