Sorry this chapter is a bit on the shorter side. I decided to have a little bit of a father's theme in this chapter, since it's Father's Day and all. Those of you who won sneak peeks will be getting them for either chapters 11 or 12 I'm just not sure which right now. There wasn't anything overly crazy to send to you all with chapter 10 so I decided to wait. Guest Emma I will need some way (either a fan fiction preferably account or email) to send you yours if you want one.
Maxon's POV
Coronation was coming up quickly. It had been decided that I would be crowned king on the second Friday of January while Kriss would be crowned that Saturday. While that left two weeks for us to plan everything, there were still a hundred other things that we had been tasked with. While I had plans to end the war in New Asia, they had been put on hold to decide how to compensate the families who had lost their soldier to the Southern Rebels. While their final pay checks had already been sent out, there was to be a flag and additional money set out to help provide for one month's worth of expenses. We had to decide how much those were going to be and whether or not we thought that certain caste members were asking for too much.
I remembered my first meeting like this and how I could only think about how much money I spent in one day. One family had asked for those wages to get through an entire month. I had paid the same amount for one simple three piece suit and a pair of shoes for my twelfth birthday. I remembered how angry it had made my father when I spoke up and questioned why we couldn't give them what they were asking for. It had seemed like such little money to spend and I thought for sure that I could convince the counsel to pay it out. I remembered the look in his eyes as I questioned how we didn't have enough money to pay them their compensation and how they could have lied when it seemed like a fairly good amount for a Six to be making.
I would never forget the way that he had glared at me. There was such anger in his eyes that I would be making such a strong argument instead of listening to what he had to say. He was king and I had only barely began to start coming to these meetings. He had waived me off from speaking and reminded me that Sixes were accustomed to making much less than we did as Ones and that was the unfortunate way that things had to be. He apologized saying that I didn't know what I was talking about and overestimated how much money had been spent on the suit that I was wearing. He said I was young and must have misheard or read the payment stub and waved the counsel off in a laugh. It was decided that the family of Sixes request was too high and they would be given half.
At the time things had started to fall apart between us and New Asia. We had needed the money to start putting funds aside in case there was a war. I had learned that was one of the reasons that the old country had fallen apart. They had spent money they didn't have waging long and painful wars and it ended us up where we were then. It had become policy that if relationships started to dwindle that we would begin to budget for a war so there was money set aside, rather than waiting for the war to actually start. If we ended up not starting a war, then the money would be sent back to different budgets equally. That was a lesson that I learned the hard way.
After the meeting my father had dragged me into his study quietly but with fierce anger shining through his eyes. He had told me to take off my shirt and turn towards the wall. I didn't know what was going to happen but I knew that it wasn't going to end well for me. I heard a drawer open and close before my father told me how disappointed he was with me. I tried to tell him that I was sorry but the words were cut out of my mouth by a swift slap across my back and a cracking noise. I cried out in pain, completely unsure of how to feel or react to the pain. I begged him not to do it again but he did anyway.
That was the first time that he had ever whipped me. I had received two that time and a solid threat not to speak of it to my mother. He didn't want me to upset her over punishment that I deserved, or so he had said. He had an old doctor that was on the brink of retirement brought to my room to fix me up and also threatened him to silence as well. I had been kept in my room the rest of the day and that was the end of it. Or at least for that first night. I had slept in agonizing pain and cried the entire night. That was when I knew that I wouldn't be able to make him proud, or at least with my own ideas. I would have to do what he did, follow exactly in his footsteps in order to get his approval as king.
I didn't know what I was ever going to tell Kriss about my scars. She like most of the others in my life knew—or at least thought—that my father was a saint and a wonderful king. No one really knew him the way I did. America had admired my strength at being able to take all of these scars. She had not shuddered or doubted my story for one second. Perhaps Kriss would believe that there had been some tragic accident quicker than she would that my father was cruel and inflicted pain on me. Even if the story seemed implausible, she would probably believe it much faster or at least want to believe that it was the truth.
I walked down the halls to my war meeting. It was the only one I had left after the one for the coronation and it was going to be my first chance to state my plans for ending the war in New Asia, as well as to tell them what the budget would be for all those who had lost their family members to the Southerners. I didn't have a big course of action concerning what we would do about the Southerners themselves yet because I had been unable to meet with August. He had told me that the Northerners wanted America or someone else to become my queen and I just had to hope that someone else was Kriss. I needed them to remain on our side and become a part of the Royal Army. With time I would dissolve the Caste System and they would stay on our side. But for now, the war in New Asia would be keeping all of that budget so it had to be my first priority.
