Olivia Apollo sat in the middle of the master suite with a cup of espresso at a table. She wore a silk robe and watched birds fly past the balcony. The double doors to the balcony were open and the white curtains flowed with the warm summer breeze. The balcony gave way for the sounds of Yorkshire to flood into the building, automobiles roared and horses trotted just outside. A man lay in her bed, she watched him wake up and feel for the covers. His eyes trailed up to the breakfast table, meeting with hers.
The Apollo master suite was painted a mint green with white furniture and golden details. Above the bed was a five foot tall portrait of Kaiser Xavier II in his formal dress, a sword at his side, and his palm rested on the emerald crown. His portrait stared out of the frame with a stoic gaze. He was younger in the portrait, his hair was still dark blonde and he had far fewer wrinkles.
The man in her bed sat upright, he had broad shoulders and dark hair. He was young, taking classes at a law school, paying for it by being the cab driver for the royal family. His name was Antony, and he couldn’t take his eyes off of Olivia, he held a dumb smile on his face. His attraction for her was undeniable. Olivia enjoyed the compliments and the special attention, so they spent many nights together since her family traveled south to the war.
Antony shuffled out of bed and put on a robe, “How are you, your majesty?”
Olivia reached out to Antony, and he sat down at the table with her. She slid over a cup of espresso, “I’m… ,” she said with a laugh, “It’s been a long time since I gave a speech.”
Antony drank his espresso and smiled, “You’ve been practicing all night, you’ll get it right…” he watched Olivia for a moment, “You could have them remove the painting, if you’d like them to.”
Olivia did not realized she was looking back at her husbands portrait, she turned back to Antony, “I don’t think I need to do all of that… Does it bother you?”
“Well, no…” Antony shook his head, “I’m not bothered.”
Olivia nodded, “How do you think people will take it, my endorsement?”
“I think Kane Bell is a sound choice,” Antony said, “He’s done a good job so far and is taking action. If you want a strong opposition to morons like Finch or Gunther in the senate, why not stick with what works? He’s got a plan that isn’t the Prime Minister’s.”
Olivia nodded, assured in her belief. Senator Bel l was a representative from the city of Bruno, along the Great Sherman Lake. They were scheduled for a tour at a munitions factory with the senator at one o’clock that afternoon. Antony glanced over to the sofa, he noticed the newspaper, “Have you gotten any new polls?”
“Bell is at forty five percent in Bruno, everyone has grown old of the incumbents. A Renaissance Party candidate has taken up twenty points, the rest went to the Imperial Conservatives, neither of the opponents seem interested in leaving the race, so I’m hoping for the best. If my explicit approval of his project is what he needs to get him this win, I’ll do it.”
“You’re a good friend.”
Olivia checked the clock at the back wall, “My lunchtime with the Finch’s is coming up, I’ll have to get going.” It was customary for the Kaiser to meet with the Prime Minister at least once a week to discuss the state of government and maintain some level of decorum. In Xavier’s stead, Olivia served the empire as the Provisional Kaiserin, granting her powers of the imperial office as long as Xavier was away, serving in Colslavia.
“I’ll be seeing you again at twelve thirty, then,” Antony smiled. Olivia put on a yellow dress with a skirt that ran to her shins, buttons ran up the torso with a floral collar. With it she put on a straw hat and left her bedroom for the royal dining hall.
There was already a glass of wine for her when she stepped into the royal dining room. The Prime Minister and his wife, Alfred and Kennedy Finch, waited for her. It was a thin white room with silk white curtains, the windows were open and cool air blew in. Olivia took her sea at the table, “Good afternoon, your majesty,” Kennedy said, she smiled. Kennedy had big brown eyes and dark hair, her face looked like a painting.
“To you as well…” Olivia said, she took a sip from the Cabernet glass. Olivia kept the wine close, and Alfred started to eat his lunch. It was a piece of blackened white fish caught fresh from the bay on a bed of rice. The Prime Minister rarely spoke during any of the meetings, but Olivia insisted that they continue this charade. He read a newspaper and both women could tell his frustration was brewing. Kennedy sighed, “Alf, you don’t have to keep reading it.”
“It’s not a problem,” Alfred said, “I’m fine, really. I’m just struggling to understand how every reporter in this damn city thinks I’m illiterate? Three hundred economists wrote a letter against my bill, but they don’t know what they’re talking about. Those economists don't want a stable society. Communists, they always think their revolution is right around the corner. Have you seen those posters from the Red Congress? They welcomed in that Crytin freak, Nicholas June, too. Don’t forget that,” Alfred said.
Nicholas June was a first cousin once removed to Olivia. She didn’t know anybody with the last name June, not until Nicholas returned from Cryta. The Junes had been disgraced by the entire royal Court, “How can you be so sure? Victoria University is reputable,” Olivia said.
