Saudade (Published under Indie Pop)

Chapter 42: Strange Possibilities

Chapter 42: Strange Possibilities

The coldness of the North Land didn't help with my anxiety. I woke up that morning with my heart pumping hard in my chest and as I choose the dress and the coat I would be wearing for the political meeting, I tried to convince myself through the mirror that everything would turn out well.

An hour after a silent breakfast, we were all ushered to the conference hall. It was a huge room with a long wooden table and elegant chairs. A hearth was placed at the back of the room to keep the place warm.  Lord Emmanuel Frost was already sitting at the center of it with his son, Lord Boris, beside him. The latter immediately stood when he saw me and pulled a chair so I could sit on it. Lord William just shrugged as he sat on the chair next to mine and we watched curiously as the young ruler walked back to his father's side.  He'd been a gentleman ever since I came to the North Castle. It was making me wonder if ever he had another motive for his gestures.

"The young Frost clearly has his eyes on you," Lord William teased beside me though he remained to look formal.

The corner of my mouth rose for a knowing smile and I replied, "Do you think I can use it to my advantage?"

This time, the lord couldn't help the huge smile on his face. His wrinkled eyes focused on me. "You're a cunning woman, are you? I couldn't believe that years had already passed and you're no longer a little child," he said.

And whether I grew up to their expectations or not, it didn't really matter at the moment. There were young boys out there who were making their own life-changing decisions and sailed the sea with grown-up men. They could play the ukulele or master their arrows. It would be a shame if I would just cower and hide behind my parents like a scared little girl. I guessed the pirate world thought me how to grow a backbone.

It didn't take long for the conference to start. They discussed about the trading of the different domains and the need to have more land to farm. Apparently, people found it easier to get wealthy through trading and commerce that only few left to willingly dirty their hands with soil. And thus, there was a scarcity of vegetables, fruits and crops in some lands. Lord William offered some parts of East territory for farming; however, it would only be done in the condition that the people from the East Land would be the ones to operate it. After all, we came here for our people. Lord William took the opportunity to favour our land. It would still go down to business and the East Land would be waiting at the end of it for the great return of its investment. I was not surprised that my father sent Lord William in occasions like this; he surely knew how to turn rocks into diamonds.

The other representatives of the lands seemed to see the motive behind it. However, the West Land was focused on what they could get from the sea, the South Land was mainly composed of wide desert and it's a wonder how they could live in it, and the North Land was too cold for some crops to grow. They had left no choice.

Lord William grinned at them widely like he just won a lottery. I should be happy with him, but I came here not just for my people. I attended the conference for the people that I want to call my own and my equal.

"We're opening a part of our land for farming, and I think we will need hard-working partners to help us with it. And since, it is said that only the people of the East Land could do it, I'd like to make the captive pirates citizens of the East Land. We need man-power in this project," I suggested trying to make it pass through a small hole.

The hall became silent until Lord Boris Frost said, "Don't you think you're going to put your land at risk with these pirates? You've been through a lot and I don't want a decision like this to put you into more peril." His blue eyes showed sincerity and concern but I couldn't appreciate him completely when his statement voiced more concerns from the delegates.