Amity and Enmity

Chapter 48

Day: 1235

Days Left: 4245

Lives Saved: 6

Queen Corinna absolutely hated it; she hated the idea, and yet she knew that it was the best way to get to know all of the finalists, to spend the whole day with them. Each prince got to organise a day to spend with the queen however they chose, whatever activities. At least it was just a day, her adviser Triggs suggested a week with each one.

Cori recoiled from such a thought. Why not just an hour? Was that not enough? Then she remembered she would be choosing someone to spend the rest of her life with, so being able to endure a day with them was essential.

Just ten days, Cori thought. Then it should hopefully be over... unless Triggs and Sophia suggested narrowing it down to another round.

The first day was assigned to Prince Asar, the order being alphabetical to not show any bias. Prince Asar was chosen to be a finalist due to his country's wealth and trade opportunities, which he did not waste a second boasting, as he decided to spend the whole day on an expensive shopping trip, ordering the finest foods and wines to dine on, and bringing in an entire team of seamstresses to make a custom order of outfits for the queen, and then another group of jewellers to fit new rings with gems worth more than an average family's life earnings.

However, these efforts were not so well received as Queen Corinna questioned him on how he would manage the finances of running a country and how he would solve lowering the percentage of poverty. Prince Asar did not know how to respond, almost confused by these questions as he held an exquisite gown in his arms, about to offer it to the queen.

It seems he has the same frivolous spending habits as Alfreda and Sophia, Cori thought, mentally crossing him off the list, much to Sophia's horror. Before Prince Asar could storm off after the meeting, Sophia expressed how she would love to be his bride, but it appeared that he was only interested in marrying a queen to become a king himself and not remain a lowly prince.

Day: 1236

Prince Drustan's turn was on the second day, and he arrogantly claimed that he did not require the whole day to persuade the queen to take his hand in marriage but only a few minutes. They travelled to the countryside near a large lake bordering a tall cliff, and Prince Dustran showed off his magical powers, moving a literal mountain and cutting off the summit, placing it down on the ground with his ability to control the earth and his telekinesis. Then, he divided the lake to reveal the depths where the queen could see all the litter and refuse people had thrown into it at the bottom. Finally, Drustan made a long-winded speech about how their children could control both the minds and the world; they would be unstoppable.

When the queen asked why they would want that, Drustan paused in confusion before answering, who wouldn't want that? The queen then made him fix the mountain he had ruined, and they made the long silent travel back to the castle.

Fortunately, that meant that the queen had the rest of the day to herself, so she headed to the library to read before finishing any paperwork.

Day: 1237

The third day arrived, and it was Prince Elis' turn, the wildcard as Councillor Triggs had nicknamed him, a politer version of saying he was not a suitable match. He turned up to meet the queen in the same outfit he wore the last time she saw him, the leaf green and white robes, too big for him with it sloping off one of his shoulders that he kept on having to adjust.

Sophia tuttered in disgust. "Do you not own any other clothes?"

"Yes, I do, Your Highness." Prince Elis bowed. "These clothes belonged to my great-great grandfather; he wore them when he first met his wife and then passed it on to his son, who wore them when he met his first wife and-" He chuckled slightly. "And so... it might sound silly, but my family believes these robes bring fortune and luck in marriage. All my older brothers wore this when they attended matchmaking parties and are all now wed."