The Prince of Ilios

Twenty-Seven

When they hit the grand staircase, Nicola bowed his goodbyes, and went back to his room.

Ellora walked as quickly down the hall as she could, should she be any later than Mrs. Brooks would wish.

As soon as she entered her room, Ava and River were practically on top of her with a million questions and apologies.

"Where were you?"

"We promise, it wasn't us"

"Yeah, when Mrs. Brooks came in, we told her you were already asleep, and she turned and left." Ava nodded. Her hair was tied up in rags for curls the next day, and she had already changed into a bright pink nightgown with tiny roses across the front.

"Then, she burst back into the room and threw aside your pillows and blanket. Then, stomped out of the room." River added. Her hair was set into two long braids. Her nightgown was a jade green with tiny vines across it.

"It's alright." Ellora held up her hands, "I got to see my brother. That is all that matters." She continued to calm their nerves, reassuring them and returning them to their beds. Sometimes they were just like her younger sisters, needing to be comforted and reassured.

When she finally got changed into her own blue nightgown and collapsed in her bed, she had a feeling that she would not be able to sleep for very long and that the night was almost over.

The next day at breakfast it was clear that the rest of the girls were surprised to see her. It had been rumored that she was the first to be dismissed. She walked as confidently as she could to her seat. Looking up from her golden plate, she grimaced at the person across from her.

Minerva's mouth practically hung open. A spark of satisfaction lit inside her.

"You're going to catch flies in your mouth." Ellora watched the servant put her breakfast down in front of her. She sat waiting for the others to be served so that she could eat, wanting to make this meal as short as possible.

"You!" Gem practically choked.

Minerva regained her composure, "Don't worry, Gem. She can't last too much longer. She doesn't belong here."

"I have just as much right to be here as any of you." Ellora glared at her while repeating the mantra, don't make waves. Keep calm! She knew she was failing.

"The Southern Isles hardly deserve any attention at all." Minerva laughed, "If I were queen, I would abandon them. They are not worth the trouble of negotiation."

"Then, it is a good thing that you are not queen." Nicola echoed from his seat, "Each province is worth negotiating into the Union. All of us have our own unique trades, goods, and services. Their resources are just as valuable as the herbs from Flora, the books from Sana, and the leadership from Ilios. It is only together that we can thrive." Ellora rolled her eyes at the word leadership. If that was all that Ilios could offer it wasn't much. Her father was a great leader, far better than the King of Ilios was in her mind.

Minerva nodded, "Of course, my Prince. Each province in the Union is valuable." She had chosen her words delicately, to make it sound as though they agreed.

Ellora bit her lip, trying to hold back the question pricking at her mind.

"Minerva, what are you aspirations for the Kingdom?" Nicola turned to her.

The raven haired beauty smiled, finally given a pedestal to pronounce her ideas, "Your Highness, I would make sure that all of the Provinces were taken under the Union flag of course. Ilios's great leadership should be spread all across the lands. Any who would undermine that ought to be turned out or made to change their mind. We would be a rich land, with every resource at our disposal, and a powerful nation that none would come against."

"That sounds like it would take a lot of resources."Nicola said, "How would you fund such a campaign?"

Ellora could not believe that he was entertaining such and awful idea, sounds like a tyranny to me.

"I would raise taxes, of course, my Prince." She bit into a ripe strawberry, enjoying all of the attention that the Prince was giving her. Most probably cannot afford the taxes as is, Ellora thought.

"What if the people of the provinces opposed the idea, they would probably end up breaking the law if they were desperate." Nicola took a cool, uncaring drink from his cup.

"The soldiers would enforce the laws, Your Highness" She said simply.

How dare they be so cavalier over breakfast, talking about a dozen kingdom's fates as though they were pieces on a game board! Ellora had heard just about enough.

"That would take a considerable number of militia in all of the Provinces. Where would they come from?"

What about your villagers, your townspeople?

"Your Highness, I would take them from Ilios. We are the ones to be trusted with guiding the provinces." Minerva said boldly. As though the people are what, cattle?

The table had fallen silent. She was treading on a delicate subject and she did not even know it. Everyone was listening intently.

"In summary. You want to raise Ilios above all the other Provinces. You want to tax the people, meaning that those who are poor will no longer be able to continue living and will resort to desperate measurers to provide for their families. You want to use militia from Ilios, spreading our soldiers thin and ineffective among the provinces, also separating men from their families for extended periods of time. The world that you propose would promote fear, unrest, instability, and collapse." Nicola munched on a slice of bread, not even looking at Minerva.

He had so easily taken her down a few pegs.

Ellora was shocked by his slyness. He had led her to the slaughter, and she had followed, even running ahead toward it. She frowned. The last thing she wanted was to defend Minerva, but she hated the way Nicola had led her into humiliation.

Nicola glanced at her, "Something to say, Miss Ellora?"

"Exactly, how is Minerva's plan any different than the one that you have for the Provinces and the Isles? You want everyone unified under the Union flag, which is led by Ilios, even if it is not what is best for all of us. Your militia are taken from the townsfolk, who pay for them to leave and conquer more provinces, leaving families without loved ones, just as you have said. The same things could happen easily in the Union that you are constructing."

Nicola's face turned a faint shade of red. The irritation rose inside him, "There is a difference in motive, that is played out in the later steps. Minerva is seeking to make the Monarchy of Ilios all powerful, which means she is willing to use the people of the other provinces to make it happen. My motive is to unite our land, so that we can share resources and help each other when we are in need, protect one another if other lands come to invade or if disaster strikes."

Ellora's jaw locked, "And yet, if there is a province that does not want to join the Union, you, yourself are not above threatening and blackmail to make your ambitions a reality." She rose from her seat, her stomach swirled in sickness and she could not eat anymore.

"Lady Ellora, breakfast is not yet finished." Mrs. Brooks stood behind her.

Nicola glared at her, but could not deny what she had said. His father had blackmailed her into coming, and it was clear that she did not really wish to be here.

Ellora curtsied to Nicola, "I am not feeling well, please excuse me." She turned quickly and left before Mrs. Brooks could protest. Her heels clicking on the marble floor.