10. Chapter 10
Michaela
I was the last to arrive, but that only meant I didn’t have to wait for the production team to fit me with my microphone pack and give last-minute directions. As I listened, I familiarized myself with the room. Unlike other rooms in the palace, this one was divided into three sections. First, the seating area near the window in the gable of the room, banked in by towering bookcases and a single window. Then, the production zone behind me where cameras, crew, and lighting fixtures lurked behind the lenses. And finally, the massive chamber doors I assumed led to the king and queen’s bedroom. Which left me dead center of it all, feeling as breathless as a fish out of water.
Like every other room in the palace, I noted the beauty that surrounded me. High walls painted in a deep burgundy shade created a luxe atmosphere, while accents of gold adorned both antiquities and architecture.
The chairs were arranged around a large settee where the king already waited. The production crew swelled around me, but no one offered help. My chest tightened as I felt the press of anxiety. Sadie and Esmerey were locked in a deep conversation with the king, but I still felt uneasy approaching while he was seated. There had to be some kind of protocol I didn’t know, and I’d promised Bishop I wouldn’t screw the whole thing up. I noted the queen’s absence, surprised that she would stay away from this event. Bodies moved in close behind me, pushing me forward without meaning to. I glanced left, then right. Panic rose like a surging tide. A hand curved around my waist as one of the crew drew close to me in the surge.
“Wait for him to call you forward and curtsy. Don’t rise until he calls your name.” Fitz’s voice teased my ear as he whispered his advice. “Just as we practiced your first day here.”
I swore I could feel his smile. Considering the topic, how could he not smile at that memory? He’d tried to train me in a proper curtsy and instead played a prank, but when I looked up at him that first night in the parlor, I saw him in a new light. No longer the boy I knew, but the man who left me breathless. I hadn’t been able to shake it ever since.
Without turning my head, I spoke to him in a low tone. “Are you staying?”
“Yes, but I won’t be much help. This is his show.” With a squeeze of my hand, he shifted away from me to take a seat in one of the chairs behind the camera.
I squared my shoulders and tried to think regal thoughts. A small bug buzzed around my head, completely out of place in this atmosphere. With the wave of my hand, I shooed it away without too much effort. The call didn’t come. The others knew I was standing there awkwardly in front of the row of cameras, but no one had said a word to me. I got the feeling the king was waiting for me to screw up, and by not calling me, he was setting me up to fail early. Without watching him directly, I waited patiently for his request to join them.
There had been talk for a day or so that the king would fully recover, but I doubted that rumor would hold up beyond the interview. Though he sat up straight, his shoulders sagged. The sickness that had plagued him had robbed him of all the color in his face, leaving him pale and drained. His crown weighed heavily on his head, and I had to doubt the production team’s choice in airing their king in such a weak state. After the things I’d witnessed, I worried it would only fuel the unrest in the kingdom.
“Miss Caldwell,” the king finally spoke my name, but I felt Fitz stiffen at his father’s choice of title for me. Still, I responded appropriately, taking a step forward, head low, and sank into a curtsy for His Majesty.
“Yes, Your Majesty?” It was a repeat of that first day with Fitz. No way was the king going to let me up until I either fell over or my legs gave out. Jaw clenched, I counted off the seconds, waiting as he toyed with me on his royal power trip. After a full thirty seconds, my legs started to cramp, but I didn’t so much as twitch.
“Miss Caldwell, please join us.” His deep voice maintained the tenor of a man in perfect health. Maybe playing mind games was as effective as Sadie’s medicine.
Gritting my teeth, I rose again but kept my head bowed. Even though my legs ached, I resisted the temptation to rub out the sharp jabs of pain. This wasn’t the time to show any holes in my defenses. More than once headed to a child’s party, I had run-ins with dogs. They didn’t care that I was in a poofy princess dress. If I made eye contact, it was grounds for attack. I learned to acknowledge the alpha’s position when needed.
“Okay, everyone looks great.” Tom clapped his hands and rubbed them together, oblivious to the undercurrent of tension. “Your Majesty, we’re ready to roll. It’s a live feed, everyone, so let’s keep it moving but nothing too surprising, okay?”
Without saying it, Tom meant he didn’t want any threats to the throne or declarations of war in mixed company. Sad that sort of thing had to be said out loud. But in my experience, thus far, the live cameras seemed to bring on a theatrical flair in folks.
The king gave his intro to the cameras, looking better than he had even moments ago. He spoke of legacy and wanting to know the women who had taken hold of his son’s heart. In my eyes, this was the meet-my-parents episode of the dating show. Too bad his parents already had a distaste for me. I feared this wouldn’t end well.
