Multiple Intelligences

The queen mother, queen, and imperial princess sat in the queen's drawing room sipping tea and chatting.

"This tea is quite delicious, wherever did you find such a treasure?" Princess Melody asked.

"I don't know, I can ask Bryson unless the Queen Mother Ashley Maria knows?" Queen Rosalind said.

"It's Cloud Tea from the Dragon Realm," said Queen Mother Ashley Maria assertively.

"Cloud Tea! Really! My father's only had it once, and to think I'm drinking this now?" Princess Melody asked in astonishment.

"I never knew this tea was so special. I just thought it tasted well," Queen Rosalind said unknowingly.

Queen Ashley Maria wanted to immediately reprimand the queen for lack of awareness in front of the imperial royal. But she would wait until later.

Melody could tell her charm was working on the queen, but not the king's mother. However, she didn't care. Her goal was to bond with the queen and gain another pearl for her web.

"You are so fortunate to have such rare tea. To drink this tea so casually in my homeland, imperial society would hold you in such high esteem. I'm sure the same is true here, no? inquired Princess Melody.

Feeling a strong connection to Princess Melody, Queen Rosalind revealed the truth of her background.

"I heard Fermion beat Albania in war, but I had no idea you were Albanian. You must face tremendous pressure as a queen.

No doubt the Fermion and Albanian nobility view you quite differently. Who do you turn to in need?" Princess Melody asked.

"I confide with the priests and my sisters. I admit, though at times, my sisters are a source of my consternation," Queen Rosalind replied sadly.

"Then let's be friends!" Melody said clasping her hands with Rosalind's.

"Yes, let's!" Queen Rosalind, agreed excitedly grasping Princess Melody's hands in return.

"Now let's return to the original subject. You absolutely must tell me where you get this tea?" Princess Melody asked.

"I assume Bryson buys it from Earl vont Ballard," Queen Rosalind shrugged.

"Our palace buys luxuries from Duke von Mueller. I know his family is close to Earl vont Ballard's. Do you know if it's true they arrange a marriage between Camille and Maxwell?" Princess Melody asked curiously.

"They have not," Queen Rosalind answered factually.

"If Camille married into such a prominent family, she would be almost as powerful as you," Princess Melody chuckled.

Hearing the Princess' words, Queen Rosalind had an epiphany.

She realized, a marriage between Camille vont Ballard and Baron von Mueller would further increase Will's status.

While she didn't show it, she never forgave Will or Elizabeth for her predicament.

Already, Earl vont Ballard was hailed as the second most powerful person in the kingdom. Secretly, some said he was even more powerful than the king.

If he kept gaining power, what would happen to her? Where would that leave her? Moreover, what happens to her future child?

She quickly put her hands over her stomach. She could feel the baby moving inside her. As long as she had a son, her royal position would be secure.

Seeing the queen touch her stomach, Princess Melody grinned slightly. She only needed to tip the queen off her ledge and into her web.

"Earl vont Ballard married into the royal family. He's been very loyal to the crown for decades. And even now serves King Roland in government affairs," Queen Mother Ashley Maria reminded both women, trying to counter Princess Melody's influence on the hormonal Queen Rosalind.

"Yes, there is nothing more honorable than fighting for your country in two wars and serving your kingdom's administration. He is a very loyal family member indeed.

But don't you worry he may overshadow the king?" Princess Melody innocently asked.

"Not in the least. Can the moon overshadow the sun? Roland, Francis II, and William share a close fraternal bond," said Queen Ashley Maria assertively, putting an end to Princess Melody's sabotage.

"I apologize if I offended you, queen mother," Princess Melody apologized.

"Didn't your mother ever teach you it's unbecoming of a princess to mettle in another kingdom's affair?" Queen Ashley Maria instructed.

For a second Princess Melody's eye glowed in malice. Her mother was an evil woman, who cared for her image in society above else and care scant little about all else.

She considered it her major achievement when she finally got that bitch of a mother imprisoned for killing one of the king's favorite concubines.

"I guessed, I missed that lesson," Princess Melody apologized, smiled, and did her best to swallow her rage.

…

While Melody was busy speaking with the queens, Crown Prince Lukas and Will spoke in his home office.

"Call me Will, your imperial highness," Will said handing him a pipe and a glass of whiskey. The same reserve whiskey he served Jacques.

"Are you sure you weren't born in the empire? The pipeweed blend and whiskey complement each other well" Crown Prince Lukas laughed.

"I'm afraid not. I was born in a rural barony," Will replied.

"Had you not said it, I wouldn't have believed it," complimented Crown Prince Lukas.

"Now on to the matter at hand, why did you want to meet with me?" asked Will.

"It's a personal matter, and I would first like your confidentiality," Crown Prince Lukas said embarrassingly.

"I'm prepared to swear an oath of silence," Will replied.

"No, your oath is good enough for me. The problem is I'm not as intelligent as my sister. People make disparaging comments about my intellect," the Crown Prince said embarrassed.

