Allow her to choose her disguise

"You cannot be serious," Duncan says sternly, as the Vixen inspects the suit of armor.

"Of course not; this would never fit me," she says. "But, I imagine Lady Trina of the Kingsguard is only an inch taller than myself, and she must have a spare set of armor which I could use."

"The idea here is to avoid attention, young lady, not to draw it," Duncan insists. "Sire, this is ludicrous!"

"Have you seen the crowd that has gathered for the festival, my Lord?" the Vixen asks. "I saw three women in a group but a few days ago with skin as black as pitch, adorned with tribal markings in bright red and gold, wearing feathers in their hair and skirts made of reeds! I doubt I could draw attention if I painted myself green and walked about naked."

"That being the case, may I ask why you would wish to wear armor and a helm?" you ask her. "Your particular talents are stealth and agility, not to mention the bow. Armor would seem to be a liability for you, not an asset."

"Precisely why Velimir's men will never look for me so adorned, Your Grace," she points out. "If there is one thing I know how to do well, it is to hide. And the best place to hide is in plain sight, but in a manner such that one will never be observed."

"I think it ill-advised, Sire," Duncan says.

"Lord Duncan, last Saturday you stopped momentarily during your morning ride and exchanged brief pleasantries with a young lady picking wildflowers by the roadside. She offered you an edelweiss blossom, which you gallantly accepted. Do you remember the occasion?"

"Yes, come to think of it, I do. Hold a moment... do you mean to say that -"

"I mean to say that we have met before, my Lord, and on a number of other occasions besides that one. Sometimes, the best way to avoid being seen is to be seen. I have not avoided the patrols for all these years by hiding behind trees and rocks; I have done so by standing out in the open, looking and acting like anyone except the Vixen. And I tell you now that the last person who Velimir's men would suspect of being the Vixen is a maid bearing a sword and clad in plate mail."

"I have heard enough," you say. "Lady Vixen, for the time being, you will be called Sylvia of Corinthia, a swordmaiden come to Elyssia looking to find a new Lord to serve. Sir Magnus will escort you to the Kingsguard armory, where you will be outfitted in Lady Trina's spare armor and provided with a sword. Do you know how to use one?"

"The bow is my weapon of choice, Sire. I know how to hold a blade, but I would not make for a formidable opponent."

"You may keep your bow hidden under a cape, then. The sword is necessary to maintain the disguise. Let us make haste, there are places we must be."

The Vixen bows at the neck to you, and then leaves with Magnus.

"Sire, I know time is short," Duncan says once the two of you are alone in the room, "but there is something we must discuss immediately."

"Yes, Duncan?"

Duncan glances around, as if certain that someone must be listening in, and then approaches to speak to you in a whisper. "I believe I know our guest's true name. I should have seen it before, but when I looked at her, I confess I saw only the Vixen, just as I once saw only a maid picking flowers. Some of the details of her tale do not match up, but this is likely due to the faulty memory of a child, or a lingering distrust which prevents her from being completely truthful. It was when she spoke of the attack taking place upon Easter that I recalled the events of several years ago, before you became King -"

"Be brief, Duncan," you interrupt. "I am expected downstairs."

"Forgive me, Sire. There was indeed an attack led by Lord Velimir on Easter Sunday, in the neighboring Kingdom of Bavaria, some thirteen years past. All of the royal family was reported to have been killed, save the King's nephew, who now rules as -"

"The royal family?" you ask.

"Yes, Sire. Velimir allowed the young man, now crowned King Stefan, to live and remain on the throne; undoubtedly under the condition that the copper continue to flow from the mines to pay Velimir's soldiers. But I believe now that there may indeed have been another survivor. The King and Queen had but one child, a young daughter. Sire, I believe that the woman who we spoke with this morning, the same one who has spent years haunting our woods as the Vixen, is none other than the Princess Liesel von Ingolstadt, true heir to the throne of Bavaria. If she bears the ring which she claims to have, that would make it a certainty; I would recognize the Ingolstadt seal as readily as the seal of Elyssia."

"Say nothing of this to anyone, Duncan," you tell him quietly, "least of all, to the lady herself. If she knows that we know who she is, she may panic and run, and we will never find her again. For the moment, we must continue as if we knew no more than what she has told."

Although the crowd is gathering and you must make haste, you feel the need to ensure that the Vixen - or Liesel, as you now know her to be - or Sylvia, as you must call her - has been taken care of. Magnus stands aside as you approach the armory.

"Is she ready?"

"I believe so, Sire," Magnus says. "I have allowed Lady Trina to take care of her needs; it is her armor, after all."

You enter the armory, and indeed, she is ready.

You had certainly not expected her to look so striking. Her legs, arms, and shoulders are clad in polished steel, over a boiled leather breastplate. A velvet red cape is draped over her shoulders, perhaps a bit too rich-looking for the right effect, but necessary to hide her bow which is presumably strapped across her back. The gauntlets on her hands are too large, but they give her an imposing look which she would otherwise lack due to her slight stature. Her head is covered by light chain mail. She leans upon a sword, one of the plain and sturdy blades that the Kingsguard uses for sparring.

"How do I look, Your Grace?" she asks.

"Extraordinary," is the word that slips out.

She raises an eyebrow slightly. You begin to wonder if she even knows what a lovely woman she is; what with spending most of her time in hiding, she may not have heard it said as often as she would otherwise. Of course, she must have heard the stories of how beautiful the Vixen is said to be, but it's possible she believes it to be simple poetry.

"I tried to get her to wear a helm, but she will have none of it," Trina says. "Her face should really be more covered."

"I can neither see nor hear in those helmets. I cannot be walking around with my head inside a bucket, I would never know my enemies were coming."

"True enough," you agree. "Lady Trina, I believe we must acknowledge that the Vixen is better at hiding and stealth than any of us, and we should concede to her expertise in the manner. And now, Lady Sylvia, as we must call you... I believe it would be best if you remained close to Magnus, on the pretense that he is helping you to find employment in Elyssia."

"With all due respect, Your Grace, if I were a swordmaiden come from another land, I would approach Lady Trina, not Sir Magnus - if you are amenable to having me at your side, my Lady."

"By the King's command, I shall watch over you."

You nod. "So be it, then. And now, I must take my leave. It would not do to have the parade begin without the King at the lead."