Free Haven: Chronicles of Warshard by Katherine Bogle Page A

kingdoms, famine had never been common. Eris provided much of the grain, wheat, vegetables, and meat to the kingdoms, while Wakefin supplied large amounts of fish. Once upon a time, Dagan assisted in such matters. In exchange for these services Salander had always provided ample wood throughout the kingdoms. Most of their land was covered in forest, making this a lucrative trade for them. For these goods, Rythern had always exchanged stones, from rubies to diamonds. Many sorts of metals could be found throughout their mines, as well. This she knew, but she never realized that most of their income came from these mines. The cold of Rythern made it difficult to harvest many crops, but cow farms were common in the flatlands. Those lands could very well be their saving grace. Calisa was the only kingdom with no ample supply of any goods. They dabbled in mines, wheat farms, fishing, raising cattle and deforestation, but they had none of these in abundance, only enough to support their own people.
    After a long explanation, Haven couldn’t help but sigh. Surely there would be more options than this. “If I am to understand this correctly,” she began, “The end of summer is upon us and come the winter, we will only be able to supply what cattle we have to the people.”
    “We do have large rice stores, My Lady,” one of her advisers interjected.
    “And wheat stores as well,” another added.
    Haven sighed once more. “Will it be enough?” she asked.
    No one answered.
    “Will this be enough to feed our people and the refugees that flood my city?”
    A deep silence fell throughout the room. Haven raised her eyes to Toma.
    “It will not, My Queen,” he said.
    Haven sat back, gripping her desk for support. If she couldn’t even feed her own people, how could she expect them to fight for her if the time came? How could she expect them to go to war for her if Salander needed them? How could she expect any more of them, than she did herself? “What can be done?” she asked, hopeful that someone had an idea.
    “We can ration,” Toma said. His usual certainty did not back his words.
    “How?”
    “We could create a team to see to it,” Toma began, “They could investigate what can be gathered from the fields, the cattle, the stores. We’d have to estimate a number as well, which they could assist with.”
    “A number of what?”
    “Of the number of people, My Queen. We have refugees on their way from Eris, and many still remain from Wakefin. We need to know how many people we will be feeding this winter.”
    Haven nodded. “See to it. I want a report two days from now.”
    Taking her leave, Haven walked the halls with Malka trailing a few steps behind. She didn’t know where she was going, but she needed to think. Where do I to go from here? she wondered. If Salander is attacked, should I interfere? If we cannot afford to keep all of these refugees, can I really turn them away? If my people starve this winter, will it be my fault for not being a good queen? How am I expected to rule a kingdom I’m only beginning to understand? And why above all else, is Kadia doing this?
    Frustrated, Haven quickened her pace. She was lost in a whirlwind of her own thoughts when words broke through her reverie.
    “Eris has fallen? I can’t believe it!”
    Haven stopped in her tracks. Young girls whispered down the adjacent hall, huddled by a window.
    “Who will be next? Would Kadia come for Salander?”
    “But that means--”
    “Rythern would be next.”
    “Blue skies, I can’t believe that. This war is nonsense.”
    “But it is still war, Anna.”
    “I heard that people are fleeing into the mountains. Maybe it’s not such a bad idea.”
    “We’d freeze to death!”
    “Not west of Salander. They have hot springs in the caves. We could survive.”
    “But what of the natives?”
    “What of the castle?”
    “What of our lives? Will we risk ourselves staying here? Our families?”
    Haven had had enough. She walked swiftly