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“I know everything must be so overwhelming for you,” she added, taking her own cake as well. “But you are not alone in this.”
“I’m glad.” Keep your answers short and sweet, Odette. Short and sweet.
“I hope you don’t mind my saying this”—here we go—“but what Elspeth told you before, that you must be the stone that sharpens the sword, is not a one-size-fits-all for kings.”
“Is that so?” I said, slicing the very thinnest corner of the cake.
“Yes, she stole the words I told her…but then again, do not blame her. When I first said the phrase to her, I told her it was advice passed down from queen to queen.”
“So you lied to her?”
“I said whatever I needed to say to make sure she was the queen my son needed. Elspeth was too…set in her own ways. And she wished to do so many things. Change things.”
My eyebrow rose at how unbothered she was at speaking about Elspeth like this.
“Is that so?” Short and sweet, Odette.
“You might not believe it when you see her now, but she was quite the idealist. But then again, those not raised in the nobility always believe they can update and bring new life to the monarchy.”
I had walked right into this…really, I did. “Isn’t Elspeth’s family noble?”
“Barely. And even that, they squandered by living outside the country for so long. You should have seen her when she came. Her red hair all wild and all over the place and wearing pants of all things.”
What was this? 1930?
I did not want to talk behind her back. “I cannot imagine Elspeth like that.”
“It was a sight. She was very excited and wanted to jump into action. However, that is not how it works. The monarchy can only handle a limited, snail-pace level of change. And you, Odette, are the biggest change.”
This reminded me of my first conversation with Elspeth. “Arabella, are you worried I am going to change things more?”
“Not at all,” she mused. “At first, I worried that you might also come with many ideas, dreams, or fantasies. But as I’ve watched you, I see you are meeker; you stand back and observe. You rely on the expertise of others wiser than you. That is to your credit.”
“Thank…you.” …I think?
“However…” There was always a but or a however.
“However?” I nodded.
“Galahad takes after his mother in the same ways,” she replied with a deep frown. “He likes change. He does not mind butting against anyone. He is stubborn and always seeks to have things his way.”
“He is King.”
“Exactly, and as Queen, you must protect him.” She brought her plate down to her lap, forgetting to take a bite altogether. “Protect him from his own ambitions. Rein him in when necessary. Stop him from changing anything and keep him on the path that was paved for centuries before him. When history looks back on his reign, they should see that he was a strong and stable king. The only thing of interest in his tenure should be you. The first queen of color. And when they look back on you, they will see you were a shadow of benevolence, who did not involve yourself in anything but good works of charity.”
The way she had said color did not sit right with me, but I just stuffed a small piece of cake into my mouth, maybe hoping to keep my mouth sweet. It took me a moment before I found what to say.
“Arabella, how exactly am I to be a shadow of benevolence who only works with charity but also be a reining force on the king’s decisions?”
“Aren’t you a woman? Don’t you know how to influence a man without him realizing you are influencing him?” she asked with her head tilted. “At night, speak softly, wear a few clothes, and whisper into his ear.”
Wow. Really wow to this woman.
I wanted to ask her what history would say about her. But I didn’t want to piss her off. I didn’t need an enemy in the royal family. For now, I needed all the allies I could get. So I took another small bite of cake and then smiled. “I understand,” was all I said.
“See, I requested your time because I knew you would be agreeable.” She laughed and finally took a bite, relaxing slightly. “Though I must admit when I spoke to your mother and saw how strong a personality she had, I was a bit worried.”
She did what? “You spoke to my mother?”
