by Shea, K. M.
“And music and drinks,” Nick continued.
“And money,” Elise said with a stone face.
“Ahhhh, yes that would be the kicker,” Nick said, grimacing.
“I think our treasury could handle a small party, don’t you think so, Elise?” King Henrik said.
Elise, unable to refuse her father anything after the past few months, said, “I suppose.”
“Hurray!” Nick said.
“Excellent choice, Father,” Gerhart praised.
“Good,” King Henrik said, leaning over to kiss Elise on the temple. “I will use the occasion as an excuse to laud and praise you,” he said before shaking his head and smiling in pride. “My daughter, Fürstin Elise, the savior of Arcainia!”
Elise leaned back in her chair, a smile on her lips. She was startled when she realized Mikk stood at her side, his hands folded behind her back.
“May I have a moment of your time?” he asked.
“Certainly,” Elise said, standing up. She awkwardly brushed her skirts before joining Mikk in a stroll around the room.
“You know our family loves you for you, not for being perfect,” he said when they were far enough away from the table that they wouldn’t be overheard.
Elise weighed his words. “Yes,” she said, surprised at the realization. She didn’t know exactly when the change took place, but she pushed herself to break the curse and defeat Clotilde not out of duty but love.
“You know that I have never disliked you?”
Elise blinked. “What?” It took her a moment to recall her emotional outburst the night she was told Rune and Falk loved her. She had accused Gerhart of being a brat and Mikk of holding her in distaste. “Um,” Elise awkwardly said.
“I watched you. Out of curiosity,” Mikk said. “Two of my brothers fell for you, that’s surprisingly high odds. Also, Father told Nick and I to put a security detail on you or he would hang us from our ankles. No wooing or courting allowed,” Mikk said, drawing a laugh from Elise. “But I never disliked you. You are my baby sister,” Mikk said.
The sweet simplicity of his words made Elise’s eyes water. “Thank you,” she said, choked up.
“So you don’t have to be the Perfect Princess anymore,” Mikk said, holding out Elise’s flute in one hand, a small saw in the other.
“Mikk…”
“You hate it. Break it.”
Elise took the instrument with a grimace. “No. I can’t.”
“Yes, you can.”
“No, I can’t! Do you have any idea how much this thing costs? We could sell it to purchase a new set of carriage horses or to pay Brida’s salary for half a year.”
Mikk gave Elise a rare smile. It softened the normal stone bones of his face and brightened his eyes. “Elise, do it.”
Elise swiveled the instrument in her grip and made a noise of distress.
“I will pay a jeweler to peel off the gold work and melt it down after it is destroyed.”
“Ok,” Elise brightly said. She took the saw from Mikk, and after a moment of struggling to hold the saw and flute, Mikk took the instrument and held it secure while Elise sawed through it.
When it snapped, Elise held the two halves above her head. “Never again!”
“Never again,” Mikk echoed.
“No more being perfect!”
“No more.”
“Way to go Elise!” Nick said. “What are we cheering for?”
Elise smiled at Mikk and walked back to the table with him. “The beginning of new era.”
“Sounds poetic,” King Henrik said.
“It sounds wonderful,” Elise said. “Oh, Mikk?”
“Yes?”
“I will be sending a Treasury Department employee to retrieve the gold.”
Mikk’s lips twitched in amusement. “I cannot funnel it into my budget?”
“It’s not allowed. No matter how I love you, dear brothers, your budgets are mine.”
“Hear that, Falk? Even if you marry her, you’ll still be paying through the nose,” Nick said, elbowing his younger brother.
“Shut up, Nick.”
“So cruel to your big brother. Gerhie, stop writing and start drinking. This is a celebration!”
“Don’t call me that!”
News spread fast and far of Queen Clotilde’s defeat. The celebration lasted three days and three nights before the royal family divvied out duties to mop up the mess Clotilde made of the country in a few short months.
