Clash Champions
Season 2 - Episode 17 - Part 3 
A Necessary Deception


Wearing her jade-encrustred crown on her head, Princess Natasha Romanov rolled a modern suitcase behind her while she walked through the halls of her father's castle alongside her friend Siobhan.

"That was one heck of an impressive magic trick you showed me," Natasha said to the nervous Siobhan. "I remember you could bend the light and pretend to be standin' next to yourself. Pretendin' to be me is something else entirely."

Siobhan smiled and nodded along.

Having heard of a disturbance involving the Princess, Eric the knight in his ancestor's green armor hurried over to see how the two of them were doing. Seeing that they were well, he kneeled in the ladies' honor. "Princess. Welcome home."

Natasha greeted him with a smirk. "Sir Eric. Carry this for me." She presented him with the handle of her rolling luggage. 

"Gladly." Eric stood and took the handle, then walked behind the two young ladies as they walked together. 

Siobhan looked over her shoulder at Eric, smiled, and winked at him. Eric smiled back, but Siobhan was already facing forward. 

"How is Jill doing these days?" Natasha asked Siobhan. "Is she still a frowny face?"

"Yes, she is," Siobhan answered. "There was a time when her... nanites were... unwell, but Mick found people and methods to heal her that are far beyong my understanding."

"That's good," Natasha said. "Did she win her match against that Abraham kid? I didn't pay attention to other people's matches except Dick. I just came home."

Siobhan hesitated and then guessed. "Yes, she did."

Natasha smiled, proud for her former teammate. "That's good to hear. Maybe she'll cream that Strawberry lady again. So if you're here, that means Mick is around."

"He is wandering around the city with Horace," Siobhan lied. 

"I don't know Horace," Natasha said, forgetting that she had met him a few times.

Eric gave a quick description. "He is Mick's business partner."

Natasha had heard what had happened from the rumor mill. "Ah. 'cause Mick lost all his money playin' cards. He needs a partner to pay for it all."

Natasha stopped as they arrived at her chambers. "Well, this is my room. I'll take that." She reached out her hand and took the handle of the suitcase as Eric surrendered it. "Do you want to come inside?" she offered Siobhan.

Siobhan declined. "Perhaps another time. I still have duties to perform for your father."

Natasha gave Siobhan her goodbyes. "Well it was good seeing you again and I'm glad you're working for Dad. Don't be afraid of dropping by just 'cause I'm royalty. Oh wait. You're royalty too, aren't ya?"

Siobhan nodded.

Natasha continued. "Yeah, well, come any time and we'll think of a reason for it later. I don't want to bored. I hope to see you around. And Jill too. And see if you can get Alex and Tia. I kinda miss Alex. It was good seeing her that one day."

With that said, Natasha opened the door to the room and rolled her luggage halfway inside before she stopped and turned around to say more. "Oh, wait. When you get back to Mick, tell him that I want to have those... toilets installed in the castle, and a shower. And one of those drinks machines that makes drinks. And anything else he can think of that I might like."

Siobhan shared the same sentiment, so she smiled as she nodded.

Natasha once again said her goodbyes to Siobhan. "So I guess this is goodbye for now. Come around like I told you too. An' if you're still in town in the evening, I think I'll visit the pub when it opens. I'll put my hair down and wear something else so they don't recognize me."

"They will recognize you," said Eric. He knew this thirdhand from stories told by the other guards.

"Maybe I'll do it anyway," Natasha said. "See ya." She pulled the suitcase inside and closed the door.

Eric and Siobhan shared grins that expressed amusement and relief. After a few seconds, Siobhan reached her arms around Eric's neck and lifted her face to his.

The door opened halfway and the Princess stuck her head out. "One more thing..." She stuck her head out further to look up and down the hallway. "Where did Siobhan go, and who is this lady you're swappin' spit with?"

Eric introduced the master illusionist in his arms. "This is my wife Eleanor." 

Natasha halfheartedly greeted her. "Ah. Well, nice meetin' ya. If either of you see Siobhan, tell her... nah, it's not important." Natasha closed the door.

Eleanor enjoyed her time with her husband, but she had work to do. "I have to continue my duties."

Eric was not sure about that. "Do you have to, now that we have the real princess?"

Princess Natasha smiled and released her arms from Eric's neck. She skipped down the hall toward the stair to the throne room. Until someone with authority relieved her, that was her answer to her husband.

"You are acting like her, too," Eric remarked.


In the throne room, the king's healer humbly attempted to recover the attempted diplomacy with the insulted respresentative of the Gibbs Empire. "We apologise for the deception, but after Hades we are taking no chances with the royal family. I hope that you understand. The negotiation is real. We told her what to say. I can speak for the king in his absence and authorize the final agreement."

The Empire's representative was an officer who had the soul of a dragon implanted in his body to increase his magic power. The dragon's soul had overpowered the man's, and he now went by the draconic name of Hhuurha'hra. He should have been very angry that the kingdom had him negotiating with an illusion caster instead of the true royalty. He was. He was also more amused by the entire situation and the humans' response to their plan falling apart than he was angry. 

The king's healer saw Princess Natasha enter the throne room and hesitate fearfully upon seeing that the Dragon Major was still in the room. Princess Natasha would not do that, so she was not Princess Natasha. "Eleanor, be yourself," he called to her from the other side of the room.

Eleanor complied and dropped the illusion. The Dragon Major turned and walked toward her. Eleanor stood still and watched in fear as he came closer. She summoned her bravery, of which she had plenty, and greeted him. "Good day, Major. I hope that I have not offended you."

"You have amused me," the Major said. "You have quite an impressive talent. Who was the dark lady that you were before? I had thought that was your true form."

Eleanor answered. "Her name is Siobhan. She is the closest friend of the Princess who can cast illusions."

Major Hhuurha'hra laughed. "Clever."

Eleanor asked him a question. "Might I ask again, Major, in seriousness... how does one pronounce your name?"

Major Hhuurha'hra smirked and began to answer. "Hhuu."

"Hu," attempted Eleanor. 

"Hold it longer," the Major told her. 

"Hhuu." 

The Major nodded and continued. "Rhagh."

"Rhagh," Eleanor repeated. 

"Hra," the Major fininshed. 

"H'rah," Eleanor said mistakenly. She corrected herself. "Hra." 

"Good enough," the Major judged her. "Better than most humans. In this body, I can barely pronounce it myself."

"Perhaps you might choose a new name to suit your body?" Eleanor suggested.

"No," the Major said. "It is my name."