A War of Queens

The Mourning Queen: Part 14: The Queen and her children

Five days had passed since then and the Queen in Mourning began to mourn even more over the memory of not only her father, but also her husband, Lord Deckyrn, who perished on the battlefield on the Orange Fields. Though an arranged marriage it was, so as to build faith with House Merling, she did to some degree if some would believe it, love him in dutiful ways a woman would have. She missed his silly presence and the way he would often fall over his feet. She had missed his bright green eyes and his thin smile that made her day brighter by the moment she saw it. She had missed his silky hazelnut hair and how the curls would bounce as he turned his gentle face toward her. Most of all, she had missed how well he had treated their daughter and only heir at that time. But he, as well as Astereus and her mother, Queen Marythea were all gone, forever to be drifters amongst space.

Her presence amongst her court had grown more and more scarce of late, yet the plans of war went on. It had been two days after Dayron was sent to the House of Woe when a note written by Thaerysa's father-by-law, Lord Trydon Merling, arrived on the foot of a bird.

The note was short, yet it brought her all the comfort a note such as that one could have offered. "Our Sovereign Queen Thaerysa," the note read. "The Northerners have taken away our dear son and future king consort from us. In answer to your calling, we offer the full aid of Houses Merling and Merlyn of the Bay of Horns to bring her to answer for their crimes."

Both the mermen houses are now in the fold, Thaerysa had pondered as she had folded the note once more. With House Rivers of Nomorah and House Crow of the Hephetes Islands behind us now, we have the full strength of the naval fleets of the Islands and coastal regions, as well as the houses surrounding the eastern Wall of Alfsol.

It was a thought too delicious to think about, but at the same time a bit overwhelming even for Thaerysa. But even now, after her rather horrific experience in the inner courtyard five days past, the thought of politics and war was something she could do little without.

Although she often prayed to the Goddess for life itself to tire out at times, knowing her lord husband, her father and mother would not return, she persisted in breathing and demanding herself to see another day come. Not only had she done so for her sake, but for the sake of her precious daughter and for her unborn child. An easy pregnancy this one is, she had often thought, unlike that of her daughter which had given her many pains she wished to be relieved of.

"Are all pregnancies like this, remarkably painful in all its ways?" she had asked the lady-in-waiting on the day of her labour with Asterya. But even though all the screams and horror it brought her to get the child out, once the golden head appeared and the smell she possessed once she laid atop Thaerysa's chest, all other things melted away like ice and snow on a mountain.

Her bedchamber had become dark over the days; thick silken drapes were constantly sealed so that light would not come peek inside. Incense was constantly alight — those who had served the queen often thought it to be her way of praying to the ones above, but in truth she had hoped that they would ward off the spirit that plagued her so much.

"How is Her Grace faring this evening?" Sasha asked as she opened the door.

"She is the same as yesterday," Thaerysa responded.

"Would the Queen wish for a warm bath? It may yet smooth away the bumps and knots that are pestering you so much."

Yes, that may yet help me.

"A good idea I would say. Help me undress," she commanded and her maids-in-waiting did not delay in the slightest. Lady Sasha had first lifted the crown from Thaerysa's golden head before unlacing the ties of her dress, while the woman named Barbra undid her shoes and her black stockings (Thaerysa had taken a strange liking to the southern girl so much she had given her the honour of serving as her lady in waiting).