Those two days were the first time Aelin had experienced the tears of joy. Most of the tears she had shed were of pain and grief but those tears, they felt so nice.
It had been months she had seen the kingsbloom and ordered them to be preserved in a glass case so the future rulers know what is expected from them. The first month was spent in finding new additions to the court and army. Aedion and his Bane had set up a large army and the others had appointed ministers to the court and the workers for the castle. The months after that had been very busy.
Aelin was in her dressing room, plaiting her hair. There was a meeting with the ministers in ten minutes. She looked at the mirror again. She looked nice in that orange dress with gold embroidery. The platinum crown looked beautiful on her golden hair, the silver ring still beside her wedding ring and the dagger sheathed at her waist. But her face looked tired as if she had aged a year in these few months. Bags were starting to form under her now-not-so-bright eyes. It was clear that the regular meetings with the Royals took most of her energy.
She went down the stairs to the Crown court, ready to endure another hour of the most boring thing she had to do as a Queen. The only comfort she had was that Rowan always sat beside her so they can talk through their bond if the meeting became unbearable. Elide, Lorcan, Aedion and Lysandra didn't accompany them to such meetings unless their province was under question which didn't happen very often. Fenrys was not that lucky, he had to attend each and every of these meetings.
The meeting was just as boring as the others if not more. They were discussing the irrigation problems faced in Ilium and other coastal states. Most of the water was salty and therefore, unfit for agriculture.
'I am gonna have one serious talk with Rolfe.' Aelin said through the bond.
'Tell him to look after his lands better or we would have to attend another dozen of these meetings.' Rowan replied, hiding the smile which was itching to spread on his face.
Aelin gave a short nod and directed her attention towards a grey-haired minister who was talking about the condition of the northern mountains. The meeting went on longer than Aelin would have liked but when Rowan dismissed the court, she let out a small smile. Even Rowan seemed fed up with these meetings and gave a wry smile as the last of them left the room.
"I am just going to go have a nap." Fenrys announced with a yawn.
"That is what you do most of the time, sleepyhead." Aelin teased as Fenrys left the room with an eye roll.
"Come on, I am hungry." Aelin pulled Rowan out of the door.
Lysandra and Elide were already in the kitchen, munching sandwiches.
"Where are the men?" Aelin asked, taking one cheese sandwich for herself.
"Don't know. Don't care. Till we run out of these." Lysandra said, giving one sandwich to Rowan who stood behind his mate.
"Don't listen to her. Aedion has taken Lorcan to meet the Bane and told us to have some 'lady' time." Elide said.
"Have you been drinking? Where's Evangeline?" Aelin asked the shifter.
"No, no. Evangeline is playing with Fleetfoot." Lysandra replied but Aelin still doubted.
"You grow old. Looks like you could really use a holiday." Lysandra said as kept the empty plate of sandwiches in the sink.
A holiday sounds good, Aelin thought.
"But we cannot leave like that. We have responsibilities." Aelin told.
"We can handle it. Nobody shall mind you going out for a week. You really look tired." Elide said.
"But..." Aelin tried to object but Rowan interrupted, "Fireheart, you need rest."
"Don't worry. We will look after the kingdom well." Elide patted her Queen on the back.
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Love,
Memeismeme : )