Cotton Candy 8, Creamsicle 5, Flavor of the Day+Gummy Bunnies, Strawberries: The Challenge
Author: lady_leia_solo
Story: The Mondian Chronicles (Archive)
Title: The Challenge
Challenge: Cotton Candy 8: a proposal, Creamsicle 5: diplomacy, Flavor of the Day: couthie: agreeable; genial; kindly
Toppings and Extra: Gummy Bunnies (#30: New Year from 100_tales), Strawberries (Picture of the Day for January 5)
Word Count: 700
Summary: Every woman is the same. They just want to be wooed by a handsome knight.
Rating: PG
Warning(s): Child marriage is talked of in this piece.
Notes: This takes place way before the current action (1100s). The year is 506 AW. Temra is one of the many kingdoms. Monde lies directly to the left of Canillo, though there are a number of Mench and Canillian kingdoms between the actual kingdom of Monde that Matilide rules and kingdom of Temra that Stefano rules.
Stefano was in his library. He was reading a treatise of theology by one of the most prominent Temrian clergymen. Though he didn’t think much of the church or religion either for that matter, it was fascinating to read. Sometimes in the back of his mind, he wished he could believe in the powerful and mighty God that the rest of his people put all their hope into. But he couldn’t or wouldn’t. He wasn’t sure.
The door creaked opened. Stefano looked up and saw his cousin, Bishop Biordo of Tenedi, the capital city of Temra, come into the room.
Stefano nodded at him and lowered his head once more.
“Why cousin I can’t believe what I’m seeing. You are reading theology?”
Stefano grinned. “Why not, perhaps it holds the secrets to the world?”
“I believe that’s philosophy,” Biordo said pulling out a heavy chair next to him.
Stefano returned to the heavy tome. He turned a page idly as he waited for Biordo to speak.
“Did you want something?”
“As a matter of fact, I did.”
Stefano looked up as Biordo pulled out an envelope. He couldn’t make out the seal on the back of it, but it looked very official.
“What’s that?”
“A letter from the Regent of Monde,” Biordo said handing it to him.
Stefano pulled the letter of the envelope.
“He’s casting around for a husband for that girl queen?” Stefano said reading over the letter.
“Yes.”
Stefano put down the paper. “What does this have to do with me, cousin?”
“You were expressly invited to ask for the Queen’s hand.”
Stefano chuckled. “I am far from marrying. I’m barely twenty. I still have things to do.”
“More like women to plow,” Biordo said.
“Why Father, I didn’t think you even knew what went on in the bedchamber. Men of the cloth should not speak that way, you know!” Stefano said with faux shock.
“Be quiet,” Biordo said stuffing the paper back into the envelope.
“I hear the Queen is quite a beauty. The ambassador from Monde says she has jet black hair and startling blue eyes and a lithe figure.”
“I like my women fuller cousin and besides the girl is only fourteen. I will not be saddled with a child bride.”
Biordo sighed. “You do not have to marry right away. Beside who knows if the Queen will have you? I hear she’s a firecracker.”
“I know what you’re doing,” Stefano said standing. “I will not fall for it.”
“Fall for what? If you don’t want to put your precious male pride out there to be trampled by feminine wills, then that’s fine with me.”
Stefano snorted and turned away. “Every woman is the same. They just want to be wooed by a handsome knight.”
“But you are no knight and the Queen is no woman, I suppose? She’s still a girl.”
“Has she bled?” Stefano said tapping his fingers against his thigh.
“Yes, of course. They wouldn’t try to marry off the girl if she weren’t ready to bear fruit.”
Stefano turned to face Biordo. “I don’t trust that man, Aignen is it? He’s up to something.”
“Of course he’s up to something; he’s always up to something.”
“He wants there to be competition between the suitors,” Stefano said rubbing the dark stubble on his cheek. “Does he intend that we should kill each other?”
Biordo smiled. “I don’t think he’d go that far. But I notice that you included yourself into the equation.”
Stefano grinned. “I never back down from a challenge, cousin. You of all people should know that.”
Biordo grimaced. Yes, he knew it quite well.
“When should we leave for Monde?” Biordo said standing.
“We’ll leave in the New Year of 507,” Stefano said. “We must celebrate Ambrosious here in Temra. Mother would never forgive me if I spent the holiday away from home.”
“Good plan, cousin. I’ll arrange all the necessary things. Would you like to have some jewelry made for the Queen?”
Stefano stopped. “No. I have a feeling jewels won’t work with her.”
