Page 51 of Dead Crown
“Yes, you’ve told me this many times before, yet, I see little evidence. It’s been years!”
“I would like more soldiers trained for one-”
“And with every passing year, others become old enough to fight in West Iceland too, and they join Tivar’s army to get higher wages and free food. Do you plan to wait until we can’t even feed the army either? Or until Tivar finally decides to march over here? We're bleeding money and lives. We need to put down the White Tide Court once and for all.”
Elswere set the packet on the desk. “Son, war is not an easy thing-”
“Watching our people suffer while the land dies is not easy either.” Jaki locked eyes with him. “Eventually, there won’t be anything to fight for.”
“If I start a full war, I know you’ll go, and even if I order you as King to stay, I know you won’t listen. You’re all I have now.” Elswere glanced at the portrait of Preti on the wall.
“I’m an adult, and it would be my duty to fight. I don’t think war is all glory and heroism, but I would fight for my people. I’m not the sort of Prince who will stay at home and let others do it all.”
“You might not come back,” snapped Elswere. “If we won but you died, shall I just sit at the High Table alone for the rest of my life? I already lost my wife, our first baby, Reesing-everyone.”
Jaki pressed his lips together. “I’m not saying I want you to be alone. It would be better for the Kingdom in the long run and me. What will we do in time when we can’t even keep the court fed? Do you want me to starve here?”
Tivar would attack before then. Jaki almost wanted to tell him everything, but it might ruin things later. Jaki wasn’t going to stay there and sit on his arse forever.
Elswere fiddled with the edge of the packet. “I’m not fit to rule. I’d put you on the throne, but if the Elira Tree grows healthy once more…”
“They’ll know you’re not a part of the male Cleel line, and you lied. I know. If we go to war and win, you could pass the throne to me along with the Crown right afterward, and no one would know. I have the proper Cleel blood.”
“I wish I had coronated you in secret earlier, but you and your Mother were so far away. When I took control of the Ice Court here with my supporters, they declared me the King, and a good deal of the leaves fell off the first day. Nobody said anything...And I didn't know where the Crown was.”
Of course, if Jaki was coronated right there and became the owner of the Elira Tree, neither had any idea if it would return to its old self. The rules for the Crown weren’t debatable, but the Tree was rather a grey area since it was a later gift.
“Give me a little more time,” said Elswere. “No matter what I do right this second, it’s not like we can go to war tomorrow.”
“Okay.” Jaki arranged his face to appear mollified.
Chapter Eleven
The servants all appeared to think there had been a huge mistake as they peered into the crates of the latest food delivery. Jaki turned to the cook and handed her a piece of folded parchment. “Here’s your new meal plan. I wrote it myself.”
The cook squinted while she glanced at the meals for each day of the week, and her ruddy face creased. “Er, Your Majesty, I think this is wrong.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I’m wrong?”
She managed to flush even redder. “I mean-did someone else write this for you or…”
“No, I wrote it myself. I may not work in a kitchen, but I’ve eaten enough meals over the years to figure out a basic plan.”
Her mouth hung open slightly as she pointed at one of the days. “Porridge and horsebread with taffy tea?”
“Yes. Taffy plants make a lot of tea with little, so I think it’s a good, economical choice.”
“But…I can’t give the Hall porridge and horsebread for breakfast like peasants! They'll come thumping down the kitchen door. And the other meals-”
“If anyone comes barging into the kitchen, you can tell me, and I’ll set them straight. The citizens certainly aren’t having grand food, and I think it’s time we stop wasting money. That's why I altered the order. Porridge won’t kill me, and I think meals will be easier for you to cook now.”
Lunch would be interesting.
“What is this supposed to be?” a lady squawked once the servants were bringing out the food.
Elswere gaped at the horsebread and soup a servant put before him. “What is this?”
“Lentil soup,” said Jaki.
