Talyn

The audiences with the people had begun like any other. With most of the requests sent my way. And then a special case. A young baby girl to be blessed by Miavel. She’d gotten up and gone to the small group, giving the child her blessing, only for the young boy to make a small fuss over it all.

Though, I really couldn’t fault the young boy. I’d want a blessing from her too, even if it went against the normal societal customs. Who wouldn’t?

I watched it all happen with a quick little sigh and slight shake of the head. Not expecting much more than Miavel giving him her blessing as well, it took me off guard when she turned back my way.

Of course, she wasn’t looking at me, as I wasn’t the only person back by our seats. Rogers and Alecc were back here too. It just, for a moment, was really quite a sight for me to see. I silently gripped the armrests of my chair and tried to stay steady.

Miavel had turned, the small baby still in her arms, to signal Rogers to come closer and help her. All I saw in that moment was the future. The existence of what a future with Miavel and children would be like. To see her, like this…

I’d held off sleeping with her for a reason. For several reasons, truthfully. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to trust her word that she was alright, especially if she thought of spending the night with me was a duty she had as Queen of Thera. Having already encountered her determination to suffocate through a whole night just hours after our marriage, if I initiated anything, how could I be certain she wasn’t just going along with what I said and pretending she was fine? I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if I knew she was anything but one-hundred percent willing to be in that situation with me.

But there was also a greater problem. I knew my biggest enemy far better than anyone. And what I knew was that they’d use a child against me. To bring a small fragile life into a mess like this? What kind of a father and husband would I be to do such a thing? 

I knew I wouldn't be able to protect us all.

Despite all of those thoughts rolling around in my head about problems that would arise, I now had a new problem to deal with, one that was far worse.

Seeing Miavel with a child in her arms and a smile on her face…

The ache in my chest, the longing I suddenly had for such a scene to be mine, to be our child, to be her looking at me…

This longing would consume me, destroy me from within.

Miavel

After blessing the young boy, I felt it only right to ask the woman herself is she’d like a blessing as well.

“I know it’s not common to bless those of age, but if you’d be willing to receive it, I’ll gladly bless you as well.”

The woman, nearly in tears, had nodded her head and received the words and short kiss on her forehead.

“I hope your days are always full of wondrous joy.”

“Your Majesty,” she whispered, her voice cracking as she lowered her head once more to me. Rogers helped escort her down the steps, returning the small delightful child back into her aunt’s arms. I made my way back to my seat with a small smile I couldn’t erase.

The rest of the audiences went by without a hitch, my recollection of the laws in that book I read even came in handy a few times. Some of the ones who had seen me bless the woman quietly requested the same after their first issue was heard. As it was no trouble for me and it made them leave with bright smiles, I was more than willing to bless each and every person who asked.

When the audiences with the people were done, I stood to leave, letting Rogers escort me, as His Majesty had more to do there. Upon feeling a gaze at my back, I quickly glanced back, only to see him watching me with an unreadable expression. He swiftly looked away from me, and that was that.

Rogers led me back to my favorite room after grabbing a stack of files. It was time to begin to work for a living.

Probably literally.

If I didn’t do well at this, well, it wouldn’t be good, so the pressure was definitely higher now.

We sat in the Emerald Room together, going through the papers. The first file full of papers were documents on each of the Lords who were applying for Dukedom. As it was a relatively new program, the first duke had yet to be chosen. It was different from Cita, who had five dukes, a handful of marquesses and earls, and a few viscounts and barons each. The five Dukes of Cita were called as such because of the lands they held along the borders. They needed more funding as they were to protect not only their homes, but the Kingdom from any potential invaders that would do harm.

Up until this point in Thera, the King and Queen held the ultimate power. Following them were the Marquesses, who gained titles due to their great achievements in battle, and the Lords, who were born into positions of slight power as they held land that housed cities and villages.

