Pawn (The Pawn Series Book 1)

by Robin Roseau

  "I suppose."

  "But I was spending some meals with the queen, and some nights sleeping in the room next to the crown princess."

  "Yeah."

  "And I was a security risk?" Her voice screeched.

  We stared at each other, and then I'm not sure who dived towards the newer records. We were both rejected the following year, but last year, there were no particular notes, and we were on the advance list and stayed there.

  "I think we should clean up. I don't want to leave everything like this."

  "Yeah."

  And so we carefully packed, each large folder carefully labeled by year and which subfolders it contained, and each subfolder labeled with its year and basic contents. We assembled the large folders in the same order with the same contents from year to year, and then everything went into the two boxes.

  "That wasn't so bad," Muranna said.

  "Yeah. It only took two of us all day. Let's hope no one gets it in her head to suggest we look at the records we don't currently have."

  "Oh, do not say that too loudly," Muranna said with a grimace. Together, we moved the boxes to a place of safety and replaced the furniture, good as new. Then Muranna threw an arm over my shoulder, and together we headed for bed.

  * * * *

  In the morning, we recruited help to return the boxes to Lady Malta's office. She was waiting for us and smirked when she saw we weren't carrying them ourselves. As soon as the boxes were on the conference table, our assistants had disappeared, and the door was closed, Lady Malta asked, "So, did you have questions?"

  "Yes," Muranna said immediately, putting her hands on her hip. "Why are we a security risk?"

  "Found that, did you?" Malta asked.

  "You must have expected it," I said, adding a hand to my own hip, a mirror of Muranna. "How did we go from a security risk two years ago to helping organize the event this year?"

  "And how could anyone let a pair of such delinquent security risks live in the palace?"

  "Would it make you feel any better knowing the queen asked that very same question?" That took some of the wind out of our sails, but not all of it. Muranna punctuated our position by sticking her hip out a little further.

  "Three years ago, while preparing the guests lists, the queen herself added you both to the initial list. Yalla, you were an obvious choice. Muranna, there was perhaps a minute or two of discussion, but it was decided at the very least, Yalla would need you to do what you've been doing for her already, offering her guidance." We both nodded understanding.

  "And then we sent the entire list to the Queen's Guard for approval."

  "And Lieutenant Keelara removed us," I said.

  "Lieutenant Keelara was not our liaison at that time, nor was she yet a lieutenant," Malta replied. "Furthermore, we intentionally keep that portion of the process private. It prevents politics from being involved, and the Queen's Guard can do their job without interference."

  "How could they think a girl still in her fourteenth year was a security risk?" I asked. "I was a kid."

  Malta ignored my question. "When the final list came back from the guard, and your names were removed, Queen Ralalta was annoyed. And so she promptly put you back on the list."

  "And the next year?"

  "That was almost the same process. But this time the queen stormed into my office and demanded to know why you had both been removed. We summoned our liaison, who was now Lieutenant Keelara, and were told only, 'They didn't pass our security check.' The queen told the good lieutenant to 'suck it up', were her words, and added you back onto the list."

  "And it seems to have stuck."

  "Last year," continued Malta, "the queen came to our initial meeting, loomed over Lieutenant Keelara, and told her what would happen to the lieutenant's career if her foster daughter were removed from the list." Malta grinned. "The queen gets what the queen wants. Usually, anyway."

  "I still don't understand. They let me live in the palace, but I was too big a security risk to attend a party?"

  Malta shook her head. "Well, they weren't consulted when the queen moved you into the palace. I believe that may be the real problem. I believe someone was telling the queen what they thought of that particular oversight." She looked back and forth between us. "You are both foreign born. We know very little about either of you."

  "We were kids!"

  "You're still kids," she said. "But that doesn't mean you aren't both a pair of spies."

  "Spies?" I said. "Are you serious?"

  "The people who worry about spies are very paranoid," she said. "As they should be, I might add."