“Well I don’t see any economist writing bills to fix anything. They'll never be satisfied, all preaching, no practice. That’s their problem,” Alfred looked tired, “Once I get these businesses on their feet everything should fall back into place.”
Olivia drank more wine, Kennedy smiled, “You should come with us tonight to the Moonage Hotel. Mr. Perry is hosting a dinner party, I think if you spoke with him you’d completely understand.”
“Well, I’m not sure thats the best idea,” Alfred said, “It’s more of a celebratory thing. We’re not trying to, you know, butt heads.”
“I can behave myself,” Olivia said, “I don’t think I should have any problem getting to the Moonage Hotel tonight.”
Alfred grumbled, “I think it’d be best for you to not make a scene at a meeting of businessmen. Do you understand me?”
Olivia put down her wine glass, “I think it’s only responsible for me to attend events like these,” she said, “I accept your wife’s generous invitation.”
Alfred scoffed and stormed out of the room. Kennedy turned to Olivia, “I’m looking forward to putting all of this behind us,” she said, “I think Alfred’s been needing a getaway for some time now.”
“A getaway?”
“He didn’t tell you?” Kennedy’s eyes lit up, “Oh it’s wonderful. We bought some land on Skalchi Island, we’re building a ranch and we’ll be visiting it once we’re done with this senate business.”
“That sounds expensive.”
“We—” Kennedy stopped herself, “It’s been an investment…”
Olivia raised an eyebrow, “How is the land, does it look nice? Not like the crowded Dacian resorts?”
Kennedy nodded, “Yes, it’s in the highlands. I’ll have to get you some photos when we come back, it’s a beautiful place.”
“Please, I’d love to see the progress you two have made,” Olivia said, she twisted her wine glass and held her tongue. Her suspicion arose at the mention of land purchases. Olivia knew the salary of the Prime Minister, even in a stable economy, that sort of investment would be unheard of.
The royal cab rolled through the industrial district of Yorkshire, passing lines of tired men waiting for work at the factories. They stood against red brick walls on crumbling concrete that lined the streets. Some as young as twelve. On the other side of the street there was a large automobile factory that had been foreclosed since the beginning of the ‘Great Freeze.’ Several buildings were shells of their former selves, leaving a surplus of laborers waiting for work. She could hear the voice of the Prime Minister on the radio, “We are on a path to recovery, folks. Once we pass the Fair Trade and Labor Relations Act, our industries will be able to bring thousands of jobs back to the Tykan Empire. And I know we have the votes to do it.”
A folded newspaper was beside her in the cab, the front page headlines read, “ECONOMISTS REJECT FINCH’S BILL AHEAD OF SENATE VOTE.” She had a copy of the letter from economists with three hundred signatures. The economists warned that Finch’s policy of protectionism would provoke allies to retaliate with tariffs of their own. Olivia thought,Rather than cutting out trade with allies to focus on using the Empire’s colonial resources, Olivia believed that overhauling the budget to fund job programs would be most effective. She, along with her colleagues, had spent months hammering out compromises in the legislation and fine tuning political jargon for this moment.
The Prime Minister’s speech still buzzed in the car, “Can you turn that off?” she asked. Antony cranked the dial down. She took out a small mirror and lipstick, she needed to find something to do with her hands. Her lips became a ruby red, she readjusted a hairpin, tightening a bun. Her scalp ached, but she took a deep breath and ignored it. Antony looked back at her through the rearview mirror, making eye contact with her. Antony was a young man with broad shoulders, long dark hair, and kind brown eyes. He was a student at Yorkshire, studying law and hoping to someday join his district legislature. Olivia had chosen him as her driver years ago, and the royal family paid for his schooling in full for his service to House Apollo, “How do I look?” she asked him.
“You look great as always,” he said, “Your speech sounds terrific as well. It’s gonna be perfect, your majesty,” Antony smiled. He turned his eyes back to the road.
Flattered, Olivia felt her face grow hot, she rolled down her window and could smell the musk of the Sherman River, hear the seagulls cry. She took in a deep breath of the summer breeze. Melancholic workers looked back at her as Antony stopped the car along a curb outside the munitions factory.
The factory was a great warehouse surrounded by a chain link fence, two men in suits stood outside the fence waiting for her majesty. One of which was a tall, handsome Senator named Kane Bell. The senator had a square jaw and thick rimmed glasses, his black hair was slicked back and he flaunted a white smile. The other man was the factory manager of equal height to the senator with brown hair and a bright grin.
The men bowed as Antony opened her door, he took her hand and helped her onto the pavement. Olivia shook Kane’s hand, “Are you ready to do this?” he asked.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” she said, “I apologize for my tardiness, I had some unprecedented business.”
“It’s not a problem, your majesty,” the factory manager said, he shook her hand and gestured to the gates, “Shall we begin?”