Now, as things became slightly more peaceful for Thera, excluding the recent declaration of war on Cita, which led to me being here, it was time to put those who have cared for the citizens exceptionally well into places of higher power.

Some Lords and Marquesses were to become Dukes. Those who had prosperous trade and citizens were considered. They each offered up an application, giving ledger accounts of money flow, as well as some other miscellaneous items in regards to their presence at councils with His Majesty and even marital status.

“If you would prefer to look at the documents all by yourself to give a recommendation to His Majesty–”

“Actually, Rogers, if you would help me look over them, it may help me. I don’t know the Lords names and achievements or lack thereof as well as you would. If I have questions, you’ll be able to answer them easier.”

Rogers grinned.

“It’s as you said.” He opened the file and pulled out the first application. “Now, would you prefer to both look over the same application and put summarized thoughts at the end, or to work on separate applications?”

“Same. You look over the miscellaneous items and what they’ve written as their status. I’ll look over the ledger accounts.” When he stared at me silently for a moment, a question lingering in his eyes, I added to my words with a chuckle. “If they’ve written things incorrectly about themselves, I wouldn’t know. Numbers are numbers. I worked on my own budgeting for my section of the palace back in Cita, so I’m familiar with the work.”

He nodded with understanding and then we began to work.

The first file was Marquess Grant Fox who had been given difficult land to manage. He had turned the poor border territory around into a flourishing city. More people moved there in the last years. The profits were steady and slightly increasing. The ledger was meticulous, including even the smallest details. I liked the numbers.

Consulting on his application with Rogers only made me more certain that he was an excellent choice, but if the rest were to be like this, I’d have a hard time picking. According to Rogers, the Marquess married before he went onto the battlefield. His wife helped house and nurse wounded when battle drew near to their home. When he returned with honorable achievements, he asked to have the border land nearest to where he’d battled, as he knew the civilians there. Apparently, he was the kind of leader who would help someone fix their house before they asked. He was teaching his son to take over his position, so he had more free time away from paperwork, and the results were clear.

“His second son applied to your protection team for outings.”

That took me a bit by surprise, so I looked up, only for Rogers to chuckle.

“Really?”

He nodded. “His second son is a knight. Supposedly…”

I leaned forward and he cleared his throat before whispering to me. “He has quite the prospects for marriage.”

“Oh?”

“I heard that one of the ladies who controls about half of high society is interested in him.”

I chuckled and sat back in my chair. “Really? That’s something. But is he?”

“Hm? Is he what?”

“Interested in her.”

Rogers chuckled. “Far too many people are interested in her as it is.”

I laughed with him before placing Marquess Fox’s file into the good pile.

As another hour passed, I sighed. Most of these applicants were nothing like the Marquess’s. Some clearly had no interest in becoming a duke. One even wrote so on their ledger, asking to not have to marry someone just to share workloads. It was quite comedic when I found it, so I did them a favor and put them into the other pile.

Most of the ledgers were sloppily done, but still readable. And then I came across one that looked far better than Marquess Fox’s. I read through it with interest, all the way until the interest became concern.

Lord Malin… what is this?

I shook my head, starting back up at the top, fearing I was seeing things that weren’t there. But when I began again, I only noticed more problems. What had looked promising, only looked more and more horrible the longer I read it.

“Rogers,” I said, even as my eyes continued skim the page.

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“How is Lord Malin’s other papers?”

And what I was afraid of came to be.

“They look… surprisingly… good. All of it looks good.”

“Surprisingly?” I put the papers I held down on the table and sat back in my chair. “What do you mean by that?”

Rogers opened his mouth, only to close it. His eyes darted around the table in front of him as if he were looking for the words. I stood from my chair and turned to the flowers next to us. Lilia had told me these were the blue iris flowers. They looked as if they were getting close to blooming. I touched the bud of one gently with a hand. I took a deep breath and turned to Rogers for his answer.

“Lord Malin is a bit of a thorn in His Majesty’s side,” he admitted quietly.