Page 5 of Appointing

“I… I do?” she stuttered.

“Well, that wasn’t the best of examples,” Ingrid teased her.

“Right,” she replied, blushing again. “I just meant… I mean… I didn’t know you thought that.”

“Ma’am, I read every speech you write before you deliver it. If I thought it was a bad speech, I’d tell you. That’s part of my job,” Ingrid replied.

“Of course,” Elin said, nodding.

“Might I ask why this one is so important to you? I know it’s for the foundation, but you’ve delivered the speech for the past three years, and I don’t recall seeing you this concerned about it.”

“I just want to get it right,” she lied.

“Very well,” Ingrid said, likely knowing she wasn’t telling the truth. “Is there anything else, Ma’am?”

“No, thank you.”

Ingrid turned to go before quickly turning around and saying, “My apologies; I completely forgot: the King would like you to join him and your mother for dinner tonight.”

“Did he say why?”

“No, Ma’am,” Ingrid replied. “Six o’clock.”

“Thank you,” she said.

Well, this was it. Her father was about to tell her she wouldn’t be Queen after all. She could just see him refusing to retire now that Christian wasn’t going to take over. He’d tell her that he’d work with her for the next several years until she wasreadyto be Queen instead. With Christian giving up his spot in succession, that meant his children wouldn’t be included, either, unless she could convince their father to put them back in line for the throne. She might have to because with Lillian not settling down anytime soon, her not wanting children of her own, and Mari not wanting public life for herself or the kids she might have one day, Christian’s children would be their only viable option to take over; at least, as far as the country was concerned. She knew people would need to see stability, continuity, and that the line was secured. She wanted that, too.

“Elin, have a seat,” her father said when she entered the formal dining room.

The dark-wood table was meant for sixteen people and could easily be expanded to seat twenty-four. Most nights, when her parents weren’t traveling, the six of them had eaten at this table. Elin remembered feeling so small in her chair. And now, she was sitting to the right of her father, Christian’s usual seat, and her mother was at the opposite end of the table, so far away. She still felt small.

“We’ve spoken with Christian again.”

Oh. Had they managed to convince him to leave the Air Force?

“He’s set on his decision, and I can’t force him to be King,” her father continued.

Elin watched as his left hand trembled. He placed his right hand over it, either to cover it up or to try to stop the shaking.

“Your mother will not let me reconsider my own decision, and I love and respect my Queen too much to not listen to her.” He smiled across the table at his wife. “We’re going to tell your sisters before everyone else, and then we’ll inform certain members of government and the palace staff, obviously. After that, we will announce your brother’s plans for the military. Following that, after some time has passed, we’ll announce my retirement and your ascension to the throne. You’ll have your consecration a few months after that.”

This was it. This was happening. He was still retiring. Christian was still staying in the Air Force. She was going to be Queen. The consecration of the King was a thousand-year-old tradition in Norway. The ceremony was a solemn blessing of the King in the performance of his royal duties. In more recent years, the Queen Consort had been consecrated as well. Elin would be a Queen by birth and blood, so she’d receive the consecration. When King OlavV inherited the throne in nineteen-fifty-eight, the coronation ceremony was replaced with the consecration ceremony officially, and it had been that way ever since.

“Lillian will become second in line,” her father continued. “Mari will be third. When you have children, they’ll become second, and so on. Well, you know how this works.” He took a drink of his wine.

Elin then realized that she hadn’t even noticed that she had a full plate of food, wine, and water glasses in front of her.

“What about Christian’s children?” she asked.

“You’ll have to take that up with him. I tried to discuss that with him earlier, and he didn’t want to hear it from me yet. You, as far as I know, haven’t dated anyone. Of course, a father is the last to know.” He smiled at her. “Christian has had girlfriends, but nothing longer than a year or so that I recall. Lillian is content to just… well, she’s Lillian. And my little Mari is still young.”

“Notthatyoung, dear. She’s nearly twenty-five,” her mother said.

“Don’t remind me,” he replied. “You’re all so grown up now,” he added to Elin. “And she’s no closer than you to marrying and settling down. When the time comes, talk to your brother. Technically, his children will not be included unless you make it so once you’re the monarch.”

“I know,” she offered in response. “What did the Prime Minister say when you told him?”

Her father seemed surprised by the question. Elin picked up her wineglass and took a drink as if he shouldn’t be, trying to play the part now that it was definitely about to be hers.

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