Don’t Poke the Queen
Don’t Poke the Queen
As small-statured as Payson was compared to my other guardians, it did not diminish his strength.
He carried me with ease, and his gait was light as we made our way down to the main cavern area.
The cooking fires blazed with large black cooking pots hanging over them, filling the air with the nutty aroma of the porridge they were making.
When we passed through last time, I was far too distracted by my need to get Gavin out of a cell to notice the long wooden tables with benches lined up in rows.
Payson set me down on a bench closest to the entrance so everyone would see me as they headed to find a seat.
I licked my lips nervously, worried that after everything settled down, they would feel the same way as the clan leaders did about me.
I didn’t have to wait long as a group of young children came racing over to me, all talking at once.
“Queen Cassarah, is it true you didn’t grow up in Raven Rose?”
“Where are your mommy and daddy?”
“Could I get a ride on your dragon?”
“When I grow up, I want to be as pretty as you, Queen Cassarah.”
Flustered, I didn’t know how to answer some of these questions or what I should tell them about myself and my past life. I decided not to be ashamed of my family history like so many generations before me had been.
“Settle down now, or I won’t be able to answer the questions you’ve already asked me.
” I laughed, giving them my full attention.
“No, I didn’t grow up in Raven Rose or any of the other clans.
I lived in a large house in the countryside outside Royal City.
That is where my parents are now. They didn’t want to leave our home, so I decided it would be easier to just come here on my own. ”
“That’s so brave,” one little girl gasped, clutching her doll to her chest. “I don’t think I could leave Mommy behind.”
“It was hard, but I knew it was the right thing to do. Sometimes when we grow older, we have to make a tough choice, but I think it was worth it to be with all of you,” I assured the girl.
“Now, as for getting to ride Vasin, I think we might need to ask your mother first, then we’ll see if Vasin agrees. ”
“You can talk to your dragon?” the older of the boys asked, eyes wide in amazement.
I nodded my head, biting my lip so I didn’t laugh. I hadn’t spent much time around kids, but the ones in the Raven Rose clan always made me laugh, and Vasin was such a good sport to let them climb all over him.
“Children, let our queen eat in peace,” a woman chided, herding them away, giving me a small bow and a smile. “It’s good to see you out and about, Your Majesty.”
“Momma, can I ride the queen’s dragon? She said I had to ask you first. Please say yes, please?” the boy begged as she dragged him away, shaking her head.
Still watching the kids, I was surprised when a tray of food was set in front of me. Snapping my head around, I found Payson settling in across from me. “Seems you’re already charming your subjects.”
“From my limited experience, kids are the easiest of the bunch. It’s the parents I’m worried about.” I sighed, pulling my tray closer. “Thanks for grabbing my food. Not being able to do much by myself is getting very frustrating.”
“I fell off a horse and broke my right arm. Thankfully, I do almost everything with my left, but still, you don’t realize how often you need two hands.
It was weeks before I got back full use of it, so I understand what you’re saying,” Payson shared as he dipped into his meal, then paused and looked up to meet my gaze.
“Cassarah… I’m sorry about my father. He’s a bastard and is worse when he feels threatened.
You scare the clan leaders, My Queen. Everything you represent is change, and none of them want to lose power.
By you even existing, they’ve lost the prowess they once had.
All that to say, don’t think their opinions will be the same as everyone else’s in the clans.
They are ready for a queen to guide them, and everyone knows we need change to survive. ”
Smiling at him, I reached out and covered his hand with mine, gently squeezing it. “Thank you, that means a lot to me. I don’t want to disappoint them, and it was hard to see how much the clan leaders hated me without even giving me a chance.”
“I bet you that today might be a different story after all the information that came out. My father is no longer the perfect man he likes to pretend to be since they caught him in his lie about the king’s bastard.”
I nodded, mulling that statement over as I started to eat my breakfast. The porridge wasn’t anything amazing, but I’d learned since coming here that they were more about keeping everyone fed than having it taste amazing.
A healthy body can make more money to provide better food and keep the clan safe, but a starving person can do neither of those things.
More and more, I was learning how I’d lived a life of opulence, even with all the hardships I experienced.
Yes, I was starved and beaten, but I always knew there would be food when I was allowed.
I never questioned that. As for safety, I didn’t learn what it felt like until I came to live with the clan, and I was still working on trusting that I was safe.
As we ate, clan members who wanted to meet me drifted in and out of the conversation.
It was almost like being at court, but I didn’t get the same feeling that they were trying to find fault in me.
