Chapter 10
In the two days since their announcement, Victoria hadn’t heard anything negative about her marriage to Enzo.
She didn’t spend much time online trawling around to see what was being said, but she did have a new assistant who did that for her - and the PR office would have said something if there was an issue.
A solo engagement would be her first foray into the public and would give her a good idea how this was going to go. The events she’d attended prior to the late queen’s funeral had a veneer of politeness that came from not understanding why she was in Dellisole.
As she walked through the front door of the retirement community, Victoria found herself greeted by a man who bowed then shook her outstretched hand.
“Welcome, Your Majesty. We are honored to be your first official engagement.”
“I’m delighted to be here. I haven’t been told much about what you do, so I’m excited to learn more.”
They began a slow walk through the lobby.
“We’re more than a retirement community. About a third of those who live here are much younger - university students or recent graduates.” He picked up a brochure and handed it to her. “Those who live here provide services in exchange for significantly reduced housing expenses.”
Intriguing. Hadn’t she heard Elise say something about a similar project in Southern Santiero?
“Many of those who live here are performers. Not all are studying in their art, but still perform. Others contribute in other ways. They’re required to offer several performances a month.
It can be solo or a group effort,” he explained as they moved into a large open area with a piano and stage on one end.
“We have an adopt-a-grandparent type program that’s part of it as well.
They spend time together, help with errands, technology, or anything else they might need help with. ”
“I can easily see how it’s tangibly beneficial to the retirees, but aside from the low cost of living, what benefits are there for the younger residents?” They continued to walk slowly through the room.
“The relational aspects can’t be accurately measured, but that’s the primary one. Overall satisfaction with the living situation is generally high. There’s a trial period of 90 days during which time the agreement can be terminated by either party.” He held open the door to the garden.
“Is there a code of conduct? How are parties handled? Overnight guests?” She hadn’t experienced university herself, but had seen enough television and movies to understand those things could be an issue.
“Guest policy is the same for everyone. During the day, there are no real limits, but overnight guests are limited to no more than two nights a week and six nights total throughout the month unless special permission has been obtained.” The director grinned.
“These students aren’t generally what you would find in a movie about American universities.
They don’t have wild parties. In fact, for many of them, their evening or weekend activities aren’t much different than they would be if they lived elsewhere.
Board games, card games, movie nights, things of that nature. ”
Victoria smiled back. “I suspect that’s how I would have been in university.” She clamped her mouth shut and hoped he hadn’t noticed. One thing she didn’t have was an education, not beyond the compulsory schooling until she was eighteen or so. Did Enzo know? Would it matter to him?
Or to the people of Dellisole?
She had learned a lot during her time away from Southern Santiero, but none of it came from formal education.
As they continued the tour, Victoria met a number of the residents from both ends of the age spectrum. They had a round table of sorts with discussion coming from all sides as she asked any questions that occurred to her.
There weren’t nearly enough of them. She didn’t know enough to know what she didn’t know and be able to intelligently hold her own in a conversation.
When the discussion ended, the director walked her back to the front entrance where her security team and a car waited for her.
Hopefully, she hadn’t embarrassed Enzo.
Once back at the palace, she made her way to their quarters and changed into something more comfortable before curling up underneath a blanket next to a window overlooking the water.
Her ereader sat on the table next to her, but she already knew she wouldn’t be able to focus.
Instead, she stared unseeing into the distance.
“Victoria?”
Enzo saying her name broke through her thoughts.
She looked up at him and smiled. “Hi. How has your day been?” No reason to burden him with her melancholy.
“About the same as all of the other days in the last few weeks, more or less.” His head tilted slightly to the side as though something new had occurred to him. “And probably about the same as most of my days for the foreseeable future.”
“I would imagine they’ll have more variety before long, even if just in the content of the meetings and who they’re with.” She hadn’t really thought about it in much detail before, but it made sense that they could get monotonous.
She watched as he pulled at his tie. “How was your day? You were at the intergenerational facility, right?”
“Yes. It’s a fascinating idea. It benefits both generations in ways I wouldn’t have thought of. Everyone I spoke with seemed very pleased with the arrangements.” She shifted to sit cross-legged in the chair. “I think Elise said something about a similar project in Southern Santiero.”
“Mum was very interested in the idea as well. She supported the pioneers here in Porto Capriggio.”
“What were some of her other pet projects?” Victoria likely wouldn’t want to - or be able to - take all of them on, but maybe she could take a few.
“Uh...” Enzo had to think a moment. “The Dark Sky Initiative was one of them. Some early childhood education things. Literacy. Mental health. I’m sure one or more of her assistants would be happy to work with you at least until you decide what directions you want to go and find your own assistants. ”
“I hadn’t really thought about any of that. Just that I would need to start finding causes to champion before long.” What else had her mum done? “Do I need to start working with the Head Steward and Head of Household, too?”
“My eldest sister has been doing that for the last few years, but I’m sure she would be happy to work with you if you wanted to take over.”
“I don’t want to come in and take over. I’m the new one around here.” The last thing she needed was a contentious relationship with her sister-in-law.
Enzo tossed his tie over a nearby chair.
“I feel quite certain she’d be happy to hand that particular task over to you.
” He took her hand and pulled her to her feet.
“Besides, you may be the new one, but you outrank them. If you want something, you’re within your rights to choose it, regardless of who else is involved. ”
Even if Enzo said she had seniority over the rest of the family, Victoria didn’t think they would see it that way.
She had an idea about how well invoking that privilege would go over - and she had no intention of finding out of finding out she was right.
