Pawn of the Crown

by Cheryl Oblon

  The rest of the men took the cue and departed, bowing and politely thanking me. LeFawn pouted as her entertainment was gone.

  “Anyone feel right?” I asked her.

  “For me or Minnette?” she teased.

  Nemal glared at his sister. “Don’t be in a rush.”

  “I’m not. I can enjoy the process. Help my friend and my sister.” She smiled knowingly at her big brother.

  LeFawn was the baby and had the power because everyone would protect her and let her get away with things. Growing up, it’d made being her friend extra fun for me. However, at the end of the day, I preferred being an only child.

  “Any visions or flashes of the right one for Minnette?” LeFawn asked me.

  “No one jumped out as a clear winner. But now, the thought is in their minds. We’ll see if any of them rise to the occasion. Some have already shied away, but a couple may seek to interact with Minnette. Not a bad start,” I said.

  “She won’t like it. It’ll look like you’re having trouble finding willing men,” Marel said from across the room.

  “If Minnette wants to be mad at me or Remmy or anyone, she will find reasons. I take my orders from the queen.”

  “You should try a little harder to get along with Minn. She’ll have the throne someday.” Nemal grinned. “Come on, sis. I’ll walk you back to your room.”

  LeFawn rolled her eyes. “Brothers.”

  “Men,” I corrected.

  After two cups of strong tea, I made my way to the early meeting of the Queen’s Counsel. A tiara and lavender gown and hair that met Marel’s approval. The protocol and propriety grew old, at times, but as I entered the meeting room just off the formal throne room, my back straightened a bit more.

  In the presence of the queen, rank and protocol mattered greatly. The rules were there for a reason, and the traditions kept us attentive. We had to set an example for the rest of the country. If my mother were here, I could be a teenager—flirting and goofing off in school. How I envied LeFawn right now. My childhood was officially over.

  The queen sat at a round table with a total of five chairs. Minnette stood behind her mother. The other three women ruled the second, third, and fourth families. All were women of forty or older. Two had their eldest daughters shadowing them. I needed to try to be better friends with Minnette. We’d be in this together, and we were the closest in age.

  I took my seat at the queen’s left, where the Royal Seer was always positioned relative to the monarch. “Sorry if I’m late.”

  “You’re not. Everyone was early because of the nature of this issue. You’ve heard?” the queen asked.

  “I don’t need to hear. I know. The Bachal want attention.” I liked that Nemal kept me in the loop, but if he hadn’t, the second I found out about the meeting, I’d have probed minds until I got the answer.

  “They want guests. Faldar is happy here, but it can’t go on forever,” Minnette said.

  The queen glared at her eldest. Minnette looked down.

  This was a good chance. “I agree. The fix to keep Faldar here was impulsive and short-sighted. I wanted to help Remmy and Faldar stay together, and we all know the engagement is a fake. The general population doesn’t need to know it, but Faldar and LeFawn won’t get married. We need to undo this mess somehow and avoid a war.”

  The queen glanced at me briefly. “I’m glad you’ve learned from this mishap, but we need to fix it first. Faldar was desperate and, of course, we all wanted to help. If we ignore the invitation for an extended diplomatic visit, they’ll be insulted and demand Faldar return.”

  “So we must send someone,” said the ruler of the second house.

  “Yes. The king of the Bachal specifically invited Nemal and Kimess, along with their entourages and attendants.” The queen slid a tablet in front of me.

  There was my name on the formal royal invitation. I couldn’t believe she’d send me.

  “Letting her powers fall into enemy hands. No,” said the ruler of the third house.

  “She can defend herself,” Minnette replied.

  “They don’t ask for Remmy. He’s the elder son. I wonder if they suspect,” said the ruler of the fourth house.

  “I doubt it. Nemal is a soldier. He’ll be more receptive to the Bachal ways and fit in better,” I offered quickly.

  “Maybe we should send Remmy? Let him see what Faldar has to deal with. See what they’re up against?” Minnette suggested.

