Papagalino approached me with a sly grin. "Listen up, kid," he began, his voice low and conspiratorial. "I've got a plan."

I rolled my eyes. Trust Papagalino to have a plan for everything, even when we were in the midst of a crisis. "And what brilliant scheme do you have in mind now?" I asked sarcastically.

He ignored my tone and leaned in closer, his eyes glinting with mischief. "We're going to present you as Rosso from the Red Lakes," he declared, his words dripping with confidence. "The new royal mistress."

I scoffed at the absurdity of his suggestion. "You've got to be kidding me," I retorted. "There's no way I'm going along with that. No one will ever believe I'm Rosso. They probably have her portrait or something," I exclaimed in disbelief.

"They don't have any portraits! This is wherever the heck, just imagine, The Red Lakes!" Papagalino responded, his voice filled with conviction.

I glanced at him, my head cocked to the side like a puzzled puppy.

"Well, of course you wouldn't know... It doesn't matter, it's far away."

"What about her family? Won't they want to visit her at the castle?" I asked, my voice tinged with concern.

"I didn't know her for long... I mean, I knew her, but she was just a silly chatterbox," Papagalino explained dismissively. "She told me she had no family, just stumbled into the role of a concubine by chance. No one will come looking for her, I promise! And even if some man, I don't know, her former lover, comes searching for her, they'll kick him out of the castle faster than you can blink. She was just some simple maid or dishwasher, I can't remember."

"What a tragedy, what a senseless death. She must have wanted a better life," I sighed.

"We all want a better life, but it's too late for her. She's with the ancestors now. And we're here! Alive! I won't waste my chance," Papagalino declared determinedly.

"But what about the body? They could find it, there could be an investigation..." I trailed off, fear creeping into my voice.

Papagalino chuckled, brushing off my concerns. "It's the Big Shadow Forest, no one will go looking for her there. And even if a forester or druid does find her, all that will be left are bones. The forest is teeming with hungry creatures."

"I don't know anything about castle etiquette. What if they start asking me questions?" I fretted.

"They won't. Just do whatever the queen and her right hand, Mono, tell you," Papagalino assured me.

I nodded, eager to escape from my thoughts, willing to agree to anything he said.

Papagalino was relentless. He painted a picture of the benefits of such a plan – safety, protection, and a chance to gain insight into the inner workings of the castle. Despite my initial resistance, his persuasive arguments began to chip away at my resolve.

Eventually, worn down by his persistence and swayed by the allure of his promises, I reluctantly agreed to play along. Little did I know the twists and turns that lay ahead as I stepped into the role of Rosso, the new royal concubine.

~~~

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