Chapter 39

     Royalty, the word oozes high society and scrutiny. To Aurelia, the word is about commitment and sacrifice for the good of the people. Here in the Merchants Guild of Sea meet, she has an opportunity to use her power to instigate social change. Aurelia strode into the center of the lounge, the men couldn't take their eyes off of her. She demurely opened the bright-colored parasol, "Gentleman, for those of you who don't know me, I am Princess Aurelia and your next queen."

   The whole room froze in time. Every pair of eyes looked toward Aurelia with confusion or interest. She strolled back and forth with the parasol above her, "I'd like to know why Tess Bernard is stuck in the basement, with marketable products, unable to sell her goods?"

   A long-bearded trader cleared his throat, "The guild denied her the license to sell, your majesty."

   "Can I ask why?" She added a hint of expectation at the end of the question. Aurelia spun the Parasol in her hand. The power she held over the room tickled her pleasure center a little. 

    A man in a black coat and gold chain stepped forward. The man nodded as he approached. Intelligence ruled his blue eyes and he walked slow and shook the hands of his fellow Merchants. He wore a sash and thick gold chain to signify he was the guild master. "Your majesty, Tess Bernard's father died trying to con the guild."

   Tess shrank at the guild master's words and put her face in her hand. Aurelia turned her gaze to the smug trader, "Was Tess involved in this nefarious scheme?"

    "No your majesty, but she kept the money he stole from others, we asked her to return a portion as an act of good faith. Instead, she financed two fruitless expeditions, and we still haven't seen so much as bronze."

   Tess withered under Aurelia's angry stare, her face demanded answers, "What the guild master suggested was fair, why have not offered reparations for your father's actions?"

   "I wanted to prove my worth as a trader before I became a fully-fledged member, as proof I belong here. The last thing I wanted is for these fine gentlemen to treat me like some strumpet."

   "Zinjo, could you please bring in the sample products to the floor?" Aurelia motioned for the man clad in bone and leather to come forward with Gael, Tess's lover, and partner. "Please hold them up for the people to see." Aurelia took a moment to admire how handsome Zinjo looked. "Tess, could you explain what each of these products is?"

   Tess pointed to a frame lined with silk cloth and long silk tassels on the end, "This is a kite, in the far east families go out on picnics and fly them together. I thought it would be a great way for families to bond. They are relatively easy to make, and we could manufacture them here."

   Several of the men nodded and whispered among themselves. Aurelia held her serious face while she smiled inside. "Next item please," She had to admit she was interested in the merchandise.

   A drum on a stick was the next item, "Now I don't foresee this, as a big seller, but I can see this as a novelty item sold at tournaments and special events," She she twisted the stick and as the drum rotated, two balls on the end of a leather cord struck the small percussion instrument. 

    The guild master put up his hand, "The marketability of the products is not in question old on the..."

    "Didn't you just say the expedition was fruitless?" Aurelia accused.

    Every Merchant had their eyes on the Guildmaster, whose brow dripped buckets of sweat, and his face fell about a foot, "I just saw their value now." His glib tone did not lend weight to his words. The merchants put some distance between themselves and disgrace. Zinjo put a hand on the guildmaster and nodded to Aurelia. 

  "While I am not queen, yet. I offer this solution to you Tess, and the guild as well. The guild will distribute and sell the products Tess has. How much did Tess's father steal?"

   "About seven hundred gold in total, we asked for less than half in reparation," The guild master said with his head low.

   "A portion of the earnings will go to the guild until the seven hundred gold is paid in full. I'll assume you can get more, Ms. Bernard?" Aurelia kept her tone stern and authoritative.

   The men all turned their attention to Tess and held their breath eager to hear Tess's answer. Tess blushed furiously and Gael looked over at her and gave a reassuring nod, "Of course, your majesty. The trade route is fairly safe, and the people in the east are eager for new baubles to fawn over."

   Aurelia glared at the Guild Master, "You knew all of this didn't you?"

   "Yes, your majesty I did."

   "Is that not against the guild charter?"

   "Yes, your majesty, it is."

   "What is the punishment for such an action?" 

   "According to our by-laws, I shall be stripped of my rank and must pay a hefty fine in recompense for my thoughtless actions." The guild master's voice turned to misery. He tried to leave but Zinjo's powerful body held him still. 

   Aurelia stepped off the crate and smiled, "Gentleman, I leave you to decide who shall lead this guild. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some of my own business to attend to." 

   Gael and Tess headed back down the stairs. Zinjo stopped Aurelia before they followed. "You were so beautiful up there. I wasn't expecting crowd control."

   Aurelia wrapped her arms around him and got drunk on the spicy scent of her future husband, and kissed his neck softly and then his lips, "My mother made serious mistakes as ruler, I was the woman behind the woman as it were. 

    "I believe you have secured our travel as well."

   "I think we will hold off on celebrating until we hear what Gael and Tess have to say. We'll pay if we have to, but I suspect we've earned a free voyage."

   "Are you ready for what comes next?" Zinjo asked, his face serious and hopeful. 

   "I've been ready since dinner with my mother. The people will grow to love you as I have."

    Zinjo gestured to the stairs and smiled, "Do you think we will still have adventures in the future?"

    "I hope so, my mother hated being on the throne at times, and never got out to explore the world at large."

    "I do too, Dark Princess."