SEVENTY – I’m your Prince Charming

Jellina was back with them before they could finish.

“That’s why I’ve always believe,” MiJin continued, “there has to be a Prince Charming.”

“Mijin, there’s no one out there waiting to rescue you.  If so, he certainly wasn’t there when you got caught on the Southside.”

“You just haven’t found him yet,” said Mijin.

“Then neither have you,” said Jellina. “Though, Arous seems to be doing a good job of having them lined-up.”

“Lined-up?”

“Yeah,” said Mijin.  “There’s Simon, Captain Hodges-Baire.”

“Then,” said Jellina. “There’s Jude. He may not be a Captain in the Spartan Guard but he wouldn’t have to work for it like Simon, if he wanted it.  His father is a MOTA.”

“I didn’t know his father was a Member of the Assembly,” Mijin said cocking her head.

“He’s about to become Ambassador Canadí.  They’re announcing it at the Ambassador’s Ball.”

“Ambassador?” asked Arous.

“Ambassador is third in command, so to speak. It’s Ephor, Minister of Security, which we don’t have one right now, then Ambassador.  He’ll be 2^nd in command only to Ricci,” said MiJin.

“Jude talks about you all the time,” said Jellina.

“Jude and I are just friends,” said Arous.

“You said that a little too defensively,” said Jellina with a mocking smile. “A lot of people don’t know it, but he works for Ricci too.”

“That’s not true,” said MiJin but Jellina just ignored her.

“Just between us,” said Jellia. “They say he’s a sort of private body guard to Ricci.  You wouldn’t know it by looking at him.  He just looks sort of, normal. He kind of just blends in.”

“Blend in,” muttered Arous.

“What?” asked Jellina.

“Nothing.  Just something Simon said to me.  He wants me to just blend in at the Ambassador’s Ball.”

“I hate to disappoint him but with that skin of your’s we’re going to play that up.”

“I agree,” said Mijin.  “No blending in for you. Besides, with two Prince Charmings, if Simon doesn’t like it, you can always go with Jude.”

“I’m your Prince Charming ,” purred Siobhan’s sonorous voice.

Siobhan slid through the door with a hat and a long coat and boots with spurs. Shocked laughter erupted from Jellina and Mijin.  Arous went white.

“Check this out. It’s all the rage. It’s called a ‘cowboy’ hat. And, these are ‘cowboy’ boots.”

“Where did you get those? Nice.” Mijin tried on the hat.

Arous sat down in stunned silence. She grew pale with heat eating at her stomach.

“I was walking here and passed some man dressed up like some kind of mythological Desperado. I said, ‘Here, I’ll give you all this for your hat and coat.’ He said, ‘No, need, take it. And the boots, too.’ The he just walked away without any shoes.” Siobhan mocked his barefoot walk and the girls all laughed.

“What did he look like?” Arous’ voice was almost inaudible.

“I don’t know. Tall. Like you’d think a Desperado would look.”

“What did he look like?” asked Arous again.

“Are you okay?” Mijin moved close to Arous who was sitting on the floor.

“What did he look like?” asked Arous.

“I don’t know. Regular,” said Siobhan.

“His face, what did it-” said Arous.

“I don’t know. Normal, nondescript.”