Royal Intrigue

A Plan Forms

The princess and her ladies may have looked like they were happily wandering in the gardens, but even those new to her entourage knew that she was troubled. Moving faster than she normally would, Metori was thankful for the fashions of the day - robes that covered her hands and didn't make her fidgeting apparent. Even here, in what was meant to be the most calming place in the palace, she was not safe from prying eyes. If even the lower level wives were feeling bold enough to challenge her, it would only be so long before her father felt it was time to push the subject of marriage. Being the favorite daughter and her mother's only female child would only get her so far in his indulgences, she would still need to marry at some point.

After a few moments of restless pacing, she led her ladies to one of the moon-viewing pools, signaling one of the servants to bring her fresh feed for the ducks, their happy splashes and quacks just enough for her to cover what she was going to say to her ladies. She waited until the servant had retreated to a respectable distance before beginning to leisurely feed the ducks. Starting out with a poem about the glossy feathers and their desire for freedom but willingness to stay within the palace, a gilded cage, but a cage all the same, thanks to their desire for comfort.

"I too, like a duck, am happy where I am, but wish to also move. With the autumn winds, so too do my wishes to fly grow. But I do not wish to go so far that I lack in comfort either. I wish to come and go, to travel and to see the world outside of the palace. I do not wish to be spirited away to another kingdom, to never see my family again. To that end, I need to find a suitable husband. One whose position within the court will call us to travel sometimes, but will allow me to retain the home that I have always loved. I do not wish to languish as a prize to one of the bloated bureaucrats who spend their days lazing around my father and their nights drunk with strange women. I wish for a marriage where I am able to express myself, my curiosity, and my own desires. I do not want to be an ornament for the needs of a man, but a boon to his house. How do I do this?"

Several of her ladies shifted uncomfortably at this speech, all too aware that their own marriages were, as she described, filled with anguish and unnecessary stress. Many had not had their husbands in their marital bed in years, sleeping in the princesses' chambers instead. They knew all too well of the desire to leave the palace, to even walk along the streets where they were permitted as children, but that they feared they would never see again.

Finally, one of the older maids broke her silence; "You need a husband who is not of this court. Any man that you married who comes from this kingdom would settle into the court. Your father's love for you is well known, and his willingness to dote upon you makes you a great prize for the kind of men that you despise. Even those that would otherwise support you may be tempted by the comfort of a permanent position. Someone from another court would be likely to miss their family and have a reason to go home occasionally, giving you a chance to travel outside of the walls. Furthermore, other courts are not nearly as restrictive as your fathers. His wish to emulate the middle country and his strict adherence to the needs of the court have made him inflexible and rigid. You may do well to look among the ambassadors to the court. A prince would run the same risks you worry about and break your spirit. An ambassador would instead benefit from your status, but would also be wary of restricting you, his very position at risk should you report your unhappyness to your father."

This statement was met with nods from many of the other women, several of whom were already thinking of different options in their heads. The court always boasted a large variety of emissaries from other countries and even from different provinces, providing a large pool from which to choose.

"Choosing someone outside of the court proper does make sense. I cannot be relegated to one of the row houses if my lord husband does not live within one. However, an ambassador comes with his own issues. If he is recalled or displeases my father, then I too could be forced from the court. We need to select someone who is able to navigate the politics of the court well, who has family ties within the court, and who is unlikely to be ousted by their own ruler as well. Considering someone from within our kingdom seems like a bad choice, so it will have to be someone from a foreign nation. Perhaps someone with relations to the royal family in another country, but who is unlikely to have any place in the line of succession."

The quacking of the ducks and the lull of the water began to finally soothe the princess now that she had an idea of where to begin. The headache that she had felt forming was slowly fading, her hands within the cool water seeming to ground her in ways that simply talking out her feelings had not.

"This is a conversation for another day. For now, I need to get to know more about the different ambassadors and their nations. I want each of you to find a maid or a family member who knows about the different men present in the court and create a report about them. Give me options. Keep in mind that it is your future too that is at risk. A violent man or one who spirits me away would mean hard times for all of us, not just myself."

With these words spoken barely above a whisper, Metori broke away from the continued conversation and stared deep into the water, willing it to give her the answers that she knew were only to be found within her own head.