Rune, Nick, and Mikk set out with the army to clear the lands of all the monsters that flocked to Arcainia in their absence. Falk and Erick set out to take inventory of the lands and crops, hoping to plant winter crops to make up for the poor harvest.
Gerhart and Steffen accompanied Gabrielle to her lands, Carabas, to see what could be done with the remains of the harbor.
Elise was the only royal child to remain behind in Castle Brandis, reinstating customs that Clotilde abolished (public lunches and breakfasts were the first thing Elise restored) and holding the central government together with King Henrik.
She cleared out Clotilde’s quarters, sold all the luxury goods the vile queen bought, and reinstated officials to their previous positions.
When the dust settled, King Henrik met Elise for tea to discuss the country’s future.
“Even though she’s gone, we may still be ruined,” King Henrik said, his mouth a grim line on his face. Much of his youthfulness was restored to him, but there were new lines on his forehead and around his mouth.
“What do you mean?” Elise asked.
“It is like Clotilde’s specter still hangs over us. With all of her wild spending and unbalanced use of magic, it seems she was doing her best to break the country to pieces. Although we wrestled it out of her control, there is only so much we can do. Your brothers have brilliantly managed their departments, but no country could bear what we have without going heavily into debt,” King Henrik said. “If only I weren’t such a fool! If I hadn’t let her grip my mind…”
Elise placed a comforting hand on top of King Henrik’s fist. “There is something you need to see, Father. Come,” she said, leading the way out of her office.
“Where are we going?” King Henrik said, following Elise out of the Treasury Department’s offices.
“Do you remember when you first gave me control of the Treasury Department?” Elise asked, glancing over her shoulder.
“I do. You were barely fifteen, but the timing was too perfect to pass up as the previous department head announced his retirement.”
“Everyone thought you were mad for giving me such a responsibility,” Elise said.
King Henrik smiled fondly. “Ingrid approved. So did Steffen and the rest of your foster brothers.”
“They did,” Elise said as they walked to a more heavily patrolled, well-guarded section of the castle. “And so did the previous department head. He stayed on for a summer to teach and mentor me before setting me loose to bargain and bully my brothers and their respective departments.”
“Foster brothers,” King Henrik said, a smile creasing his lips.
“The Treasury Department was my dream post. I was thrilled when you assigned it to me. I’ve always liked numbers, and it greatly assured me of the esteem and trust you—and Mother—placed in me,” Elise said, leading the way through a squad of guards.
“Of course,” King Henrik said.
Elise stopped outside a large, metal door.
There were two guards posted on either side of the door, but their presence meant very little. No one could get in without the key.
Elise slipped the key off her red sash and slid it in the oddly shaped lock. She let go of the key, which glowed. Something in the door clicked, and the metal door rolled away.
“Like everything else I do, I did my absolute best at running the Treasury Department,” Elise said, removing the key and stepping inside the treasury.
Inside the room were mountains of gold. It cascaded off the walls in fl
at coins and was stacked in corners in solid bars. There were certificates of debt from other countries that Elise had bought up, priceless jewels, mountains of foreign currency, and blocks of precious stones like jade, amber, and emerald lined up in solid squares that were taller than Elise.
Elise and King Henrik could only take several steps into the room, it was so crowded with gold and coins.
As the only possessor of the treasury key, Elise knew King Henrik hadn’t set foot in the treasury in years, so she delighted in his awe.
“Clotilde’s antics will not break us. They will make a dent, but nothing I cannot recover with a few thrifty seasons,” Elise said, her smile soft and affectionate as she watched her father.
King Henrik shook his head as he stared at the fathomless wealth. “I knew you were doing a good job managing our finances, else Steffen would have said something. But this… I never expected.”
Elise’s smile grew indulgent as she strolled up to her Father and placed her head on his shoulder. “So you will stop blaming yourself?”
