Well into the morning, I'm stewing over the First Queen’s words, though it does me no good.
I meet with several groups.
Timit is in the long line of people who want my attention. “I have papers for you to sign.”
“And what are they about?” I stop myself from rubbing my eyes. Despite getting some sleep last night, I’m still worn to the bone.
“They are for funding the new section of the palace.”
That wakes me right up. “Who’s building that?”
“You are, Your Majesty. Every queen does.”
I dismiss him with a wave of my hand. “There’s not to be such waste while I am queen. What I want from you is a report on how we can handle lower taxes for the Poruah.”
“But, Your Highness, you just raised them.”
“Pretend I didn’t. I want to know how we can make it work on a limited budget.”
He purses his meaty lips. “I put together that report before you went back on the changes, but may I respectfully suggest that you keep the taxes as they are? There will have to be too many cutbacks if we lose the income from so many.”
“They are poor enough to begin with. We don’t need to be taking more from them.” I hold out my hand. “Give me the report.”
With a scowl, he places a thin stack of papers in my hands. I scan them over several minutes, an uncomfortable relief filling me. This is more workable than I thought, but I have no plans to change it soon. I need Nash safe first. For his family. For Wilric.
For me, if I’m honest with myself.
I shove the thoughts away. “It looks like we could lower the taxes on the Poruah some as well, and still have plenty of money in the treasury.”
Timit splutters. “What do you expect us to live on?”
“You are getting far more gold than one person needs.” Which was hidden well within the many documents. “I suggest you stop buying so many expensive things and live more simply.”
He stands. “This is an outrage.” Spittle goes flying. Thankfully, it all misses me. “I cannot agree with any such changes and will be vehemently against anything you do that undermines the government’s ability to rule.”
“According to this report you yourself made, with a little bit of cutting back, we’ll be fine,” I say. “What about the mines? Did you find out anything about them?”
“They’re privately held by different Kurah. The government doesn’t own any and can’t benefit from them.”
Something to think about. “Very well. Now, if you will excuse me, I have others I need to see.”
He opens and closes his mouth before he storms from the room.
I sink back into my chair, rubbing my temples. Living on lower taxes is possible but not in line with keeping Nash alive.
And why haven’t I heard anything? What is Daros doing with him?
To distract myself, I shuffle through the other paperwork on my lap, putting the unhelpful pages on the low table in front of me and making another pile of the ones that may help. There has to be some type of loophole—some way I can fund the Poruah and Medi classes without changing taxes.
The words start to blur together when there’s a knock. “Come in.”
Wilric enters and stands before me.
“How are things? Do you have any news?” I ask.
“I'm so sorry, Your Majesty. We are getting a lot of the city searched, but we have found no sign of him so far. I promise you we will, though. I won't allow us to fail.”
I close my eyes, trying to control my emotions, not opening them again until I’ve gotten a hold of myself.
“Is there anything else we should know?” he asks. “Any more places you've thought of? People we haven’t heard of that we should check out?”
I shake my head. It would be good if there was something, but there's nothing more than what I’ve told them previously. I clench my teeth together to stop from falling apart.
He kneels down before me, looking up at me. “I will find him.”
“And if you don't?”
“That's not an option.”
I like him more than ever. “One more thing—where does Nash's family live?”
He gives me directions, stands, and with a bow says, “If you'll excuse me now, I'll get back to my search.”
“Thank you.”
He leaves, and I want to go with him, but Jaku would be upset with me if I did. That, and I have duties here. More things to oversee. A people to take care of, which I’ve been doing a terrible job at. There is something I am determined to do, though. I need to see his family in person.
I go into my room and find a dress that will fit in with the general populace. Something ordinary with few frills. Thanks to Inkga, it’s there along with other fantastic options and not just fancy things. I grab the cloak Nash gave me the first time I went out into town with him. I finger the brown fabric, feeling its coarse material. I want to sit down and cry with it.
But I won't.
I will be strong.
I throw it on and head to the door. Outside, Eldim, Julina, and two guards whose names I don't know are waiting for me.
I tell my servant, “Fetch Jaku for me.” I'd better tell him what I have planned this time. No sense worrying him needlessly.
She hurries down the hall, and I wait with my guards, not bothering to go back in my room. They watch me out of the corner of their eyes but no one says anything.
A few minutes later, the servant returns with Jaku at her side.
He bows, and after I tell him to rise, says, “You called for me.”
“Yes. I’m taking my guards and going to Nash's family. They need to hear from their queen what is being done to help their son.”
“I'm not sure that’s wise, Your Majesty. We don't know who might recognize you and what type of trouble it might stir up.”
“I'll keep my head covered. Anyway, I'm going.”
