Ruled by the Princess

Chapter 7-2

“Mother, you know you are much fonder of Pierce than I am,” Kit said, picking up her fork despite the fact that she’d have to choke the course down. “He doesn’t appeal to me in the least.”

“You’ve hardly given him a chance,” the queen retorted. “Metfirth is one of our most affluent provinces.”

Washing the fish down with a long drink of wine, Kit pondered her mother’s statement. Metfirth was one of the last provinces where the farming was still yielding high crops. It was a long province that stretched from the upper west side of the realm to Yewforia’s border with Antoinetta. Recalling her history lessons, Kit believed part of the lands of Metfirth had been claimed from the neighboring kingdom in the Great War for Peace. Perhaps her mother thought having Pierce as the duke would make it easier to hold the peace should Antoinetta ever decide to reclaim their lands.

Taking her fork back in her hand, Kit replied, “Mother, I have given him enough of a chance to know I do not have feelings for him. He... doesn’t appeal to me.”

Rona scoffed and finished chewing before she said, “Pish posh! You don’t know what appeals to you, child. Just because he can be a little rough doesn’t mean he wouldn’t make a proper husband. You shouldn’t dismiss him without giving him a chance.”

Kit opened her mouth to respond but then closed it quickly. Her mother narrowed her eyes in confusion, and Kit could see her going back over what she’d said. The princess didn’t want her mother to get there, to discover she may have slipped up, so she did the only thing she could think of to distract her. Kit started to choke.

Nearly every eye in the room was on her now, and most of the Representatives looked like they were about to leap out of their chairs, even Eli. A swift wallop on the back from Junno, and Kit held up a hand waving them all off. She was fine.

Her mother looked more annoyed than alarmed at Kit’s coughing spell, but at least she’d forgotten what she had said. Kit couldn’t give her the opportunity to revisit it because there was something there she didn’t want her mother to know she’d caught. It might be nothing—but it might be important—and if it was, Kit would have to exploit it later. For now, they needed to move on.

She took another drink, this time from her water goblet, and then said, “If you don’t mind, my Queen, I should like to offer a Room to Landon from Brendrake.”

Rona didn’t look surprised. Her eyes roamed the Representatives landing on Landon, who wasn’t too far away, as she considered it. He was talking jovially with Gavin, and Kit imagined they were speaking about the jousting competition. “I will allow it,” the queen said, despite her earlier statement that Kit was in charge of the Choosing.

“Thank you, Mother.” She tried to choke down another bite of the fish but it would be her last. She’d just have to pretend to eat more or else she’d make herself sick, and there had to be at least three more courses to go.

“Is there anyone you wish to eliminate?” Rona’s fish was almost gone from her plate, which was astounding to Kit, but then she was also relieved that the next course would have to come soon.

The answer to her question wasn’t worth stating because Kit wouldn’t be allowed to send Pierce home, and he was the only one left she was certain she did not want to keep. “No, Mother. Not now.”

“Very good. As soon as we have had our dessert, we shall make an announcement.”

The queen seemed finished with her daughter with that statement, and Kit was glad when she turned to the duchess on her other side to converse. It left her in tranquility for a few moments until she glanced over at Eli again and saw how much pain he was in. Kit couldn’t look at him long because it would make her angry, or at the very least, make her want to cry.

“He’s strong,” Junno whispered, causing Kit’s head to turn toward her grandmother. “I know the agony he is in. But he will make it through and be good as new in a day or two.”

The servants came and removed the fish, replacing it with some sort of potato dish Kit couldn’t name but found much more appetizing. She took a few bites before she asked, “None of you knew?”

“No, and she still hasn’t told any of us. I have my ways of finding out information, though.”

Leaning in close to her grandmother, Kit asked, “Isn’t it against Yewforian law to whip a person without consent of the majority of council members?”

Junno’s only response was, “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

It didn’t surprise Kit to hear that, sad as it was. She could only imagine how many people had been dragged into the queen’s quarters to be flogged, and she doubted Rona was always so careful to keep from marking them up when she was likely to toss them in prison afterward.

The rest of the meal dragged on as Kit thought of all of the evil her mother had unleashed on the realm and how blind Kit had been to it for so long. Of course, she’d always known her mother was harsh and had suspected she was giving prison terms that were beyond legal recommendations. But Kit was beginning to understand that what she had been aware of was only the tip of the iceberg.

Dessert was the queen’s favorite lemon tart, and Kit had plenty of room for it since she hadn’t eaten her fish. Rona noted her daughter was certainly fond of sweets, and Kit shoveled another large bite into her mouth, plastering a wicked grin on her face, rather than setting her fork aside.

