Lady of the Wood

V. Genevieve

Later that evening, I was officially named Governor Lady Genevieve Evangeline Maria Eleanor of Pren, Lady of the Wood, Queen Warrior of Evalor, and I was eligible for marriage. Henry's title was extended to add his new titles according to the prophetic legend. It was a mouthful, and I pitied any crier who had to announce the presence of High King Henry Bartholomew Bennet William III, Emperor of the Criecian Islands, Son of the Queen Mother Hyacinth, Lord of the Wood, and High King Warrior of Evalor.

Arthur assumed the role of my father in matters concerning my hand in marriage, for which I was quite grateful, as throughout the ceremony I had several young noblemen try and catch my eye. While he swore the oath that gave him the authority to approve or disapprove of a suitor, there was a slight tenseness in his stance and voice which I had attributed to the attempts of the young men that had put me at unease as well.
   
Now the three of us were standing on the dias in the Great Hall. Henry and I were accepting oaths of fealty as the Lord and Lady of the Wood, as well as gifts for my social debut. There were a few requests for permission to court me, all of which Arthur denied. He used the excuse of my focus being entirely on the political affairs of Evalor, not finding a suitable husband and starting a home, but I suspected there was some other reason he denied them all.

Once every nobleman and woman had spoken of their undying loyalty on behalf of their households and the provinces under their control, the dancing began. The music started and several cheers went up through the room, and people flooded onto the dance floor. They started moving back and forth in a chainlike pattern, the women's skirts twirling in a flurry of vibrant shades of reds, blues, greens, purples, pinks, and yellows. I was the only woman in white this evening, and it made me stand out against the crowd like a single red rose in a bed of baby's breath.
   
I watched their movements with a look of childlike wonder painted across my features. They switched partners multiple times, moving in a complex line, and then moved back to their own partners. Henry was on the dance floor with his mother, and they were both beaming, the exertion of the dance flushing their faces a bright pink. It was mesmerizing to watch, but there was a heaviness weighing on my chest because I had never had a relationship like that with either of my parents. Since both of my parents were now dead, and my father had never been the kind of man to dance with me, I realized that, no matter how hard I wished I could, I would never have that sort of relationship.
   
"A penny for your thoughts, Genevieve?" Arthur nudged my shoulder with his. "You seem troubled."
   
"Oh!" I quickly put a hand to my face brushing away nothing. "I was just thinking of how happy Henry and Queen Hyacinth look on the dance floor." I looked away from him quickly, searching earnestly for the monarchs on the floor. Once I found them, I followed them with the eyes of a hawk.
   
"For whatever reason, I have a hard time believing that is all that's on your mind," he raised an eyebrow in a questioning way, not accusing, but pressing for further information with the concern of a friend. "I've been in your shoes before, and I hardly think a woman like yourself would have done any different than I did. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but would I be correct to say that you were mourning your own relationship with your parents, or lack thereof?"
   
"You would be correct, yes." I looked away from the Queen Mother and her son and back to Arthur. "My mother died in childbirth during my delivery, so I never had any siblings. It's a miracle I'm even alive, to be completely honest. My father was never the caring sort of father who would dance with his daughter either." I quickly looked back to the dance floor to avoid seeing Arthur's look of pity and shuddered at the gross understatement I had just made about my father.
   
"I'm sorry, Genevieve. I lost my mother at a young age as well, and my father was far too busy with the affairs of the province under his control to bother spending time with children like my sister and I." His tone indicated that those were the words his father had used to dismiss him in his youth.
   
"I didn't know we had so much in common, Arthur!" I joked. "Who knew Evalor's nobility were such horrid parents?"
   
"Who knew?" He shrugged. the music stopped, and the dancers cheered and started clapping. "Henry and his mother have always been close," He commented as the other dancers bowed to the monarchs as they walked off the dance floor towards us. I heard a touch of jealousy in his voice, and I couldn't blame him in the least, because I found myself coveting what Henry and Queen Hyacinth had as well. We both stood up straighter, putting the conversation aside as they approached us.
   
"That was lovely!" I exclaimed. They smiled, breathless. "I could never do something like that and make it seem so effortless!"
   
"All the more reason to learn, then!" Queen Hyacinth elbowed Henry. "Go dance with the lady of the hour, Henry! Not often does a man get a chance to dance with a lady who wields such power over the affairs of her life and her country!"
   
"Yes! Go dance with Genevieve, Henry!" Arthur joined in the encouragement. "Certainly the minstrels will play something for you if you were to put in a request!"
   
"I don't know. I've never set foot on a dance floor in my life," I offered, hesitance lacing my voice.
   
"It'll be easy!" Queen Hyacinth assured me. "Henry here is one of the best dancers in all of Evalor! You'll be in good hands, my dear."
   
"Mother," Henry blushed at her praise, but I did notice a slight upward turn of his lips. He looked at me with a look of hopeful questioning, silently asking if I would let go of my timid hesitance just long enough to have a bit of fun.
   
"Well, I suppose it couldn't hurt to try," I caved. How could I not, with him looking so handsome right then? Him with his cheeks flushed red, his eyes sparkling with adrenaline and happiness, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
   
"Excellent!" He outstretched his hand to me, putting on a mock formal demeanor, and said "My Lady Genevieve, you are by far the fairest maiden in attendance here this evening, and it would be the highest honor if you would accompany me on the dance floor!" We all chuckled at his dramatic request.
   
"Your Majesty, High King Henry, the honor would be entirely mine!" I matched his dramatic display of decorum without flaw. If there was one thing I excelled in, it was using my charm and refined class to my benefit, and decorum was a big part of those skills I'd been forced to hone for so long.
   
"Then in that case, let us fly!" He took my hand and guided me with a smooth gait that made it seem as though we were floating just inches above the ground itself rather than actually stepping from stone to stone on the polished floor. The band struck up a tune slower than the last, a waltz. He swept me around in a grand arc before placing a hand on my waist, holding mine on the other.