New news and old friends

King Fergus and Queen Azhar Gynfor sat in their throne room, listening to the messenger read the latest letter from their son. Landis Gynfor, the prince and heir to the throne, was many miles away, studying at a university.

As the messanger finished, the king motioned for the letter to be given to him so he could look over it himself. Queen Azhar sighed happily. “What a wonderful piece of news. If Landis has found an eligible woman at the university, then that will be one marriage we don’t have to worry about. “

“Do not get too excited, my dear,” King Fergus replied. “I will need to send a message to King Guldbrandsen of Moatif. He must agree first before Landis can marry Princess Mihai.”

“Mihai. Elegant name.”

“Indeed. There will be many details to work out in any case. We still have 2 years before Landis returns from the University, and if Princess Mihai decides to complete her instruction there, it will be 3 more years before we can have any sort of wedding.”

King Fergus re-read the letter, nodding over the reports of how his son was doing in his studies. He paused in his reading as a servant announced a woman named Maeve Risteska. “Send her in,” the king said. Risteska… he knew that name. A family devoted to his father in the old kingdom. The Risteska’s had always been the royal family’s most valient knights. However, he’d never heard of anyone named Maeve.

The red-headed woman appeared at the entrance to the throne room. Before King Fergus could speak, his queen had risen from her chair and had gone to embrace the woman.

“Oh, Maeve!” Queen Azhar exlaimed. “You were naught but a little girl last I saw you! How is it that you found your way to Silvetia?”

Maeve Risteska smiled, but her eyes were sad. “I never thought to find you a queen, Azhar. As for me, my family was forced to flee. When the old king died, there was no heir to his kingdom. The nobles all began to fight over who had control over the throne. My husband tried to stake his claim. He had almost gained the throne, when an assassin got him in the back. I was forced to flee with my sons. I didn’t know where to go, when I remembered hearing that Prince Fergus had established himself as a king in another land. It was a miracle we were able to find our way here.”

“Thank the Lord that you did. What do you plan to do now?”

Maeve looked past Azhar. She eyed the king carefully before replying. “Beg His Highness for aid. My sons and I have nothing more than the clothes on our backs.”

It was then that King Fergus spoke up. “What was your husband’s name?”

“Sir Padraig Risteska.”

King Fergus nodded to himself. Sir Padraig had been a good knight from a good family. The daughter of Fergus’ father’s sister had been Sir Padraig’s mother. The family had some royal blood in them.

“How old are your sons?”

Maeve seemed taken aback by the question. “They’re both 15, Sire. They’re twins.”

Azhar saw the glint in her husband’s eye as he questioned further. “Have you made any marriage arrangements for them?”

“FERGUS!” Azhar gasped. She knew exactly what he was thinking of, but now was not the time. “Pay him no mind,” she told Maeve. “You must be weary from your journey. Come with me. I’ll see you settled in one of the bedrooms. We can discuss what is to be done over dinner.”

King Fergus smiled as his wife ushered her childhood friend out of the throne room and down the hall.

On their way up the grand staircase, a raven-haired teenager passed them on her way down. “That was Hestia, one of my daughters.” Queen Azhar told Maeve as they reached the top of the stairs. Farther along, near the bedchamber Azhar was leading Maeve to, another girl passed them by, nodding a gracious greeting to them both.

“That was my other daughter, Breeya. She and Hestia are twins.”

Maeve suddenly understood. “You don’t have marriages arrainged for them yet, do you?”

Azhar shook her head. “Not yet, which is why my husband inquired so closely about your sons. There isn’t anyone here who they can marry. The only other nobles are my brothers, and the church is refusing to allow cousins to marry.”

Maeve smiled at the queen. “It would seem I came at a good time, then.”

———————————————————————-

Queen Azhar and King Fergus were relaxing in their private chambers a few days later, discussing between themselves what had been talked about with Maeve Risteska.

“I have plenty of land to offer Maeve and her sons.  We can consider it part of the girls’ dowry if nothing else.”  King Fergus had a rough map of Silvetia and pondered over it for a few moments before continuing.   “There’s a castle that will be fine to live in once repairs are made.  There’s also a very elegant manor near Micha’s land.  That one will need less repair and will be livable first.”

“Has it been decided who will wed who?” Queen Azhar queried.

“Yes, Nicholas will marry Breeya.  The manor will belong to him when he’s of age.  Regan will marry Hestia, and they’ll live in the castle once the repairs are made.”

“However,” the king continued, “we will have a few years to take care of that.  All four of the children will be sent to the university before they wed.  Landis has said many good things about it, and I wish for the future generation to have the skills needed to run the kingdom properly.”