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“I’ll let you know.” Amy smiled at Sasha, then sank back into the seat. It was time to flesh out her battle plan.
“...the perception of the royal family needs to change in a groundswell, starting with the citizens who live and work in Stolvenia. Connecting with them will be the key to rebranding Artur’s image, and along with it, the image of the monarchy as a whole.” Amy finished her speech, then turned to the group of people seated around the table.
There was a pause, and then King Rafael brought his hands together in a slow clap. The rest of them joined in.
That felt good. Amy had to admit it. She raised her hands. “Thank you, thank you. But not necessary. I’m just doing my job.”
It was a relief to know she had their approval—that they knew she was genuinely qualified for this task, not just a fling of Artur’s who he’d hired as a cover for an ongoing affair. Not that she had any intention of picking up where they’d left off in New York…but she couldn’t exactly hide the fact that they had gotten together then. Everyone there—Artur’s two brothers, Rafael and Armin; Armin’s wife, Katie; Kostya’s second-in-command, Zia—knew everything.
Artur had pulled her aside before the meeting to tell her that he had informed them so as to avoid any uncomfortable moments in the future. Amy hadn’t been wild about that announcement from Artur, but she knew immediately that it had been a good idea. If she ended up staying in Stolvenia, questions would arise. It was the nature of working so closely with members of the royal family. Better those in his inner circle knew now. “I’ve also informed them that we’ve not decided on any official announcement,” Artur had told her, with a look in his eyes that she couldn’t quite read.
“Good,” Amy had said. “Let’s do this.”
Now she stood in front of those same people, telling them how she hoped to change Artur’s reputation for the better. It was more than a little ironic.
“Those are my ideas.” She took the only empty seat at the table. “Do you have other suggestions?”
“Do you plan for the tour to include any gala events?” Zia asked.
“I don’t think so,” Amy said. “Those events have become too stale for Artur, and they only reinforce public opinion that the royal family is out of touch with the common people.”
“Perhaps a few events with schoolchildren,” Rafael suggested. “We’ve always seen positive feedback when Artur visits with kids. Isn’t that right, Zia?”
Zia looked over her own papers. “Yes, that’s right. His work with the children in both hospital and school settings has been well-received.”
Amy tried to keep her expression neutral. Were they guiding this discussion toward kids because of what Artur had told them?
“Perhaps becoming a father will soften his image as well,” Armin chimed in.
“I’m not sure about the timeline of letting the country know about the baby,” Zia answered. “There are still several months before that will come into play. We can’t bank any part of this strategy on something so far in the future. Not if we want to change things now.”
“It should be part of the consideration,” said Rafael.
So this was what Artur’s life had been like.
“I wonder what you think about that, Artur.” Katie, Armin’s wife, had raised her eyebrows at the first mention of fatherhood. “After all, you will be the father.” Amy liked her.
Artur, Amy saw now, was frowning. “Ah, yes. Thank you for reminding us all of that fact.” The prince shifted in his seat. “No, I won’t be using my child as a solution to boosting my popularity. If and when we go public with this pregnancy, it will be on terms that Amy and I are comfortable with.”
Amy appreciated his support…and what’s more, she liked the sound of her name in his mouth, which made it a little harder to present the next part of her plan. “I appreciate that, Artur,” she said. “I have a different solution to the idea of presenting you as more of a family man. I think it’s time to find Artur a wife.”
There was dead silence around the table.
“Technically, a girlfriend,” Amy said into that silence. “I was thinking we could add a fun dating element to the tour.”
“A...dating element?” Katie was the first to speak up, which was a surprise. Amy had thought Zia would leap right into a discussion on her idea. But Katie’s eyes were quizzical, curious. Zia was still staring at Amy as if she was from another planet. “Like a contest?”
“No, not like a contest.” Amy laughed. “Maybe a date with a local woman from each of the stops on the tour. Women from well-regarded families, on casual dates, to create some photo opportunities. It would allow Prince Artur to make connections with citizens and give them a platform to discuss the changes they want to see in Stolvenia. We could talk about their suggestions at our meeting next month. But adding in a bit of a romantic element will make it more fun for the public, waiting to see if Artur will click with any of the women.”
“That does sound like something Artur would do,” Rafael said, still watching Amy.
“It would be entertaining, but with a side of commitment,” Amy said, the word heavy on her tongue. “To both the citizens of Stolvenia and the monarchy itself. It would show the country that not only is Artur serious about national issues, but he’s getting serious about dating as well. He’s ready to settle down.”
“That would be quite the change,” Armin said.
For the first time, Amy looked across at Artur. He was not smiling.
“I find that I’m warming to the idea,” said Rafael. “It could result in a marriage. Marriages do seem to have a...stabilizing influence.” He grinned at Armin and Katie. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
