The Crown's Game

Chapter 9

Oliver

"I have come to bid you well for the holiday season" a sentiment that would normally have been filled with joy sent shivers down my back. I could see that many of the representatives were clearly physically shaking. "I do not wish to put you under immense pressure but do tell me of the work that you have done since last I was here" she hadn't prepared them for this. Suddenly, the representatives seated on the bottom rows began rifling papers and opening folders. They were the Cabinet, I recognised a few, the Minister for trade and for agriculture I had met them both in the past week. She sat before the Speakers chair, Wood and the Captain at her shoulder, like the angel and devil, as the ministers lined up one by one, announcing changes they wished to make to the budget this coming January and new bills to put forward. A young man maybe thirty-five stood last in the line. "Minister Lucey" Addison said, her tone slightly warmer than those who had come before "how is our Prime Minister and of course the little bundle of joy?", he was the husband of the Prime Minister.

"Quite well your majesty" the man took a deep breath and puffed his chest out with pride. "her name is Amelia and she is simply beautiful. The apple of my eye already"

"how lovely" a glimmer of the true Addison shone through "I cannot wait to meet her"

"thank you. Your Majesty I have little to report to you considering that our most recent bill was of huge success"

"I am aware, I have a question for you Minister, if you don't mind" the minister nodded for her to continue "I have a question about the Education Act that was passed just a year after I was born". I looked up and she was gazing past the Minister and straight at me. He was the Minister for Education. She was smart this one, pushy. But I didn't mind pushy. "why was this the hill my father chose to fight his battle on?"

"your father insisted on passing a bill that allow equal and equitable education for all children in this country, no matter gender nor socioeconomic background" Lucey stood tall and proud "he hadn't realised the precedent needed to change something like the education system, so instead of looking for one, he created it himself"

"thank you Minister" Addison stood, shaking the man's hand warmly "I do hope you get a full night's sleep soon"

"no, thank you" the man walked back to his seat.

"well" Addison spun once more "thank you for your time and hap-"

"majesty" a man at the back of the hall called out, standing. A thin, spindly man with little to no hair. Addison wasn't even looking at him, but she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and turned around once more.

"Representative Sine" her voice solid, like steel.

Wood

It was going so well, and Sine just had to stick his nose in, didn't he? The leader of the opposition party to Prime Minister Lucey, he had had major issues with Addison even before she took to the throne and he just made her life impossible.

"if you don't mind, your majesty, we have a few questions?" he stalked on to the forum floor, like a spider circling a fly. Addison looked around, she did not often take questions from the representatives, especially Sine. He was still sour that he had not gained a place in her cabinet last year and was clearly looking for a fight.

"you better not be wasting my time" her face, once more the picture of that ruthless Queen. She didn't sit, she just stared waiting for him to speak "come along, one hasn't got all day".

"we understand the delegation from Heliana are being entertained at the palace"

"do you plan to inform me of who I invited to stay under my own roof? or have you got a point Sine?" I suddenly became all to aware of the prince that Addison had invited along watching from the entrance, his face in the shadows.

"your marriage to the King to be of Heliana, it would mean producing an heir" this man was looking for trouble. A muscle in Addison's jaw flickered, but she did not falter.

"and?" she drawled admiring her nails.

"what is to come of your position here in Ildova?"

"I am quite unsure as to what your questions is Sine" her irritation was shining through.

"will you be Queen of Ildova or Heliana or" he began.

"or?"

"are we to expect the return of our true king" gasps sounded around the chamber. Addison's glare turned as cold as my blood. How could he? At this time, how could he bring up Sebastian like this?

"Allow me to make one thing very, very clear" she paced the circular floor of the forum, a snake watching its's prey. Like a python ready to choke the life from its next victim "the legitimacy of my crown has been long disputed and to no end. My brother withdrew himself from the line of succession almost ten years ago. I am your Queen, whether you can accept that or not" she hissed "I will remain in my position here, the throne of Ildova is my first priority and always will be. I would hate to think Sine, that you are questioning my loyalty to a country that I swore a blood oath to".

"we never saw him again" Sine countered; the bastard would not stop. "you can understand our queries"

"what I can't understand is how you think this time an appropriate time to have this discussion" she mused. With that she walked towards the exit. "oh" she turned once more to look around the room "let me all remind you that although my coming to the throne was less than usual and certainly not an experience that I wished to go through. I work for each of you. No matter which side of the bench you sit on" she looked at Sine. "I also remind you that although you are elected officials you are easily replaced should you choose to toe the line when it comes to my personal matters. I will not hesitate to take force if someone were to insinuate that anyone in my family were intwined in anything less than wholesome" she smiled like a cat "Merry Christmas".