Forbidden Love (Rewritten) | Arthur Pendragon

39 • THE EMPTY KING

The greatest celebration in Camelot was finally around the corner. It was not the day that celebrated the birth of Camelot or any holiday, but a feast for Camelot's beloved prince. The Royal City was already preparing, dressing itself with banners and flowers just for him. Servants had begun preparing the palace, ordered many fares, and sent invitations to many nobles just for this particular day. Its importance was all the greater since it was known that Uther was not truly ruling at the moment, and Arthur was more than ever the future of the kingdom. And since Lancelot's death, it would do a lot of good for everyone to have a bit of fun.

Although Eowyn could not say the same thing. Her mind was not in the spirit of celebration at all. It was quite the contrary, in fact. Lancelot's death still weighed on both her mind and heart, and the current state of the negotiations with Camelot was not helping her mental stability. And adding to the pressure were the letters she had received from Alvenes Hjem. Some matters with other kingdoms she had put on hold due to Camelot's unwillingness to concede Usad's independence had to be taken care of now. The charge of work on her shoulders had doubled, perhaps tripled even.

"If Her Majesty the High Queen is willing to cede a fourth of the yearly profits made in Havneby to Camelot, the Council is ready to unanimously vote for the independence in the name of the king," Arthur declared.

But Eowyn sighed, her eyes shut as a headache was starting to besiege her head. It was the same song all over again, and it was starting to get on her nerves.

"I understand your reluctance," Lord Agravaine added. "But in exchange for this, we will give you crops yearly. I believe this will help your people a great deal. Especially for a new beginning."

Eowyn inhaled sharply. "I did not mention this previously, as this has nothing to do with Camelot in any way, shape, or form, but perhaps it will help you understand. I am currently in talks with King Rodor of Nemeth for a very fruitful deal involving our mines of Uru metal and their mines of silver and coal, which would benefit us more than your offer of crops. And as you must already know, Usad is also disputing  Cenred's lands with King Lot. This will increase the amount of harvest we make yearly." Legs crossed and eyes stern, she looked at each and every man of the Council. "Simply put, we do not need you. You need us. And your assumption of the opposite has been your mistake."

The entire Council's demeanor changed in the nick of time. This had been a card Eowyn had kept hidden. Even Arthur was not aware of this joker she had concealed so intelligently. They may be together; Usad's affairs were Usad's affairs, and she had no desire to mingle her personal life with her occupation as High Queen, even though the two were already intertwined in several ways.

Eowyn may be new to this function of Queen, and she may not have been raised to one day sit on a throne; she was quick to pick up on the gears of politics. At the core, it was a simple game of deceit. Observe your opponent, analyse their move and reasoning, and play your cards accordingly. It was never her intention to make them feel like they had been a step, but for fruitful negotiations, a bit of dishonesty was necessary. And she was no longer the naive girl she used to be. She was willing to make the hard call if necessary. She was willing to get her hands dirty, to make enemies, if it meant securing the future of her kingdom.

Besides, her intentions were clear from the start. The slightest possibility of ceding the rights of Havnby had never crossed her mind once. She had never once been willing to bend her knees and back to anyone in exchange for the fundamental rights that had been stripped away from her and her people too long ago. They presumed that, solely because she was a new queen, new to this world, she would comply in fear to avoid upsetting such a great nation as Camelot. But they forgot who she was. Daughter of Queen Elvira and King Arno, descendant of King Usad, descendant of the God of the Elves, Freyr. She would bend to no one.