"I told you I didn't want it." The girl repeated as she bent to help the serving girl pick up the broken pieces.
"Is there a problem?" I asked.
"No sir.” The serving girl glared over at her unwanted assistant and rolled her eyes. “Just a mountain girl refusing the prince’s good ale."
“Prince’s ale. Right." The patron scoffed as the serving girl nudged her out of the way.
“Have I offended you in some way, miss?" I folded my hands behind my back and rolled my shoulders high. Even the dull tavern lights glinted off my gold buttons and differentiated me from the common crowd. The regal stance. The power position.
The patron stood, her feet planted shoulder-width, her arms taut at her sides. “You have not offended me, Your Majesty, but your actions and those of your sheep in fine clothing are offensive to all."
I expected a timid voice from the slight girl in a shapeless tunic, but she roared with the veracity of a lion, garnering the attention of the other patrons.
"Is that so?” I bit the inside of my cheek to stifle a laugh. “Please indulge me. I offered you a drink, was that not a kind gesture?"
"Your kindness is not in question sir, but the gesture was not one for you to give. You do not drink the prince’s ale, you drink the ale made from sweat and tears of the people of Aboria. This is the taxpayers’ ale." Her hands flew to her hips as a snarky smile curled across her mouth.
"Are we not all taxpayers?" Kalmin joined the fight, his full glass held high as he staggered slightly from the bar, his dress shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows. "And you should know better than to speak so candidly to our future King." He hoisted the drink higher. "To Prince Fallon, the next great King of Aboria.”
The girl shook her head, a few strands falling from the nest of hair she held at the top of her crown with what appeared to be a crisscrossed set of twigs. "The next great King? How can someone who is not even a great prince expect to be a great king?"
A hushed “ooh” cycled through the crowd. The entire population of the tavern now hung on her every venom dripping word. I squeezed my hands together into fists and nudged my chin higher as red flushed my cheeks, and this time not from the drinks.
"And how do you propose to know what kind of King I will be? I've never seen you before. How do you claim to know me at all?”
"You may not have seen me, but I have seen you. I'm in this tavern nearly every night, as are you and your entourage. I've seen you waste the money of the hard-earned people of this Kingdom. I've seen you and your harem of ladies traipse around town like a pack of pretentious fools. But not once have I seen or heard you do anything of value for this kingdom. You are not your father’s son, you are weak and vain and have no idea what you are getting into as ruler."
"I know plenty. I know the people, and I've been a son of Aboria my entire life. I don't hide up on the mountaintops like you and your people, I'm here with them every single day."
Cheers elicited behind me and I smirked. This girl was tough. Not the typical drunk rabble-rouser who wandered in here and decided to lay their hard days story on my royal shoulders. But this room was mine. She’d never break that bond and, in the end, she’d be the one to walk out of here as the buffoon. A small tinge of guilt bubbled up in my chest, but I quickly willed it down.
Her thin lips dropped into a frown, but she didn’t waver. “Then tell me, prince, what are you going to do about the coming darkness? Are you going to let your people suffer?”
“What darkness?” I scanned the faces of everyone in the bar. Jaws dropped open and stares went vacant but not one seemed to understand her words. "Are you trying to cause a rebellion? One can be held accountable for treason for that kind of remark."
"Oh no prince, the threat is very real. Storms have reached epic levels in Atlantice, wolves are murdering again in Elder, and the dark black clouds over Urbis gather thicker every single day. Those clouds inch closer and closer to our border, while you sit in this tavern handing out ale like water. What happens when Aboria is next? What happens when disaster strikes here?"
I swallowed hard. If what she'd said were true then Aboria needed to be on alert and ready. My father hadn't said anything, neither had my mother, but they often kept me out of the more important matters. Which until now, suited me fine.
“Well, I appreciate your concern and welcome the voice of my citizens, however, this issue would be best left for the monarchy. Be assured we are taking whatever steps necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of our people."
The promise seemed to revive the crowd, pleasant murmurs and subtle cheers rumbled through the room. I puffed my chest out slightly and smiled the perfect royal smile I'd been trained to use since birth. What did one little girl know about me? I could go toe to toe with the best of them.
"So you've got nothing, do you?"
Her gaze narrowed burning through me like hot iron pokers, searing the truth upon my skin.
"I… We…"
"Fallon, she's boring." Sophia marched her golden head between us, her arms crossed and lips pouting. "Can we please just go somewhere else?”
The room erupted in laughter as the mountain girl shook her head
