“But…”
“In chess, the Queen is the most valued piece. It doesn’t matter if she was a pawn first or born into the role. She moves freely. She takes what she wants. She has no regrets. Everyone fears her, and no one expects her to relinquish such power or to expose herself to real danger. That’s what she has Knights for. The move’s a shock to the unprepared, but it does make for a rather showy win, if done properly, don’t you agree? Pull that in a tournament and they’ll talk of you for years.”
“I wouldn’t have known about it with your help.”
“Aye, but it’s alright to ask for help, Your Majesty. Your father asked me for advice all the time. He didn’t always take it, but he still asked. If you ask me for help now, I’ll tell you of my second mind.”
“…What’s your second mind?” I asked.
“It’s not so pragmatic. It’s greedy really.”
“Tell me anyway,” I said.
He peered out the window and the hint of sunrise, then knotted his arms. “My second mind wants to see you happy. It wants to help you find a sacrifice–something totradein order to prevent this marriage from happening. I’m not sure it can be done, but I’ve always got time to consider strategy and I love a challenge.”
“We havehoursuntil I’m married,”I said. “I won’t even see the Prince before our wedding..”
“Aye.”
“What do you suggest? A new treaty?” I asked. “Is that even possible?”
“Yes. Technically. But it’d be better to amend the one your father wrote.” He stood and walked to the desk, pulling open a drawer and retrieving a copy of the Treaty I didn’t know wasthere. He unrolled it and laid it flat on the desk. “While he was aggressive in his tactics, your father did enjoy creating solutions and I enjoyed helping him.”
“Solutions. Alright. How would he solve this problem?” I asked. “If he were the one in my place. If he wanted to avoid a marriage, how would he save himself?”
“The King was ruthless,” he said.
“And I’m desperate,” I told him. “If you think there’s a way, a way to… I just can’t see myself with him, Elías. I cannot see myself touching him, or kissing him, or…existing with him in a room without wanting to smash a vase over his head. If there’s a way to escape, please. Let’s find it.”
“How long have Sameer and Agatha been together?” he asked.
I thought about it. “Since they were kids. Cyrus told me that Sam had intended to propose to her. That he had a ring, but then I came along.”
“Good. When did you become aware of their connection?” he asked.
“You know that. At the ball. I caught them together with his pants unfastened.”
“Thus it's reasonable to assume a physical relationship was well-established by your arrival to the empire? One that might threaten the integrity ofyourunion?”
“You’re arguing chasity?” I asked. I almost laughed.
“The Treaty explicitly calls for it,” he said.
“The Treaty calls for myvirginity,” I said.
“And Sameer’s.”
“It does?” I asked.
He nodded. “Have you not read it?”
“No,” I said. “Father just told me what it said.”
He pointed to the clause, stating both parties would abstain from relations outside the marriage to preserve the royal line from the risk of heir-contestants.
“Alright but… What are you suggesting? You suggestblackmail?”I asked.
“No, blackmail is how your father would avoid the marriage.”
