Chapter : Set In Ink

When Iris stated, face red and uncomfortable that she needed to learn how to sexually please a man, Evelyn had turned three shades of red, and Flora howled with laughter.

"Seriously?" Flora asked after she caught her breath, and Iris looked down.

"It's the only currency I can think of when it comes to the King," she said. Flora shrugged and nodded.

"It just might work." She said. "Evelyn, go get the Father of the kingdom church and bring him here - while I help give Miss Innocent here a few lessons on marital obligations," Flora said, and Evelyn looked relieved to be asked to leave.

"Oh, and then go tell your family to be at the church steps by early evening, a few hours before dusk!" Iris called after her as she left.

"Yes, My Lady!" Evelyn called as she left and Iris sighed in frustration.

"Iris. How many times do I gotta say that?" She asked, sitting down at the table. She put food in her mouth to avoid talking again for a few minutes but Flora began immediately.

"I am so not talking sex with you girl. But I will do this for you. A little mind link, some of my favorite positions. Some knowledge. Much easier that way. And less awkward." Flora walked up to Iris and put her fingers to her temple. Iris's mind was flooded with over half a century of sexual knowledge. The world began to spin as information filled Iris's mind faster than her brain could process it. She gripped the table with one hand and put the other over her eyes.

"Yeah, mind linking isn't always the most pleasant of feelings," Flora said chuckling. Iris looked up after a moment and she blushed.

"All these positions, it is the female on top? Those are your favorites?" Iris asked uncertainly, and Flora nodded.

"When you are on top, you are in control. It feels much better that way." Flora assured her, and Iris nodded. "And to keep from throwing up, you think of someone who doesn't make you sick," Flora added, sitting.

Iris laughed a bit and then shook her head. She wasn't sure any of that information was going to do her any good after all. She looked down as her mind turned to the proposal they had spoken of earlier.

"I need to set this food charity in ink, make it a binding contract between the palace and the church. One that can't be broken, even after I die."

Flora grinned and went into another room for a moment, coming back out with a scroll.

"This is a magical parchment. I got it a long, long time ago. I've been saving it for such a time as this. It cannot be destroyed. Not by means of force, fire or magic." Flora said and Iris grinned.

"Why are you so eager to help me? I imagine you don't want his attention on you, Ms. Flora."

"I have been a prisoner for too long. So have my people. My cage may be exactly where my home once was, but now it is nothing more than a pretty prison." Flora said. "And I have had premonitions about you. And I know what Jonathan truly is. So it is my pleasure to help guide you to the premonition with the ending that I want." Flora answered honestly. "I was once a respected healer. I mostly did healing spells, taking donations and tributes for spells that would save lives. Now I am reduced to summoning eggs." Flora sighed. "And healing raped and ravaged women," She added on afterthought.

"This woman appreciates you for it," Iris said softly. "Why can't there be actual chicken farms again?" Iris asked, standing to pace.

"No rain. No rain means no crops, which means no feed. No farms because they die." Flora answered shrugging her shoulders.

"I will have to think of a solution to that."

"Your priority will be restoring faith, hope, and love," Flora said firmly, and Iris shook her head.

"Seems like food should be first on that list." Her voice was uncertain and Flora waved her off.

"Food is the hope. Or at least the start of it. Also the start of faith and love in you. Fill their bellies, and their hearts will follow. But it isn't going to be easy." Flora responded.

"The reason for providing funds for the church to be able to afford to hire magic users is so they can do what churches should do best: spread faith and love." Iris smiled. "I may be the one who needs to start it, but it has to have other channels other than myself. Just in case something happens to me."

"So let's write up this contract," Flora said, waving her hand over the parchment, and closing her eyes. As her hand ran over the paper, writing appeared on the paper. At the bottom, spaces for three signatures sat and Flora handed it to Iris. Iris took it, her eyes running over every word carefully:

It is hereby decreed by the 7th Queen, Iris Santanero, and His Royal Majesty King Jonathan, The First of His Name, on this day, the 22nd of the 8th month, in the 8th Year Of The Planar Eclipse, that the palace will always donate its excess food to the Royal Church, so that they may distribute the food to the people within the kingdom who need it. The Royal Church hereby decrees that it will always distribute the food, take other donations of food and or currency, and use it to expand the food flow within the church so that they may have the maximum output of food donations to the people of the great nation of Serenitania. The 7th Queen and King Jonathan both agree that donations shall be matched by the palace for the next year - so that the Church may thrive in its endeavors to employ magic users and citizens throughout the country to use their skills to add to the food output. The Royal Church hereby decrees that children will always be fed first, then senior citizens, then pregnant women, and then all else.

