The Changeling Queen

Chapter Three-Updated

"I know, but I am right. Your family does not see you as an individual. You are an extension of the Crown. A commodity. Please, do not lecture me on things that you wish you could say to your parents," I say before walking back to my seat. The servant from before pulls my chair out for me, then slides it back under the table for me. "What else are we going to be going over today? Or did you really drag me down here just for this?" When no one responds, I sigh, rolling my eyes. "You scheduled a meeting for theft. Alright-well-."

"It is not theft to want more in taxes," one man squeaks. He looks as much like a mouse as he sounds. Small, round, with brown hair.

"What was that?" I ask overly sweetly, leaning forward on the table.

He refuses to look at me as he stares at the table, his lip quivering. "I am sorry my Queen, but I... I disagree with you."

"Is that so?"

He nods, starting to wring his hands together nervously. I can see the sweat forming on his forehead from here. "Y-yes my Queen. I'm so sorry, but it is not theft to want more in taxes.

I nod, folding my hands on the table as I keep leaning on it, staring at him the same way that he his staring at the table. "So you think that you wanting to take more from people with nothing is right?"

He hesitates before answering. "I did not say that it was right nor moral, Majesty, I just said that it is not stealing. We are Nobles. The common folk are required to pay taxes to us. Asking for more, or even taking more, is not theft. It is our birth right."

I bust out laughing, unable to help myself as I lean back in my chair, not even bothering to cover my mouth. The room is like a grave yard except for my laughter. No one dares to move a muscle. They must really be afraid of me, well, of the Queen anyways. "You think that your lucky birth gives you the right to take the hard earned money of others?" I finally ask, sitting back up straight to look at the man. "Is that what you truly believe?"

He keeps wringing his hands, rings on his fingers clinking together. "W-well, Majesty, that is how it is meant to be. The Gods made it so."

"Then the Gods did a piss poor job of selecting you and your family line," I spit, slamming my hand on the table.

The table shook under me and my hit. The servant behind me makes a slight sound of fear, which does make me feel bad, so I settle myself down, setting my jaw as I wait for a response. The sun is raising higher and higher in the sky, lightening up the room even more. The sun shines down most on the Prince, Prince Claudius. It is then that I realize that he is the one that the Princess is in love with, who she is lucky enough to be betrothed to. I try to casually look at him, taking him in. He is handsome, with freckles dotting his olive skin. That surprises me since that means that he must be outside a lot. However, by his muscled and toned body, I come to the conclusion that he must work out, likely as a knight, which is how he got those freckles that dot his face.

Eventually, Lord Striker, not surprisingly, is the one that speaks up. "Your Highness, do you not think that you might have been a bit hard when speaking to Duke Grimes?"

"A friend of yours then, I take it?" I ask, turning my attention to him.

Lord Striker avoids my gaze, though he is at least looking in my general direction. "Acquantince is more approriate, Queen of Ire, however, I do think that Duke Grimes is correct. We were hand picked by the Gods to be above the common folk. By that design, that means that we are better than them, and while we do have to keep them safe, we are also entitled to any money they make. After all, they are often using our lands, our tools, to grow the food, to learn their trades. Why should we not benefit?"

I scoff, rolling my eyes. If I had known the game would be like this, I would have never bought the stupid thing in the first place. "Do you not benefit by eating? By having clothes? What about by being waited on hand and food? You are driven by others, served by others, everything you have is made by others. You are taught by others. Your children are raised by others. You are dependant on these people, and yet you look down at them, as if they are less human than you. What would you be without these people? Homeless, stupid, starving and naked," I answer my own question before anyone else have a chance.

Lord Striker doesn't respond, instead he too falls silent. After several moments, I gesture for the servant to come pull my chair out so I can step aside. "Thank you all for wasting my time with this meeting. In the future, please only schedule meetings if you have something to say. I believe that that is a fair and reasonable request."

I turn to walk away, when Prince Claudius calls out, "You are not as high and mighty as you think you are, Your Highness. You need to see beyond yourself and your pride. You are not always right."

"Do you think that I should raise taxes?" I ask, though I didn't turn around. I just stopped to listen to what he had to say.

"No," he admitted after a moment of silence.

"Then why are you picking a fight with me? Do you yearn for death?" I ask, thinking that this would fit the character. I couldn't change too much or they would see through me and know that something was wrong.

"Are you threatening me?" Prince Claudius asks, his voice quivering. He sounded afraid.