So after a few years hiatus, I decided to start writing again. Why here in this fandom where no one will find it, I don't know but here I am anyways. This was actually a series of disconnected oneshots I've had in mind for a while actually, while some might be connected not all are, and the ones that are might be a little out of order.
I've also started writing using songs from the game for inspiration and to give me a feel for the area. This one in particular was written using 'Castle Town of Balandor'. So anyways, enjoy!
Love, FireflySong
P.S. No promises when the next one will be up, might be tomorrow, might be tonight, might be next week or even next month.
Arranged
When Martine had gone up to see Queen Cisna in her office with his idea for peace between the Kingdom of Balandor and the Arch-duchy of Faria, she was sure that the last thing he had expected her to do was laugh. And this wasn't even a small chuckle of amusement, no, this was his regal queen clutching her sides in absolute mirth and signs of tears threatening to fall as she struggled to stay on her seat behind the gilded oak desk.
Martine would have been worried about his queen's sanity if he wasn't so insulted.
"I'm completely serious your majesty! I believe that an arranged marriage between royal families is what we need to cement ongoing peace!"
"You do realize that both I and the Empress are not only the only living members of either royal family, but both female as well?"
Cisna somehow managed to tone down her own amusement when she realized that Martine had gone shockingly red in the face and began to sputter indignantly.
"I would never suggest such a thing your majesty! I-I can't even believe that you would even think it! It seems that continued association with the Lord of Greede is having an effect on you that no one thought of."
Cisna sighed with growing amusement, "Lord Caesar is a fine, although most certainly outrageous, ruler. And besides, our relationship with Greede has never been better, I don't think our trade agreement has ever been more fruitful."
Martine seemed reluctant to agree but conceded. "Of course your majesty, I never thought otherwise."
"It is a shame about the Empress' family though," Martine muttered, "it would have certainly been a better match..."
With that, all amusement vanished Cisna's face, and despite sitting down, managed to stare coldly down at the council member, who blanched and shrunk once he realized exactly what he had said aloud.
"I-I apologize you majesty, Sir Leonard is a brave man and an amazing soldier but..."
"But he has no royal blood." Cisna finished. "Just because he is a commoner by birth and blood does not excuse the fact that without him, Balandor would have fallen to the Magi long ago."
Does Caesar have to deal with this ridiculousness? Probably not, everyone's most likely used to his eccentricities by now.
Cisna watched with pity as the gangling man three times her age, quavered with fear in front of her. What little grey hair he had was now plastered to his head in sweat and she could see every bone poking through his parchment-like skin. She hated to watch a man that had once been like a distantly removed uncle cower like this.
The sad thing was that Cisna wasn't sure if it was fear of her as his Queen or because of the old and powerful powers that she had at her fingertips.
"Despite your slip of tongue, I do agree with your idea Martine."
At once Martine returned to full height and resumed the stature and countenance that befitted a distinguished member of the council. The midday sun that shone through the window behind her showed that his face was a bit too pale though. With shaking hands he handed over the bound papers that he had prepared for Cisna to read.
"I'm glad to hear that you agree with me your majesty." The relief in his voice was evident.
With well-practiced movements and grace that announced her royal upbringing, Cisna removed the binding from the paper and carefully looked over the contract placed before her. It was surprisingly short all things considered, only a page or two, and concise. It simply detailed that the first daughter of either royal family to be born would be betrothed to the eldest son of the other and would be married when the youngest turned sixteen. If, unfortunately, both families were only graced with one child each, then the contract would be suspended until the next generation.
Other difficulties would eventually emerge over time, there would be cousins to consider as well as lower ranked families on either kingdom, but those would be generations away yet and would be given far more time to plan out.
While the contract itself was only a couple of pages long, there were three copies as well but only two lines to sign. It didn't take long for Cisna to realize that they had made enough for not only Balandor and Faria, but for Greede as well should they wish to join. She highly doubted Greede would though, it proudly proclaimed itself as a free city and with it on the back of the Demithor, it would be safe from any attempts at war should the other two kingdoms try.
"I can see no immediate problem with the contract Martine, but I would like a few additions to be made."
Martine seemed shock that his work needed to be changed but smiled tightly. "And what changes would that be?"
"I would like an extra agreement to be added that for a single month of the year, any children born will spend that time in the opposite kingdom. It is a good chance for them to get to know the other's culture, people, and future in-laws. It would also hopefully be a further prevention against war."
Martine swallowed nervously as he rubbed his still shaking hands together. "Are you sure that will be wise you majesty? I mean, what it they use that time to gather intelligence about our army and the kingdom and use it against us..."
Cisna sighed as she folded her hands on her desk. "Well Martine, how would you feel to get a new monarch who knew absolutely nothing about us? What food we ate, how we dressed, how we interacted with our own people?"
Martine seemed shocked for a moment, and stopped to think. "Well, we could simply train them in our mannerisms when they got here. After the wedding we could introduce them to the kingdom..."
