Chapter 75
Seventy-five
James
What a sad state of affairs that my first council meeting as king was about this.
Upsetting, even, as I didn’t want to even think along these lines, but the paranoia riding in the back of my mind insisted I had to. The possibility of the Demon King somehow rising once more was becoming more reality than theory.
The council meeting was packed, not a single seat open.
Normally, meetings were about half full, but with everyone being called in for the coronation and wedding, more nobility were in town than usual.
I had capitalized on this and called for a meeting, wanting everyone aware and updated on the situation.
Speaker Messalina Stanhope stood, activating the controls to signal the meeting start. “Greetings, everyone, and welcome. I will open this session by first welcoming our new monarchs. All rise for King James and King Edwin.”
Everyone rose and bowed or curtsied, which I returned with a nod. Edwin copied my mannerism perfectly at my side. Such a quick study.
“Thank you. You all may be seated.” While people regained their seats, Speaker Stanhope turned to me. “Your Majesty, you called for this meeting. What agenda would you address?”
“One of grave importance.” I stood and took the floor. “Everyone, there have been several alarming signs that demonic energy is active in the kingdom.”
People burst out into questions and demands, some whispering to their neighbors. I couldn’t blame them for the reaction. I would have done the same in their shoes.
Speaker Stanhope immediately took charge, calming them down again, for which I gave her a thankful nod.
Marquess Emanuel stood with hand raised. “Speaker, may I have the floor for a question?”
“The chair recognizes Marquess Emanuel and he has the floor.”
“Your Majesty, how do you know?”
“Sadly, the gods themselves reported such to us. Vuheia informed me they detected the demonic energy, but they can’t find the source. Not the demon portal—although the ward is in danger—so we’re not sure where the energy is coming from. Just that it’s insidious and strengthening.”
Another outburst as people panicked. Again, I couldn’t blame them. I myself was quite upset about the whole situation. I waffled between anger that I had to go through this again and worry about how much damage this second round would cause.
I’d truly believed, when I’d bartered for the ability to come back in time, that I wouldn’t have to face the Demon King again. I’d thought renewing the seals earlier than intended and placing knights to safeguard the portal would prevent that awful, horrific war from happening once more.
Now, I was faced with the realization that this war might be fated. Try as I might, I might not be able to fend the Demon King off with passive measures. This was heading toward a battle, and while I hated the very thought, part of me was already resigned.
But it wouldn’t go the same as it had last time. Of that I was confident.
Speaker Stanhope wrestled the crowd back into some semblance of order again. Truly, she was marvelously good at it. No wonder she had the job of Speaker.
Someone in the back called out, “Is the old demonic cult active again?”
“We’ve seen no signs, but trust me, we’re on the lookout.”
Edwin rose to stand at my side. “If I may, I’ll tack on some facts.
First, the Temple of Asyn is already working on developing spells and trackers for this energy, and they’re on the hunt for it.
We’re waiting on results from them. Second, in regard to the portal, we still have the new seal up that James oversaw some months ago.
However, the ward we put into place is slowly failing.
Without going into the nitty-gritty details of ward function, in essence, the ward was being powered by sunlight and moving water, using the nearby river as a power source.
Orichalcum spikes are used to anchor the ward and evenly distribute power.
However, the river is running dry, despite no drought being in the area.
It’s draining the whole ward, and it’s very weak as a result.
We have people working on the problem, but until we find a solution, the ward is not as strong as it should be. ”
“We are doing everything in our power to prevent the demon portal from opening.” I meant that. I honestly dreaded it ever opening again. “But right now, we must prepare for the worst eventuality, which is that the ward fails and the Demon King escapes onto this mortal plane.”
Baroness Ariel’s desk light turned on. “Speaker, I have a question.”
“The chair recognizes Baroness Ariel and she has the floor.”
“Your Majesties, do you have a firm plan for when the ward fails?”
“We do,” Edwin said. “We will immediately send knights, priests, and mages north in order to quell the Demon King. We will not give him any time to gather strength. We have knights stationed around the clock at the portal already who will sound the alarm the moment the ward even looks funny.”
