Partners

Blue's POV

Fluttering my eyes opened, a contented smile graced my lips, as I stared at Wilder's face. I listened for a minute to his chest rising and falling like the tide of a subtle sea.

I watched his face up close for a few more minutes before deciding to exit his bedroom. I need to start investigating the tax issue, and I can't lay in bed with Wilder all day.

Although I really wish I could, but for that to happen, I have to trash my sense of justice.

With a little heaviness in my chest, I pulled myself out of bed and sat still for a second, because I had suddenly felt dizzy. Then I attempted to stand up once more, but my tired self wasn't in my way this time— Wilder was.

"Leaving my bed so soon?" He questioned, and I could feel myself twitch almost immediately.

I rolled my eyes and turned back to face him. "You were asleep the last time I checked."

He rested his head on my shoulder, then slowly planted kisses on the blade of my shoulder and I found myself falling into his arms.

My gaze swept downward and so did his. Our eyes took in the other and I smiled sheepishly, burying myself in his arms.

"I have to leave though, there are important things for me to do," I muttered.

"More important than being with me here?" As he spoke, it came with a kiss to the side of my face before gliding down the nape of my neck.

"Yeah, I have to kick off the investigation for the tax payment." I passed across, managing to wiggle myself out of his arms.

I stood in front of the mirror in his room, and adjusted myself. I took a deep breath while trying to convince myself that I could do this.

I could get away from Wilder Reagan.

"Fine. Because I know how much this matters to my queen, I won't stand in your way. But if you do need any help, do let me know. I am your partner after all."

Did he just say we are partners?? Really!!

I smiled at him happily, "of course. I will do well to inform you, partner." I winked at him playfully and then walked out of his room.

HE CALLED ME HIS PARTNER!!

I AM WILDER'S REAGAN PARTNER!!

The door creaked open as I walked into my own room.

"A beautiful night I must say." Sarah teased as I walked into the room, staring at me knowingly, and Rose wasn't left out of it.

"Why are both of you in my room?" I asked, keeping a straight face as I walked over to my bed.

"Because it is our duty to wake the queen and prepare her for the day, your majesty." Rose bowed teasingly.

"Ohh." I let out, "I see."

"Of course you do!" Sarah exclaimed, then she clapped her hands and asked, "so... did you really spend the night in the king's quarter?"

I stayed silent for a while, teasing both of them back. Then, after a minute of silence, I said... "YES!"

"Yessssssssssssssss." Sarah screamed, rushing over to hug me, "I am so happy. And tell me, should I be expecting a little niece or nephew soon?"

"Oh stop it, Sarah!" I tried my best to sound serious, but my happiness failed me, as I smiled like never before.

"All I can say is— congratulations in advance, your majesty."

"Ohh come on, not you too Rose." I chided playfully, my mouth producing ripples of laughter.

"Okay. Even though I love the conversation we are having, it is time to get serious. Where is the ledger?"

"Right here, your majesty." Rose stood up, walked over to my wardrobe and within a minute she was back with the ledgers.

"I will go through this, and both you and Sarah should go through this. Report anything suspicious." I instructed Rose, and she bowed, then walked back to the couch she was sitting on and Sarah shifted closer to her real quick.

I focused on the Ledger before me, and read it slowly, taking in every tiny detail.

****

Three hours, it'd been three hectic hours and still it didn't look like we were going to find any evidence against the lords.

They had meticulously recorded all the transactions, and I could see that the money collected had been accurately and brought to the king's treasury, also the food too.

"It looks like the king really did receive all forms of tax payment." Rose muttered, looking up from the ledger.

"I think so too. Probably the king isn't a hundred percent honest with you," Sarah voiced.

"I might not know the king very well, but I do know that there is no reason for him to withhold the truth from me." I responded, closing the ledger.

"Okay... so what are you going to do now? We have no proof that the lords collected a ninety percent tax without the king's knowledge." Rose shrugged, relaxing back on the couch.

"Why do I have the feeling that you do believe the king is responsible for the hefty tax?" I questioned while glaring at her.

"Forgive my queen, but I just don't think it's possible for a ruler not to know the suffering of the people, he claims to rule." She answered, still maintaining her respectful tone.

"That would have been the case if the ruler was actually ruling. But fine— I will just have to prove to you and the rest of the pack, that the king is innocent."

"Now, I just have to think of how..." I stood up from the bed, and moved around slowly, as I pondered on what to do next.

Then it hit me!

"Do you know one thing ledgers do not reveal?" I asked, grinning from ear to ear.

"I don't know. What is it?" Sarah asked, with eager ears.

"The actual records."

"I do not follow." Rose said, staring at me with confused eyes.

"I'm saying, I have to see for myself that everything recorded in this book is actually in their allocated spaces." I elaborated on my idea more.

"Wait— you want to check the king's treasury and the store room?" Rose voiced in shock, standing up abruptly.

"Exactly!" I clapped my hands for effect, then walked out of the room without getting a reply from her.

Sarah and Rose followed hastily behind me, as I hurried over the king's treasury.

"Your highness." The guards greeted him, bowing.

"Open it." I instructed, my eyes staring straight at the gigantic door standing in between me and the king's treasury.

"Yes, your highness." The guard held the door knob and was about to push the door open when an overweight middle middle-man, holding a big black book, ran with all his might towards us.

"I am sorry, your highness, but you can't go in there," he said, in-between heavy breathes.

"And who are you?" I asked, my eyes taking in his entire body features.

"I am the accountant in charge of the King's treasury." He introduced himself, still panting hard.

"Okay... now tell me why can't I go in?"

"Because nobody is allowed in there, without the permission of the king, or mine. Even though that nobody is the queen."

"Hmm." I hummed, "I see."

"I also have the records of everything stored inside the treasury. You can look at it if you want."

"So I can look at the records, but I can't go in?"

"Yes, your majesty." The man dared answer.

Okay, I will play his game then.

"And I see you have the records with you." I muttered, encircling him... taking very slow steps.

"Yes... yes... yes, my queen." He stuttered.

"So somehow... you had the knowledge that I would be here, at the king's treasury and thought to come, with the ledger of the treasury?" I questioned, halting right in front of him, my eyes staring down at him in an intimidating manner.

"Yes... yes... my... your majesty."

"Hmm. Okay." I shrugged, "hand it over."

"What.."

"The ledger, hand it over."

The man handed the ledger over, and I signaled to Rose to open one of the ledgers. I cross-checked some of the records in the Tax Ledger with the records in the accountant's ledger, and they all corresponded.

"I have seen enough, now open it." I instructed in a loud voice, staring at the guards.

The accountant rushed over to the front of the gigantic doors, "I really cannot let you in, your highness." He voiced, but his attitude of desperation made me want to go in there even more. "Without the king's permission, I can't let you in."

"How dare you block my queen's path?" I heard Wilder's voice from behind me, and a broad smile graced my lips.

I had sent Sarah to Wilder, knowing fully well that I might not be able to have access into the treasury without his help.

After all, he did say that we were partners and that if I needed his help, I should ask. So I did.

The accountant shifted to the side, and the guards opened the gigantic doors.

I didn't even need to go in, to confirm the suspicion I had.

Rosemary gasped in shock, as we all stood before the treasury room.

"This can't be possible." Rose muttered, her eyes staring at the room in disbelief. "How can it be empty?"