by Emily Albert
“You know it’s not that simple, I—”
“Tell me how it isn’t simple! Is there another reason you can give me for doing it? Because I deserve a reason!”
“Lenna! Listen to me!” He spoke up, but not much. His voice sounded beaten down. “She was more than sad; she was completely miserable. She wasn’t living her life. I know you don’t believe this now, but I was helping her. She would have wanted me to do it.”
“Oh, I believe she was miserable. I’m her child too, remember? I was there! I was at her bedside, just like you. I helped her, just like you. Except I wanted her to live. Maybe she wasn’t living much of a life, but she was here, with us, with her kingdom. And she was alive to tell you whether or not she wanted to die, and she didn’t tell you, did she? How dare you say that I don’t understand how she suffered! How dare you defend yourself! You don’t deserve to live—you should take her place!” Then at the top of her lungs, “I should have you executed after all!”
Remy sat shocked for a moment, green eyes wide. Lenna could feel the other prisoners listening and staring, but she didn’t care. They were nothing. “You can,” Remy whispered, “but it won’t bring her back. It won’t make her happy. It won’t make you happy.”
It could make you happy. Don’t you want to see your own power?
“Oh, yes it will.” Lenna felt a sudden calm that paralyzed Remy.
Lenna stared at Remy now, but she didn’t see him. She wasn’t looking at anything at all, in fact. She listened intently.
Can’t you just see it? His head coming clean off… Imagine how perfect that would feel, how freeing. You would be free of him. You would be loved by those who hated him and tower over those who defended him. Nothing will stop you. As Queen, you will have the power to do anything, your Majesty.
Lenna had a sharp, clear focus on what she wanted. “It will make me feel much better.” She smirked at him.
“Please, no…”
“You brought this on yourself.”
Twelve
At the council meeting the next morning, Lenna was informed that she did not yet have the sole power to put the Prince in the dungeon. “We must vote on it,” said Vince. If the vote did not go in her favor, Remy would be released.
Lenna’s mind stirred with the longing to get on with the execution. She wanted to yell at them and make them comply with her wishes, but they were right—she didn’t have any real power yet. “Fine,” she said. “If we must… But just remember what he has done. He did commit treason. He did kill the Queen.”
“We all remember, your Highness, it was a horrible event; however, does he belong in the dungeon? All who say yes?”
Including Lenna, all twenty-two people but three raised their hands.
“We all loved Prince Remy, but what he did to the Queen was unacceptable, absolutely horrid. And Queen Fay did nothing but love everyone in the kingdom. We all know this,” another advisor, Ricard Mars said, bowing his head sadly.
Lenna glowed. “Yes, we all did love the Prince, but…”
“Well, that settles it. Prince Remy will remain in his cell,” Vince declared.
“Fantastic. Now that we’ve all agreed, I would like to vote on the Prince not only being imprisoned but being executed.”
“What!” several people exclaimed.
“He killed the Queen. He committed treason, regicide, and parricide. Crimes punishable by death. What else would you say we do with him, keep him in a cell for the rest of his life? I hardly think that is sufficient.”
Some were taken aback, forced to slow down. One said, “Well…”
“If any peasant, or even any other person of a higher class, had killed the Queen, they would be executed easily. We should not give him special treatment because he’s a prince. He is still a murderer.”
“May I ask, your Highness,” Illyn said hesitantly, “why you are so intent on executing your brother?”
“Like I said, he is a murderer and a traitor. He does not deserve to live, and it may be dangerous for him to do so... I cared about my brother, of course, but this is unforgivable.”
“Yes, of course it may be what he deserves, but the fact that he is the Prince is not meaningless. What if something were to happen to you? Who else would rule the kingdom?”
No one will dare harm you. They will face your wrath, and they will perish.
“Nothing is going to happen to me. I will be a great, healthy queen. No person nor illness will dare touch me.”
“You may be on your way to becoming Queen now, but say something does happen to you—you become ill, or are assassinated, or are in a horrible accident. It’s all possible, your Highness. I don’t even want to imagine, but these things do happen. You could become ill like your mother or even like your father—” Lenna could see Illyn regretted it as soon as he said it.
“Lord Illyn, what do you mean, ‘like your father’? What was my father like?”
“Well… I knew him until he left. He was… he hid his troubles pretty well, but some say he went crazy. It seemed like he was hearing voices, and he would apparently talk to himself. I don’t know if I believe he went mad, that’s just what some say…” He looked down at the table, drawing out every word reluctantly.
Lady Dayara said, “I believe it. Meaning no offense to you or your family, your Highness, but I’d seen him talking to himself, or to nothing, no one at all. I’d seen him staring off into space as if something talked to him.”
Lenna’s breath caught in her throat at the last words. She composed herself. “That is all irrelevant.”
“Maybe, your Highness, maybe,” said Illyn.
Lenna was about to speak again when Alliah cut her off, “Yes. As I was saying, if something were to happen to you, we could easily be taken over. Some of our neighbors are becoming quite powerful.”
