Page 41 of A Valiant Prince

“Our parliaments have many agreements and our prime ministers have signed a number of treaties that the royal families approve of,” she explains. “Why?”

“Say there were no more royal families in our countries,” I muse, not even flinching at saying Montelandia is my country. “Then, what would happen, economically speaking?”

She frowns, considering it. “Well, I suppose under the current set of treaties, the parliaments could form a sort of super-parliament to co-rule the two countries as a united entity. Essentially, it would lead to more economic ties between the two jurisdictions. Why?” she asks.

“Who profits from that?” I ask her.

“Well, lots of people would profit I suppose, I mean if all trade barriers were broken down, and we were essentially one giant super power,” she muses. “I mean, it’s not what the people want, they very much identify with their individual countries.”

“I understand, but…” I trail off and wait for her to consider what I’m suggesting.

“There are a handful of companies that would profit if that happened,” she says.

“Any to be worried about?” I ask her. She shakes her head.

“No, I don’t think so,” she says. “I mean most companies are so global now. I’m not sure it would matter much for them.”

“You don’t think so, or you know so?” I ask.

“No. I know all the owners of those companies. They wouldn’t attempt such a thing,” she says. I decide to investigate that on my own because clearly Anna feels too tied to these people to objectively consider them. I push that aside and look at her.

“Find anything?” I ask.

“No, not really. Your mom was worried about the anti-monarchist movement possibly being a bigger threat than known in Norddale. It sounds like she had set up some meetings with people to inquire, but there aren’t any notes on it. There are a few pages ripped out of here. I…don’t know,” she says as she hands the notebook to me. I flip through it but don’t find anything additional.

“Let’s set this box aside,” I say to her. “We can take it with us and go through it later.”

We continue looking through the remaining boxes. My grandmother calls us down when we are left with only three more boxes.

“I’d say we did good,” I note as I survey the wall of boxes that I can empty out in the trash.

“Well, hopefully, we’ve cleared some space for your grandmother,” she says as she walks downstairs. I want to tell her, yes, but I know my grandmother won’t change my mom’s room into a den or sewing room or anything else for that matter. It will stay a museum until my grandparents sell this house.

Lucas, Pete, and Hendrick are already seated at the table, digging into the soup, sandwich platter, potato salad, and fruit salad. Pops is sitting next to Hendrick, and they are already deep in war story conversation.

“Sorry,” Lucas says to us. “We were hungry, and you guys were taking forever,” he adds as he shovels some potato salad into his mouth.

I shake my head. Anna sits down, and I follow suit as Nana brings out a pitcher of iced tea. It’s a pleasant late lunch that bleeds into the afternoon. We clear the table after the conversation has died down. The dishes are done in no time, and Nana insists that we pack up some leftovers to take with us.

While Anna helps Nana pack up food, I walk out to the front porch where Pops is smoking his pipe.

“She’s a keeper, that one,” Pops says to me.

“Yes, she is,” I agree as I sit down in the other rocking chair.

“I get the sneaking suspicion that there are things you aren’t telling me,” Pops says as he takes a puff on his pipe.

“It’s complicated, Pops,” I tell him. “Very, very complicated.”

“I may not have a fancy college degree, but I’m pretty smart for an old guy,” he says, giving me a pointed look.

“Pops, I’m not questioning your intelligence. I…honestly, I’d need a whole week just to explain it all,” I tell him, which is close to the truth.

“Well, you know where I am, when you’re ready to talk,” he says.

“I appreciate that, Pops,” I say to him. In his typical fashion, he quickly changes gears and starts telling me about some nature show they watched on television. Pops is an avid birder and loves watching shows about birds.

I listen and nod, but my mind is a million miles away.

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