Katherine had a nervous knot in her stomach when she entered Racleigh Hall. Their trips, Richard as new recruit, her insatiable hunger for exotic wine and fine silk, all of it had beat a dent into the treasury that not even Freyza’s order of tin could fill. In over a year of her reign, she had never set foot in Racleigh Hall, much less so for an extraordinary summons such as this.
The hall filled up with influential merchants, landowners and knights from the pair of kingdoms, and Katherine watched them from her throne, dressed in black and veiled modestly to appease the clergy that would follow in the House of Lords. Briefly, she saw Dorothy talking to one of the seated men.
When it was full, the crowd was hushed, and Katherine straightened on her throne and lay a hand on either armrest. The last time parliament had been summoned had been in the earlier days of her father’s regime. Despite its disuse, Racleigh Hall was beautifully maintained, with large marble slabs on the floor, limestone pillars, and iconography exalting the royal family towards the religious.
‘Her Majesty the Queen!’ cried the herald.
‘Gentle folks of Ilworth and Otterdon Island,’ she began. ‘Today my secretary and state and I have come with a gravely urgent request to you.’
Despite her nerves, she looked around and looked each man in the eyes, whether they were dazzled by her presence or had already resigned themselves to tighten their purses the moment they learned that parliament had been called together once more. Old or young, from Ilworth or Otterdon Island, Katherine smiled upon them all. She required a favour, after all.
‘The reason we have called you to parliament today, is because we are anticipating the need of increasing taxes — for small duchies no more than a few shillings, but larger sums for larger territories. Considering we will only tax the needful in order to continue operations in Norbury Castle, and the grand unrest on the continent, we expect that this will not cause any problems among the likes of you.
‘This past year, I have learned much about my duties and of the great love of one’s country that each of you share with me. I sit in a hall full of patriotic, intelligent, good-hearted Christian men, each of whom rational and graceful in their decisions. I recognise many faces from this past autumn’s festival and am very pleased to be continuing our acquaintance.
‘As many of you know, negotiations have ceased with the King of Massouron, to whom I was betrothed this past year. This means that an expected financial gain from the alliance and the strengthened trade relations has sadly fallen through. At the same time, I am at the gracefully accepting end of a favourable agreement on certain metals with the Sbai Empire, and the fortunate facts extend to the knowledge that I am, now unburdened with Massouric politics, able to maneuver the new situation of the Baradran Kingdom. Once it is confirmed to us that there is a De Serra king in the Baradrans, we shall not hesitate to acknowledge the new regime. This gives us a great financial advantage, for we have gathered no other country in the region is willing to accept the regime due to pressures from the old Ginefort dynasty.
‘Once this happens, any superfluous gold — and there shall be superfluous gold — shall be paid back in full to the territories. Just these following months shall require me to lean more heavily on you than you may be accustomed to. Any and all discomfort shall be worth the trade-off in the near future, and I hope that you all comprehend the extent of the compromise I, too, have made in the past, and shall continue to make. Do not make the mistake of looking at me as if I have just ascended from an ivory tower. I too am an Ilworthian citizen. I too know of the unrest. In fact, just recently, I have been assaulted as a result of this tension. When I see it rising, I see not my people against me, but instead I see myself as the whole of my kingdoms… and I see an enemy encroaching upon it. A wolf upon a doe.’
Katherine briefly halted, bit her lip in response to her impending grimace. ‘And most of all, I see the hunger of the wolf and I mourn it. Good people, I know what makes a wolf kill, and it is innocent suffering. To end it, then, we must reconsider how to treat the enemy. Unlike my predecessors, I shall use your funds not to kill the enemy, but instead to appease it. Allow me to make this leap into a new and brighter Ilworth.’
The applause that followed chilled her to the bone, but those who remained still in their seats, unwavering, looking upon Katherine as if they knew the truth of each misstep she had taken in her life, only chilled her further.
The applause died as quickly as it had begun, and when the option had been given to the parliamentarians, the first one stood up: a long-haired livery collar-wearing guildmaster.
‘Your Majesty,’ he began, ‘Your kin is being butchered in the Baradrans. What has moved you to make the decision to accept the impending regime despite this fact? One may not forget that one, too, is Ginefort-blooded.’
‘My blood does not concern me,’ Katherine said immediately. ‘It is the blood of my people that concerns me. Good sir, what matters are the lives of the Ilworthian citizens, not the lives of other children of my ancient ancestors. It is you that I represent and you who I will bargain for. Besides, it is utterly besides the point of my request to you all. I can ensure you that any and all direct family members of mine are safe from the axe.’
