The next morning found me in the west wing's third-floor council chamber. The tall, arched windows overlooked the river on one side, and the far walls were lined with portraits of past monarchs - my ancestors staring at me as I slumped in my ornate chair at the head of the massive oak table. Lord Cassius paced the length of the room in front of the windows.

  "The industrialization efforts in the southern provinces require immediate attention." Lord Cassius said. "The factories along the Morge River have increased production by twenty percent, but our transportation infrastructure struggles to keep pace. It would be advantageous to open new trading relationships with Roosendrecht. Their engineering advances could revolutionize our rail systems. Magnolia has three oceangoing ports, all of which are closer to Roosendrecht than Sekr. We should be competing with the Archipelago Commonwealth for trade dominance, not lagging behind them."

  Lady Marigold, at my right hand, nodded. "Our land trade routes into the continent have been particularly profitable this season."

  "My sources indicate that Roosendrecht has developed a new engine system." Lord Cassius continued. "Their trains can transport twice the number of cargo cars as our current fleet. If we could implement similar technology, it would revolutionize the efficiency of our trade networks."

  His aides moved around the table, distributing documents to each council member. Lady Marigold received hers first, and she quickly leafed through the pages. Her eyes skimmed rather than read - she'd likely seen earlier drafts already.

  "The legislation prepared would allocate funds to bring over Roosendrecht engineers." Lord Cassius explained, now standing directly before the windows and looking out. "We'll need to renovate the southern rail yards to accommodate the new designs."

  Lady Marigold finished her review and pushed the stack toward me. "Everything appears in order, Your Majesty. Simply sign where indicated."

  I glanced down at the papers placed before me. Normally, I would sign without reading; I trusted they had done the proper work to organize these things. But today, Raphael's words lingered in my mind. These were Ceannaithechaladh's trains we were talking about, wasn't it?

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  I looked down at the papers, then back up at Lord Cassius. "These improvements will affect the provincial cities significantly." I said. "Perhaps I should see these places firsthand. Or maybe we could visit Ceannaithechaladh ourselves and see how their factories are operated?"

  A heavy silence fell over the room. Lady Marigold's hand froze midway through smoothing her sleeve.

  "I beg your pardon, Your Majesty?" Lord Cassius asked.

  I sat straighter. "A royal tour of the provincial cities. It would allow me to witness firsthand how these policies affect my people. I believe I would be better able to manage the kingdom with more direct experience."

  Lady Marigold's face hardened. "That's a frivolous suggestion, Your Majesty. Your presence is required here at the palace for numerous important functions."

  "What functions, specifically?" I asked, surprised by my own boldness. "Surely the kingdom wouldn't collapse if I were absent for a fortnight."

  From his position by the door, Commander Tiberius cleared his throat. I'd almost forgotten he was there, standing at attention as he did during every meeting. "If I may, Your Majesty, I feel obligated to remind the council that your father was assassinated by anarchists during just such a tour nearly twenty years ago."

  Lady Marigold nodded quickly. "Precisely my concern, Commander. The security implications alone make such an excursion inadvisable."

  "But the country has been peaceful for years!" I protested. "The reports you've just handed me speak of prosperous trade and thriving industry, not unrest."

  "Peace is maintained through vigilance, Your Majesty." Lord Cassius interjected, moving away from the window to approach the table. "And while the kingdom is indeed stable, your safety remains our paramount concern."

  He reached for the documents before me, tapping a particular clause with one long finger. "These improvements to our infrastructure will make future travel safer. Perhaps we might revisit the possibility of a royal tour once these measures are implemented."

  I looked up at him, trying to determine if he was merely placating me.

  "I will personally evaluate the security concerns with such a trip." he continued. "We can discuss it properly... on another day. For now, these matters require your immediate attention."

  Lady Marigold pushed the pen closer to me. "The southern provinces cannot begin their renovations without your approval, Your Majesty."

  I couldn't let the country rot for the sake of my whims, so I picked up the pen.