I jumped in to help explain. “Right now, I have the temples creating a great deal of holy oil so we can anoint anyone dispatched for Berengar. Only by anointing their foreheads can we make sure the people we send do not become possessed.”
Duchess Crovan stood, hand raised. “Your Majesty?”
Speaker Stanhope sighed and said, “The chair recognizes Duchess Crovan and she has the floor.”
Duchess Crovan shot her an apologetic smile but continued gamely on. “Your Majesty, I wish to help you. Our entire country will be heavily impacted if the seal fails, so whatever we can do should be done. May I donate a thousand barrels of oil?”
This was one of the many reasons why the first demonic war had been so terrible.
The Crovans owned the largest olum vineyard in all the country, and without enough holy oil to anoint people with, we’d been constantly fighting off possessed people.
Only when things became very bad indeed did the Crovans begrudgingly give us enough oil to stem the tide.
Sometimes I questioned how much I could change history, with these little pushes and pulls I’d done. But her actively offering me a thousand barrels of oil, well…that was a sign that I could change history for the better.
I gave her a thankful bow of my head. “I accept this donation with much thanks. If you could send it to the main temples here in the city, they’re all actively blessing oil as fast as they can lay hands on it.”
“I will have it done at once,” she swore.
“Thank you.”
Edwin picked up a book, lifting it for all to see.
“We are having copies of this made and hope to have them in everyone’s hands as quickly as we can manage.
In this booklet is a list of signs to watch out for, to know if someone is possessed or not.
It also includes how to use holy oil, what prayers will help the possessed person, and who to report things to.
We want these to be widely available and for you to distribute them to anyone literate. ”
Knowledge had been something else I’d dearly wished for in the first war.
It had taken time for us to learn how to protect ourselves, and even more time to pass the knowledge around.
Edwin’s comment at the Temple of Asyn about writing things down had stuck with me.
I’d sat and written down every single trick we’d used in the war, along with setting up places in the temples so people could reach help, just in case.
Even if the war never materialized, it was wise to have a book around that could help in the future.
“Copies will be delivered to your estates in the next two weeks,” Edwin finished, lowering the book. “Please distribute them promptly.”
Another hand shot up. Duchess Crovan again. “Sorry, another question. Your Majesties have many methods to help prevent or mitigate a disaster, but what plan do you have to solve the problem if the portal does open?”
“We have the original sealing spell used,” Edwin answered promptly.
A happy flutter went through the crowd.
I smiled at Edwin. “My darling spouse was the one to find it in the royal library, in fact. The book is written in Old Tongue, but we have experts translating now. We know for a fact the sealing spell is in there, and we’ll use it once the instructions are fully translated.
Right now, we’re buying time—or trying to—until we know the spell.
Once it’s properly learned, we’ll use it. ”
“Do you have a timeline for the spell being ready?”
I answered that one. “Hopefully within the next couple of days. We’re doing all we can to prevent an outbreak.”
Baron Featherstone lifted a hand. “Permission to have the floor?”
“Baron Featherstone has the floor,” Speaker Stanhope acknowledged with a sigh, obviously giving up on people using their desk signals.
“Your Majesty, is there something we can do to help? I want to support this effort. No one wants the seal to break down.”
I gave him a bright smile. “Thank you for your willing attitude; it means a great deal to us. Anyone who wishes to help can speak with my secretary and have a private meeting. I don’t want to spring unreasonable asks upon you.”
“I’m happy to do so, Your Majesty.”
A few other hands went up as well, indicating silent support, and I counted with no surprise the Gresleys’, Doughtrys’, and Wickhams’ hands.
Truly, in the previous life and this one, they had never failed me.
“Then I will meet you as soon as possible. All of you. The meetings will need to be quick today or tomorrow, as I fear we don’t have much time.
I will reseal the demon portal as soon as we have the translation; it’s the ward that’s in question, because we still haven’t gotten the block removed.
Either way, we’ll figure out a new warding system and have it implemented within a month. ”
This satisfied Baron Featherstone. “Thank you, Your Majesties.”
