Taming the Rebel Prince

by Victoria Hart

  The inspector looked aghast. “What should we do with them?”

  “What would you do with any member of your population who breaks the law? Prosecute them and jail them for an eternity; it matters little to me. As a matter of fact, His Majesty would consider it a personal favor if you would lock them up for as long as you see fit, and splash their pictures across the papers. It will give your citizens some satisfaction to know that their honor has been upheld.”

  The inspector and the emissary smiled and bowed. Astrid bowed to them both. She had successfully negotiated a mutually advantageous deal with the Japanese.

  The inspector gave the order to his subordinate to release the prince to Astrid. Astrid considered her next move as she turned to the emissary. “If you will indulge me and keep the prince under guard in less luxurious accommodations than the Chrysanthemum Palace, I would like to continue the state visit and attend the Snow Blossom Festival on behalf of His Majesty.”

  The emissary nodded. “Yes, Lady Willoughby, that can be arranged. Your attendance at the festival would be welcome, and a gesture of friendship between our two nations.”

  “My thoughts exactly.”

  Astrid, the emissary, and the hungover prince were escorted to a limousine, which left the police station immediately and sped through Kyoto. The emissary was deeply involved in a series of phone conversations that Astrid assumed involved her special instructions for the remainder of the prince’s stay in the beautiful and ancient city.

  The prince was groggy, and from the look of his clothes and his face, he had been in a fight and lost. He promptly fell asleep in his corner of the car. Astrid scrolled through the pictures on Planet. Her original assumptions about the pictures still held true under further analysis – a great majority of them were taken by a camera at very close range.

  She sighed. One of the prince’s closest friends was leaking news and pictures to the press. Calling the inspector, she wondered if that was all that they were doing. Could they perhaps even be inducing the prince to behave badly?

  The inspector answered the phone in Japanese. Astrid responded quietly in his language, and then switched to English, checking to ensure that the prince still slept. She had a small request on behalf of the king of Rogandal: she wanted the phones and any electronic devices found on Gunter, Hans, and Ben to be hand-delivered to her personally at the Chrysanthemum Palace, immediately. The inspector promised he would send the items to her suite in half an hour.

  Chapter 6

  The limousine was almost to the palace when Eric came to. Wiping his mouth, he looked at Astrid and then at the emissary.

  “What the hell are you two doing here? Where is everyone?”

  “They aren’t here,” answered Astrid.

  The emissary said nothing as Eric glared at him and said, “What are you grinning at? Where are my friends?”

  Astrid turned her phone to Eric and showed him several of the pictures of the previous night. Her favorite showed him lying in the middle of a ripped rice paper door, clutching a mangled calligraphy picture.

  “Eric, these pictures from last night are already making headlines. Do these places look familiar to you?”

  “What the hell do I care if some waitress takes a few pictures and sells them? It’s a free economy in a capitalist world.”

  Astrid scrolled to pictures of smaller settings, such as the inside of a limousine and even, to her horror, a men’s bathroom. “And these were obviously taken by someone close to you. What do you think about these? Are you fine with that behavior? Being betrayed by your friends for a buck, how about that?”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I want to see my friends now.”

  “You can do that, Your Highness, as soon as they get out of jail.”

  “Jail?”

  Astrid tried not to gloat. After the prince’s deliberate attempts to embarrass her and his nation, not to mention the way he treated his hosts, she found a devilish delight in the simple act of telling him ‘no’ and ruining his day.

  “Your Highness, your father has made arrangements for your release from jail, but not for the treasonous malcontents you call your friends. They will have to stand the charges for their part in last night’s escapades. They are grown men and will find a way to solve their problems – especially as one or all of them are well paid, judging from the pictures that were sold to Planet.”

  Eric’s face turned red. He turned to the emissary and spat, “Stop the car, turn it around and go get my friends. Don’t you know who I am?”

  The emissary stared at Eric without blinking. Astrid answered for him. “He is unable to comply; he’s under orders to guard you and retain you at a facility befitting your station until after the state visit concludes. At that time, he and his armed guards will escort you onto a plane with the understanding that you will not step foot in Japan again in your lifetime, and that you do not represent the royal family of Rogandal here in any capacity.”

  Eric glared at Astrid, fuming. From her vantage point, he resembled a three-year-old boy, mad at the world because his daddy wouldn’t buy him a toy. Astrid no longer cared what he did or said for the remainder of the trip. The damage was done; he had acted contrary to all her wishes. Now he would pay the consequences, and she would use all her charm to salvage the good name of the royal house of Gunborg.

  The limousine arrived at the palace and was met by an armed detachment of law enforcement. The prince’s belongings were already packed, and his luggage waited with a smiling young man at the entrance of the hotel. The emissary assured Astrid that Eric would be in good hands as he left her at the hotel. Astrid walked to her quarters, breathing a sigh of relief. With his friends in jail, their phones confiscated, and Eric under the royal equivalent of house arrest, there would be no further scandal on this trip.

  A servant waited for Astrid at the door of her quarters. He was holding a tray containing a large manila envelope. Astrid requested tea to be sent to her rooms as she dressed for the festival. Holding the envelope in her hand, she walked into her suite.

