Chapter 46: She Speaks with King Zephron
After the tears stopped flowing, Queen Emeline retreated to her rooms out of fatigue, but not before bringing the tea and cheesy tomato toast with her.
King Zephron remained behind, as he wanted to speak with his 'newly-adopted' son. As soon as the door closed, Robin's pleasantly smiling face relaxed, and she sighed a deep breath out.
"I'm saved! I was almost certain that if I let things to continue that I'd be forced to marry someone before The day was out!" Robin leaned back further in her chair, sinking into the cushions.
"Emeline may be overly-enthusiastic, but she's not that insensible." King Zephron chuckled.
"Really? Because I think that Christian takes after her a lot." Robin replied. Zephron coughed. He couldn't deny it, of course, because he also felt that way.
"Ah, that's right. Since I'm new to this world, perhaps you can help me." Robin remembered something else, and so changed the topic. "Why is it that Christian is so determined that Jasmine is evil incarnate?"
"Ahem, well, their fight goes back about eight years ago, when they were still children, I believe. Even I've forgotten precisely what began it. But those two have refused to reconcile no matter what we've tried." Zephron shook his head.
"Has Christian tried apologizing?" Robin asked. This was a cause of concern for her. If she couldn't get her companions to at least be civil to each other, then the entire trip down would be one big time-wasting-purgatory-of-no-escape. Robin did NOT want to get caught up in a family quarrel the whole way down. She had enough headaches to deal with.
"He insists that he has, but who knows whether he added something unnecessary or not." Zephron sighed. Prince Christian did not seem to be in proper shape as the crown prince of the kingdom.
"Well, you can bet that I'll get down to the bottom of things, Your Highness. It's about time that a certain Prince learned that 'to err is human; but to forgive' is necessary." Her eyelid twitched. as she grimaced. "If not, I may have to take drastic measures and tie the Prince to the baggage roof to keep him out of trouble."
"The baggage roof?"
"Well if we set him on a horse, it will look like we're kidnapping him." Robin pointed out.
"No, why wouldn't you just tie him up and gag him inside the carriage?" Zephron pointed out.
"Good idea!" Robin agreed. "If he asks me why afterwards, I'll be able to tell him that it was all your idea."
King Zephron chuckled. "Don't push it too far, though. He is still my son."
"If he acts like your son, then of course, he will be treated like your son." Robin replied amiably. "But, if he cannot keep up proper decorum, then for what reason is he even coming? I'm the Hero; not the Prince's Babysitter. If you're looking for one, though, I think Keith is in his office."
The king coughed to cover up the burst of laughter that emerged. It seemed that he had nothing to worry about if Robin was going along. At least, perhaps the Hero could teach the Prince a good lesson in proper decorum.
"I'm starting to wish that you were the Crown Prince instead." He muttered, half-seriously.
"No, thank you. I'm busy enough just being the Hero." Robin refused politely. "Besides, politics happen to be one of my worst subjects." Well, that was because one day she had stayed home sick and skipped a test.
"But you were so good at dealing with my wife, earlier! How could it be your worst subject?" The King asked.
Robin rolled her eyes. "Because it's boring. The Hero does not have to sit at a desk and sign documents, nor does he have to meet with tiring individuals who may only be out for their own self-interest. If possible, I'd rather be out helping the farmers bring in their crops, instead. Honest hard work of the common people is what built this country; not the current nobles with superioristic ideals."
"You may have a point there. But traditions are not always so easy to change." The King sighed. "Sometimes the only progress we can make is just a little at a time."
"Well, as long as it's actually progress, then you should be fine, even if it's a bit slow." Robin noted. "What you need to worry about is actually 'regression', though. I saw the children outside on the streets, yesterday. Why do they shun the orphanages so much?"
"It's because the orphanages are taken care of by the nobles." The king explained. "The royal family would do so, but we have an army and walls to maintain, and that takes an awful lot out of the treasury. Moreover, even though the money in the treasury is technically mine, I can't do anything I want with it. That's why the aristocratic families have taken over the orphanages. But..." He sighed. "Even if they give alms, they will find some way to be haughty about it. If it's not the parents, then it's the children. And if it's not the children, it's the children's servants. Of course, I've warned them about it several times, but they just don't seem to take a hint."
"Well, however you think of it, I've got an idea for a job that those children will actually be very good at. Perhaps you could employ them for it."
"We've already tried. They simply don't wish to become one of our servants." Zephron shook his head.
"Oh? But they're already pretty darn good at what they're doing right now. Why can't we just work off of that?" Robin pointed out.
"Off of what?" The king asked.
"Like I said, you should take the street gossipers group, and give it a formal title of information gatherers." Robin finally said it out loud.
"Isn't that like spies?" The King asked.
"Not really. Gossip, and rumors usually have some sort of base in reality. Moreover, to have a centralized location where information is collected helps us to more easily compare similar information and discover hidden problems like corruption, and injustice. And, every piece of information comes with a price. 'Depending on what you want to know, the price will vary.' How does that sound?"
"Aren't they already paid for what they do anyways?"
"Pssh! That's just pocket change! These little guys are out there because they have pride in themselves as human beings, and pride themselves in their work. Moreover, for the king to grant them an official position, would be to validate the hard work that they do every day."
"I got it. But, I know what you're trying to do. You just want to thank them for helping you out earlier today, don't you?" Zephron asked.
"No...You forget, I was also an orphan, living with only my older brother." Robin smiled sadly. "Looking at them is like looking at my past. It makes my heart hurt just looking at it." Her hand clenched her clothes above her heart, as she remembered the little children. "They deserve a better place to stay than an old alleyway."
"Very well, I see you're adamant about this." Zephron noted. "I may not be able to make it happen right away, but I will put my utmost into making it happen." He then stood up from his seat, and paused.
"One more thing..." He said hesitantly.
"Yes?" Robin answered.
"Can I have the rest of these biscotti?" He asked, pointing at the half-empty plate.
"By all means, please take away the rest of them." Robin laughed. "And thank you for speaking with me."
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After the king left, Robin opened the curtain, looking out the window at the rising moon.
"At the moment, this is all I can do for you, Dirk." She said. "But, you can bet that I'll make an honest man of you, yet."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
BriarRose
BriarRose I said I would, and so I did. *yawn* Well, here's the next chapter.
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