Encircled

by Robin Roseau

  “Ah,” she said again. “The major wouldn’t intentionally give poor advice. It probably wouldn’t even occur to her. But she prides herself on a job well done. How many guards did she bring?”

  “Ten, Your Majesty.”

  “How many would it have required?”

  “A note of when to deliver myself would have been sufficient, although I appreciated the carriage ride.”

  “Ten ensured there would be little chance for failure in this simple mission. If you saw ten, then there were another ten watching possible exit routes.”

  At that, I looked up into her eyes. They were stunning, penetrating, and I began to understand some of the things Olivia had said about her.

  “That’s better,” she said. “Olivia, I begin to see what you mean. What a delightful little demonstration. She told me exactly what she thought of Major Kelress in fewer than ten words.” She made a twirling gesture and spoke for the entire room. “Turn around. I wish to see all of you.”

  I turned, slowly, coming back to face her again. She smiled then lowered her voice again. “Don’t play games with me again.”

  “Claary doesn’t play those games, Your Majesty,” Olivia said. “She does, however, find interesting ways to ask questions. Usually she is blunter. I don’t particularly blame her for asking that question. Do you?”

  “No, and I suppose I don’t blame her for the cautious means of asking.” She pointed a finger at me. “Next time, look me in the eye and ask.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” I said.

  “Good.” She lifted her voice again. “So, let us review what we know of you. You are now 22 years old. You were amongst the women who represented the common people of your city, when my forces first arrived. You demonstrated some ability to read a map, some knowledge of geography, and quite a refined knowledge of right and wrong. You had your First with Lady Olivia. You were 21 at the time, but were treated as if you were 18.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  “Since we arrived, you have been a staunch advocate for the people of Charth. You defended members of your council and pressed upon Lady Olivia some adjustments in her plans.

  “At the same time, you have attempted to make the best out of a situation that had to seem quite strange to you, and perhaps quite unfair. Your inn has been a welcoming place for our soldiers and other representatives.”

  She smiled again. “You have developed an intriguing reputation upon the turf of your local stadium, one that involved helping to best two of our soldiers.”

  “I didn’t do that alone, and I was very lucky.”

  “You took advantage of the opportunities luck left open for you,” she said. “Or so I am told. Through all this, in spite of your youth, you have emerged as a leader of the others here in Charth. Oh, you aren’t the only one, but you are the only one that Lady Olivia references in nearly every pouch I receive from her.”

  “That hasn’t been attention I sought,” I said. “Your Majesty, you are making more of me than I am. I am a simple barmaid.”

  “Nonsense.”

  “That’s her line,” Olivia said. “I warned you it wouldn’t take more than five minutes before it appeared.”

  “So you did.”

  “You are an innkeeper. That is at least a step above barmaid. And there is nothing simple about you.”

  “I’m not a soldier. I don’t have those skills. I barely can guess which end of a sword to hold, and I have never touched one.”

  “Never?”

  “Never,” I said. “And I have zero interest in doing so. I know little about the law and even less about politics. I had no understanding of how our economic policies affected anyone beyond our borders. I run an inn. For a while, I helped to run a bakery as well. The rest of this is a distraction.”

  She studied me. “Did the major advise you I dislike false modesty?”

  “Yes,” I said. “You state I have a reputation in the arena. Are you also aware of my record when competing against several women born and raised in Ressaline City? We’re all babes. So I was lucky when competing with other babies. I’m at best a toddler.”

  “You’re more than that, but I understand what you’re saying.” She tapped her nails. “Well. I believe we have a good summary. Why have you not yet become a citizen?”

  “Lady Olivia has served as my mentor,” I said. “She has not guided me to make that attempt.”

  “Perhaps she has decided it is time for you to fly the nest, so to speak, and make this choice for yourself.”

  “Perhaps she has,” I said. “Although she has not said so, and I haven’t necessarily felt like she has pushed me out.”

  “She has given you ample opportunity to spread your wings. Perhaps you are expected to soar free when you are ready. You don’t seem like the sort to wait for permission to fly.”

  “I believe I would be a fool to make such an important decision without her guidance,” I said. “And I believe she knows that is how I feel. If she expects me to choose when to fly, she need only tell me.”

  “This is an interesting explanation, but I don’t buy it. Oh, I have no doubt every word was true, but I believe there are other reasons.”

  “I am a simple barmaid, Your Majesty. What you see is what you get.”

  “That is rather vexing, Olivia,” said the queen. “Does she really believe that?”

  “I believe she does,” Olivia said, “although perhaps not to an absolute. And while it isn’t exactly true, it isn’t exactly false, either.”

  “I suppose not.” Queen Lisdee nodded. Then she stood and stepped past me. “Walk with me, Ms. Rosebush.” She didn’t even slow down, and I scurried to follow after her. She made it halfway to the ballroom exit before she slowed and said, “With me, not behind me.” She let me catch up, and then we swept from the room. The guards tried to follow, but she held a hand out. “We will be perfectly safe.”

  “Your Majesty,” said the major.

