"Your goal of obtaining the crown, (Patreon)

focus on for instance," Sam suggested.  "Or the Duchess defeating."

"Don't try to change the subject," I snapped.  "What was your role in all of this?"

"Almost nothing," Sam stammered.

"Baloney!" I snapped.  "Weren't you Minister of Funtimes at the Embassy?  You had to have known what was going on."

"Lie, elves do not," he insisted as he backed away from Estvan and me.

"We were aware of some Vulpitanian plotting," the trees rustled all around us.  "But since coming here we've learned much that has surprised us.  If the Adoyret tries to escape, we guarantee he won't get far."

"Sure an yer trapped, boyo," Estvan remarked.  "So ye'd best start talkin'."

"Honest," Sam pleaded.  "Spiritual adviser my role was, not strategic planner!  Only to get out of Lengra Cha I wanted!"

"Sure an' All is Ham, lad," Estvan sneered.  "Surely with yer ham-seein' oye ye perceived much that would've escaped a lesser fox's notice."

"Yes, and why I am here that is," Sam declared.  "Follow The Plan we did, but most undesirable the consequences are!  Read the fine print, we did not!  Sucks now, Faerie does!  Reclaim the throne Adler must, so here to train him I am."

"Is that part of the Plan too?" I asked.

"Without Vulpitanian orders, on my own I am acting," Sam assured me.  "In a shambles the Republic is.  Your greatest present threat the Duchess is."

"The Duchess," I scoffed.  "I used to be told scary stories about her when I was an elflet, and everybody says she's Unseelie, but I've met her and the whole thing seems like an act.  Is she really as dangerous as all that?"

"IS SHE AS DANGEROUS AS ALL THAT??" Estvan repeated in amazement.  "Sure, oi'll forgive yer ignorance since the Antglade Rebellion was long before yer toime, but yer lettin her Wiles get the better of ye.  Catherine's as beautiful as she is evil, which incloines a lad to forget the worst of what she's done.  She'll stop at nothin' to get what she wants, an she cares but little who gets hurt along the way.  She gave you the Plague o' Battles afther all, fully expectin' ye to use it.  Plus, she an' her followers have long been known for preyin' on lowfolk in a most un-amusin' manner.  Take a look at this."

He pulled an Antglade Tales scroll out of his Elfintory and unrolled it so I could see the introductory panel.

"These were produced by Arch during the War, so they're sloightly propagandized, but still factually accurate."

"Is that Jane, the Lowfolk Femme?" I asked, examining the vixen in the picture.

"Aye, tis a fictional account based on true events.  Seein' their beloved Jane subjected to every manner o' Antglade Unseeliness roiled up our troops somethin' fierce.  Really boosted their foightin' spirit.  There were several scrolls in the series .." he produced a few more from his Elfintory.  "This one's about Slavery, and we also have Cannibalism, The Drink That Kills, an' Cousin Kissin'."

"Can I borrow those?" I asked.  "I'd like to study them in greater detail when I am at leisure to spend some time with them."

"Sorry lad, but they're very rare," Estvan refused.

"But oi can tell ye all about it, for oi was there!" he continued, after replacing the scrolls in his Elfintory.  "Twas one o' me own beetle-breedin' projects that turned the toide o' the war an' assured victory fer the Empire.  Oi was there when she murdhered her husband-brother, the Duke o'Daisies, in his own bed, usin' a deadly noightshade potion an' a cheese grater!"

"Great Fuma!" I gasped.  "You saw it happen?"

"Well, no, oi didn't witness it directly, BUT OI WAS THERE!!  Meanin' oi was in the general vicinity o' the castle an' oi heard the screams.  Sure an they say it was supposed to be part o' some dark roite to call up powers from the Netherhells to help her cause.  They also say there was nothin' left o' the Duke but his teeth, which the Duchess wore as a necklace in battle aftherward.  Begorrah but she fought loike a wildcat from then on!  She could tell the war was turnin' against her, afther oi started bringin' down her strong towers an' keeps.  She would clutch the string o' teeth an' scream loike a banshee .. somethin' about Vortigern, which was odd since the Duke's name was Clyde.  Anyhow, her plans were all goin' awry, an she wanted me blood, bedad!  Still does!  Blames me fer the whole thing!"

"You see," Sam muttered at me, "why a higher priority stopping the Duchess is than subduing Vulpitania?"

"I can't do either one while I'm trapped here," I moped.

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