The Indentured Queen

by Carol Moncado

  Allen and Mrs. Jónsson were already being ushered away by Chamberlain. Benjamin called for him to wait as he reached Katrín’s side. “Why don’t you take them to the cottage and let them look around? A temporary ramp was added today. It won’t be completely accessible, but enough to get an idea of what it’s like.”

  “Thank you.” She stood on her tiptoes and brushed a kiss against his cheek, stumbling into his chest. His arm wrapped around her waist to keep her from falling.

  Her dark eyes swam with unshed tears. Why? Because he’d made arrangements for her family to live close? Just because they were there? Did she know about the proposed cuts and understand why he’d invited her family?

  The moment between them ended when Chamberlain cleared his throat.

  “I’ll talk to you later,” she whispered. “Or tomorrow.”

  “Most likely tomorrow. This meeting will last a while longer.” He didn’t understand why it was held on a Saturday night, but he couldn’t change the custom.

  She stepped back and spoke with Chamberlain who nodded and held the door for them before returning to Benjamin’s side.

  “A masterful stroke, sir.”

  “We’ll see.” He turned to join the members of Parliament in the Council Chambers. “See what we need to do to get Katrín on the Council. If I remember correctly, it’s generally a formality to have the consort added.”

  “It is. Parliament is presented with the proposal on the first business day of the month. If they do nothing, she’s added the first business day of the next month. They can take a vote of no confidence. At this point, it would take a 2/3 majority. If, in the future, they chose to remove her, it would take a 4/5 majority.”

  Neither were likely to happen, but the refresher was good.

  Benjamin took a deep breath. “Let’s do this and inform them of my intention to add Katrín at the next opportunity.”

  Chamberlain followed him into the Council Chambers, where he was announced again. Everyone was already standing by their seats waiting on him.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, let’s get down to business. The budget changes I propose are, of course, just suggestions, but I do hope you’ll take them seriously.”

  For an hour he went over the suggestions in the proposal. There were a few questions, but this meeting went as most budget proposal meetings did. When they got back to Parliament in a few days, they’d argue it out, ignore most of what he said, and do what they wanted.

  A few more minutes of mingling, and he went back to his quarters. By the time he reached his closet, his tie and jacket were off and his shirt was halfway unbuttoned. As soon as he could get into workout clothes, he went to his workout room. His trainer wouldn’t be there, but he could still get a good workout in. He just needed to push himself rather than only doing it because his trainer yelled.

  Mountain climbers. Planks. High knees. Oblique crunches.

  Not a workout his trainer had designed to target a specific area, but things Benjamin mostly enjoyed.

  He picked up both of the ropes and lifted them up and down in unison. They were far heavier than they looked after everything else he’d done.

  Sweat dripped off of him as switched to alternating arms. When he’d finally worked off the meeting with Parliament, he put his equipment away and went back to his suite. After a hot shower, it would be time for bed.

  Katrín clasped her hands in front of her as she tried to keep her excitement from spilling over as they left the reception with the members of Parliament. “Benjamin and I discussed something, and he asked me to go ahead and talk it over with you.” She started down the hall. “Come on. I’ll just show you.”

  One nice thing about the wide hallways of the palace was that they could walk - or roll - three abreast until they had to go a back way to get to the elevator and a side door that exited at ground level. Her mother-in-law had told her how to get there earlier and showed her the path through the gardens.

  “Where are we going?” Allen asked.

  “You’ll see.” A few minutes later, the building appeared as they rounded the turn.

  Her mother stopped in her tracks. “Is that a wheelchair ramp?”

  “A temporary one. This house is available to you, rent free, for as long as you want it. Some renovations will need to be made, but they’ve already made temporary ones so Allen can get inside and look around. Not all of the house will be accessible to him. They don’t want to put an elevator in because the building is insanely old, but Mom, you could live upstairs. There’s plenty of room for Allen downstairs.” Katrín started for the building, but stopped when she realized her mother didn’t follow.

  “Free?” her mother whispered.

  Katrín nodded. “Come inside, and I’ll tell you the rest of the details.”

  A minute later, they were inside. Katrín stood in the entry as the two of them explored the first floor. Her mother exclaimed over everything. Allen called back every few seconds with something he’d discovered the other direction.

  “Go on upstairs, Mama,” Katrín called. “I think you’ll love it.” At least based on what her mother-in-law had told her about it.

  After ten minutes of exploring, they met back in the sitting room.

  “We can really live here?” her mother confirmed again.

  “Yes.”

  Her mother glanced at Allen. “Did you tell him...” She didn’t finish her sentence, but Katrín knew what she meant.

  “No. He asked, but I didn’t tell him.”

  Allen jumped in. “Tell him what?”

  “Nothing,” their mother answered. “King Benjamin is serious about letting us live here, though?”

  “Absolutely. He also said he’ll provide anything Allen needs forever. A nurse or aide to help with all the medical stuff and whatever equipment he needs.”

  “His bed is on its last legs,” her mother admitted. “I looked online to see what it would cost to get a new one.” The last one had been a gift from a group that helped kids with medical needs - and used at that. “The kind we need, if we bought it in the States, would cost something like $70,000 new.”

