Long Live The Queen

Chapter 8: Foundation

Evelyn and Mia peeked their heads into the room in the morning as Iris was trying to fall back asleep. She had her head burrowed under her pillow, the thick blankets piled up high around her.

"Your Majesty? Are we ready to wake up yet?" Mia called out. Iris yanked her pillow off her face huffing, her pitch black hair a frizzy mess around her.

"Call me Iris. And no. But I suppose I'm expected at breakfast, correct?"

"No ma'am! His Majesty doesn't go to sleep until the wee hours of the morning. So he does not get up until evening mostly." Evelyn answered. Iris sat up, looking at them with wide eyes. That was absolutely perfect! He wouldn't be around during the day to micromanage her. She could go where she liked when she liked - and he would never know the difference.

"Oh, Good. That's actually excellent for me. Girls, I have a lot to do today, and only so much time to do it then. Tell me, it's still pretty early in the morning yes?"

"It's almost midmorning, Iris. What would you like to wear today?" Mia entered with Evelyn and Iris smiled.

"Today I want to be eye-catching, beautiful. I want to look elegant." Iris answered. Mia raised her eyebrows, looking at Iris carefully.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Today is the day I make people fall in love with me. I must be charming, and for a woman that includes being beautiful." She answered.

"Miss Iris, the past Queens have always just tried to hide, lay low," Mia answered as she went to the closet and Iris put up a hand as she cross the room to the vanity.

"And how did that work out for them? They're dead. I'm not. Today, I am going to make history." Iris retorted, sitting down and beginning to brush her hair.

"How?" Evelyn asked curiously, as she began to make Iris's bed.

"You'll see girls," Iris said grinning. Excitement was now coursing through her, and the fatigue deep in her bones was completely forgotten.

Mia came out of the closet with a dazzling emerald green gown. It was an off-the-shoulder, sleeveless gown that fit tightly to Iris's waist, and would flow out at her hips in a large elegant gown. Gems lined the breast and hips, and sparkled and spiraled down the gown toward the hem. Iris turned and nodded her head approvingly at the dazzling gown before her.

"Because when he kills me, I want his life to be hell." She said smiling. "Which means the people will have to care about me." She said, laughing. She pulled the rest of the tangles out of her hair and turned, pulling her nightgown off. "So make me pretty girls. Then take me to Flora. I have something important to talk to her about over breakfast. Make sure you ask the Servants to not throw away anything just yet. That today I will have it out of their way." She said, the smile still on her face. Iris and Evelyn looked at each other in surprise, and Evelyn grinned.

"She's right you know. The lay low approach didn't work for the others. I think she's brilliant." Evelyn said, and Mia shook her head, her face torn between amused and worried.

"We will always be by your side to support you, My Queen." Mia smiled at Iris, though it was a sad expression. Iris grabbed Mia's hands and gave her a little squeeze.

"I want to try and change things, Mia. Even if there is only a change for the people and not my fate - I am willing to take the chance to change whatever I can." Iris told her, and Mia's eyes searched the young Queen's face, before nodding.

"For some strange reason...I believe you can change things." She said nodding.

Sometime later, Iris walked the garden path to Flora's hut, and Iris knocked on the front happily. She wanted to get the sorceress in on her plans, so she knew what to expect, and maybe she can even help. Flora seemed to be vibrant and despite her age, she was still young and energetic. Evelyn was carrying the tray that held coffee and tea, cream, and sugar. Mia held a tray full of breakfast items and fruit. Tabaya, the snow-white cat that Flora claimed as her familiar had joined them on their walk to the hut, purring loudly. There was enough on the trays to easily feed all of them. Flora opened the door, looked at their faces, and immediately her eyebrow raised.

"I smell trouble." She said and Iris smiled innocently.

"Whatever do you mean?" She asked and Flora scoffed as she gestured for Iris to come inside.

"Tabaya told me about your conversation with the king over dinner." Flora said as she turned round to lead them inside. She began to declutter a busy table full of herbs and random utensils Iris assumed were for magic from a table near the little kitchen in her cabin.

She went to go get plates and cups as Iris nodded.

"So you know what I've convinced the King to let me do?" Iris asked as Flora set the plates and table as Evelyn and Mia set their trays on the now clear table.

