Page 4 of Iris of the Crowned Flame

I nodded, which was a total lie. This was the last thing I wanted to do. I didn’t even know what I could even propose. “My Ladies helped me to brainstorm with some options.” Not quite a lie, anyway.

“May I offer a plan? I talked with my lord as well, not sure how much time you’d be able to spend thinking about this,” Ethan offered. I nodded silently, giving him the space to speak. “A ball to meet the suitors, and then another council meeting to announce who you will marry. You could invite them to bring their best options, so they feel they have some say in the matter. But of course, you’ll have final say.”

Mulling the plan through, I realized this was not the worst idea. “A ball may be the best plan yet.”

Ethan smiled. Father nodded; his lip turned for a moment. “Your mother would be proud of both of you.”

The doors to the chambers opened with a flourish, interrupting us. Two courtiers announced they were ready for us to join. Father led the way, striding in with confidence and not a sign of any emotional distress. I followed, hoping to convey the same with my movements, and Ethan was behind me.

We found three seats left open for us at the head of the long oak table. The councilors occupied the rest, one representing each region of Elthas. Most of them were men I knew nothing about, but I could identify the only female Councilor, Lady Juniper Mallard, sitting at the far end from where my seat was. We had never talked, but I had heard how she was the most progressive and willing to argue against the leaders of the Council. Next to her was Amyra’s father, Lord Greenhow.

Next to us, unfortunately, were the two lords I leastenjoyed by reputation alone. Lord Patrick Luther was the most conservative man in the room, and the one most vocal about the need to assert male authority over their feminine counterparts. His strong misogyny often enraged Mother after meetings with him. Across from him, next to the seat Ethan was to take, was Lord Eric Denenbaum. He was the father of Ethan’s girlfriend, Katelle. His reputation was slightly better than Lord Luther’s, but he still supported many of the measures Luther proposed, which left me feeling distrustful of him. He may have better charisma when discussing the plans they have, but that doesn’t make him a better man.

The Council rose as we entered the room and waited for the three of us. Once we were standing next to our designated seats, the courtiers moved in to pull the chairs out in a synchronized motion. We took our seats, which signaled to the Council to take theirs. I looked at each face, taking them in as they studied me. When I got to Lady Mallard, she offered a wink. I didn’t know what that could mean. We had never met before, let alone had a secret to share.

As I reached the last councilor, Father cleared his throat. I looked at him as he nodded towards Lord Luther. The councilor thumped a gavel on the table. “Session shall resume.”

He stood and read the list of items they planned to handle during this meeting. It sounded like a regularly scheduled meeting, rather than one called to order just for Mother’s death. Glancing back at each person, I wondered how many knew the queen was dead. This certainly was a bizarre way to honor her memory. It felt so callous, so cruel, to sit here and listen to them act like just an unfortunate accident occurred to some irrelevant person, a minor bump in the road. I clasped my hands around each other, clasped in my lap, and took some deep breaths to soothe the irritation I held at this.

Finally, he finished his list. “We shall commence with the matter added this morning. As you all are now aware, the Queen of Elthas was found deceased earlier today. Our King is here to provide you with what we need to know.”

Lord Luther sat down as Father stood. “Good afternoon,councilors. It is with profound sorrow that I confirm the passing of my wife, Her Majesty, the Queen of Elthas, earlier today. The royal physician has initiated a thorough investigation into the circumstances of her passing and has enlisted the support of select members of the royal guard. We expect gaining further clarity in the days and weeks ahead and will provide updates as more information becomes available.”

Father pauses, an almost imperceptible sniffle comes from him.

“As established by our longstanding laws and traditions, the monarchy must be led by both a king and a queen in service to the people. Given my advancing years, I find myself unable to take a new consort and fulfill this duty as required. Therefore, I will abdicate my position and entrust the throne to its rightful successors, while remaining available to serve in an advisory capacity to the new king and queen.”

Father pauses once more, though this seems intentional, as he watches the councilors take notes about his announcement. After a moment, he continues.

