Page 11 (1/2)

"Probably"

Michael ht you on it," Tho, too reckless, not nearly wise enough"

"Highly likely," I reply

He sips froe, I make up for in experience and a boreed"

I pick up one of the chess pieces, gazing at it for a moment

"The queen is the most powerful piece on the board--did you realize that? But without her bishops and knights around her, she never lasts long" I place the piece back down "I plan on lasting, Thomas So I didn’t come here to ask you what the Council would think I want to knohat you think"

A grin spreads across Thomas’s lips

"I think their heads lass "Count me in"

"Excellent" I s’s Advising Council is an institution as old as the monarchy There’s a room in the east corner of the palace where they meet Where they’ve always met since the royal palace was completed in 1388, fifty years after Wessco was founded by its very first king, a forhter of Robert the Bruce, my ancestor John Williasin the same room

Despiteup, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a bit awed by the institution itself I want toside-by-side with islative land mines to turn my dreams for my people into reality

They’re here to help me do my job--and do it well

At least, that’s the idea

For the last feeeks, I’ve conferred with Alfie about tax revenue and researched the legalities of the jobs program with Thomas I have reports that I dictated to Cora I have colored charts, and they’re nificent

I have the cure for all of Wessco’s ills I’ Room--better to prevent assassination attempts--but the room is accented in calm, deep purple with pleasant landscapes in oil framed on the walls There’s a sideboard for ular table and chairs in the center don’t exactly look comfy, they are ht now, if you count Alfie and Thoer, lesser version of my father

The Tweedle twins--Bartholomew and Bertram--the Marquis of Kooksbury and Fernshire, respectively However, behind their backs they’re known as Tweedledum and Tweedledee because of their na-like shape of their bodies

Next there’s Christopher Alcott, the Duke of Sheffield, a distinguished forhly respected scholar

There’s also dear Montague Spencer, the oldest overnment and the Earl of Radcliffe He’s so old, no one can recall a single memory of him as a boy--not even himself

Finally, there’s Elliot Blackburn, the pious and powerful Marquis of Norfolk, who is rumored to have never smiled a day in his life

I walk in the door pro Council, my reports and trusty charts tucked beneath my arm

And it all starts off so well

They stand and bow and I greet the, et started"

And that’s it That’s the good part

It all goes straight to hell from there

Because next I say, "There are several issues facing our country that the Crown and Parliaether to resolve But I believe it’s very clear to all of us here which issue must take precedence before any other can be addressed"

They all nod and I nod and we’re all nodding along

Until we give voice to what each of us believes is the top priority

Alfie, Thomas and I say, "Jobs"

The rest of the tossers blurt out, "Marriage"

That’s when the nodding comes to an end

And the chaos descends