"Gentlemen," I said was a commanding voice which gathered all of their attention as I sat at the head of the table. They looked up at me the moment I had opened my mouth and I was proud that I was able to take control of the room. "I have just come from the budgeting meeting and I have the answer to how much money we can send out to each family."
"Thank you for doing this, Prince Maxon," Saxton, who was the head of the budgeting meetings started off. "We believe that we have set aside $500 for each Five, $400 for each Six, and $200 for each Seven that was killed at their stations but we would just like for these numbers to be confirmed, sir."
"You would be incorrect about those figures, Saxton. You see, I have just come from the meeting about funds, as I stated when I entered, and I know that more can be afforded to send off to these families. For instance, I know that many of them will not have any other source of income coming in for a while. They need money to get through until then. I propose $3000 for each family."
Jaws dropped upon the figure being announced. For the seven people who were killed, that would be a total of $21,000. That was two months' worth of the budget for the war in New Asia. I smiled proudly to myself. While the money wouldn't be paid out until the end of March or April, it would be paid out exactly as I had said. Until then they would receive enough money for food and basic necessities in order to survive
"I'm sorry your Majesty, the funds are just too much."
"You are wrong, Saxton. I have found a way that will help us to end the war in New Asia. You see, we will send the money that should have been yours to send to the troops to those families. With our new treaty with Italy, we will be able to show them that we are ready to pull out and change will be brought to our country. We will be able to have peace for the first time in year's gentlemen, peace which is something we need in the light of the Southerner attacks getting worse by the day."
The room was silent for a few minutes. My heart pounded while I waited for the sentencing to be decided and voted on. It was then that a few scars on my back started to itch and I couldn't help but wonder how many lashes I would have gotten for this proposal. However, it was then that Saxton called me back to hear the decision on my vote.
"Four to Nine, your Majesty. We will proceed with the mission to end the war in New Asia as you have stated. Troops will begin to stop being shipped out and we will prepare for a trip to New Asia. A draft of the message will be started so they know we are coming to discuss peace. But what changes do you think they will agree to sir?"
"We will end the Caste System. I have been meeting with the Northern Rebels who have agreed to assist us if this were to become the case. Italy has also agreed to come to our aid if New Asia decides to continue the war instead of entering a peace agreement."
America's POV
I walked through the hallways to my first meeting of the day. I would be meeting with Daniele to walk through a practice delegate meeting and the next day I would officially be able to start my new job. It hadn't been much training but he had insisted that I would learn the most on my new job rather than through lessons. He would be there to guide me through the first four months and then he would be returning to Italy and we would communicate through the phone and occasional visits. I didn't know what else I was going to be doing if I was just supposed to be a delegate to Italy though. I didn't think it really mattered all that much, at least not for the next four months or so.
I walked into my meeting and began to flick through the pile of papers Daniele had left for me. I guessed that Daniele hadn't finished his breakfast with Celeste at the time he thought he would. I smiled softly happy for her. If she were to marry a diplomat from Italy there would be purpose in her life. There would be a man she truly loved, the prospect of a family, and a whole new life waiting for her to grasp after she could no longer model. There would be no need for her to worry that her life would dwindle away after. I was slightly jealous of her for that, worried that one day Italy would no longer need me. Perhaps then I would be able to go back to singing only and just do that on a more professional level.
The words on the pages threw me off. It was in Maxon's handwriting and was dated for the day before. There were real words put on these pages, not just scribbles of what used to be or little thoughts that had passed through his mind as policy. These were plans to dissolve the castes. These were plans to have the Italians and Northern Rebels come with us to New Asia to end that war so we could focus on the problem of the Southerners and get rid of all the castes. I had inspired these plans. In that moment it gave me an inch of hope. Not only had my father said I would always be a princess and important to him I knew that I could keep inspiring policy and changes in the country to help it become great.
"Maxon gave me those," Daniele stated as he sat down to begin discussing the plans with me. "This is what we will get prepared for, America. The Italian government is ready to back you up and Nicoletta has spoken a little to the Northerners to ensure that they also will be willing to work with this plan." I nodded up at him. "You will be a very good delegate, America, as everyone has kept telling you." He sat down and started walking me through Maxon's plans. I had changed him for the better and I was proud of the man that was going to become king.
