DECISION

I was with my children when the messenger came. I try to spend some time with them every day despite the demands on my time as the lady of the manor. Even Joa joins us from his lessons as the heir, though I think it may be the treat I always bring as much as time with me and his siblings that draws him. His younger brother Balo is still young enough at five to look forward to the stories and cuddles and of course there is Salene, my daughter whom I love to dress in all of the little girl’s finery I never got to enjoy. I have to remind myself to let her have time in her old kirtle to play with abandon or she would live perpetually as the doll I never had.

A royal messenger would normally go to my husband Joachim first and only after any official communications were delivered would he bring me letters from my family. Still, it was nice that I heard from them much more often than most young wives as the barony had much business with the crown. Today he came directly to the solar where we were singing old songs and laughing at silly lyrics.

“From your mother the queen” he said as he bowed and proffered a sealed pouch. It had the royal seal rather than the family seal I was used to seeing.

“Joa, can you divide the cakes with the others while I read this? Save me one of the cinnamon ones.” I said as I opened the packet. There were two sheets of parchment inside but one was not in my my mother’s familiar hand. This was the work of one of the court scribes.

Selena, baroness of mountainreach
from
Her serene highness Maronica, regent

your brother the king is dead. You are hereby summoned to the court immediately.

I cried out and burst into tears at that point, unable to read farther. My younger brother Rolando had been my great champion and my great friend. When I knew that I had to be a girl it was Rolando I told first and he was my advocate to our parents and older brother and later to the whole kingdom. He shouted down the ones who shouted at me and argued eloquently with everyone else. He had stood by me as the spell was cast that made me a woman, adding his will to mine. I had cried when Oskar, our older brother, died in battle and when my father died and left Rolando the throne but this was like a physical blow. I would have fallen to the floor if the messenger hadn’t caught me.

My shout had brought guards running in immediately with my husband only a little behind them as the alarm was repeated throughout the grounds. I waved their pikes away from the messenger and found Joachim through my tears. I handed him the parchment as my children embraced me. Joachim joined us with one arm around me even as he held up the message to read in the other. We were married to ensure the loyalty of the Western reaches of the kingdom and give them a feeling that the royal family cared about them. We were lucky. Duty changed to love over the years until I don’t think either of us could imagine life without the other at our side.

The rest of the official document when I had recovered enough to read it was filled with a royal warrant to take horses and supplies at mail posts as needed to meet the summons and other legal bits. The letter from my mother was utter nonsense until I had pricked my finger and touched it with my blood over the stain of her blood. I knew of this spell of course but she had never had the magicians put it on any of her letters before. The frankness of her words made if clear why it was needed.

Selena, baroness of Mountainreach
from
Maronica regent of Skrye

Maronica, regent of Skrye
.

I sent the messenger back late today after speaking all afternoon with Joachim and then with the children. I have wept for my brother and for the kingdom. The time for weeping has ended. Tonight I will lay with my husband. Tomorrow we leave for the capital with such forces as can be raised so quickly.