The meeting room in Attolia was light and airy, glowing with the late morning sun shining in from the numerous windows and the oculus above, a round hole in the ceiling that let in direct light that slanted down through the room to hit above the far doorway. It was a far cry from the room where the ministers and queen would gather in back in Eddis. That was a mountainous room, full of crackling braziers, heavy chairs, wooden tables, and maps papering every surface. This was a clean place, where the maps were neatly stored away and only to be brought out when needed.
Eugenides was not as comfortable here as he was back in the cluttered organization of his homeland, surrounded by people who were all related to him one way or another and willing to sacrifice themselves if his ideas didn't seem too ridiculous. But, as he fingered the back of the embroidery of one of the two largest and central chairs, it was probably due more to where he was sitting, strange as it may seem. Back in Eddis, he would have been tucked away in a dark corner somewhere, only offering an idea if he already had set it in motion. Here, he was expected to sit front and center, offering input on everything, every fruitless idea. He much preferred developing his own ideas in silence until the right moment. As it was, he had already coldly sent his ministers scurrying out of the room with a well-placed threat a few days earlier.
If not for the queen, the king probably would have thrown himself off of the walls from sheer terror. He was not made for the limelight. But then again, if not for the queen, he wouldn't have ended up king. He had only wanted to marry her, the throne one of his panicked afterthoughts. It might have been what endeared him to her so much in those first few moments. He had been the first suitor who hadn't been after the crown.
Eddis and Sounis, his neighboring monarchs and friends, entered the room arm-in-arm. Eddis was chuckling quietly, presumably at something Sounis had said the moment before. The sight of them brought a slight smile to the king's face. They had plans to be married soon, once all of the fine details of bringing their two countries together were settled. Eugenides shifted slightly but didn't turn as Attolia appeared at his side, brushing his hand with hers. As soon as the other two reached the long table at the far end of the room they all sat.
"I had heard that you arrived this morning," Attolia said cordially, addressing the king of Sounis. "I hope you are not too tired after your journey."
"It is not too far from my country to yours," Sounis replied, "and my welcome in Eddis was quite warm. It is amazing how much the reception has changed since the days of my uncle." He glanced over at Eddis and a slight blush crept into his face. "I must congratulate you two. "Helen-" he paused. "Eddis told me the good news this morning. The court is already abuzz after your announcement last night."
"Thank you." Attolia smiled slightly, a slight flush creeping into her face as well. "It is well that we have an heir before we find ourselves... too old and leaving the throne to a stranger." Eugenides gave a short snort. He was barely twenty and Attolia was just a few years older. Old age, indeed. "I believe the king has already chosen a name."
Eddis tilted her head in surprise. "It isn't Actaeon, is it?"
The king ducked his head when the queen turned to face him. "Is there some strange Eddisian meaning behind that name that I should be aware of? An old way of saying goat-foot?"
"In his mind, it might as well be," Eddis answered promptly, trying to hide her own smile. "It's the name of my much maligned cousin."
"I see. I will have to strike that name from the list."
Remembering something, Eddis let the smile slip away and turned back to her cousin. "Have you spoken with your father yet? I believe he is getting angry that you're excluding him from these meetings."
"He's your minister of war, not mine." The king folded his arms sullenly. "And I do invite him to meetings. Just not the important ones."
"The king grew tired of his ministers a few days ago and ordered them away." The Queen's expression was bland. "I'm sure he will let them come back once the mood passes."
It wasn't like Attolia to just acquiesce to something like that. Either the king's fit had really been disastrous or she was still meeting with the neglected ministers in secret. It was probably both, Eddis decided silently.
"We lost a fleet of merchant vessels last week to pirates," Sounis broke in during the silence. "We believe-that is, Eddis and I- that it was the Medes. We've used a similar tactic against them before and it's the only way I can explain the dramatic increase in piracy."
"How many ships?" Attolia was still ignoring the king, who had fallen tersely quiet after mention of his father.
"Enough that my shipping lanes are in an uproar. I don't know a definite number. We're losing them daily."
"Why would the Medes risk themselves like this? They seem rather sure of themselves," Eugenides said thoughtfully, staring Attolia's hands on the table.
"Perhaps they are planning something," said Attolia, sliding her hands down into her lap. Eugenides looked up.
"Sounis could retaliate, but I fear that might be like kicking a hornet's nest," said Eddis. "And even with Eddis's aid, we can't fight off the Medes. We'll need Attolians."
"We intend to help as best we can," said Attolia. "I'm sure the king is already creating multiple dangerous plans to stop the piracy, destroy the Medes, and set himself up as their emperor."
They all chuckled at the thought, and their planning turning to more serious ideas.
The four deliberated for several more hours before the king excused himself quietly. He wandered the halls, trailing attendants behind him. "Would you like some food? It's well past noon, Your Majesty." Eugenides waved the question off and continued walking. His attendants pinched back smiles as they watched him. It looked like he was trying to avoid encountering other people and he would dart into rooms whenever someone came into sight. Their presence gave him away easily, but they had decided a long time ago to just humor the Eddisian's eccentricities. They found themselves ducking through one door, then hurrying after the king through another to find themselves blinking in the daylight. They were on one of the upper terraces of the palace. Before they could utter a word, the king had swooped up a wall unceremoniously onto the roof.