Speaker Stanhope took charge of the floor again. “Are there any other questions or concerns?”
Earl Gresley lifted a hand. “Your Majesties, you say you hope to have this fully resolved within a month’s time, but how close is the ward and seal to failing?”
“Too close for comfort,” I admitted. “Which is why we have tripled our efforts. To be frank, I hate this more than any of you and wish for an immediate resolution. Unfortunately, it will take time. I can promise you, if something does happen, I will lead the charge, not try to fix or manage the situation from afar.”
That answered his question, but I could tell the answer unnerved him. I wasn’t pleased either, but there was only so much a human could do, even a king.
Speaker Stanhope eyed the clock, and I could see why, as the grandfather clock sitting on the side of the dais said nearly an hour had passed. We only had fifteen minutes until end of session, so it was time to wrap things up.
“Are there any other questions or concerns?”
Marquess Marrable stood and I was instantly put on my guard.
He had been Victor’s crony, so I had no trust of him.
That said, he’d been quick to ditch Victor when he’d lost his status as prince, so Marrable had never really been on the man’s side.
It conversely made him more dangerous since, clearly, he owed allegiance to no one.
“Your Majesty, while I applaud your recent marriage, I must ask about the issue of an heir?”
I put up a hand to stay him. “I’ve had many approach me about this concern. I will answer this only once more—I will pass the throne to a niece or nephew. I will not be taking anyone else into my bed, no matter the reason.”
He subsided and muttered something before sitting down.
Hopefully that put paid to such nonsense. I was truly tired of answering the question. Couldn’t they at least wait a year after my marriage before bringing up the heir issue?
There didn’t seem to be any other thoughts or questions, so Speaker Stanhope formally closed the session. People rose but didn’t immediately leave, speaking with each other, which was fine. I didn’t care what they did; I had my own work to do.
Speaker Stanhope, however, approached the two of us. “Your Majesties, there is one question I have for you. Who will be handling the council sessions from now on?”
I glanced at Edwin, not sure why she was asking or why he didn’t appear the least bit surprised.
“We’ll take it in turns, more or less,” he answered. “James and I are dividing the tasks of governing between us, so whoever is in charge of a project will take lead.”
This satisfied her and she curtsied. “I understand. My office is open to you, as always.”
“Thank you.”
Seeing a prime moment to escape, I offered Edwin a hand, which he took, and we left through the side door. I kept my pace at “we’re walking away” level so it wasn’t obvious I was running away before someone asked me something inappropriate and I was forced to squash the moron.
Edwin side-eyed me as we walked. “You didn’t expect her question, did you?”
“Well, no. To me you’re equally a king, so of course we’d handle council sessions with both of us. Why did you expect it?”
“Because Beatrice did very little actual governing, and I’m filling her shoes. More than one person has asked how many responsibilities I’m taking on. Most aren’t surprised, interestingly enough, when I tell them I’m splitting the workload equally with you.”
“Anyone who knows you wouldn’t be surprised by your answer.”
“So I’ve discovered. Still, don’t be shocked if someone else asks something similar. I’m having to recreate my role here, and people are trying to figure out who they’re supposed to go to, me or you.”
“That does make sense, in retrospect. Perhaps I was the one to assume?”
“You assumed because you know me well and don’t treat me as if I’m incompetent.” He paused at the top of the stairs to lift up and kiss my cheek. “Which is one of the other reasons why I married you.”
“You’re smarter than me,” I pointed out. “I’d be an idiot for trying to even pretend otherwise.”
“You keep talking like that, you’re going to end up naked very soon.”
“Ooh, is that a challenge?”
“Behave.”
“You can’t slap my ass and tell me to behave at the same time, those are mixed signals, and I don’t know which to follow. Edwin? Eeeeeeedwiiiiiiin?”
He was already halfway down the stairs and shot me a smirk. “Broom closet down here is empty, by the way, did you know that?”
Oh! Closet sex? Yes, please!
I had never in my life gotten down a staircase so fast and may have sprained something, but it made Edwin laugh and shove me into a closet before yanking my pants open, so I couldn’t have looked too ridiculous.