"Donate all of the uneaten food from the kitchens to the people of the city." Iris smiled and nodded her confirmation and Flora sat down, looking over and grabbing various meats, eggs and fruit off of the table.

"There is one thing I never thought being the royal food summoner would bring me, and that is satisfaction. Do you know how hard it is to resist the temptation to make sure his fruit isn't poisonous rotten inside, or the meat isn't filled with worms?" Flora turned and looked at Iris grinning. "But food for the people? That could be a huge dominoe effect for the people." she said, biting down on a piece of sausage.

Iris had slapped Mia's and Evelyns hands away when they went to serve her food and drink, giving them a stern look. She pointed at the two extra plates Flora had brought over, and jerked her finger at them, narrowing her eyes. They looked at each other uneasily, and Iris pointed once more again sternly at the plates.

"Eat." She said sternly before turning to Flora. "A domino effect?"

"It's amazing what kind of joy and hope can stir inside a man's belly once it has been filled for the first time in years," Flora said. "That is useful, Queen Iris."

"Yes, it is indeed. And I am going to need that energy later." Iris said, taking the coffee pot and serving herself a healthy portion with lots of sweet cream.

"Are you?" Flora asked, and Iris smiled.

"I want my death to be tragic. And I want the people strong enough to be angry about it. Provide food, give hope. Give hope to the hopeless and you get loyalty." Iris said. "And all I need is the people's favor." Flora watched Iris speak with careful eyes and she grins.

"I'm all for it. I don't know what you plan to do, but if being reduced to a chicken farm is going to have a real use soon then I am excited for the opportunity."

"Well that's good." Evelyn, who had sat down with a shrug and loaded her plate spoke up, her mouth full of sausage. "Because rumors are hot in the servant house in the castle. They've heard about the Queen's food giveaway, and the head cook has been planning to order a feast to prepare."

"Wait. Do you summon all of the food raw, or cooked?" Iris asked, and Flora shook her head.

"Raw. It takes much more energy to materialize cooked food than it does raw. Besides if I summoned cooked food, the kitchen staff would have nothing better to do than be Jonathan's torture toys." She added and Iris nodded.

"True enough." Iris nodded.

"What are you going to do?" Mia asked, curiosity on her face. Iris looked at them all, she wasn't sure if she trusted them yet. Day two, and she knew what Mia had seen, but she wasn't sure. The last thing she wanted was her head on a pike - even if the king was hated, the law was the law. The only thing that would counteract those laws was a coup. And in order to operate a coup was to gain loyalty first.

"Well. I am going to create a food charity. Every day if possible, extra food from the day before from the palace or even same day, for foods that go off quickly. Food will be taken to the resident. In name of the Queen. I shall call the program, 'The 7th's Food Promise.' What do you think?"

"How will you get this food bank to be a solid running machine without your constant supervision?" Flora asked.

"A church. The church that executes this program, to the volunteers that hand out the food, they and their families will eat first." Iris said. "For now, this food is a very powerful currency for a favor, and I plan on utilizing it to the fullest."

"Good idea. May I suggest a church?" Flora offered and Iris smiled.

"That would be fantastic!" she said excitedly and Flora nodded.

"From what I understand, the royal preacher, the one that was in charge of sermons and royal weddings and funerals left the castle once Jonathan made all of the nobles return to their own region. He's the same one that married you during the ball. Old as hell, but sharp as a tack. Using the royal church services will help only bolster the image of the royal. Even if it is just yours. Using the church may encourage people to start praying again."

"What do you mean, encourage them to start praying again?"

"People have lost faith. All over the country, but especially here. Where the darkness is the thickest. I've learned from my crows and Tabaya that people have fallen in faith, morale, and morality. It's turned into a ruthless, godless place. With hope, faith may also return. And that is vital."

"Why?"

"Girl I cannot give you all the answers. I've told you to start your search for answers in the library, and now I am giving you another hint. Faith, Hope, and Love are the three keys to restoring this kingdom. Without those three things, you're looking at land of people who don't have any reasons to live or fight." Flora answered as she finished her food.

"I expect I will be going to start summoning food. Don't worry, I am with you girl. I will summon as much as I can stand." Iris couldn't help but smile, and she turned to Mia.

"I need you to fetch... what was her name? Drea? Head of kitchen staff?"

"And serving staff," Mia answered.

