Maid For You 3

Chapter 76

King Collin had entered the room unnoticed, but once his deep voice had cut the room, King Diego looked ready to pee himself. He turned around nervously to see King Collin walking towards him quickly with his long legs, and when Collin stood in front of the portly Diego, he towered over the short man. "Would you speak to me that way?" he asked, his deep voice menacing. King Diego mouthed words but no sound came out. "My wife may have suggested budget cuts, but I authorized them. So tell me, am I no King?"

Diego looked ready to melt into the floor under King Collin's furious gaze. Fortunately for him, King Collin walked away from the fat little man and took the throne next to Klara and took his wife's hand. The two of them looked quite regal as they sat upon their thrones next to each other. King Diego was sweating.

"Why should you we divert some of our funds, funds that could go towards helping Areganans, to your country when you are about to get into bed with Nikoto?" King Collin demanded. "They are just as rich as we are, perhaps more so, so why should we pay you to pursue a relationship with them? Especially when we are not on the best terms with Nikoto."

King Diego puffed up his chest and gathered his courage to face a far more intimidating ruler than himself. "I mean no offense, your majesties. But please! You ask too much. You want me to end things with Esmeralda and Nikolas. That is a ridiculous request!"

"We can request whatever we like of you," King Collin said. "You are the one that needs our money. You do not have to comply, but we do not have to continue giving out charity."

"Please!" Diego begged. "Have you no heart? We need that money!"

"No heart?" Queen Klara asked. "We have sent your country money for over a decade now. We feel very deeply for the poverty that has stricken your people, and we have tried to keep good faith with your country. In all these years, we have never asked for anything. Now, all that we ask is that you comply with our one small request," Queen Klara said. "End your relationship with Nikoto."

"I—I don't even know if Esmerelda will marry him," Diego said. "He is leery about it, I know it. It may very well not happen."

"That's not good enough," Queen Klara said.

"Please," he said. "At least wait until we know more. If...if Nikoto will help us, then I understand why you would withdraw funds then, but—"

"Let us be clear," King Collin spoke. Every time his deep voice punctured the room, I couldn't help but hold my breath. "If you continue pursuing a relationship with Nikoto, then you will not receive a single charitable Areganan crona. Not now, not ever. You will be terminating your relationship with Aregano in pursuit of Nikoto."

"And Nikoto," the Queen drawled. "Is not known for its generosity."

King Diego blanched. "Please," he begged one last time.

"Our terms are simple," the Queen said.

The poor man furrowed his brow very seriously. "If I do this," he started. "If I end Esmerelda's relationship with Prince Nikolas, you'll reinstate our pension? You won't ask me for favors like this in the future?"

"We will reinstate our charitable donation," King Collin started. "But as for your second point, quite frankly we can request whatever we like. You can always say no, but we can always stop our donations. You need our money, and we don't need to pay you."

"You don't have to end things with Nikoto," Queen Klara lilted. "Of course, we'd rather you did but at the end of the day it will save us money. The question is, how long can you manage without us?" She looked up thoughtfully. "I suppose you'd survive," she said. Drawing her eyes back to him. "You can't take more from your people without provoking a rebellion. However, you could make budget cuts. No more flowing drink, no more brothels, no more imported delicacies. You'd have to live within your, admittedly, very meager means. But you'd survive."

And of all the points made, it seemed that the idea of living within his means was the most frightening prospect, so much so that he conceded, "Fine." Diego started breathing heavily. "I'll do it. I'll end their courtship."

Queen Klara smiled sharply. "We'll make the necessary changes in our budget."

King Diego's pudgy hands tightened into fists as he turned to leave the throne room. Before he got to the door, however, he turned around for a moment and said, "You look down on us, but I'll always know that the family of Nueva España caused the high and might King and Queen of Aregano to quake."

Queen Klara stood up angrily from her throne. "Well then!" she snapped. "I suppose that fact can be there to comfort you at night when you can no longer afford to have your mistresses do so!"

King Diego blanched.

"Do not test us," she said angrily. "Remember, we are the ones with money."

King Diego's eyes widened, and he quickly scurried out of the room. Queen Klara fell back into her chair and sighed.

"Well done, my love," King Collin said, patting his wife's hand.

"Yes," she said, smiling tiredly. "But goodness, isn't he so unlikable?" she asked him.

"I've always hated that man," King Collin said. "And I'd be more than happy to cut him off."

"Diplomacy, Liebes," she sighed. "Besides, it keeps his people from starving."

King Collin frowned. "Perhaps."

I wasn't sure what to think about what I had just witnessed. I certainly felt intimidated by the power that King Collin and Queen Klara held and I didn't know how I felt about the morality of their demands, but in a weird way I also admired the way that the Queen was able to control the situation. Maybe something was wrong with me. I looked over at Coleman, but he didn't look too phased.

"I'm surprised you went along with this, Papa," Prince Coleman said. "I didn't realize that you wanted Calista with Nikolas that badly."

"I don't," King Collin answered, looking over at us. His stare made me want to run away like King Diego. "Though your mother's right, it would be a good match."

"But still," Coleman said. "You want to pawn her off to Nikolas?"

"He's a good man," Queen Klara said.

"I don't think she'll be happy with him," Coleman argued.

"And what do you know of relationships, Coleman?" Queen Klara sighed, and her son stiffened.

"As I said," King Collin started, standing up. "I did not do it for Nikoto. I did it to remind King Diego of his place. He's been getting greedier and prouder for some time now. I wanted to be very clear about where he stands and about where we stand. As your mother often counsels me, it is important to be diplomatic and friendly, but we mustn't forget our strength."

"Yes, sir," Coleman said solemnly. King Collin shortly thereafter left the room, and I stood there awkwardly, unsure of what to do with myself.

"Well, Miss Carmichael," Queen Klara said. "Thank you for coming."

"Oh, yeah, sure," I laughed a little nervously. I didn't know how to think or feel of the situation, nor did I know why I was even there.

"I suppose this is the last time I'll see you for a couple of weeks," Queen Klara said. She stood up from her throne, descended the few steps of the platform it had been placed upon, and walked over to me.

"I guess so," I said.

Queen Klara smiled, but it was not one of her warm, friendly smiles that made me feel at ease. It was sharp and dangerous. "Well then, I hope you won't forget us while you are in Nikoto. Have a nice trip."