The Contest

Chapter 8: Prince Broderick Lumos III

Only around one hour passes on the journey into the town. The first stop on our royal tour is the town of Laughery, the small village I saw between the hills from the family cottage. Father has said nothing throughout the ride, preferring instead to close his eyes. I would assume he was sleeping, but judging from the twists of light slowly pulsing around him, I know that he's thinking. Sometimes when he lets his guard down, the light around him responds to his thoughts. The light around him is racing faster than normal, I can only imagine what he's thinking of.

We ride over the last hill between us and Laughery, and I eagerly stick my head out the window, ready to see for myself a view of my kingdom without the filter of riches and royalty. Father speaks without opening his eyes shortly before the town comes into view, "Be warned, Son. The state of these towns isn't always pleasing to the eye. There is only so much that can be done when your job is to try to please an entire kingdom."

His words have barely processed when the first buildings come into view. Stone seems to be in abundance around here, making up the majority of buildings. That isn't to say that a fire wouldn't devastate the town, because everything that isn't stone is entirely comprised of wood and highly flammable thatched roofs. Dirt paths pass between tight knit buildings while cobblestone paves the more tried and true roads. The town isn't that large in population, even by the standards of small towns, but the sheer sprawl of the one story huts adds an illusion of size. Not to mention that a royal visit has the people scrambling like ants in a disturbed anthill. We turn onto one of the main streets and head towards a big plaza in the center of town. A marketplace probably.

At first glance, it seems like a nice, charming little place to live, but I keep looking deeper as we get closer. I see things that worry me, like the beggar sitting in that one alley, his one functional hand rattling a cup for change. A couple of cats dance across rooftops near the central market, their mangy fur caked with mud. A salesman with a sad face leaves the marketplace hauling a wagon still piled high with wares after a full day of bartering. The only thriving enterprise I spy from the carriage seems to be a small fabric shop in a squat building in the corner of the market. A healthy stream of customers flows in and out, most of them carrying a new buy.

The carriage slowly crawls to a stop near a platform in the center of the square. It's obviously temporary, and I hazard a guess to Father, "They expect a speech?" Father opens his eyes and looks out towards the platform. With a resigned sigh, he grumbles, "So they do. I suppose I'll be the one speaking, as usual." I roll my eyes with a chuckle and say, "Father, you haven't given a speech in years, don't act so excited for the chance to address your hard-working citizens."

He raises an eyebrow and for a moment I worry I've misstepped, but then he cracks a grin. "Lighten up, Lumos. You've got people to please now too, remember?" I wonder if he means I will be speaking, too. Not that I'm worried, I've always loved talking in front of a crowd.

With a jolt, our carriage finally stops, our door opening straight onto a set of stairs. The speech platform waits for us up the stairs. A steward and the Captain of the Royal Guard greet us as we step out of the carriage. The Captain cuts an impressive figure, his full suit of armor seemingly made of pure stone. The more I look, the more I realize it is actually made of stone. Smoothly polished white marble contrasts with his ebony skin. He takes off his helmet to put it under his arm, his cleanly shaven head catching light. He smiles, a genuine look that spreads to his entire face. I can't help but smile back, especially since the members of the Noble Line of Petaram rarely show emotion. They prefer to remain as emotionless and difficult to read as the stone they mold to their will.

"Greetings, Your Majesties. It is my pleasure to introduce you to Governor Divitis." The harsh, powerful voice of Captain Petaram almost distracts me from the small steward stepping forward. I realize my mistake as he sweeps into a shallow bow and extends a hand to my father. "King Lumos, it is a pleasure to welcome you to my province. The Noble Line of Divitis has made every preparation to ensure your brief stay is as welcoming as Laughery can offer."

The little, unassuming man isn't a steward at all, but actually the Governor of Laughery. His Noble Line of Divitis specializes in wealth and mercantilism, hence the economic advancement of the Laughery Province. It isn't much like the Imperium that other Nobles can use, so they are often underestimated. But they do use this power to their great advantage. They use their power of appeal to bargain and barter their way to the best deals in the kingdom, an ability especially appreciated in the economic side of government. The town of Laughery obviously hasn't gained as much from this Noble Line as they should have, but then again, the town wasn't founded by Divitis or any ancestors. In fact, the manor where the Noble Line of Divitis lives is on the top of a hill just outside the town. The town sprang up much later in history at the base of the hill as a result of the palace, taking on the name of the Province and the role of capitol here.

I take his hand as he turns to me and give it a firm shake. "Prince Broderick, I am delighted that you chose to visit Laughery first on your tour! It means the world to me and my family." His manner of speaking betrays his many interactions with common folk, but I can certainly understand a man that governs by more than just example. I respond, "Governor Divitis, I wouldn't miss Laughery for the world. Your province and your people are the lifeblood of our economy, and everything you do for Regnum is greatly appreciated."

With a smile the spreads from ear to ear at my comment, Governor Divitis leads Father and I up the stairs towards the main platform. As I look out at the growing crowds, Father catches my eye and the corner of his mouth quirks up a bit. He likes how I handled Governor Divitis, my first interaction with a governing Noble as a future member of the Council. I smile to myself as I go back to scanning the crowd, glad to be off to a good start.