King Henrik linked his arms around Elise. “Your vast wealth does not change the fact that what I allowed to happen is unforgiveable.”
“But it is,” Elise said. “The one thing this wretched trial has taught me is that love covers a multitude of sins. Please, Father. I can’t stand to hear you blame yourself. Forgive yourself.”
King Henrik’s shoulders heaved. “Alright, my darling. Thank you.”
“Of course,” Elise said, linking arms with King Henrik as they turned to leave the treasury.
King Henrik glanced over his shoulder at the glittering wealth. “No wonder your brothers always hated budgeting with you. Nick complains bitterly that you make him itemize everything, and Falk always muttered you stole the royal profits and had unrealistic monetary return expectations for him.”
“Of course. If he wanted money for agricultural research the expected return had to make it worth it,” Elise said with a mad grin.
“They don’t deserve you, you know,” King Henrik said.
“Who?” Elise asked, locking the treasury door.
“Rune and Falk. Falk is too dense for you, and Rune has the shrewdness of a snake,” King Henrik said.
“It warms my bones to see how you recommend your sons,” Elise said.
“Naturally, you always were my favorite,” King Henrik said, his voice rumbling with laughter. “So which one will you choose?”
“I don’t know. I’m giving them an equal chance right now,” Elise said.
“Just be careful not to give any lad besides the two of them too much attention,” King Henrik said.
“Why?”
“Falk spent years toady-ing up to Mikk so as to use his army of sneaks, and Rune is the country’s best warrior,” King Henrik said.
“They wouldn’t…” Elise said.
King Henrik studied the ceiling. “They might have already.”
“What?”
King Henrik laughed and patted Elise’s hand. “No matter. I’m sure you’ll be happy no matter which one you choose. They’re good lads.”
“Thank you, Father.”
“Of course, my darling daughter.”
As father and daughter strolled arm in arm, Elise thought of more ways to squeeze money from Falk’s agricultural ventures—especially now that she suspected she would be able to use her feminine charm to her advantage.
King Henrik, meanwhile, grew misty eyed over the thought that in several years he would very likely be walking in a similar manner with his daughter, only then it would be down the aisle of a cathedral.
King Henrik knew Elise was dedicated to her work, but he also knew she was a creature of steadfast love and loyalty. It wouldn’t be long before her heart decided between Falk and Rune. He didn’t know for sure, but King Henrik suspected he knew who she would choose…..
If you believe Elise grows to love Rune, click HERE. If you believe Elise grows to love Falk, click HERE.
Falk
After Clotilde was defeated, it took three weeks for loneliness to set in Elise’s heart and two days for her to correctly identify the feeling.
The idea that she was lonely seemed ludicrous. After all, she could speak as much as she wanted, and her brothers were no longer available to her for only a single hour of each day but at all times. Yes, Brida was not her near-constant companion, but the two frequently shared meals together. Moreover, as a result of the Clotilde fiasco, Elise had grown closer to her brothers, Father, and even Gabrielle—whose friendship she greatly enjoyed.
But still, the loneliness plagued her.
It would hit her at odd times, like when she was alone in her office in the evening hours. She would reach for a soft, feathery body that wasn’t there. Sometimes when taking tea, she saved a crust of bread and would turn to give it to…nothing.
The only logical conclusion was that Elise missed Falk’s constant presence, an outcome Elise did not want to dwell on much less recognize.
“—Did you even use the paste while I was gone? Your hands are puffy. You’ve been working too much again. Your hands will not heal if you don’t rest them,” Falk said as he rubbed Elise’s hands with a costly lotion he purchased while traveling with Erick. “It’s been weeks since you last picked up a nettle, and your hands still haven’t healed.”
Yes, Elise really didn’t want to recognize it.
“Are you even listening to me?”
“Of course,” Elise said, internally disgusted with herself. How could she miss this?
“No, you aren’t. Or your hands wouldn’t be so horribly abused. Open your mouth.”
“Why?”