  Opening the envelope, she dumped the contents on a low wooden table. She was pleased to see that it included several phones, a small camera, and a note written in Japanese and English that contained passcodes. A servant arrived with pot of green tea and a selection of savory light snacks. Ravenous after missing breakfast, she ate hurriedly as she searched the phones.

  She hoped she would be able to retrieve the information she needed without enlisting technical support. If she was selling out her best friend and future sovereign, she would have erased all the files concerning that activity. Luckily, Ben was too careless to have erased any relevant files. As his battery was dying, Astrid saw the evidence she needed to build a case against him.

  On a whim, she wondered about Gunter. She wasn’t sure why Gunter was on her mind, but it was a hunch that deserved a follow-up. She punched in his passcode and scanned his contacts and texts. There were several cryptic texts sent the previous night to a contact listed as unknown. The texts detailed the prince’s activities and included several attached pictures. The pictures were not the same ones published on Planet. She wondered where he was sending that information when her own phone buzzed.

  An angry text from the king mentioned an article that was splashed all over the tabloids in Sweden. A glance on the tabloid’s website confirmed that Gunter was sending information out to a source that was friendly with the Swedish press. Astrid wondered who the middleman was as she responded to the king’s text.

  Your Majesty, all is under control. We will be returning to Hoburg tomorrow. Steps have already been taken to minimize damage. The source of the pictures has been located and terminations/dismissals will be discussed with you upon my return.

  The king responded immediately. Very well.

  The king did not send any further texts, but Astrid picked up Gunter’s phone and sent several of her own.

  The first text she sent included gory and colorfu
l details of the princess’s affair with a chauffeur. She included explicit details and suggested a secret pregnancy. Any tabloid would jump all over that story, which is why she sent a follow-up picture of the prince face down on a tatami mat, with a caption suggesting his sister was with him in Japan and was equally to blame for antics so wild that the pictures were triple-X rated.

  She continued to text false reports of the princess’s involvement in escapades that would garner front page attention and waited for a response. If her hunch was right, the scandals surrounding the princess would never see print or show up on the internet. If Astrid’s hunch was correct, Gunter was working for Eirinia.

  Finding nothing on Hans’s phone, Astrid felt a momentary twinge of guilt that she had left the man in a Japanese jail to fend for himself. Shrugging off the guilt, she remembered that Hans was just as guilty as Gunter and Ben – if not for profiting from his friend’s out-of-control behavior, then for his acquiescence. Eric clearly had a problem. From where Astrid stood, it appeared that not one of his friends, including Hans, had lifted a finger to stop him or get him help.

  Astrid dressed for the Snow Blossom Festival and enjoyed the pageantry and tradition that accompanied the Shinto rites and parades through the streets of Kyoto to the temple. Joining other dignitaries and aristocrats from around the globe, Astrid represented the nation of Rogandal as though she had been born a princess. It was a wonderful experience and one she thoroughly enjoyed.

  The next day, she was joined at the hangar by a prince who was not speaking to her. The flight back to Rogandal was eerily quiet. The prince kept to his room and Astrid relaxed in the lounge, enjoying a well-deserved glass of wine and a book. She had made excellent strides towards saving the reputation of the nation of Rogandal, and she’d put a stopper in two of the largest leaks surrounding the prince and his activities. The fact that she’d left three citizens of Rogandal in the hands of the Japanese authorities was not her problem. They were all grown men with ties and connections to royalty; she was confident they would find a way out of their present dilemma.

  A steward served dinner, and Astrid texted the king that all was well and they would be arriving late that evening. He thanked her and arranged a meeting in the morning. Astrid scanned the Swedish tabloids and the headlines across the globe for any sign or mention of the scandalous stories regarding the princess. Surprisingly, there was not a word mentioned, not a peep.

  Her suspicions were confirmed: Gunter was working directly with the princess, and Astrid still did not discount the possibility that Ben may have been, as well. With Eric’s treacherous friends out of his life and their poisonous influence remedied, she thought he might be able to change and leave all his childishness behind. But he would have to make that decision for himself. At the moment, he was pouting.

  That left the airplane to Astrid – there was no one at cruising altitude to bother her, so she ate dinner in peace and happily indulged in her favorite pastime, reading. Requesting a second glass of wine, she savored every sip as the plane flew high above a myriad of countries, many that she herself had had managed to save from catastrophe.

  * * *

  Astrid unplugged the phones from their chargers and zipped them into a briefcase. She had a meeting with the king in less than twenty minutes and she wanted to be early. Turning the doorknob, she opened the door and was surprised to see the princess in the hallway.

  “Your Highness, what brings you to this part of the palace?” asked Astrid, as she closed the door.

  The princess’s beautiful face was covered in frown lines and a scowl. Astrid realized she was seeing the future face of the princess. Unless the woman learned to smile or stopped frowning, those lines were only a few years from setting in permanently. In a fit of compassion, Astrid nearly said something to the princess regarding the state of her skin, when the princess stopped her in her tracks.

  “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”

  “Your Highness, if I may schedule a meeting with you for this afternoon, or at any other time but now, I have a meeting with your father and I must not be late.”

