Page 39 of Learning to Rule

“I shot him, yes. I didn’t want to, but no one else was going to do anything to stop him ruining this country. My family has always lived here. We love it so much, but I’ve been left with nothing. I didn’t know what else to do. I told you. I know I’ll go to prison and die there, but can you give my family some hope?”

I motion for the man to sit down in the chair opposite me, and I take a seat as well.

I point to all the papers on my desk.

“These are all from Clement Woodrow. I’ve been reading through them over the last few days, learning what a terrible state the country is in.” I look him straight in the eye. “I know I’m sitting in a palace, living a life of luxury. That’s all I’ve ever known because of the man my father was.” I push my thumb down onto the papers. “This is the reality of life in Janastria, but I can’t comprehend the full scale of it unless I hear about the state of people’s lives like yours. Talk to me. Tell me your story. Please? I can’t change what I don’t understand, and I want to. I don’t want to be like my father. I can’t be a king who doesn’t care. I have a heart. I know in the past I might not have shown that. I was the playboy prince intent only on having sex and partying, but the day you killed my father, everything became so real for me. I’m now the man in charge, and I want to help. Put the gun down, so I don’t have to call security, and tell me everything. I want to help you.”

The man looks at me. It seems he’s trying to read me and my honesty. I hope my face is conveying the right message. I’m trying to keep calm.

“All right.” Eventually, the man places the gun down on the desk between us, and I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Talk to me? Tell me your name?”

“I’m Colin. I used to be a teacher. I loved my job. The children were amazing. I taught seven-year-olds, and it was so much fun watching them learn the magic of spelling, reading, and numbers. I’d hoped one day to become a head teacher. I even applied for a deputy post, but it never came to anything, because I started to clash with the current head. He was a staunch follower of the government at that time and your father. He had the king’s picture on his wall, and I’m pretty certain he saluted it every day.” I can see Colin has become lost in his story. My left hand, the one closest to the gun, stretches out toward it a little. “Eventually, I realized I was spending more and more time on paperwork than actually teaching the children. With the encouragement of your father, so many new rules were being introduced to make the schools more regimented. There was no love or respect for the pupils. They were being trained to be mindless, obedient servants, and I hated it.” Colin pauses and looks out of the window. I can see the sadness on his face, and I can tell it’s ingrained in his soul as well.

“Eventually, I refused to do all the paperwork. I lost my job as a result. I didn’t qualify for government help in finding a new post, because I was fired and didn’t have a good reference. My wife had stayed at home to raise our children, but when I lost my job, she tried to find work. She didn’t have any qualifications, though, and the money she earned from the cleaning job she got wasn’t enough to sustain us. I went to the unemployment office and pleaded with them for help. My children were starving. But all that happened was I got arrested. Apparently, I’d become a danger to my children and wife, and I was banned from seeing them. I’ve not seen them in six months, because I’m not allowed. My wife wrote a passionate letter to the authorities, telling them I was the best father and husband and she wanted me at her side. All I needed was work. We both wrote to your father but didn’t hear anything back.”

I remember the pile of letters my father threw in the fire. Their letters were probably in among them.

“I just wanted to be with my family and to help children learn, but now I’m the murderer of a king. Please tell me you’ll help?”

My heart is heavy with Colin’s story. My country is rotten at its core, and my father’s rule was the cause.

I slam my hand down on the desk.

“You have my word I will help you and your family, along with as many other families in this country as I can. I won’t let anyone else suffer your fate.” I shut my eyes and take a deep breath, centering myself just like Elodie would. “You know I can’t let you walk out of here, though. You have committed a serious crime. We have to deal with that so I can help you. As king, I can pardon as I see fit, but due process must be done first.”

“I know,” Colin bows his head. “I just want to be sure my wife and children will have something to eat tonight?”

“May I?” I reach out to the phone on my desk. “I want to call my personal secretary to arrange for that to happen.”

Colin nods. His entire body slumped in defeat now.

I pick up the phone and call Hinchbootie.

“There’s a man in my office, who has just confessed to a serious crime. He knows he must be arrested, but I will not sanction that until I have your confirmation that his family will be provided with enough food for at least a week. This will be paid for out of my own pocket. I want it sorted at once, and then you can come into my office.”

“I will sort it at once.” Hinchbootie responds and hangs up.

I know in a few moments there will be chaos in my room. I stand up from my chair, and Colin stands as well as I hold my hand out to him again. This time, he shakes it.

“I give you my word I’ll do everything I can to help you.”

I step back as the door is slammed open. My hand is poised to reach for the gun, but Colin makes no attempt to take it. His message delivered, he’s now broken. He’s swiftly arrested and taken from the room.

Hinchbootie stays behind.

“Are you hurt? Do I need to call a doctor?”

“No, but a stiff drink might be good,” I reply, taking a seat in my chair again. “And, Hinchbootie, I mean it—find out where his family is and make sure they have food. I want to know everything about them.”

“I’ll sort it at once.” Hinchbootie bows to me. “You did well. I’ll have Miss Nash come to you straight away.”

Everyone leaves the room, and I remain seated in the silence. My heart is beating rapidly as I pick up another of the documents Clement has given me and continue to read.

Twenty-One

Elodie

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