  She spun. “I was a fool to send you, Kelriss, and should have let Olivia retrieve Ms. Rosebush her own way. I should have left you in Ressaline. I do not care to surround these women with a cadre of imposing guards, especially ones you have hand-picked. Stand down.” Then she spun and continued walking. I ran a few steps to catch up to her.

  “Thanks for that,” I muttered.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Now she has a real reason to hate me.”

  “What did she do?”

  “Apparently, I am below a polite greeting, even when offering a friendly smile and open hand. I don’t exactly blame her for hating us.”

  “You’re the one who decided to make an international incident out of it, Ms. Rosebush.”

  “I didn’t trust the advice,” I said. “I would rather frustrate you with the image of a commoner too afraid to approach you or too stupid to do it the way you prefer than to insult you with over familiarity. Do you blame me?”

  “No, I suppose I don’t. You considered that during your walk?”

  “No, Your Majesty. I decided the advice sounded wrong as she spoke and decided to do things the way I thought had the least chance of insulting you.”

  We reached the front doors. They opened before us, and we descended the steps. “They’re really going to let you take a walkabout?”

  “Oh, I imagine the major is scrambling to move people into our path without seeming to do so,” she said. “She’s quite loyal. I would have made her stay home, but I’d hate if I found out she smuggled herself along, and I’m convinced she would. We’re just going out to the park where we’ll have less of an audience.”

  We crossed the street and entered the green. There, she slowed down but said, “What is the real reason you are not yet a citizen?”

  “I don’t understand why you feel I would defy Lady Olivia or step outside her guidance.”

  “I understand you’re more than willing to argue with her.”

  “And then I do what she tells me to do.”

  “I suppose you
do,” she said. She stopped and turned to me. “I want the real reason.”

  “It’s not that simple, Your Majesty,” I said. “That is the reason. There are other factors, but they are not first.”

  “Tell me these other factors.”

  “At least until Lady Olivia guides me otherwise, I have no intention of pursuing citizenship. If it comes knocking, I will open the door.”

  “I understand it did come knocking.”

  “And the woman in question was in love with someone else.”

  “You were her second choice, I understand by a far margin.”

  “I wasn’t her first choice, and I thought it was ridiculous to accept second if the first was possible. Do you fault me?”

  “No. I am quite impressed, actually. On her behalf, thank you.” I inclined my head. “I want the rest.”

  “How am I supposed to walk up to some woman and say, I want you as my forever slave. I want to take away any hope you have of remaining a free woman. It’s not like I’m going to approach someone when I’m not convinced I’ll win. I have no intention of accepting 50-50 odds. If she comes to me, then it was her choice. If Lady Olivia counsels me, I will seriously consider her advice. But I’m not going looking, at least not for another three years or so.”

  “Ah, she told you about that,” said the queen. “All right. I dislike working this hard for an answer.”

  “The primary reason is exactly as stated. This was secondary.”

  “The answer was not complete until you stated the secondary reason, Ms. Rosebush.”

  “Which I didn’t want to do with that audience, which is why we’re in this park.”

  “No. We’re in this park because of what I want to ask you next. However, I admit I thought the audience was intimidating you. Don’t make me work this hard again. If you want to sidestep an answer, just tell me.”

  “None of you do that,” I said. “Perhaps I am supposed to grow wings on my own? What was that? Perhaps seems to be the favorite word of all of you. Don’t you lead by example, Your Majesty?”

  She chuckled. “Olivia said you’d mention that at some point.”

  “She seems to know me well.”

  “I am the queen. You are the subject. Remember that.”

  “I can’t possibly forget.”

  “Good. I also forbid you from using the phrase ‘simple barmaid’ in my presence.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Do you?”

  “Yes.”

  “And if those words pass these lips again, what will happen to me.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “I am not threatening to defy you. You could have made it a request.”

  “I imagine Olivia has tried that.”

  “What happens, Your Majesty.”

  “If you don’t intend to defy me, what does it matter?”

  “Two years from now, when I have forgotten, and you ask me something I know nothing about, and I use that phrase as a reminder I’m not going to know a thing about it, what happens?”

  “You presume we’ll ever meet again.”

  “You’re doing it again,” I said. “You’re sidestepping my question. What is so hard about answering me? I’m not being rhetorical. I honestly don’t have an idea. Do I get locked in a dungeon? Tortured? Beheaded? Maybe only permanently enslaved. I have no idea.”

  “You’re serious.”

  “How would I know? Lady Olivia has never made an order like that to me, and I have no idea what authority she has. I have no idea what she would do, much less what you would.”

  “I would give you sufficient incentive not to do so again.”

  “That’s not an answer, either. Are you unable to be specific?”

  “I don’t know what I would do, Ms. Rosebush. It would probably depend upon how vexed I felt.”

  “Then give me the range.”

  “I might remind you of the order and expect you to amend your answer. If you sufficiently angered me, although I am not capricious, I have the authority to have you pacified and enslaved.”

  “That’s still not an answer,” I said. “You would enslave me because you didn’t like me admitting to my humble roots?”

