Forbidden Queen
Chapter Fifty – The Night Before

Katy

Aaron has arranged a formal dinner for the guests that have arrived today. This was an opportunity for me to get to know some of my subjects better.

I was dressed in a long blue dress, and Aaron had insisted that I wore jewellery from the crown jewels. A diamond tiara, and a matching diamond necklace. He told me that I needed to get used to wearing expensive jewellery, and that this would be nothing compared to what I would be wearing tomorrow for the coronation.

Alex looked handsome as always in his tux, as he escorts me down to dinner. We enter the formal drawing room where our guests had congregated. Champagne is being served by the palace servants as we waited for dinner to be announced.

Alex and I make our way round the room talking to each of the guests, thanking them for coming, checking that they are being looked after and if there is anything they needed. I am concentrating hard, trying to remember everyone’s name, and where they came from.

Finally, Aaron joins us and announce that dinner is about to be served.

We all walked into the dining room and took our appointed seats. Alex and I sat at the head table with the Royal Betas and their partners.

As the servants start to pour each of the guests’ wine, Philip turns to me and says “thank you for the equipment and medicine, our healer was ecstatic when he saw them. They will make a real difference.”

“You are welcome, I want to make sure each of the territories has the same standard of healing care as we have here in the capital. For that reason, I have appointed Anna as my advisor on healing” I turn to look at the other betas. “She will be contacting the healing clinics in each of your territories to replace out how many healers you have, and what kinds of equipment you have at your disposal.”

“She doesn’t need to bother speaking to the eastern territory healers, we already have a state-of-the-art healer’s clinic. In fact, our facilities are better than those at the royal hospital” Hannah boasts.

“In that case your healers could help Anna to ensure that all the territories provide the same level of health care.”

Hannah scowls at my statement. “Trying to provide equal care to all wolves in the kingdom is of course very worthy of you, but how will it be paid for?”

“How all government is paid for by taxing and distributing the money fairly” I say surprised by her hostility to my suggestion.

“What you mean is that the eastern territory will pay for everyone else’s health care just as they fund every other royal initiative.”

Alex growls at her, he is angry at her disrespectful tone. I put a hand on his arm, I want him to know that I can handle this.

“Each territory provides what it can to help the kingdom, and we are stronger because we share what we have. The southern territory provides most of the warriors that keep our lands safe and allow your trade to continue uninterrupted. The eastern and northern territories provide you with the meat and agricultural products that your wolves eat. It is only fair that we share what we have with each other, so none of us go hungry, live in poverty or are vulnerable to attack by our enemies.”

“Of course, your majesty” she says but I can see that my words have not convinced her. I change the subject this is not the right time or place for this discussion, but I am determined to bring this up again after the coronation.

For the moment though I concentrate on speaking to each of the royal betas. Discussing my plans to visit each of their territories. The whole evening passes quickly, and I replace that I have enjoyed the dinner this evening more than I had expected.

Alex and I don’t manage to leave our guests until well after midnight. I know that tomorrow will be a long and tiring day, but before I can go to sleep, I have to discuss with Alex what Hannah had said at dinner.

“I didn’t realise that my wish to ensure all wolves in the kingdom received the same standard of healing care would be so contentious. There seems to be tensions between the territories over funding which I had not anticipated.”

“There has always been friction between the eastern territory and the other territories. They are by far the richest, and they hate sending some of the money they make to the crown to be spent on wolves in the other territories who are not as successful as they are.”

“Successful? That is a strange way to put it. Each territory brings what it can to the kingdom, and we share. Would they prefer it if the other territories set up their own businesses in competition to theirs?”

“Probably not, but they don’t see it like that. Or their royal beta doesn’t anyway.”

“Is Hannah the cause of the friction?”

“Possibly but I am sure there are other wolves in the east who back her stance. They would prefer to keep a bigger slice of the pie.”

“When the coronation is over, I am going to look into this more closely. I will learn more when I visit the eastern territory. I will be able to see what it is really like there.”

“A good idea, but now you need to rest. We have to be up in six hours to begin getting ready for the coronation.”

I sigh. “You are right tomorrow is going to be a long day. I just need to get through that and then I can concentrate on more important things.”