He rubs his eyes with his hand. “Fine, but let me go with you.”
“I'm sure you have other duties you need to attend to.”
“My first duty is to keeping you safe. That's what I'm going to do.”
I peer at him. “Very well. But we're leaving within the next half hour. You five need to change into something that will help you blend into the crowd.”
I can't believe it takes five people for me to go from one place to another. It's silly. I could take them all on myself and come out alive.
We go to the barracks and wait while they change one at a time. Soon, we are out of the gates and headed into town, following the directions I got from Wilric. It's a twisting, long way.
“We should have taken horses,” I say.
“Except they would have made us stand out more,” Jaku says.”
He's right. There's no one else riding out here. I wonder why, and then it comes to me.
Only the richest can afford such luxuries.
And I've made the income divide worse.
I steel myself against such thoughts. I can't have them bringing me down at a time like this. Maybe tonight, when I'm trying to go to sleep, they can haunt me. Now I need my wits about me.
The farther we go from the palace, the closer together the houses grow. We move to an area that is neither poor, nor rich. A lower-middle class. The houses are well taken care of, but small. The streets are fairly clean and clear, but some of the cobblestones are missing. The fences around the houses are similar—nice, but a little faded, and with the occasional piece of wood missing.
We arrive at a quaint little house. It's got charm, with flowers at the windows and more in a pot at the doorstep. The bricks are mostly fine, but there are a few cracks here and there—nothing that would harm the structure, but something that should have been fixed before now.
I knock while my guards cover my back and sides. It only takes a moment for the door to open.
Belta, Nash's oldest sister, has a frown on her face and red eyes that widen when she sees me. “Your Majesty,” she curtseys and I hurry her up. “Please, come in.”
I enter, conscious that I’m walking in the same place Nash grew up in. These halls were his. This living room with the sofa and chairs made of wood have all been used by him. The floor is covered with worn rugs. Another sign they don’t have enough money, despite my increasing Nash's pay with his new position and paying his sisters for their help with the ball.
“If you'll excuse me, I'll go get my mother.” Belta curtseys and hurries from the room.
There aren’t enough seats for all five of us plus their mom and sisters, so I remain standing.
There's a shuffle of movement in the hallway, and moments later, Slipa hurries out into the room.
Her eyes are clear, and her mouth turns up in a smile at the sight of me. That doesn't help the ache in my heart at seeing her.
“Your Majesty.” She curtseys. “Have you found him? Please, sit.”
I reluctantly take a seat. I take the nearest wooden chair. My guards quickly spread throughout the room, with Eldim staying close by and Jaku at the window.
Slipa sits on the couch, and Belta and Lanay come in the room to take a seat beside her.
“I wish I was here for pleasure. Wish I had better news.”
Slipa's smile falls. “Is he… dead?”
“No, no. Nothing like that.” Not to my knowledge.
She sighs. “We know you're doing the best you can.”
But am I? I only went out to look once. It wasn’t enough. “I wanted to let you know we are still looking. I have many guards out there searching for him. Plus one of my personal guards, Wilric, you may know, is leading a team of men. He promised he will find him.”
“I know he will.” Her voice cracks. “Sorry.” A tear escapes. “Nash is just my baby, you know?”
I don't, but I nod.
Belta puts an arm around her mother, her face scrunching with pain.
“If I may… You are welcome to come live at the palace. I’d be able to keep you more up to date there,” I say.
Slipa shakes her head. “What if he were to get free and come home, and not find us here? No. Your notes have been keeping us informed well enough. I want to stay at home. Where the memories are.”
I want to argue with her, but Nash did think the palace was a dangerous place to live. Besides, she’s right; none of her memories with him are there. They’re all treasured here. “Tell me more about Nash.”
Slipa’s chin shakes, but Lanay speaks up. “He was—is—the best brother. I remember, when I was still a little girl, he would put me on his shoulders, and we would go to the market together. We’d look at all the fine things, and he’d promise to buy me something, when he could afford it. I never thought he’d be able to get me any of the baubles I wanted, but one day, after he’d been a soldier for some years, he came home with this.”
She holds out her arm and on her wrist is a gorgeous bracelet. On a soldier’s pay, it must have taken years to save up for. The blue stones are so bright and pretty and look smooth. I want to run my fingers across them but don’t dare get that close to touching her.
“He got Belta one just like it, too,” Lanay continues. “I don’t know how much it cost, but it told me my brother always kept me and my sister in mind. That he wanted to make sure we knew we were loved.” Her voice cracks on that last word, and I feel like I’ve stepped into something more personal than I should have.
We talk for a while more. The more I hear about him, the more determined I become to save him. Daros has him out there somewhere and is mocking me with his capture, but it won’t last. I will find him, and I will rescue him.