The Prince had only been in the war room once. It was this large room with a stretched ovel table in the middle. There was four chairs on each long side with two chairs on the short sides.
The design was for a ruler and their advisor to sit in close proximity of each other. At one end the Rebel leader and the captain of the guard was standing already talking. The Prince gave a head bow as he came into the room with the Rebel giving a nod.
"There the other two are." The Rebel leader said the conversation seeming to be put on pause for the time being.
"We are working on a plan to redo most of the laws and taxes they implemented. There is also some rebuilding work that needs to be done. Just property damage and resettling.
Ace I want you to head that up. Get everyone organised and such. This guard here will give you the names of the lieutenants that will be helping you. You may use the nobles in the dungeon as workers.
Probably the most useful they will ever be." The Rebel and Prince were coming to stand beside of the table by the time the Rebel leader finished giving out jobs.
"Do we know how many blocks were lost in the attack. I want to know how long this will all take." The Rebel half asked. The Prince internally cursed as he knew the separation was going to be insufferable. That was before he know what he was going to be doing for the next week.
"We will get someone out looking at that as soon as we are done here. You." She trained a icy stare on the prince. He tried no to duck behind the Rebel for safety.
"I want you to go to the library and draw up a list of all the laws that your pompous parents put in place. Most of the older laws are fine. We will amend them as needed." The Prince made a mental note of where those book would be. That was if everything wasn't moved in the ten years he wasn't in there.
"Is that it?" the Rebel asked anxious to get started on the work.
"Yes that should be everything. You are all dismissed." She waved them all off. The royal tried to be as close to the Rebel as possible with out them holding hands. "Wait."
The leader called right before the three made it though the door. "Princeling, I want a word with you." The Prince took one last look at the Rebel before they and the captain of the guard left the room.
The door closed with a bang that made the Prince feel even more unsettled then before. "Come closer." the Rebel leader called out to the Prince who reluctantly went towards her.
"Yes?" He made his voice sound a lot calmer then he felt. The Rebel leader stood pushing the chair back a little as she did. she started walking the towards the royal who took a step back when she got just outside of his arms length.
"Did you really think I would let you take the throne, even if it beside my child?" She said with a distain that was under every word she said to him since they met. The Prince's heart rate started rising as adrenaline entered his system.
"I, I thought maybe. I am nothing like my family. You heard what they said at the execution." The Rebel leader continued to slowly step towards the Prince making him back up all that more.
"Your still an entitled royal bitch; even if your family was ashamed they got a mismatch Princess. I know the common people your family looked down on wouldn't care. You are at the age to earn a living.
I will give you today to pack up one bag and write a note. My child deserves someone who won't manipulate them into burning this kingdom down again." The Prince was now at the wall of the room with the Rebel leader a couple inches from them now.
"Am I understood?" She said with enough venom the Prince could swear that he could feel it on his face. He was to scared to breathe; all he could do was nod slightly.
The Rebel leader took a few steps back before gesturing to the door. "You can leave after you get the list done with full freedom. This conversation never happened." She said as he quickly walked for the door.
He shut it right after she finished. He walked to his room before hyperventilating. It was scary enough for her to be around. What would it be like if he didn't heed her warning. He couldn't leave Ace, right?
Not after they both worked so hard to save the kingdom from total destruction. They were the ones that kept the royals from finding out about the Rebel plan all together.
The Prince would do something to take their mind of the little peculiarities that they saw. It would normally be something he could explain away get their mind off of it. Most of his relationships was hidden from both sides for good reason.
He decided to start putting things in a small shoulder bag. He would only be able to take his favorite book along with a few changes of clothes. He also hid a few pieces of jewelry he would be willing to sell for coin if needed.
After hiding the bag where the Rebel wouldn't find it he left for the library. He would have a couple days at least with all the stupid and useless laws his father passed with his mother prompting.
By end of days time he was only able to gather the scrolls needed much less the paper and ink. The librarian came in saying that he was able to end his days work. The Rebel was finishing up putting away his things in the wardrobe when the Prince came in.
"Hey love. How was all that writing?" They asked closing the door. The Prince went over to the bed changing into his night clothes without the screen something he only did when he was distracted.
"It was fine." He muttered going through the actions without any of the brain power he normally had. He was shutting down even before getting into bed.
"I can tell, my mother running you into the bloody ground. We got the map and got everyone sorted for the building prosses. They took out twenty whole blocks with damage to several others.
They are using the nobles houses as a place to keep the displace families till we can get houses up. They have already started gathering up the materials needed.
We are going to work in two teams to keep things smooth. We should have enough for the morning to start the work. There might be some trouble getting it all of done by the time it's harvest.
Sound like the farmers are able to get the seeds into the ground the next week despite everything but they are going to get some extra help this year. Maybe it will only be a couple of days this year."
As the Rebel talked the royal went through the motions of wiping down his face in the basin that was on the vanity. His hair brushed falling into his short blond curls. The Prince got back to the bed.
"All we have to do is fix the chain." The Prince said still out of his head slightly.
"What do you mean?" The Rebel asked blowing out the candles settling down in the bed.
"The kingdom is like a food chain. Resources that comes from everywhere, food, money, everything. It starts at the top being collected by the royals and gets distributed downwards.
The laws upped what the common people had to give without destroying the kingdom. What little the royal family passed down the nobles practically blocked from getting to the common people. All you have to do is rework the chain, so the people get their things back.
That and loosen the taxes and it will be leaps and bounds better. I wish I could say that. She has no idea how things work. She just despises us. I get it but it's not going to help the future to get rid of me. Even you don't knows how the system works that well."
The Rebel looked concerned in the one sided light that illuminated their face perfectly. "Love what are you talking about getting rid of you?"
The Prince knew he slipped. "I, nothing. You mother seems to brush me aside. I want to help like we both planned." The Rebel pulled the royal into their chest and hugged them tightly.
"I know you do star. We will both get through this I promise. I won't let her get rid of you in any form. You are to perfect to rule the kingdom. You care as much as a leader should." They pulled the hand with the ring on it up to the light making sure their ring was in sight as well.
"This is a promise from me to you to protect you. Even if that is from my own mother. You are my first priority; the kingdoms best hope for a good future." The Rebel kissed the Prince's forehead.
The Prince blew out the candles on his side before laying down beside the rebel. The Rebel curled around the Prince holding him, protecting him from the days memories.
They both knew they were going against precedent with the Prince becoming king. The Royals were suppose to be the picture of human perfection. That's why they were held above everyone.
If your body and soul were mixed up that was seen as an imperfections. It was a sign that you would be unfit to rule. The same reasons their was a man and a woman that took the throne.
It was to pass on these perfect genes, but it was not unheard of for same sex ruler to choose a heir they deem a worthy and adopt like their own. They were going against the precedent, then again, killing off the whole royal family wasn't a terribly common either. They would both have to deal with things as they came.
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