  “He would not react well,” the queen said.

  I nodded. “They wouldn’t like being separated either.”

  “What they like is not our main concern. Remmy isn’t going to sit on the throne. We can’t let his romance endanger the peace. Being tangled with the Bachal by engagement, fake or real, is too close. Putting a prince and our own seer there? No.” The ruler of the fourth family frowned as if she had the final word.

  “I understand the concern. But Faldar is the crowned prince. He will be the next king, and if we show him compassion and support, we could have a much better relationship with the Bachal going forward. Less tension.” The ruler of the second family was softer spoken, but firm.

  “His father could find out what Faldar is and kill him. Then we have another prince headed for the throne, and this was a waste,” said the ruler of the third family.

  “Parents don’t kill their children. That would destroy the right to rule. Why have heirs if they aren’t meant to inherit?” Minnette asked.

  “I’d rather Faldar kills the king, but that’s equally unlikely. Would he be allowed to rule if he did?” I asked.

  The queen held up her hand. “Those are matters for their laws. We need to contemplate the options and make a decision in the next few days. We will meet every morning to discuss this. Obviously, the discussions, and topics in general, are not to be repeated. I want you to reflect on these matters and give me your thoughts tomorrow. You may go.”

  The others filed out, but when I stood, the queen pointed to my chair. I sat and gave Minnette a questioning look. She simply shook her head.

  “Is something wrong, Your Majesty?” I asked.

  She leveled a glance at me. “No, I want your private thoughts.”

  Her glance was maternal and expectant.

  “I said what I thought before. I think Nemal would survive it fine. We need to come up with an exit strategy for Faldar so LeFawn is free, and the relations with the Bachal aren’t damaged. Remmy won’t like any of this. But Faldar has to decide what he is and isn’t willing to do with regards to his family. He has a right to stand up for himself and try to change his culture. He may be able to open his father’s mind.” I tried to put a good spin on things.

  “Please,” Minnette scoffed.

  “He can try.” I smiled.

  “How do you feel about going to Bachal?” the queen asked.

  “Me?” I never dreamed there was a real chance I’d end up there. “A male-dominated society isn’t my idea of a good time.”

  “But you can read their minds. You can defend yourself and look out for Nemal with your powers. He could be a good male protector for you.”

  “Handing her and her powers to them, Mother, is that wise?” Minnette asked.

  “I’m not saying it’ll happen. I’m saying it’s an option. We will not rule out anything at this point. If they hold any of our citizens against their will, it will be war. We must start to prepare for the prospect with storing added food and mining. Get the factories on weapons and such.” The queen was dead serious.

  Minnette and I traded a look. I skimmed her mind, and she was worried. War was never something any of our generation ever thought we’d see in our lifetime. So much time had passed since the recovery. In school, we were taught that our ways had isolated us from the dangers. The dome protected us, and our practice of not dictating to other countries kept us neutral.

  I tapped notes into my tablet. “I can ask my farmers in the fifth family to i
ncrease their planting and production. The mines would need more droids.”

  “Whatever you need. Your family does run very lean,” the queen said. “Don’t tell them anything about war. Say that you predict a harsher winter this year, and things will be horribly iced over. Therefore, we’d like a safety stock in case the winter lingers or arrives early.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty. I’d like to throw a small party for the members of the fifth family to show my appreciation and display some kindness. Nothing extravagant, but since I’m the new ruler. I know it’s rather soon…”

  The queen sat back in her chair. “No, I think it’s appropriate, but not until we’ve decided who will visit the Bachal. That trip would be at least a month long, more likely three.”

  “Three months?” I asked. My stomach turned. I didn’t want to go.

  “If they are kind and generous, it’s a good way to learn about our enemy. But we’ll look at all the possibilities and angles first. So don’t plan your party just yet. Have them up production and mining output. I’ll get you the droids needed. Once we settle the Bachal plan, you can arrange the party.” The queen’s face softened.

