YASMINE
After a whirlwind few days, Yasmine stood in the town square with the children as their father prepared to speak at the last event of their final day in Pirn.
Over the past week, he had held so many meetings to listen to the townspeople. Each time, he did a better job listening to their emotional stories and asking follow-up questions.
And each time, Yasmine felt she also did a better job of guiding the conversation with pointed inquiries to redirect when anger and fear made the conversation turn in a less productive direction.
This morning’s meetings had gone beautifully. Though she had to credit the citizens of Pirn for that. By now, everyone seemed to have heard that the new Ruler actually wanted to hear what they had to say. More and more people attended the get-togethers with positive expectations. And that meant each meeting was more productive than the last.
And now it was time to end the morning with one final speech to sum up the whole visit.
She looked over at the kids to see if they were as excited as she was, and was surprised to see they looked like they were trying to disappear.
“Are you guys excited to hear your dad share what he learned?” she asked encouragingly.
Pia just grabbed Yasmine’s hand and clung to it.
“There are so many cameras,” Jax pointed out.
“That’s normal though, right?” Yasmine asked.
“This isn’t just the camera people we know from the palace,” he said. “And we’re not just going to be doing Tai Chi in the background. What if they ask us questions?”
“Then you’ll answer honestly and politely,” Yasmine said. She knew they’d been coached for this kind of situation, but that was very different from being thrown into it.
Jax looked horrified. His eyes went to his feet, and he slumped so much it looked like he was going to get swallowed up by his suit jacket.
“Listen kids,” she said, crouching down so Pia could see her face and Jax couldn’t miss it either, even if he was looking down. “Both of you might want to hide right now. You’ve had some pretty big changes in your lives, and being the Ruler’s children means there’s often a spotlight on you.”
Jax’s eyes met hers again and she knew she had hit on the truth.
“But you deserve to be seen,” she told them. “Not some perfect versions of you cooked up for the newsfeeds, but you, just the way you are.”
“Everything Dad does is so important,” Jax muttered.
“We’re not supposed to get in the way,” Pia added.
“Do you really feel that way?” Yasmine asked. “Like you’re not important?”
Jax shrugged.
“We’re supposed to be quiet and good,” Pia said.
“You two are the most important thing to your father,” she said slowly and deliberately so they wouldn’t miss a word. “Everything he does is for you, and for other kids like you, so you can grow up in a better world - a world where you can be yourself without apology.”
Pia looked at her with wide earnest eyes.
Jax was frowning, but thoughtfully, not sadly.
“Hey,” someone yelled in a high-pitched voice.
Yasmine looked up to see the little daughter of the mayor of Pirn running up to Pia.
“I’m Calipha,” she squeaked. “Do you want to play?”
“Yes,” Pia said, looking very pleased.
Yasmine couldn’t imagine a time in her life when making a friend was that easy.