Chapter 140

Chapter 140 Respect is easy to gain Guards stood behind the men’s chairs as they seated themselves at the table. No food was yet offered to them and it didn’t seem like it would be until the deal was set in stone. They looked ragged and tired, but William looked as if he had slept the whole time they were in there despite not leaving his chair once. He was fresh, alert, and ready for any sort of battle about to be thrown his way.

“Talk.” William commanded. Her eyes lingered on the stumble that formed around his chin again. She imagined how scratchy it would feel against her skin and suddenly she realized how tired she was. 1 Edward cleared his throat. “We realized that their suffering was worse than we thought it would be. We don’t have much experience with going hungry.”

“I’m sure you don’t.” William braced his elbows on the table. “That is not what I wanted to hear. You don’t sound as if you understand them at all. I watched as children offered to give up their only meal to help the rogues that were close to their death. You missed one meal and suddenly you can understand what they’re going through?”

“We want to make things right.” Mal said nervously. His clothes were wrinkled and sweaty.” We may have cut back a portion of their food inventory for some of the villages, but we want to double it-“

“You’re going to send four times the amount.” William interrupted. Their eyes grew a little wide and Doris only felt a strange attraction for him. She’d never seen him in action like this, was he always so… kingly?

No room for objections, only his demands.

“Prince William-”

“I don’t want to hear it. The north is full of good people just as this kingdom is. Their bad reputation doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to be treated like people. You can’t withhold food and expect them to survive, that would kill thousands.” William narrowed his eyes. “They pay their monstrous taxes just for you to cut them their earned food?”

Edward shifted in his seat. She saw a bead of sweat trail down his forehead. “I never took you for a leader, Prince William. I thought you had no interest in politics.”

“You’ve been seeing wrong, then. I know what’s best for my people and I won’t let money hungry wolves try to take down lower class people any longer.”

Edward leaned back in his chair and looked at William in a new light. Doris must have felt a bit delirious from lack of sleep, because she only wanted to laugh. “How long have you been like this, William? We all thought you were reckless and didn’t have a care in the world expect about who would lay in your bed next.”

Edward’s eyes flickered to Doris on William’s side and she prayed that her face wasn’t as red as she felt it was. She clenched her hands into fists under the table the second he looked Respect is easy to gain away from her. The utter embarrassment from a single glance was enough to set her on fire once more.

“I’ve always had an interest in being a leader. Everyone drew their own assumptions of me in their minds and ran with it, that is not my concern. My concern is doing what’s best for this kingdom and all of the people around it.”

“Consider the food agreement already done. We will have the food sent out by this afternoon.” Edwards said suddenly. Mal glanced at him in surprise but said nothing to object. A satisfied wave swirled in her chest.

A new glint replaced the irritation and fear that had been previously in Edward’s eyes. He almost looked, impressed by the way William was acting. How was that possible? He leaned towards William.

“Now that that is settled, what else are your plans to better help your people? How do you suppose you’ll do that when your brother is the one set to take the throne?” Edwards tilted his head. “Are you planning on helping him when he becomes king?”

“He may be set to take the throne, but nothing is ever in stone.” William said simply. She could tell that he didn’t trust these men yet but his words spoke volumes. He all but confirmed he was now after the throne for himself.

Edward raised his brows as if he didn’t expect this to become of their conversation. “That’s true. I always thought your brother was too-soft to take on a role like this. He never once took matters into his own hands or thought about ways to make things better for his people.”

“Edward, he just threatened us and locked us in a closet.” Mal hissed quietly, but they all had heard him just fine. William didn’t show a hint of emotion, he kept a straight face.

“Yes, he did. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a prince so determined to make sure things went through the way he wanted. Perhaps your brother could learn a thing or two from you instead of following your fathers shadow.”

William lifted his chin a little. “As to your previous question, I have many ideas on how to make this kingdom stronger. More strong than my brother would ever hope to make it.” William’s eyes glanced over the room at each face as if he was now talking to all of them. It sent chills down her body.

“For too long, we have allowed this kingdom to appear weak and selfish to outsiders. My father hasn’t been the same sort of ruler since I was born. He was once passionate about what he believed in, now he only cares about control and power. I won’t lead with a head full of selfish desires. I only want to improve this kingdom and I will stop at nothing to achieve that.”

Edward -hummed and looked William up and down. “You certainly don’t have any sort of lines that you won’t cross.” He glanced at Enzo who had just been watching silently the entire time. He clearly knew when it was time to stay silent, but his presence alone was louder than any words.

“I think. I think this is refreshing. I doubt any of the other royal members would take things into their own hands and allow this to happen. They would throw us in a cell and have someone else deal with us until it was settled.” Edward said.

It surprised her. She expected rage or fear leaking from his words, not admiration. Did William put them under some sort of spell that left them mesmerized by him? He was probably the only man in the world that could lock another man in a small room and have them come out with some sort of new respect.

William stood. She couldn’t tell if he was just as surprised as she was, or if he expected this all along. “I’m glad we can come to some sort of agreement, gentleman.”

It almost didn’t even sound like William to her ears. She never heard him be so proper or direct-but then again she had never heard him in a meeting with anyone other than Enzo. And usually that contained more glaring and childish remarks from both parties.

Edward stood as well and tried to pathetically straighten his clothes that were past the point of redemption. Mal soon followed his lead and it was clear who made the decisions between these officials.

“I’ll get on that. Don’t worry yourself over anything else, those families won’t starve.”

“You’re right, they won’t. If I hear anything like this happens again, I’m coming back here and making sure you both know what it’s like to starve to death.”

Edward stared at William for a moment. The tension thickened and she wondered if that was their last straw. Would they tell the palace about what he’d done? Would they tell them lies?

When a smile broke out across his face, she felt her insides deflate. Edward held out his hand and William glanced down at it with a blank face before he accepted.

“I don’t doubt that you will, Prince William. I don’t doubt that you will do anything in your power to get what you want. I can’t say that I don’t respect that. Only the most determined men end up with the pot of gold.”

William dropped his hand and stepped back. She dared a look at Enzo who looked just as baffled by the whole exchange as Doris felt. Perhaps he had his fate already mapped out and everyone else was supposed to follow William’s straight line. How had she successfully dodged him for so long while everyone else fell under his spell the instant they met him?

Well, perhaps she eventually fell for it all too. And now she only felt foolish for not falling sooner.

“We’ll be on our way now.”