she watched as they talked, listening all the while and making sure to follow in the conversation. she understood everything just fine, didnt mean she liked it or had anything to add. she moved swiftly but gracefully taking care of Albion clothes he had changed out of in case they had blood on them and moving them to the Carlyle. "Take these down to get cleaned," she spoke softly before returning to the other two.
Carlyle nodded, bowing and taking the clothes. He sighed as he walked away. He also had an incompetent father, having made the whole family work as servants, but he sort of expected the king to be at least a little competent. That was apparently a dissapointment.
Eliora stepped out of her room when she heard voices, closing the door behind her. "Oh," She said, her gaze landing on her mother and siblings. "Hello, Mother. Is something wrong?" She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, coming to stand next to Jasper.
Even at twelve, Albion had some understanding of the economy and social structure where he lived. As the heir, it was something he was expected to be familiar with. He looked aghast at the vague term "all brutality", bewildered and frustrated with his father. "'All brutality'? We can't take that many men away from their jobs. The economy would collapse, wouldn't it? Take the farmers away from the farms, and suddenly, there isn't any food. We would have a famine, and then people would starve, and…" He sighed, pacing back and forth. "He's foolish. Ridiculous, daft old man… he's gone senile. We would need a specific number for a draft, and some sort of plan on how to continue on as usual as possible with them gone."
“Exactly.” The queen revealed a secret smile of pride for her son, though it was gone as quick as it came. “The economy may not collapse immediately or completely, with hope, but it would definitely suffer.”
She didn’t turn when the new voice came, her eyes only following Eliora as she came next to her sister. “Daughter,” she greeted. “I was just informing your siblings of what happened at the court meeting. You may want to listen.”
Albion groaned, trying to find some way to get his father's plan to not destroy the economy. "We will have to have rations set aside so the people don't starve… if people are going hungry because of a decision the king made, they may riot, and we definitely don't need that right now." He kept pacing, resting his chin on one hand as he did so. "We might have to dip into our own stores if it gets dire enough. How pertinent is winning the war as soon as possible? We need time to set the rations aside."
(sorry for my absence!)
"Depends," Rowena replied. "Napoleon may be stuck, but there are still thousands of French soldiers stationed in Iberia. The combination of British, Portuguese, and Spaniards will certainly outnumber them, but only God knows how long it will take. Might as well start setting aside rations now."
She then let out a sigh, putting a hand to her temple. "I'm going to try and convince him to send fewer men, though. If I can't, then I'll discuss preparations for accomodating for fewer men in the workforce."
(Np ^^)
Albion fidgeted a bit, clearly uneasy as he continued his pacing. "Mm… how long do we have until we need to send more men?" He asked. "More importantly, how long do we have to set aside rations and make preparations for their absence?"
Jasper as she listened to them talk she definitely wasn't jealous of her brother having to deal with all of this, and having to one day inherit this, even tho she wanted to him to have a good childhood she knew when he ascended the throne he would be a better king then their father ever was or had been. She just had to hope her mother stayed around longer then her father did, and by the looks of her father's drinking habits she knew that would probably be the situation they were put in. She stayed quiet as they talked.
“Alright,” she said, closing her eyes. “I’m glad. And I will always make time for you, and come to you when you need me. Although I’m afraid,” she admitted, “of what would happen if I sacrificed too much. But let’s not talk about that today.”
She leaned into his touch, as if she was also afraid he would somehow disappear if he let go.
He chuckled softly, holding her closely and rubbing her back gently and soothingly as if to try and calm her down from any bad thoughts she might be having.
"I would defend you no matter what it did to me, so do not be afraid, for I am here to rescue should anything happen." He softly a whisper into her ear as they swayed slightly.
"Edward…" Her brows furrowed at his words. As endearing as they were, she was afraid for him too. She tightened her embrace, swaying with him, the thought of What if it's your parents, the lord and lady? playing in her mind, but she tightened her lips. She had said they wouldn't be talking about it. Gently pulling away, she cupped his jaw with one hand, looking deep into his eyes. "My knight in shining armor," she chuckled.
(Np ^^)
Albion fidgeted a bit, clearly uneasy as he continued his pacing. "Mm… how long do we have until we need to send more men?" He asked. "More importantly, how long do we have to set aside rations and make preparations for their absence?"
“That’s the thing,” Rowena then realized. “The king didn’t say when he would send the men out, nor where or how.”
She suppressed a growl of frustration. Not only did her husband make a stupid move, he didn’t even think about where, when, how he was going to make it.
Albion sat down on the edge of his bed, nibbling nervously at his knuckles. "Well, I know he isn't exactly the brightest, but we might have to ask him some of these questions. I… maybe if I spoke with him, I could reason with him to work out a formal plan. I don't know if he actually respects my opinion, though."
