As Adolph sat in the coach with Hoopoe he went over the letter in his head. ...In my house a sister killed a brother, and a brother killed a sister. No one is above suspicion. Her Majesty.

Hoopoe reached over and fixed a button on his frock coat. She could tell he was still sulking over the news of investigating the grand prince by the way he stared into his hat. She patted his hand. "Adolphus Peerless, why are you so nervous?"

"It's a delicate situation. I want it to go right. Most everyone thought the grand prince would take the throne, yet his majesty has brought up some unknown. Now, here we are chasing after the grand prince to soothe the queen mother's fears."

"Would she fear her own child? I thought he was unfit."

"No monarch has ever slept easy. My grandfather used to put us to sleep with stories of kings killed by their sons and princes killed by their mothers."

"Who could sleep after that?"

Adolph chuckled. "I just want to make the right choice."

"No one expects you to be perfect."

"They would have expected it of my grandfather."

"But you are not Solstice Peerless."

The coach stopped and Adolph opened the door. There was a scent of hickory in the air as the crisp breeze teased the red-headed canopy of the oaks. A flock of robins rustled in the grass, dressed in handsome brown and gossiping about their fashionable red breasts. Square Park was vast, colorful and tranquil, but on this day, it was void of people. This day was reserved for the prince.

Adolph and Hoopoe approached where his royal highness was set up. The pergola was draped with sheer curtains. Palace guards surrounded it, each with his weapon over his shoulder. Flags fluttered in the cool breeze and the laughter of women and men floated out of the silken shelter.

When the guard announced them, Choi Yoon-gi stopped playing with his ladies and manservants and promptly took a seat. "Welcoming to Deciduous County, Your Honor. Isn't Flemingburg beautiful?"

Adolph and Hoopoe bowed.

"Who have you brought with you?"

Adolph looked at the curtain. He could make out the faint outline of the prince bobbing around. "This is my wife Duchess Hoopoe."

"Your wife. She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I have seen many women, Judge Peerless. The women I have with me today were handpicked for their beauty. Did you know each one is named after the calendar? And I didn't have to do it myself, it just happened."

Adolph tried making sense of the jargon. "The grand prince must have good fortune."

Choi Yoon-gi laughed. "So, Adolph Peerless, why have you come to speak to me today? You could have come into the palace."

"Your Royal Highness has run away from the palace."

Choi Yoon-gi and his assembly laughed. "What do you want to know? I'm busy."

"I want to know about your brother, King Choi Yoon-su. It must be difficult with his passing."

"It is not easy to explain. I have been expecting his death for so long, now that it has happened it is no more than a bird flying away. Besides, I hadn't seen him in years."

"But once you were close?"

"As good as royal siblings can be. We were often separated, but Choi Yoon-su could be fun when we got away. He hid snacks in his sleeve and warned me never to tease Court Lady Ma."

"Your Royal Highness also kept his secrets," Adolph said.

"Does that make me a good brother?"

"You knew he had converted to Hinduism, yet never used this to gain favor with your mother."

"Enough!" Choi Yoon-gi stood. "You've gone too far, Adolphus Peerless."

Adolph bowed. "I should be punished."

"Pretentious." Choi Yoon-gi stepped out of the curtain. Youthful, he was small in stature with a shine to his cheeks like butter. "I like you. But at last, what you say is neither here nor there. Choi Yoon-su was curious about faith. I suppose he was searching for the end he liked most."

"You loved his majesty."

Silence.

"Does my mother think I would have harmed Choi Yoon-su? Tell her we are...were not like her generation."

"Not quite it. When was the last time you spoke to your brother?"

"He did not write to me recently. I figured he had become too ill to hold a pen. With this mandate I guess I was wrong. I wish I could have seen Kim Seo-jun's face when he heard the news; king in a matter of minutes."

"I am sure he is in mourning, Your Royal Highness."

Choi Yoon-gi scoffed. "Choi Yoon-su considered my feelings. So, I do not mourn, I rejoice. I will never be king. I will never be anyone's pig to slaughter."

Adolph noticed the tears brimming in his eyes and the end of his nose turning red. He exchanged glances with Hoopoe. "Thank you, Your Royal Highness. We won't take up anymore of your time." They bowed and turned to go.

Choi Yoon-gi stepped down from the pergola and came after them. "Adolph, if ever you're not too busy it would please me if we might play chess sometime."

Adolph glanced at Hoopoe. He folded his hands. "Thank you, Your Royal Highness."

Choi Yoon-gi skipped back to his game.

Adolph looped arms with Hoopoe. "Let it out."

Hoopoe chuckled. "My poor husband."

"What a pest. I hate chess."

"Adolph, have mercy. It is likely he lost not only a brother but his only friend. I also pity Kim Seo-jun. How could he possibly be prepared for this?"

"Well, there were not many options to leave the throne to. It may seem unfair, but it is part of the responsibility of his birth."

"Is that the Peerless in you talking or the judge? You do not need to tell me what is fair."

"Perhaps the judge would have found a suitable heir a long time ago."

Hoopoe took his hand and they walked on.

****

With the windows raised, a breeze swept through the room where Peregrine napped on the sofa that occupied part of the large space. The piece had matching chairs and a complimenting white tea table. The walls of the room were sage like the furniture accented by white curtains and shelves in the corners. The room also possessed a hearth on which's mantel resided photographs of the family and worldly trinkets.

Peregrine's eyes opened when he felt a familiar hand touch his face. As the haze of sleep melted away, he saw his wife's form standing before him with a cup of tea.

"Am I still handsome, wife."

"Yes, husband you are."

"I am tapped dry."

Faida gave him his tea. "This ought to nourish you." She sat on the arm of the sofa, a habit she had picked up for being such a small woman.

"It's hard to rest with so much left undone. Everyone wants a piece of Peregrine. Everyone wants to gain the favor of some minister or attach himself to some bureau all for the sake of the family name. Am I any different? My ancestors would turn in their graves if I brought it down."

"I think your son is a little too convinced of this. He's always been too eager to walk exactly in your father's footsteps. It is a task that will never be done."

"Adolph? The boy will be fine."

"He's not a boy anymore, Peregrine."

"He's just dedicated to his work. His employees respect him for it."

Faida shook her head.

"Everyone wants someone on the throne that will best benefit them. I fear chaos."

"Oh, all those officials and lords and oligarchs are pulling out their hair. They've been waiting for this, but no one wants to lose his life."

Peregrine smiled. "General's daughter."

"My father has his own royal schemer to contend with. Since the soldiers were ambushed, he has not slept. He pressures me to catch the spy that betrayed them. I pressure myself."

"It has not come to us what regiment was lost."

"I gathered that some men were from the Windward Regiment. However, there seemed to have been a mix up of where the armies should be. There are men missing from various companies."

"Obi's son is responsible for that regiment."

"He was not among the dead. A clear report should reach the palace by and by. You must keep watch, Peregrine Bak Haneul is going to use the vulnerable time to attack. He is clever and certainly has help on the inside."

"We will find this person. Will you see the children before you go back?" Peregrine said.

"No. It will be too hard to say goodbye. But I wish you would do more than just occupy yourself with her majesty's wishes. You should pay call to an old friend."

"Most live too far. Besides these days you visit a man, and they think you're forming a faction."

"Let them. Let your enemies reveal themselves. Clearly, they feel threatened by your talents."

"They need not be."

"Peregrine. Does it matter if the zookeeper says the tiger is tame as long as it still has teeth?" She kissed his temple

Peregrine smiled and drank his tea. His mind tangled with thoughts.