“What do you mean?” Commander Lehn asked.
“When I was a girl, I was schooled in womanly subjects,” Cinderella groused. “Arts, literature, history, dancing, and the like. I wish I had a better grasp on things like politics, economics, trade, and farming.”
“If you are truly interested in furthering your knowledge, I can arrange for a tutor,” Queen Freja said. “What?” she said when Friedrich and Johann stared at her. “She is to be my successor; the more knowledgeable she is, the better. Lord Diederick already offered to school her in financing and budgeting.”
Friedrich looked down at Cinderella and said, “Don’t we have any female tutors?”
Cinderella rolled her eyes. “Fred.”
“Friedrich told me of a conversation you had with him in which you said Trieux government was more open with information. Would you care to come for tea tomorrow and discuss the concept?” Queen Freja asked.
“I would be honored and delighted, My Queen.”
“Please, call me Freja. In several months, you will be my daughter.”
“Thank you, Freja,” Cinderella said before she caught a glance of Friedrich’s expression. “What?”
Friedrich frowned. “I hoped you two would get along, but I cannot say I wanted you to bond this well.”
Cinderella blinked.“Why not?”
“Do not listen to him, Cinderella; he is only jealous. Now that he has successfully won you over, he must actually return to his duties and stop kicking up his heels and using his men like a circus master. General Harbach looks forward to his full-time return,” Commander Lehn said, chuckling at the thought.
“I knew it. I knew you were skipping out on work. No officer has that much time on their hands,” Cinderella said.
Friedrich shifted his gaze to his parents. “When are you leaving Werra again?”
“Friedrich, don’t be silly. You are going to get married soon; we cannot leave now,” Queen Freja said.
Friedrich looked to his brother. “At least you’re leaving, right?”
“I would love to, but mother has me chained to her,” Johann dryly said.
“Blast,” Friedrich muttered.
“Think of it this way, son. We will help ease your lovely bride into her new role,” Commander Lehn said.
“Speaking of which, I would like to address this debt you mentioned. How much is it?” Cinderella asked.
“Lord Diederick has the current estimate. After dinner, we can pay a social call to his offices,” Queen Freja said.
“Wait a moment, about those female tutors,” Friedrich said, jumping into the conversation.
As Cinderella sat down with Queen Freja and Friedrich, she thought of how nice it would be to have a family again. She would be stupid to think she wouldn’t have disagreements with Queen Freja, Friedrich, or the rest of the royal Erlauf family in the future. But Cinderella was confident they would work through the arguments. After all, nobody wins in a war, but everyone triumphs in the face of love and forgiveness.
Epilogue “…‘proposed road improvements will reduce the current transportation time and provide safer, less hazardous trade routes’— Margrit, deny this petition. Please make a note on it that Erlauf doesn’t have much of a trade route because they lack goods, not because of poor road conditions. Before I stoop to spend money on the roads, they must first come up with an export or crop other countries actually want. And no, flowers do not count,” Cinderella said, pacing up and down the palace hall. She paused long enough to pass the petition off to one of her secretaries—who also happened to be Julien Rosseux’s fiancée.
“Flowers do not count….Done,” Margrit said, her quill flashing as she scrawled on the paper.
“Thank you. May I have the next petition?” Cinderella asked, fussing with the train of her white dress.
“You have reviewed all the petitions we brought with us today.”
“Really? Hm. Did you happen to bring Fostering Economic Wealth through Animal Husbandry?” Cinderella asked.
“I did,” Margrit said, digging a large book out of a satchel that hung from her shoulder.
“You are incredible, Margrit.”
“Thank you, Your Grace. I am happy to be of service,” Margrit said, her voice warm with affection.
“Ahem.”
Cinderella and Margrit guiltily looked to the flock of lady’s maids who trailed behind them.
The head lady’s maid—a formidable woman dressed with clothes starched so heavily, they would have stood upright without her body to support them—shook her head.
“Oh, but I just—,” Cinderella started.
The head lady’s maid shook her head again. “You will ruin your dress, Your Grace.”
Cinderella impatiently pushed a scarlet curl out of her face. “It is only a book. It’s not an animal,” she said moving her skirts to cover the velvet brown mouse that wore a tiny belled collar and climbed on her glass slipper with great familiarity.
“No,” the head lady’s maid said.
