Chapter 420: Fight for what you want (1)
"Rather than focus on why I am here, we should turn our attention to our guest, Annalise Woods. It has been too long since we have sat with our neighbours at the border. So many people have been lost over land. I think it is time we try to fix what was done wrong in the past and try to live with each other. Putting our differences aside to live in peace," Hazel said, starting off the meeting.
As Hazel spoke, Tobias took his seat beside Hazel. He had been concerned about her travelling after the recent events in the palace, but since she was hellbent on being more involved in kingdom matters to make her crown feel worth something and take some responsibility off of him, he was not going to stop her.
Annalise enjoyed seeing how the queen dismissed the men who did not want her to be present. How could they possibly think for one second of not having the queen here? Hazel shared equal power with Tobias in Annalise’s eyes. More because of the hold Hazel had on Tobias.
The king seemed ready to do anything for his wife. Even if it would go against what the court wanted.
"The land at the border belongs to our people," Julius said, taking the lead in the meeting. He was not going to let the land that was there slip from the kingdom’s hands when there was so much to gain.
So much wealth around the land that the people there didn’t know what to do with it because they didn’t know what it was worth. It was evident by how plain-looking the woman in the room was. It was funny in his eyes to take a look at the well-decorated queen and then the plain woman who was meant to be a princess.
"Those barbarians came and settled on your family’s land, claiming it as their own. We have tried to be kind by reaching out to have them pledge their loyalty to our kingdom in exchange for staying there, but they have turned down our offers. It is time for the land to rightfully go back to its owner. Your people must leave," Otto declared.
There was plenty of land for the king to offer as a gift to the men around him. Otto overheard Rafael requesting land near the border be given to him as a reward for all his victories. Whenever the king asked what Rafael wanted for his work, Rafael didn’t ask for anything so some would say give him the land.
Otto didn’t think Rafael had a right to ask for something because he claimed most of the treasures his knights discovered after killing their enemies and only sent some to the palace.