“Over the years, the queen and I have engaged in extensive discussions regarding the future of the realm. As such, I can say with certainty that the selection of our next leader reflects not only my judgment but also the queen’s expressed wishes. It is with full confidence that I announce Princess Lyla will ascend to the throne and lead Elthas with strength and wisdom for many years to come.”

The councilors pause their writing to offer a polite applause. I didn’t know what to do, so I stood to accept it. Father placed his arm around my shoulder, a level of affection I never expected him to show in such a formal setting, but one I felt immensely grateful to receive.

Moments after standing, Lord Luther stopped his clapping, which causes the rest to stop almost instantaneously. It felt almost rehearsed. His influence was palpable. As the applause died, Father sat down, leaving me the only one standing.

“Princess Lyla, my congratulations are yours,” he began,his tone measured. “As you must be aware, traditions dictate that your marriage coincides with your coronation. We want to ask about the status of your courtships, since there has been no formal betrothal announcement. Might you provide us with an estimation when we may expect both your betrothal and subsequent nuptials to be completed?”

Seriously? Despite the lack of proper mourning for Mother, he demanded I discuss my marital prospects. I expected the callousness, but it was still jarring to witness. I felt my eyebrows raised for a moment and worked to straighten my face and remove any signs of emotions.

“Thank you, Lord Luther, and everyone else, for your warm welcome to the Council, especially under such tragic circumstances.” I noticed Lady Mallard’s expression flickered; a small smirk lifted the corners of her mouth for only a moment before she composed herself. “As I had only just reached an age where courtship is welcome, I have only started to meet with potential suitors. I understand the urgency with which the Council must feel, as an open seat of the throne can be an invitation to instability. If the Council would be so kind as to consider a proposal that I had the briefest amount of time to prepare, I would appreciate it.”

I paused here, waiting for signs of assent. Several councilors nodded, prepared to take notes on what I’m about to say. My heart stutters for a moment, and I feel a sudden rush of warmth to my cheeks. I feel my hands become clammy, and clasp them in front of me, one hand holding a fist at my hips, as a sign of the composure I wish I had. I force myself to speak again.

“I believe that the best course of action would be to host a ball, perhaps a month after the Queen’s funeral, to allow suitors to come present themselves. The ball can be open to all nobility from Elthas and neighboring countries, and I would even invite all of you to select a suitor that you feel is a worthy match. I expect this would not only help my search, but offer an opportunity for our local economic growth.”

Father offered me a slight nudge from his leg, which I took to indicate approval. I hoped so, anyway.

“This is certainly an interesting proposal, Princess. Our yearly budget does not support such an event. How would you suggest we approach the funding for this?” Lord Denenbaum asked.

I felt the panic return for a moment. How would I know how to pay for this?

Father cleared his throat and stood. “Lord Denenbaum, while I acknowledge your observation as quite perceptive, I must remind you that the passing of Her Majesty, the Queen, was an entirely unforeseen event. We could not prepare for such a situation until mere hours ago. Traditionally, we have kept financial discussions closed, so we haven’t introduced Princess Lyla to them yet. The allocation of funds will require a separate meeting, allowing the planning committee ample time to assess this matter thoroughly. At this moment, I would suggest we redirect our conversation to a more strategic, brainstorming level. We will convene the financial and planning committees in three days to address the fiscal concerns.”

Lord Denenbaum’s posture stiffened, and his face flushed with embarrassment. He averted his eyes, embarrassed that his attempt to discourage me failed. I tried to keep my face neutral as I felt gratitude for Father stepping in.

Lady Mallard raised her hand. I nodded in her direction, to allow her a chance to speak. “My deepest condolences, Your Majesty and Your Highnesses. The Queen was a beloved ruler, always just and fair. Princess Lyla, I look forward to helping you learn the role, so that you can make your mother proud as the ruler she hoped you would be.”

She bowed her head briefly, and I returned the gesture. “I do want to offer support for the ball. I think this is a great way to hasten introductions to several suitors at once. As a member of the budget committee, I can assure Lord Denenbaum that we will find funding for this venture.”

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