But, as the questions started, I found myself forgotten. He spoke to Esmerey about her family and her hobbies. They shared a laugh over some of their common acquaintances. She fielded questions like: What have you learned from your parents, and how has their influence affected you? As interview questions go, they were too easy. When he asked her, “And what is your favorite kind of cake?” I nearly scoffed.
Was this the level of scrutiny I was facing? If so, Bishop was worried for nothing.
Fruit, crackers, and slices of cheese had been arranged on a low table between us and the king. That dang bug still buzzed around, annoying people in the room, judging by the way a few swatted at the air around them. Sadie, apparently just as bored as I was, picked off a branch of grapes and popped a few in her mouth. Maybe this charade was a chance for the king to make Esmerey look better? She’d always been his favorite. Maybe—
“And, Lady Sadira,” his attention turned to Sadie sitting next to me, “I trust the activities you’ve enjoyed here in the capital have been exciting and new? I doubt you’ve been able to do many of them in Eshein Province, yes?”
Was she allowed to disagree with him? Why did I get the feeling that was a backhanded dig at where she came from?
“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ve had a lovely time here.” Sadie wrapped her hands around the grapes in her lap as if to hide them. I felt her pain. No one said we could eat. Maybe they were decorations. She had an edge on me when it came to Nolcovian traditions, but she was still lost in the elite protocols of her own country. She pressed her lips together as if to steal a moment to think and finally added, “It’s been an adventure.”
“And what about the food? What’s something you’ve had here that you never could afford at home?”
From the wall, Fitz cleared his throat. Something about the question definitely bothered him. Was it the attack on Sadie, or simply that he didn’t want his father to alienate an entire province with his elitist perspective? Probably both. Parents often embarrassed their kids, but the wrong words could spark a civil war in this case.
“The desserts, Sire.” She bowed her head slightly, showing her bashful side. “They’ve been unlike anything I’ve ever tasted.”
Holding a delicate plate, Esmerey leaned forward to pluck a few grapes from the tray as the king conversed with Sadie. Out of the three of us, she was definitely the most at home. The bug buzzed around her head, making her go nearly cross-eyed as she swiped at the air. I found myself a little more than amused at her struggle. The irony that the bug would choose her, little miss royal favorite, over landing on me was—
“And, Miss Caldwell,” the king’s voice interrupted my petty thoughts, “what do you think of the power struggle between the Aclusian and Eshein provinces?”
For real? I wasn’t paying attention. Was that what he’d just asked Sadie? By the look of shock on her face, I wagered it wasn’t. No, this was a chance for him to show exactly how out of place I was in his country.
Too bad for him, Bishop had prepped me to answer this one.
“I think there will always be struggle between those who have and those who have not . It’s a classic example of conflict theory in action. With the affluent Aclusian people bordering the less fortunate Eshein citizens, they are butted up against each other and the stark contrast is impossible to ignore.” My words took him back a bit, but before he could interject, I added, “However, I do have to applaud Lady Sadira and her people for their ingenuity and perseverance despite their trials. I know they have created their own subculture and heritage that go back generations. They are not only loyal to the crown, but deeply connected to one another as well.”
The room sat in stunned silence for a moment. I hoped I hadn’t stuck my foot in something without realizing it. Finally, Sadie’s head bobbed in a nod. “Well said, Lady Michaela.”
The king sucked in his cheeks for a moment as he considered his trajectory. “Lady Esmerey, you’ve lived in the Aclusian Province, yes? What has been your favorite part?”
“Oh, by far the resorts, Your Majesty. They’re nestled right in the heart of the most beautiful landscapes the world has to offer and I feel like—ow!” Her palm flew to her neck with a slap. Though I couldn’t see anything, it seemed that the small bug had finally found a target.
“Are you hurt?” The king leaned forward, deeply concerned.
“No.” She waved him off. “Sorry, it was nothing. Please continue.” Esmerey fiddled with the food on her plate as attention shifted again.
“Lady Sadira,” the king turned back to her, “what do you miss about Eshein?”
“Well, it is as Lady Michaela suggested, the culture is what draws me back home, Sire. We have many rich traditions known only to our area that bind us as a people, even when we travel to other provinces. We are truly like a family in that sense.”
I braced myself, because I knew he was coming for me next, and no way was I going to get one of their softball questions. Sure enough, I felt the cameras shift and the king watched me, as if sizing up his enemy.
“Miss Caldwell,” he straightened a bit, perhaps to look more like a worthy opponent, “what do you think of our government versus your American government? Democracy and the voice of the people or a crown to rule in fairness and equality?”
He wanted me to either speak badly about my own country and look like a traitor, or he wanted me to insult the idea of a monarchy and alienate the Nolcovian people. Once more, Bishop had seen it coming. I had an answer prepped and ready.
“Does it really have to be either or?” I cocked an eyebrow with a bit of my American defiance. “I think the end result is what is most important. Any government can become corrupt when they don’t listen to the voices and needs of their people, but, on the other side of the token, any government can rise above any challenge if they will always put the needs of those they serve over their own interests.”