  “Yes, thank you,” I said.

  “You may go.”

  I checked Minnette’s mind again, and she felt left out. Not that she wanted to go to Bachal, but she wanted them to want her. She wanted something to be about her. I’d trade places with her in a second, except the part about being queen one day, but I needed to do something. Minnette had a brain and skills. She needed to put them to use somehow.

  “Actually, Your Majesty, when you were talking about preparing for war—I had a brief flash of the princess. While I know her education was exemplary, I saw her studying with the castle historians—the great minds who research and reconstruct the history of the times before our last devastating war. The strategies and tactics may be useful.” A little lie about a vision, but it’d give Minnette something to do, and she’d feel it was important.

  Minnette frowned. “There are plenty of people who know the old ways of war.”

  She didn’t like her task.

  I stood and bowed to the royalty. “I’m sorry. I only shared my vision. You’re quite right that the historians do know, but they aren’t trained to think like a queen and be responsible for so many lives. How you think, mixed with what they know, may save countless lives if war comes. Perhaps you’re meant to cultivate a couple of key advisors, discreetly, of course. But you may have better things to do with your time.”

  I left quickly to let them sort out if Minnette would be forced to study war since the queen wouldn’t confide the potential of war to the historians. Minnette would be making the connections in the name of education, but the historians would be on their toes if we needed them. It was important, but still, Minnette would hate it. That was a double win for me, and I looked like I was helping. Strategy and court politics. I was learning.

  Chapter 4

  The fact that the queen was considering sending me to the Bachal made me nervous. Maybe I wanted to see unicorns and pegasi up close, and seeing a shifted Faldar in dragon form had been impressive, but I’d never lived in a world run by men. A world where my family name, my future title, meant nothing.

  I walked the maze of gardens, trying to expel the nervous energy in a healthy way. Zoma ran after me every so often then fell back to walk with Marel. I wasn’t being a good friend, but my feet refused to slow down. Like I could outrun the problem.

  “What is this solving?” Zoma asked.

  “I wanted fresh air.” I stopped and looked up. The protective dome over our country was so high in the sky that it just felt like part of the clouds. Nothing would protect me in Bachal. “I’m sorry I went so fast. I wasn’t trying to be mean. I just have so much pent-up frustration.”

  “She’s worried about her father. And if she’ll have to go to Bachal,” Marel said between deep breaths.

  “How do you hear all of this, Marel?” I asked.

  “Attendants talk. I haven’t said anything to anyone.” Marel leaned on a stone wall.

  The other side of our path had tall hedges. The big red roses in bloom brightened my day. I picked one and twirled the stem between two fingers.

  Zoma shook her head. “I can’t believe you’d be sent that far away.”

  “Diplomatic work means travel sometimes.” I had to sound mature and accepting.

  Marel took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Nothing.”

  “Don’t make me force it out of your mind.” Poking around in my friend’s head wasn’t my favorite thing to do but, sometimes, I had no choice. My powers made it easy, but the ethics could be a headache.

  Zoma laughed. “Aren’t you always reading people’s thoughts?”

  I crossed my arms and moved closer to Marel. “No, I’d go insane if I were. So many thoughts. Thoughts not matching words and actions. I try to use that gift when I need it.”

  “It’s not totally confirmed yet,” Marel said.

  “Tell me,” I replied.

  “The guards sent word back that your father is in Bachal territory. I’m so sorry,” Marel said.

  “Was he captured?”

  “Not by us,” Marel said.

  “No, by them.” I rubbed my forehead. It was bad enough for him to be a prisoner here. If he were used by the Bachal against the queen or others…He’d been married to the Royal Seer for years. He had access to some high-level information and people. That would be worth something to the Bachal.

  “Not that I’ve heard,” Marel replied.

  “The Bachal like defectors. Traitors are welcomed for their intel. He’ll be treated well, I believe. If that helps.” Zoma managed a sympathetic smile.