She nodded and followed the two men past the fence, journalists surrounded them, barking questions and snapping photos. Flashes of light irritated her eyes, “Your majesty, what do you have to say about the Yorkshire District Court releasing Chairman Nolan?”
“Does the Kaiser support the womens suffrage bill?”
“What comments can you make about the offensive in Colslavia?”
She got used to being in the spotlight and learned to avoid reporters. They entered the factory, walking down an aisle on the floor of the munitions factory beside Kane and the factory manager. The ceiling was made with sheet metal high above, one side open to allow sunlight to fill the factory. The aisle was small and on either side men in tattered overall uniforms saluted their Regent Kaiser. Behind the workers there were rows and rows of artillery shells piled on one side, and more rolling through assembly and inspection on the other. It was hot in the factory, sound bounced off the walls and lingered in the air as men worked. Metal crashing against metal, footsteps on wooden floorboards, lower managers shouting orders.
“At this plant alone we have produced over fifty thousand shells a week,” the manager said, “We take great pride in our work and we like to do our part.”
Olivia smiled, “This is truly impressive,” she said. She watched conveyor belts carry shells along the path of the aisle. Ahead of them there was a podium at the top of a small raised steel platform. In the center of the factory floor there was an open floor, a large Tykan flag with the green cross hung above the steel platform. Kane stepped onto the platform with Olivia and approached the microphones set up at the podium.
“Good morning everyone, firstly I’d like to thank you all for all of your hard work. Without you hardworking people our boys down south wouldn’t stand a chance,” Kane said, there was an applause, “That is why we value you, the workers, over corporate profits. Big shot politicians in the Senate think they can keep the working class in the gutter, they want you all to keep your heads down,” he paused, flipping through his notecards, “That is why I oppose the Fair Trade and Labor Relations act, this so called ‘fair’ bill includes provisions to restrict your rights as workers, it pads the pockets of those at the top. They think the businessmen are the ones who need to be cut a check, well as we say in Rein: that’s hogwash!” The crowd broke into a roaring applause in the factory, “We don’t want recovery only for the top, you folks have mouths to feed. That is why I, working with Senator Dedrick Lawson and our Queen Olivia Apollo, am proud to announce that we will be submitting a bill to the Senate tonight that would establish an Imperial Emergency Relief Administration, I’ll let her majesty explain.”
Kane turned back to Olivia, gesturing for her to come forward. Olivia stepped up to the podium, dozens of faces looked up at her, “Thank you all for welcoming us, I value your time so I will not go on for long. We have drafted a bill to provide financial relief to each of our districts according to their needs, this bill would create thousands of jobs within just the first two months. We could see a remarkable recovery that is fast and comfortable for working people.”
They stepped down from the stage and headed out of the doors. Kane turned to her, “I would like to have a word with you in private, I have my boat docked along the river just a few blocks away.”
Olivia considered the offer, “What is it about?”
“I think its better we find a place away from anyone else for this conversation.”
She could see a pleading glint in his eye, so she gestured to Antony who leaned against the royal cab, “We can take my cab to the docks.”
***
Antony stopped the car along some docks. She could see the whole Bay of Teurastus to the east, ships coasted in every direction at the giant port. Freighters were headed for distant waters and there was an old idle tower protruding from the center of the bay. Antony opened the car door for her and took her hand, and the Kaiserin stepped onto the pavement.
Looking west, she saw the two great bridges which crossed the Sherman River, connecting the capital city of Yorkshire to Richland. They stood tall in the distance. Olivia started down the steps to the docks. It was strange for a Senator to invite Olivia out for a trip down the river. Steamboats, once a staple of travel along the Sherman River, had fallen out of style when the bridges were finished decades ago. The history of steamboats and the Sherman River was tumultuous at the turn of the century. Xavier’s father, Kaiser Dakota, had supported the construction of the bridges. When Xavier was twenty one, his father was assassinated by men angered at the damage the bridges had done to the ferrying industry. The memory still came as a shock to many. Regardless, the invitation was intriguing enough for Olivia to entertain the idea.
It was a dark blue steam launch, a luxury vessel built to high standards. It was about the size of two buses with a crew of two other men who waved to her from the far side of the docks. The senator took Olivia’s hand and guided her down the steps, she looked back to Antony, she mouthed the words
“This is quite a boat,” she said.
“It was my fathers before he passed, Lord Phantom rest his soul,” Kane helped her onto the boat, “How has life been in the Apollo these last few months?” He asked.
“It’s been quiet,” Olivia answered. She followed the senator up a staircase to the top deck. The crewmen were untying the boat. Olivia looked back and saw Antony beside the cab, watching the steamboat push off the docks.
“Quiet? Where have you been?” He laughed, “The world is anything but quiet these days. I could use a day of quiet.”
