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Your Majesty, I am the new magistrate for several of the closest villages,a middle-aged man I’d never seen before, now a graying wolf, spoke, facing me directly. I recalled his predecessor however, and not in a positive way.The people who are in the dungeons have committed various crimes. Some are dangerous and others less so. Their transgressions are all in the records. They are down there awaiting hearings.
I snarled.Wait, they are waiting down there in rancid cells for us to decide if they are guilty or not? What are we charging these people with? Who put them down there?
I was beyond enraged. Part of being a successful kingdom, in my eyes, was having a swift and fair justice system. Silly me, I’d always thought we had.
Clearly, I was wrong and I meant to correct that error immediately.
A bald man, I forgot his name, cleared his throat.Some of them are down there for serious crimes, Your Majesty. Murder. Theft. Cheating. Gambling debts owed. But a good majority of them are down there for speaking out against your uncle. That is their only crime.
That’s not a crime at all. In fact, we should probably be celebrating those people. Let them go. What is the hold up?
Your Majesty, in order to uphold a consistent justice system, each one must go through a hearing in front of the crown. We cannot just let people go. There must be a way of doing things.
My hackles rose.And keeping them down there in squalor is a good form of justice? Let’s face it, none of this is justice.
Leif put his paw over mine, and both my wolf and I calmed in an instant. My veins still pulsed with frustration over the whole thing, but I was able to at least begin focusing on a solution instead of just screaming about the problem.
All this time, I’ve been sitting in my room in the afternoons or going to meetings or riding horses when these people could’ve been handled. From now on, nothing stays in the shadows. No more little secrets from the queen that she might stumble upon. We have to face the problems of this kingdom if we are to solve them. Hiding things never cleared up a damned thing.
Canine heads bobbed in agreement
I mean, they really didn’t have much of a choice, but whether or not they actually followed through would be seen in the future.
Here’s what is going to happen. First, every afternoon for three hours, we are going to have hearings for these people until every single one has been heard and either let go or sentenced. I want the ones who Bors put in prison first.
Suddenly, they were all wide awake, focused. Even though this had come about in an obscure way, I thought they knew it was for the best. Things had to change around here, and I had to be the one to make it happen.
Secondly, I want a team of people to go down there and improve the standards of living. I want all of the cells cleaned and at the very least we can provide them regular meals and a place to sleep. Leif, can you be in charge of that?
His eyes gleamed. I knew what it was. Pride and happiness flowed through our beginning bond. He was glad to have been given a task, even a not-so-pretty one.I can absolutely do that, Your Majesty.
Good. Now, are there any more secret coves or crimes against humanity that I need to know about?
No one thought a word. The sun rose in the distance, and I felt like it had also risen on a new era for this kingdom. I would be a just queen. I would not be one who held people in despicable conditions just because I could.
You are all dismissed. I appreciate your work. Together, we can make this kingdom better.
They shifted, dressed, and filed out, except Gunnar, who lingered.
Do you have something to discuss, Gunnar?I asked as he hovered near me.
I have come back to take up your offer of courting. I will not give up on our betrothal. I’ve always believed it was a contract of the gods, not just men who wanted to unite kingdoms. And once I saw you, I knew that was true.
I lifted my snout. “What did you have in mind?”
Surprises are the best form of romance, don’t you think? You will get something from me when you least expect it, beautiful queen. Until then, may I assist Leif in getting things done? It’s a large task you’ve given him and I would love to be of more help to your kingdom.
He did have a way about him that made my stomach flutter.That would be perfect. Thank you.
He rubbed his muzzle against mine.Until then, Your Majesty.
Chapter Twenty
I appreciated all the extra clothes and boots and shoes I was getting thanks to Candace and her goal to completely update my wardrobe, but going back and forth to the village for fittings was the pits.
The last three days, we had successfully cleared out the dungeons by half, a feat in itself. Because half of the dungeons were filled with people who were there for the sole reason they opposed Bors and his tyrant reign.
I didn’t blame them for speaking out one bit, in fact, I thanked each one of them for their loyalty to the crown and gave each back some of their losses.
