Basil walked towards the room, but there were no ministers inside. Chasel was there and several generals he had never bothered to learn the names of were there. The minister of justice was absent, and Adolph sat at the top of the table. Basil sat next to Adolph and looked around the room nervously. He’d never been in a war council meeting while his father was away. It was something that he and Laura had argued about at length. He had no martial training and no interest in following in his father’s footsteps, leading men into battle. That was what lowborn men who joined the army, like the generals, and men of valor and power like his father were meant to do for the kingdom. Not a single man of the Mirabelle line had ever seen battle as their strength lay in the management of the upper class and the people within the kingdom. So, why was he here?“Now that everyone is here we can begin,” Adolph motioned for two general. “General Atkins, what news comes from the border?”The older man
Adolph came to visit every day. It seemed that Laurel was seeing him more since she had woken up than she’d seen him in the days leading up to their wedding. He didn’t stay long as there was still a lot to do regarding the investigation and running the castle, but he was spending all of his free time in her room, sometimes to catch a few moments of rest in the chair beside her bed, sometimes just to hold her hand.The door opened again. The priestess walked into the room with the flutter of her robes. Laurel met the priestess’ gaze as she smiled, “Praise be to the Moon goddess by her light we are saved.”Her eyes twinkled, filled with a secret Laurel wanted to know, but she didn’t ask. There was something about her eyes that was familiar, but she couldn’t place it exactly and she didn’t want to assume that the priestess was also a member of the Raymond family though she certainly seemed to be. She didn’t remember this priestess from when she married Basil in her past life.“You s
Laurel marched from the minister of finance’s office up to Adolph’s office and opened the door. He glanced at her and sighed. She was supposed to be resting, not stomping up to his office. He stood and went to her.“I want to dissolve the ministries as soon as possible,” she said before he could reach her side. He frowned and closed the door before ushering her to the couch near his desk. “But I want to audit them first to charge them appropriately.”A wicked smirk curved his lips turning his handsome features almost devious. Laurel’s heart raced and her face warmed with embarrassment. How could he look more handsome looking so sneaky?“You are meant to be in bed.” Adolph said, “Take a rest for a moment, then we’ll talk so long as you promise to go back to bed.”She pouted, wanting to argue, but she gave him a stiff nod, huffed, and sat on the couch as he directed. Admittedly, she was a bit dizzy and exhausted from her march up the stairs, but this still wasn’t the time for rest. How
Delia walked to the treasury’s office with the page in hand. She didn’t know what was taking so long to approve her increased budget, but she knew it was just a matter of time. The minister of finance was invested in keeping Basil happy. Basil was invested in keeping her happy, and all she wanted was more money to spend as she pleased. She reached the office’s attendant who looked up at her with trepidation as she placed the sheet on the desk.“I’d like it in coinage, like always,” she said as the woman took the page. “Could you make it quick? I have things to do.”“I’m sorry, Lady Delia, but I can’t fulfill this.”Delia grew tense and glared at the woman, “What did you call me?”“Lady Delia,” she said again.“I am the luna and you will address me properly or else! And what do you mean that you can’t fulfill this?” Delia tapped on the seal of the minister of finance. “It’s already been approved!” “R-Royal Beta Chasel has placed a hold on all accounts going forward by order of His Maj
Laurel watched Basil turn paler as she made a note on her parchment about looking further into what Basil’s budget was going towards. She had a feeling that Gavin might be benefiting from his relationship with Basil.“What is the purpose of the gate on the main entrance to the orchard?” Basil blinked, staring at her and not speaking. “Prince Basil, are you listening?”He shook his head, “Y-Yes. I… What?”She pursed her lips, “The gates, Prince Basil. For what reason was the orchard gated?”Basil frowned, “It’s useless.”“What do you mean by it’s useless?”“We don’t need an orchard because we have all the farmland around the city,” Basil lifted his head and met her gaze. “It was a waste of money when you had it planted. The ministry has proposed to uproot it and turn it into a leisure area for the castle.”Delia took in a sharp breath, staring at him in horror. Laurel froze in the middle of editing her plans for the orchard. What? What kind of nonsense was that? She frowned, eyeing hi
Basil left Adolph’s office, empty-handed and shocked. He knows Delia won’t be happy, but what was he supposed to do? He supposed he could just give a portion of his budget to her, but that wouldn’t solve the problem.He knocked on her door. A few moments passed before she called out.“Come in.”He opened the door and walked in to see her sitting on her couch. Delia sat up and bade him sit with her. She held herself rigidly as she drank her tea. She clinked the cup against the plate in a way that made him almost flinch. Didn’t she know basic etiquette? He frowned, thinking about it. Had Laura taken etiquette? He didn’t think Laurel had or would, but Laura had always given him a sense that she knew enough. It had irritated him a bit that she seemed to blend in with nobility so easily.“Well, what did your father say?“… He changed her plan.”Delia sat up straight, “well?”“… He cut our budgets in half.”Delia dropped her teacup with a little gasp of shock.“What do you mean?”“He sa
Delia woke up early, dressed quickly, and skipped breakfast. Basil hadn’t returned to her room the night before and the servants said he hadn’t returned to his room by morning. She left her room hoping to run into him and found him standing in the doorway of her office, simply staring inside the room with a complicated look on his face. He didn’t react as she walked towards him, but when she touched him, he turned his head and looked down at her. The shimmering attention had faded from his eyes. They seemed almost hollow and glossy in the early morning light. “Were you looking for me?”“… no,” he said and frowned, turning from her. “I’m… late for breakfast.”“We should go together.”“No,” Basil said, shaking his head. “I’m having breakfast with my father.”Delia watched him walk away from her before looking back into the room. She hadn’t changed anything in the room since she’d been given the key because she didn’t spend much time in it. She hadn’t even changed the way the desk was
Laurel returned to her room after lunch to get the last dose of the antidote. The priestess smiled at her and bowed politely, whispering a blessing over her before she left. Eden was packing things up in a large trunk and the bottle she was supposed to drink was sitting on the table. She wrinkled her nose at the thought of taking it. “Isn’t there a way to make it taste better?”Eden laughed, “No, there isn’t. We’ve been over this.”It didn’t hurt to keep asking. She took the little cup and tossed it into the back of her mouth before swallowing swiftly. She coughed and sputtered, reaching out for a glass of water. Eden handed it to her, and she was pleasantly surprised to find it full of juice.Eden smiled, “I thought you deserved a treat to celebrate the end of your treatment.”“Thank you, Eden.”He took the glass and set it aside before looking at her, “Have you… decided to stay?”Her heart lurched at the question. A spike of fear went through her at the thought. Having Adolph com