Page 3 of Awestruck (Starstruck Love Stories #4)
Chapter Two
Elliot
I have no idea why I’m here.
That’s not true. I’m here because my obnoxiously famous cousin has a strange sense of humor and a hodgepodge of friends whose collective net worth and influence could probably be used to run the world if they weren’t decent people.
I’m here because I need a job to keep my mind occupied, and my skill set makes me overqualified for pretty much anything except what I was already doing.
I don’t know why I’m here. Standing at the back of a room filled with stuffy politicians and three very uptight royals.
“What is this about?” Princess Freya asks.
She has her gaze fixed on the queen, which makes sense.
Queen Ingrid is by far the most intimidating person in the room, though some of these lords are a close second.
I’ve only spoken to a couple of them, but neither man was shy about telling me how little he liked the idea of an American soldier being granted such a high level of security clearance.
I don’t like it either, but here I am.
“Will you sit, darling?” the king says, gesturing to the chair at the foot of the table. Stellan—as he has frequently told me to call him—is probably the only person in this room who seems to sense Princess Freya’s nerves. At least, he’s the only one who is openly acknowledging them.
I wasn’t lying when I told the princess that I didn’t know why her mother wanted her to wait outside, but I doubt it’s anything good. I’m pretty sure that’s why the queen told me that I was going to be part of this meeting.
I’d be a lot more comfortable waiting outside. Whatever this is, the tension in the room is only going to get worse.
Princess Freya doesn’t move, still standing behind her chair. “Why was I not allowed inside, Mum?”
The queen clears her throat, her expression disapproving at the informal address, though with her that isn’t saying much.
In the weeks that I’ve been here, learning everything I need to know about the Alverra family and the government structure of Candora, Queen Ingrid has impressed me with her ability to keep a straight face.
I’ve even tried to provoke more of a reaction out of her and gotten nothing but a sharpness in her eyes.
Derek would probably punch me if he knew I’ve done that multiple times, but my fearlessness has only made Ingrid like me more.
My job may be to protect the princess, but ultimately I report to the queen, and she appreciates my strength of will.
According to her, I’ll need it when I start shadowing Freya.
Ingrid meets my gaze just long enough to indicate I should pay attention. I stand straighter, gripping my wrist behind my back.
“Are you sure you will not sit, Freya?” Stellan asks, though he already seems to know the answer before his daughter throws him a sharp look.
“Lord Ostervik,” the queen says, “if you will.”
The lord clears his throat and touches a piece of paper in front of him. “Your Highness,” he says to the princess, “as you know, Queen Ingrid and King Stellan have decided to step down from the throne, which means the elections are coming next month.”
Freya clenches her jaw as a fire starts burning in her eyes, but her expression is overall calm now as she settles in her chair.
My mentor, Gregor, has had plenty to say about the Candoran heir and says she is intelligent, kind, and resilient, but there’s obviously more to her than what she presents.
There has to be if she thinks she can run a country on her own.
Today is the first time I’ve gotten close to her, and if I hadn’t heard otherwise, I would think she was more of a metaphorical princess—pampered, spoiled, superficial—rather than a political figure.
She literally looks like the queen in that kids’ movie my friend’s girls love so much, the one with the two sisters and the snow.
Or the one with the princess in the tower with all the hair?
Regardless, Freya may look delicate and fragile, but there’s a power lurking inside her. I can’t decide if it’s dangerous or useful, and I don’t like not knowing. Is she going to be a problem, or is she going to be strong enough to hold her own in the difficult position of queen?
“Yes,” the princess says eventually, her eyes sweeping the room. “I am aware of the elections, as that is how the monarchy has been governed for generations.”
I pinch my lips together before I laugh. She definitely has some spunk in her. Hex and Sander like to say their sister is as much a heavyweight champ as she is a fairy. They’re equally terrified and protective of her.
Lord Ostervik clears his throat. “Yes, well, there have arisen some…shall we say complications in the matter of—”
“What sort of complications?”
“Well, it is…” He looks to his fellow Council members, his eyes widening ever so slightly as he silently pleads for help. That can’t be good.
