Cotton Candy 27, Blueberry Pie 2, Cherry Chocolate Chip 29+ Gummy Bunnies: A New Beginning
Author: lady_leia_solo
Story: The Mondian Chronicles (Archive/Index Under Construction)
Title: A New Beginning
Challenge: Cotton Candy 27: taking advantage, Blueberry Pie 2: filthy rich, Cherry Chocolate Chip 29: amity
Toppings: Gummy Bunnies (#6: a false sense of well being from the List of Doom at writerverse and third picture from Picture Writing Prompts on Tumblr)
Word Count: 609
Summary: I think His Majesty prefers a darker woman.
Rating: PG
Notes: Heinrich III is the King of Konte, a country in northwest Adeodata. Cyzna borders it from below. Analise was married to Jakub II of Konte and is mother to their son, Jakub III. Because Jakub the younger is under age, he needs a regency. Analise was his first regent, but she was ousted and replaced by Olek.
Analise tapped her hands restlessly in her lap. She looked toward the stage. Though the playwright was one of her favorites, she couldn’t concentrate on the play. She was worried about her son. Did he have enough security around him? Was his food being tasted?
“What’s the matter, my dear?”
Analise turned to her father. He was looking at her.
“Nothing, I was just thinking.”
“Thinking about what? Your physician told you to relax. You love the theatre, that’s what I brought you here tonight.”
Analise sighed. “I cannot relax when I have a price on my head.”
Heinrich sighed as well. “You know I will keep you safe. They cannot cross the border without alerting one of ours. The entire country is protecting you, Analise.”
“It won’t be enough. I know Olek wants me dead.”
“He wouldn’t dare try to get to you now that you’re back under my control.”
Analise turned to her father. “They want my son. He isn’t safe so close to Cyzna.”
Heinrich turned back toward the stage. Analise looked away.
“The Mondian ambassador received news from the homestate.”
Analise didn’t say anything.
“His Majesty has recently been made a widower.”
Analise turned back to her father.
“Though he has a son, the king wants to strengthen the du Bois dynasty and to do that he needs more sons.”
Analise waited for her father to continue.
“He also would like form an alliance with Konte as you know his previous two marriages were to commoners.”
“Yes, I know what happened to his queens.”
Heinrich turned to face her. “Monde is a wealthy nation, Analise, by far wealthier than either Konte or Cyzna. You would be comfortable there.”
“I don’t know. He put aside one wife and had the other executed. I don’t think that would be the safest place.”
“True, but His Majesty is not a bad man from what I hear. The previous queen lives in great comfort and as for the other queen, she committed treason. The penalty would be the same in any kingdom.”
Analise nodded.
“I must take Jakub with me. I cannot leave him here.”
“No, of course not, the king has children. Your son could grow up with the future king. You could form a future alliance between Cyzna and Monde.”
“If Jakub lives to see his majority, that is.”
“Why wouldn’t the boy live to see it? He’s a strong one.”
“Yes, but we have to travel across Adeodata to get to Monde. Olek and cronies could attack at any time.”
“You will not need to worry, Analise. I have everything covered.”
Analise looked down. She wanted to believe her father. She wanted everything to be okay. She wanted Jakub to be safe. He wasn’t safe here. She wasn’t safe here.
“Okay.”
Heinrich nodded. “I’ll send the ambassador to announce that we have accepted the betrothal.”
Analise let out a deep breath. The rest of the audience below them began to clap. The show was over.
“I think you’ll get along with him. He picked your portrait, you know.”
“What?”
“He sent for your sister’s portrait as well. He vastly preferred yours.”
Analise opened and closed her mouth. Her sister was the fairer of the two of them and she received more compliments. Why had the Mondian king chose her?
Her father was standing. Analise stood as well.
“I think the king prefers a darker woman.”
Analise nodded, but didn’t say anything else. She had things to do. She needed to plan her trousseau as well as figure out what Jakub would need. She smiled slightly. She hoped this marriage would be a new beginning for them.