  “How did your little visit to Japan go? I saw the newspaper headlines.”

  “I think it went very well. Your brother was indisposed for most of the trip but I represented Rogandal and was well received.”

  “Yes, you were. Your upbringing and manners do you and this kingdom credit. Unlike my brother. What an embarrassment he is.”

  As much as Astrid hated to admit it, she quite agreed with Eirinia about Eric, but still she kept her mouth closed. Eirinia was venomous and cold, but she never openly did anything to adversely affect the reputation of her family.

  “Perhaps we could have tea this afternoon?”

  “Yes, Lady Willoughby, I would love that. Meet me in the Solarium at tea time; I believe we have much to discuss.”

  “Thank you, Your Highness, it would be an honor, now if you will excuse me,” said Astrid as she quickly rushed down the corridor, leaving the princess behind.

  As Astrid raced towards the king’s office, she thought about her meeting with Eirinia. It was unlikely the ice princess would suddenly want to be her closest friend and confidant – it was far more likely she wanted something from Astrid. Or perhaps she was aware that her part in the revelations of her brother’s scandalous behavior had been discovered. Astrid knew she would find out soon enough, but she needed to focus her attention on her meeting with the king.

  Arriving outside the office, she had just enough time to take a deep breath before the door opened and a footman nodded for her to come in.

  “Lady Willoughby, please come in and be seated.”

  “Thank you, Your Majesty.”

  The king dismissed the footman and spoke freely once they were alone. “I was impressed by your representation of our nation and this family to my dearest friends in Kyoto. You behaved with poise and decorum and after the other matter is concluded, I may offer you a position representing my interests in other countries.”

  Astrid smiled and responded, “That would be an honor. As you may recall, my mother is from Rogandal and I felt it was my duty to uphold the honor and greatness of your house and your people.”

  “If only my son felt as you do! Any chance I could adopt you?” King Eric laughed. “If only it was that simple.”

  “Your Majesty, you flatter me.” Astrid turned the conversation to the matter at hand, and placed the briefcase on the desk between them. “I have information you may find interesting regarding the arrest of Eric’s closest friends.” Unlocking her briefcase, Astrid removed the cell phones and powered them on, scrolling to the evidence in their memories. “If I may sir, I would like to take this opportunity to debrief you on the Japan trip and what I have discovered regarding the leaks inside his inner circle.”

  The king reached for the phones and scrolled through the pictures as she explained to him what she knew about his son’s escapades.

  “Your Majesty, there are some parts of this debriefing that may be uncomfortable.”

  “Yes, Lady Willoughby, do not insulate me from the truth. That has happened far too much, I fear,” said the king, frowning at a picture of his son the hero waving money at a geisha like a stripper. “Disgraceful. Please continue.”

  “The moment we arrived in Kyoto, your son and his friends polished off a bottle of single malt valued at more than the per capita income of Denmark.”

  The king shook his head and continued scrolling as he listened to Astrid.

  “By the time we reached the Chrysanthemum Palace, they were well on their way to being inebriated. Despite repeated attempts to remind him of his duty to you, his people, and the gracious Japanese hosts, your son decided that he would rather spend his time in Kyoto ”on the town,” as he put it. I decided that I would represent Rogandal without him or his companions. I continued through the tour and the gala dinner, and your son and his friends chose to do something else entirely.”

  “Judging from these p
ictures, I can only imagine what that must have been,” said the king.

  “Precisely. From what I can piece together and what details Inspector Tanaka supplied, it would appear that Eric, Ben, Hans, and Gunter went bar hopping, and then were entertained in several hostess cafés before ending their night in Gion, destroying several priceless calligraphies. They also destroyed more than one rice paper door panel, embarrassed notable artisans, and insulted geisha, the citizens of Kyoto, and the imperial family. They may even have been responsible for the destruction of a one-of-a-kind kimono displayed at a geisha house in Gion.”

  “And the part where they ended up in jail?”

  “That part was entirely up to the police department in Kyoto. I negotiated with an emissary of the imperial family and the inspector for your son and for the restored prestige of this house, at a cost. His friends were a different matter altogether.”

  The king looked at Astrid with a quizzical expression on his face. “How are they a different matter, and why did you leave them in Kyoto?”

  “Those pictures you are seeing on that gray phone were taken by Ben, who then forwarded them to the multinational, hugely popular news agency, Planet. The black phone you have sitting on the desk in front of you belongs to Gunter. He also sent different pictures and a story that ended up splashed all over Swedish tabloids, brokered by a third party.”

  The king rolled his eyes and groaned. “A third party, the Swedish press? Let me guess.”

  “Your Majesty, I believe you already know the answer. I suspect your daughter’s involvement.”

  “And Hans, himself a member of my court? Why is he still in jail?”

  “If I may suggest so, he is guilty of inaction. Neither he nor any of your son’s friends have attempted to rein in Eric’s behavior. Instead they encouraged it, and two were clearly profiting from it. Hans, I don’t care what his angle was – he did nothing to stop it, either. From here on out, may I suggest that your son be forbidden to associate with these men? They are not his friends, but well-heeled vultures.”