"Go get the Queen," said the head attendant.
"Excuse me, My Queen." One of the king's attendants shuffled meekly into the room where the papers and maps had been cleared to make room for a light meal. The man crossed the room nervously and bent to say something in the Queen's ear.
When the man straightened up and backed away, the Queen rose from her chair and backed away. "Please, enjoy the meal. I must go fetch the king. He appears to be climbing things again." She pursed her lips delicately, as if talking of a misbehaving child.
As she disappeared after the attendant, Eddis and Sounis turned to each other. "I'm worried about Gen," Sounis said worriedly.
"You, too?"
"Your attendant informed me that you were climbing the roof." The bottoms of the king's boots were the only part of him Attolia could see as she stood below him on the terrace, surrounded by anxious attendants. "They normally wouldn't be so concerned, I was told, but your head attendant has recently heard the story of your mother's death." The mentioned head attendant shifted nervously.
"I'm not trying to join my dear mother," the king said, drawing up his feet over the ledge. "Besides, she fell out of a window."
"After being on the roof."
"I think more clearly up here." A hand appeared, waving her up. "Join me."
"I prefer it where I am."
"The bricks make a perfect ladder a few feet to your right."
Sighing, Attolia turned to the growing crowd. "Go fetch His Majesty a ladder." Most of them disappeared into the palace, and the rest of them backed away as they realized that the Queen intended to climb the wall. As she hitched her skirts up (the guards turned away, embarrassed) and planted a foot on the wall, she called up to Eugenides. "You're really making a fool of yourself."
"Careful..." A hand extended down as Attolia pulled herself up the brick wall, her muscles aching. Her fingers scraped uncomfortably against the rough surface, and she was relieved when his hand grasped her arm and pulled her to the top. She fell delicately onto the tiled surface beside him, settling her skirt around her.
"I don't see why you climb up to places like this. It's rather impractical, don't you think?"
"The view is nice," Eugenides replied vaguely.
Attolia looked out at the surroundings. She got a better view of the palace's grounds from her own rooms, and this roof looked out over the courtyard where her guardsmen practiced. She could see Eddis's Minister of War far below, and she realized just why he was on the roof. "You're hiding." Not an accusation, just a statement of fact.
"My father," he confirmed gravely.
Attolia raised an eyebrow. "Why would you hide from him?"
"My father..." Somewhere below, their remaining attendants were nervously gathering at the foot of the wall, hoping they wouldn't have to catch a king or queen. "...as Eddis's Minister of War... his opinions worry me. I've never cared much for my father's approval, but now I find it means more to me that any of the opinions of these useless barons you keep here. He most likely thinks I'm a lousy king."
Putting a hand over his, Attolia smiled demurely. "I doubt he thinks that. Surely he trusts my opinion of his son, and I wouldn't have picked him if I thought he would make a lousy king." This only brought a frown to his face. "I think you should stop ignoring our barons and advisors. I've worked hard to keep them in line, it would be unwise of you to alienate them. And go talk to your father. He's already tried to strangle you once."
"And stop whining?"
"Yes, I think you should stop whining."
"I'll consider it." His expression grew contemplative.
"What?"
"How are you going to get down from here?" A slight smile crept into his face as he eyed the people below. "I could sling you over my shoulders and carry you down for your guards' benefit."
"I've already sent for a ladder. Carrying me down would no doubt send my guards into a frenzy for your blood. And I much prefer you when your skin is on your body, not flayed off."
"Ladders aren't nearly as adventurous," Attolia heard him mutter petulantly as the ladder was propped up against the edge of the roof and they began to descend.
When they returned to the room where they left Eddis and Sounis, they instead found the Eddisian Minister of War. He was pacing like a caged bear, out of place in that airy room.
"You tricked me." Eugenides didn't try to escape, but he slumped his shoulders.
"Helen told me you would be coming here," his father said, stopping his pacing. "Excuse us, Your Majesty. I must speak to my son, alone."
"Of course." Attolia left, leaving Eugenides alone with his father.
"You're being a blasted idiot," the Minister of War prefaced. "None of your barons will give you honest advice now that you've scared them off."
"Their honest advice was useless. I believe the Baron Seoirse suggested last time that we should just surrender to the Medes and happily pay them tribute."
"I thought it was your specialty to turn stupid plans into plans that worked. Isn't that how you made it this far? These barons should be a goldmine of ideas for you."
"They want me to openly attack! What use is that? I'm no warmonger."
"But your wife is. If you can't lead these people who trust you, I'm sure she can."
Outside, Attolia could hear the sound of shouting. Not wanting to look like she was skulking around her own palace, she closed the doors at the end of the hall to stop the noise from carrying and left.
When the king reappeared that night in her private rooms, he still had a dark cloud in his eyes. "I knew I had a good reason to hide from him," he said sitting at the foot of the bed and leaning against the carved post. "He's still angry with me that I'm not a soldier."
"Perhaps you could prove him wrong?" Attolia was standing in front of a mirror, pulling the pins out of her hair, one by one.
"That's not how I do things."
"That's not how a Thief does things," Attolia corrected. "But, if I'm not mistaken, that's how a king usually does things."
Eugenides stared at her, but gave no reply.