Georgina looked at the diagram on the table. Leonard was clearly very proud of it, pity it looked like nothing so much as a square plate of spaghetti and meatballs.
“So this is the layout for the ball.”
Leonard puffed his chest out. “Yes. The door is there.” He pointed to one side of the square.
“Duke Bricklemas and his cronies will be standing there.” That was one of the meatballs.
“Lady Exedal and her son will be there.” A small meatball nearer the middle.
“And the princess will be there.” A meatball with a crown on near the side the door wasn’t on.
Georgina looked around the group, everyone else was nodding.
“I have a few questions.”
Leonard looked smug. “Oh dear, I thought this would be simple enough for you.”
“I’m just a little uncertain on a few details.” She paused, then, went on at Leonard’s magnanimous wave. “Where are the guards going to be positioned?”
“Um.”
“And you’ve mentioned the princess, where will the king be, and are the thrones being removed for the occasion? They, and the dais they’re on take up quite a bit of room and might affect our ability to manoeuvre.”
“Well if you don’t know…”
A timid voice came from the other side of the table. “I don’t know.”
Georgina was on a roll and went on before Leonard could answer. “And what if the Duke is over here?” She pointed to the side of the square where the glass doors to the balcony would be. “We all know he likes to pop out for a cigar, so is usually near an exit.”
Leonard scowled as the group stared at him expectantly. “If you’re such an expert, you draw it.”
“I’m so glad you asked, I already have.”
The DNA of Stories 