They just wanted to know me. This fueled my desire to be a queen they would always feel like they could come up to and talk about things.
At first, the guys tried to move people along so I could actually eat my meal, but I waved them off that idea.
“Leave them be. I’m happy to meet anyone who takes the time to seek me out,” I explained.
“My Queen, you still need to be able to eat,” Izel countered, looking pointedly at my barely touched bowl.
“I promise I won’t die of starvation. I’ve gone days without food and managed just fine—” Realizing what I’d just said, I slammed my jaw shut so hard that my teeth clicked.
Cole and Abbott knew more than most about what I’d gone through, having helped me to overcome some of my fears and trauma, but they still didn’t know it all.
That was the old me, and the clan had given me new life, a way to have power over what happened to me, and strength to stop it if I needed to.
I didn’t want them all to look at me like I was some wounded animal and forever see pity in their eyes.
I’d overcome everything my mother tried to do to me, and I was finally becoming who I was meant to be.
“Your Majesty—” Abbott started to say.
“Leave it,” I snapped at Abbott, whose brows went up in shock. “I will not speak about it here.”
“As you wish,” he answered with a bow of his head.
Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly, trying to calm my irritation at him for feeling the need to push for information. He knew I didn’t like to talk about my mother. He was the only man who had seen me break down. I needed to be strong—a queen they deserved.
“I think now would be as good a time as any to reconvene our conversation with the clan leaders,” I announced, looking at the others with a smile I knew didn’t reach my eyes. “We have a country to save and an evil king to stop.”
“Yes, My Queen. I’ll let them know you wish for them to gather,” Izel volunteered, getting up from the table.
“May, could you ask if it’s possible to have them bring lunch to us?” I asked. “I have a feeling we will be in there all day before we get anything done.”
“Of course, I’ll go do that right away,” May said with a bow and headed into the crowd.
Cole came to stand behind me, resting a hand on my shoulder. “They do not expect you to be perfect, little mouse,” he whispered so only I could hear him.
Looking up at him, I met his gaze which held no judgment or pity in it, just understanding.
This was a side I’d never seen on Cole before last night.
He was always full of snarky comments and a devil-may-care smile.
This deeper version was making my heart beat faster in a way it never had.
I didn’t have an answer for him, so I just nodded and covered his hand with mine.
“Would you allow me to take you to the meeting hall?” Cole asked, catching me off guard. He was never one to ask such things, always more of a do-what-you-want-and-deal-with-the-fallout-after kind of guy.
My eyes flicked over to Becka trying to smother her laughter behind her hand.
Narrowing my eyes at her, she started to shake her head no, indicating she didn’t say anything about my current affliction.
Not sure I really believed her, I scowled and turned to look at each of the men sitting at the table.
They all looked a little on edge as if unsure of what to do with themselves, but none would look me in the eye.
“There wouldn’t be any reason you all are acting oddly toward me, would there?” I questioned, resting my chin on my hand, waiting for their answer. They shook their heads, still looking down at the trays before them.
Dayson coughed and shifted in his seat under my watchful gaze. “It was me. I warned them you might be dealing with lady business and not to piss you off. Growing up with May, I know the signs, but I doubt you’re as violent as she gets.”
Part of me did want to punch him right in the gut, but the other wanted to laugh as I pictured Dayson, of all people, having to tell the others I was going to be overly emotional for the next few days.
“I guess I should just apologize in advance for anything I might say or do in the near future,” I admitted, my cheeks blushing with embarrassment.
Payson just snorted and collected my tray, stacking it with his. “This couldn’t have come at a better time. Give those clan leaders a piece of your mind. It’ll shut them up faster than anything else will.”
“You’re talking about your own father,” I blurted, eyes wide as I stared at him.
He just gave me a playful grin and a wink. “Then it sounds like you should take my advice, seeing as I’ve known the man my entire life.”
Laughter burst out of me at his comeback, setting me more at ease than I’d been a few moments ago. “All right, Cole, let’s see if we can get these men to see reason.”
“Little mouse, if anyone can surprise them, it would be you. Of that, I have no doubt.” Cole chuckled as he lifted me into his arms.
“You know, you’re one of the only ones who call me by a nickname no matter where we are. Why is that, and how can I get the others to do it?” I teased, smiling up at him.
His gaze was filled with a fire I’d never had directed at me. “They don’t have the history we do. Give them time. I’m sure you’ll get your way with them too, if you truly want it.”
Why did I feel like that statement meant more than what he was letting on?