The Dream Oath

Chapter 4.3

Maria was still exhausted when June rose her at dawn. She's been working long into the night going over the official processes for all the things she was supposed to do today. She was also feeling extraordinarily inadequate and alone. It occurred to her as her maids dressed her that she had no friends. Nobody to rely on who could advise her. She hadn't had friends beyond her brother and Draco; now, both were gone. Now she only had a husband who was out somewhere and was left with his brother, who she still found distasteful.

"I want to follow up with the cleric before we start our duties for the day," Maria told Gwen, who was sorting through papers in the background.

"Yes, Highness." Gwen acknowledged as she continued to organize.

June put the final touches on Maria's braids, and Gwen quickly gathered up the papers into two stacks and followed Maria out into the hall where Edgar was waiting just outside the door. Maria decided she did not particularly want to be on friendly terms with this man. Even if he didn't do the deed himself, he still caused the death of her brother.

Gwen and Edgar trailed her back to the church. The head cleric was lighting candles on the altar. He noticed the trio right away and bowed, but not before Maria caught a flash of annoyance on his face.

"Good morning, how is the progress coming on exhuming King Cecil?"

The priest rose up and smiled condescendingly at Maria. She wondered if he knew that he couldn't hide his expressions or if he just didn't care. One of those was useful. The other would need an immediate fix.

"You see, your highness. These things take time," the cleric said in a voice she assumed was supposed to sound smooth and calming. It only served to excite her irritation.

"Forgive my ignorance, but how?"

The cleric started on a long list of what sounded to Maria like nonsense and excuses. Maria reminded herself that it would take time to earn his respect. Blowing up at him would not help. She would simply have to be persistent.

"I understand you have matters to attend to. However, I still expect progress to be made when I return tomorrow."

"Yes, your highness." the priest bowed, but not before quickly covering another look that Maria was not entirely sure she understood, but it struck her as contempt.

If she was going to have any success in rebuilding the kingdom, she needed respect. She didn't want to go around making their lives difficult by punishing them. She wanted people to do as she asked. It wasn't a difficult concept. She was Queen after all.

"Excuse me, Highness," Edgar cut into her thoughts.

"Yes, General?"

"If I may make a suggestion, the head cleric was out of line disrespecting your wishes." They arrived at Maria's study, and Edgar closed the door so none of the staff would hear. Gwen had politely excused herself.

"What would you have me do about it? I am not a tyrant. I will not go around tossing people in the dungeon because they do not follow my wishes."

"Then how do you plan on getting people to follow your wishes?"

"I will earn their respect."

"What do you think the Head Cleric respects?"

"I do not understand your question."

"What are his goals? Money? Power? Autonomy? What tactics are you going to take to pull him into line? How are you going to earn his respect?"

"I am his Queen. His job is to respect me," Maria was affronted. The monarchs gave orders and people obeyed. That was how the world worked.

"You will find that some people need," Edgar hesitated for dramatic effect, "a little persuasion."

"I do not take your meaning."

"There will be times where, as Queen, you will need to remind people that you are in charge of people with weapons. Sometimes a little fear works wonders as persuasion."

"I will not be a despot!" Maria thundered. "There is no reason to make myself feared and hated!"

"Not with everyone, no. Most people only want to focus on bettering their own lives. If you can prove that you are making their lives easier, they will love you. But when someone has a position of power, it can go to their head. Like our cleric. He sees himself as master of his little domain and looks to resent you telling him what to do."

"Fine, how would you solve that?"

"I see a few ways. You could send me to have a talk, man to man, with him tonight when he goes to bed. You could send him off to oversee a remote church where he wouldn't have the prestige he does now and promote the next in line. You could also speak with the next in line and show him some monetary gratitude for carrying out your wishes. That will illustrate the point."

"You want me to threaten him, banish him, or buy him." Maria couldn't believe her ears. What happened to patriotism and loyalty to your country and the crown? Were people really so petty?

"It's not quite statecraft if you phrase it like that, but yes."

Maria sighed and sat down at her desk. The priest had no respect for her. Edgar was right. They didn't have much in the treasury to buy him with. That would set a dangerous precedent. Banishing him would send a message and potentially eliminate other problems going forward. Threatening him just seemed so barbaric.

Maria rang the bell for June and began writing out the orders to transfer the head cleric.

"June, please find a church in need of a cleric. Preferably a small one close enough that we can keep an eye on him."

"Yes, your highness."

"Thank you, June. That will be all."