Her mind raced, a flurry of panic and anger. The details of the dam, the drought, the trade routes, the fugitive... it was all a blur of names and places she couldn't sort out. She felt a wave of nausea, the beautiful day outside seeming a cruel joke compared to the icy reality of her situation.
She had two choices: she could admit her ignorance and be publicly shamed, effectively nullifying her position as Queen, a silent doll to be seen and not heard. Or she could bluff, which was a dangerous game with men who had decades of experience in the subtle arts of war and politics
She didn't know what to say but she was determined that she wouldn't let Christopher humiliate her publicly.
Alex, seated slightly apart, he had lost his smirk, his expression unreadable now. "I think we should...." he started but Christopher raised his hand, a sign for him to be quiet.
Then a third option presented itself, a flash of pure, unadulterated defiance born from the anger she felt for her husband.
She lifted her chin, meeting Christopher's cold blue gaze. The smirk on his perfect, chiseled face was barely there, but she saw it, and it fueled her fire.
"The grievances are valid," she said, her voice a little shaky at first, but gaining strength with each word. "Both of them." She paused, forcing herself to breathe, to think. "The problem, as I see it, is not the dam, or the drought, or the need for water." She walked a little forward, her presence growing with her confidence. "The problem is a lack of foresight and cooperation."
A ripple of surprise went through the room. Christopher's expression didn't change, but his eyes narrowed just a fraction.
"Lord Eldor, your people need the river to flow," she continued, focusing on the old man. "Lord Varrick, your people need the water to survive the drought. These are not competing interests; they are the same interest: the survival of the people." She looked around the room, making eye contact with as many of the elders as she could. "It is the duty of the Crown to ensure the prosperity and survival of all its kingdoms, not to simply arbitrate a zero-sum game."
She knew nothing of the technicalities, but she knew this was about power and control as much as it was about water.
"My esteemed husband," she said, turning to Christopher, "is known for his... decisive nature." She saw the flicker in his eyes at her use of "esteemed husband" the subtle jab going straight to its target. "He is a man who deals in power and in results. But sometimes, a problem requires a solution that is not merely powerful, but wise."
She turned back to the assembly. "The solution is not a matter for this room alone. It is a matter for engineers, for hydrologists, for farmers from both kingdoms to sit down and find a way to make the river work for everyone. A series of smaller dams, perhaps, with controlled flow mechanisms that ensure both power and agriculture thrive. We have the brightest minds in the world in these lands. Use them."
The room was silent for a long moment, the elders all looking at each other. She had offered no grand, kingly judgment, no simple "do this" or "do that." She had proposed a process, an idea that seemed almost... reasonable.
A small smile played on Alex's lips, this time one of genuine approval.
Christopher finally spoke, his voice cutting through the quiet. "A process," he stated, his gaze fixed on her. "An interesting approach." He leaned forward, his elbows on the arms of his throne. "And what of the other matters? Marcellia and Verdia? Calonia and Solaria?"
He wasn't done with the test. He was doubling down.
She swallowed, her heart in her throat again, but her resolve was solid. "I believe the same principle applies, Your Majesty. I am new to these specific disputes, as I was not informed of the agenda." She let the accusation hang in the air, a public acknowledgment of his slight. "But I would suggest that all of these issues stem from a lack of communication and mutual trust. We can find a solution in the same way: by bringing the right people to the table and demanding a collaborative outcome that benefits all parties, not just one."
She met his gaze, the challenge clear in her eyes. I may be a Lady, Christopher, but I am not weak.
A long moment stretched between them. Christopher simply stared at her, his expression unreadable, a fortress of cold perfection. The silence in the room was electric, the fate of the meeting—and perhaps her own future—hanging in the balance.