2 An Awkward Dinner

"Have some more peas, Emily, you shouldn't only eat the meat." The tall blond man said without looking up from his own plate. He dabbed a cloth against his lips and then asked, "Do you feel I am being unfair to you, Emily?"

A beautiful young blond woman looked up and met the tall blond man's eyes, "Uncle Andrew, I am young and have no experience with court politics. Even if I were to accept the throne and the responsibilities for which that entails, I don't believe that I would have the same ability that you would." She picked up a cloth and dabbed it at her lips, "About your offer, I do not understand why you are adamant that I renounce all rights to the throne present and future as you yourself still have no children, but I will comply, however, I wish to change some of the terms." She took a small bite of peas chewed and then swallowed before dabbing at her lips once again, "Giving me one hundred thousand Sprite might be sufficient for a poor woman to live a life of luxury without worry for the rest of her days, but for I, who am a royal princess that amount is simply the money I use to play with for a single month, surely Uncle understands. My father had his own fortune made with his own money prior to his marriage with my mother and taking the crown, this fortune amounts to ten million Sprite. I am not asking for any money from the Royal treasury but I would ask that you return this fortune to me as it is my true inheritance."

Prince Andrew drummed his fingers on the table clearly unhappy with the suggestion, "Your father merged his money with the funds of the treasury once he took the crown, that money has already been earmarked for military spending. I can't simply hand it over to you."

Emily ate another bite of the peas before dabbing at her lips once again, "Uncle, that is not true. I have confirmed with the Royal bank that my father's account is still separate. The funds have merely been frozen until I am authorized to receive them. I ask that you release the hold on my account, please. As for allowing me to become the city lord for Connaissance, this is also what I wish for and I am fully willing to take up this role in exchange for all rights future and present to any claim of Royal nobility for this Kingdom."

"Very well. You understand that once you take up the position of city lord, you will no longer be a citizen of my Kingdom. You may return to the Kingdom if your life is in danger, but you will not be welcome here at the palace ever again."

Emily nodded and had another bite of the peas. Prince Andrew turned and snapped his fingers, a young butler brought over a contract and a quill with ink. The Prince signed with a flourish and then carefully placed the contract and quill on the butler's tray. The butler walked over to Emily at the other end of the table and handed her the document and the quill. She dabbed at her lips and looked over the contract, "Uncle, you suspected I would ask for my father's money already? The contract has already been drafted with that stipulated."

Prince Andrew took a deep breath and then replied softly, "Emily, you may think that I am being harsh or that I no longer care for you, but that is furthest from the truth. I swore to your mother on her dying breath to keep you safe. Getting you out of the way of future succession troubles is a part of that. Your father was King for a mere twenty years, my father was King for ten years. I don't have the gall to think that my reign will last more than a decade or two. I don't want you to lose your life for something you never cared to possess in the first place. Your dreams reside in Connaissance, which is why I took our troops there and claimed it for you. The fact though is that it is beyond the borders of our Kingdom and once you take power there, you'll only have yourself and money to keep you safe. That's why I was prepared to grant you the fortune even before you asked for it."

Emily's brow creased before she added her own signature. "Will Connaissance truly be my own?"

Prince Andrew took a sip from his wine glass, his eyes focused on Emily's before he put the glass down and dabbed at his lips with his cloth, " Connaissance has no leader now. We took down the corrupt government of merchants and left a few of the Kingdom's knights in charge of restoring order to that place. When you arrive, they will hand over the civilian authority to you. We have built a permanent embassy there that will retain a small squad of guards. If you run into trouble, you will be able to take shelter there, but they will not interfere with how you govern the city. So, yes, it will truly be your own."

Emily cut a bit of roast beef and started to chew it while looking at her uncle with eyes that held no familiar love, she swallowed the food and then asked, "You've already destroyed the city entirely haven't you?" Prince Andrew's eyes darted over to the old Butler standing to the side. "No, it wasn't your man Buttersworth, and yes I already knew he was your man." She smiled at her uncle, "I will leave for Connaissance in three weeks, I hope you will not interfere with my convoy as I will need to transport humanitarian aid as well as needed building resources for my city."

Prince Andrew's once polite expression was now one of unreadable calm, "I swear on my honor as a knight, you and those you bring with you to Connaissance will have the Kingdom's protection until you take civilian authority."

Emily pushed her plate back and then looked straight at her uncle, "Can I have your word that my city will be given at least one year before you march your troops?"

