(3rd Person)
Once Aliendra and Jack opened the door to the war conference room, a bland unassuming room with little to say for it save a grand table in the middle, a wave of chatter assaulted their ears. Everything from whooping to shouting for quiet. Nobody even noticed Aliendra of Jack. Aliendra and Jack fought their way to the edge of the conference table, where merry generals were receiving disapproving looks from councilman. Aliendra cast a final look at Jack before turning to address her court. Without even a word it soon became apparent that their queen was in the room, even the loudest of generals soon found their lips tied and their eyes open. Even those disapproving of her position were able to keep silent long enough for her to speak.
She took a breath, and projecting an air of confidence, she spoke so that every ear in the room would hear her. "Today we have secured a great victory for Spera." A few generals in the room including captain Xavier whooped at her remark, she raised a hand to silence them. "Despite our victory we still have a long way to go in removing the Empire's presence from Spera. Emperor Ternac's armies run from our borders scattered and afraid, however Vellhaven is surely the most secure fortress in all of the five kingdoms. The rebels from the other kingdoms are already marching into the center kingdom, I believe that we should join them."
An elderly man with a fox-like face spoke to meet her words. "A pretty speech your majesty, but you are addressing your court, not your people. A simple 'we should attack the central kingdom' would have sufficed.'"
A few snickers arose from the room, color threatened Aliendra's cheeks. Another person that Aliendra couldn't see spoke up as well. "And we expect her to be able to run the country? We do not need a child directing the military."
"Give her a break Gadon she didn't receive the same training you or I did." A distinctly feminine voice responded. Aliendra glanced around the room trying to find the source of these arguments but to no avail. She only saw faces staring at her or through crowds that she couldn't even see. All of the attention made her nauseous.
"Sure let's give her a break. Hell why don't we give the entire military a break? Let's just all take breaks. The war will win itself." Another voice snapped. The room erupted in shouts and screams. The words "Child" and "fool" rose up quickly and commonly. Aliendra just glanced around the room uncertain as to what to look at. Everyone was talking. People were shouting. Was she supposed to say something? People were looking at her, probably expecting her to say something. What was she going to say? Oh gods the room is spinning. A pair of gruff hands grabbed her and started gently moving her. She just looked with pallor as the shouting people grew farther and farther away. Finally they seemed an entire eternity away, then a door shut in her face.
Aliendra blinked a few times, uncertain as to what had just happened. She glanced around the hallway and she saw Jack lying in the corner looking at her with an understanding look on his face.
What the hell was that? Aliendra asked.
That was a war conference, a particularly bad one at that. Jack said.
Are they always that bad? Aliendra asked.
Well my dad let me go to a few, and everyone there was so scared that he'd kill them and their family that they never speak against him. So to answer your question, no they are not always that bad, if you're a dictator.
I just… I had no idea being a queen was this hard. Aliendra admitted.
Good thing Xavier brought you out here when he did, it looked like you were going to faint. You can lie your way out of having to leave, you can't lie your way out of going pale and fainting.
When did you leave?
About when you did. I found Xavier and pointed you out to him. I've never had much taste for these kinds of things, I was glad for the excuse to get out of there.
Aliendra was silent for a moment, her nerves still flaring up from the conference room. Every ounce of authority she had was immediately gone. She was carried out like a child, unable to face the big bad world. She made a mental note to thank Xavier, but still couldn't allow her own weakness to slide.
Thanks for that. Aliendra said.
No problem, what was all that crap you said earlier "Twins of mind"? If you lose all of your pull with the court, how am I supposed to enact my evil plan on the people of the five kingdoms? Jack joked.
Don't joke about that! You saw what you did, or would have done. Aliendra snapped tensing up slightly.
Right sorry. I'm still working on comedic timing. That joke would have been hilarious in a few days.
Well remind me to laugh then.
You got it. Hey can I ask you a bit of a personal question?
Your digging through my thoughts how much more personal can you get?... Ah fine what is it?
Have you thought about what you might do, after all of this crap is over? Jack asked, a bit of hesitation in his voice.
Well I thought I'd run off and join a circus. Aliendra joked. Jack just narrowed his eyes.
I need to work on my timing, you need to work on the quality of your jokes.
Oh! I thought that it funny.
Ha ha. Jack though emphasizing each syllable. I mean seriously.