  "Well, I'm not a spy," I said.

  "I am," Muranna said. "Totally a spy. I've already sold all your secrets, Yalla."

  "I'm hurt," I told her. "You didn't share what you made."

  "I took you to lunch that one time. I'd have made it dinner, but I only got enough for lunch."

  We both laughed and turned to Lady Malta. "So, what are we doing today?"

  She gestured, and we took our seats. That wouldn't last long. "Let's see how well you did your assignment. What did we serve for appetizers last year?"

  Muranna stood back up, opened both boxes, setting the lids aside, pulled out last year's folders. It took her about fifteen seconds before she recited the answer.

  "Are you sure?" Malta asked.

  I looked at the sheet she was reading. "That's the preliminary list."

  "Oh, right," Muranna said. She paged through and found the final list, reading that off. Malta asked us a few more questions of a similar nature. Muranna and I alternated to find the information. Then she began asking about different years, so we found that information equally easily.

  Finally she asked, "How are you doing that so rapidly?"

  "We organized," Muranna replied for us.

  "The folders were a mess," I explained.

  Malta took a few minutes to go through what we've done. When she was done, she nodded. "Good job. When this is done, I have more records you can organize."

  I bumped Muranna. "I told you we shouldn't show her our method."

  "Whose idea was it to organize these boxes in the first place?"

  "I think it was yours. You made more work for us."

  Malta let us get by with our antics for a minute then said, "Well, now we have real questions. Muranna, there is paper in that cabinet." She pointed. "Yallameenara, we need to chart attendance trends. For the years we have records, I want to know how many people were on the provisional list, how many were still on the list after the Queen's Guard was finished, how many invitations went out, and how many people actually attended."

  "Got it," I said. I began collecting the information, and as soon as Muranna was ready, I began giving her the numbers.

  When we had the numbers, Malta said, "Attendance has been growing steadily for each of the last ten years."

  "It's doubled in ten years," Muranna pointed out.

  "Yes, but we're going to cap attendance at last year's number. We just don't have room for more. For now, you two don't need to worry about that. But we need to begin lining up caterers, serving staff, and entertainers."

  "I really liked that trio last year," I said.

  "Which one?" Muranna asked.

  "I don't remember the name. They did that thing with cracking whips at the end while we clapped."

  "Oh yeah," Muranna replied. "They were really funny. They called themselves Blood, Rock, and Raven. Or something like that."

  "Rook," Malta said. "Blood, Rook, and Raven."

  "Yeah," I said. "Will they be here this year?" We both looked at Malta.

  "They'll be invited," Malta said. "I have three assignments for you."

  * * * *

  Malta had us copy the menus from the last three years. She also gave us sample wording for the public announcements inviting caterers, servers, and entertainers to present themselves for consideration. She then gave us a list of public establishments -- taverns, theaters, and similar p
laces -- to post the announcements. "Take guards."

  And so we spent three days visiting what must have been every public establishment in Marport, a quartet of guards assigned to protect our virtue. At many of them, the guards weren't required, but we knew better than to argue. At each establishment, we talked to the owner, manager, or whomever was available, asking permission to post the notices. No one denied our request.

  In the meantime, we were also encouraged to think about themes. The queen would make her decision. Some years, Malta told us, the queen had a theme in mind, but other years she selected from the suggestions we were told to collect. At that, Muranna and I gave each other a glance.

  We recognized a money making scheme when it stared us in the face. And so we spread the word. A measly five crowns could win a hundred. For five crowns, someone could submit a suggestion for the Winter Solstice Festival theme. We would collect all the suggestions, organize them, combine duplicate or near-duplicate suggestions, and submit them to the committee. We were quite meticulous to make sure people knew there might not be a winner; the queen was under no obligation to choose from amongst the suggestions we collected, after all.

  It took all of ten minutes before the suggestions began arriving, each with a shiny five-crown coin. And it was at dinner two nights later than both Ralalta and Juleena each handed us a note and a five-crown coin. Without even looking at the notes, Muranna and I exchanged glances. I asked in a quiet voice, "Are we in trouble?"

  The queen tapped her fingernails on the table. "How much have you collected so far?"

  "Eight hundred and five crowns," I said.

  "Eight hundred ten and five," Muranna corrected. She tapped the two new five-crown pieces in emphasis.

  I looked up at Ralalta. She was watching me intently, as was Juleena. "We were careful," I said. "We made sure people knew we couldn't guarantee a winner. And they're only five crown wagers." But then I looked down at the two notes on the table. "But I don't think it's fair if you wager, Your Majesty."

  Ralalta snorted. "I should say not," she said. "And were the two of you going to submit your own suggestions, and perhaps campaign for them besides?"

  Muranna and I exchanged another glance. "We were at first," she said. "Oh, we weren't going to campaign. That wouldn't be fair. But then we saw how much money was coming in, and we didn't want people to wonder if we had cheated."

  "How much did you expect to make?" Juleena asked.

  "We didn't know," I said. "We're getting entries from people we don't even know. We thought..." I shrugged.

  "How much?" Ralalta asked.

  "We weren't sure we'd even bring in the hundred," Muranna said.

  Both Ralalta and Juleena snorted at that.

  "We weren't!" she insisted. "Okay, we thought we might, but we weren't sure."

  "We didn't have any of our own ideas," I said.

  "That's not entirely true. We had ideas," Muranna corrected. "But they were bad ideas."

  "That one idea wasn't that bad," I said to her. I looked back at the queen. "Muranna thought it would be fun if it were a masquerade with a prize for the best costume."

  This time Ralalta and Juleena exchanged a look. Then it was Juleena who said, "Actually, that's a very good idea."

  "It is?" Muranna asked.

  "Yes," said the queen. "But it's not a theme, is it?"

  "I suppose not," Muranna admitted.

  "Well, it is a good idea," said the queen. "But not this year. Please share it with Lady Malta, however. Perhaps we'll do that next year." She paused just a moment then asked, "What were you going to do with all the suggestions? Surely you didn't expect me to review two hundred suggested themes."

  "It isn't that many," I said. "Some are nearly identical, so we would combine those and then give the list to Lady Malta."

  "Did you intend to tell her how you accrued so many suggestions?" Juleena asked.

  "We wouldn't lie to her," Muranna said. "If she asked."

  "Are we in trouble?" I asked again.

  "You've put me in a sticky situation," Ralalta replied. "I am now obligated to select from the wagered suggestions."

  "We told everyone you might pick something different," I said quickly.

  "You said you've taken wagers from people you don't know," Juleena pointed out.

  "But when we collect," explained Muranna, "We've made sure they understand."

  "We don't want anyone to feel cheated," I added.

  "And yet," said the queen, "if I don't pick a winner, everyone is going to feel cheated."

  Muranna and I didn't say anything. Juleena and Ralalta exchanged yet another look, and then the queen nodded to her daughter. Juleena turned to us. "We want to thank you."

  "Excuse me?" said Muranna.

  "For finding a means of helping to finance the festival," Juleena clarified. She smiled.

  Muranna and I lowered our heads. "All of it?" I asked in a low voice.

  "Every last crown," said the queen. She shook her head. "We thought giving you this responsibility would keep you too busy for this. Clearly you require additional duties."

  "I do not believe there are enough duties in the world to keep them out of trouble," Juleena said. "The only way to do that is to separate them."

  "No!" Muranna and I said together. "You never said we couldn't make wagers," I added. "You only told me to limit the size and not cheat anyone."

  "We've never done anything we were told not to," Muranna said. "Not once."

  "You mean you believe you've never been caught," Juleena suggested.

  "No," I said. "Unless it's been an honest mistake, we've followed every rule."

  Juleena turned to her mother. "For three years I've been waiting for them to step out of line. If they've done it, I haven't caught them."