“I just pray that my son comes home safe,” she said. The boat started to go westward, she looked to the riverside. Tents filled the dilapidated riverwalk, little boys fished over the boardwalk, and families watched the boat pass them by in all of its opulence, “Where are you taking me?”
“Have you seen the riverwalk recently?” He asked, “There’s more tents just outside the city, hundreds of them, actually.”
“Have you seen them?” She asked. The global recession had been ongoing since February 14 of that year. She knew that unemployment was reaching 30%, but it is a different thing to see it in front of her.
“I’ve talked to some of them, they’re waiting for a miracle to happen. Nothing else they can do.”
Kane poured the two of them cups of tea, and Olivia joined him at a table. As they neared the bridge, she could see people gathered on the scaffolding underneath the bridge. Hammocks and tents were set up along the bridge, and the people looked down on the small boat. She kept her eyes on the teacup, “Where are we going?” She asked again.
“Not far,” Kane said, “We’ll turn around in a little while. I was only hoping to get a moment of your time away from the crowds and chaos of the Capitol.”
“I see,” Olivia said, “So what have you got to say?”
Kane placed a letter on the table, “I know your history with politics, and I thought it may be worth a try to speak reason with you.”
Olivia read over the letter, “What is this about?”
“I think you and I both know that the Prime Minister's legislation cannot pass,” Kane said, “That’s a letter signed by three hundred economists, Tykan economists, all of them saying the same thing. We can’t let it pass.”
Olivia put down the letter, “There is nothing I could do to stop it. This seems like a problem for the senate, for you to figure out.”
“Your majesty, might I speak frankly with you?” Kane asked, Olivia nodded, “I know who you are, you’re a lot like me. Tariffs are only going to worsen this crisis, our standing among the world is suffering because of men like Finch. If this bill passes, it will bring ruin to this country.”
Olivia cocked her head, “I don’t like your hyperbole, Senator. Do you know something that I don’t?”
Kane thought carefully about his next words, “I have ears in the Red Congress, and what I’m hearing is that this bill will trigger consequences beyond simple trade disputes. The labor question, your majesty, is my real concern. These people are angry, and they will react strongly to the bill, violently if necessary. We don’t have a defense minister, so there is no telling what Finch, or your husband, is liable to do.”
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Olivia put down the teacup, “How do you know the Red Congress?”
“Nicholas June,” he said. Quickly, Olivia felt discomfort. Her husband had banned the communist party in the 1910s, and the Red Congress had a reputation for despising the crown. Nicholas June was a descendant of the royal house June, a family with a long history of conflict with the Apollos.
“What do you want from me?” Olivia asked, stern.
“The constitution says you have all domestic powers of the Kaiser while Xavier is away, and that, presumably, would include the power to veto bills, yes?”
“You are not seriously asking me-”
“Olivia,” Kane pleaded, “The conservatives have nine liberals on their side, we can’t get them back before Finch puts it to a vote. I wouldn’t be talking to you if I didn’t feel this was a serious threat.”
“If I vetoed this bill, I would be knocking down the first attempt the government has made to save the economy. Finch won’t budge, he’ll push another bill.”
“Can you think of a better way of avoiding a riot? It’s growing to be quite militant,” Kane said with great emphasis, “There is no good option, yet I think inaction would be the worst case. I’m only asking for a chance to lower tensions.”
“You’re asking me to throw my reputation into jeopardy,” Olivia turned to the north shoreline, lined by tents and tiny apartments. An old fishing boat passed them by. An old man watched her from behind the steering wheel. They started under the second bridge.
“They’ve got the votes, there is no other way. If you’d like, I can let you in on our progress writing a different bill, give people a minimum wage to live off of, create jobs. You can be a part of that.”
***
The Senators boat docked beside her cab, where Antony waited for her. Olivia said her goodbyes to Senator Bell and got into the cab. Antony started down the road, “Is there anywhere you want to go in particular?”
“Take me home, I’ve got to get ready for a dinner party tonight.”
“A party? For who?”
“The steel companies, apparently,” Olivia said, “The Prime Minister is going, and I expect to find other senators who are siding with him, maybe I could pressure the liberals to tow the party line…”
“Maybe,” Antony agreed, “What did you two talk about?”
“The communists have dreams of a general strike, like they saw in Bruno years ago. Kane thinks that the Red Congress plans to use the Fair Trade and Labor Relations Act as a pretext for their strike. It wouldn’t end well,” Olivia said.
“How are you so sure?”
“They aren’t ready, they’re struggling to organize the steel companies. I don’t expect any effective action coming from them, but Kane swears on it that there are a concerning amount of trigger happy people in the Red Congress.”
“What do you think you’ll do?”
“I’ll try to whip the liberals back into the party, but if that fails, I’d consider vetoing the bill.”
“Kane Bell said that?”
Olivia nodded.
“That’s a major move, a big play,” Antony said, “And do you think the senate would accept that?”
“It would absolutely get challenged, they’ll hold a debate and it might be a mess. But that won’t be a problem.”
“Well, why not?”
“While they debate, the bill stays in limbo, it gives me time. Kane and I are arranging a meeting with some of the Red Congress leaders. I’ll negotiate with them and do my best to prevent any violence, because that is where a general strike will lead…”
They drove through a city square of Yorkshire where the opera house is. It was a giant building that towered over the square, its faces chiseled with intricate designs. Between the windows were old marble sculptures of old Tykan playwrights and musicians. Also in the square, however, was a crowd of women carrying signs and chanting. Olivia watched them as Antony drove through the square slowly, the traffic began to get congested. Their signs said “VOTES FOR WOMEN!” and they wore sashes saying the same thing. “The suffragettes,” Antony said, “They’ve been protesting here every day since the war began.”
“BRING OUR HUSBANDS HOME!” read another sign. Olivia frowned as her cab crossed the square, passing the protestors. The women chanted around a great fountain in front of the opera house. Olivia was a supporter of the suffragette movement for years, but the Tykan constitution gave the power to grant suffrage to the Imperial Second Senate. Even as the Provisional Kaiserin, she could do nothing to get a women’s suffrage vote on the floor, at least, not with what time she may have left before Xavier returned. Her influence was a fragile thing, which she knew all too well. The Senate was about to pass legislation that could cause the city to fall to chaos, she decided that it was more important for her to prevent this than to call people's attention to the fight for suffrage. It sounded reasonable in her mind, but she couldn’t help but have second thoughts. , Olivia thought,
“Your majesty, the phone is ready for you now.”
Olivia followed the Apollo staffer back to her bedroom, Her family butler held the red telephone in the middle of the room, beside a green sofa. She took the phone and was left alone in the room. She raised the phone to her ear, “Hello?”
“How are you doing?” the grizzly voice of her husband asked, “I made the ferry ride to call… Are you okay?”
“Yeah, things are… Quiet,” a knock came at the door, Olivia ignored it, “Did you see the letter from the economists?”
“Which one? What about it?” Xavier asked, “I saw it, but what do they know? Those professor types will just sit with their whisky and cigars and talk shit for hours. Leave it to the senate to decide what’s best.”
“Are you sure? Because I thought—”
“Olivia, please. I’m fighting a damn war, just let the senate do its job. There’s no need to complicate any of this…”
Olivia tried to keep her frustrations mitigated, she loosened her grip on the telephone, “How are things out there?” she asked.
There was a delayed response, she could hear the murmur of voices, then Xaviers voice came in clear, “How was Graves when you found him? I sent my aide out to pick him up, but he hasn’t gotten back to me yet.”
Another knock at the door, Olivia pressed the phone to her chest, “Come in!” she called, then brought the phone back to her ear, “Graves was, well… He was fine.”
“What?”
“I don’t know,” Olivia watched as more staff of the Apollo entered the living room, she gestured to the portrait, “All I do know is that he understood the message you sent him… Do you need anything else from me?”
“No, no I’m okay. It’s good to hear your voice. I hope this will all end soon.”
“Where is Kai?” Olivia asked, “I want to talk to him.”
There was another delay, the Apollo staff lifted the portrait off the wall. The staff carried the portrait down the hall, and off to storage. Xavier sighed, “He’s fine, I swear,” she could hear him drink something, “I’ve been thinking about what I’ll do when I get back to you. I was thinking—”
“Xavier,” Olivia interrupted, “I don’t think I have time to talk, I’ve got to get ready for some dinner party for Eugene Perry’s steel company.”
“Oh,” Xavier said meekly.
“I’ll see you when you get back,” Olivia said.
“I love you too,” Xavier responded before hanging up. Olivia put the phone down and got up from the sofa to pick out a dress for the upcoming dinner. Before she could open her closet, her maid turned to her, “Your majesty, have you seen this?”
Olivia turned back, “What?” The maid stood beside the empty wallpaper where the portrait once stood, she pointed to a small hole in the back of the painting. Olivia crossed her bedroom floor and could see the a small metallic object reflect the lamplight, she touched the device and pulled on it. It was attached to an antenna, “What is this? Get me the chamberlain,” she ordered. The maid left to find the chamberlain, and Olivia slumped back in the sofa, she held the listening device in her palm, scoffing.
Olivia thought, Her face turned red and the bedroom door opened. An older gentleman in a black suit entered, the chamberlain of the Apollo estate, “Your Majesty?” he asked.
Olivia held up the bug, “What do you know of this?”
The man squinted, he came closer, “What is it?”
Olivia watched the old man’s eyes struggle to understand the contraption. She thought again, “You don’t recognize this object?”
“I’m afraid not, your majesty.”
It was a small cylinder, the size of a thimble, a metallic device attached to a wire that had been cut from the frame of the painting. Olivia closed her hand into a fist and put the device in her purse. She struggled to think of ways the device could have gotten planted. Nobody had access to the royal bedroom without explicit welcome of a member of the royal family. How did someone get into the room without Xavier’s permission? “Have you let anyone else into this room since Xavier left?” Olivia asked the chamberlain.
“I don’t recall.”
Olivia thought, “This is unacceptable,” she said, “Get me someone who can figure out how this damn thing works. Another knock came at the door.
“Your majesty, your driver is here.”
Olivia sat down at the sofa, “Send him in.”
The door opened, and Antony passed the chamberlain on his way in. The door closed with a heavy thud, and he noticed the absent painting, “You’ve seen the light,” he said jokingly, he sat beside her. She felt his hand on her shoulder, “Thats a gorgeous dress. How does it feel, being the most powerful woman in the world?”
Olivia turned to face him, but instead of words, she leaned into him. Antony held his arms around her, her head landed on his lap. She looked up at him, reached her hand out and pushed her fingers through his hair. Half a smile was on her face.
“Well,” Antony said, he touched her face gently, “I suppose there are no words, but you have done tremendous good…” Antony smiled, “Now, your dinner party started half an hour ago, they told me you were talking to Xavier so I waited.”
She had completely lost track of time and reached for her purse. “We should get going, then,” she said.
***
Downtown was a whirlwind of neon signs, billboards, and automobiles. Olivia rode through the city in the back of her cab. Antony turned onto Imperial Square where pedestrians filled the streets. A horse carriage blocked the road, and Antony stopped the car beside an old bar. She felt like she could use a drink, her dealings with Kennedy Finch had brought her to her wit's end. Olivia knew that Kennedy only ever spoke with good intentions, but her ambivalence set Olivia off, something about her dumb smile.
Olivia turned to the windshield and could see a tower at least twelve stories tall, it was plastered with neon signs reading “Moonage Hotel.” It was the most prominent building in Imperial Square, its elegant ballroom had been the site of many important meetings in the past. However, the meetings that happened here were not typically of a political nature, and rather business-oriented. Olivia remembered that Kennedy had mentioned it was a dinner party hosted by Eugene Perry. Perry was the owner of the leading steel company, Perry Steel Co. She continued to wonder what business the Finch’s might have with Perry.
The horse carriage was not moving and car horns blared. Traffic slowed to a complete stop. Olivia took out a small mirror and touched up her hair, she needed to find something to do with her hands. She readjusted a hairpin, tightening a bun. She felt her scalp ache, but she took a deep breath and ignored it. Antony looked back at her through the rearview mirror, Olivia made eye contact with him. Then the carriage moved along, and traffic slowly resumed. Antony brought her to the front door of the Moonage Hotel, and a valet opened the door for her. Olivia got out of the car and leaned into the driver's window, “I won’t be more than an hour,” she told Antony, “I’ll be back here soon.”
Olivia stepped into the hotel. A doorman gave her a small curtsy as she entered. Inside, the smell of cigar smoke and drinks hit her. Across the lobby were double doors that led into the ballroom. A sign read “Perry Steel Co. Executive Meeting.” Another doorman stood beside the entrance, letting Olivia in.
A wave of hushed tones filled the room as she entered, the room full of faces she recognized from the senate, newspapers, and several steel company owners. Round tables were scattered across the ballroom, but nobody was seated yet. Olivia walked slowly into the ballroom, and the quiet dissipated as people resumed talking amongst one another. Conversations went in every direction and brushed nearly every topic, from what Olivia could hear.
“Your Majesty!” she heard a voice call from behind, “Olivia!” Kennedy said with a smile just behind her, she took Olivia’s hat and gave it to the hotel staff, “I’m so glad you made it! Let me grab you a drink!”
Olivia put on a courteous smile, the same smile she gave to her subjects living like peasants on the river banks. She followed the Prime Minister’s wife to the hotel bar. The room had a high ceiling with crystal chandeliers, and mint walls glimmered under the white light. They sat down at two black barsools. She could see her reflection in the polished wood, and Kennedy ordered two glasses of wine. Olivia took the glass and sipped half of it away.
She noticed Eugene Perry in a crowd dressed in a tuxedo. He had thick black hair combed back and a bright white smile. He was speaking to the Prime Minister and a man wearing a grey suit in his thirties, she noticed the small pin of a Tykan symbol on the young man's jacket, “Is that Isaac Quinn?”
“Who? The junior senator?” Kennedy smiled, “Yes, Quinn has been an excellent partner in government, Alfred only has good things to say about him.”
He was ostensibly liberal, yet one of Prime Minister Finch’s collaborators. The junior senator stepped away from the two men, shaking hands with them both, and stepped away to talk to a couple at one of the tables.
Alfred made a gesture toward Kennedy, and she turned to Olivia, “Hey, why don’t you go around, talk to some people? I’ll leave you be for a little while, yeah?”
Surprised, Olivia took a second to respond, “Oh, sure,” she said. Kennedy got up from the bar and went to a table with her husband. Olivia fixed her gaze onto the junior senator again, he moved over to Eugene Perry’s table. He was nearing the end of his first term and still finding his footing in the senate. She didn’t want to pay much attention to him, but reporters covered his political stunts regularly. Quinn was responsible for a large suffragettes march early in his term, making womens suffrage a major promise in his initial campaign, a project he said he is still working on four years later. Olivia got up from the bar and headed toward the table, “Your majesty, it is an honor to see you here,” Perry said, he quickly got up from the table and kissed her hand, his wife gave a small bow, and Quinn also kissed the Queens diamond ring, “Please have a seat, how are you feeling?”
“I’m well,” Olivia said. She was surprised at his courtesy, as she had publicly spoken against their project, but welcomed the gestures all the same. The gentlemen gave looks to one another, unsure of what to say. Perry smiled again, “So, what brings you to the Moonage Hotel tonight?”
“I was invited by the Prime Ministers wife,” Olivia answered, “She knew, as you all do, that I have an objection to that bill. She said you all could help me understand.”
Before they could begin to talk about policy, tariffs, labor laws and regulations, Alfred Finch approached the table, “Your Majesty, I see you’ve made use of my wife’s invitation.”
Olivia nodded.
“What is it you don’t understand, miss?” Perry asked.
Olivia glared at the businessman, “I see no reason to commit to these aggressive policies, from an international perspective.”
“Olivia,” Perry said, “Those internationalists, communists, whatever, they don’t know what they’re talking about. They’d rather let the Calvish and Wherrics keep their boot on our neck. We are perfectly capable of protecting ourselves. In times of crisis, I think the Prime Minister is right to put his people first.”
Olivia reached for a bottle of wine and refilled her glass, “Quinn,” she looked into the junior senators eyes, “You’re comfortable letting this bill pass the senate? Since when have you been the candidate of austerity?”
The senator was silent, then another couple joined the table. To Olivia’s surprise, Amelia Graves sat across from her with a man in a militia uniform, the man spoke with a Tykan Wherric accent, “Hello your majesty, my name is Rickon Agrippa, it’s an honor to meet you.”
Olivia turned to Amelia, “And you are Amelia, of the Emerald Gazette?” The table went quiet, and Perry leaned into Agrippa's ear, whispering.
“That would be me,” Amelia said, “I hope we haven’t interrupted something.”
“Senator Quinn and I were just exchanging ideas about the vote that is coming tomorrow. I find it strange that a National Liberal would agree to dismantle the labor regulations my father in law desperately fought for during his reign.”
“I see,” Amelia smiled, but Agrippa turned toward her, she began to write something in her notepad, Agrippa's hand took Amelia’s wrist for a moment, and Amelia closed the notepad. “Well, does the Senator from Ravenwell have an answer?”
Olivia watched the junior senator struggle to come up with an answer, he put down his old fashion and stuttered, “We won’t, wouldn’t want to disrespect Kaiser Dakota, I apologize if you have taken this matter in a sentimental way. I chose to listen to reason, and protecting my constituents is my top priority.”
Amelia’s eyes widened, she burned the memory of the senators statement and each reaction into her mind. Olivia stared at him as though she hadn’t heard anything, then turned to Amelia, “Will we be keeping this all on the record?” she asked.
Amelia smiled, “I think everybody’s stances are clear on this…” she gave a nervous look to the rest of the table, “Nothing new has been said.”
“We are at a private event,” Perry reminded the table, “I want this space to continue to welcome people like yourself, Senator Quinn. I want to hear everyone’s ideas, as it should be. I think that if anything, this bill has proven that its possible for people to come together and compromise.”
The junior senator nodded, though the man swayed back in his seat, “I’m only interested in solutions and… and my party can’t seem to agree on one… so I’ll work with the people who have one,” Quinn said, slurring his words, “Something has to be done.”
“I thought you campaigned for the working man, I’ve read the bill and I didn’t find anything to suggest that conditions will improve. Have you considered that, or am I misinterpreting the bill?”
“I… stand with working families,” Quinn stated as a matter of fact, “These steelworkers need to get back to work, no more unfair competition or communist thugs in the way. We’re just… clearing the runway.”
Perry laughed, “He’s had a coupla drinks, maybe you should talk to Prime Minister Finch, I’m sure he can answer any questions you might have,” he said, “Speaking of which…”
Before Olivia could say anything more, a hand rested on her shoulder, Alfred Finch leaned into her ear, “Your Majesty, may I have a word in private?”
She watched the junior senator down the rest of his old fashioned and leave the table, she sighed, “I suppose so,” she said. She got up from the table and followed the Prime Minsiter down one of the hotel hallways. Amelia watched them leave the ballroom.
Finch leaned against one wall, Olivia the other. She kept her eyes on the dark green and red carpet, she felt her lips tighten for a moment, unable to find any words. Finch spoke up, “My wife invites you out here, my permission, and you think you can just lecture these men? Sweetheart, you’re not on a campaign staff anymore. You can relax, you’ve made it, Olivia. What the fuck are you doing here messing with my colleagues?”
“You know this bill has its problems.”
“Everything does, just let us do our jobs,” Finch looked into her eyes, “What are you worried about? What good do you think you’re doing, coming here and bitching? Your marriage may protect you for now, but it should go without saying that it gives you no right to disrespect me and my wife in this way. You can still go home and let it go.”
Olivia felt her face turn hot, “I’ll veto it.”
“Oh, really now?” Finch scoffed, “You’ll veto? On what basis? Do you know what you just said?”
“My husband can’t sign it while overseas, you need my signature.”
“I’ll overturn it.”
“What makes you so sure you have the votes?” Olivia asked, they both knew that he would need to gain nine more votes if he wanted to overturn a veto, “Change the bill or take it down, Finch.”
“Get off your high horse,” Finch said, “You won’t veto shit because I know who you are.”
“What are you saying?”
Finch smiled, “I think you should go home, your driver is waiting for you.”
The sound of a spoon hitting glass echoed from the ballroom, and the Prime Minister made his way down the hall. Though at the corner he stopped, turned around, and looked Olivia in the eye, “Do me a favor, don’t talk to my wife again, okay?” he straightened his tie before reentering the lobby.
Olivia stood alone in the hall for a moment, she straightened her posture and held her shoulders back before going down the hall herself. She found Ricard Agrippa in a clean, bright green militia uniform. He was a tall young man who just so happened to inherit a great family fortune. After the Great Venturnian War, he joined many noble clubs and eventually came to lead his own, “Everybody! I’d first like to thank Mister Eugene Perry for inviting us all out here for this occasion. We are all very thankful to see that the leaders of our industries are strong men, men who know the importance of a cooperative effort to keep business thriving and alive.”
Applause came from the round tables, Olivia noticed Kennedy sitting with a group of wives, men and women were separated, with women in the back of the ballroom. Kennedy gestured for Olivia to join them. Olivia only stood frozen in the back of the ballroom. Agrippa continued, “Thanks to your efforts, as well as a little help from the great Alfred Finch, the profits in steel and coal have doubled over the past five years! I believe that our work together is far from finished, our friend James Knowles will make sure that those numbers only continue to go up, and that communists no longer pose a threat to our continued prospects. I’ll stand against the communist threat. A threat that might I say, has proven quite incapable in recent times,” there was a chuckle in the room, and Olivia felt her heart begin to race with frustration, “That’s why I think you should hear from James Knowles, a man who holds the real Tykan values!” he raised the glass high, “Glory to the Kaiser!”
Everybody at the tables raised their glasses and toasted. She watched as Finch cut across the room, whispering something into Kennedy’s ear. James Knowles stood up and addressed the ballroom. Olivia cut through the ballroom quickly and without another word to anybody. The door opened for her, and the queen left the building.
She found Antony waiting for her outside, and the doorman opened the cab for her again. Olivia climbed into the car and took off her hat. Antony glanced at her from the rearview mirror again. The buzzing of reporters had drained all of her energy by the time she got home.
When they got home, Olivia sat on the sofa in her bedroom, Antony shut the door behind him. She pointed to the bottle of liquor on the dresser, “Is everything alright?” he asked, taking the lid off the crystal decanter and pouring them each a glass of whiskey on ice.
“Do I look that bad?”
“No,” he turned around, the ice cubes rolled around in the glasses as he gave Olivia hers, “But you’re upset, did something happen at the dinner? Did it go well?”
“Amelia was there, Graves’ niece,” she said, “I think she was receptive to my words, which may be all I need… This vote has to fail, but that goddamn junior senator was drunk, Antony,” she shook her head, “Who’s to say he’ll even remember half of what we said? And he was saying a lot of things.”
“That bad, eh?” he asked. Olivia looked Antony in the eye, but was reminded by the empty space on the wall behind him where her husband's portrait hung. She held her bag closed, covering the bug, she put the bag under the sofa, She asked herself, Before she could think of an answer, she caught herself lost in her own thoughts. Antony smiled and leaned into her, she put her arms around him and he lifted her from the sofa.
