Vankara (Book 1) by S.J. West Page B

marble
was built into the wall to my left with a lounging area made up of two settees
with a coffee table in between.  Hanging from the high pitched ceiling in the
middle of the room was a large crystal and gold chandelier with flaming
candles.
    I was a little
uncertain about what to do.  Should I stand somewhere?  Should I sit behind the
desk?  What would the Queen normally do when talking with her advisors?
    I took off my coat
to buy myself some time to decide what would be proper.  Gabriel stood beside
me holding out an arm for me to hang my coat across.
    As he turned to
hang it on a gold coat tree by the door he said, “Why don’t you sit at your
desk, your majesty?  You should try to rest as much as you can.”
    I nodded to
Gabriel, silently thanking him for discretely providing me an answer to my
dilemma.
    Gabriel and Thomas
sat in the wing backed chairs in front of the desk.
    Thomas opened up
his little black book and removed a small pencil from an inside pocket.  He
looked down at whatever it was he had written in the book and quickly scratched
through something before looking back up at me.
    “We’ve had another
incident with the Plague-bringers,” Thomas announced.  “They staged a
demonstration outside of parliament the morning you left demanding they be
allowed inside to speak with the members.  We were able to quell them before
things became violent, but I’m afraid it’s just a matter of time before they
become more adamant in their requests to voice their opinions to you and
parliament directly.  I understand your reluctance in speaking with them but
perhaps you should reconsider having a private audience with their leader, Adam
Bellas.  He seems like a reasonable man.  In fact, he was the one who urged the
members of his faction to leave by promising to do his best in gaining an
audience with your majesty as soon as you returned.”
    I looked at
Gabriel.  “What is your opinion on this matter?  Do you think it prudent to
meet with such a man?”
    “No, I do not,”
Gabriel was quick to reply, not hiding his disgust with this Adam Bellas.  “I
fear they would take it as an admission that their claims have merit.  Having a
formal meeting with their leader would only fan the flames of support from his
followers.  I advise you not to speak with him at this time, your majesty.”
    I looked back at
Thomas and noticed he was nervously tapping his pencil against the open page of
his book.  It was obvious he wholeheartedly disagreed with Gabriel’s assessment
of the situation. 
    “I tend to agree
with Gabriel,” I told Thomas as gently as I could to avoid ruffling his
feathers any further.  “Is there anything else you wished to discuss with me?”
    For the next
half-hour, Thomas ran down the list of items written in his notebook,
scratching out each as we finished discussing them and jotting down notes here
and there.  Some items up for discussion included the opening of Parliament the
next day but most were simple things such as arrangements for guest who were to
attend Dena’s birthday celebration later that evening.  Gabriel took charge of
answering most of Thomas’ questions since I didn’t have the faintest idea on
how to properly address them.  Thomas didn’t seem to find Gabriel’s control
over the conversation odd which made me wonder just how much influence Gabriel
actually exercised on royal affairs.
    I was excited to
hear Dena’s birthday celebration would be centered on a circus theme.  There
was to be a show held outside in the palace gardens underneath an extravagantly
large tent.
    “The acrobatic
troupe wanted to know if it would be all right to invite the princess into one
of their acts near the end of the show,” Thomas said to me.
    “She wouldn’t be
in any danger would she?” I asked immediately, feeling concern over Dena’s welfare
like any mother should.
    “No, your
majesty.  In fact, they said her feet would never leave the ground.  She’ll