Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
“Or because one of you was a genius with plants and also a strong enough personality to force everyone to fall in line to save themselves.” She looked at me out of the corner of her eye, and I shrugged. “I know from experience that people will overlook their prejudices to save their own lives or those of their children. Hell, the nastier ones will prey on your generosity out of pure selfishness, usually while also calling you names. But I get your point, even though I don’t have any experience with it. I’ve never really been part of a community.”
“Did you not give up food to help them thrive?” she asked. “Get punished but refuse to relent?” I found myself frowning at her. “Weston filled us in on your past. As did Hadriel, albeit in a much, much more colorful way. You stood your ground to take care of the children, often at your own peril. It isn’t just one of us that is bullheaded.”
“They’re children. They deserved better.”
“And the adults you sacrificed for? The meals you made for the sick?”
I hadn’t remembered talking to anyone about making meals. It had been in one of my journals, though. Weston must’ve ignored the part where I was venting about being called names when delivering the food. That still annoyed me.
“I wasn’t part of a community in the pleasant way, either,” she said, “but I was still a part of it. I lived here, it was mine, and I protected it as best I could under the circumstances. I still would.”
She really was tenacious.
“Fine. There are parallels in our histories,” I relented grumpily.
She chuckled. “There are parallels, even if you don’t fully grasp them all yet. Aurelia, my point is . . .” She faced me. “When I took my place at Nyfain’s side, it was to fight for this kingdom. It was to fight for what I believe in, for a better place, a stronger, more cohesive community. Every day I work toward this kingdom’s prosperity. I want everyone well, want everyone as happy as possible. I want this place to thrive. When you ultimately choose your path, you need to choose what will make you the happiest. You need to choose what you’re most passionate about. With hard work and perseverance, everything else will fall in line.”
She paused, making sure she had my full attention.
“Don’t settle for what is handed to you. Take what you want and make no apologies about it to anyone.”
Chapter 30
Aurelia
She stared at me poignantly, and goosebumps covered my body. Suddenly I wasn’t at all sure what we were talking about.
Without another word, she turned and started walking.
Damn her long stride. I had to jog to keep up while trying to stare at her beautiful, impassioned face and trying not to trip. It was a lot to handle.
Before I could even think of which questions to ask to get a better handle on this very personal conversation, she had stopped at a little house on the outskirts of town.
“I remember coming back here with Hadriel,” she said in a hush, stepping up to the door. “It was before I was queen. He was in one of his very colorful outfits, and the people here had no clue what to make of him.” Her face broke into a huge grin. “He lost a shoe going over a fence and freaked out about it.” She began laughing. “Those were good times. I mean . . .” She raised her hand to knock. “Shitty times—the literal worst, actually—but there were some gems amongst all the horror.”
The door swung open to show a frail man with loose jowls and white stubble along his jaw. His eyes widened when he saw who was at the door, and he held on to the knob as he tried to bow. “Your Majesty.”
“There’s no need for that,” she said with compassion, putting up her gloved hand to stop him. “I have been informed that you habitually take Granny’s snacks, but to make it safer, you take off the coating.”
The man froze, his eyes suddenly wary.
“I’ve not come to punish you,” she said smoothly. “In fact, I’ve brought the drugmaker.” She indicated me. “Aurelia does not make that coating—that is Granny’s addition—but she does make the product itself. She is very passionate about it. She has expressed an interest in meeting with people like you to see what might be improved. Do you have time to speak with her?”
I jerked my head to look at the queen in dismay.
Shortly after the fiasco with Granny’s cheap drugs, I’d asked Hadriel to ask the powers that be if I could return to the villages to take more notes. No answer had come, so I’d assumed they weren’t interested. It had been a long shot, after all.
To hear that I not only got to make those notes—with a royal escort, no less—but might also be able to actually improve upon my product?