A New Queen

Chapter Two

As Nicholette walked into the Ivory Room, she was hit by the distinct smell of must. She knew from previous meetings that the smell was coming from the six men sitting at the large marble table in the center of the room. The Ivory Room was appropriately named, as its walls were made completely out of a smooth ivory that was as lavish as it was unnecessary. Unlike the room with Nicholette’s throne, the Ivory Room was unadorned by pictures of past royals and there was no carpet or warmth in sight. The floor was a cold and unforgiving emerald marble, while the windows reached as high as the ceiling and as low as the floor. Nicholette longed to open the plush topaz curtains to let a little sunlight into the room, but she ignored the desire. She worked her way around the large table and eventually found herself sat at the head in a tall bronze seat.

Just as Nicholette was about to open her mouth to speak, Boris Moss said, “Your Majesty, I’m afraid there is a very pressing matter to attend to.” 

A tight lipped Nicholette answered, “By all means, Sir Moss, please share.” 

Moss moved higher into his seat and his chest stuck out further than his nose as he said, “I’m afraid there have been reports of riots throughout Vidan and in a small town in the northeast called Midrouge.” 

Despite the worry that fluttered in her chest, Nicholette still had to fight the urge to roll her eyes as she said, “Yes Sir Moss, I know where Midrouge is, for it is the home of the Church of Bondyevou. Please,” She continued, “tell us why these riots have been happening.” 

At this statement, the men around the table glanced back and forth between themselves, but not even pompous Moss volunteers to explain. 

“Now.” Nicholette stated. “ It sounds as if we need to take action as soon as possible and I will not waste time trying to coherence an answer out of six grown men.” Nicholette said in a controlled, but commanding voice. 

A black haired man with a very quiet voice who Nicholette had come to know as Sir Vasya, leaned forward and cleared his throat. “It is a subject of the utmost delicacy, Your highness. It involves an order that called for the execution of six false Noduvs.” 

For the first time during the meeting, Nicholette felt something more than annoyance. Her chest tightened with grief as she processed what Vasya had said. She made sure to keep her voice level as she said, “Please, Sir, tell me what happened.” 

“As you know, Queen Nicholette, there has been a surge of false Noduvs who claim they can summon animals for slaughter to feed themselves and their families.” Nicholette nodded and he continued. “The false Noduvs have been creating food that causes people to grow extremely sick, sometimes even fatally so. We have taken measures to ensure there will be no Noduvs conjuring in Delladine to prevent this from happening to our people.” 

Nicholette’s eyebrows lowered and she regarded the men before her with a new scrutiny. “What measures?” She asked evenly. 

Moss, with a replenished sense of excitement, bellowed the answer. “We have declared that anyone caught conjuring Noduv in Delladine without the officially authority of The Crown or The Cabinet will be executed by hanging.” His hands tugged at the collar of his jacket with his thumbs pointing out. 

Despite herself, Nicholette let her gaze flicker to Bleu who was standing post at the door and found him staring back at her with his eyebrows drawn in concern. Nicholette thought about Marian’s reaction when she had brought up her Noduv son and now understood it. Marian was afraid Nicholette would have him executed. At once Nicholette knew this law had been kept from her intentionally by the cabinet and she felt utterly foolish. More so, she was hurt that Marian believed her capable of such a terrible act. 

To try and appear less ignorant than she felt, Nicholette did not mention the law. She schooled her expression into a carefully blank mask as she said, “What has any of this to do with the riots?” 

Vasya began to speak again, “There was a strange occurrence at one of the public hangings, Your Majesty. You see, four of the men condemned to die were hung with no problem, but the ropes of the fifth and sixth men snapped.” 

Nicholette looked between Moss and Vasya as if she were waiting for them to burst into laughter and tell her it was only a joke. “So the rope was of poor quality, I do not see why this would cause riots.” She said, although she felt as if she needn't say it aloud. 

“When the ropes snapped, the men fell to the ground and a priest from the Church of Bondyevou along with his students dragged the men to the church and declared sanctuary, Your Highness.” Vasya continued, his voice an eery half-whisper. 

“How did these three men get past the guards? I’m assuming you some had posted at the hanging?” Nicholette asked. 

“That we do not know. Apparently the scene was mayhem. Bondyevou followers believe it was an act of their god, a miracle if you will, so they helped the men escape to the church. Mobs of people have formed around the church and are chanting their support for the false Noduvs.

“That is worrisome.” Nicholette regarded, quietly. “I do not see how this has caused riots throughout Vidan, however.” 

Moss slammed a fat fist onto the hard table and shouted, “Because it’s an outrage! These heathens who worship a false god and are practiced in devilish witchcraft cannot evade the law like this. Vidan will not stand for such an injustice!” Several men nodded along to his speech. 

