"...they will leave us to die while they escape North, caring for no one but themselves. Join the Union of..." was all I heard before the carriage sped past the crowd and through the checkpoint.
"The crowd is bigger than last time and the rhetoric much more aggressive, do you think we will have another riot on our hands?" Asked Alfred Sterling in a calm manner with a hint of nervousness. Understandable considering the last one ended with dozens of people dead and hundreds wounded.
"No." Answered John Teller, our escort to the palace. Before elaborating further "The ones behind it were apprehended and we we have been keeping a close eye on the ones behind this one. And the army can easily handle them now after the reinforcement arrived."
The answer seemed to calm him before he turned to the last passenger on the carriage.
"What about you sir, you have been awfully quiet since Mr Sterling came to us today" He asked, considering he wasn't there when the Royal Summons were read out it's understandable.
A Royal Summon isn't unusual these days with my job as a the leader of one of the expedition. But you are usually meeting in groups with a prince or a princess with how few of them are left. This time though it was going to be a private meeting with Her Majesty Queen Victoria with no other information.
Of course I would be quiet, I only met her once and then it was only to congratulate our class as whole. I didn't even speak a word, to busy trying to not embarrass myself from being praised by someone thought as Great Britain personified and now I will be meeting her alone without knowledge of why.
"I suppose I'm a bit shocked to be summoned to the palace so far from our launch date, we are still supposed to be at least nine month from that." I answered and with some thought asked. "Would you know Captain Teller why she would wish to speak with me so urgently"
He seemed to think for a long time before he said"I don't know for sure but..."
A knock on the door in a distinct rhythm interrupted him before he could continue further, alerting us that we have arrived. It would take a little time to put on our coats again and he took that time to finish his previous sentence.
"As I was trying to say before I was interrupted, the reinforcements I spoke of didn't pop up out of nowhere. I have contacts that told me they came from the colonies furthest south. I would guess that she is moving up the time frame of the expeditions and wants to tell you personally." He answered and shocking me with the knowledge that the colonies furthest south are being abandoned.
It was Alfred who spoke up with the question I wondered myself. "How far south are we speaking of Captain?"
"Not as bad as you think." He said first,"There are only a few minor colonies with the only major one being Australia. The..." He was interrupted once again by the same knock but one that sounded more impatient then the first.
The Captain seemed to wait before sighing"It seems we should hurry up before they open the door."
I hesitated to answer, still nervous about the contents of this meeting but nodded in the end. The Captain took this as the sign as he proceeded to open the insulated doors to the carriage. Going from the warmth of the carriage to the coldness of what life is these days almost distracted me from thinking about the meeting with the Queen.
Almost.