“You have an opponent,” the queen says with no attempts at sugarcoating. “And he is quickly gaining popularity.”
From my understanding, any Candoran can run in opposition to whichever member of the royal family is vying for the throne after a monarch steps down, but I don’t think it’s ever happened.
Gregor mentioned once that the Alverra family has been in power as long as Candora has been a country.
It’s impressive, though I’ve yet to decide if it’s because of the Alverras’ competency or if it’s complacency on the people’s part.
Electing someone other than the ruling family affects the entire government structure, but I haven’t had a chance to dig deep into what that means.
I can see Candorans sticking with the status quo to keep things simple.
So far, the political structure seems to be working.
The country is partially controlled by two houses, the House of Lords and the House of Commons, but the ruling king or queen—and to a point their spouse if they have one—still has the bulk of power and is more than just a figurehead, particularly when it comes to foreign affairs.
Changing that could put Candora in a vulnerable position.
“An opponent?” Freya asks, curling her fingers into fists on her lap. I’ve got a view of her hands where I stand, but no one else does. If not for that, I would think she was calm about this new revelation because nothing else about her shows distress. “Who wants the throne?”
“Markham Grimstad,” Ingrid says at the same time one of the Council members hands Freya a tablet.
I get one too, for which I’m grateful. I read through the dossier quickly, noting the fact that Grimstad is only thirty-five and has a strong background in business and politics.
His career started when he was an assistant to a member of Parliament after getting his degree in political science and law, followed by him beating out an established member of the House of Commons by a record number of votes when he was only twenty-seven.
He has been Speaker of the House for the last three years despite his young age and isn’t afraid to push change in favor of the lower classes, which make up the majority of the kingdom.
Several laws have been amended or changed entirely since his entrance into Parliament.
He looks like a good candidate for a king. Too good.
“Your thoughts, Mr. Reid?” Ingrid says, surprising me with the question. Because of my background, we've talked politics a few times since I was hired, but nothing this immediately relevant. Still, I definitely have thoughts.
I keep my eyes on the tablet, now scrolling through the accolades the guy earned while at Oxford. The school has a reputation that adds to his qualifications. “I think, Your Majesty, there are going to be strong arguments in his favor, and his rising popularity isn’t something to take lightly.”
“Thank you for your opinion,” Freya says sharply, “but I disagree. Markham Grimstad is charismatic, yes, but his policy leaves much to be desired.”
“It’s not always a matter of policy,” I argue, though I probably shouldn’t. Yeah, the queen asked for my opinion, but the princess clearly doesn’t want it. “Everyone can say Hitler’s ideas weren’t great, but look what he managed to do.”
She scoffs. “Of course you would turn to Hitler. You are aware there are many charismatic dictators in history, not just the one, yes?”
Shrugging, I tuck the tablet under my arm and stand tall.
“Mussolini, Stalin, Hussein, Caesar… Any of them could make my point. From experience, elections are as much a popularity contest as they are about politics, and I wouldn’t underestimate Grimstad’s platform.
He’s running ‘for the people.’” I quote the last article I looked at a moment ago.
“Arguing that the Alverra family has lost touch with their own countrymen. His ideas may be radical, but they’re going to be appealing compared to the way things have been for a lot of people. ”
Catching the king’s raised eyebrows, I bow my head. “Forgive me, Your Majesties. I’m speaking out of turn.”
“Yes,” Freya agrees at the same time Ingrid says, “I asked for your opinion, Mr. Reid. An outside perspective can be valuable.”
“Should we be listening to a foreigner?” Freya asks. Her voice carries clear exasperation, but now she won’t look at me. “Surely those of us in this room, the American excluded, have thoughts enough to—”
“What would you suggest in this situation, Mr. Reid?” Ingrid asks over her daughter.
I can’t stop my eyebrows from lifting. This really isn’t my place, and if I’m going to be working with Freya, I’d rather she didn’t hate me. “With respect, Your Majesty, I agree with the princess. I’m here to protect, not to be a diplomat.”
“Thank you,” Freya says.
“Be that as it may,” Ingrid replies, “I know my daughter, and your position may require more diplomacy than you were told.”