| A Letter for the Queen |
| Summary: | Elaine writes a letter to Queen Melisande, asking for Henric and herself to be received for a personal audience. There is a less than favorable reply from the Queen; and a third letter of Elaine, to clarify a few points. |
| Date: | Septembre 20th, 1866 |
| Related: | Henric's report for Elaine and The Keeper's Court |
| NPCs: | {$npc} |
| Players: |
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To Her Majesty Melisande Romante, Queen of Galenthia
Your Majesty,
I am writing to you as a your loyal subject, but also as a Viscountess and wife. I was not born into circumstances that would have prepared me in any way for the responsibilities that come with such position, as you may well know. Forgive me therefore any shortcomings in wording as well as adequateness of form.
The matter I want to address is not a simple one. My husband, Viscount Henric, and I wish to swear fealty to you. I trust you may have already heard from the Keeper of Seals, that we wish this to happen in your presence. Such may be against the new protocol, but in our case an exception to this procedure may be justified.
As this is about more than a vassal swearing fealty to his sovereign, but an act that will encompass the future as well as the past. The past, meaning especially your late betrothed, Viscount Jaren Cassomir. Henric’s brother. It is a loss you two share, a void that needs to be filled, which requires this act of him swearing his oath in front of You and You accepting it in his presence.
To swear fealty to the Throne alone, in attendance of the Keeper of the Seals, would not have near as much weight. And we need this oath to have weight, as we want to see it received by Your Majesty - from a man whom you have seen yourself forced to punish in the past, for his misconduct. You must be aware that he has changed with his new challenges. Even so, he needs your personal acknowledgement.
We shall await word from Your Majesty,
Elaine Cassomir,
Viscountess of Ironhold.
A page in Romante livery, who’s sigil is topped with the crown as to note that the message comes direct from the Queen herself - or her second, the Keeper of the Seals. The boy will hand the missive off to the Lady of House Cassomir and leave with a bow.
Inside, scrawled in beautiful penmanship, the words of the Queen reside:
Viscountess,
While I do sympathize with your husbands grief, as I share it myself, I do not have any tolerance for insolence of any kind. Your husband has openly defied my wishes at court, and the Keeper of the Seals who is speaking as if myself were standing on attendance. To insult him, is to insult me. As anyone would have noticed, the scribes took down every word so that I may read it at my leisure, so do not count that I did not read the words he spouted out in goodly company.
It is shameful, my lady, that your husband acts thusly in my halls. If I recall, I raised his house from a Barony to a County, and I would gladly tear it back down again if I see anymore resistance from him in this or any matter. You are a noble lady, do not pretend to un-know all of your teachings as a young woman.
A Queen is never asked to make an exception, not for something that is only stinging your pride, not those of the others at court. If anyone is being unreasonable in this, it would be your husband and his house. Why should I grant such a request for someone who openly defies me at every turn, anyway? I wouldn’t, it is as simple as that.
I hear Baron Emrys took a blood oath in the presence of my throne, not once complaining that I was not personally present. You swear fealty to the realm, not to just me, the realm. Just as I swear it, just as everyone else swears it. I serve and protect, my lady, I do not placate and pet. If your husband refuses to swear to my throne as others have, then I will refuse to be of any assistance and must punish him for is insolence. This is not something I want to do, my lady, this is something I must, for if I do not then I will be seen as weak and unable to control my very own Vassals.
I do hope you can talk some sense into him, he needs it, and if he truly cannot stop? Then he must be stopped. I hope I am clear on this and all matters pertaining to myself and the Keeper of the Seals. He is I when I cannot sit on attendance, as you know I have many things that need to be done in any given day, and shall be treated with respect just as I should. His words are mine, and should be taken just as seriously. If not? Then those who wish to defy him, wish to defy me and will be handled thusly.
With that, Your Excellency, I expect that the both of you attend the announcement of the next Arch-ducal position. At the opening ceremony, you both will swear fealty to the throne and the realm. Let me be very clear, regardless, and I mean regardless, of who is sitting on attendance for this announcement.
Good day, Viscountess, may the One walk with you and Bless you,
Her Majesty, the Rose Queen, Melisande Sofia Romante.