  “Well, no.”

  “So you still have not identified the upper limit of what to expect, nor some sort of middle answer.”

  “You are quite vexing.”

  “I imagine you knew that before you summoned me.”

  “I imagine I did,” she agreed. “I don’t know, Ms. Rosebush.”

  “Give me a real example.”

  “Perhaps a short period of enslavement without pleasure. It would depend on whether I thought you were intentionally breaking my order as compared to inadvertently. It would also depend upon whether you were doing it to highlight why you don’t know something as opposed to knowing something but not wanting to answer me.”

  I thought about it. “I wish permission to use it for the first. If I use it for the second, then I will hold no ire if you slap my wrist for it.”

  “This is not a negotiation.”

  “Of course, Your Majesty.” And I dropped into a curtsey and held it.

  “You are vexing!” she yelled. I held the curtsey. “Get up. Do that again, and you’ll be enslaved and handed to one of the dreaded protocol teachers for a week of lessons. You will not enjoy the experience.”

  I stood but shook my head. It was very difficult to look her in the eye after that. “Why are you intentionally vexing me?”

  I dropped my eyes but then snapped them up. I thought very carefully before answering but finally said, “My background hasn’t prepared me for speaking to royalty. I really would rather not have attracted half the attention I have. I have never been threatened with enslavement for the use of a turn of phrase. When trying to reach more comfortable ground, you made sure to remind me you’ll be keeping me off balance. I don’t know what to do to indicate I am aware of the difference in power we hold. I would rather shut up and fade into the background, because I am not remotely equipped for a conversation with you. And you know it, too.”

  She looked me in the eye for a moment longer then turned deeper into the green. “Walk with me,” she said gently, and then we strolled. “You’re equipped just fine. If you use that phrase, the most I’m going to do is briefly enslave you, but it would be in fun. Please do not curtsey to me. I really don't like it. Don't stop speaking plainly.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty.”

  “Good. Please do not vex me now. I would like to know what you think of our policies.”

  “I am unsure I can answer that question without vexing you.”

  “Lying to me will vex me. Honestly telling me at great length you detest our policies will not, unless your tone turns uncivil.”

  “Am I allowed questions?”

  “Olivia warned me of that, too. Yes.”

  “How many of us have been enslaved so far?”

  “Ah. Discounting your military and those who we found north of the Ressa river, barely a tenth. Some percentage of that is to each other. A larger amount to us. The rate is beginning to increase.”

  “When does it end?”

  “It never ends, Ms. Rosebush. New babies are born. They age. They reach sixteen years of age.”

  “Did you really not understand the intent of my question?”

  She paused a moment. “I expect the current process to continue for several more years, perhaps as long as five. There will be a few holdouts, people who will never become citizens who attempt to avoid becoming enslaved. Olivia will manipulate most of you before then.”

  “I believe you just made me wonder whether the target is one hundred percent.”

  “Oh, no,” she said. “I don’t have a target like that. Some of you will be sent to Ressaline City, but we haven’t yet fully absorbed the ones we took two years ago. I do not want to flood the market, so to speak.”

  “You address this so casually,” I said.

  “It is not at all casual,” she replied. “No fewe
r than sixty percent of you will be enslaved, and perhaps as high as ninety, although I do not believe so. I would guess near the middle of that range.”

  “Three quarters.”

  “Yes, about,” she said.

  “So far, my mother and sister.”

  “I understand they are very happy.”

  “Do you think that is the main point, as I see it?”

  “You grieve what you have lost and have not learned to celebrate what they have gained.”

  “You ignore what they have lost.”

  “They both had choices,” she said. “I understand if your sister had been patient, she would almost certainly have grown into a citizen, but she wasn’t ready yet.”

  “They were afraid.”

  “So I understand,” she replied. “So they – and you, I believe – recognize the allure of what we offer.”

  “It’s an illusion. Bait and switch.”

  “Oh?”

  “Oh, please. Sexfest after sexfest? How long will that last?”

  “We’re quite the hedonists. Why would it end?”

  “People grow older and less attractive.”

  “I understand your mother remains an attractive woman. I am told I am attractive, and I am twice your age. And it’s not like a slave is allowed to grow fat or neglect her body or her health. I understand you pursued a challenge with Judge Jessla, and she is nearly three times your age.”

  I grew quiet for a while. We slowly continued walking. Finally she said, “You still haven’t answered me.”

  “I don’t know what I think,” I said. “If not for the tariffs on food, this would be an easier answer.”

  “If not for the tariffs on food, we probably wouldn't have remained after dealing with your council,” she said. “We may have been satisfied with reclaiming our land and enslaving those we found attempting to steal it. We would have made sure to deliver a message, but that might have come in the form of assassins for your council. I don’t know. But you gave me the moral right to invade, and if I could solve the food problem while I was at it, I wasn’t going to turn it down.”

  “I wish you wouldn’t say ‘you’ in that sentence. I am completely innocent, and Lisbon even more so.”

  “That is fair,” she said. “I do not blame the young individuals.”