Prince Andrew's unreadable calm cracked for an instant as he glared before managing to regain his calm, "I have no interest in that city, and as long as their belief in the heretical pursuit of that science stays confined there, the Church will not either. Let me warn you, young lady, the Church feels threatened by this science and they have quashed it's spread many times before. Even going as far as to send a crusade to the east in the barbarian lands to kill the source." He pushed his own plate away, "Since the documents have been signed, and we have come to an agreement, I believe it is time to bring this meal to a close." He turned to his young butler, "Escort Lady Connaissance and her butler back to their carriage."

Emily slowly stood up and gave a head nod to her uncle, "Goodbye, your highness, may the next time we meet be as pleasant."

Buttersworth gave a subtle cough into his gloved fist, "My Lady, it's proper to greet the King as your majesty."

She turned and stared at Buttersworth for a long awkward moment, "When I see the King, I will greet him as such. Also, while I am thinking of it. You're fired. You can find employment with someone else if you are able. Don't expect a letter of recommendation."

She walked out with her back straight and chin up, gliding along in her long hooped dress as only a princess could. Buttersworth sneered and then turned expecting to take up a position with Prince Andrew. The Prince turned to another of his men, "Escort this old man out of the palace. He no longer has a position here." After Emily was out of earshot he added, "The back way." The young man grinned and nodded.

Buttersworth quickly spoke up, "Your Majesty, I have done everything you asked of me, why are letting me go?"

Prince Andrew held his hand up motioning for them to stop. He walked up to the old man and said stoically, "And why would I want to have a traitor to my family continue to exist in my Kingdom?"

"You're going to kill me as well? I won't talk I swear, please just let me leave!" He dropped to his knees and started to beg.

The Prince didn't even look at him, "No loose ends." He spoke to his attendant.

"Please! Your Majesty, I am loyal I never spoke a word, please you have to believe me!"

Just after he had spoken another of the Prince's men cuffed the old man hard on the back of his head knocking him unconscious before the old man was dragged away.

*****

The next morning when Emily awoke she found that the normal maids had all been replaced and there was not a familiar face to be seen. For the first time in her life, she began to truly feel alone. She looked around and found a young man in a butler's uniform, "Excuse me, who is the head butler here?"

"That would be me, your highness", he quickly took a knee and bowed his head, "How may I serve?"

"Send a message to the Captain of the Palace guard, I would like to meet with the gentleman from the Rhinoceros company today. Tell him to give you the address and to arrange a carriage and guard escort for us." She smiled at the young butler and then asked, "Also, what is your name?"

"Ah, your highness, it's Edmonds, my name is Edmonds. This is actually my first day as a head butler. I had previously been working in the main palace. I worked as your father's Tuesday and Wednesday valet. Uh, and I am deeply sorry for your loss." His face turned bright red as he looked down while quickly standing stiffly.

Emily chuckled and then asked, "Would you be willing to follow me out of the Kingdom? In the next few days, I am going to formally renounce my right to Royal nobility and leave for the grand city of Connaissance to act as the city lord there."

Edmonds looked surprised, "But your highness, aren't you supposed to be the next Queen? Why would you trade the entire Kingdom for a small city-state? That's madness!"

Emily looked away and then said as much to herself as to the young butler, "Even my father, the greatest man I have ever known could only keep his crown for a scant two decades. Do you honestly believe that I could survive as long? I wouldn't even make it to the coronation." She took a small sip of tea and then set her cup down, "Edmonds, I have no one I can trust here. Everyone who I knew and thought I could trust is dead or bought by a source seeking to influence the Kingdom. It's enough for me that even if you should be one of them, that I could at least trust you to help me retain my last bits of Royal dignity before I am forced to leave the Kingdom. Should you be one of the few remaining who was loyal to my father I am begging you to come with me, and continue your work."

Edmonds grew red in the face once more quickly dropping to his knee. He placed his white-gloved hand over his heart and said with passion, "Your highness, my family has faithfully served the Royalty here for ten generations. My mother was a maid in the Royal palace who served your mother, and my father was a chef in the Royal kitchen. While I had intended to stay here in the palace, I don't believe that my family's honor will allow that I say no to your highness in her great time of need. Please allow me to serve, no matter where you choose to go. Be it a city lord or even to retirement in a country estate."

Emily nodded and said softly, "Go then, contact the Captain of the Guard. I would like to meet with them before lunch."