Another followed when the guildmaster had sat back down. ‘Your Majesty. Any word on the demise of Lord William of Astwick, perchance?’
Katherine raised her brows. ‘Perchance not,’ she said. ‘You were all informed of his death and the reasoning thereof, and I have been advised to keep it at that. Have faith in my heart, sir, when you entrust me with these sensitive matters of justice.’
It shut him up well enough, but soon another followed, and others were standing up yet. Katherine rolled her eyes, anticipating equally sensitive questions she would be unwilling to answer. It was the closest that the House of Commons ever got to disagreeing with a royal decision, and this amount of pushback already appeared outrageous to Harcourt, who was sitting red-faced on the first bench by the throne. ‘Has Her Majesty been informed of the betrothal of King Henri of Massouron to Lady Isabella de Ginefort?’
Katherine’s heart dropped. It had not been more than a month since she had left. Already? Katherine had not even looked at a single portrait since arriving back home. Whenever she wished to orient herself on her options, all she thought about was her recent affair with the Sbaian ambassador. It was so dire that she held a small disappointment in her heart with the knowledge that she was in fact not with child, and therefore had no reason to dramatically abdicate and exile herself to Massouron.
‘Yes,’ Katherine lied with a wide smile. ‘A fair union for a fair young king. I wish them many children and happy years together, and I obviously wish for Lady Isabella to arrive to Massouron safely from her war-torn court. You will be glad to know that Lady Isabella is my fairest and sweetest cousin on the Ginefort side. He will be smitten — a very exciting development.’
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‘Will your daughter succeed you in case you abdicate or perish, my lady?’ another inquired.
‘No, my heir today is my sister Princess Eleanor, and thereafter my brother the Prince Thomas,’ said Katherine. ‘Then Princess Johanna. But you needn’t worry — once I get out of Racleigh Hall, my first deed will be related to my coming marriage, and the next time I will call together parliament, I’ll do so as mother of the next King of Ilworth.’
Another man, this one an elderly man in vibrant chartreuse, stood up. ‘Your Majesty, has there been deduced why there was an attack on your person in Souchon Palace? Given you speak of the attack as having a specific agenda.’
It was a sly question, Katherine knew. Among these men, about a third had connections to Otterdon Island. This was the degree to which parliament was organised, based on the population figures of the kingdoms.
She smiled and wiggled her eyebrows. ‘All we know is that the assassin has been put to death,’ she said. ‘Among some traitors. What his agenda may have been, what any traitor’s agenda may be, I cannot say for certain, but I know that it is against us. There are a few groups of people who wish to see me either without crown or without head, and to give any attention to these groups in polite society would frankly be a waste of your ability to listen to me. Besides, my spymaster would give me a firm talking to if I told you the sort of things we are working on behind closed doors. Gentlemen: the tax increase, please? As much as I would love to entertain you all about the realities of my life, it appears to be in your best interest to detach a little and instead think about your lived realities instead of living in a fantastical reality where the particular deeds in my personal life matter. With all due respect, of course.’
Harcourt shuffled in his seat uncomfortably. For the amount of money she was asking of them, he thought, they have all the right to know.
The comment caused a stir in the crowd. They began to talk among themselves, speaking of the boldness coming from this new young queen, how she dared to oppose them, what secrets were hidden by her sly way of skirting the issues.
‘Gentlemen,’ Katherine repeated. ‘Settle down.’
It was to no avail. Harcourt looked at her breathlessly as more and more stood up to speak, and Katherine herself felt herself grow smaller and smaller with each opposition. She had entered as a regal figure, representing the countries under her wing. Now instead, she sat again as that princess she had once been, exiled to Dolcotshire for her misdeeds, to be disciplined into correct conduct.
‘Gentlemen of the House of Commons!’ Harcourt boomed through the crowd. ‘This is an act of treason! Settle down when Her Majesty demands it of you!’
He stood up, had flown from his seat to just before the throne, and now sternly looked on as the men of parliament found their seats again, grumbling all the while.
‘Shall you stand in opposition,’ Harcourt declared forth, ‘While your queen barters to save your country? Treason shall not be forgotten, I can assure you all. Raise a serious concern or quiet down forevermore.’
The wrong had already been done, at least for Katherine. Harcourt managed to control the knights and bailiffs, effectively enough to forward her request to the House of Lords without further grumbling, but it was yet another thing Katherine felt her grip slip away from.
