Regal [h.s au]

15. Hand of the King

AMELIA

Loud chatter is echoing between the walls of the great hall while everyone waits for the King and the Crown Prince to arrive so the next council meeting can begin. I've decided to come earlier considering I've been absent from the past few meetings since I had monthly troubles to deal with.

"My my, look who's here." The boy in front of me is a son of one of the members; a seventeen-year-old brat, arrogant, obnoxious and in desperate need of an educational slap I wish I could give him. "Where have you been for the past few meetings, hm?" His blue eyes narrow as a pompous smirk curves his lips.

"Lord Richard has asked you a question," another member reprimands me once I stay silent.

"I had urgent matters to deal with, my Lord," I curtly reply.

"More important than your job?" He continues. "If we could call what you do a job."

I ignore him, the same member from earlier suddenly pointing at me. "You are bound to answer-"

"I am bound to answer only to my King, no one else. As far as I know, young Lord Richard here is not even a council member," I interrupt, watching as the little shit scoffs, offended. Like I care. It's sad they have no other things to do but to entertain themselves by trying to humiliate me. Trying and failing.

"I bet she bled," Richard says rather loudly, gaining the attention of the men who haven't been paying us any thus far. "A very useful adviser, I must say, available only when it suits her. Is that why you're wearing that red dress today?" A chorus of laughter surrounds me.

"This is why women are unreliable. They shouldn't have any rights when it comes to diplomacy and politics, they are too emotional and weak minded for it," the member I know very well by now speaks. His name is Robert, one of the eldest and richest members, very valuable to the King.

I clench my jaw, my blood boiling. I know if I let myself get challenged by these chauvinistic idiots, I could lose my position or worse. "How unfortunate the King disagrees with you." I smile, standing a bit taller.

"Or he needed a new fool and has found a rather oblivious one," he fires back, making most of the men laugh now.

"Easy," a voice to my right says before I can say something I will regret. "Don't let them get to you."

"Ahh, another fool has arrived!" Robert exclaims as everyone looks to the man to my right, myself included.

A very short man stands beside me, his head reaching a little above my hip. His brown hair is scruffy, the strands falling over his forehead, almost hiding his eyes. He's dressed in a dark red fitted suit with golden buttons and cuffs, definitely being a Lord of some sort.

"We've been seeing very little of him these days, haven't we, gentlemen?" Richard says, earning another chorus of obnoxious laughter as he slaps his knee.

"It certainly wasn't a short absence," another member adds and their laughter only intensifies.

"If I had a coin for every time I heard these jokes, I'd be richer than all of you combined. For now, I shall have to settle with my intelligence that certainly beats all of you combined," the man says calmly, motioning to a servant aside to fetch him a drink.

"Watch your words, dwarf!" Robert says harshly, probably earning another dozen wrinkles when he frowns.

"Oh, I must have missed it," the newcomer says, raising his eyebrow.

"Missed what?" Robert sharply demands.

"The day you were named King and was allowed to give me orders."