Chapter Twenty-Nine - Part Six
Lessa
"Charming." My smile was crooked. "If the worst comes to the worst, I suppose you could look at the situation that way. At least I'll have taken the chance to walk a bit more of the land I happen to rule. But no, I'm not going to let this be the death of me."
Nate's smile in reply was heart-warming. I was edging ever closer to being sure that I was already forgiven for my earlier lies to him. He seemed to be beginning to understand why I hadn't told him what was really going on. And the truth was a powerful tonic for a suspicious mind.
I straightened in the saddle. "As far as I see it, I have about three options open to me. One, I could try and put my various affairs, such as they are, in order whilst being the best damn monarch I can be in the limited time left to me."
"That would be very, er, queenly?"
"True, highly admirable and all that. Also dull. You have no idea how boring the business of ruling is. I've started to appreciate the reasons why previous monarchs resorted to wars. Ambitious military campaigns kept life a bit more interesting."
I pouted when I caught sight of Nate's horrified expression. It wasn't like I meant it about starting wars for the sake of fun. I was just starting to understand how previous kings and queens might have felt.
"The job's not for me, Nate. You shouldn't step on the path to power if you don't have any kind of passion for public service. I could ride half a mile from the Ilserine palace and come across a hundred more qualified candidates than me."
I shrugged. "I suppose since I'm queen whether I want to be or not, I could try and put some reforms in place, make some material changes to improve people's lives. The thought did occur to me and it would feel pretty good to use the throne in that way.
"But it wouldn't be so great in the long run. No matter how well-meant it was. I've read enough of the histories to see what the pushback is like against such progressive politics, especially when the succession is left unsecured. A short reign doesn't tend to lead to anything positive."
Part one of this chapter can be found here.
Part one of Privileged can be found here.
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