"Yes. Her, I need her to please meet me in the kitchens in an hour. Tell her to get her priorities done before delegating the less important tasks, and that I have a mission I trust only her to be able to get done for me." Mia nodded, before finishing her last bite, and shoving her coffee in her mouth. When Mia left, Evelyn cleared her throat.

"Excuse me, ma'am?" Iris turned to the young brunette and she raised her eyebrows. "I just... I want to help. I would like to be of some way in extra service so that I can get my family more food. My mom told me in her letters that the food has been less and less - that the cost of what he purchased me is almost up. My siblings... some of them are just wee babes." Evelyn's lip trembled, and tears filled her eyes as she spoke. Iris heard the tremble in her voice, and her heart broke. "Evelyn, I will make sure your family is one of the first to eat today." Iris went to her maiden and wrapped her arms around her. "No extra work required. But as a favor for a friend, I will make sure your family eats as often as they can. Especially the babes." Iris said to soothe her, and Flora watched with interest.

"How will you make sure children get food?"

"Children will always eat first. Then our elders. Then women who are with child. Then men. I will ask for donations on behalf of the church. I will ask the church to employ magic users who can summon food - and any they cannot afford the royal coffers will supply the rest. So that there will always be food for our food program flowing, so it never has to shut down, even after I am gone. I will make it a royal contract, and get Jonathan to sign it."

"How are you going to get him to sign it?" Flora asked, laughing.

"I will tell him to. Simple as that. I will make him sign it somehow someway." Iris said, narrowing her eyes. She stopped, and then looked at the two women, shame flushing her face.

"I need you two to teach me how to pleasure a man who makes me want to vomit."

Chapter 11: Set In Ink

Evelyn had turned three shades of red, and Flora howled with laughter.

"Seriously?" Flora asked after she caught her breath, and Iris looked down.

"It's the only currency I can think of when it comes to the King," she said. Flora shrugged and nodded.

"It just might work." She said. "But how about Evelyn, go get the Father of the kingdom church and bring him here - while I help give Miss Innocent here a few lessons on marital obligations," Flora said, and Evelyn looked absolutely relieved to be asked to leave.

"Oh, and then go tell your family to be at the church steps by early evening, a few hours before dusk!" Iris called after her as she left.

"Yes ma'am!" Evelyn called as she left and Iris sighed in frustration.

"Iris. How many times do I gotta say that?" She asked, sitting down at the table. She put food in her mouth to avoid talking again for a few minutes but Flora began immediately.

"I am so not talking s*x with you girl. But I will do this for you. A little mind link, some of my favorite positions. Some knowledge. Much easier that way. And less awkward." Flora walked up to Iris and put her fingers to her temple. Iris was flooded with over half of a century of s****l knowledge and feelings flooded Iris's mind she gripped the table as her head echoed and rumbled with the flooding of knowledge.

"Yeah, mind linking isn't always the most pleasant of feelings," Flora said chuckling. Iris looked up after a moment and she blushed.

"All these positions, it is the female on top? Those are your favorites?" Iris asked uncertainly, and Flora nodded.

"When you are on top, you are in control. It feels much better that way." Flora assured her, and Iris nodded. "And to keep from throwing up, you think of someone who doesn't make you sick," Flora added, sitting.

Iris laughed a bit and then shook her head.

"I need to put this on a paper, make it a binding contract between the palace and the church. One that can't be broken, even after I die."

Flora grinned and went into another room for a moment, coming back out with a scroll.

"I will make it a magical twin set. He will get a copy, and so will you. Once you obtain that signature, his scroll will update as well. It'll be an exact replica so that the king cannot destroy the evidence of it and it is wiped from existence." Flora said and Iris grinned.

"Why are you so eager to help me? I imagine you don't want his attention on you, Ms. Flora."

"I have been a prisoner for too long. So have my people. My cage may be exactly where my home once was, but now it is nothing more than a pretty prison." Flora said. "And I have had premonitions about you. And I know what Jonathan truly is. So it is my pleasure to help guide you to the premonition with the ending that I want." Flora answered honestly. "I was once a respected healer. I mostly did healing spells, taking donations and tributes for spells that would save lives. Now I am reduced to summoning eggs." Flora sighed. "And healing r***d and ravaged women," She added on afterthought.

