Consolidate

The advisors to the King followed Prince Hecarim up the spiral staircase that led to the highest tower of the royal palace in Ashendell. The city sprawled below them, a mosaic of roofs, streets, and gardens. The sun was setting, casting a golden glow over the horizon.

They reached the top floor, where two guards in gold phoenix armor saluted them and opened the door. The door was not the real entrance to Jayce's new study, however. It was a decoy, leading to an empty room with a bookcase on one wall. Prince Hecarim pulled a lever hidden behind a book, and the bookcase swung open, revealing another door.

"This way," he said, ushering them inside. "The study is secure and soundproof. No one can spy on us here."

The study was a cozy and elegant room, furnished with a large oak desk, a leather chair, a bookcase filled with rare and ancient books, a fireplace to keep warm, and a stained glass window to let in colorful light. The study also had some personal items that belonged to Jayce or his ancestors, such as portraits of past Kings, trophies from hunts, weapons from his battles and family heirlooms.

Lucian, Jayce's mentor and chief advisor, was already inside, standing next to Jayce who was seated at the desk. They were discussing some urgent matters.

"Ah, you're here," Lucian said, greeting them with a nod. "Please, take a seat. We have much to talk about."

The advisors sat down on the chairs arranged around the desk. They were Master Yi, a decorated warrior and well respected amongst the bronze phoenix; Princess Guinivere, Jayce's betrothed and the daughter of King Ignacius; Riven, Elise and Poppy.

Lucian began the meeting by emphasizing the need to move quickly to secure the support of at least most of the most powerful factions in the Kingdom.

"Jayce, we fully support you ascending the throne of Ashendell," he said. "But you are not yet crowned. Duke Kassadin has many allies who will fight for him. We need to rally as many people as we can behind you, before he makes his move."

Jayce nodded. He knew that Lucian was right. "Wait a minute," Jayce interrupted. "What about my mother and sister? Are they safe?" He looked at Prince Hecarim with concern.

"Don't worry, Jayce. They are on their way back to the Stormcloak Villa under heavy guard. I personally selected the most trusted members of the Gold Phoenix to escort them." Prince Hecarim assured him.

Jayce visibly relaxed and nodded. "Thank you, Hecarim. You are a true friend. Please, Lucian, go on." He urged him.

Lucian cleared his throat and looked at Jayce with a serious expression. "The other issue we need to address is the demons amassing at the border. They are a threat to our kingdom and our people are scared. We need to shore up confidence by appointing a strong and capable leader to command our forces and secure the borders." He paused and glanced at Master Yi, who was sitting quietly in a corner.

"I suggest that we appoint Master Yi as a general. He is a decorated warrior and well respected amongst the Bronze Phoenix who we will also need support from for your coronation. He has proven his courage and skill in the last Great War and is undoubtably the best choice for this task." He said with conviction.

Jayce nodded in agreement. He knew Master Yi was a loyal and trustworthy friend. He had fought alongside him in the past and admired his prowess and wisdom. He looked at Master Yi and smiled. "I agree with Lucian. Master Yi, you are a great asset to our kingdom. I hereby appoint you as a general of our army. I entrust you with the responsibility of defending our borders from the demons. I know you will not let me down." He said with gratitude.

Master Yi bowed. "Thank you, my King," he said. "I accept your appointment and your trust. I will do my best to serve you and our people."

Lucian then went over a bunch of policies including taxation, trade, military and education. He explained how each policy would affect the different interest groups and factions within the nation, and how they could be changed to gain their support or appease their opposition.

Jayce listened, but he was barely paying attention. He was not interested in politics or economics. He was a warrior, not a ruler. He had never learned how to govern a nation or deal with complex issues. He felt overwhelmed and confused by all the information and options. He trusted Lucian to know what was best for him and the kingdom.

Lucian then suggested that he would call a meeting with the heads of the various factions to discuss what laws they would support from a future King. "I will meet with the heads of the main factions: the green phoenix farmers, the yellow phoenix merchants, the iron phoenix industrialists, and the grey phoenix aristocrats. I will take care of the meeting and report back to you what they say, so you don't have to worry about it. They are the most dominant and important factions in Ashendell, and they reflect different parts of our society. If we can get them on our side or at least not against us, we will have a solid foundation of support for your crowning."

Jayce agreed. "Very well," he said. "Do what you think is best. I trust your judgment."

Lucian nodded. "Thank you, Jayce," he said. "I will do everything in my power to make you a successful King."

He then announced that the meeting was adjourned. "Thank you all for your time and your loyalty," he said. "Please, prepare yourselves for the upcoming challenges. We have a lot of work to do."

The advisors began to depart, leaving Jayce alone in his study. One figure lingered, however—Poppy. She stood by the door, fidgeting with her hands. Jayce noticed her and asked, "Poppy, is there something you wish to discuss with me?"

Poppy looked at him with a mix of sadness and longing. She took a deep breath and said, "Jayce, I… I feel like you are getting farther and farther away from me and I'm being left behind. And now that you are engaged to be married, you will be with someone else. Someone who is not me." She lowered her eyes and whispered, "I wanted to be the one to marry you, Jayce. I love you."

Jayce felt a pang of guilt and sympathy. He walked over to her and took her hands in his. He said, "Poppy, you are very important to me and you always will be." He smiled and said, "You will be one of my advisers. You will live within the royal palace, close to me. You will have a place of honor and respect."

Poppy shook her head and said, "But that's not enough."

Princess Guinevere suddenly came back into the study, interrupting Jayce and Poppy's conversation. She said, "I'm sorry to intrude, but I couldn't help overhearing your exchange. Please forgive me for being nosy." She looked at Poppy with a gentle smile and said, "Poppy, you seem to be confused about something. The position of queen does not automatically signify a romantic relationship with the king. The king's lovers are referred to as consorts, and if the queen were the king's lover, she would be known as the Queen-Consort."

Poppy blushed and averted her gaze, feeling embarrassed and exposed.

Princess Guinevere remained composed and said, "That being said, I have every intention of being Jayce's Queen-Consort and bearing his heirs." She paused and looked at Poppy with a calm expression. "But I also understand that you love him too, Poppy. And I don't blame you for that. Jayce deserves all the love he can get. He is now of utmost importance, Poppy. You have the choice to either share him or risk losing him altogether."

Poppy's eyes dropped to the floor. A bitter knot formed in her chest as she thought of Jayce with another woman. She loved him more than anything, and she wanted him all to herself. But she also knew that she was no match for Princess Guinevere, who had everything a queen should have. She knew that Jayce needed her as his wife, and she knew that she had no claim over him. She let out a resigned sigh and said, "I… I would rather share him than lose him. I love him too much to let him go."

Princess Guinevere's face lit up with a warm smile as she hugged Poppy, saying, "Oh, Poppy, you are such a sweet girl. I'm glad you feel that way. You don't have to worry about anything, Poppy. We will both be his consorts, and we will both care for him together. Our role as consorts is to make sure Jayce is always happy and cared for. We will support him in his duties as king, and we will comfort him in his moments of stress or sorrow. We will be his partners in life, Poppy. And we will be friends too." She wiped away a tear from Poppy's eye and said, "Come on, let's go. Jayce needs some time alone to think."

With that, Poppy and Princess Guinevere turned to leave the study.

Jayce felt a shock of disbelief at the sudden twist. He was amazed by what he had just listened to. He admired Princess Guinevere's skillful way of dealing with the situation. She had eased the strain between them and persuaded Poppy to agree to their terms without any fuss or trouble. She had proven herself to be a true princess, with both political savvy and a sharp mind for diplomacy.