The Two-Hundred Year Treaty

~Part One~

Two hundred years the Reminard family had waited. Their part of the treaty was just about to be fulfilled. Their future prince, Zackary, was to finally be wed to the Stacklers' daughter. This would allow the kingdoms to merge and a great, strong alliance would be had. The kingdoms would become a superpower, and both kingdoms had been waiting anxiously. If the marriage was strong, life would be good, however, if the new king was angry and tyrannous both lands would suffer.

The reason for the treaty was simple. The Stacklers had fertile land and animals to farm, salty caverns, and their culture was strong. They produced goods that were coveted across the lands. On the other hand, the Reminard military was strong and to be feared. The Reminards had threatened the Stacklers that they'd take over their land, however the Stacklers threatened to salt it in retaliation, and a treaty was created to resolve the tension. The Reminards held the Stacklers' wealth, and the Stacklers fed them in return for protection.

The Stacklers had not yet borne a daughter. Sure, the queen was pregnant, but even if she delivered a month early the baby would be wed at a few days old. A young man being married to a newborn was just sick. However, the Stacklers only had one son. The kingdom was in chaos trying to figure out what to do in order to remedy and fulfill their end of the treaty.

"Confounded woman! Why couldn't you birthe me one daughter! Our son is a waste to our kingdom! He'll never take over, and he is no girl! Who are we to marry to the boy? You've become pregnant too late!" The king paced in the lavish, but quite barren, throne room. Possessions had been sold to pay for the needs of the royal family and the needs of the kingdom as a whole. Each step was more of a stomp, and the king's face was a bright red.

The queen covered her mouth, laughing quietly. For a king, he still acted like a spoiled brat sometimes, even though she did realize how grave this situation was. Her laughter grew louder, and more tense while her mind raced for a solution again and she got nervous. "Dear, we'll figure something out, we always do." She said between bursts of inappropriately timed, uncontrolled laughter.

The king growled. "Perhaps if you would help out instead of yukking it up over there we'd be able to come up with a solution! Cynthia, honestly, to laugh at a time like this! I'm insulted! Use your brain and think!"

"Richard, I can't help it! I-The butterflies in my stomach are stirring, and I just can't hold my laughter back! I swear I don't think this is funny!" The queen replied, trying to catch her breath. The air in the throne room was already tense with bitter emotions from the king, and nervous and worried emotions from the queen.

The king sighed. "All of this stress isn't good for you, and it's quite late. Why don't you just go up to bed, I'll try and think of something." The king muttered, leading the queen out before she had time to protest. Just one month until the big day.

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