Biordo raised his eyebrows but didn’t say anything. The two men parted in the corridor, both with their own plans for the future.
Story: The Mondian Chronicles (Archive)
Title: The Challenge
Challenge: Cotton Candy 8: a proposal, Creamsicle 5: diplomacy, Flavor of the Day: couthie: agreeable; genial; kindly
Toppings and Extra: Gummy Bunnies (#30: New Year from 100_tales), Strawberries (Picture of the Day for January 5)
Word Count: 700
Summary: Every woman is the same. They just want to be wooed by a handsome knight.
Rating: PG
Warning(s): Child marriage is talked of in this piece.
Notes: This takes place way before the current action (1100s). The year is 506 AW. Temra is one of the many kingdoms. Monde lies directly to the left of Canillo, though there are a number of Mench and Canillian kingdoms between the actual kingdom of Monde that Matilide rules and kingdom of Temra that Stefano rules.
Stefano was in his library. He was reading a treatise of theology by one of the most prominent Temrian clergymen. Though he didn’t think much of the church or religion either for that matter, it was fascinating to read. Sometimes in the back of his mind, he wished he could believe in the powerful and mighty God that the rest of his people put all their hope into. But he couldn’t or wouldn’t. He wasn’t sure.
The door creaked opened. Stefano looked up and saw his cousin, Bishop Biordo of Tenedi, the capital city of Temra, come into the room.
Stefano nodded at him and lowered his head once more.
“Why cousin I can’t believe what I’m seeing. You are reading theology?”
Stefano grinned. “Why not, perhaps it holds the secrets to the world?”
“I believe that’s philosophy,” Biordo said pulling out a heavy chair next to him.
Stefano returned to the heavy tome. He turned a page idly as he waited for Biordo to speak.
“Did you want something?”
“As a matter of fact, I did.”
Stefano looked up as Biordo pulled out an envelope. He couldn’t make out the seal on the back of it, but it looked very official.
“What’s that?”
“A letter from the Regent of Monde,” Biordo said handing it to him.
Stefano pulled the letter of the envelope.
“He’s casting around for a husband for that girl queen?” Stefano said reading over the letter.
“Yes.”
Stefano put down the paper. “What does this have to do with me, cousin?”
“You were expressly invited to ask for the Queen’s hand.”
Stefano chuckled. “I am far from marrying. I’m barely twenty. I still have things to do.”
“More like women to plow,” Biordo said.
“Why Father, I didn’t think you even knew what went on in the bedchamber. Men of the cloth should not speak that way, you know!” Stefano said with faux shock.
“Be quiet,” Biordo said stuffing the paper back into the envelope.
“I hear the Queen is quite a beauty. The ambassador from Monde says she has jet black hair and startling blue eyes and a lithe figure.”
“I like my women fuller cousin and besides the girl is only fourteen. I will not be saddled with a child bride.”
Biordo sighed. “You do not have to marry right away. Beside who knows if the Queen will have you? I hear she’s a firecracker.”
“I know what you’re doing,” Stefano said standing. “I will not fall for it.”
“Fall for what? If you don’t want to put your precious male pride out there to be trampled by feminine wills, then that’s fine with me.”
Stefano snorted and turned away. “Every woman is the same. They just want to be wooed by a handsome knight.”
“But you are no knight and the Queen is no woman, I suppose? She’s still a girl.”
“Has she bled?” Stefano said tapping his fingers against his thigh.
“Yes, of course. They wouldn’t try to marry off the girl if she weren’t ready to bear fruit.”
Stefano turned to face Biordo. “I don’t trust that man, Aignen is it? He’s up to something.”
“Of course he’s up to something; he’s always up to something.”
“He wants there to be competition between the suitors,” Stefano said rubbing the dark stubble on his cheek. “Does he intend that we should kill each other?”
Biordo smiled. “I don’t think he’d go that far. But I notice that you included yourself into the equation.”
Stefano grinned. “I never back down from a challenge, cousin. You of all people should know that.”
Biordo grimaced. Yes, he knew it quite well.
“When should we leave for Monde?” Biordo said standing.
“We’ll leave in the New Year of 507,” Stefano said. “We must celebrate Ambrosious here in Temra. Mother would never forgive me if I spent the holiday away from home.”
“Good plan, cousin. I’ll arrange all the necessary things. Would you like to have some jewelry made for the Queen?”
Stefano stopped. “No. I have a feeling jewels won’t work with her.”
Biordo raised his eyebrows but didn’t say anything. The two men parted in the corridor, both with their own plans for the future.