I thought a heard a modest amount of applause in the corner. Attention once again went back to Esmerey, asking a question or two about American celebrities she admired. Hoping the cameras were ignoring me, I twisted to try to spot Fitz in the shadows. I found him quickly, but his gaze wasn’t on me. It was locked on his father, deep concern etched into his features. Turning back, I saw it too. The king had begun to slump in his seat. The strength he’d used to rally for the interview was fading quickly. Though he spoke to Sadie next, his voice weakened with every word. Esmerey began to watch him as well. Between bites of crackers and cheese, she shot me a few worried glances. He appeared ready to fall out of his chair.
“It’s been interesting watching your pursuits of my son.” He chuckled to himself, but the lighting caught the glimmer of beading sweat on his forehead. “You all have feelings for him, and he is days away from choosing his bride. Only one ceremony remains until he names the lucky victor. Tomorrow night, we shall know the final two.”
The tension in the room climbed higher with every passing second. This had to be the end. He had to be wrapping up at this point, right? The last thing anyone needed was the king collapsing on live television. I held my breath, waiting for someone to call it before disaster struck.
“Miss Caldwell.” He wasn’t giving up despite his failing health. Spaces cropped up between his words so he could draw in raspy breaths. “What do… you think of our custom… to have the ruling monarchy comprised… of a married couple? Archaic… or intelligent?”
“Father…” Fitz rose up behind me as if to stop him, but the king’s hand came up to silence his son.
Sick or not, he was still the king. The command stood.
“To be honest…” I hadn’t practiced this one with Bishop. All I had left was my own opinion. “When I arrived, I found it entirely archaic to see that a woman couldn’t rule on her own. My mother has been single most of my life. Not once has she failed me or our little family. She raised me to be strong, independent, and decisive. All traits I have seen in your own wife, Your Majesty. To say she is unable to rule feels like an injustice to the crown and her own character she’s developed at your side.” I cleared my throat as the cameras seemed to edge closer, like predators in the jungle. “Even to claim that your son has to be married in order to rule feels like an insult against the man I know he is. Leonidas is one of the most capable and honorable people I have met in my life and if he had to take the throne tomorrow, with or without a wife, I know he would exceed all expectations.”
Murmurs rose up around me. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Sadie’s hand tighten around the arm of her chair. Esme’s hand flew to her throat as if grasping for pearls that weren’t there. Whispers grew louder as the king grew heavier. I pushed forward, needing to get the rest of my thoughts out before someone cut me off.
“That being said, while I have been in Nolcovia, I have learned the strength of a couple united in a mission for the greater good. I understand more than ever why the law is in place and what the desired outcome would be. Each offers a unique perspective, and a properly balanced couple will find true happiness for their kingdom because of it.”
The tumult continued. I’d caused way too much of a stir with my answer. Near the door to the bedroom, a figure stepped forward and the room instantly fell silent.
The queen had been watching all along. Her eagle eyes trained on me, narrowed and cold. “In your opinion then, Miss Caldwell,” her chin jutted out so that she looked down at me with more intensity, “if the king should die then the queen should rule in his stead?”
My mouth went dry. She’d backed me into a corner. Instead of being grateful that I had praised her, she was capitalizing on her husband’s weakness and the live feed. If I really was the country’s favorite, maybe she hoped it would mean I could turn everyone on my side to get behind her instead.
Bishop definitely hadn’t prepared me for this.
If I said yes, then the queen had what she wanted and Fitz could lose his right to rule. If I said no, then wasn’t I insulting the kingdom in some way? Or Fitz’s character?
“Well, I—” I glanced at the king, but he looked ready to go into cardiac arrest. Why wasn’t anyone stopping this? My panic rose. “It’s not that simple…” I couldn’t stare at one place for very long. My gaze darted around the room. No one had a safe haven for me. No one was going to save me. “I think it’s important to…” The king slumped in his seat so far it looked as though he might spill out on the floor. “Should we help him? It looks like—”
Sadie’s scream shattered the air. I whipped around, searching out the threat that had startled her. Was it the king? Had someone attacked? What was—
At the end of our row, Esmerey doubled over and tumbled to the floor. Her skin, once golden and rosy, faded to a deathly pale, almost blue. Air wheezed in and out in short gasps. Her hands turned to claws as she dragged herself forward, crawling to some unknown destination. As her face tipped up to beg for help, her bloodshot eyes locked on mine. I stared in horror. Skin gaunt and sucked to her bones, like a mummy unwrapped. She’d become a faint whisper of the beauty she’d once been. A gaunt phantom approaching death, she wheezed out the words, “Help… me.”
Fitz’s voice thundered above everyone else. “Medic! Now!”