Free The Autumn Palace by Ebony McKenna Page B

found after the flood.’
    â€˜Correct.’
    WHAT!
Ondine felt her eyebrows nearly shoot off her forehead. Keeping her voice low, she murmured to Hetty, ‘There was a flood? When?’ 49
    â€˜Who founded Brugel?’ Ms Kyryl asked.
    Ordinarily Ondine knew the answer, but she kept her hand down this time.
    Another student said, ‘The four mountain tribes joined together to defeat the barbarians.’
    Ms Kyryl said, ‘That’s right. And the leader of the tribes?’
    Another child this time: ‘Became the first Grand Duke.’
    â€˜Very good. And how many Grand Dukes andDukes have we had?’
    â€˜Two hundred and seven,’ another child said.
    â€˜And have we ever had a Duchess lead Brugel?’
    This time the students kept their hands down, but after a bit of thought, Hetty raised her hand and answered, ‘Elmaree the First became Grand Duchess in seventeen forty.’
    â€˜Very good,’ Ms Kyryl said. ‘And during her reign the Russian empire annexed the Grand Duchy of Brugel. After Elmaree, what happened? Anyone?’
    No hands went up, so the teacher supplied the information: ‘Her son Leopold led a rebellion to secure autonomy for Brugel. After that, Brugel lost its status and became a Duchy instead of a Grand Duchy, but it regained its independence. Have we had any more Duchesses?’
    Some of the children shook their heads, not entirely sure.
    The teacher supplied the answer. ‘In nineteen eighteen we had Duchess Yalene. During her reign, can anyone tell me what happened?’
    Ondine’s hand rose in the air, because she hada fair idea of the answer. Not from the name of the ruler, but from the date. It was ingrained in Brugelish DNA.
    â€˜Yes, Ondine?’
    â€˜Brugel became part of the Soviet Union.’
    â€˜Very good!’
    Relief crashed through Ondine at finally getting something right.
    â€˜We nearly had another Duchess more recently, can anyone tell me?’
    All hands shot in the air.
    â€˜The Infanta Anathea,’ Hetty said.
    â€˜Correct. She was heir presumptive and would have been Duchess . . . until what happened? Can anyone tell me?’
    Just about every child recited, ‘Lord Pavla was born and Brugel rejoiced.’
    â€˜That’s right. Lord Pavla the Fourth is Duke of Brugel.’
    â€˜And we’ve got our independence,’ a boy across the room said. ‘And that is why Brugel is always better off with a Duke.’
    Ondine blurted, ‘That’s hardly fair.’
    Ms Kyryl’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. ‘That’s quite a statement, Andreas. Care to elaborate?’
    Andreas looked smug and arrogant. He had to be at least two years younger than Ondine, but that precocious look on his pale, lean face told the world he knew everything. ‘The facts speak for themselves. The times Brugel had a Duchess, we lost our autonomy.’
    â€˜But . . .’ Heat roared through Ondine. ‘They just happened to be Duchesses during really difficult times.’
    Andreas gave her a look of utter superiority and scratched the side of his nose. Ondine could have sworn he sneaked the edge of his thumb inside and had a pick as well. ‘We have had Grand Dukes and Dukes during very difficult times as well, but they didn’t lose their country.’ 50
    His smugness reminded Ondine so much of Lord Vincent that she couldn’t help wondering if theymight be related. No sooner had the thought crossed her mind than she pushed it aside. She would not let Vincent unsettle her, she’d put all that behind her.
    â€˜An interesting debate,’ Ms Kyryl said, ‘but there were also times when Duchesses, although not ruling in their own right, acted as regents to their sons who became Grand Dukes. Brugel did not lose its autonomy then.’
    â€˜Doesn’t change the facts,’ Andreas said with the self-satisfaction of someone who was too young to know anything but