Father

I stepped into my father’s office, neither late nor early, for our appointed meeting and greeted him. Same tone as always, same words as always. “Why have you scheduled this meeting?” He asked.

“I need to prepare myself for the throne. What should I do next?” My father couldn’t be relied on for his kindness, but he was a master at management.

“The fundamentals you’ve been taught have already put you on track for the throne,” Father said, his eyes still focused on the documents before him. “Once you gain an understanding of the estate and the kingdom’s current positions, you’ll be ready to take over your mother’s authority. Of course that won’t change that we’ve pushed back your coronation.”

“So I can be like Mother?” I thought. Father and Parliament were doing everything in their power to increase the parallels between Mother and I. If I dyed my hair brown, no one would know the difference except by height. A couple more years and they wouldn’t even have that. They probably had that in mind when they pushed back the coronation to my eighteenth birthday. That and my mother’s coronation.

Father handed me a list with his free hand. “Come to me once you’ve submitted the listed proofs and I’ll set up your formal introduction with Parliament.”

“Yes, thank you Father.”

“You are dismissed.”

I presented the necessary gestures—though he wasn’t looking—and left without a word.

Despite the distance between us, I still worry for him. Mother was the only one he’d stop his work for. Now that she’s gone, I fear he’ll end up working himself to death.

Father's Study List

The Finances of the Royal Estate: Revenue

The Finances of the Royal Estate: Expenditures

The Unified Pact: Vallisian Perspective

Scenarios of Economics Collapse

The Borders of Vallis

The Unified Pact

Mother's Legacy

Speech