Elaine's hand trembles as she reads the letter, despite the pallor of her skin her cheeks maintain a slightly nervous rosiness. Even so, she will sit down to pen a reply, immediately. Forcing her breathing to calm down, and her hand to regain some steadiness as the quill scratches over a fresh parchment, filling it with her even handwriting.
Your Majesty,
Forgive me for bothering you again. Even so, I feel your letter demands a reply. I was not present at the Keeper's Court, as I had felt indisposed at the time. Which was most probably an unfortunate turn of events. I have already suspected my husband has not made the best impression, but as I was not there, and was not as fortunate as you to have a written account by a scribe, all I had to rely on was what my own husband told me.
With that said, I assure you I am sorry to hear of his conduct, and I agree, there is no other way but to deny him and me to see you for a personal audience. You know Henric for longer than me, I have heard you used to play with him and his siblings in your childhood. We both know that there is occasionally little sense to be found within him, when his anger is unleashed.
I assure you though, that deep within his heart Henric is a good man. He knows of his shortcomings, but even so he gets carried away easily. This is not to warrant his behaviour, because such cannot be warranted. He has his faults. But even so, I believe his wrath has served the realm more than once, when it was turned against Your enemies, Your Highness.
As for my nobility, you are of course aware that I was born a Commoner. I would not be so vain as to assume you are aware of the history and background of each and every subject of Your kingdom, yet it was You who elevated my dear father Matthew Volstak to nobility three years ago and granted him the Lordship of Redbarrow for his deeds in the Succession War. If my letter was perceived as being insolent I do apologize. I am really trying hard to be a worthy lady and Viscountess, and to serve the Realm as best as I can.
So. I assure you, I do not ask for an exception to be made for us, to be granted a seperate audience. Instead we will swear fealty. I assure you of that. We will attend the announcement of the Archducal position. And I am looking forward to bend my knee to you personally as such an event must be deemed important enough by Your Majesty to attend - for all of our sakes.
I do not intend to lay claim on your time with further letters, but I thank you for doing me the honor of reading this letter and the previous one, as they needed to be brought to your attention.
May the One bless you.
Your most loyal subject,
Viscountess Elaine Cassomir.
A page in Romante livery, who’s sigil is topped with the crown as to note that the message comes direct from the Queen herself - or her second, the Keeper of the Seals. The very tired and over-exercised boy will hand the missive off to the Lady of House Cassomir and leave with a bow.
Viscountess,
I have taken all you have written into account, though I will say that making excuses for a man who makes none himself is a battle not worth fighting. Do know that I do not fault you for his actions, however, I do hope that you will be working harder in the future to calm his less than admirable temper.
For soon enough, and if things keep going the way they are, he will find himself no higher than a Baron, I can assure you of that much. He should be worrying about his people in the coming months as winter is upon us, instead of Victor, whom I assure you is not far from my sight either and a source of ire for me as well — instead of shouting about it in Court. I have not forgotten what that vile creature who dares to share my last name has done, and would hope no one expects me to.
My Keeper was right, my dear, this is something that must wait until after winter, when our lands our stable and fertile again. If I find that he has gone against my wishes on this, as he has expressed his want to do so at court, do know that I must do something about it as he would certainly be depriving his people to do such a thing. Know, then, it will not go unnoticed by me. In the meantime, I will meet with my privy counsel and see what can be done to ready us all for the coming cold and also what can be done with Victor after winter is through.
A word to the wise, though, Nobility is in your bearing. It is earned, not gained through birthright not truly, look to your husband if you do not believe me. You have proven to have more grace than most, Your Excellency, certainly more than him. And have shown that mistakes that are made, can easily be mended with the right words. Do not lose faith in your abilities, for once you do, it is all but over and respect has been lost.
As for the announcement, I cannot confirm nor deny my presence there. There are some matters, I assure you, that are more pressing than even that. However, no matter my attendance, it would over-joy me to read that you were both there to bend the knee. And if your husband will not, then I expect you, my lady, to be there on your own. It is not for your pride, but for your people, we all must do things we do not want. This includes handling our family. This will have to be my last letter for the day, it has certainly taken up much of my time. I do wish you well and luck, my lady.
Good day, Viscountess, may the One walk with you and Bless you,
Her Majesty, the Rose Queen, Melisande Sofia Romante.