In Which Anna Is Still Not the Princess

July 16, 1179

"...and guess who he asked?" Mona paused, as if she did expect a venture, but Anna didn't see the need. There was only ever one answer to that question in that tone. "Me!"

She'd half-laughed the reveal, bouncing about with such giddiness that Anna feared she may faint. She didn't think she'd seen Mona so excited since... well, ever, really. Where Mona had grown up, at least the way she seemed to see it, there'd never been anything worth getting excited about. Robbing her of that would be a whole new level of cruel.

"Well? What do you think? Do you mind if I go?"

Anna ground her teeth in an attempt not to sigh. She wanted to say that she didn't, that she was happy for her... but the entire charade, however long it lasted and however it ended, was dependent on Mona's presence. If Mona were to leave and Anna were discovered, that would be the end of it; she would be locked up in the dungeon as a fraud, if not hung for some obscure treason. The way Devidra would see it, Anna was a common servant aspiring to steal her throne from beneath her frequently-flared nostrils, Mona being nothing more than the other wronged party, Adrius's rightful betrothed. So long as Mona wasn't here to explain otherwise, Anna's word wasn't worth a pair of old socks.

Why did the whole new level of cruel also have to be a whole new level of impractical? "I, uh... I realize that you want this, but..."

"Yes, yes, the whole thing. I've already taken care of it."

Anna blinked. Mona was a creature of spontaneity, a dreamer of sudden reckless schemes initiated immediately and without further thought. To plan in advance was a break in the pattern. Either she was losing her mind--doubtful--or she had adjusted to suit her needs. Or maybe she'd just said it and Anna was a fool for considering otherwise. "Um... how, exactly?"

"Simple. I wrote a note. If anything happens, just give it to Devidra."

Simple indeed. "Uh... kind of too simple. As far as she knows, I could have forged it."

"Wrong!" Grinning like a maniac, Mona clapped once and twirled about, something Anna would have never guessed she'd ever see her do. Ever. "You've been teaching her ladies in waiting how to read and write, haven't you?"

Eh? "Yes..."

"So they've all seen your handwriting." Another clap, smile swelling to the point where her head ought to have burst. "And a while before we came her, my father made me write to Adrius, so he's seen mine. If Devidra thinks it's a forgery, just have Adrius confirm it as Princess Ramona's handwriting and have the ladies confirm that it's not yours."

"What if I just painstakingly copied yours?"

"Could you?"

Well, that was a different question entirely. "You press so hard that you tear every third sheet and you dot your i's with stars. Besides, you've seen how I draw; I can't copy a stick figure."

"Exactly. If they ask, demonstrate that--and even if they're not convinced, they should at least have enough conflicting evidence to hold you for questioning until I get back." God. She wasn't allowed to win this argument, was she? Mona was still the princess. If things were to be done, they would be done her way, regardless of who happened to be wearing the nicer dress. "So... I can go, right?"

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