"This woman appreciates you for it," Iris said softly. "Why can there be actual chicken farms again?" Iris asked, standing to pace.

"No rain. No rain means no crops, which means no feed. No farms because they die." Flora answered shrugging her shoulders.

"I will have to think of a solution to that."

"Your first priority will be restoring faith, Hope, and Love," Flora said firmly, and Iris nodded.

"The reason for providing funds for the church to be able to afford to hire magic users is so they can do what churches should do best: spread faith and love." Iris smiled. "I may be the one who needs to start it, but it has to have other channels other than myself. Just in case something happens to me."

"So let's write up this contract," Flora said, waving her hand over the parchment, and closing her eyes. As her hand ran over the paper, writing appeared on the paper, and a duplicate formed. At the bottom, spaces for three signatures sat and Flora handed it to Iris. Iris took it, her eyes running over every word carefully:

It is hereby decreed by the 7th Queen, Iris Santanero, and his Royal Majesty King Jonathan The First of His Name, that the palace will always donate its excess food to the Royal Church, so that they may distribute the food to the many who need it. The Royal Church hereby decrees that it will always distribute the food, take other donations of food and or currency, and use it to expand the food flow within the church so that they may have the maximum output of food donations to the people of the great nation of Serenitania. The 7th Queen and her Husband both agree that donations shall be matched by the palace - so that the Church may thrive in its endeavors to employ magic users to use their skills to add to the food output, and paid volunteers among its flocks including magic users. So that the people may always have hope for food, thanks to the ones they have faith in, and for the people they love. The Royal Church hereby decrees that children will always be fed first, then senior citizens, then pregnant women, and then all else.

Signed Her Majesty The Queen Iris Santanero: __________________________________

Signed His Holiness of the Royal Church: __________________________________________

Signed His Majesty The King, Jonathan Graven, First of His Name. _________________________________________________

Iris was satisfied with it and she nodded.

"Perfect," Iris said in satisfaction.

"Your Majesty, The Queen, Iris. Your Majesty, please meet Father Able." Evelyn's voice cut out from behind her, and Iris turned around smiling.

"Thank you for coming, Father. I appreciate you giving me your time, as such last minute." Iris said. The older man looked ancient, but he was stable as he walked forward, claiming the chair across the seat from Flora.

"I hear you have a use for me, Your Majesty? Please tell me what kind of new trick this old dog can learn." He said tiredly. Iris looked at his eyes and she could see that they were filled with despair and anger.

"Father?" Iris asked, sitting at attention, frowning. "Tell me, what troubles you? Explain to me how it is for you." Iris begged, and Able sighed.

"What is a Shepard with no flock, Your Majesty? People lost hope. They lost faith. They stopped coming to church. Now citizens murder each other without care. There are no morals, no values, no guidance. They are all lost and with them, so am I. How could the Gods and Goddesses leave us like this? And what am I, if I am not a man of faith anymore?" Iris's heart broke for the old man and she smiled.

"That is why I have summoned you here. Let us change this place. Let us bring back the faith, and along with it the love and hope it brings." Iris said softly, handing the Father the scroll for him to read. His eyes widened as he read the words there and he looked up in confusion.

"I have an idea, and I've already gotten permission from my husband. Let us bring food to the people, together. The royals and the Chruch, together." Iris said, and Able shook his head.

"I am listening..."

Sometime later, Iris watched in victory as the preacher Able signed his name to the proclamation after she had signed it first. They had sat there and hammered out the kinks of today, and they agreed that they would hammer the kinks out better tomorrow when they weren't so scrunched for time.

Mia had returned with Drea, and Iris explained to her that she needed the kitchens and the serving servants to take any leftover cooked food tonight to the church. She was also instructed that each servant who helped move the excess food, and plates of food would be sent to any address and person that they wanted before the distribution of food. It would be members of the paid volunteers who would take this food to its destinations, with the same reward and promise: to be able to take large helping home. She gave Able the copy of the scripture, with a promise she would get the king's signature on it soon.

He went off to make preparations of the church's kitchen, and to make house visits to old flock members he might be able to count on to help. Iris stood up and grinned, waving goodbye to Flora as they left the cabin, Flora heading to the kitchens to summon dinner and brunch, and Iris sending out messengers that at mid-evening there will be an announcement at the steps of Royal Church.

