VOX

Ch 14

April Saunders became their link to the outside world. Every morning she'd come by, a grouchy cat in hand, and give Robert the day's newspaper. Headlines were read over breakfast, whoever didn't have a mouthful of food reading key passages from the article. King Silas and Queen Reena Arrive in Bridlo, Crowns Discuss Devoe Heirs, Crowns call for Conference, Queen Juliana and Prince Guillermo Arrive for Conference: but where is the King?, The Seven Heirs of Bridgeside, were just some of the titles that intrigued her in the first few days following the memorial. Robert pushed most of them aside as gossip and royal rumors, but she didn't really understand most of them if she was being honest.

Flipping through the rest of the paper most of the other articles had an odd fascination with the children of the crown. Whole pages were dedicated to them, pictures of children, teenagers, or adults that were next in line ro rule Nescio. Methodically pouring crushed herbs into vials, Finn explained the best he could when she finally asked him. Sitting on the floor, he recounted all the things he knew about the families.

"Alrighty so there's the Navarretts," a vial filled with pale purple powder. "Now they're cool cause they're the only ones who are run by females." Without looking he waved for her to bring over the paper that still laid open on the dining room table. "Flip to ugh," he paused and wiped out the mortar clutched in his hands before throwing in another herb, "flip to page eleven or twelve. There should be a photo of a woman on it."

"'Cause that's not vague at all," she joked. Do you know how many pictures are in this thing?"

"Shaddup."

On page fifteen there was a large photo of a woman with tan skin, and dark gray hair that was pinned back from her face in an elegant swoop. She sat almost sideways in the picture, but her face stared straight ahead, almost radiating intelligence and wisdom. Under the photo was the caption Queen Juliana Navarrete, arrived safely in Bridlo early yesterday morning in preparation for the conference of crowns. Accompanying her to the conference is heir to the Hilrock throne, Guillermo Navarrete, no word yet on the location of King Felipe.

"Alright, so the Navarretes are pretty cool. They run most of the country's food, and from what I've heard are pretty respectful, easy-going people. Now," he pointed the pestle at her, "everyone likes to talk about them because of their current heir."

Glancing down at the paper again she read the name, "Guillermo? What about him?"

"He has four sons by four different women. Now I ain't one to judge, but a lot of people don't like heirs to come from different blood or some shit like that," he shook his head out of disbelief. "But since the Navarretes are ruled by queens, and they have four sonsss" he dragged out the s with raised brows, waiting for her to catch on.

"They still need a girl!"

"Exactly." He smiled over at her curled up in a blanket, then resumed his crushing. "The Plucknars are kinda similar, but the opposite."

"That makes no sense I hope you know," she nudged his side with one of her feet.

"I'm gettin' there if you'd just sush," he smacked her leg away with the hand not holding the mortar. "So the Plucknars are the center of a lot of drama because they have seven heirs."

Her brows jumped lightly, "that's a lot of kids."

He shrugged nonshalontly, "it's pretty common for crowns to have multiple children. The more you have the better you secure one's lineage. Take the Vasils into account," an off-white powder was slowly poured into a jar, "they lost how many kids and still couldn't produce an heir before the other families."

Three, she thought. They had lost three children before the king was made to step down.

"Okay, so if it's common to have so many then what's the big deal with the Pluckys?"