I doubt it, Eliora almost spoke aloud, but kept quiet, shooting a glance at Rowena. Instead, she crossed her arms and promptly glared at the floor. Hardly anyone here seems to respect mine, She thought bitterly, Least of all His Royal Majesty.
(NOTE: Eliora has refused to refer to the king as her father ever since she was 12)
Rowena cringed internally. “You can try. I believe I would have an easier time of it.” Or not, depending on how drunk is when she goes to see him. Actually, if he was drunk… “Just let me speak to him. He told me he was going to have another drink, and I do not want you near the man when he’s been drinking.”
"Alright… if you insist. I suppose it would be better. I've got a few choice words for him." Albion muttered through gritted teeth, clearly frustrated. "He really has put us into quite a predicament here. He's a sorry old fool. I honestly ought to go ahead and take over for him now. He's clearly senile."
"You'd Do a better job then he could, and your only in your childhood years, that's definitely saying something." She crossed her arms, passing a glance at her sister, and then back over to her little brother. She knew what he was thinking, and she was thinking the same only sooner then he had.
Well, most likely.
"I don't want you around him while he's drinking either, it's not a good scenario." She was agreeing with Rowena, not saying she was worried for her.
"Edward…" Her brows furrowed at his words. As endearing as they were, she was afraid for him too. She tightened her embrace, swaying with him, the thought of What if it's your parents, the lord and lady? playing in her mind, but she tightened her lips. She had said they wouldn't be talking about it. Gently pulling away, she cupped his jaw with one hand, looking deep into his eyes. "My knight in shining armor," she chuckled.
He smiled down at her, when she cupped his jaw with her one small and soft hand, he looked deep in her eyes, before moving to turn and kiss her hand,
"I will always be your knight in shining armor, never forget that my little Fox."
He smiled warmly at her, before moving to place a gentle kiss on her forehead.
She smiled back, blushing a little at the kisses. “Never, birdie.” Leaning forward, she kissed his cheek in return. “And I will always be your princess.”
For some time she swayed with him, but then she remembered something. She lifted her head to look into his eyes again. “Dear, doesn’t your family have the event at the palace to attend? I don’t want to keep you or get you into trouble.”
"You'd Do a better job then he could, and your only in your childhood years, that's definitely saying something." She crossed her arms, passing a glance at her sister, and then back over to her little brother. She knew what he was thinking, and she was thinking the same only sooner then he had.
Well, most likely.
"I don't want you around him while he's drinking either, it's not a good scenario." She was agreeing with Rowena, not saying she was worried for her.
Rowena did nothing to stop the scheming tones in her children’s voices. “Indeed. I will speak to him,” she announced, then looked over them all. “You all must get ready for the event. Most of the nobility will be attending.”
She briefly placed her hand on Albion’s head, and then placed it on Jasper and Eliora’s shoulders as she left the room.
"Alright…" Albion closed his eyes and dipped his head a bit when Rowena touched him, a bit confused by the affection. Physical affection was definitely something he wasn't used to. He sighed softly after she left, running his fingers through his hair. "This is ridiculous… now I have to figure out some way to sort out his mess." He winced as he lowered his arm, gently touching his chest with his other hand where his injury was.
Eliora tensed as Rowena touched her, relaxing her shoulders when the door closed behind her. She looked back at Albion as he spoke. "What happened?" She asked, taking a few steps toward him. "Are you alright?" She wasn't extremely close with Albion, but he was her brother. She didn't want him to get hurt.
Albion took a step back as his sister approached him, clearly a bit wary. Would she even tell the king or queen? She isn't particularly close with them… "It… it's nothing. Just had… um… a minor altercation with one of the horses." He replied stiffly, chills running down his spine at the strange sensation of wetness slowly growing on his chest.
Jasper quickly moved over between the two, moving Infront of Albion. She had let go of her tense feelings as long as Rowena had left but hadn't realized that Eliora was still there and didn't know Albion were hurt.
"Albion, can I check on it? I want to make sure it's not bleeding through the bandage."
Albion whined a bit in protest, but reluctantly relented. He hesitated before unbuttoning his top and slipping it off, which exposed the bandages that he had definitely already bled through. He winced a bit, clearly uncomfortable. "Mmnh… is that bad?" He asked.
Eliora's eyes widened and she looked at Jasper. "You knew about- Never mind." She shook her head. "Will he be okay? Do you want me to get more bandages?" She took a few steps towards the door. "Because, I can get more bandages." Don't panic. Don't panic don't panic oh I'm panicking.
Jasper winced when she saw how the blood had already gotten through all the bandages. "that's not gonna work…it will bleed through your clothes." She turns to Eliora and moves towards her. "I need you to rush and get bandages, but don't tell anyone okay?"
