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The tradition continued to this day, and the kingdom of Manzimor was stronger for it.
Now, I wanted to use part of the funds to support bread day celebrations all over the kingdom. It was a way to remember our history and to remind ourselves that we were all in this together.
“I think that’s a wonderful idea,” he said finally.
I smiled at him. “Thank you.”
“There are plenty of great event organizers in the Eternal Court. They’ll make sure your idea is carried out properly.”
“Thank you, Prince Maedras,” I said, getting to my feet. “But that’s not what I had in mind. Local community leaders know their people best. I want to give the funds directly to them. They know how to use the resources better than anyone in court.”
He frowned. “Are you sure that’s wise?”
“Yes,” I said firmly. “I’m positive.”
It would remind Prince Maedras of his promise. That we were to be equals, and I was not subservient to him.
Prince Maedras raised an eyebrow. “That’s a different approach.”
I smiled innocently at him. “I know. But I trust them to do what’s best for their people. They’ve been doing it for years.”
They would also make sure the funds went to those who needed it most, not into the nobles’ pockets.
Prince Maedras considered my words for a moment. “I can bring you in contact with the representatives of each region if you’d like.”
“Darith has made me a list.” I grabbed it from my bag and handed it to him so he could read it. Push and pull, give and take. That’s how these games were played.
He scanned the list before handing it back to me. “There are no guild representatives on this list.”
“Guilds can be difficult to work with from what I understand,” I said. “I didn’t want to offend any Guilds by leaving them out, so I focused on the regions.”
His expression changed. “I think that’s a wise decision, princess. The guilds can be… difficult to deal with.”
I nodded my head.
The door opened with a bang and I turned and saw a massive shaggy-coated animal sprinting into the room towards us. I took a step away from it, my heart pounding in my chest.
The animal skidded to a stop in front of me, and finally, I saw it was an Elvish hare. Its floppy ears with its red eyes and bushy tail made it look more like a giant stuffed toy than a real animal.
Staring at it, I remembered the bedtime stories my mother used to tell me. My mother told me stories about Elvish hares. The Elves used them as trackers and spies. They were also said to be very lucky.
The hare cocked its head to the side and regarded me with its bright eyes. It sniffed at my leg and then ran off towards Prince Maedras. It circled him a few times before flopping down at his feet and closing its eyes.
Prince Maedras smiled down at the hare. “It seems you have made a friend, princess.”
I laughed and bent down. “It seems I have.”
The hare opened its eyes and regarded me with a look that seemed almost humanlike.
“It surprises me you are not terrified of Bancos.”
I looked up and saw that Prince Maedras watched me intently. “I grew up around animals. We always had at least one rabbit or cat around the house. And my mother used to tell me stories about Elvish hares. They have always fascinated me.”
Trickster tales, more like. Stories of the Elvish hares and their trickster ways always fascinated my mother. And she passed that on to me.
The hare sat up and regarded me with its bright eyes.
“They are amazing creatures,” he said. “But feared by many.”
