Chapter 66
Sixty-six
James
For all that Edwin confessed to being overwhelmed, he sure didn’t act it.
He was a whirlwind of activity, starting with calling for an all-hands meeting with the palace staff, then sending out a letter to his parents, informing them they must meet with the both of us for a family dinner as soon as possible, then turning around and asking which room I wanted to take over for our shared office.
It seemed I could barely answer one question before being asked another.
The staff meeting was held a bare twenty-four hours after our marriage, where we announced the change to everyone. Ramsey had assured us both staffs were pleased, but pleased was an understatement. People bounced with joy, hugged, clapped—the joy in the room was incredible.
If this was the start of my reign, then it was an auspicious one. Much better than my previous reign, which had started under coercion and dire necessity. I liked this so much more.
After the announcement, Edwin declared there would need to be staff changes and called up several people by name to discuss it with them personally.
I stayed next to his side, watching as some people went back to work, while others came forward to the dais.
Now would be the real test to see how people reacted when this impacted them personally.
Edwin smiled as he addressed people. “I want to start by saying this is my personal choice, and if you don’t wish to take on this position, that’s fine.
We’ll assign you somewhere else. I’m asking a lot of you because I won’t be assuming the responsibilities Queen Beatrice held.
I will be co-ruler with James and will be splitting duties with him fairly, so you’re in for a lot of work if you accept the position I offer you.
Again, it’s fine if you don’t wish to, whatever your reason.
All that said: Chandler, Leggett, Price—I want you three as my retainers. ”
I had heard of his intentions earlier—I knew who he had chosen—so I watched those three carefully. The excitement that came over their faces was instantaneous.
Leggett actually offered a hand, seizing Edwin’s in a firm grip. “Your Majesty, I am incredibly happy you’ll make me one of your people. Yes. Absolutely yes.”
Chandler bumped him out of the way to do the same thing.
“With pleasure. I hoped you would. Let’s have a short meeting after this.
You can tell us what you’re doing, and we’ll take some of the workload off your shoulders.
Knowing you, you’re probably running yourself into the ground already trying to do it all! ”
How acute of him to realize. Edwin had indeed chosen the right retainers.
“We’ll have a meeting,” Edwin swore to him. “I’ve run off my legs already, and it’s not evening yet! But let me keep going. Judith, Silvia, Letitia, I want you to be our personal maids. Our rooms are entirely under your watch and no one else’s.”
Again, solid choices, as all three had been maids in the palace for twenty years and knew what they were about. One of them had been in charge of my personal rooms since I’d come in.
“We’ll do so, Your Majesty,” Letitia promised, her heart-shaped face beaming.
“Thank you. I’m relieved to have you in charge of things.
All right, next, all the secretaries formerly under Queen Beatrice and King Patrick will join our current secretarial staff.
The two of us are sharing an office, in fact—the king’s office—so I want the queen’s formal desk moved into that room. ”
I tuned Edwin out a little, just watching faces.
People were happy to keep their jobs, of course, but again there was rising excitement.
I think they realized being under myself and Edwin meant solid change was coming, and considering how stagnant this palace had become, it needed a good wind to shake things loose.
Edwin declared his knights as well. He had insisted upon guidance, explaining that just because he knew all the knights didn’t mean he knew how good they were at their job. Which was a fair point. Commander Harland and I had picked for him, and he’d been happy with our choices.
The knights, of course, were ecstatic. They were able to step up into a whole different pay grade, plus the elevation of being a king’s knight was very prestigious indeed. Everyone I’d chosen liked and respected Edwin, so I knew they would protect him well.
When Edwin was done, I chose to step in and finally say something.
“Thank you all for so readily agreeing. It makes both of us very happy. I want to say something as well. The former king and queen will vacate the palace by the end of next week, which means we need to transfer everything they’re doing to our new office by that time.
So do keep this in mind. If the work is a bit too much for all of you, let us know, and we’ll draft temporary help until things settle.
“Now, that said, there’s a major concern as well. As some of you may already know, someone tried to poison Edwin—”
The gasp that tore through the group sobered the mood instantly.
I hated sharing for this very reason, as I wanted to keep the happy energy, but it couldn’t be helped.
“I wish we could prove the culprit, but unfortunately, the mastermind left no evidence behind. I must stress to you, nothing can be assumed safe. Not food, not drink, candies brought in from outside, nothing. I want each room we spend time in to be stocked with silver needles, and I want everything tested before you hand it to one of us. No exceptions.”
Captain Rowan took a half step forward. “I will give you the exact instructions of how to handle things. King Edwin’s knights, you, especially, must be very attentive. We cannot take risks at this juncture.”
Every knight saluted him in silent agreement, and I could only hope this was enough to safeguard Edwin properly.
“All right, dismissed. Go assume your new duties.”
Captain Rowan turned to the knights. “You’ll be working alongside King James’s knights for the time being, until you have the new duties down. Return to the training yard for now. I’ll be there shortly to work out schedules.”
Once people had dispersed, Edwin leaned in against my side and let out a low breath. “That went better than I expected.”