The Royal Church was actually connected to the palace. The palace was gated in by a large stone fortress, and acting as the gate into the palace grounds, which were a league (4.93 km/ 3 miles) wide and long, Hauling the food would be no easy feat, and Iris authorize the use of horses and wagons to carry the food in bulk.

Iris was in her study, joined to her room when Tabaya jumped into her lap.

"The Mistress want's you to know. There are disturbances on the north-western borders. Violent skirmishes. Several small towns have been razed. It looks like an army movement.

The cat's voice was female, and gentle in Iris's mind. She blinked in surprise and ran her hand over the cat's head gently.

"Thank you. I will ask around about it." Just as soon as she was done. she was getting ready to get into a carriage to be taken to the church, and she was waiting on Mia and Evelyn. Evelyn should be returning from sending a messenger to her family and went to help get the food ready for transport, and Mia went to go get Iris's hair jewels, and gloves. After agonizing minutes they both returned a short time to each other and helped comb Iris's hair into beautiful double braids, one on each side. She was sitting in a carriage now, approaching the church and running the lines of her speech again.

"You're going about it all wrong," Mia spoke up, interrupting Iris's agonizing.

"What do you mean?"

"Don't rehearse. Just be you. You are great. So just show them who their Queen really is." She suggested, and Iris smiled. Perhaps that was actually for the best.

Iris met Able and kissed both of his cheeks.

"Many people showed up to hear the important royal announcement. It drew more people than I thought it would. but it's a good thing too... there is more food in the church than what could ever fit in the kitchen. We may have to think about that in the future." Able stated and Iris nodded.

"I understand. Just another detail to hammer out at a later time."

"Come, my dear, you have a large crowd to make an important announcement." Able patted her back and Iris sucked in a nervous breath. She made her way to the front of the church and out the door. She stood at the top of a very large set of cathedral steps, and crowded along the bottom of the stairs were countless people. Iris reached for father Able, and had him stand next to her. Her heart was pounding and her palms felt slick in the emerald gloves she had adorned to match her dress. She looked like an emerald at the top of the stairs, and she knew all eyes were on her. She needed to say the correct thing. It was her first public appearance, and she knew it had to be good. Once word reached Jonathan's ears about her shenanigans there would most certainly be a conversation.

She waited for the silence to take over the courtyard before her golden eyes mingled around her entire crowd. She could see the desolation coming off of them in waves, and she sucked in a deep breath. Even so far outside the palace walls, evil still stank up the air as if it were choking her.

She had to do something, and this was her first chance. her setting foundation, and her chance to set the change in ink.

"Good evening, my people. My name is Iris Santanero, and I am your new Queen. I know most of the queens didn't bother to introduce themselves to you, but I am. Today, I come here so you can see who I am, know my face, and know what I will try to do for you. For as long as I am breathing, I vow that I will work to change how you live. And for my first act to show you that things are not too far gone, that we can turn this country around one day at a time, I bring a promise to you. I have convinced King Jonathan to allow me to forevermore provide food to the people from the palace. And weaving into that, we have come up with a way for the Royal Church to serve food to the people from now on. Though there will be rules. Children ages youngest to twelve will eat first. And then our elderly. Then pregnant women, and then everyone else. I cannot promise that I can feed the entire city every day, but I do vow that from now on, everyone will have a chance to eat. This program will be called The 7th Food Promise. All I ask in return is that you donate to your church. Donate items or coins, so that the church may hire help to keep the food flow overflowing so that we may be able to feed the entire city, every day. I bring to you, food, my people. And I hope to bring you much more within the near future." Iris smiled down at her people, who began to clap and applaud. "Please, single file line to the right to come in and get your food. Children first." Iris smiled as mothers lay down and ushered their children forward. Iris smiled when they got into the church, and the exclamations of joy and awe at the sight of the food echoed out to Iris's ears, she lifted her hands up and smiled. "Let the people eat!" She called out, and applause broke out all over the courtyard. Iris turned as people began to move, getting in line to go into the church. She couldn't help but worry, knowing not everyone would get to eat tonight. It would take time, but she was certain her and Ables's plans for a growing food source would get plenty of traction in the near future.

Until then, Iris climbed back into her carriage and ordered the coachmen to take her and her maids back to the castle. She looked up at the sky and smiled. It was almost dinner time, and she had plans on getting that signature from her new husband.