The Problematic Prince - Side Story 18 - The Season When The Color of The Wind Changes

The color of the season has changed.

Looking down at the garden that spread out under and beyond the balcony, Erna’s thoughts were blank. The midday sun was hot, but in the mornings, she could feel the chill of the changing season. She basked in the strengthening morning sun and undid the shawl she was wearing over her pyjamas.

She decided not to go on her usual morning walk as she left the balcony and returned to her bedroom. As she closed the doors and shut the curtains, the air became more pleasant. She placed the shawl on the bed bench, then scurried back into bed. She laid next to the still sleeping Bjorn. She like the warm feeling of his body and snuggled in deep.

Her morning chores played through her mind and she tried to settle into Bjorn’s warmth. She needed to pick some fresh flowered for the dinning table and visit Dorothea at the stables to feed her some beets.

As each chore crossed her mind, her lethargy continued to convince her to stay in bed. She had been more tired and exhausted the last few weeks. She kept getting drowsy and had a slight fever. It was a mystery that only a doctor could resolve, but Erna had not yet called for one, she was worried about what it could mean. She didn’t want to have to face bad news that always seemed to come when the doctor visited, but she knew she would not be able to avoid it forever.

“Erna?”

A deep, tired voice startled Erna from her own thoughts, a voice that was as foretelling as the Autumn fast approaching.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up,” Erna said.

“Its fine, I had to get up soon anyway. Are you okay?” Bjorn turned over and touched Erna’s cheek.

Bjorn leaned in and kissed Erna on the forehead and on her nose. He had to be up this morning for an important bank meeting. He could feel the fever on her brow.

“Are you sick?” He looked into her eyes.

“No,” Erna replied, shaking her head. “I don’t know.” Even in that confused moment, she felt like she could not lie to Bjorn.

Bjorn did not reply, his eyes went dark for a second, but regained their original light. He gave Erna a little peck on the lips and got up from the bed.

“Maybe you should rest today,” he commanded softly.

“Thank you,” Erna said.

Bjorn leaned over her and ran his fingers through her scruffy bed head, before leaving to get dressed. When he reached his closet, he rang the service bell. The servant appeared almost instantly with the morning paper and a little breakfast.

To him, it was an ordinary morning.

As he got dressed, he sipped at his tea and once dressed, he sat to read the paper and eat the small breakfast laid out for him. He was not too worried about the meeting with the bank today, he was under no impression that they would come to the result he wanted. There was one thing bothering him and distracted him as he was trying to secure his cufflinks.

“Can you contact the doctor for my wife?” Bjorn asked the servant when he called them to take the used cutlery and crockery away. “And could you inform me of his diagnosis right away.”

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

All because of that damn Gladys Hartford. The eyes of Lechen’s bankers were shooting arrows across the sea at Lars.

Hadn’t Bjorn laid down his crown and settled himself into the financial district because of that woman? It wasn’t too much of an exaggeration to say that it was the fault of the Witch of Lars for today’s fiasco.

All eyes turned to Bjorn, who was, despite his efforts to remain calm, definitely had the look of annoyance and resentment.

He might be a prince, but that did not mean he could bend the will of finances to his whim. It might have been obvious that his election to the leader of the financial district was all but certain, he had only been in the game a couple years and had barely posted up a bank signboard.

Being posted up as the bank of the Royal Family was a badge that marked the chosen bank as the best bank in all of Lechen. The competition for the position was fierce and the ultimate decision rested with the Minister of Finance, a chose that not even the King could intervene on and the fact that Bjorn’s own bank had been overlooked the last couple years was a testament to the ministers fairness.

Bjorn’s incredible progress over the last couple years was not unusual. In addition to constantly making huge profits with his investments into Berg’s holdings, he had also managed to establish a solid deposit base by opening up several branches across Lechen. Even if he wasn’t elected as the Royal Banker, his achievements could not go unnoticed.

“It would appear that the Felia and Berg’s holdings has stabilised once more.” An elderly gentleman said, sitting across from Bjorn. His tone was mixed with hostility and redicule, but Bjorn only showed his affirmation with a light smile.

“Yes, which is fortunate in many ways, especially for the Baltz family,” Bjorn said, in relaxed manner. It felt like a cold threat.

To keep the Prince in check, the other bankers had come up with a plan. It would undermine the financial market’s confidence in the Prince, by lowering the public debt entrusted to Freyr bank. Several families had pooled their money together and began to buy into Berg’s holdings. When they had enough strength, they struck out at Freyr bank. Bjorn wanted to shake the game by selling everything at once.

Just as they were looking to be successful, Bjorn put the brakes on, expecting a counter offensive. Freyr was buying up all the public holdings of Felia and Berg, which were entrusted and managed by other bankers. Bjorn could only challenge them with his own capital.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

No sane fancier would do anything to step against Freyr, but Bjorn was a mad dog, he was a man that would hinder his own instep to slice the ankles of his opponent and if they died together, at least Bjorn would bring his opponent down at the same time.

When they ceased trading, Freyr bank ceased their counter offensive. It was like a cheeky warning from the young prince, telling them to compete fairly and above board, if they didn’t want to die in the flames.

The time for the Minister of Finance to announce the results of his decision was fast approaching and the atmosphere in the board room was tense. It felt heavy enough to weigh down every man, except Bjorn, who was as cool as ever. That was then when an attendant came to give Bjorn a message.

The smile vanished from Bjorn’s face as he took the message from the servant and he looked grim as he read it. The other bankers looked at each other, wondering what could have disarmed the prince, but everyone jumped in their seats when Bjorn burst into laughter.

“What kind of plan is this?” One of the old bankers muttered.

The bankers all looked at each other, worried as the prince stuffed the note into a pocket and continued to look on expectantly waiting for the Minister of Finance’s decision.

“Seeing you smile like that has certainly got the room on edge, I’m starting to wonder if any of us have the right of it.”

There was no more time for speculation and inquiry as the Minster of Finance finally came into the room, making all the bankers stand bolt upright, scrapping their chairs along the floor as they did so.

The result was as everyone had expected.

In the wind of the changing seasons, a new royal banker was born. It was Bjorn Dniester a disaster sent to the financial district by the Witch of Lars.

*.·:·.✧.·:·.*

“Congratulations, your Highness.” Mrs Fits said as she greeted the prince back to the palace. She tried to stay calm, but could not quite hide her excitement.

Bjorn replied with a simple, broad smile.

“Her Highness is in her room.”

Bjorn carried the box given to him by the attendant, crossed the hall and climbed the stairs. He could feel the impatience spurring him on, to stride out faster than usual and almost ran to Erna’s door.

He stopped, gave himself a second to catch his breath and entered the room. The gatekeeper of hell flinched at his sudden arrive and stood up. Lisa was not who had expected to see.

“Her Highness is asleep, your Highness, she would love it if you stayed by her side though.” Lisa said politely. Although she gave cheeky advice, he didn’t take issue with it.

“Your Highness!” After he nodded and took a step, Lisa urgently called him. As he glanced away, their eyes met, and the gatekeeper of hell burst into tears like a child, “Congratulations, your Highness,” She looked to be close to tears as she left the room.

Bjorn smiled and entered the bedroom. The door opened quietly and closed again.