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When the extraordinary summons was past, and the members of parliament resumed being bailiffs, peers, clergy and knights, Katherine defeatedly stumbled into her carriage, after which Harcourt followed. She tore the pins from her hair, pulled at the veil, and buried her face in its silken cloth.
‘You got the increase you were asking for,’ Harcourt said initially.
Katherine looked up from the cloth in her hands. ‘You got the increase,’ she corrected. ‘They don’t want to listen to me, Overleigh. They don’t respect me — that’s the whole problem.’
He could not bring himself to disagree with her. He crossed his legs and sighed. ‘You are very distractingly young and unmarried,’ he began. ‘Perhaps even distressingly so. These men are your father’s men. They respect the law of the land and they respect an authoritative masculine leader, which even among queens, you are not. You are charismatic and playful and keener than given credit for. Your power asserts itself in another way. Please do not let yourself be discouraged — I will handle parliament, you can benefit more from toying with noblemen and ambassadors who will gladly give you all you ask for. ’
She muffled the sound of her own frustrated screeching with the veil she held in her hands. When she came back up, she shook her head. ‘Horrible,’ she said. ‘Let some old fart as yourself handle the meat of my occupation while I busy myself with fancying and being fancied. I am the queen, Overleigh, not some whore. They will bow to me.’
‘They will not,’ he disagreed, ‘I’m not sure how to tell you this, Katherine, but… unless you are planning on changing every single thing about you, you will always be a woman with a naturally accommodating disposition, who was raised not to rule but instead to be married off well. It’s a completely different skill set that was taught to you.’
‘And I’m not even fucking married either!’ she fumed.
‘Language, missy…’ Harcourt said.
‘You’re not my father, Overleigh, I hope that’s clear to you,’ she hissed.
‘Sadly not,’ he said. ‘If your father was in this carriage with you, we wouldn’t be in this predicament.’
‘I am replacing everyone in this fucking parliament,’ she said. ‘Seriously. First thing I’ll do.’
He clicked his tongue. ‘You can’t do that, I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘Parliament is elected. The best you can do is disband it. I really don’t understand, though: you got what you wanted. So what they want to know which eligible prince is most likely to be chosen as royal muff-duster? Do you think nobody ever asked Queen Louise? If anyone’s life has been scrutinised, it would be hers. And yet, she came out on top. You can, as well.’
‘And what if I don’t want my life scrutinised?’ she asked. ‘Would a king’s life be? I don’t suppose so. Just because decisions were made on the nature of my life, the nature of the use I would have to you lot in the future, does not mean that you get to decide on where I shall go! I will disband parliament. I do not want to come out on top, I want to be a person again! Not some diplomatic ragdoll dragged from court to court in hopes of finding any support for the common good of man! I’m abdicating!’
When the word had come out, Katherine winced at the impact it had on Harcourt. She had expected him to be jubilant: had she abdicated a year before, he would have been. But instead, he knitted his brows and looked at her in desperation.
‘This is something I cannot stop you from doing,’ he said. ‘But if I were you, I would think twice about it. You’ve made great steps so far. Do not forget that I could not have said anything to make you abdicate last year. You were dead-set on becoming the queen. Now, look at you.’
She was breathing heavily, and there was a chaotic pattern of hand-wiped marks on her painted face, through which the reddened skin beneath showed. ‘I’m abdicating,’ she said again, her voice low and gravelly. ‘I don’t care what I said last year. I have no appetite to be part of some obscene theatre where they will behead me in the end. I know how this tale goes, and I am opting out.’
Demonstratively, Harcourt opened the curtains to one side of the carriage, through which a warm late spring breeze entered. They were far out of Racleigh, so far in fact that the city was simply a short wall creeping towards the horizon. He inhaled through his nose and slowly exhaled through his mouth.
‘Your country,’ he then said, gesturing towards the open window jovially with his hands. ‘Beautiful and fecund and brilliantly accommodating. A vision in springtime especially. It is a rare honour to be able to steer a ship that is so mesmerising, glittering like a jewel, with revitalising lakes, majestic peaks, a different dialect every hour you spend in a carriage, skilled craftsmen, outstanding universities.’
‘I don’t care for it,’ Katherine snapped.
Harcourt smiled knowingly. ‘Doesn’t matter, Katherine. You are it. To deny that, would be to sever at least two of your limbs. You are the soul of this country which you seem to hate so, just as fickle — showers one day, making way for burgeoning sunlight the next — just as beautiful, just as majestic, just as vast. Abdicating cannot change that, I’m afraid. You will always be Ilworth, with all of its qualities, good or bad.’