“Is that his bride-to-be? She’s beautiful.”
“Her eyes glow! Does that mean she’s his bodyguard?”
“Why would Dotharr choose a woman to be a warrior?”
“Why would the king allow a woman to put herself in harm’s way for him?”
I flushed, glad Torvald’s hearing wasn’t as acute as mine. We ascended the stairs to a more private waiting area. The men who lounged in the chairs were clothed in pale yellow robes, marking them as counselors. They came to greet the king but stopped short when they saw me.
An older man with ashy blond hair was the first to recover. He smiled. “We were not aware that a lady would be joining us today, my lord.”
“Good morning to you too, Rakim.”
So this is Kalea’s father. It took me a moment to see the resemblance. It was in the placement of the eyes and the curve of his mouth.
The king raised his voice. “Gentlemen, this is Lady Isa and she will be accompanying me everywhere from now on, just like all my other Defenders. Does anyone have an issue with this?”
Uncomfortable silence followed.
A middle-aged man with bright red hair stepped forth. “We mean no disrespect, sire.” He nodded at me. “My lady. But our constitution clearly states—”
The king’s frown caused the gentleman to stop talking immediately.
He cleared his throat and stepped back. “Of course, we can review the constitution at another time.”
“Let’s begin,” the king said.
Counselor Rakim walked closely beside Torvald as we journeyed to the meeting chamber. “We’re still waiting on General Halvar, sire.”
The king smirked. “You know he arrives late on purpose. He hates these meetings. We can begin without him this time.”
Counselor Rakim nodded. “As you wish.”
The meeting chamber consisted of a long rectangular table with fifty lavish chairs and an enormous fireplace. The glass wall that faced the waiting area was covered by drapes but the one across was clear, giving us a view of the ward. The king walked over to a chair that had been tucked in the corner, and carried it over to the head of the table. He gestured for me to sit. I felt every eye on us as I did. I doubted I would ever get used to that.
Once everyone was seated and the king had settled into the chair beside me, Counselor Rakim began to report. “Thanks to the agreements made with our sister nations, our coal and oil supplies have doubled in the last year. The southern section of the island will outlast the winter.”
The king leaned over to whisper in my ear, “The southern section is home to the more impoverished families of our population.”
“What does Holger give in return for these supplies?” I asked.
“Craftsmen’s goods,” the king replied. “We have nothing else.”
I had to wonder what the general was doing with all that merchandise.
The king turned to Counselor Rakim. “This is good news. What of the extra order of blankets and food we discussed to be distributed to the southern section?”
“General Halvar brought a cargo of a thousand sheep, my lord,” another counselor said.
The king shook his head. “That won’t be enough.”
“We’ll do what we can, sire,” a third counselor vowed.
“As for the extra food you requested, it would require rationing the food here,” Counselor Rakim said.
The king didn’t hesitate. “Then it will be done.”
The counselors exchanged miserable glances but didn’t argue.
“The jobs created to provide the families of the southern section with substantial income are proving problematic,” Rakim said, continuing his report. “We’re running out of streets and buildings to renovate, sire.”
“The emigration should give them a fresh start,” the king said.
Rakim nodded. “Thanks to your efforts, we have interviewed and gathered fifty families who are willing to move to our newly-purchased provinces in the sister nations. We await the end of winter to send them on their way.”
The next hour continued in the same manner, with different counselors reporting on various aspects of life on the island. The king didn’t hesitate to explain things that might confuse me. He was quick to make suggestions to resolve conflicts, referencing books he had read and techniques that had worked for his grandfather in the past. And he always asked for Counselor Rakim’s opinion.
“He’s seen three kings come and go,” Torvald explained. “He has an idea or two about what works and what doesn’t.”
Meanwhile, I noted the number of doors and the distance between the windows and the table. I kept close watch on the buildings across from ours, and the people mingling in the ward. I practiced blocking out nearby voices and focusing on the sounds in the stories above and below us. And then my name was mentioned.
I looked up to see everyone watching me. I was about to apologize for not paying attention when the king spoke up.
“Anything you have to tell me can be said in her presence,” he said with a hard edge in his tone.
The counselors shifted nervously in their seats.
I stood. “It’s all right, Your Majesty. I can wait outside.”
King Torvald opened his mouth to protest but I put a hand on his shoulder. He blinked in surprise. I squeezed gently and smiled before taking my leave. Perhaps that had been too familiar a move considering we had only met yesterday, but I couldn’t very well take it back. I stood by the door and pretended to watch passersby. All the while I listened to what was being said in the meeting room.
“This is a new predicament we’re in,” someone said. “We were under the impression that this Defender would be a man, just like the rest. The rules this council and yourself have made… they no longer apply because she’s a woman.”
“That woman graduated from Dotharr’s Academy with honors,” the king said. “That woman has undergone the same rigorous training as every other Defender who has come to work for me. Even General Halvar was impressed with her skill. There is no one better suited for this position.”
“It isn’t a question of skill, my lord,” a different man said. “Please, don’t take offense. It is only that… Ours is an old-fashioned culture. Our people expect certain things from their king. We counselors would like to promote a positive image of Your Majesty, one of honor and purity.”
“Yes? So?” the king asked tersely.
“She is living under your roof, my lord,” a third man murmured. “Sharing a home with a woman who isn’t your wife… We only seek to preserve the king’s good reputation.”
Torvald scoffed. “Her eyes glow. Anyone who has any sense will look at her and know she’s a warrior.”
“She is a phenomenon, my lord. They might not know what to make of her. I know I personally struggle to understand why Dotharr would choose a woman to serve him. The work of a warrior is dangerous and uncivilized. It is not a life meant for a lady. The people could take one look at her and think her a fluke, an attempt to convince the world that you are guarded at all times when in reality you are—”
“I’m what?” the king challenged. “Parading around my prostitute?”
“Sire, please don’t be upset,” another said.
“This is ridiculous! What would you have me do? Marry her?”
My stomach dropped in dread when the sarcastic question was met by silence.
The king made a choking sound. “You can’t be serious. We hardly know each other! I couldn’t force her into matrimony.”
“With all due respect, my lord, you can ask whatever you want of her,” Counselor Rakim said. “You are the king.”