Shaking her head, the queen picked up her knife and banged on her goblet to get everyone’s attention before rising, which was loud but not nearly as annoying as the damn trumpets. Once everyone was standing in her honor, she said, “Ladies, and men, my darling daughter, Princess Katrinetta, has an announcement to make.”

Kit was still chewing, and she realized her mother had done that on purpose to make her look like a glutton with her mouth stuffed full of tart. She took her time swallowing and then took a sip of water while the queen waited. “Thank you, dearest mother,” Kit said, trying to make her tone match the sugar in the dessert. “Ladies and gentlemen, tonight I would like to announce that I have determined to Room a fourth Representative.” All of the men’s eyes went wide, particularly those who weren’t already roomed, although she still only saw pain in Eli’s face when she glanced his way.

“This gentleman is full of life. He’s skilled at all of the challenges, particularly hunting, and is always friendly and polite to all. His zest for life is contagious. As my fourth Rooming, I would like to request Landon of Brendrake to please stay at Wrenbrook for the duration of my Choosing.”

Landon looked more surprised than Kit had expected. It took him a moment to step forward, but when he did, he dropped to his knee and kissed her hand. “Thank you, Princess Katrinetta. I am honored.”

There was cheering and clapping, though Kit could see disappointment in some of the men’s dispositions. They were all weighing their chances at getting one of the last three rooms, and since most of them assumed Eli already had one of them, that really only left two rooms for ten men. The odds were not in their favor.

Landon was headed back to his seat when the queen said to him, “You will be visiting the princess’s chambers tonight, I assume?”

He froze and turned to look at the queen, and then at Kit. Of course, Kit had meant to ask him, but not while he was standing in front of the entire room. Now, she had no choice. “Will you?” she asked quietly.

“Yes, of course.” Landon’s cheeks turned a little pink, and the queen waved him away.

“Mother?” Kit asked, trying to keep her voice even.

The queen shrugged. “What? It isn’t as if the audience doesn’t know what you’re all about right now, Katrinetta. I just wanted to know who you were planning on spending the evening with.”

Kit said nothing more, only waited for the queen to sit so that she could. The meal might be over, but she needed another drink of her wine. That question had been more about making sure Kit didn’t intend to spend the night with Eli than it had been about Landon.

The queen only sat for a moment before she gave the signal to her trumpeters that she would like to leave, so everyone stood again. “Katrinetta, I would like for you to walk with me this evening,” Rona said, not even turning to look at her.

A protest almost slipped from her lips before Kit got it in check. It wouldn’t do to argue with her; clearly, her mind was made up. “Yes, Mother.” Once again, the queen was trying to keep her away from Eli. She fought the urge to glance over her shoulder at him as she followed her mother out of the room. She’d just have to trust that the others would take care of them.

Silence sank in around them, except for the sound of their slippers on the marble floor. Twice, Kit almost asked if her mother wanted to speak to her, if that had been the reason she insisted they walk together, but there was no point. When they reached the hall where her mother would turn one direction to make her way to her own chambers, and Kit would continue on toward hers, Rona said, “Hurry along, dear. You don’t want to be late for your appointment with Landon.” Her smile reminded Kit of the picture of a devil she’d once seen in a book in the library. It had frightened her so much, her father had hidden it away somewhere. If only he could make her mother go away as well.

“Yes, Mother. Have a good evening.” Kit curtseyed and waited for the queen to turn so she could go about her business, but Rona only gave the signal for her to rise.

“You may go. I shall wait here.”

Confused, Kit looked around her. Was her mother really so desperate to keep Kit from Eli she was going to watch her proceed to her chambers? With a loud sigh, Kit started to back down the hall from her mother, along with the four members of the Princess’s Guard who were accompanying her. It was awkward and annoying, but Rona’s smile indicated it was also amusing.

Once Kit had reached the next hall, the speck that was her mother turned and left, and the princess stopped, seething. Even though she could turn around now, she didn’t. She’d been walking so slowly backward that she could see most of the Representatives coming in her direction now, even though most of them hadn’t been dismissed for several minutes after her.

“Princess, we should go,” Galter said at her elbow.

“I should like to wait.” Kit turned and looked at him, hoping he would remember who was truly in charge of the guard.

“Yes, Your Majesty. Then I suggest you come around the corner.”

Kit noticed then that some of her mother’s guardsmen were also in the hall, and she assumed Galter was hoping to get her out of their line of sight so that they wouldn’t report to the queen that she’d waited for Eli and the others after all.

She took his advice and continued out of view of the enemy guards a few steps but then waited. Each of the Representatives who passed her asked if everything was well, and since none of the first six or seven had any idea what had transpired, she smiled and waved them along. Her ladies reached her next, followed by a few other Representatives who wouldn’t know what she was doing, and then Pierce.