  Katrín blinked. She knew her new family was worth a boatload of money, but that was far more than the drop in the bucket Benjamin likely expected. “I’ll talk to him. And your chair is looking a little worn, too.”

  “It’s seen better days,” Allen admitted. “So has the van.”

  “I’ll talk to Benjamin about all of it.” She knew the kind of vehicle they needed to handle Allen’s chair wasn’t cheap either.

  “So I’d just have to work enough to buy food and clothes, things like that?”

  Katrín turned back to her mother. “Not even that if you don’t want to, especially if you’re helping Allen. Benjamin did say he would be happy to get you a job in the palace. Any job you want as long as it’s an open position and you’re qualified. As many or as few hours as you want.”

  Her mother slumped backward. “It seems too good to be true.”

  One of the biggest smiles ever crossed Katrín’s face. “It’s not. Even before the wedding, Benjamin promised me he’d make sure you were both taken care of forever.”

  “Spoken like a true man in love.”

  Katrín laughed again and changed the subject. By the time they left, she was certain she knew what her mother’s decision would be. “Just let me know whenever you decide.” Katrín clung tightly to her mother as they prepared to leave.

  “I think you know what we’ll decide, but give me a few days to pray about it.”

  “I’ll tell them to get ready to remodel, but not to start then.”

  “Can we redecorate?” Allen asked as she hugged him. “It’s kind of girlie.”

  Katrín laughed. “I’m sure you can, but I’m also sure that there’s going to be some restrictions about what you can and can’t do to the actual building or the furniture and that stuff.”

  “Most likely.”

  After another minute of discussion, they left
. Katrín went up to her suite, but before entering she stopped and stared at the door to Benjamin’s. She knocked and waited. He answered in his pajama pants and no shirt, his hair still wet from his shower. Did he ever wear a shirt when he was alone in his suite?

  Benjamin stepped to the side to let her in. “Are you just getting back?”

  “Yes. They just left. I haven’t even been to my room yet.”

  Something she couldn’t quite put her finger on crossed his face. “How did it go?” he asked.

  “Fine. I’m almost positive they’ll move in.” She tried not to wring her hands. “But there’s something else.”

  “What?”

  “Allen needs probably $150,000 US dollars in new equipment.” The words came out in a rush. “I don’t think most of it is stuff that’s generally available here because it’s so specialized, so Mama found everything in the States.”

  He shrugged. “Okay. Have her find exactly what he needs, not the cheaper version because it’s cheaper, but the whatever they dream of for Allen. She can email an itemized list to Chamberlain, along with links. He’ll figure out the best place to get it.”

  Katrín rested her hand on Benjamin’s bare chest and tried to ignore the warmth and the feel of his heartbeat. She stood as tall as she could on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss against his cheek. She could barely get the whisper out over her tears. “Thank you.”

  27

  Benjamin headed toward his bed, more than a little disappointed that Katrín hadn’t found the surprise he’d arranged, but he was both mentally exhausted after the meeting and physically weary after his workout.

  He sank onto the bed and, after pulling his blanket over his shoulders, let sleep claim him.

  Despite that, he knew it hadn’t been long when his covers flipped back.

  “What did you do?” His sleep addled mind noted that Katrín sounded angry.

  “What?” he asked, sitting up and reaching for the blanket. “I’m sleeping.”

  “Not until you explain.” She pulled the blanket back.

  “Explain what?”

  “The giant piano sitting in the middle of the consort’s bedroom.”

  He pushed himself upright. “Pretty sure it’s a piano for you to play whenever you want.”

  “Why?”

  “Why is there a piano in your suite?” It was too late and he was too foggy for this argument, especially when he had no idea where it was coming from.

  “Yes.”

  “Because you like to play the piano.” He ran a hand through his hair as he yawned. “Can I go back to sleep now?”

  She kept hold of his blankets. “Where did it come from? Is it one of the ones from another part of the palace? Because I don’t remember it, and I’m pretty sure I tried to play every piano around here at least once.”

  “No. It’s new.” He tugged on the covers, but she didn’t let go. Benjamin raised a brow at her. “If I pull much harder, you’ll be in the bed with me, but I’m going to have my blankets back.”

  Katrín dropped them like they were on fire. “Never mind.” She turned and practically ran back toward his bathroom and the passage between the suites.

  With a sigh, Benjamin swung his feet over the side of the bed and followed her through the rooms, down the hall and stopped the door to the consort’s bedroom from swinging shut in his face.

  She stood in the middle of the room, her back to him, shoulders shaking as she stared at the piano.

  “Why can’t I get you a piano?”

  No answer.

  “I’m waiting,” he told her after a minute. “Don’t make me pull rank.”

  Katrín spun on one heel. “Because it’s too much. You’re already going to spend exorbitant amounts of money on my family for the equipment my brother needs, to renovate the building, and the assistance he needs. I’m going to ‘die’ in about ten months, or everyone will believe I did, so why would you spend this kind of money on a piano that won’t be used long, and your second wife surely won’t want to keep around.”