Yet to his surprise, Will made no verbal or non-verbal quip.

"Your imperial highness, I'm confused. Did you come to see me help you become smarter?" Will asked uncertainly.

"Yes, I want to be as intelligent as you. I shall give you all my wealth and property to be as wise as you," Crown Prince Lukas argued passionately.

Will's eyes lit up at those words. Yet, the thought of wealth and property was unattractive. What Will wanted was a favor from the future emperor.

"Understand your imperial highness, wisdom comes from life experience. Wisdom is knowing when to use your intelligences and how.

The wisdom I've gained is due to my blunders and learning from my mistakes," explained Will.

Then Will proceeded to renown the crown prince with his blunders and mistakes, never failing to reiterate what he learned along the way.

After finishing Will asked the crown prince to reiterate what he learned from his mistakes.

For two hours the crown prince elaborated on his mistakes, failed inferences, and misunderstandings.

"How do you feel?" Will asked.

"Like a weight been lifted off my chest," Crown Prince Lukas said therapeutically.

"Good! From your stories, you gained wisdom already. The longer you live, the more experiences you have, the more you read, the more people you speak with, and the more mistakes you make, all shall help you accumulate wisdom," Will explained.

Crown Prince Lukas voraciously wrote down Will's lectures note, like an obedient pupil.

"Can you elaborate on your earlier comment, you said wisdom is knowing when to use your intelligence and how?" the crown prince asked Will to clarify.

"I believe you misquoted me. I said intelligences, as in plural," Will smiled.

"Intelligences?" the crown prince looked flabbergasted.

"Philosophers have questioned the role that intelligence plays in leadership. But I believe people possess multiple intelligences. There are people with a special talent for numbers, like me, and others who are creative and good at art like my wife.

Fundamentally, I believe there are eight types of intelligence.

First, there are logical and mathematical people who can analyze problems rationally, perform mathematical operations and investigate scientific questions easily.

Second, are people with great oratory intelligence. These people are gifted with the ability to learn languages and use language effectively to achieve certain goals. Think envoys and scholars.

Third, are those with the capability to recognize and manipulate patterns in a wide space, such as my airship and ship captains and navigators.

Fourth, are people like you. They have bodily intelligence and have the ability to use their body magic, and martial arts to solve problems.

Fifth, are people with creative intelligence like my wife. She uses her imagination to create an original idea or organization. Society may label them as a musical or artistic genius.

Sixth, are people like your sister. She uses her intelligence to understand other people's intentions, motivations, and desires and uses them to communicate with others.

This also explains why the princess seems to know the news early than you. She has a vast network of people she sources, and you do not.

Seventh, are people with emotional intelligence. These people can easy assertion their emotions. Both my wife and daughter have this intelligence too. I suspect this is a common intelligence of light mages.

Eighth, are people who have naturalistic intelligence and can perceive the relationships between people and the environment. Similarly, I suspect all elemental mages have this intelligence.

Once you understand this theory, then you can see how people possess multiple intelligences.

Everyone has all these intelligences, but some are more dominant than others.

For example, my two dominant intelligences are logic and naturalistic," Will finished explaining.

"Please be my master!" Crown Prince Lukas knelt and kowtowed before Will.

"Please stop Crown Prince Lukas, royalty should not bow to nobility," Will said wearily.

"I'm afraid you won't accept me if I stop. Only you and Imperial Knight Commander have left me with a burning desire to learn," the crown prince explained.

"Fine, I'll accept you as my temporary second disciple until your father gives his blessing," Will decided.

"Disciple greets master!" Crown Prince Lukas said hastily and bowed.

"Good we'll go over the schedule, you can sleep here tonight, and we shall go over your schedule tomorrow," Will provided.

Will summoned Micheal and explained the crown prince was sleeping over.

By now his house staff were experts in handling royal and imperial etiquette.

"Master, you said I'm your second disciple. Who is your first?"

"The princess of the Orca Clan," said Will.

"The Dark Tempest is your disciple!" the crown prince gasped in amazement.

"Oh, you know Kalista?" Will said surprised.

"Have you not heard the news, she and her crew single handy took down an armada of demons trying to sail across the sea. Her victories at sea are legendary! To think we share the same master, I was right to choose you" the crown prince exclaimed.

"Oh, I didn't realize she was famous," said Will scratching his head bemused.

…

Late that evening, Emperor Kaiser sat on his throne, drumming his fingers. He had a small grin on his face as he held Lukas' envelope.

His son has managed to achieve something, even he was unsure how to accomplish: he tied Earl vont Ballard closer to the empire.

But what was more interesting was his mention of the Dark Tempest and multiple intelligences. The imperial scholars had not even considered such a novel philosophy. That Earl was an astute philosopher.

"Chamberlain, send my approval. Also, send an expensive gift to my son's new master. I believe he likes our pipeweed. Also, give him property in the capital. Make that Christoph brat go, I think they are friends," said the old emperor in a rough and tired voice.