Fulla is headed back to the palace, where she’ll find out what the dungeons are like. Unless the council decides to kill her for my coming in contact with her. I think it could be glossed over, but we’ll see what they do. I won’t let myself feel bad if they decide to execute her. There’s no telling how many starved to death under her rule.
A small group of guards are escorting her and will join up with us when finished. The man who was conspiring with her is going to the palace dungeons as well.
Morning dawns, bright and early. Mother flutters around my room, helping Inkga pack the last of my things, though Inkga insisted she didn’t need any help.
“I still say you didn’t need to punch her,” Mother says.
I want to make a snide remark about being raised by a man who did things much crueler than a simple punch, but refrain. She may be my mother, but she’s not perfect.
“We’re all done here,” Inkga says. “I’ll get some servants to carry the trunks.”
“Thank you, Inkga.” The words are getting easier to say.
“No problem.” She heads out the door.
“Shall we?” Julina asks.
“Might as well.” I follow where Inkga went, though by the time I get out in the hall, she is gone. Plenty of guards mill about, surrounding me and Mother as we go.
“I never thanked you properly for saving my life,” she says to me.
“It was nothing.”
“No. It was something. I’ve never had anyone take care of me like that before. It means a lot.”
My heart gives a little squeeze. “You wouldn’t have been in that situation if it wasn’t for me. It was the least I could do, to get you out of it.”
She puts a hand to her throat as we near the main entrance. “I’ve never had a knife held up to my throat. It was terrifying, but Fulla’s action, not yours.”
I don’t correct her on the stiletto. “She wouldn’t have had the chance to do that had I been more prepared.”
Mother stops, making the group around us come to a halt. She waits to speak until I face her. “You can’t be prepared for everything.”
She turns back toward the gathered crowd and makes her way through the guard. She’s right, but I wish it was different. I’m still staring after her when Julina says, “Are you ready, Your Majesty?”
I finally have a name. I wish everyone would use it all the time, even if it’s not proper. “Let’s go.”
As we did when we first arrived in Trentin, the guards line both my sides, protecting me and creating an alleyway through the gathered crowd. I wave at them and smile, my mind on the words my mother said.
She’s right. I can’t prepare for everything. I can try my hardest, though.
I see a man standing with a woman and little boy. His family? I wish Nash was here to give them a coin, but he went ahead to make sure everything was taken care of.
The family is dressed in brown clothes, thin from so many washings or wearings. Their cheeks are gaunt and their eyes hungry, though there’s a sparkle in them that surprises me.
The man speaks before I can say anything. “Your Majesty, it is an honor to speak with you. When we heard you were changing the taxes so much, we worried, though the end result was lower taxes to our benefit. We shouldn’t have worried. Thank you for restoring our town.”
His words makes the back of my eyes burn. “I wish I could do more.” But I can. “I will make sure your new leader is a good person, and that once Fulla’s things are sold, the profits are spread evenly to all tax payers. What can’t be sold will be given away. You will have your city back.”
A shout of joy goes up around me, startling me. I keep my expression impassive but wonder about their reaction. Am I doing enough? It doesn’t feel like it, but their reaction is so strong, I can’t help wondering if it means more than I think.
The man bows to me, and the others follow suit. I tell them to rise. Having their respect does nothing for me when I shouldn’t need to make these changes in the first place.
I continue through the crowd, waving at people as I go by. They are eager, cheering and clapping, bright smiles on their faces and in their eyes. This time, there’s no group holding back. The entire town seems to be here, cheering for what I’ve done. It’s hard to fathom.
When I reach my carriage, Nash stands to one side, Inyi to another. My guards surround me, but the crowd is still within view. I turn toward them with my back to the carriage door. I raise a hand to silence them, and they all quiet down.
“My people, today is a day for celebration. We are returning what is rightfully yours and voiding the city tax.” A great roar of approval fills the air. I give them several moments to express their joy before raising my hand again. “Given that your old ruler is no longer over the city, my lady-in-waiting, Inyi, is going to stay and oversee the voting in of a new ruler.” She will make certain the city will find their way to a new leader.
“I know this is not how it’s normally done,” I continue. “Typically, I would choose someone as a replacement, but you know your needs better than I do. I want you to pick a fair and just leader. Whoever you select will be under my watch still, to put an end to the tyranny that should not exist in our country. But the choice is yours.”
The crowd grows wilder than ever, screaming for joy and clapping. All sorts of noise resounds together to create a sound of joy. Someone from the crowd calls out, “All hail Queen Ryn.”
Some pick up the saying. “Queen Ryn.”
The man says in a second time. “All hail Queen Ryn.”
More people pick it up. “Queen Ryn.”
“All hail Queen Ryn,” he says a third time.
“Queen Ryn.” The crowd screams my name.
I give them a wave and get in the carriage. It’s difficult to know what to think. What to feel. This is so different than anything I’ve ever experienced. I’m grateful they’re happy and hopeful that under Inyi’s guidance they will pick a fair ruler, but this chanting my name, praising me… it’s more than I know what to do with.
I do know one thing—it feels good to get something done.
The First Queen’s presence is near. I can feel her in my mind. I wish I could read her. Know what she’s thinking. Till now, she’s only come to me like this when I’m in danger. Why would she choose now to draw near?
I don’t know.