Malchus

“What are you doing?” Carthalo demands as I start to strip off the rest of my clothes in an effort to impress Delphine.

“Wrestling nude so I can show off my muscles. And the hog.”

He grimaces at my crude euphemism. “Keep your underpants on, you’re not wrestling naked.”

“But once Delphine sees my—”

“Whatever you’re imagining, it’s not going to happen like that. Some of these thirsty old ladies might get excited for your hog, but if you whip that thing out in front of a virgin, she’ll scream or faint—or, knowing Delphine, just laugh at you.”

“Laugh?” I’m simultaneously affronted and mortified. “What are you talking about?” I demand, looking down self-consciously. “The hog’s a work of art.”

“Look, I don’t need you getting yourself executed for exposing yourself to the princess. Just do us all a favor and keep your shorts on, alright?” 

I’m disappointed. There went half my appeal with this wrestling stunt. I wasn’t just looking forward to showing off my impressive equipment, but my powerful hips and buttocks as well.

Oh, well. At least she’ll get to see me wrestle oiled up with most of my clothes off. That’s got to impress her at least a little bit.

My opponents come at me one at a time, and I hold nothing back. My skills are unmatched, and one after another I leave them in crumpled heaps at my feet, much to the thrill of the spectators. But I could care less about their applause. My eyes are only for Delphine.

She’s coming this way after my last victory. I straighten, glistening with sweat in the light of sunset, careful to show off my body to its fullest advantage without seeming like I’m trying too hard.

The princess stops in front of me with her nose in the air. To her lady in waiting, she comments loudly so I can hear.

“Do you smell that? What is that foul unwashed scent?”

“Ha,” I answer with a triumphant grin, chest heaving slightly after my exertion. “You’re not getting me with that one. I took a bath this morning, I’ll have you know.”

“You reek of sweat.”

“That’s the sweat of a real man. What’s the matter, Princess?” I taunt her. “My pure alpha male pheromones too much for you?”

She scoffs, then casts a sideways glance to my fallen opponents.

“Isn’t it sad, Lois?” she shakes her head disapprovingly. “I can’t believe Father would allow a wild orangutan to abuse his own soldiers like this.”

“Who are you calling an orangutan?!”

“You, you hairy orange ape! Are you even human? I’ve never seen so much body hair in my life, you’re disgusting!”

“You—spoiled little princess!”

This scrapper is anything but. She comes straight for me in a tackle while Lois struggles to hold her back. I rush to meet her, thinking I’ll strangle that pretty neck of hers for real when suddenly Carthalo puts out a hand and grips a fistful of my curling back hair, stopping me in my tracks.

“Yow!”

My high pitched scream echoes across the courtyard and Delphine stops fighting Lois. Her dazzling teal eyes widen at the sound and she snorts with hilarity.

Humiliated, I spin in my fury, thinking I’ll level Carthalo with a punch, only to have my oiled up foot slip on a flagstone and send me tumbling backwards so I land on the ground belly up.

The crowd’s laughter rings through the air, though I hardly hear it as Delphine’s face appears suddenly above mine. She’s bending over me, her gorgeous laughing face filling my vision, making my heart jump up and down in my throat.

“I know all this posturing of yours has to end eventually, but I’m starting to think I’m going to miss watching you make a fool of yourself every day, Prince Malchus.”

“Say it again.”

“Say what?”

I swallow. “My name.”

The girl colors, and the pink in her cheeks only makes her eyes sparkle more. She rights herself with a little huff and spins to march off, leaving her lady in waiting to scramble after her. 

I’m already up, ready to follow when Carthalo catches me again.

“Let her go.”

I glare at him, tempted to rip his head off, but my old friend’s eyes narrow knowingly.

“You’ve finally caught her interest. Now we’ll create some distance. Let her stew over you for a while. Trust me,” he says when I’m about to protest.

“This is how we’ll get her.” 

Giorgos

Time has passed with dizzying speed since the trade prince announced his indefinite stay. Already we’re nearing the night of the full moon, and Delphine’s transformation.

