Speaking as a Miranda: I quite literally jumped around squealing for a little bit when I found out I had been cast as my namesake. My friend and I began discussing the back story of pretty much everything and I somehow came up with this.
So for the sake of this story you have to accept these few things:
1. I set this story in the year it was written (and 12 years prior in parts). Pay attention to the dates or you may get confused
2. Prospero's line "I do not think thou cans't for then thou was not out three years old" (I. II) means that Miranda was not quite three when they were cast away. I have made this take place around/on the date of their arrival 12 years ago meaning Miranda is 14 and Ferdinand is a few years older than her so he's 18.
I'll put some clarifications at the end, and with this in mind, enjoy!
"Of Two Most Rare Affections"
July 21st 1611
Ferdinand stared at the table. Resting on its surface was a weathered chess set, worn down by years of use and the salty sea air. The cell he currently resided in was refreshingly cool, and provided shade from the sweltering afternoon sun, which filtered through a carved window casting an abstract glow across the makeshift room. A singular golden beam highlighted the table in such a way, that every little niche or crevice was accentuated from the hairline cracks on a rook to the mottled texture on 3 of the pawns where they had suffered water damage. It was in this light that the set caused something to resurface at the back of his mind.
Ferdinand reached forward a picked up one of the queens. It had once been a polished white but the paint had chipped considerably and faded. Still, you could detect a distinctly bleached tone in contrast to the ebony (albeit discoloured ebony) of some of the other pieces. He held it up to the light and examined it carefully, slowly rotating it until he spotted a crescent shaped row of miniscule dents along the base, and another row opposite the first.
It's hard to say exactly how long he stayed like that; letting the memory trickle through the jumbled fragments of thoughts and emotions that had collected over the years, until the full remembrance pushed through the mental debris field and fully formed itself. His eyes widened slightly and he glanced across the cell to the young woman rummaging through a basket, then back to the carving in his hand. Almost reverently he turned the board over revealing a wooden back with crude writing etched into it. He smiled to himself and began to set up the game.
July 17th 1599
A cloaked figure creeps slowly around the marina, searching. He almost misses the tiny rowboat which is bobbing somewhat lower in the water than the other vessels even with nothing in it. After lighting a candle he sets down a bulky bundle and removes a large piece of cloth. In the dim flicker of the eerie flame he tears the cloth into strips and stuffs them into as many holes as he can find in the rotting hull. Then he peers into his bag and withdraws a few more items: A large jug of water, a stack of clothes, and a parcel of food.
Looking around cautiously he retrieves a number of large books and places them in the boat which totters dangerously but stays afloat. Almost as a last thought he removes a wooden chessboard and stows it too. He then turns around to face a castle which looms forebodingly in the moonlight. He gazes at it fondly, salutes stiffly, grabs his empty bag, snuffs out the candle and melts into the shadows once again.
July 9th1599
"This is the King, that's going to be me one day," declared the young Prince of Naples proudly. At 6 years of age he was very bright and articulate and having recently learned how to play chess he was now attempting to teach it to anyone who would listen. Unfortunately, his father, the current King, was completing his annual visit to all of the cities within his Kingdom and they had been in Milan for the last 2 weeks on business meaning most of the court had been far too busy to play. However the little Prince was determined and spent most of his first day scouring his lodgings—which consisted of the entire Duke of Milan's palace—for an opponent.
In a sense he was successful in his search but for most of his stay his time had been occupied trying to teach the game to a two-year-old girl.
He had been surprisingly patient with her trying to get her to understand what the pieces were and how they moved and slowly but surely she was learning. He seemed to take pride in the fact that he was able to teach as well as play and she too was fascinated with the game and her mentor. It was late afternoon and they were sitting in one of the courtyards being supervised by the girl's bemused father.
"Now: How does the King move," Prompted the Prince? He had begun their daily session of reviewing the basics. Thus far the girl had grasped pawns, rooks and bishops and was learning the multiple movement patterns of the King and Queen. He had decided that it would be best to save the Knight for last as he remembered it had been the hardest one for him.
She focused intently on the little figurine with a cross on its 'head' remembering the previous days' lesson. She reached out and poked it so that it wobbled a little then she pushed a little harder this time until it slid one square to the left.
"Good!" was her encouragement. He re-adjusted the King so it was in its original position. She grinned and with a little more confidence she pushed it one square away from her which was met with more enthusiasm. She repeated this in every direction until he was fairly sure she had it. Then he replaced the King with the Queen.
She observed the new piece blankly for a few minutes before grabbing it but instead of moving it she brought it to her mouth and began to chew on it thoughtfully. This was not something entirely unexpected and her teacher gently coaxed her to give it back to him. She brought her knees up to her chest and dipped her head a little, smiling sheepishly. Her father chuckled softly from a distance.
After she was tutored in the proper movements again she was given the King to make sure she had retained everything. She looked at it, then up at the Prince then back at the piece and murmured something quietly.
"What did you say," asked the Prince? In the time they'd spent together she hadn't spoken much although it was clear he interested her by the way she would watch him at meal times and cocked her head to listen intently whenever he was talking. She pointed at the King
"That's going to be you someday," she repeated from earlier on, beaming up at him. He smiled back at her and nodded. They continued with the lesson.
July 15th 1599
The boat was leaving soon and the court of Milan had gathered to see their King off. The Prince scanned the crowd from the deck until he spotted a small body being raised above the crowd so that it could see. Before they pushed off he raced across the deck and down the gangplank keeping his eyes on the little toddler.
Her father didn't look overly surprised to see him and set his daughter down so that she could say goodbye.
The Prince revealed an item he had been concealing behind his back and presented it to the girl. It was the chess set they had been using but on the back of it he had chiseled the word Randa.
One of the few things she had said to him was her name. (Or rather the way she could pronounce it)
"Don't forget to practice," he told her. She took the set and gazed at it for a while then stepped forward and wrapped her chubby arms around him in a hug.
There was a shout that come from the deck and the Prince gently removed her arms from his torso and raced back to the ship. He waved as they sailed away and the harbour faded to a spot in the distance.
July 21st 1611
As soon as the game was set up and Miranda sat down the board was enveloped in an emerald cocoon signifying a restoration spell and was returned to its former splendour, the water damage and faded colours were replaced with shiny, sleek pieces save for teeth marks in one of the queens. She looked up to see Ferdinand wide-eyed as he had clearly not expecting the board to have been enchanted.
He shook himself out of his shock and gestured for her to move first. She peered at the board, contemplating her first move. The semblance was remarkable
"Remember how to play, Randa," he queried? Her head snapped up and she gawked at him in disbelief. He grinned back at her placing his King in the middle of the board. She continued to stare at him in delighted wonder then looked back down at the board and giggled. She put his King in its proper starting position and moved one of her pawns forward 2 spaces.
"I've been practicing," she said and they began to play.
I took the word "Randa" because that's what I used to call myself until I was about 3 when I could actually say my name. No one told Ferdinand otherwise and he assumed it was her full name which is why he carved it onto the back of the board for her.
I know it may be kind of unlikely that a 6 year old would have the ability to learn chess well enough to teach it but this play involves magic, remarkable coincidences and love at first sight so I took some artistic liberty. Also he has a line "I am the best of them that speak this speech" which I am using as backup.
If you have any other questions, comments or concerns feel free to message me. Reviews are also very much appreciated,
Anon!