A white hot anger crawled up Nicholette’s spine and she could no longer see straight. She thought of Marzonna, wise and patient Marzonna, who had practically raised her since she was eight years old. Marzonna who conjured flowers to keep in Nicholette’s room all year round. Marzonna who often created medicinal herbs and serums to help the poor that could not apothecary visits. She was no heathen and neither were the other Noduvs. And the false Noduvs? Nicholette thought to herself. They were poverty stricken people who were merely trying to feed themselves and their families. Nicholette had heard stories about the awful things that could happen to a person if they used Noduv without the gift. Marzonna described it as being poisoned from the inside out until they finally perished. No one would risk that fate unless they were living in complete desolation. 

“Do not speak of what you do not know.” Nicholette snapped. Instantly all six men and the two guards standing at the door looked at her with shock on their faces. “If it is injustice you are concerned with, perhaps we should discuss the shortcomings of the people of Vidan. Tell me, Sir Moss, when was the last time you paid taxes?” Nicholette pushed on as Moss raised his chin but did not offer an answer. “And Sir Iwin, I believe every night after supper there is a particular blonde woman who’s company you wholeheartedly enjoy when your wife is away, if I am not mistaken. As for the rest of you, I know there are transgressions not even your money can completely hide. It would serve you all well to remember there are many people who evade the law, yourselves included. As far as these riots are concerned, I and only I, will decide what is to become of the two men in question.” 

“Your father had laid out plans to further discipline Noduvs of this kind, Your Highness.” A redheaded frail man by the name of Andrew Pevear, said and enunciated ‘Your Highness’ as if it were a mockery. “Perhaps you should follow through with his plans. The law is very tedious work and many women have found it to be dull and odious. Following through with the late King Gordon’s wishes would be of more convenience to you.” 

Nicholette looked at him with sharp eyes for a long moment until he looked away from her gaze and focused on his hands. “How fortunate am I to have a cabinet so besotted with worry at my expense.” The room was in complete silence until she continued, “I am Nicholette Alexia Boyojek, Queen of Delladine, I do not have the luxury of forfeiting responsibilities that fall into my lot, no matter how odious I find them. No matter is too small, too tedious, or too taxing when it comes to taking care of my people. There is a desperate need for change in this country and its leaders, and I will not rest until it is exactly how I see fit.” Nicholette leaned back into her chair and looked at the men with an almost lazy consideration. “That should be good news for you gentlemen, for the more I do, the less you will have to concern yourselves with. I know how you all find work to be so odious.” 

Everyone in the room gaped at Nicholette as if she had just burned a village down. Many of the men’s eyebrows were pressed into their hairlines, Moss regarded her with ill hidden disgust, but it was Bleu’s expression that she could not place. There was little evidence of any emotion at all, only the tight line of his mouth and his knuckles white as he gripped the hilt of his sword. Nicholette regarded him for only a moment longer before she turned her attention back to the table and found the cabinet members still stuck in place, by either shock or fury. 

“This meeting is dismissed.” She stated casually and swiped her hand through the air to illustrate she was done with them. 

Many of them blinked a few times and then slowly left the room, none of them talking but they were looking back and forth between themselves. It was Moss who was the last to leave the table. Seated to the direct left of Nicholette, he burned his angry gaze into the side of her face for a few more moments and then pushed his seat back with so much force that it clanged to the ground. Nicholette only spared him a sideways glance before he turned and stomped out of the Ivory Room and shouted things like “foolish little girl!” until he was no longer in earshot. 

When all the men had left the room, Bleu dismissed his right hand guard and took a seat next to Nicholette. He did not say anything, but he did regard her as she stubbornly stared at the wall across from her. 

“You know we must go pardon those men, Bleu.” She stated. “We will go to Midrouge at once, and I will pardon them myself.” 

Bleu nodded once and placed his forearms on the table. “That will be rather challenging, Young Queen. Especially considering you will be leaving the palace to six men whom you have just embarrassed and infuriated in your first cabinet meeting.” He said, casually. 

Nicholette turned her head to him and said, “I was not out of place. Those men are loathsome.” 

“Yes, but they are your lawmen.” 

“I am the law.” Nicholette stated. “I am the law until I have a cabinet that I believe has Delladine’s best interest at heart.” 

Bleu did not say anything for a long while and Nicholette began to wonder if she had stepped over the line, but then he finally said, “Then we shall go pardon the men.” 

Nicholette grinned and said, “You aren’t going to like who I want to bring.” 

“I imagine it will be myself, Marzonna, and you?” Said he. 

Nicholette nodded. 

“And you understand that it will be very worrisome for me to take the two women who I love most in this world across the country to a town littered with mobs and danger?” He said flatly. 

“I do.” 

“But we will do it.” Bleu stated. 

“We will do it.” Repeated Nicholette. “For the safety of our people, we must.”