“That’s no matter. It wouldn’t happen under my reign. Anyway, about Prince Remy. All in favor of executing him?” Lenna said. Only three raised their hands.
Lenna’s face burned. She had to find a way around this. She could do it on her own, behind everyone’s back, but she would never be respected for it. She needed to be respected, but she also needed her brother dead.
You will find a way. You are powerful enough to do anything you wish. Nothing can hold you back.
She pounded her fist on the table. Everyone jumped. “This is ridiculous. How can no one see how important it is that we get rid of him? He is a danger!”
“He’s only a boy,” one man chimed in.
“He is old enough to murder his own mother—the Queen.” Lenna made fierce eye contact with him, and he turned away.
Several people looked thoughtful.
“Don’t we all deserve justice for our queen? Don’t we deserve to know that the person responsible for her death has received fair treatment?”
People now seemed nervous to dispute her. “Maybe so, your Highness, but we still need him in case—”
“Yes, yes, in case something were to happen to me. I understand perfectly. But as I have said, nothing is going to happen to me. I am strong and capable, and I will not get sick, and I have more guards than I need to protect me. In fact, I can protect myself, as well. I will be a fine queen with no risk of death or early retirement. Isn’t it worth it to put faith in that, and have our justice?”
“Again, we cannot guarantee that nothing will happen to you, and it’s not worth the risk.”
Lenna slammed her fist on the table again. “It is worth it, because there is no risk, and I—we—need to avenge the Queen.”
As much as she mentioned Fay, that was not what was on her mind. The buzz of power was blinding, and she thought of nothing else.
Everyone around the huge table looked at each other warily. Alliah said, “We have voted against execution, your Highness. Perhaps we can revisit this at another—”
“No! This is unacceptable!”
“Your Highness,” one elder, Arton Stallis said calmly, “with all due respect, y
ou are not Queen yet. We have been appointed to council your mother, and now you—and Remy, if he were here. This includes helping you make decisions by our standard vote. As you know, if there is a great disparity in opinions, we take it to the entire Parliament, but...”
“I know this! And I am telling you it is in your best interest to change your minds!”
Dayara said, “We have listened to you, and we hold our vote. Apologies, your Highness. If that is all…” They began to get up, leaving Lenna sitting there, fuming. Once more, she banged her fist on the table, this time more softly, resigned. Once more, everyone jumped and hurried out of the room.
Lenna sat at the head of the table by herself, staring at the wood grain and cursing the advisors softly. Then, Lenna heard footsteps coming back in through the door. She turned to look, and it was Lord Devon Stantio, a prominent member of Parliament who seldom spoke during meetings. Today, he had been sitting at the far end of the table staring at Lenna the entire time; she had tried to ignore it. “Oh, Lord Stantio, please come in. What can I do for you?” She sighed dramatically.
“Hello, your Highness, I am so sorry for your loss. How are you doing?”
“I’m just fine… Well, my mother is dead—no, my brother killed my mother, and I can’t punish him.” She laughed hollowly. “But I’m fine.”
“Again, I am very sorry for your—”
“Yes, so you said. Thank you, Devon. What can I do for you?”
“I-I just wanted to offer my advisement since it looks as if you may soon be Queen. I’m not sure how much you know about Parliament and the balance of powers—”
“When I become Queen, Parliament will have no power. It will be nothing like this.”
Devon looked away for a moment and rubbed his arm, then adjusted his glasses. “I in no way want to be rude, your Highness, but actually, it is required of advisors and Parliament to act as decision-makers. To be frank, I would not try to fight it… You’d never win. That is why I thought I… I could teach you the details of Parliament and being Queen—”
“What do you know about being a ruler? I have grown up a princess, I have seen enough to rule on my own. You know nothing about it.”
“No, I-I’ve never been a king, but I can teach you about what goes on in Parliament. See, I know you haven’t had as much time as you expected to prepare for this. I only want to help you become as knowledgeable and powerful as you can be. I am at your service… because, well… I believe in you.”
Lenna thought about this. The way he spoke with genuine care reminded her of how her guardian offered itself to her. The way he said “as powerful as you can be,” made her heart jump. He was knowledgeable about Parliament. He had influence. This was a person who could help her gain power.
“You know what? I think that would be great, Devon. Thank you. It could be useful to know about the rest of the government. And… to navigate it.”
He was slightly surprised, as if he hadn’t expected it to be that easy. Lenna couldn’t tell if he caught her meaning of “navigate.”
“Wonderful, your Highness. We can start tomorrow, or later, if you’d rather.”
“I’d like to start right away. I think it is in my best interest to learn my way around my advisors and Parliament quickly. Tomorrow it is.”
She could see him turning her words over in his mind, but he ignored whatever he was thinking.
“Right,” he said simply. “I look forward to seeing you then.”
Lenna nodded, dismissing him. He took off his glasses and polished them on his way out.