“You thought at least two or three people would say no.”
“I did. I’m surprised they didn’t.”
I wasn’t. Edwin truly didn’t understand how loveable he was. “Well, shall we go and oversee things being moved?”
“I would feel better about that, yes. I have a specific layout of furniture in mind.”
“I know you do.” He always did.
I took his hand in mine as we left the room, heading for our old office, as there were certain items I wanted to keep on my person while things were moved about. Namely, my signet ring and seal. Those being lost in the shuffle would not be a good thing.
Come to think of it… “We’ll need to get a seal designed and made for you. And a signet ring.”
“Ah, yes, I’ll need both.”
“You do know your wedding ring is also a mage ring?”
Edwin blinked down at it on his hand. “Yes, I suspected you’d enchanted it in some fashion. Excellent foresight on your part. Now we can call each other readily.”
“Precisely so. I’m glad you like your ring.”
“I love it, in fact. It couldn’t be more perfect.” Edwin lifted our joined hands to kiss my knuckles, smiling up at me.
I wished we could bask in being newlyweds, but needs must. “I’m very happy to hear that. Also, I’m afraid to ask: Do we have an actual list of all the things that need to be done?”
Edwin side-eyed me. “You think I haven’t started a list?”
“I asked a stupid question, didn’t I?”
“Quite possibly the stupidest question you’ve ever asked me.”
Captain Rowan snickered behind a hand as he followed us. At least he was amused.
Dame Temperance came running up, looking grim, and I immediately braced myself mentally.
“Dame Temperance, what is it?”
“Princess Valentina learned you’re married and have been made king,” she reported with a grimace. “She threw an absolute fit this morning. Throwing things, screaming, and hurting two maids in the process.”
“Bad?” Edwin demanded, already alarmed.
“Unfortunately. One she stabbed in the hand with a fork, the other she threw an ottoman at. It hit the poor girl straight in the face and knocked her out. I was called in at that point, and I’ve had everyone vacate the room. She’s still screaming, or she was when I left. What should I do?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose and groaned, wishing I could do something to the girl, all while knowing my hands were still tied.
Unfortunately, throwing fits was “normal” for royalty, and the poor staff just had to endure them.
I couldn’t justify throwing Valentina out because of a single tantrum.
Oh, but I wanted to. I desperately wanted to.
“Ask the mages to do a sleep spell on her,” Edwin requested. “Let her sleep off the tantrum for now and have anything sharp or glass removed from her rooms until she’s truly calmed down.”
Relief flitting across her face, Dame Temperance bowed, turned, and ran off again. I’d let her handle things unless it somehow escalated.
Although how it could escalate more was the question. What would Valentina do next, set the palace on fire?
Actually, knowing her, she might.
Edwin either read my face or knew me well enough to ask, “You sure I can’t call an assassin and have her dropped out to sea?”
“Don’t fucking tempt me.” I groaned. “You know how much I hate her. If it wouldn’t cause trouble with Ascor, I’d have already gotten rid of her. Lenville needs to move faster.”
Edwin snorted. “I’m sure his ship is sailing as fast as it can, dear.”
Our office door came into sight, but for some reason McCoy stood in the doorway, visibly fidgeting from foot to foot.
“McCoy, what is it?” I called.
“Your Majesty, we’ve gotten a deluge of presents for Edwin.”
I didn’t correct the slipup since Edwin wasn’t formally crowned king yet and the change was still a work in progress. What worried me more was… “Presents?”
“From the lords, ladies, and anyone with a vested interest in the crown, seems like. Word’s spread fast about what happened yesterday.”
“There goes our formal announcement,” Edwin muttered under his breath.
“We still need to make one for the country at large,” I reminded him. “Now, what should we do with these presents?”
“Let me see how many there are, first. Surely McCoy’s exaggerating when he says there’s a deluge—” Edwin rounded the door, then stopped dead in the doorframe.
I was only a beat behind him and almost plowed into his back, then I realized what had caused him to startle to a stop.
I couldn’t see his desk.
Oh, the area where his desk resided was obviously still there, but it was so buried under lavishly wrapped presents, I couldn’t see even a hint of wood. How had people managed to get presents together, wrapped, and delivered here when only a full day had passed since our marriage?!
The speed with which nobility could react was quite terrifying.
Edwin took one look at the pile and then stated flatly, “Send them back. All of them, unless they’re presents from the palace staff. I will not accept bribes before I’m even properly crowned. If they really want to gift me, they can wait for the coronation ceremony.”
And this was precisely why I wanted Edwin as my co-ruler. He was faithful to his own moral code and steadfast against any efforts to sway him. He was not a man who could be bought.
No doubt people would be miffed he’d returned the gifts, but I couldn’t be prouder of him. It was about time people stopped stooping to bribes, anyway.
The start of Edwin’s reign would be the laying down of law and some comeuppance for those who needed it. Did it make me a bad person if I looked forward to the show? Because when people’s greed clashed with Edwin’s will, sparks were sure to fly.