Story: The Mondian Chronicles (Archive/Index Under Construction)
Title: A New Beginning
Challenge: Cotton Candy 27: taking advantage, Blueberry Pie 2: filthy rich, Cherry Chocolate Chip 29: amity
Toppings: Gummy Bunnies (#6: a false sense of well being from the List of Doom at writerverse and third picture from Picture Writing Prompts on Tumblr)
Word Count: 609
Summary: I think His Majesty prefers a darker woman.
Rating: PG
Notes: Heinrich III is the King of Konte, a country in northwest Adeodata. Cyzna borders it from below. Analise was married to Jakub II of Konte and is mother to their son, Jakub III. Because Jakub the younger is under age, he needs a regency. Analise was his first regent, but she was ousted and replaced by Olek.
Analise tapped her hands restlessly in her lap. She looked toward the stage. Though the playwright was one of her favorites, she couldn’t concentrate on the play. She was worried about her son. Did he have enough security around him? Was his food being tasted?
“What’s the matter, my dear?”
Analise turned to her father. He was looking at her.
“Nothing, I was just thinking.”
“Thinking about what? Your physician told you to relax. You love the theatre, that’s what I brought you here tonight.”
Analise sighed. “I cannot relax when I have a price on my head.”
Heinrich sighed as well. “You know I will keep you safe. They cannot cross the border without alerting one of ours. The entire country is protecting you, Analise.”
“It won’t be enough. I know Olek wants me dead.”
“He wouldn’t dare try to get to you now that you’re back under my control.”
Analise turned to her father. “They want my son. He isn’t safe so close to Cyzna.”
Heinrich turned back toward the stage. Analise looked away.
“The Mondian ambassador received news from the homestate.”
Analise didn’t say anything.
“His Majesty has recently been made a widower.”
Analise turned back to her father.
“Though he has a son, the king wants to strengthen the du Bois dynasty and to do that he needs more sons.”
Analise waited for her father to continue.
“He also would like form an alliance with Konte as you know his previous two marriages were to commoners.”
“Yes, I know what happened to his queens.”
Heinrich turned to face her. “Monde is a wealthy nation, Analise, by far wealthier than either Konte or Cyzna. You would be comfortable there.”
“I don’t know. He put aside one wife and had the other executed. I don’t think that would be the safest place.”
“True, but His Majesty is not a bad man from what I hear. The previous queen lives in great comfort and as for the other queen, she committed treason. The penalty would be the same in any kingdom.”
Analise nodded.
“I must take Jakub with me. I cannot leave him here.”
“No, of course not, the king has children. Your son could grow up with the future king. You could form a future alliance between Cyzna and Monde.”
“If Jakub lives to see his majority, that is.”
“Why wouldn’t the boy live to see it? He’s a strong one.”
“Yes, but we have to travel across Adeodata to get to Monde. Olek and cronies could attack at any time.”
“You will not need to worry, Analise. I have everything covered.”
Analise looked down. She wanted to believe her father. She wanted everything to be okay. She wanted Jakub to be safe. He wasn’t safe here. She wasn’t safe here.
“Okay.”
Heinrich nodded. “I’ll send the ambassador to announce that we have accepted the betrothal.”
Analise let out a deep breath. The rest of the audience below them began to clap. The show was over.
“I think you’ll get along with him. He picked your portrait, you know.”
“What?”
“He sent for your sister’s portrait as well. He vastly preferred yours.”
Analise opened and closed her mouth. Her sister was the fairer of the two of them and she received more compliments. Why had the Mondian king chose her?
Her father was standing. Analise stood as well.
“I think the king prefers a darker woman.”
Analise nodded, but didn’t say anything else. She had things to do. She needed to plan her trousseau as well as figure out what Jakub would need. She smiled slightly. She hoped this marriage would be a new beginning for them.