"You expect to be able to put nearly sixteen years of politcal training in them in a few short weeks and then thrust them out into a strange world?" Cisna paused to let Martine speak but when it was clear that he had no response continued. "Besides, would you attack the place where you were sending your child to spend one month of the year. By the point you had enough information to attack, they would have already made friends and would hate to see them killed."
Martine slowly nodded in agreement, but Cisna could tell that he was still uncomfortable with the idea. "I see, you are wise beyond your years your majesty. I will get one of the scribes to make the necessary additions as soon as possible."
"Good, I will send Empress Miu a copy of the contract when I send the invitation next week."
"Invitation? What invitation?"
Cisna looked at Martine confused. "Why to the ball in a couple of months of course. That's when I will be making my official announcement of my engagement to Leonard."
"You intend to invite Faria to the ball?!"
Cisna frowned at Martine, not understanding his shock. "But of course, Greede has also been invited."
Martine lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper, his eyes wide. "But I'm sure you out of everyone remember exactly what happened last time we invited Faria!"
Immediately she stood and stared down at the older man in shock and fury. She hadn't realized she had smacked her desk with her hands until he flinched. "Which was no fault of their own Martine! Balandor wasn't the only one to lose a ruler that evening, nor was I the only one to lose a father. Miu is a honoured friend Martine, without her help and army when we made that final attack on Red Horn Island we would have surely lost!"
Understanding that he was fighting a losing battle, he switched tactics to save face. "I apologize your majesty, we are in their debt I agree, but to deliver a peace-binding contract like this and to invite Faria to a ball this important would require more than a simple messenger. We would need someone of political importance, who already knows Faria more than just war propaganda, and it would take at least a year to train a person to understand even the basics! It had taken your father months of negotiations with both the council and Faria until the late Emperor had finally agreed.
"I was also expecting to be able to make further adjustments to the contract to be better suited to a long term binding until we both had someone properly trained to deliver it and knowledgeable that they could answer any further questions there. There is no way we'd be able to send someone in a year, much less a week!"
Cisna sighed in unfortunate agreement as she turned her back to Martine and stared out the large window behind her to consider her options. Her father had chosen this room as his office not only because it overlooked the entire town, a reminder of his duties to his people, but the training grounds as well. From here he could see exactly what training the soldiers and knights under his care were receiving and how to best use them in battle against Faria. It was a duty she knew her father had hated with a passion, he had always seemed most tired when coming out of the office with Cyrus and other high-ranking members of the knights in tow.
It was a duty she also hated, sending her own people into a battle they might not even win had been the hardest thing she had ever done.
Now though, it was mostly used to keep the soldiers in shape, though almost all of them were on edge, the short year since the Battle of Red Horn Island had been the longest period of peace most could remember. Faria, and even Greede occasionally, had always been ready with the threat of war for years, this was the first time that all three cities had even had gotten along since all three had broken apart under the reign of King Fronler nearly 300 years ago.
In the training grounds below, she watched with a fond smile as Leonard stood facing off against Cyrus in what she hoped was a practice bout. Cyrus had been overly protective of her since his return and had made numerous claims that while he had no bad feelings toward her intended, he would need to fight Leonard himself to judge if he was strong enough to protect his beloved King's daughter. So far it seemed like an even match, Cyrus had years of training and experiance while Leonard had instinct from usgae of the White Knight, but not only was it hard to tell from her vantage point she had only the roughest ideas of sword fighting. It seemed to be a good fight if the circle of cheering soldiers were any indication.
Eldore stood with a small group young children, mostly boys but the occasional girl was mixed in, and seemed to be giving them the basics in magic usage. A small fireball began to form in his hands and the kids looked on it what could only be amazement. The older man seemed to be getting older and older with each day but somehow always managed to keep up with the various children, more of which came everyday, to see the incredible magic that most had only read or heard about. Cisna could almost hear their shrieks of glee as the small ball of fire exploded harmlessly over their heads.
And of course near the archery range stood Yulie, firing off arrow after arrow with deadly accuracy as Cisna's own soldiers watched, passing around what looked like a betting plate. Cisna frowned at that, while it was none of her business what they did with their own hard owned money, she certainly didn't approve of them wasting it on a gamble that they were going to lose, knowing with one hundred percent certainly that Yulie was gonna to win the plate.
Still Yulie had seemed almost awkward the past few weeks, it was obvious that she was uncomfortable in the castle with Leonard when she knew that he didn't return her feelings, but had no where else to go. She had tried returning back to Parma Village once but had returned only a couple of weeks later. Yulie had claimed that she had just missed her friends and wanted to be closer to everyone but it was obvious that she had been bored out of her mind. At some point during their travels the adventuring bug had bitten and not let go, she was always checking the guild board for new quests and bounties, not for the money or rewards, but for the chance to get out and do something.
To put it simply, Yulie needed to get out and travel but felt that it was her duty to stay and help in Balandor.
Cisna smiled as she turned back to Martine. "I think I've just found the answer to our problem Martine."