  “Great. I was hoping they’d flush him back across the border, and our guards would grab him.” If he avoided recapture, the queen wouldn’t be pleased. I wouldn’t either. The man needed to be contained.

  “Want us to leave you alone?” Marel asked.

  I shook my head and walked slowly along the path, sniffing the rose and imagining a better outcome. Maybe my father was a double agent and secretly working for the queen?

  If that were true, I’d hope he’d have told me, or I’d like to think that. He blocked my telepathy well. If he were a double agent, they’d be chasing him for show. If he were secretly working for the crown, they’d have let him escape and make it across the border, but I didn’t sense that trick being played by the queen or anyone who I could read.

  Suddenly, I felt alone and stopped walking. Turning, Zoma and Marel were spying on someone through the hedges. I turned back, quietly, to keep from giving them away and glanced through the gap they’d created.

  Remmy and Faldar were kissing. It’d become a common enough sight that I was just relieved it wasn’t something more gossip-worthy.

  “Is that all?” I asked.

  “Life at court can be boring,” Marel admitted.

  “Too bad we never catch you and Nemal,” Zoma said.

  I spun and laughed at my friend. “Never.”

  “Never happened or never caught?” Marel asked.

  “You have to be discreet. I need to speak to Remmy about that.” I frowned.

  Zoma said, “He kept his secret too long. I think it’s good for him.”

  “It has nothing to do with two men or two women or one of each. He’s a prince.” I sounded so proper and fussy. True. My mother’s words flew out of my mouth, at times, and I missed her more. I’d been raised to never disgrace the realm. But I didn’t want to sound old and boring.

  “Remmy and Faldar are both princes. Poor Faldar is really enjoying forbidden fruit and fun.” Marel smiled.

  “I hope I did the right thing,” I said.

  “You gave them a shot at happiness. How can that be wrong?” Zoma asked.

  I studied the rose in my hand. The thorns were sharp, but I avoided them. “B
ecause so many people can still take away their happiness. I’m not sure I did them a favor.”

  “You need some romance or a good distraction,” Zoma said.

  Shaking my head, I dropped the rose. “I need to know if our guards are headed back or are still pursuing my father outside the dome. I hate the idea of guards risking their lives and Bachal fire over one man. I’ve tried reading the regular guards, but they aren’t in that loop. I’m guessing this is a more secretive operation.”

  Marel frowned. “I can’t ask something that specific. I’ll keep my ears open, but you might want to approach Nemal about that.”

  “I will. Thanks.” I headed back toward the castle. “Remmy,” I called, “please do keep your pants on as my attendants are walking the gardens.”

  Rustling in the hedges made me smile. It was too crowded during the day to have that sort of intimate encounter there. They could always come back at night. The gardens were better by moonlight.

  My powers were excellent for tracking people at close range only. Normally, Nemal would be working or in some sort of Queen’s Guard educational meeting. It was midday, and I followed his thoughts. He was in his quarters—dreaming.

  The droids let me in, and his personal attendant simply glanced toward the bedroom. I was acting bold and inappropriate, but I wanted to talk to him alone, anyway. At least, we were in private.

  The room was very much him, dark and to the point. He had a picture of his family from when he was much younger, when his father was still alive. The mementos were simple, but he was a member of the Queen’s Guard. They had to be willing to pick up and move, taking few possessions, in order to serve the realm. But he was a prince, and his quarters were lavish and spacious. About as nice as mine.

  I watched him sleep, shirtless and carefree. My attraction to him was always there, but so much stood in our way. I wasn’t a princess. I was powerful, a seer meant to serve my country and queen. If I ended up in love or mixed up emotionally with the royal family, would I be able to do my job?

  With a traitor for a father, Minnette and the queen certainly wouldn’t want me in their family, anyway. Nemal and I hadn’t seriously discussed things. It was attachment, attraction, and proximity. I couldn’t let my heart get too set on him with so much hanging in the balance.