The Dragols pulled the carriage towards the steps, making a wide turn so that the carriage door was facing the steps. Kaiser began to slowly walk down the steps. Halfway down, a servant went rushing past him to open the door. The eager man grabbed the handle and swung the door open right at the moment the duke reached the bottom step.
Esmedella stepped out of the carriage adorning an outfit that a commoner would never expect to see their queen ever wearing. She was wearing her old hunting clothes, which consisted of a short red skirt, knee-high leather boots with accompanying greaves, a low-cut sleeveless white shirt, bracers with attached gloves, and a metal chest plate that drew attention to her…. Eyes, since her golden hair was now pulled back into a ponytail.
She caught sight of Kaiser and grinned, before reaching into the carriage and pulling out a bow and an empty quiver. With the objects in hand, she brought him into a hug. Esmedella broke the hug and smiled as she said, “You know, this really was a good idea. The clan leader and I got a lot done. It seems our needs fit each others quite well. Plus, look at all of the souvenirs I’ve brought!” She waved her hand back towards the carriage, where dozens upon dozens of servants were reaching into the back compartment and pulling out various pelts, shells, and horns of different creatures that she had hunted down.
Esmedella caught sight of Kaiser’s expression and asked, “What’s wrong? Aren’t you glad to see me?” The duke looked at her and tried to smile. “Of course I am. There’s just something on my mind at the moment,” he said. Kaiser took a hold of her hands in his own and assured her by saying, “I’ll let you know soon enough.”
The queen smiled at nodded. “Alright. I trust your judgment,” she responded. Esmedella then pulled her hands out of Kaiser’s and began to walk up the stairs. “I should probably go change. I don’t want men to be looking at my cleavage all day,” she said teasingly before turning back around and heading up the stairs. The blonde guard looked up to get a glance up Esmedella’s skirt before quickly turning his head away, a small blush on his cheeks.
* * * * * * *
Esmedella emerged from her bedroom, shutting the wooden door behind her. She turned left and began to walk down the hallway on her way to the rear courtyard, where she usually found Kaiser practicing. As the queen walked down the hallway, an elderly servant woman came up to her. She stopped and bowed, her white hair shining in the sunlight. “Your Highness, Lord Kaiser has requested your audience in the council chamber. He says that your presence is vital,” the aged woman said in a sweet voice. Esmedella nodded and responded, “Thank you. You may carry on.” The servant bowed again and walked away.
The queen immediately began thinking that something was definitely wrong. Not only was the council not supposed to meet until tomorrow, but Kaiser had sent somebody to tell her to meet him there rather than going himself. She began to walk faster, the sound of the bottoms of her shoes hitting the stone floor echoed throughout the halls.
After a few minutes, Esmedella was now standing in front of the doors to the council chamber. She opened the ancient doors and stepped into the dimly lit room. On the opposite side of the room and sitting in the chair that was normally reserved for the ruler was Kaiser with his arm on top of the table, using his fist to hold up his head by the chin. He looked at her and said, “I’m glad that you could join me so soon. Please lock the doors behind you. No unexpected guests are to come in.”
The queen did as her guard commanded and then turned to face him. “What’s all of this about? Why the secrecy?” she asked him. Kaiser sighed, got up, and then placed a hand on the back of the chair. “Please, sit down. You’ll need to sooner or later,” he said. She sighed, sat down, and then looked up at him. “Alright. I’m seated. Now tell me what’s going on,” the queen demanded.
The duke sighed and nodded. He took a few steps away, obviously trying to think of a way to start the conversation. “Well, the best way to start off is with the arrival of a messenger from you uncle, the Marquis Noverto. He sent a letter to you and it arrived the day after you left for your expedition,” Kaiser said casually. He then stopped and turned to face Esmedella. “When I went to speak to the messenger, he told me of something written in this letter of the utmost importance,” Kaiser said with a slight more serious tone.
Esmedella looked at Kaiser and asked, “Did he tell you what it was?” The blonde man shook his head from side to side and responded, “He didn’t have to. The Marquis told his messenger that if I were to be the one passing the letter onto you, then I should read it since it would involve you and your security.” She sat there silently and then asked bluntly, “You read my personal letter from my uncle before me?” The duke stood there and then said, “Yes, I did.”
The queen was undoubtedly annoyed with Kaiser at the moment. She placed her hands on the table, but before she could say or do anything else, she was stopped by his words. “Before you do anything that you’ll regret later, you might want to read the letter first,” Kaiser said with his hand in his sash. He pulled out the rolled up piece of parchment and tossed it onto the table in front of her.
