Getting Started

I took a deep breath of cool, clean air. Oh yeah, pre-industrialised world indeed. You just don't get air like this once the factories start churning.

Let's see, I was wearing some really nice medieval clothing. Good boots, sturdy pants and shirt. A jaunty tricorn hat. A nice sword with a long blade and a longbow with a quiver of arrows. Why start poor when you can be rich? Speaking of rich, the pouch on my belt was full of quite a lot of gems. Well, that would be the easily transferable currency from Eccentric Wealth. Nice. Oh, and a pretty nice signet ring, apparently my symbol was a mask. That was appropriate.

And I had my first piece of Tempest Jewellery. A fine silver bracelet with an emerald inset on the band was in the pouch with my gems.

A snort from behind caused me to spin around. A horse! Oh yes, not walking would be really nice. Did I know how to ride a horse? Yes, that all seemed to come with the Prince persona. Perfect. The saddle bags had several changes of clothing, a princely coronet, and a bunch of stuff for proper maintenance of horse, sword, and bow. Some food for me as well. Ah, and my Company smart device. It looked something like a really advanced phone, but it was really just a platform for running Company apps.

Now, where the fuck was I?

There was a dirt road nearby that looked decently maintained, but as this was a Disney world, the whole place could just look as manicured as a park. It was hard to say and made all the harder since this was likely an amalgamation world. Other than the road, this was a lightly wooded area with no signs of civilisation. I'd have to pick a direction at random, I guessed.

Next question, what was my key quest in this world? Bringing up quests on my smart device showed me. Main Quest: Princess Quest, capture 5 or more Disney Princesses. Rewards granted for each capture as key quest milestones.

Well, that was good and bad. Good, it shouldn't be too hard to get trusting Disney types, especially Princesses, to put on jewellery. Bad in that I was being saddled with at least five low-tier girls that probably wouldn't be much use. Well, at least with the Company world filter, they'd all be at least 18 and really good-looking. Oh, and it proved I was right about the world being a mix, probably a patchwork of different kingdoms. That worked out great for my Estate.

Not all Disney Princesses were created equal though. Merida was no slouch with combat skills, Snow could tame animals, and Rapunzel was a tier six healer.

Mounting my horse and heading to the right up the road for no particular reason, I thought on how Wild Talent would be really useful to have. Oh well, luck would have to do for now.

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As the day advanced, it became apparent I'd appeared sometime in the morning. That made sense as my Heritage and Binding both ticked over then. It also became apparent that I was nowhere near civilisation. Or the kingdom's castle had been just around the corner to the left. Too late to be second-guessing myself now.

Finally, I heard signs of people. Well, sounds of something chopping wood anyways, let's hope it's a person.

Luck held, and I did indeed find a person busy chopping down a good-sized tree. Drawing on my Persona, I decided this was some form of peasant, possibly a charcoal maker. Good enough.

"Pardon me, good sir, could I bother you for some information?" The peasant whirled about, clutching his axe. Hmm, not so cherry go lucky in this part of Disney apparently.

The woodchopper took his time looking me over and somewhere in there decided my sword was more than a match for his axe as he lowered it. "M'lord. What can I be doing for you?"

"I need some information, and I'd be delighted to recompense you for your time if you don't mind." Playing up the rich noble took no effort.

He looked like he thought the best way I could repay him was to go away, but he was too polite or scared to say so. "Of course, m'lord."

"I believe I may have made a wrong turn. Could you tell me what kingdom this is?"

He shook his head. "No kingdom here, m'lord. 'Tis the lands between." Of fucking course it was.

"And the nearest kingdom?"

He pointed towards the way I'd been going, so good luck again there I guess. "Kingdom of the Sun is not too far that way, m'lord. Road off that ways a bit, take you right there." Kingdom of the Sun? That sounded like France. Which Princess was French? Oh right. Well, that would be easy.

I fished out a small blue gem, my Persona told me was a sapphire, and flipped it towards him. He made an excellent catch, and his eyes bugged out seeing what was in his palm. "Thank you very much, good sir, and luck to you in your business." I called to him as he just stared.

I turned my horse about and headed back to the road as he babbled his thanks behind me. Sure, I'd just tossed him more money than he'd likely ever see in his life normally, but I was in a world that literally repaid kindness.

Besides, my bag would be full again by morning.

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Not too far away turned out to be by nightfall, but it was a good-sized village at least. I found a good-sized inn with stables attached for my horse. I'd really have to name her at some point. The innkeeper was good enough to inform me that yes, this was indeed the Kingdom of the Sun, and that the capital was less than a day's ride from here.

A modest ruby ensured I was his favourite guest, and he treated my horse and me like kings. Very good wine and cheese said yes, this was definitely a Disney version of France. I briefly wondered if the Capitol would have a cathedral with a hunchback. As a noble, I could probably get away with hauling off a gypsy that had 'robbed' me, and Esmeralda would net me my first Princess.

