The Love Triangle

The Love Triangle

Start date:	March 29th, 2009
End date:	September 20th, 2009
# of strips:	26 pages
Writer:	Tony DePaul
Artist:	Paul Ryan
Original colorist:	Paul Ryan & Tom Smith
Preceded by:	"The Jungle Lesson"
Followed by:	"The Lost Kingdom of Avaria"

"The Love Triangle" is the 170th Phantom Sunday story. The story was written by Tony DePaul and drawn by Paul Ryan.

Plot synopsis

Prince Rex of Baronkhan is burdened by his tedious administrative duties, eg. signing documents that his advisors present to him. The Phantom and his family Diana and their children arrive on horseback for the royal ball. Rex tells them that he is a bit anxious about meeting the guest of honour, princess Alicia of Shambad. They haven't met for many years and Rex is concerned since many years ago he had asked her to marry him. The Phantom doesn't think that something Rex promised as a child is of much concern. Rex tells them that he is in fact in love with somebody else, his bodyguard captain Lara.

Travelling in a horse and carriage, princess Alicia discusses prince Rex with her advisor. The advisor tells princess Alicia that she and prince Rex should get married in order to promote trade. Riding along the carriage, an army general and the chief of security are unhappy with the state visit to Baronkhan and discuss that it would be necessary to kill prince Rex to stop a union between him and princess Alicia.

Captain Lara is visiting her elderly foster parents. She feels very grateful to them since they found her abandonded as a baby and took care of her. She dreams romantically of a marriage between herself and prince Rex.

Arriving to Baronkhan, princess Alicia and her court is greeted by prince Rex. After showing her to her room, prince Rex try to speak a few words with captain Lara but feels that he only makes a fool of himself. At the ball, the two royals are happily dancing with each other, convincing captain Lara that prince Rex only has eyes for the princess. Walking out in to the park, the princess kisses prince Rex. Following behind as his bodyguard, captain Lara discovers that the Shambad army general and the security chief have hidden in the bushes to shoot prince Rex. Captain Lara captures the security chief while the Phantom in civilian clothes captures the army general.

Suddenly captain Lara falls to the ground, shot during the incident. As the Phantom carries the unconcious bodyguard to find a doctor, prince Rex exclaims to Diana that she must not die since he hasn't told her his feelings for her.

A few days later. With the royal visit over, princess Alicia leaves for Shambad; she and prince Rex promising to stay in touch. Captain Lara is nursed back to health in the royal palace and is visited by her parents. Speaking privately, prince Rex understands that she is also an orphan just like himself. She explains that she can never become a princess. Prince Rex holds her hand and tells her that they will take the time they need.