  Benjamin took a couple more steps toward her. “Because I wanted to. I thought you would like having access to a good piano whenever you wanted, but in private, because I know you don’t particularly like to play in front of people. I have the money to do that, so I did.”

  “I day dreamed about these pianos one time. You could feed a small country for what it cost.”

  “That’s probably pushing it.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  Benjamin took another step toward her, moving slowly so he wouldn’t scare her off. When he stopped in front of her, he rested his hands on her shoulders. “Look at me, Katrín.” He spoke softly.

  Her eyes glittered in the dim lighting, and he could see the shine off the tear tracks on her cheeks. “I got it because I wanted to, because I thought you would like it, and I wanted to do something nice for you. Period.”

  She sniffled. “If you want to do something nice for me, make me dinner. Buy me a CD. Maybe a puppy. But a grand piano? And not just any piano, a Bösendorfer Imperial Grand piano.”

  “I have no idea what that means.”

  That shook her out of the tears. With a roll of her eyes, she turned and walked toward the piano. Benjamin followed her. “See those?”

  Some of the keys on the far left were black. “Is it supposed to be like that?”

  “Yes. It’s a 97 key piano instead of the usual 88.”

  “And this is good?”

  “The keys are rarely used, but it doubles the price of an already very good piano.” She tapped the farthest left key and it sent out a low, resounding tone.

  “I told Chamberlain to find you the best.” His tone remained soft. “I just wanted to do something nice, that’s all. I had no idea it would be a whole thing.”

  “Is this because of what happened in here the other night? In Montevaro?”

  Benjamin wanted to reflexively tell her no, but he took a few seconds to consider the idea. “No,” he answered. “It has nothing to do with what happened between us.” He motioned toward the bench. “Would you play something for me? Anything.”

  She stared at him then nodded once, turning to slide onto the bench. Her fingers ran lightly over the keys, not pressing them down but just getting a feel for them. Her fingertips settled into place.

  First one note, then another filled the room until her fingers flew across the keys.

  He’d expected the King Alfred Overture, but instead got something he didn’t recognize. As the last note died out, he spoke. “What was that? I don’t think I’ve ever heard it.”

  “That’s because I wrote it.”

  His wife was extremely talented. “It’s beautiful.”

  She started playing again, softly and tenderly this time. He knew this song. It is Well. The hymn seemed to bring peace to her troubled brow.

  Without asking, he slid onto the edge of the bench and just watched her play. This time when she finished, she dropped her hands to her lap. Benjamin turned to sit fully facing the piano.

  “Think you could teach me to play Chopsticks?”

  Katrín laughed, exactly as he’d hoped. “This piano is far too fine for Chopsticks.”

  “But I made you smile.” He leaned his shoulder against hers. “That’s all I wanted to do.”

  “A nice bowl of gelato would have accomplished the same goal.”

  “Noted.” With one hand, he found himself brushing the hair back at her temple. In the low lighting, her hair looked even blacker than usual. “Is this your natural hair color?” he asked softly. “It’s so dark.”

  “It is.”

  His fingers pushed through the silky strands. “I like it.”

  “That’s good, because I’m not dyeing it for you.”

  “I’m not asking.” With his other hand, he used a finger to turn her chin toward him. “I would like to kiss you again though.”

  Her eyes searched his, though he wasn’t sure what for. “Last time it didn’t stop at
kissing. It didn’t the time before that either.”

  “So?” He bent forward and pressed his lips against her forehead before doing the same to each eyelid. “You’re my wife, aren’t you?” he asked softly. “It’s okay if we do more than kiss.”

  “I know.”

  When her hand brushed against his side and went around his back, he knew he had her permission.

  “Is this one of those times I’m supposed to curtsy while you’re asleep and will never know?”

  Katrín glared at Benjamin’s bare back, covered only to a few inches above his waist.

  He pushed up onto his elbows and looked over at her, his hair tousled and completely adorable. “What?”

  “I only have to curtsy the first time I see you right? I needed to go to the bathroom too badly a few minutes ago, so I thought I’d wait.”

  Benjamin rolled over, keeping the covers blessedly in place. “You really don’t have to curtsy at all unless we’re in public. Then you only need to if it’s a protocol thing for everyone to or if anyone around would expect it’s the first time you’ve seen me that day, like if I’ve been out of town but don’t see you before an event or something.”

  “Awesome.” She started for the door. “I’m told your whole family is attending church together this morning, so I’d bet you need to go get ready, too.”

  “Wait.”

  She didn’t stop.

  “Katrín.” This time his voice held a command. He’d gotten good at that sometime in the last thirteen years since he’d become king, though it was only since he tried to imitate King Edward that he’d had any real success with it.

  Good enough that she stopped in her tracks. “What?”

  “We need to talk about last night and after the Festival, and Montevaro.”

  “Why? Like you said, we’re married, we both wanted more, end of story.”

  His sigh followed her as she left the room. In less than an hour, she’d be making her first official church debut as a member of the royal family. For one reason or another, they hadn’t attended since the wedding. Streaming services came in handy on those days.