"You are not welcomed here, Amelia. This is a meeting about war and is nothing of your concern. Go back to your room and know your place before you embarrass yourself. Again," King Richard added at the end to taunt his daughter.
Amelia remained unaffected by her father's words. A skill anyone would pick up after listening to their own father belittle them for years. "It's either you don't want anyone to hear how your egos have caused this war to have gotten out of hand or none of you like that my proposals are better than what any of you could ever come up with. Take your pick gentlemen."
"Amelia," Richard banged his fists against the throne, almost bruising it from the force. "So help me child I will have you dragged out of here. If you do not wish to sully our great name, leave."
"Sully? Didn't that happen when you took the throne from grandfather? I heard of how the court ministers worried about the kingdom under your leadership but look at them now. In this very room kissing your ass to receive riches." Amelia stood proud even when her father got up from the throne and marched toward her.
"You insolent child? Where on earth did you come from and what made you this way?" Richard fumed with anger as he made his way to his daughter.
"I am a product of you unfortunately and my wonderful mother Anne. My attitude is no different from your own but at least I am-" Amelia's words were cut short by the stinging feeling after her father slapped her in front of all of his court men.
She blinked repeatedly before gaining her composure and refusing to cry. "At least I have enough manners, not to hit a family member in front of an audience. Your short temper is the reason why we're losing the war you started," she glared up at her father who towered over her. "Did that slap make you feel more of a man, father?"
"So help me, child-"
"You'll hit me again to prove a point to these men? I have every right to stand in here and listen to the decisions made. Grandmother allowed it when she was living here because it is my birthright as the princess to know what is happening. Especially when you want to take the money my mother put aside for children to fund a war," she wasn't going to sit by and allow him to ruin the things her mother cared about.
"With all due respect princess," the minister of public affairs, John Cooke, interjected into the conversation between royals. "We have not decided where we would be taking funds from to support our warriors yet. We have everything under control and your little outbursts are not helpful for anyone."
Amelia wasn't in the mood to hear his words since he was her father's yes man. "Mr.Crook-"
"It's Cooke," he frowned because of the annoying mix-up she always had with his last name.
"I am one hundred percent sure all of you have made up your mind to use my mother's funds because none of you want a decrease in your salaries. I am not new to your crooked ways," said Amelia.
"It's Cooke," John corrected her the second time. He hated the princess more than her own father did. She always butted into things that did not concern her. If only the king had gotten a son instead of a daughter. He wouldn't have minded Amelia's attitude had she been born a prince.
"Leave Amelia, before I have to be dragged out of here," Richard pointed to the door. She should be grateful that was not the first thing he did.
"I am here to discuss my mother's funds not being taken away to fund your war. If you need money, take it from the men in this room instead of the children you have not looked at for years."
Richard would have the head of the man who leaked his plans to cut the money going to the orphanage and schools to Amelia. His daughter was not supposed to know before he had sealed the deal. "I am Anne's husband therefore I have the right to decide what happens with her funds."
"A husband is more than a name being signed on a paper. When have you ever been her husband? Now that you need the money she left, you want to act like her husband? Newsflash, mother made me the one to make decisions concerning where the rest of her money goes. You can't make a decision without me around to sign it off and if you already did, I will inform the members of the temple. The high priest won't let you tamper with the wishes of the dead," Amelia grinned.
Richard had tried to hide that Anne left a majority of things in Amelia's name but her grandmother had informed her. The former queen loved her granddaughter and updated her with things Richard tried to hide. Even as the king, the temple held a lot of power in the castle and it would be hard for Richard to go against Anne's wishes.
"One day I will have you begging for mercy child. Your attitude has no bounds. There is no use for you in this room. We will not use your mother's funds," Richard turned around to go back to his throne but John stopped him.
"My king, I believe there is some use for the princess. Remember? We needed a royal to speak to the leader of one of the villages. As you are busy, the princess should go and speak on your behalf," John bowed, hiding a grin from the unknowing princess.
Richard quickly put together what John was planning. They set a trap for the king of the north by spreading the word a royal would be visiting the village. The king of the north might be expecting king Richard but princess Amelia would be a nice surprise.
They only needed the king of the north distracted for a moment for their warriors to attack. Originally, Richard was going to send a decoy royal but his daughter needed to be scared into silence. "Very well, I order my daughter, Princess Amelia, to go and speak on my behalf."
"Absolutely not," Amelia stated. She could smell a scheme from a mile away and right now, her father and John reeked of it.