A Tangled Web of Truth | Complete (ONC 2021 Shortlister)

15. Checkers and Chess

"Alejandro! You are late!" The booming voice of Alejandro's father floated across the room and Alicia jumped back as quickly as she could, though she knew there was no way they could deny what was going on before they were interrupted.

"I, umm, we were just—" Alejandro's face grew red as he stammered out an answer to his father. Alicia tried to settle her hair on her shoulders to look presentable before going to meet the queen.

"Please spare me the details of what you were doing. You're engaged. I wasn't born yesterday. But your mother needs the two of you to make a decision of some kind. I admit I wasn't paying attention, but don't tell your mother."

Dude! We weren't doing that!

Alejandro seemed struck with a sudden case of inability to speak, so Alicia jumped in with an overly enthusiastic, "Then let's go!" Leading the way into the hallway, Alicia turned to talk to the king.

"I've been meaning to ask you some questions, if you don't mind, about what your role is as consort. I'd really like to learn more about that. More than just helping to run a country. What does it take to be a good support system, you know?"

Alicia would be lying if she said she wasn't distracting him just a little bit, but the question had been on her mind for weeks. The challenges of the country were important for her to understand so she could support her future husband and make the country as best it could be, but she also needed to know what her role really was. Privately, publicly. The whole thing.

"Well, you aren't just a support system for him, Alicia. You are meant to support each other. If he doesn't do that you come find me and I'll straighten him out for you."

Alicia and King Pasilio were walking side by side down the hallway at such a quick pace that Alicia was surprised to hear Alejandro object from right behind them. "Excuse me! You do not need to straighten me out! I'm not seven."

The king turned around as he walked and looked serious as Alicia had ever seen him as he threw out, "Are you sure?"

Alicia could not contain her laughter. Eventually, her face grew warm from laughing so hard without drawing breath that Alejandro looked a little concerned. "I'm sorry," she said, wiping the tears from her eyes and straightening herself to full height, trying to appear composed. "Sorry."

"Alicia!" Alejandro protested.

A small giggle escaped her when she opened her mouth to reply. "Well, you should have no problems with me because you have every intention of being supportive, right? So I won't have to go to your Dad!"

Deep breaths. Get it together before you meet the king.

"That is so not the point!"

King Pasilio waved off Alejandro's protests and turned back to Alicia. "I think the biggest thing is figuring out all of the customs. Or at least it was for me. I'd seen it all on television my whole life but when it came to actually doing it, I was always putting a foot wrong. On one particular occasion I actually did put a foot wrong and took a tumble all the way down a flight of marble stairs. Do you know how hard marble is?"

Alicia shook her head, continuing the quick pace down the hallway and turning to follow the king wherever he went, despite having no idea where they were going.

"Well, let's just say I had a lot of bruises for a few weeks," he chuckled. "But for the most part, behind closed doors, you and Alejandro will work together with your advisors. Ideally, anyway, you will figure out where you are both best suited. You won't see me trying to match colours or hire our designers, I can tell you that."

"Really? Is it that hard?"

"Well, I hope you don't think it is, because Alejandro is hopeless." He had to pause to allow Alejandro to interject a very annoyed 'Dad' before continuing.

"As I was saying, when it comes to the ceremonies, that is where people will see you and the way you both choose to conduct yourselves will say things to the people. I would advise you to listen to your advisors and pay attention to your people. You may be their rulers, but it is your job to do what is best for them, not what is best for you."

"Now you sound like my mother!"

"The hazards of being a parent, I think. We all sound like we're quoting the wise philosophers of old."

"I think that's grandparents."

"I'm just practicing."

"Dad!" Alejandro pushed between them. "We aren't even married yet! Slow down there."

The king just shrugged. I love that about him, Alicia thought. He just thinks what he thinks and doesn't let decorum get in the way of every single thing. In public he's figured out how to look the part. But here with his family he's just him. I wonder if I'll ever have that.

"Alicia, what do you think?" Alejandro's question broke Alicia's mind from its absent wandering.

"Sorry. What do I think about what?" Alicia looked between Alejandro and the king, hoping to get a sense of who she was supposed to be answering.

"What do you think about discussing the situation with Mom? You know, about your solution to the media following you around."

"Oh, yes please." Alicia nodded and followed Alejandro through the door to his mother's study. Here goes nothing.

"Sorry we're late, my dear," King Pasilio crossed the floor and kissed his wife on the cheek. "I got to telling Alicia some tall tales about my transition from common man to the beacon of decorum she's used to seeing now."

Queen Sofia rolled her eyes and shook her head. "What am I going to do with you? We have so much to do."

"Yes! On that topic — I assume we are discussing Alicia and Alejandro's schedule. I'm thinking it might be nice to allow Alicia to give the media and the public a little information about herself. She and I were discussing it and we wonder if she won't have a little more control that way."

"And—" Alejandro cut in— "we were thinking it would be nice to let her meet the people and hear their thoughts and feelings and help her get a sense of the part of the country she is not from, you know?"

He gave Alicia a quick look that said he was sorry for how poorly he had worded everything, but the look on his mother's face said she didn't find Alicia's idea too terribly awful.

"You both expect me to believe you came up with this idea?" Queen Sofia looked between her husband and her son and shook her head. "Alicia, dear, what is it you hope to accomplish?"

And that's what you get when you know people long enough, I guess. Queen Sofia always seemed to have everyone figured out.

"Well, I already know a lot of the people. I was a hairstylist, you know. But I think getting to see some of the things that matter to them could help me understand what they need. I know you have so much knowledge about that already, and it seems to come to you like second nature. But I think maybe learning about it and seeing it firsthand could help me internalize some of the information like you have. Understanding what the people need is something I feel is necessary to really be able to help Alejandro going forward."

You're doing fine. Just keep your eyes on the queen and focus. Breathe.

"And it wouldn't be bad for getting them to leave you alone, either, if you had some more scheduled events."

"Yes," Alicia admitted. "That, too."

"I like it." Queen Sofia sat down in her chair and beckoned her assistant to her side. "Let's get started, shall we?"

* ~ * Author's Note * ~ *

Well, this is the official point where the story crosses into 20,000 words, which is the minimum word count for ONC. As I'm sure you can tell, there is a little more story that needs to play out still before the book is over, but we are getting so close! Thanks for reading along and see you tomorrow with another one!