‘Mother thinks you might have some magical ideas about how to win the merchants over prior to the festival,’ the king said. ‘She is putting you in front of me in hope that we discuss it.’
‘Oh.’ Lyndal did not move.
‘I thought a flag parade might cheer everyone up.’ The king was practically shouting to compete with the noise of the rain. ‘Cheer people up.’
A flag parade?The merchants did not need cheering up, they needed food. ‘A flag parade is one idea,’ Lyndal replied.
‘Off you go,’ Fayre said, dismissing her.
Lyndal hesitantly rose from her chair. The servant holding the umbrella moved with her, his arm trembling from holding it up for so long. She glanced apologetically at him.
‘Tell the king some of your ideas,’ Queen Fayre said as she fixed the chess pieces.
Kendra and Lyndal exchanged a confused look as they passed one another.
‘A flag parade is very patriotic,’ Kendra called as she took a seat.
Lyndal wished Astin could hear the conversation. He would surely find the idea of a flag parade as ridiculous as she did.
‘What about community garden beds?’ Lyndal said as she moved her pawn.
The king cast a tired look at his mother.
‘Hear her out,’ Fayre said without looking at him.
Borin exhaled through his nose. ‘Go on, then. Tell us about these garden beds.’
On the plus side, if he hated her suggestion, he might never speak to her again.
‘There’s a strip of land between the shops and the forest line. It gets plenty of light, but the grass has died. Now it’s just a long stretch of mud with a few stepping stones to navigate it.’ She took her next turn. ‘There’s plenty of room for some raised garden beds that could be easily maintained by the merchants.’
The queen mother looked in her direction. ‘What has prevented the merchants from doing something with the space themselves? Lack of materials?’
‘A lack of quality soil. With no animal manure or food scraps to speak of, there’s no way to improve the quality of what’s there.’
King Borin leaned back in his chair, regarding her. ‘Nothing would make it to maturity. It would be snatched by the first greedy merchant to lay eyes on it. Or perhaps you expect me to provide defenders to guard the gardens?’
Irritation pulsed through Lyndal as she stared at him. ‘True, there may be problems initially until people get used to the idea of regular food. But that’s not for you to manage. The merchants are more than capable of dealing with it. We’re quite self-sufficient when given the opportunity.’
The king watched her for the longest time. ‘Do you honestly expect me to believe that if I supply some horse shit and a bit of soil, the merchants will change their opinion of me?’
She shook her head. ‘No. It’ll take a lot more than that. It’ll take consistent acts that demonstrate you understand their situation and wish to help. You can’t just deliver some materials and make some empty speech. You need to show up in a meaningful way.’ She paused. ‘Plant vegetables that will help with the scurvy problem they’re facing. They’ll not forget it.’
Borin leaned forwards in his chair. ‘Feels a lot like grovelling.’
‘It’s not grovelling.’
‘A peace offering, then,’ he said, waving away her retort.
Lyndal’s eyes met Fayre’s, and the queen mother gave her an encouraging nod. She drew a breath. ‘You know, a flag parade would be a splendid way to finish. You could be first to turn the soil, then lead the parade through the village.’
That got the king’s interest. ‘I shall consider the idea.’ He tapped the board, making the pieces rattle. ‘It is your move.’
Lyndal pushed her castle to the far end of the board, then glanced at Queen Fayre. The faintest of smiles played on the queen mother’s lips. She nodded her approval before turning her attention to her game.
Astin stepped inside King Borin’s quarters and bowed. ‘You wanted to see me, Your Majesty?’
Borin held his arms out while a servant buttoned his silk tunic. ‘Yes. Come in.’ He shooed the servant away when he was done and turned to face Astin. ‘I shall be heading into the merchant borough tomorrow to open a garden and will lead the flag parade afterwards. I have asked the warden to prepare the borough and ensure it is safe.’ He turned to the mirror. ‘I would like Lady Kendra and her cousin to accompany me for the event. Lady Kendra for her company and Lyndal for her newfound popularity within the borough. Turns out the peasants are rather fond of her. She can be my human shield, if you will.’
