Eavesdrop on your father

It's impossible to resist hopefully finding out more about what the hell is going on here, so you tip-toe over to the other side of the foyer, where you can easily hear the conversation while safely hiding on the other side of the wall.

"I'm telling you, she was in there all night. We had guards posted and everything, just as you recommended." He is saying.

"Well perhaps your guards slacked off, and are lying. There are very few alternative hypotheses." A woman's voice muses.

"It is greatly of the interests of all of my men that this goes correctly. Even if they were lazy and dishonest, which I do not for a second believe that they are, this would be the last event that they would take any chances with."

"Well for your sake, I hope you are right. Because if any further serious irregularities are observed..."

"I know, I know. You don't have to say it."

"Perhaps the witness was not credible, or mistaken. We will soon find out; the prince plans to perform certain tests of his own tonight."

"LADY FRANCESCA." A different woman's voice calls loudly from behind you, causing you to jump out of your skin with fright. It's Jin, the Prince's Bodyguard, who is descending the stairs.

The voices in the solar go silent, and you quickly try to make it look as if you weren't eavesdropping, as your father emerges from the room, along with a very unusually dressed woman.

She has purple hair, a very erotic outfit - clearly overtly sexual, exposing a lot of skin and leaving little to the imagination, a large embroidered cape, and what can be described as absolutely nothing else but a witch's hat.{if@ images > 1}

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"Well well well, the Lady Francesca herself, in the flesh." The purple haired woman says warmly, either oblivious to or ignoring the fact that you were probably just listening to her private conversation. "Tell me girl, how are you adjusting to your new life in the adult world?"

"I, err, I guess I'm slowly getting used to things..." You answer, mostly honestly.

"Is... That... So." The woman questions very slowly, studying you carefully. "Well then, perhaps we should go visit the prince right now."

"Lady Esmerelda!" Jin interjects immediately. "The prince is currently otherwise err... He's err... Preparing himself for the evening's activities, and should not be disturbed."

"Understood my dear Jin, but these are new, special times, and special measures must sometimes be taken. So I think that it's only right that you remain down here and keep Lord Alfonso company, whilst I escort our fair maiden here up to her bedchambers."

Jin looks uncomfortable with this, but just scrunches up her mouth and doesn't reply. It would appear that this witch lady outranks her.

And so it is the purple-haired witch who escorts you up the stairs and towards your bedroom, and the erotic aura around her makes you somewhat uncomfortable.

As soon as the others are out of sight, she takes your hand in hers, and interlocks her fingers with yours, walking alongside you as if you were best of friends.

"I'm Lady Esmerelda." She says happily, breaking the silence. "And I'm sure we're going to have lots of fun together!"