The lull ate at me as Iranted.“Sometimes, I like to think these sorts of colors encourage the flowers to hurry out of their frost. Silly, ha, but there is a lavender dress I have now and a coral. Have you seen those?”
“...What is it you wanted to ask?” he checked.
“I’d, uh.” I couldn’t remember. I hadforgottenand flustered instead. “I’d...”
Father did not wait for my recovery. “Elías?” he called into the hall. “Come in here already, will you?”
My courage wavered as, on command, our knight stepped in.
“Your Majesty?” he asked.
The King rolled his wrist as he talked. “I’m sure you realize I have pressing matters to attend to.” Then he waved dismissively at me. “What is it that she wants?”
We shared a look, Elías and I.
“I—” But Father cut me off.
“Svana, please,” he said, then egged Elías to go on.
My knight exhaled apologetically. He said, “...The Princess is concerned about taxes, sir.” It wasn’t exactly a lie.
“Taxes?” His Majesty repeated. “To what end?”
I shrugged, immediately recalling all the words I had meant to say. “What if I miscommunicate something?” I asked. “What if I don’t understand a law? Chalke is an entirely separate empire from us; it’s notunlikelythat I could confuse something so small as that. Of course, then I would make us all look like fools, and I–” I swallowed the fact.
Father narrowed his eyes. “If anyone calls you a fool, remind them we won the War. That it ismymercy that has offered this treaty and your hand and that I will not hesitate to revoke it and just take their empire if I should feel like it.”
“Can you do that?” I asked.
“Yes.”
“Well... I’ll say all that, but I don’t believe it will help, and I’ll still be an idiot,” I explained.
Elías hid his smirk. I did not venture mine.
“You’re not an idiot; you’re an Eisson,” the King said. “Eissons are not idiots. They’re kings.”
“Except me,” I told him.
My father waited.
“Because I’m… a queen…” I trailed, somehow uncertain despite the natural truth. I added, “A joke. A joke, Father. But what, uh, what should I advise the court should they be sore you are not with me then?” I asked.
“I’ve written their King; he’ll be aware you’ll be in my stead. There shouldn’t be a problem. It should please the court to see you and assess your…”
“Presentation, sir?” Elías suggested.
“Yes,” Father said. “Now. Is there anything else?”
I shook my head discreetly at Elías, who, in turn, said, “Nothing, Your Majesty.”
Father studied me. “You’ve had the best education gold and copper can buy. It’s physically impossible for you to be an idiot.”
“Can you buy sense?” I asked.
He nodded. “Yes. Laws, taxes; they won’t be difficult for you; you understand them well,” he said. He glanced at our knight, and then his tone altered in an odd way. “But… I suppose we might find time to discuss your performance once you’ve returned…. If you request such a thing.”
“Do you request it, Your Majesty?” I asked.I felt sick at the idea.