This man was tolerable enough to be around, though awkward and a little odd. His reddish hair was striking and different from the average brunette or blond Haeden native. His small nervous habits matched his skinny frame. They were enough to make Lenna anxious herself. He had round wire glasses that almost hid one of the few charming parts of him—his bright green eyes. Despite all this, he was kind. He liked her enough to offer help, and she hoped that would extend far enough for him to use his influence with Parliament to her advantage. He would be a useful card to have up her sleeve.
She was left alone again after Devon left, and she sat there for a while, developing her plan. She would play the clueless child and allow him to teach her, but eventually she would show him how he could really help. Surely after she established a bond and respect, he would cave to any suggestion. Lenna felt both excited and nervous thinking about this; her stomach was in knots.
You will get what you need, what you deserve. It will always work out in your favor, because you are strong, and powerful, and smart. This man is nothing. Step on him to reach what you need.
Lenna smiled to herself. The voice continued to murmur, and she listened to it idly.
Finally, she stood and left. Without much thought, she headed to the stables. Perhaps she needed the rush of power, or perhaps she just needed to get away.
After tacking up Pegasus and mounting, she went in a new direction, into the forest near the side of the castle. There was no path, and it was difficult to navigate through the dense trees and brush. But it was worth it; it was a quiet, curious place. Each tree seemed to have a life of its own, with different markings, branches and bulging knuckles of roots. Lenna rode through it all without a planned endpoint.
Ahead, she saw something different. There were short, crumbling stone walls in an enormous rectangle surrounding overgrown plants. It must have been a garden. She approached it slowly, and as she got closer, she saw what was inside around the plants. A winding, cracked flagstone path, overrun by weeds and moss wove through the area. It was spotted with rotting wood benches tucked into the ample foliage. The centerpiece was a massive fountain, dry and cracked. There were two narrow entrances opposite each other. The air around it smelled like honeysuckle and the dewy depths of the forest.
As she got close, the garden made her stop and stare. Some trees were cleared around it, letting light stream in. She could imagine how beautiful it must have been long ago. She could picture all the stone like new, with a big, working fountain and ornate benches. What could have been stunning flowers and bushes took over, but she could see them being trimmed back and cared for. The roses, rhododendrons, and hydrangeas would have stood tall to fill the open spaces, and the more modest flowers would have complimented them, lining the path and benches. It would have been a colorful masterpiece. Lenna could see herself walking through this charming garden, relaxed and content.
Bringing herself back to the present sorrowful scene, she dismounted and left Pegasus to graze. She walked the trails, exploring every corner of the garden. Wild, vibrant wildflowers that she had never seen found a home here; she ran her fingers along them. When she was finished wandering around in awe of the place, she sat on the ground to admire it all.
After a moment of taking it all in, she noted how familiar it felt, and she understood why—this garden was like her mother. It was crumbling and a little battered, but it had a strong base. Underneath all the rough years spent battling hardships was something incredible, strong, and beautiful.
There was a quiet voice that Lenna thought sounded like a mix of her guardian’s and her mother’s. Hearing the pleasant voice of her mother, her brain overlooked any other sound.
You don’t need me, don’t you see? I am gone, I am nothing. Deteriorated. There is no need for you to be here.
Lenna closed her eyes and soaked in the comforting sound. Without thinking, she said, “I do… I need you.”
You never needed me, and you know that. I was useless to you even while alive. I am only a broken-down garden.
“But the garden is beautiful. It’s still…”
Go on. Keep going. You don’t need me, my dear.
The voice stopped, making Lenna realize how silent this place was. All she could hear was Pegasus grazing and the occasional chirp of a bird.
“Mother?”
There was nothing. She stood and followed the trails around once more.
The voice
of her guardian returned.
She is nothing, child. It is your turn to flourish.
She didn’t want to leave this place that was her mother, but it was getting dark, and soon she wouldn’t be able to find her way home through the woods. She mounted her horse and made her way home. The castle and the wooded garden felt like totally different realms, and she was reluctant to go back.
Then she remembered her kingdom, or the kingdom that would be hers soon. She remembered how it would feel to rule, to have power over everyone. It wouldn’t be possible with her mother alive. She started to gallop toward the castle.
Thirteen
Walking through town, Lenna needed to change her attitude from that of a wandering child to a leader. With a guard at her side, she took a carriage to the capitol and began to traipse through the tight-knit towns.
She reaffirmed that she would do her best to make changes. Fay had tried and failed to stop poverty—she knew her father had too—but she would succeed. The people would love her.
She strolled through the city and smaller towns, analyzing the problems more seriously than she had before and thinking of what she could do about them. She thought of supporting farms by buying more grain and produce, but the castle didn’t necessarily need any more and it would go to waste. She thought of providing funding for healthcare, which would reduce illness and infant death. It was plausible. Maybe she could open more jobs for people in the castle, but that was risky. She mulled over her options while waving at every passerby. No one bothered her or begged; her mother trained them well.