"The Prince!" Aseära was the first to break out of the shocked state, the Susrette who helped Torva pick her jaw off the floor
"How did you get to meet Prince Hator?" Aseära asked
"The Prince!" Torva exclaimed, finally coming to it.
"Oh, do spill Aslana" Aseära urged.
"I mean, the actual Crown Prince of Reig, one of the richest kingdoms of the south" Torva said, still not believing her ears
"Well, I didn't know he was the Prince when I met him at first" Aslana started
"I mean, the Prince Hator, that is the most eligible bachelor from the south!" Torva was nearly shrieking their ears off at this point.
"My ears, Torva" complained Susrette who was closest to Torva and got the most of her loudness, as she closed her ears.
"Sorry, my bad" Torva apologized looking sheepish, "But really, we are talking about the handsome Prince of Reig that is currently in this castle right now, that Prince right?"
"Yes Torva, I believe, we have stated that point enough" Aslana said, somewhat regretting opening up to them about her private life with the beau, she has never really liked being the center of discussions like this.
"Oh, stop distracting us Torva, Aslana was just about telling us how she did meet the Prince" Aseära whined.
"Apologies, my lady"
"It's alright"
"How do you know so much about Reig and the south? I never even knew they had a prince before now" Susrette said
"And you are from the north, if I recall correctly" Aseära added, wondering as well with Torva's unfounded knowledge of the south and the Prince Hator.
"And you have spent all your life in this castle, Torva" Aslana added as well, coming closer to Torva, "What do you know about Prince Hator being the most eligible bachelor from the richest kingdom in the south?"
Seeing as the attention of the room was now on her, Torva was no longer the over excited shrieking girl she was a couple of minutes ago. The room was beginning to feel hot or was it just her?
"What? Is it a crime for a girl have knowledge of things happening outside the castle?" Torva asked back, defensive
"Torva?" Aslana pressed, coming threateningly closer, knowing Torva was hiding something.
"Wait, wait, it really is nothing," with her hands raised to stop Aslana from coming closer, she rushed out, "I just happen to have a friend who works at the castle of the King of Reig"
"Really?" Aseära asked
"Oh" Aslana simply said, probably that was not what she was expecting
"I just did not want to tell because, we keep correspondence in secret and visit whenever he is in town"
"So that is where you used to sneak off to when you ask me to cover for you, I thought you were going to see your aunt" Susrette said, connecting dots
"Wait, he is a 'he'?" Aseära said, stating what needed to be stated
"Is he your Beau, Torva?!" the Lady asked
Torva looked caught.
"No, no, nothing like that, my lady" Torva said, though the heightening color on her cheek said otherwise. "He is just a friend"
Before they could ask Torva any more questions or let Aslana get back to how she met Prince Hator, a guard knocked on the door informing them that the Darklord seeks his wife as they are soon to seat at luncheon with the guests.
"Ah, I suppose it's time to go fool a Prince then" Aseära said once the guard had left her door, as she turned to face the girls, giving Aslana once last check over.
"I think maybe we should just forget the plan, my lady" Aslana said, looking nervous.
"What did you say?" Aseära asked, taking a step back from her
"I mean, I appreciate the effort all of you have put into this, my lady, Torva, Susrette" Aslana said, looking gratefully at them, Aseära sensed a but coming, "but, I am not sure it is the best thing to deceive the Prince, maybe we should leave it"
"Aslana!" Torva slapped her arm harshly resulting in a loud 'ow, what was that for?'
"You are being a chicken, Aslana" Torva accused
"That's just it" Susrette nodded her agreement
"No, I am being practical, I have duties to get to anyway" Aslana defended
"What duties? Your duties are to me, and if there is any other chore you have pending outside those duties to me, Torva and Susrette would take care of it" Aseära said, Torva and Susrette nodded in concurrence.
Aslana still didn't look so convinced, "Well, what of the master?" she asked, looking like she finally had something to hold onto
"What about him?" the Lady asked, with one brow raised, somehow suspecting what Aslana was up to.
"He knows your cousin didn't come visiting, so, how would our story work?"
"Leave the Darklord to me" Aseära said, she didn't really know how to deal with that, but she would get to it later. "Is that all?" she asked, Aslana didn't have anything else to say so she shook her head.
"Well then," Aseära smiled, clapping her hands as she looked once again at the finished look of Aslana, "We have a Prince to fool and woo"
With that they exited the room, Aslana and Aseära going to the main dining hall, and Torva and Susrette going to go help serve the guests.