Signed Her Majesty The 7th Queen Iris Santanero: __________________________________

Signed His Holiness of the Royal Church: __________________________________________

Signed His Majesty The King, Jonathan Graven, First of His Name. _________________________________________________

Iris was satisfied with it and she nodded.

"Perfect," Iris said in satisfaction.

"Your Majesty, I return with Father Abel." Evelyn's voice cut out from behind her, and Iris turned around smiling.

"Thank you for coming, Father. I appreciate you giving me your time, as such last minute." Iris said. The older man was thin, but he was stable as he walked forward, claiming the chair across the seat from Flora.

"I hear you have a use for me, Your Majesty. Please tell me what kind of new trick this old dog can learn." He said tiredly. Iris looked at his eyes and she could see that they were filled with despair and anger.

"Father?" Iris asked, sitting at attention, frowning. "Tell me, what troubles you?" Iris asked, reaching forward and placing a hand gently on his arm and Abel sighed.

"What is a Shepard with no flock, Your Majesty? People lost hope. They lost faith. They stopped coming to church. Now citizens murder each other without care. There are no morals, no values, no guidance. They are all lost and with them, so am I. How could the Gods and Goddesses leave us like this? And what am I, if I am not a man of faith anymore?" Iris's heart broke for the old man as his tired voice spoke.

"That is why I have summoned you here. Let us change this place. Let us bring back the faith, and along with it the love and hope it brings." Iris said softly, handing the Father the scroll for him to read. His eyes widened as he read the words there and he looked up in confusion.

"I have an idea, and I've already gotten permission from my husband. Let us bring food to the people, together. The royals and the Chruch, together." Iris said, and Able shook his head.

"I am listening..."

Sometime later, Iris watched in victory as the preacher Abel signed his name to the proclamation after she had signed it first. They decided to use the present day's food to feed the ministries, and any leftovers would go to the few who visited, including Evelyn's family.

Father Abel said that he would organize the nuns to pick up the food and hand them out, and work out the distribution details at the church.

Mia had returned with Drea, and Iris explained to her that she needed the kitchens and the serving servants to take any leftover cooked food tonight to the church and deliver them to the nuns. She was also instructed that each servant who helped move the excess food, and plates of food would be sent to any address and person that they wanted before the distribution of food. It would be members of the paid volunteers who would take this food to its destinations, with the same reward and promise: to be able to take some home to their family.

He went off to make preparations of the church's kitchen, and to make house visits to old flock members he might be able to count on to help. Iris stood up and grinned, waving goodbye to Flora as they left the cabin, Flora heading to the kitchens to summon dinner and brunch, and Iris sending out messengers that at mid-evening there would be an announcement at the steps of Royal Church in the morning.

The Royal Church was connected to the palace. The palace was gated in by a large stone fortress, and the church acted as the gate into the palace grounds, a symbol of how Jonathan's family had revered the Gods, generations ago.

Iris had taken to sitting in a bench in a secluded part of the garden, watching the sunset that evening before she was to attend her usual dinner with Jonathan. Tabaya, Flora's familiar jumped into her lap, and began to purr when Iris stroked her white fur.

"Your majesty, I was taking a stroll around the palace grounds when I heard some of the guards gossiping. There are disturbances on the north-western borders. Violent skirmishes. Several small towns have been razed. It looks like an army movement. They made it clear they were not intending to burden our oh-so-revered liege with this news. So I took it upon myself to tell you, so that you may be aware."

The cat's voice was female, and gentle in Iris's mind. She blinked in surprise and ran her hand over the cat's head gently, rewarding the purring cat with affectionate scratches behind the ear.

"Thank you. I will keep an ear out." She said softly, and the cat winked at her, before jumping down.

Iris stood and turned toward the palace. She had a signature to set in ink, and she was determined to do it by tonight.