Page 47 of A Touch of Royalty

The funds that were going to be required to move the standpipes away from corrupting influences, well, the number had shocked her. No matter that she tried to keep it as modest as possible.

“Highnesses,” the queen rose from her seat and looked down at them from her dais. “What do you bring me?”

“I bring a report,” Emryn said, forcing her voice to be steady. “As requested, I bring the way to separate the city’s water sources.”

“That is welcome in Council this day.” The Queen nodded and sat back down as the Council secretaries passed out copies of Emryn’s report.

She gave them a few minutes to look it over before she began reading. Her copy of the report had annotations of the salient points and she could give the council a base rundown on them.

Not that some of them wouldn’t read the entire report and use any small mistakes to attempt to decry her. But she’d had Cas go over it with her and those mistakes should be minimal.

The council was silent as they made their way through the report. And then the questions began. And for some reason they all seemed to be directed at Cas.

Who wasn’t the author of the report.

“Councillor, with all due respect, I have no idea.” Cas said after a particularly difficult question. “My princess will be able to answer your inquiry. She is the author of the report.”

Emryn felt her face heat as the councilor turned to her and repeated his question, bafflement on his face.

“The salient points are on page fifteen,” Emryn said, turning to the page in question. “But the base idea is that if we relocate the standpipes that are used for drinking water uphill from the washing pipes, then the city as a whole will have better water.”

“The expense-”

“Is as minimal as I can make it,” Emryn cut in. “There will be street construction, Councilor, and that is something that cannot be avoided. If you will look at appendix seven, I have outlined a potential order that the standpipes should be done in order to maximize the health benefits and minimize the destruction and cost to the crown.”

The Councilor nodded, flipping through the report to one of the back pages and skimming it. “No further questions, Highness.”

He sat down and another councilor stood, asking her another question about the piping that they would need to lay, and the manufacture of it.

She’d researched the metal smiths that the project would need to bring on board, and had a semi decent answer for the councillor. At least it seemed to be enough to satisfy him. He sat back down, nodding to himself.

And another, and then more, and then the bell rang to indicate luncheon, and Emryn slumped slightly in relief. Her mouth was so dry from all the talking and she just wanted a break from all the eyes.

The council adjourned and the queen and Cas went to dine. Emryn paused, uncertain of what she was supposed to do until Cas looked at her and smiled.

“Hungry, Emryn?” He held out his hand. “Come and eat. Mother wants to ask you some questions about the project, away from all the nonsense.”

Emryn nodded, finding herself sat at a round table with the queen of Rodilla, her son, and a plate of truly massive ham sandwiches. Emryn took a sandwich and settled back, putting the report to the side and taking a bite.

“I noticed that all of your work on the project eschews the assistance of the college of Magi.” The Queen took a sandwich of her own. “Is there a reason for that?”

“The college can be inserted at any juncture.” Emryn swallowed the ham in her mouth. “I wrote it the way I did to make work for the city laborers.”

“The college will be useful for things like moving earth and ensuring the tunnels don’t collapse, as the plumbing is being moved in the streets.”

Emryn nodded, taking a pen out of her pocket and annotating appendix four of the report. “Thank you, Majesty.”

After lunch, it was back to the Council, who threw more questions at her head. Though there was a stunning lack of yelling at her, which was nice.

She could have managed it, but the fact that she didn’t have to made it simpler to keep her head on straight and just answer the questions.

She’d also expected more invasive questions. Ones that didn’t pertain to the report. But maybe the queen had ordered them to stick to the point.

Either way, by the time they were dismissed so the council could deliberate, Emryn felt like a wrung out dishcloth and also like she’d given a good accounting of herself.

“The proposal will pass the council,” Cas said definitively. “They had all their questions answered, and there is no reason that they should not pass your plan precisely as it stands.”

“Thank you, Cas,” she looked up at him, shyness crashing through her veins. “I- your help was helpful. Mother that was asinine.”

---