“Just do it.”
Elise obeyed. She almost wretched when Falk popped a spoonful of bitter liquid in her mouth. She swallowed the concoction, but held her stomach as she produced gagging noises. “What was that?”
“Medicine. It will strengthen and fortify you.”
“I feel plenty fortified already, thank you. Couldn’t you have done anything about the taste? It’s like I swallowed mud a pig pooped and rolled in,” Elise said, wiping her mouth.
“Here,” Falk said, passing Elise a mug.
Elise eyed the contents and sniffed it.
“It’s water,” Falk said, his voice wry.
Elise cautiously took a sip to assure herself that it was indeed water before gulping it down, anxious to wash away the bitter medicine. “That was awful,” she said when she finished.
Falk expressively raised his eyebrows but said nothing as he arranged his clay pots and glass bottles.
Elise raised a hand to inspect it. “I think my hands look better. They don’t hurt anymore, and the welts are mostly gone.”
“Yes, but they’re flushed and discolored, and you have quite a bit of scarring,” Falk said.
“Thank you for trying to make them look better,” Elise said.
“I think there is nothing wrong with them. They are beautiful,” Falk said, his words peppered with a frown.
Elise ruefully shook her head. “In no way are my hands beautiful.”
“They are. They are a visible symbol of your love and the sacrifice you made to free us,” Falk said.
“If they’re so symbolic, why do you plague me with your horrible medicines?”
“Because you are ashamed.”
Elise’s heart leaped into her throat. “What?”
Falk tossed a rag on a nearby workbench. “You hide your hands whenever possible, and you wore gloves at that atrocious celebration our family threw. You do not like showing people your wounds. Which is a shame. It’s no different than Nick or Rune’s battle scars. It is something you should be proud of.”
Elise stared at Falk.
“What?” the goldenrod haired prince said as he started rolling bandages.
“I was thinking it might make sense after all.”
“Of course it makes sense.”
“No, not my hands. Just—I’ve missed you. For the life of me I
couldn’t figure out why.”
“You certainly know how to give a compliment.”
“Yes, I missed your constant presence, but we would drive each other crazy if we were together all day long,” Elise blurted out, saying things she didn’t mean to say.
“How you warm my heart with your gentle sentiments.”
“But what I really missed was you, not your physical proximity, but you.”
Falk put the bandages aside. “What about me is there to miss? I scare your subordinates; I’m antisocial, and I accidentally say mean things if one goes by Rune’s hefty grasp of the subject.”
“You’re thoughtful,” Elise said, sliding off her stool. “You watch me, and you understand why I do things. You get why I keep our budgets tight, and why I am on a crusade to expand trade. You don’t let me run reckless, doing whatever I want. You lecture me if I’m in the wrong, and you see the best in me.”
“Elise,” Falk said, his tone worried.
“But it’s not just about me. You’re also clever and witty. And yes, I would be remiss if I did not mention you are handsome. But above all, you are thoughtful and gentle.”
“Elise. Please, don’t,” Falk said, his voice just above a whisper.
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t give me hope.”
The words were like an open chasm between them. They startled Elise. “Why not? Why not, if what I say is the truth?”
“Because you don’t love me, not the way I love you,” Falk said.
Elise weighed his words. Did she really just see Falk as her foster brother? She didn’t think so.
She loved Steffen, but being with him didn’t make her speak carelessly. She knew Gerhart was quite handsome, but she was never struck by his looks. Rune was…Rune was her hero. But she didn’t miss him the way she missed Falk. Things had changed since the night Elise and Falk discussed their relationship in the freezing waters of Lake Sno.
No, Elise certainly didn’t see Falk as a foster brother, and she still loved him. So there was only one conclusion to make. “But I do.”
“You do what?” Falk said, his eyes scrunched shut as he rubbed his forehead.
“I love you,” Elise said, as if they were discussing line items in the Agriculture Department’s budget.