The Slave's Crown

Chapter Part 1

"Papa, stop it!" Twelve year old Nikita Desiree Michealson ran from her grandfather, giggling as the grass tickled her feet.

"I'm gonna get you, munchkin!" The gray haired king of Estonova sounded a bit winded, but for a man in his sixties he was still fairly youthful.

Princess Nikita turned slightly to see him, not noticing a larger rock in her path. Her left foot caught the rock, causing her to loose balance, tipping forward towards the ground. Before her body could hit the ground, she felt a familiar arm wrap around her waist, holding her up. She looked up to see the King smiling down at her.

"Your Highness!" came a reprimanding cry from the head of the royal guard. He tilted his head to the side and spoke in to the radio on his shoulder. "Papa Bear and Red Riding Hood are accounted for." He then turned to the two most free spirited of the royal family. "You do know that we cannot keep you safe if you keep sneaking off, correct sir?"

"Yes, yes, Tristan. You do not need to be such a worry wart." The King's offhanded dismissal of security seemed to frustrate the head guard to no end, but it made his granddaughter giggle and at the end of the day, that was all His Highness wanted. "We are inside the castle grounds, son. I can care for my Red."

"I understand, your Highness, but if something happened to the little one. . ."

"Prince James would never forgive you," the two royals finished in monotone harmony.

"Yes, Prince James would have my head if his baby girl came home with even a scratch. Which nearly happened just moments ago." Tristan looked at the two than decided to take a different angle. "I know you don't fear an assassination attempt, but accidents happen."

"Plus, there is unrest with that rumor that you are supporting the bill to criminalize the ownership of slaves," interrupted a feminine voice. All three heads turned to Princess Madeline and her honor guard as well as her ladies in waiting.

"Ah, but the aristocracy will learn how to pay a little money for the work to be done," replied the King. "Will they not, Red?"

Nikita tilted her head to the side before replying, "Won't they do whatever you tell them to, Papa?"

There was a chuckle from the adults before the King said, "If only it were that easy, my little flower. But alas, politicians are not like the military."

A glance was exchanged between Princess Madeline and Tristan. "Nikita, why don't you go play with your brothers?"

"But, mother, the briefing is in an hour," whined the girl.

"Only my daughter," her mother chuckled. "I will send Stephan to pick you up when it is time."

"Yes, ma'am." The young girl's strawberry blonde hair swirled around her body as she started her assent to the castle, her two guards following closely behind.

Once she was safely out of hearing range, King Charles turned to his daughter-in-law. "What have you heard?"

"There have been voices of a rebellion by the aristocrats." King Charles nodded in affirmation at the Princess' words. "They plan on attacking before the bill is signed."

"I had guessed as much," the elderly man muttered.

"Father, would it not be safer to just amend the bill? Make it stricter, but not outright ban the practice at this moment? Give the people time to adjust, Father."

"My child, this practice is barbaric, and should have been done away with well before the Kretin Scandal brought the atrocity of it to light."

The Princess' shoulders slumped, knowing she was fighting a loosing battle. "You should also know, Father, that there have been murmurings in the military camps. Many of their families rely on slave labor while the men are away."

"Is it right to deprive one man of freedom to increase the leisure of another man's life, Madeline?" The young woman shook her head slowly. "Is it right to make that man wait for his freedom to allow us a little more comfort in our security?"

"No, Father."

"Then I will not waver in signing this bill," the King said with surety resounding in every corner of his voice. His tone softened as he then added, "I will understand if you would like to take the children away until all the unrest is settled." The gratefulness in the mother of fours eyes voiced her answer louder than any words ever could. "I will have a boat prepared for you at noon tomorrow. Now, I have a strategy meeting to host and a granddaughter to teach the art."

"Why must you insist on teaching Nikita such things? Why not one of the boys? Justin or Troy would do well to learn."

"Yes, but they do not have the passion that Nikita does. Even Christian could not rival her in her hunger to understand the craft."

"Christian is much the politician, like his father."

"And it will serve both them well as King one day, but for now, I see no harm in teaching your youngest how to win a battle. She may even prove useful to her father and brother as time goes on."

"That she may."

"It will allow her to be more than the adequately educated daughters of aristocrats hoping to find a husband. She will be able to support herself and bring pride to this family more than a well arranged marriage would ever do."

"Those arranged marriages have not caused our country any harm, Father," Madeline chided, thinking lovingly of her own husband.

"Yes, my dear, but don't you want more for her? I see it in her eyes when she looks at all the girls during our visits to town. She wants to have those choices and be allowed to go on adventures. She will never get that if we choose to marry her off to an ally's crown prince or duke."

"You spoil the girl too much."

"But you cannot say you do not wish it for her too. You may have found love with my son, but you had found it beforehand as well."

The gentle reminder of the lover her own father had put to death for interfering with the political marriage caused a look a pain to float across the Princess' fair face. A slightly wrinkled hand was placed on her shoulder as her father-in-law offered his sympathy. He too had felt the loss of love before in the death of his first wife, Margaret.

"She is the youngest, Madeline. Her older brothers have already met their future wife's and had their say in who they were to marry. Can we in good conscience take that away from little Nikita?"

"Father?"

"Yes?"

"Have you had an offer for Nikita's hand?"

"Yes, my dear. Both the dauphin of Lacita and the archduke of Hailand have come forward."

"Is that why the Lacita royals are visiting us tomorrow?"

"Yes, my dear."

"We must tell her tonight then," Madeline sighed, knowing this conversation would only end in tears.

"Yes."

Madeline inclined her head, then both walked in silence, contemplating the fate of a young twelve year old girl who's greatest wish at the moment was simply to understand the best strategy of covert warfare.