Path to Destiny

Lamia[2]

The Queen had sinking feeling in her stomach the whole morning. She kept quiet about it but she was in alert at all time.

She had duties to do today,  and she had to keep her composure. She had two meeting with a few town leader of her cities and then her aunt was here in town to spend time with the Queen and Princess.

Those few things already made the queen nauseas.

Two of the town leader inform the Queen that the city was low on profit this month but hope to make up next month. Usually the Queen would be slightly understanding but she actually was worry that this may be an ongoing issue.

"May I ask why you are low on profit this month?" Queen Lalisa ask as she watch the leaders eyes widen in fear.

"Umm.. a couple of my shops haven't been able to make money." One man said.

The Queen eyes went to the other leader.

"Umm, well.. you see. A few of my residents were not able to to pay Umm their rent this month." The man stutters our.

The Queen roll her eyes at the men cowardness. "Does this have anything to do with the shipments?" The Queen ask.

Both men eyes widen even more. They both nod in unison.

"And how long have this been going on?" She ask the men again.

One men looks down then back up the Queen with shame. "For about five months now." He answers her.

"And you didn't think it was necessary to tell me?"

The other man face turned red. "Well since the shipments is ordered by you, we thought you commanded the prices to go up."

The Queen stood up abruptly eyeing the man coldly. "So my people can suffer?!?!" She shouts out. "I been Queen for our region for five years now and you think this how I would treat my people?" She ask the men. "You may go." She tell the men with disappointment.

The men stood up and walk toward the door with their head hung low in shame.

"Wait." She stops them.

Both men turn around and bow to the Queen.

"Take the money with you. Make sure the people it your city is well." She tells them. "Next time if there is an issue, inform me."

The Queen didn't let them answer and walks out the room, letting the men soak in her actions and word.

The people feared her father so she understood that they couldn't alway come to her directly, but she hope that they were starting to.

Apparently she was wrong.

The Queen went to her study and poor a glass of red wine for herself. She sat down exhausted from the meeting.

The princess walks in with concern for her cousin.

"Are you okay?" Princess Rose ask her.

The Queen took a sip of her wine and let her enjoy the taste on her the top of her tongue.

"I'm fine." She set the glass down. "I don't know how to get through these people to trust me and that I really want what is best for them." She threw her hands up in their agitated. "Why do they not think that can't come to me?"

"Oh sweetheart, don't beat yourself up." Her cousin try to consult her. "Just give them time."

A sound of a mischievous laugh comes to their hearing. The Queen see her aunt leaning on the doorframe of her study.