“I apologize for the abrupt change in topic, but I’ve a rather important matter I’d like to ask you about.”
Abrupt was an understatement, but Reinald didn’t seem to mind.
“You’ve met my younger brother Emil already. Thanks to your support, he’s currently enrolled at school here. He’s far more suited to sports than he is to study, and it’s possible that even swordsmanship lies in his future.”
“An interest in the martial arts is a good thing,” commented Reinald. “And how wonderful that you do not share your sister’s two left hands and two left feet. I look forward to seeing you growing into a fine warrior in your own right.”
Really, Reinald? Did you really have to mention my clumsiness?
“Yes, well, that’s my brother,” I said. “And actually, it was Emil who first found our dog.”
“Ah, yes, I heard about that from Wendel. I seem to remember him saying something like ‘If my stepmother picks up stray humans, what right does she have to complain about a stray cat or dog?’”
“Ugh. He brought you right up to speed, then.”
Just what exactly were you even talking about?
Anyway, moving right along...
I cleared my throat.
“We started raising Jill with the intent of making her our guard dog. She’s adorable and somewhat unruly, but she likes people perhaps a tad too much, and she wants to make friends with anyone and everyone. As cute as that may be, I can’t help but worry about her ability to protect young Emil.”
Jill was getting rather big, but the puppy in her still hadn’t left yet. Like I said, it was unbearably cute, but it also meant that, well, she just loved everybody. We hadn’t actually realized how big she was going to get when we found her, but you could tell by the size of her feet that she still had lots of room to grow. And while everybody in the house had experience raising pets, none had experience training guard dogs. As such, I asked Reinald if perhaps he could introduce us to a trusted trainer. He barely needed more than a few seconds to think about it.
“Nika knows an experienced trainer,” he said, “though they’re not strictly a dog specialist.”
“In which case, I’ll get in touch with them,” said Nika. “I expect they’ll be open to the idea.”
“Thank you so much,” I said. “I’d also like Emil to be there to watch. Do you think that’s possible?”
“Your brother too?”
Emil had looked somewhat shocked since I brought the topic up, but now his eyes went wide with disbelief.
“Jill is Emil’s sidekick, and he, her master. I’d like very much for him to learn how to keep her under control.”
Jill was friendly with everybody, but closest to Emil. She hadn’t forgotten that he had picked her up in the first place, and so he was like a parent to her. In times of danger, she would no doubt move to protect him, but he was the one who had to command her, so to speak. It was something I’d been thinking about, and in bringing it up here, I was glad to see things smoothly working toward a solution. Emil chose this time to make a comment of his own.
“Sis, Jill is friendly with people, of course, but she’s also a good judge of character.”
“I know what you’re trying to say. I know that you’re as important to her as she is to you, but that’s all the more reason for the two of you to learn to work together. That time will not go to waste, I assure you.”
I could so, so easily imagine a future in which Jill was allowed to run wild. So while it wasn’t imperative, as such, I did want to find an opportunity for Jill to undergo the proper training.
At this point, I saw fit to heave a great sigh.
“Speaking of which, I’ve heard that Jill is in the habit of hiding toys,” I lamented. “Where’s she hiding them of late? A little teddy bear that made a home in my room has recently gone missing.”
“Oh, uh...? I think Ben knows...?” muttered Emil.
The disappearance of a soft toy was clearly news to him.
“So she takes them outside, then? Oh dear, that pup might well be the death of me...”
Emil looked confused, because of course he did—I was lying. But that didn’t mean that something wasn’t hidden out there.
“Jill is still very young and playful,” I said to Emil, “and we won’t be able to start any training soon. We’ll also need some time to prepare, so just keep it all in mind, please.”
“Got it. Will that be all?”
“Yes, you can go, but make sure you’re here to see off our guests when they leave.”
“Okay,” said Emil, turning to Reinald. “It was an honor to meet you, Prince Reinald.”
Emil and Jill then left. “What was the whole point of that conversational detour?” you may be asking. Well...
“I think I’d like to feel the wind on my face,” I announced. “Sir Reinald, would you mind joining me outside in the garden? And if you’re so inclined, I’d love for you to join us, Nika.”
Whateley and Geoff understand instinctively that I wanted a private conversation. I looked out the window to the wide rectangular space that was our back garden. It was rather spacious for homes of this type, and Ben had worked wonders on it. A small pathway led to a flower garden at the back, and I scanned the area until I found what I was looking for—some shrubs by the flowers.
We left the house and met with a cool breeze. It was cloudy above, and the sky threatened rain.
“I daresay that’s the best place for a dog to hide a toy, don’t you think?” I said.
“Karen, I don’t suppose you’d share your thoughts with us, would you?” asked Reinald.
“Ah yes, let’s talk on the way. Thank you for indulging me earlier with all the guard dog business.”
“I gather that Ern’s secrets are not a topic you want your brother hearing.”
“Indeed. It’s perhaps selfish on my part, but I don’t want the family concerned with this. They might think my behavior a little odd, but what they don’t know won’t hurt them.”
“Ah, so that’s why you had to bring up something so unrelated.”
“If I’d asked Emil where Jill hides her things—and the things of others—he’d have been intrigued, and all the more if I looked entirely serious when I did it. It was important that I make it sound very matter-of-fact, lest things get out of hand.”
I couldn’t say this to Reinald, but I did wish that I could have introduced Emil to him not as my brother, but as the individual he was with all his potential. In the future, he would work as my brother’s right hand, and with the imperial crown prince and princess in opposition at present, the future was anything but certain. There were no shortage of success stories among young men who could not inherit their family businesses, and I hoped to open some doors to young Emil. Jill’s training was, in truth, something I’d only thought of vaguely in and among it all. For now, it was enough that Emil was here with me—I’d make inroads for him as long as my name had some clout.
“Ern’s mother told me to search the dog’s hidey-hole. She whispered it to me.”
She’d passed the message when we’d toppled to the ground. At first, it struck me as perplexing that she even knew about our dog—I couldn’t work out why she would have even brought that up. But when she’d uttered the words “A message from her,” everything clicked into place.
I knew that Ern’s parents would have heard at least something from their daughter. And when I put some more thought into the message I’d been given, it wasn’t hard to work it out. And when I’d somewhat flippantly mentioned Jill hiding things in Emil’s presence, I’d gotten my answer.
“It was only a short message, but it was enough,” I continued. “It didn’t take long for me to understand that Ern’s mother was talking about Jill. Ern was always doting on the pup, after all.”
“They’d just lost their daughter mere days ago. I would have thought they’d be far too distraught to manage such a ruse just to get a message to you.” mused Reinald.
“It’s nigh unbelievable. I very much doubt that I could have done the same.”