Harp lessons

The bells stroke ten times, and reminded princess Liandra about her harp lessons. She could be forgiven to skip them, but Ludo the Bard was worldly and wise, and she had long come to admire the man.

Liandra found the bard in the gardens, as always, he had servants take the bulky musical instrument. "Ah, Liandra, my darling. Such a pleasure to see you" and once more, the peaceful reassurance of someone speaking the truth. "How is my favorite student today?" A small pin of pain, but Liandra could forgive the white lie.

"I may ask her when I see her, Master... but with your lectures, how could she be anything but radiant?" Liandra was quite happy with her turn of phrase, and didnt notice as Ludo took her words for innuendo. The following barter was just shallow pleasantries, and he soon began the lesson.

The harp felt unusually familiar in her hands, and the princess found herself playing better than ever before. The gentle curves of the instrument, and its melodicous voice, it felt feminine and gentle, and when ludo praised her, those also were true words.

"Why must I marry someone I dont even know, master?" Liandra asked during her rest, and heard the same lithany of a princess's duty to her kingdom. "But is he a good and honorable prince, at least?"

"I fear that isnt the case, my lovely student. His conquests are well known to the court, he has dishonored more than one nobleman daughter, and used his position to escape responsibility. I myself challenged him, but one of his sycophants stepped forward and defeated me in a duel. To protect her honor, I told her to tell others I did the deed..." The tale went on, but it was a fantastic fabrication of lies. Liandra summarized her trusted friend had, in fact, seduced a noblewoman daughter, and convinced her to arm a scandal to discredit the prince. He was outmaneuvered, and now spoke bitter lies.

Once Liandra harbored a secret crush on the Bard, for he was fair and handsome, cunning and funny. "Your words show a man of ill repute... is there nothing that can be done for him to atone his ways?" Liandra mused aloud, and the bard took it as a sign his ploy worked. "Already thinking of justice... you have a pure heart, my gentle flower." The bard took the liberty of caressing the princess cheek "But you know nothing of the evils that plague a man's heart. I can teach you, and give you the same mastery you now possess over the harp" And if he caressed with one hand, the other had a firm grip on Liandra's arm.