He placed the parchment pad on the king's lap.
"You'll see there all the numbers, and you'll be pleased to know that Providence has blessed us with more boys."
Repentance stared out the window and bit back her anger. Providence blessed them with more boys. The lowborns were no more than chickens who were suddenly laying twice as many eggs.
The king grunted and Repentance heard the sound of parchment pages being turned.
"Well, there's no need for you to read the whole packet," the prince said. "The numbers are up in every village. Just sign the bottom page, here—" More shuffling of parchment. And then the scratching of a charstick.
"Ah, very good," the prince said. "And now we have one for you to sign in regards to your troopers."
Repentance looked over to see the prince taking up the parchment pad and replacing it with a single sheet.
The king picked up the sheet and read it. "Five thousand beads! It's criminal."
"They're here for your protection."
"My left elbow! Here for my protection. No one is trying to assassinate me. I'm the best loved king in three-hundred years."
A look of hatred crossed the prince's face. "I'm aware of that, Uncle. Yes, I am. But it's because you are so loved, that we need to pay your troopers more. You are too precious to the people for us to take chances with your life."
"My troopers? You are the one who orders them about."
"Yes, Uncle. I order the troopers about, I take care of the imports and exports, I watch over the labor issues, I attend to our foreign wars, and you? You sign papers. That is how we have done it for a long time and that is what keeps the people happy. You smile and sit on the throne and I run the kingdom."
The king glared. "You forget yourself, Malficc."
"No, sir, I do not. I have not forgotten the kingdom and its needs. You are the one who seems to think everything will run itself while you're constantly down at the healing house. It is because of my work that the people love you so dearly."
The king squinted at the prince. "No. You'll not give the troopers a bonus in beads. I'll give the bonuses myself. I'm old, Lord Malficc, not stupid. Yours will not be the hand that feeds the watchdogs." He crumpled the parchment.
The prince nodded. "As you wish, your highness." He took another stack of parchment sheets from Garresh. "One more signature, then."
The king grabbed the pile. "What is this?"
"Provisions for various ministries." The prince tapped the top sheet. "More desks requested by the Ministry of Education." He lifted the page. "Rope for the Ministry of Jus—"
"Oh, for the love of Providence!" The king jerked the pile back. "I can read for myself." He flipped through the sheets, scanning the contents of each, then turned to the bottom one and signed his name.
The prince took the parchment book back and handed it to Garresh.
Repentance thought the look he gave Garresh came very close to the one her little brothers would exchange when they'd succeeded in slipping slugs into the pocket of Comfort's shift when she wasn't looking.
Why use your sons to till the soil?
Why give their strength to sweat and toil?
Why send your sons to fight in war,
when slaves can do all these and more?
~Captain Karrnidge, Stratagem for Success
Chapter 14
The carriage followed the sandy road up the mountain. "Wake me at the farm." The king put his head back against the seat cushion and closed his eyes.
Repentance looked at the old man, then chanced a sideways glance at the prince and his friend Lord Garresh who sat across from her. In the back of her mind, a thought began to form. It didn't matter how much she hated the king. If she pleased him she might be in a position to help Comfort when her buttoning failed. He had saved Repentance. Maybe he'd be willing to save Comfort, too. Thank Providence the king was well loved and no one wanted to assassinate him. As long as he was alive she was safe from the prince.
But then a horrid thought hit her. The king was ancient. How much longer could he live?
And when he died ….
She glanced again at the prince's handsome face. He caught her looking and gave her a broad smile.
She smiled back, with a grin that she hoped didn't look as sickly as it felt, and then quickly looked out the window. He scared her more when he smiled than when he frowned. She would have to pray that the king wouldn't die.
By the time they turned in to the farm where they would trade their horses for two skim carriages, Repentance had counted seventy-eight birds flitting between trees, and three wild hogs in the creek that ran alongside the road. And she'd managed to keep from looking at the prince the whole way.
The king disembarked and held up his hand for her. She took his hand, this time letting it linger after she'd gotten down. She had to forget his past and worry about her future, and Comfort's. And that meant she had to make the old king happy.
"We'll stay the night here and leave early," the king said. "We'll make it to the palace by tomorrow afternoon." He led her up the steps.
Repentance breathed out a sigh of relief. The following day, the prince would be traveling in the other carriage, Providence willing.
Woeful's eyes nearly popped from his head when he saw her. He actually bowed as she passed. She couldn't resist giving him a little smirk. There were advantages to being the king's concubine. She hadn't landed in an unbearable position, considering how bad it could have been.