“Delphine!” I chase my daughter down in the hall. She’s been so busy recently with kingdom affairs, it’s been difficult to get her alone.

“Father?”

“Have breakfast with me, Child. It’s been too long.”

“Alright,” she smiles happily.  

Relieved, I lead her out to the veranda. Over a meal of olive bread, cheese and strong coffee, I probe her subtly about her recent sudden and rather alarming interest in taking on bigger portions of kingdom administration. 

“I thought it was time I took a more hands-on approach with my subjects. Everyone in the palace seems to be under some misconception that you’ve been the one running everything, Father.”

I clear my throat. “I thought we’d decided to let it appear that way for a reason. So long as people are looking to me, no one will notice when you disappear for two weeks out of the month.”

“I can’t do it anymore, Father. I can’t take the blatant disrespect. I am the crown princess and will be treated with the dignity I am due. Already I’ve had to fire seven administrators for their insolence.”

“I’m aware,” I cringe slightly.

“Really,” she’s getting heated now, gesturing wildly with her hands, “you’d think it was a conspiracy to undermine my authority on purpose. Just because I can’t sit in on every court session…”

“I understand your frustration, Darling, I truly do. But we must be practical. After all,” I remind her again, “you can only be present at court two weeks out of the month. If they get too used to seeing you, it will only raise questions about your absence later.”

Delphine makes a face. She’s upset, looks ready to cry with frustration.

“This damned curse. It’s taken over my entire life. If I don’t break it soon—”

“I haven’t stopped searching. If there’s a way, we’ll find it. I promise.”

Her eyes soften with relief and gratitude as she reaches across the table to grip my hand.

“Thank you, Father. I don’t know how I’d have managed all this time without you.”

“Never mind that,” a fake smile comes easily, a pretend look of fondness. No one acts the part of a doting father better than I do. “Of course, I understand your being frustrated with the lack of respect you’ve been receiving in the palace. I’ll speak with the remaining and future administrators for you and make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

“Actually, I was thinking I might hire my own administrators.”

I tense, teeth creaking slightly as I grit them in irritation. Since when did my daughter care so much about running the country? She was always happy to do the minimal amount of work and leave things to me before.

No, Delphine hasn’t changed. It’s just that I’ve grown too complacent. In the end, she’s still the same spoiled, easily distracted airhead. I just need to up my game, provide her with bigger and better distractions so she’ll happily leave the country to me.

“The hiring process is long and tedious. Let me sift through the applicants for you. It will streamline the process for you and ensure you get to see only the best candidates.”

She brightens at my suggestion. Yes, for as much as she cares about Sanos, she really doesn’t like to wade through monotonous work. So long as I make her believe that’s all I’m handling, she’ll happily delegate her roles to me.

All I have to do is keep her happy in the meantime, and we can get this country back on track the way it’s meant to be run. With me at the helm, and my genius daughter serving me faithfully behind the scenes.

“Now, you’ve been working very hard lately, and soon you’ll return to the sea. You deserve some time off.”

“Oh, but I was going to head down to the harbor and do inventory on the grain tax to make sure these Rorthaginians aren’t taking more than their fair share.”

“That’s a job for one of our chamberlains, not the crown princess. I’ll delegate someone to the task.”

“But—” 

“Did I mention we just got in a new Thoroughbred from the southern coast?”

Delphine’s eyes light up excitedly. “It’s been ages since I’ve been riding!”

“You should give her a try, let me know if she was worth the price I paid. She’s down in the stables, just waiting to be ridden.”

 “Oh, I can’t wait!” she exclaims, and practically leaps up from the table to dash off in her excitement. As I watch her go, my smile trades slowly for a scowl.

My only daughter. Her role in my kingdom is an important one. Her abilities are incredibly valuable to me, and so I don’t want to lose her as a tool.

But if she ceases to be of use to me, if she continues to show this willful side and present a challenge to my authority…

Well, no tool is irreplaceable.