Jessica Robinson
Stories
9
Chapters
2,697
Words
1.2 M
Comments
0
Reading
4 d, 6 h
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As promised, the gates were opened at dawn. The army marched in the city, but I had expressly ordered everyone not to touch anything that belonged to citizens of Polis. It was of my Queen's conditions and her primal wish. The general marched at the front, followed by his adjutants. I didn't want to be there, as I had a couple of things to do before heading back to Ethiro. There were enough dresses in Kyre, in case my wife accepted to follow me, but none in the capital. It would have been odd if I…-
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While they proceeded in the night, I considered snuggling in the city through the same passage they used to get out. I could visit Polis after years; I could meet my Queen during her last goodbye to her people. She was like that. I knew it. She certainly had run from the Palace to visit the harbour and be with her subjects. I stood in front of that hidden door for a while, and then I crossed it. It was far from the walls. So, I had to walk awhile before reaching the end of the tunnel. The…
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272 •
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My Queen took a deep breath before continuing. ?Polis will immediately send a hundred youth, fifty boys and fifty girls, as servants for Ethiro. Their life shall be guaranteed, and no violence shall be used on them. They will follow their assignees' orders without delay or complaint. In exchange, no one else will be asked to leave the city and pay the price of losing the war.? ?Will the Queen be among those people?? I asked before even realising that I was talking. A grin on my face must have…
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272 •
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The second and third negotiations lasted slightly longer. I stood in a corner in silence, observing my Queen with the straightest face I could have. My hands were itching to touch her, to hug her, and whisper how much I missed her. Yet, I couldn't. There was a limit about how much craziness was acceptable. She offered us so much money that anyone else would have accepted; she offered the use of the harbour. Even participation in the profits that came from it. Free use of the docks for ten years…
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272 •
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It was early to go to Polis. I was expecting to cross that road years in the future. And with different intentions. The camp surrounded Polis from every side on the ground, while a few ships took guard out of the harbour. There wasn't a single way out of town without our army's permission. Polis had survived so long because they have a water source somewhere in the mountains and their fast ships manage to run away from Ethiro's fleet. Sometimes, the ships were caught. In truth, the income of food…
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272 •
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Another side to consider was Elias. If I wanted him to be born again, I needed my wife to accept me at least the day we shared the bed for the first time. Ah, no... A year later! I wasn't sure when we conceived our son, but it wasn't during the first year of marriage. I had four years, almost five up to then. That afternoon, I locked myself in the office once again. I tried to remember how often I had sex with my wife during the year before Elias was born, but it wasn't that easy. First of all,…
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272 •
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As soon as I reached Kyre, I checked all the accounts. No embezzlements nor acts of that sort were evident, so I relaxed and spent the following two months like just any nobleman without worries. Jeffrey Wilhelm invited me to visit him, as he had someone to introduce to me. I found out that, during the time I was away, Jeffrey Wilhelm found a wife. Well, rather than found, he was imposed one. His father also used the chance to retreat and make him take over the family, including the title of…
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I walked towards the woman and caught her arm at the last moment. She turned, and I didn't recognise her. I opened my mouth to apologise and flee. However, she did know me. ?Your highness,? she exclaimed, opening her eyes wide. She grinned and turned to me completely. Wonderful. I had to carry out a conversation with someone I didn't care about. And all of that after stupidly mistaking a stranger girl with my Queen. Oh, that was bad. If I couldn't discern my own wife from the rest of the women,…
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After those few words with Martia, I decided to live a few months pretending to be oblivious about the future. I managed to stop his majesty from sending the young Grahm to Polis, which made me gain points with the Count. However, I didn't say anything about letting me go. It was early, and all the counsellors that feared my claim to the throne could think of it on their own. They already did it once; they can repeat that thought. Wilhelm and Bertha reached me in the capital, one for fun and the…
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For the crowning ceremony, nobles from all over Ethiro came to witness. Even foreign delegations arrived, and those that couldn't send an ambassador wrote letters. There was even one from my Queen. She wished a prosperous new age for the Empire, willing to promote peace between our peoples. There wasn't anyone from Polis since the city was still under siege, yet they managed to send a messenger. The delegation from Asteria wasn't numerous, but it was acceptable given the tense relationship between…
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