Being king wasn’t for everyone.
Enzo had known since he was young that one day, he would wear the crown, at least figuratively.
Kings didn’t wear them often. At their coronation.
The opening session of Parliament each year.
Very rarely was there another reason for him to.
Victoria would wear tiaras on a fairly regular basis. His mum had as well, but not kings.
He stared at the spreadsheet on the screen of his computer. Budgets and the associated math weren’t high on the list of things he enjoyed. Neither was the need to determine which programs would get more funding and which ones would see it be cut - or eliminated entirely.
With a groan, he pushed against his desk, sending his wheeled office chair several feet back. Spinning until he faced the other direction, he stood before walking to the side table and pouring himself a glass of water.
In the two weeks since his mum’s service, he felt like there were far too many days where he put in twelve or fourteen hours. The only days he could stop after ten hours were the ones when they had a dinner event to attend.
He knew it would get easier in some ways. The more he did the job, the more confident he would be in doing it and - to one degree or another - the less time it would take.
All he had time for in the morning was a quick breakfast so he could be in his office around seven. If he didn’t have a lunch meeting, he ate by himself or with an aide while working in his office.
At least he’d been able to have dinner with Victoria most evenings - as long as she didn’t mind waiting until eight or nine to eat. He couldn’t be certain if she was waiting for him specifically or if that was when she’d want to eat anyway.
Either way, they ate together most of the time.
The news of their marriage had been well-received by the citizens of the country.
For that he was eternally grateful. If the people were disgruntled over the news, it would have so many effects on so many things - and none of them good.
It would taint his relationship with both the Council and Parliament.
It already wouldn't take much to make it adversarial most of the time. The old guard still held sway in both bodies, though the Parliamentary leadership didn’t all fall in that category.
They tended to be cantankerous when it came to modernizing more than absolutely necessary.
One of the first things that needed to be on his agenda was absolute primogeniture.
Even in the mid-2020s, Dellisole still clung to male primogeniture.
If something happened to him and his next eldest brother, his sisters would be skipped in favor of the fifth sibling - despite his current status as a minor for a while longer.
That needed to be fixed.
He also needed to make certain everything was in order for him to be his brother's legal guardian until his birthday.
It would shock him if one or more of the aides hadn't already seen to it.
That was the kind of thing they were good at - making sure to take care of things that would never occur to him.
But it still warranted a query.
By the time Enzo reached his quarters, he'd already divested himself of his tie and had undone the top three buttons of his shirt.
He hated how stifling a button-up shirt could be.
A larger neck size didn't help, at least not enough without being big enough for him to look like a little boy playing dress up in his father's clothes.
As far as he knew, he had no experiences that would lead to him feeling... claustrophobic wasn't quite the right word, but hemmed in by the collar. He didn't feel it in tight spaces, though he'd never been trapped in one. It seemed likely that an experience like that could change his outlook.
He'd rather not find out if he didn't have to.
"Hey." Victoria walked in from the back of the apartment. "How was your day?"
"Long." He tossed his tie and jacket on a chair before flopping into another one, slouching against the back with his arm over his eyes. "All days are long right now."
"That should get better with time, shouldn't it?"
He didn't uncover his eyes but he could tell she had taken a seat on the low table in front of him, even before her hand came to rest on his knee.
"Theoretically. Right now, I'm getting up to speed on so many things.
If we'd had longer between the time Mum found out about her illness and the time she left us, I'd have been able to do more of this in the lead up to that time.
Even if she hadn't insisted I take a short holiday before becoming king, I wouldn't have had time to be read in on everything I needed to be. The learning curve is steep."
Yawning, Enzo used his abdominal muscles to propel himself to a seated position, his forearms coming to rest on the tops of his knees. Victoria covered his clasped hands with her own and leaned in until their foreheads met.
"The consequences of making a misstep could be catastrophic.
I can't mess things up and ruin the legacy left in my care by centuries of my ancestors.
Not all of them were upstanding men and women.
Some were downright cruel at times. But overall, especially the last couple of hundred years as everything started to modernize with the continued spread of democracy to previously dictatorial monarchies. "
"Dellisole had their own version of the Magna Carta as early as the mid-1400s, right?"
Enzo felt the crooked smile he was known for begin then widen into a full grin. "You're learning your history."
"I've been taking classes. Study sessions would probably be more accurate.
The royal historian gave me a brief overview - that took three hours a day for three days.
Now we're delving into more detail in some of the more important events and people.
We haven't made it back to the... whatever we call the Magna Carta type document here, but we did talk about it some last week. "
"Yes. In the mid-1400s the foundational documents for our current governmental system were drafted and implemented.
How far back did he actually go? Just to the founding of Dellisole?
" It had been a long time since he'd studied the history of his country in any detail, and he rarely thought that much about it either.
"Oh no." He could hear the smile in her voice. "We went back to the dawn of time, though we only spent one day on the history of the islands through the time of Charlemagne. After that, the pace slowed down a bit."
"I should have you tell me a bit about it during our dinners.
It's more interesting than the details of my days, and I could use the refresher.
" With that he sat up straighter before slouching a bit, though he didn't relax against the back of the chair.
"Did you already order something for dinner or do we need to send it in? "
"I already submitted an order, but I told the chef to just send whatever they had on hand. There wasn't a need to make something special just for us, unless you want something specific?"
Two things stood out to him. His wife's consideration for others in their employ - and her consideration for him.
"Not tonight. Tonight whatever they sent will be just fine. If I want something specific, I'll let them know earlier in the day."
Victoria leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss. "That sounds perfect."