Esmedella gently took the message and looked at the broken wax seal. Even with it being broken in half, she could still make out her uncle’s seal. The queen glanced up at her guard. He was propping himself up with his arms on the edge of the table and his head hung low. She then began unrolling the letter.
As Esmedella began reading, it seemed simple enough. It was the typical thing from her uncle. He asked how she was, talking about how he was, and the likes. But then the letter suddenly shifted from his carefree, protective uncle self to his serious, political figure form.
Esmedella, I wish that now were happier times, but I must be completely honest with you and hoped that you wouldn’t have to deal with any more burdens upon you. Lately, there have been rumors of men in my country who wish to court you. I thought that it would be impossible, seeing as how I know you just as well as your own parents knew you and that you would never do such a thing to ruin your late husband’s memory. Unfortunately, as my advisors and I were looking through the texts of my library, we came across a law that may discourage you. It is called the Royal Law of Binding.
Esmedella looked at Kaiser with a confused look, having never heard of this law in her entire life. The duke motioned for her to keep reading the letter. She looked back down at the parchment and continued to read her uncle’s message.
This law was set in place in the off chance that something were to happen to the rulers of your or anyone else’s country. The law states that if a king is to die and has no successors or siblings, then his spouse, the queen, is allowed to rule on her own for up to two years. By the second anniversary of her late husband’s death, she must be married to another. Otherwise, the Church of Our Lord Faram will not recognize you as royalty and give the kingdom to another. The possible husband must either be a royal or a noble, so as to keep the royal blood as pure as possible. In other words, my dear niece, you have a little over a year to be married and wed to a suitable man to become the king of your country. I never wished something like this to happen to you, but word is spreading and soon you shall swarms of suitors at your doorstep hoping to become the next king. Once again, I am deeply sorry. I am willing to help you in any way possible and, if I were you, keep your guard, Kaiser, close by. It is not unusual for a man to sneak into your room while you sleep and get your pregnant just to secure his chances at the throne. I wish you luck and good hope in the name of Faram.
Wishing you love,
Uncle Noverto
Uncle Noverto
The parchment slipped from her hands once she finished reading the letter. The impact of this news was like a stampede of raging Dragols running her over. Her open hands were frozen in front of her as she stared off at the opposite wall. Kaiser went over to her and gently grabbed one of Esmedella’s hands. The queen felt as if something was stuck in her throat as she tried to speak. When she did, her words came out slightly croaked. “M-marriage? In a little over a year?” Esmedella asked, looking up at Kaiser with fear and shock filling her eyes.
The duke nodded and said, “Yes. It seems that nobody except the eligible men for your marriage were aware of this, myself excluded until I read the letter.” He saw the queen’s eyes focus back on the wall, disbelief having engulfed her.
Kaiser took Esmedella’s other hand and got down on one knee. “Della…” he uttered. The blonde woman shot her attention back to the man at her side. She had not heard him use her nickname since they were children. “There is a way around the law, if only temporary,” the duke said.
Esmedella shifted in her chair, her full attention on his words. “You have a little over a year to find a man worthy enough of your hand in marriage. Well, choosing the right man isn’t simple. You must see if they have the right ‘qualities’ to be the king,” Kaiser said and then stopped.
She thought about his words for a short time and then realized what he was saying. “You mean… Put off my decision for as long as possible?” she asked. The blonde man smiled and nodded. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. Make them think that you’re just trying to give every eligible man the chance to court you before making your decision and since you’re still the queen, you’ll still be able to rule the country in that time period,” he said.
Esmedella was about to grin, but then stopped and said, “But my uncle said that the suitors may try to… ‘heighten’ their chances of marrying me.” Kaiser then raised his hand to stop her. He lowered his hand and responded, “The Marquis also said to keep me close in case something like that happens.” The duke laid a hand over his heart and continued, “Della, I swore to protect you from anything that would hurt you and I intend to keep that promise.”
The queen looked at the fierceness and determination in his eyes and slowly began to smile. She got to her feet and let Kaiser stand up in front of her. The queen then hugged him and said, “Kai…. I know you did and you’ve done a wonderful job. I’m glad that YOU’RE here rather than it be somebody else.” Kaiser smiled softly when she called him by his childhood name and then held her close. The two then broke the hug, unlocked the doors, and they began walking towards the barracks. “We’ll need to notify the guards and knights of this and prepare for war,” Kaiser said. Esmedella looked at him and asked, “Why war?” The duke looked down at his queen and responded, “Well, Love IS a battlefield after all.”