Seriously? I don't know. I'm just focusing on not getting killed every couple of seconds. I suppose I have a kingdom to learn how to run. Aliendra said casting another look at the wide oak doors that lead to the conference room. What do you think you'd be doing?
To be honest, I was hoping that you'd have some grand scheme that I could jump on to. I brought it up because I have no clue of what might happen if we manage to kill my father. I know that there is no way I could be king, I'm too angry it would never work.
Nobody said anything for a while. Eventually Aliendra broke the silence.
What do you think they're talking about in there?
Probably trying to figure out how to use you as a puppet.
Wait what? Aliendra asked.
I've seen it before in the lesser nobles around the castle. Anybody that isn't strong enough to assert themselves becomes a puppet.
Wait so what do I do?
I'm not really sure. I'd say march right in there and force everyone to submit, but that seems like what my dad would do. I suppose just prove that you are a independent of them.
Yeah, and how would I do that?
Courts control their rulers by giving them orders and then reasons. Listen to the problem that they're trying to solve and find your own solution. Prove that you are separate from the court. Then start asking the court for advice on certain issues, and allow them to become what they should have been from the start.
Then the grand doors swung open to reveal a silent room. Xavier walked out with sweat on his brow, as he wordlessly motioned for Aliendra and Jack to enter.
"Why does the boy need to be in here. He is of no use to this conversation?" A small woman close to Aliendra asked.
Aliendra eager to gain some measure of legitimacy answered her question. ":That boy is the son of the Emperor, and he fought with us to remove the emperor's forces out of spera. A fact you would have known if you weren't hiding up here waiting for the adults to sort out your mess."
The woman was awestruck as Aliendra smugly made her way over to the table. The entire room stood staring at her expecting her to say something. Aliendra assumed that she should mention her leaving earlier. Aliendra shot a quick look at Jack.
Lie! He thought.
Aliendra cleared her throat and addressed her court for the second time. " I apologize about having to leave earlier… I was overwhelmed by this court and having never had to endure politics to this level before, I was unable to handle it. I am better now, so allow us to get down to business. Why have I been brought back inside?"
Jack just looked shocked, before understanding crossed his face and he settled contently against a wall.
A very thin man with most of his hair missing bowed quickly then handed her a sealed scroll. Aliendra glanced down at at, and the royal seal , before nodding her thanks to the man. He spoke up to explain what it was.
"We taken the liberty of drafting a speech for you. The city is in chaos, and the people need their queen to guide them. It has been settled that just as the sun is rising tonight, you should address your people for the first time as queen."
Their solution, then the problem. What are you going to do? Jack asked.
I am going to be a queen. Aliendra responded. "I appreciate your assistance however I do not require you to write my speeches for me, I am more than capable of addressing my people on my own terms."
"Do you forsake your court?" A masculine voice shouted from the back of the room.
"No, you have posed a problem and have suggested a solution. I agree with your solution however I shall be writing my own speech."
"We really suggest that you should perform our speech?" The small woman at the front said.
"Is that an order ma'am?" Aliendra asked and once again the woman shrank. Jack was struggling to stifle his laughter in the corner. Aliendra had managed to back the court into a corner and to either declare its intentions or submit to her request.
"No we just believe that you reading the speech would be in the best interest of-" She started.
"You?" Aliendra finished.
"At least read the speech." The woman suggested.
"Hmm? Yes alright." Aliendra agreed. She tore open the seal and allowed the speech to fall allowing her to read it. She rapidly read through the speech pausing occasionally on whenever a line struck her as odd. Once she finished she looked up at her court and their expectant expressions.
"In this speech I give a lot of orders. Orders that I haven't agreed to. I quote this. 'I also decree that once the Emperor falls, all taxes will be removed from high end luxury goods.' I don't see how that is relevant to restoring order to the city, and it seems to me that it would only benefit the upper class. I have read your speech, and I make the formal decision to ignore it." Aliendra rolled up the scroll and handed it to a large woman with a large number of jewels decorating every article of clothing.
"Please find the nearest fire and make sure that this scroll finds its way into it. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a city to address in a few hours, and I haven't bathed in weeks."
Author's Note- In this chapter I attempted to carry over the characters I started creating in the last chapter, and add in some decent length. Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed.