Chapter 76

Delia walked to the treasury's office with the page in hand. She didn't know what was taking so long to approve her increased budget, but she knew it was just a matter of time. The minister of finance was invested in keeping Basil happy. Basil was invested in keeping her happy, and all she wanted was more money to spend as she pleased. She reached the office's attendant who looked up at her with trepidation as she placed the sheet on the desk.

"I'd like it in coinage, like always," she said as the woman took the page. "Could you make it quick? I have things to do."

"I'm sorry, Lady Delia, but I can't fulfill this."

Delia grew tense and glared at the woman, "What did you call me?"

"Lady Delia," she said again.

"I am the luna and you will address me properly or else! And what do you mean that you can't fulfill this?" Delia tapped on the seal of the minister of finance. "It's already been approved!"

"R-Royal Beta Chasel has placed a hold on all accounts going forward by order of His Majesty, the king, and announced that Luna Laurel has recovered enough to return to her duties."

Delia clenched her jaw and bared her teeth. The sound of that girl's name with the title that should have been hers since she married Basil grated on her nerves.

"We'll see about that."

She turned from the office and left to find Basil. When she did, two guards she didn't recognize were escorting him. Basil looked troubled and thoughtful as the guards looked at her. They came to a stop in front of her

"Lady Delia, you have been summoned. Please follow us."

Delia blinked as a spike of fear went through her. She frowned and looked at Basil again.

"What is the meaning of this?" Delia asked.

"By order of His Majesty, you are to come with us."

She shut her mouth and ducked her head at the thought of dealing with Adolph. What could he want? There was no way he found out about her faking her relationship with Basil. Had he found out about the poison?

She followed the guards quietly as they walked up the stairs towards Adolph and the luna's office. Was Laurel in that office now, enjoying the luxury that should have been hers? How long had she been considered fully recovered?

She clenched her jaw. If Tina hadn't gotten caught, she would have known nearly as soon as it happened.

The guards led them to the luna's door and knocked.

"Please, come in."

The guards opened the door, ushered them inside, and closed the door behind them. Laurel was paler than usual, likely still recovering, but her eyes were as stern and as fierce as ever.

Delia spoke first, "What do you think-"

"I've called you here to discuss your punishment," Laurel said, her voice cold and authoritative. If Delia didn't know better she would never think a seventeen-year-old woman could speak that way. "The two of you have made a mess of the castle, disregarded the budget, endangering the well-being of the citizens, and embezzled funds from the kingdom's treasury. An offense, you should know, is punishable by death or a life sentence in jail depending on the amount of money."

Delia lifted her nose in the air as Basil stepped forward, "What would you know about-"

"I am speaking to your wife," Laurel said, glaring at him. "I'll get to you, Prince Basil, in a moment."

Basil flinched as the air shimmered in his vision and for a moment, he was in Laura's old office. It had been the first time he'd ever seen her upset, holding her proposal and glaring across the table at him.

*I am speaking of the minister of finance. I'll get to the minister of general affairs in a moment.*

Laurel turned back to Delia as she looked at Basil with wide eyes.

"You were entrusted by the ministers to steward over my position until I recovered, and in a matter of a week you misappropriated, spent, and otherwise mishandled nearly every account and your own." Laurel narrowed her eyes, "What do you have to say for yourself?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Delia scoffed. "You must still be recovering. Everyone knows that you have to go through the treasury and the minister of finance to withdraw from any account."

She sneered at Laurel, "All of my requests were approved."

"The minister of finance is under review for shirking his duty to collect all receipts to ensure the money is spent properly, but you are still guilty of spending money you knew was meant for other things and submitting false documentation."

"It's my right as luna to spend the money as I want."

"A luna's duty is to the people of this kingdom. Her concerns are their comfort and well-being before her frivolous and wasteful desires," Laurel hissed. "And to have the audacity to request an expansion of your budget on top of that?"

Delia glared at her, "You don't make the budget, and it doesn't make any sense for my budget to be less than the prince's! I'm his wife. It's owed to me."

"Nothing is owed to you," Laurel said, her voice cold and furious. "Prince Basil, what do you have to say for yourself?"

Basil couldn't speak. His ears ringing from an argument so long ago he had tried to forget it.

*It's my right as the prince to spend as I please. The people pay taxes for my comfort.*

*The people pay taxes for protection and order, not frivolous parties. What about the war? What about your father?*

He shuddered, trying to push the memories away, but they were stubborn and Laurel continued.

"At least you have the sense to be silent," Laurel said. "The amount of money you two have spent in the short time I was being treated is inexcusable. What could have been so important to do all of this?"

"I deserve to have nice things! I'm a princess by marriage."

*I'm the prince. It is my right to have the best of everything!*

The world seemed to be tilting as he heard his voice yelling from the past.

*Green eyes stared up at him in shock and disappointment before turning away.*

*"Never mind, Your Highness I will find another way."*

"Luxury comes with a cost," Laurel said and pulled two pages aside. "As it would not due to have you both thrown in the dungeons-"

"You couldn't-"

"-And His Majesty has given me leave to come up with a solution, I have proposed the following to His Majesty," Laurel continued offering them the pages. Delia snatched the page from her before gasping in horror. Basil took the page but did not look at it or speak.

Delia couldn't believe what she was reading. Her budget had not been increased, but a payment schedule had been levied against her account to pay back the treasury for all the money she'd spent over her budget. She'd been penalized further with payments back to the luna accounts.

Effectually, her budget for spending had been cut in half.

"You can't do this!"

"His Majesty will be made aware of the changes soon," Laurel said.

"I can't live on this! What am I: a *commoner?"*

Laurel narrowed her eyes at Delia, finding her question odd. Delia had been rescued after she'd lost her pack somewhere near the border, but she had never been nobility. Laura had been able to figure that out just on the way she carried herself.

She didn't think Delia had ever even started the etiquette classes that Laura had to take. She was just too rude and unpoised.

"How you entertain yourself until the treasury is repaid is not my concern." Laurel turned to basil, "prince basil, please stay, your wife can leave."

Delia shrieked, "As if I would leave you two alone! You've already seduced the king; there is no way I would allow you to seduce my husband as well."

Laurel rolled her eyes, "Please refrain from projecting your thoughts on me. You may stay if you want."

She turned her gaze on Basil and found him still staring at her.

"We don't have to take this!" Delia cried and grabbed Basil's hand. "Basil!"

Laurel leaned against her desk and picked up a piece of paper, "His Majesty has ordered that I be heard and I do have a matter to discuss with Prince Basil."

Basil blinked, staring at Laurel as his mind made a mess of time and space. Laurel seemed older. Her features changed a bit and his blood pulsed cold and haunted through his veins.

"What is it, Laura?"

Laurel looked at him strangely as Delia went pale, staring at him. She could have misheard him, but the look on Delia's face said that she hadn't misheard him and he'd called her Laura. She suppressed the shudder that went through her at the thought as a bit of anger flickered to life.

How dare he even say her name after the way Basil had treated her?

"We're leaving right now!" Delia said, pulling Basil, but he didn't move, seemingly frozen in place.

She growled and snatched the page from his hand, "And you can have this ridiculous thing back. The ministers will never agree to any of this!

"You'll find that the ministers will have little choice," Laurel said calmly. "Though if the remaining amount isn't enough, you could always work in the orchard to supplement it."

She smirked as Delia flushed and gesticulated wildly as if she couldn't figure out what to say or had no words.

Delia sputtered, "You can't-I-Never!"

Laurel shrugged and looked at Basil, "As I was saying. I wanted to ask you about the gate you had placed on the orchard, Prince Basil."