  I breathed a sigh of relief.

  The queen looked at Juleena for a moment then turned her gaze back to Muranna and me. "The two of you seem to be quite clever at earning money in unconventional ways."

  "We don't have any conventional ways," Muranna pointed out.

  "No," agreed the queen. "I suppose you do not. But you're not children anymore, and I need you to begin setting those clever minds to helping the country more actively."

  "We don't know how," I said. "We asked for more responsibility, though."

  "So you did," said Ralalta. "Juleena, keep them busy." She turned back to us. "Some of your duties will have you apart, but if you are cooperative and responsible, we won't intentionally separate you."

  "Thank you, Your Majesty," Muranna said.

  "Yalla, you will continue your studies. I know you think they are designed to make you look pretty, but they are important. I especially need you to read better."

  I nodded.

  "The two of you will continue to help Lady Malta," Juleena declared. "We expect this to be the best Winter Solstice Festival ever."

  "Yes, Your Highness," we said together.

  "Good."

  * * * *

  And so, we didn't really get into trouble, but we didn't make the money we'd counted on, either. In bed that night we talked about it. "Are you upset Ralalta took our earnings from us?" I asked Muranna.

  "I don't know," she said. She shrugged. "It's not like we need the money."

  "It's the principle that matters," I suggested.

  "And the hunt," Muranna added.

  I giggled. "Yeah. And the hunt."

  "A girl has to eat, after all."

  "And buy dresses."

  "And hats."

  "If you didn't leave half your new hats here, you wouldn't have anywhere to put them," I pointed out.

  "I keep hoping you'll wear them."

  I laughed. "You do, hmm?"

  "You look great in a hat," she said. "Very sexy and alluring."

  I lightly punched her arm. "Stop it. I do not."

  "Oh," she replied, rubbing her arm. "Yes, you do. Although I admit, not as sexy as you look in your riding leathers."

  "Stop it," I
said. I thought I might be blushing.

  "All the boys think so."

  "The boys don't notice me. They're busy looking at you."

  "That's because they know you're out of their league. Have you noticed it's only the really cocky ones who try to flirt with you?"

  "You mean the ones with no standards who flirt with anything in a skirt?"

  "No, the ones who are willing to try a long shot," Muranna said. "Some of the girls look at you, too."

  "They do not!"

  "Oh yes, they do."

  "Who?"

  "I'm not saying," she said. "But they do."

  "Tell."

  "Nope. My lips are sealed."

  I rolled on top of her, pinning her to the bed. "I can tickle it out of you."

  "I'll just lie," she said, looking up at me. "Yalla, have you ever kissed a boy?"

  I made a face. "When would I have done that, anyway?"

  "I thought maybe before you came here."

  "The only boys I knew before coming here were my brother and cousins," I said. "How about you?"

  "A few times," she said. She made her own face. "Have you ever kissed a girl?"

  I rolled back off of her and stared at the ceiling. "No," I said quietly.

  "Have you thought about kissing boys?" She asked. I made a face and shook my head. "Girls?"

  I didn't say anything to that. Instead I turned it around. "Have you?"

  "I've done more than think about it," she said. "I've done it. And I've thought about it."

  "Whom?" I demanded. "Why haven't you told me?"

  "The last time was before you arrived," she said. "The Drindarian Ambassador's granddaughter was here to visit." Drindari was an island state in the Balen Sea.

  "But you've thought about it since," I said.

  "Yes," she admitted. "Have you?"

  "Yes," I whispered, as if whispering was necessary to ensure privacy.

  "Whom?" she asked.

  "You first."

  She rolled onto her side, her hands clasped under her chin, facing me as I lay on my back. "My list is long," she said. "I'll give you two names if you give me two names."

  "How are you so sure I've thought about two different people."

  "I've thought about kissing Juleena."

  I rolled over to face her, a little too stunned to comment.

  "And you," she added. This time she was the one to whisper.