Inslee slowly opened her eyes. She was lying on a carpet, which surprised her. Where there carpets in the tower? And why was she lying in such an awkward position? Before she could focus, she heard a voice. A very familiar voice.
"Lady Diara is quite amusing."
Crown Prince Renfeld! Had Inslee been captured? But what about the tower? Cautiously, Inslee looked around without moving her head, which lay on the carpet. She was definitely in the palace, most likely in the Crown Prince's study. But something was wrong. There was something in her vision that should not have been there. And wait, those weren't hands stretched out before her...were they...paws??!
"I must remind Your Highness that his engagement to Lady Van Heritas is vital to gaining the aristocrats' support," the Crown Prince's aide interjected.
Unable to comprehend what was going on, Inslee lifted her head, only to see the long muzzle move with her. Looking around, Inslee was faced with the unbelievable. She was now...a dog. And not just any dog...one of the dogs belonging to the Crown Prince.
Royalty often had escort animals in order to impress authority as well as for an extra layer of protection. The Crown Prince was no exception, and had two large hounds who always accompanied him. And now, one of those hounds was...Inslee. What did the tower do to her? Wasn't this supposed to be a trial?
"Hmph," the Crown Prince snorted. "Who would want to marry that pretentious woman? Besides, Duke Van Heritas simply wants to control the Imperial line. He is quite ambitious."
Inslee turned her head at the mention of her family, her strange new ears twitching. She could see the Crown Prince seated at his desk. At that moment, a strange thought occurred to Inslee. The Crown Prince was completely unguarded. And why would he suspect his own dogs would turn on him? Maybe the tower was giving her a chance to nip one problem in the bud. Inslee quietly, if somewhat unsteadily, rose to her paws and began to stealthily approach the Crown Prince from outside his line of vision.
"Even so, Your Highness, you cannot afford to alienate them now," the aide insisted.
Just a little further. Then Inslee could aim her powerful jaws at the Crown Prince's neck in one leap. It would all be over. The Van Heritas family would be safe, Lady Diara would have no power, and Inslee would survive.
"Just give it time," the Crown Prince replied, causing Inslee to pause. "Even the king knows. The fall of the Dukedom is inevitable."
What did that mean? Would the Van Heritas family still be destroyed by the imperial family regardless of whether the Crown Prince led the charge? Should she kill the Crown Prince here and now or would it mean nothing? Was this even real?