Nope. A quick scan of my Company device in my room told me that, for whatever reason, she no longer counted as a Disney Princess. And while she was certainly hot, not of much use beyond her body. Not worth the trouble.

Back to my original target then.

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Bright and early the next morning, I set off, very glad to have had a warm bed to sleep in as well as inn-cooked food. Disney World karma indeed.

Checking my pouch, I also now had a second bracelet, this one with a sapphire. Make of that what you will.

The roadside became much less wild as I began to pass farmland and smaller villages on my way. Everyone was very polite to the visiting noble, I'm sure my sword had nothing at all to do with it.

Actually, it might not. Disney worlds could be sickeningly innocent, and this was only a tier one danger world.

The inn I stopped at for a midday repast told me that I was making excellent time, and I should be at the capital in the evening, well before nightfall. Perfect.

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The capital itself was really quite impressive, especially for a pre-industrialised kingdom. Finding my way to the castle was laughably easy as well, with it standing at the highest point of the city as it did.

The city guard at the main gates to the city had done nothing but snap to attention and salute as I passed, but the castle guards were another story.

As the halberds crossed before me, an obviously higher-ranking soldier stepped out from a side building. "Good evening, your lordship. Might I be inquiring as to your business at the castle this evening?" My, so very polite. Nobility definitely has its perks.

"But of course." I swung free of my horse and landed before him, then showed him my signet ring. "I am Prince Guy of Fawkes. I have come seeking Prince Henry to beseech his help in a quest my father has sent me on."

The guard looked rather impressed. "I shall send a runner to inform his highness. Merely a formality, I assure you, will just be a moment."

"But of course." I smiled back all civility and tried to look like I wasn't working on a plan to kill as many of his men as I needed to to make a getaway at need.

He was true to his word though, and not long after walking back to the side building, which probably went all the way through the wall, he was back looking even happier and officious at the same time, somehow. With him was a slight lad, probably about a quarter of his weight, but still in uniform, much like the other guards. Probably the runner I imagined.

"Phillip here will lead you on to his highness." He clapped the smaller fellow about the shoulders, nearly bowling him over. "Prince Henry is most eager to meet you."

"Most excellent. Lead on, good Phillip." The slight lad made his way through the gate, now cleared of halberds, and I gamely followed, leading my horse. Maybell? Nah.

Before coming to the Prince, the runner led me to a massive stable complex where he said they would take very good care of my horse. Made sense, but I was loath to leave my device behind, so I shouldered the bag that contained my personal gear. Phillip, of course, offered to carry it for me. Good lad, I'd be sure to remember to tip him well later.

Prince Henry was a tall, dashing fellow with broad shoulders and short black hair. "Greetings! It's not often I get to meet a fellow Prince." He extended a hand, and I gave him a good, firm handshake in return.

"Likewise!" If he was going to skip formalities well so was I. "I must say it was quite a pleasant trip, but I am still very glad to make your acquaintance at last."

"And I you as well." He really was quite friendly, I almost felt bad. Oh well. "If you'll follow me, we're a tad past dinner, I'm afraid, but I can still see you get a hot meal. Oh, and Phillip, go and take the Prince's thing to his room, will you?"

"Of course, your highness!" And young Phillip was off. Runner indeed.

Leading the way, Henry asked. "So I hear you are on a quest?"

"That's the way my father put it, but in truth, it is not anything so grand. I have been sent to seek a bride, and word had come to my father of a widow with some highly eligible daughters here. I thought that you could point the family out to me if you would be so kind."

Henry had gotten something of a pensive look on his face. "The family name wouldn't happen to be Tremaine, would it?"

"Why yes, that's the very one. There isn't a problem, is there?" Please let me be on time.

He laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, you see, I'm in something of the same boat as you. My father, well, more like the Grand Duke, but my father heeds his words, wants me to seek a bride as well. Says I'm of that age."

I laughed with him. Perfect. "It certainly seems our fathers are of a mind then, but the Tremaine family?"

He sighed. "I'd hate to speak ill of them, but the daughters are very eligible. The Widow Tremaine certainly thinks one of them would be a good match with me, but she's been trying to marry either of them off to any available noble and has had no takers so far."

"I see." I said, trying to look thoughtful. "Well, I would be remiss to my father not to at least meet these young women. I can always escape back here." I gave him a friendly dig in the side with my elbow, and he laughed. Ah, sweet Disney gullibility. Of course the foreign Prince would be fast friends with him.

We chatted more over a most excellent meal, and I spent my second night in this world in a castle bedroom fit for a Prince.

I'd be stealing his fated bride in the morning. No hard feelings I hoped.