Lunch is obviously canceled and since the duke's house is far away anyways, we just rearranged things so we could leave near immediately. It gives me time to think on some rather... perturbing things. My name is Vivian Fannarson, I am the heir to the Kingdom of North. This kingdom arose a few centuries after the Roman's defeat, it was never considered an actual country before, as its people were largely nomadic, however, after the Britannians began to expand their empire, our ancestors gathered together in order to prevent their lands from being taken. They managed to drive off the invading Britannians but were forced to stand as a kingdom of their own. The Kingdom's royalty was all weird for a time until our current method of choosing who rules was established. So it goes pretty much like this, so there's the current Leader and their first born child. If the ruler has more than one child, when the first born comes of age, there is this giant- I don't know how to describe it- ritualistic battle-like thing? Anyways, it happens between all the siblings and the one left standing is labeled the next ruler. Those from the other tribes are also allowed to send up to three fighters against the prospective ruler. They fight in a gauntlet against them and whoever comes out on top rules in all senses of the word.
But, that's not what I should really be focusing on right now! Basically, the current Emperor of Britannia, Charles the Whatever, liked my aunt, who was the first princess-ish -since there isn't really a "royal line"- and the current Leader's first born child. But Charles still married her. This enraged the Northan people as the gauntlet -called the Leader's War- hadn't been held, since my aunt wasn't of age at that time. Which also brought up the problem that my aunt wasn't of age, also the problem that she was marrying a guy like twice her age but there isn't an actual law against it it's still super weird. Anyways, the Leader of that time, my grandfather, allowed it. This decision got him killed, on the day my mother came of age. Infuriated, my mother killed all who opposed her in the Leader's War, including my uncle, who was believed to be my grandfather's murderer. This made her gain respect across the kingdom and no one complained when she took the throne. However, this also meant that Ásdís , now Empress Marianne vi Britannia was officially the sister of the Leader of North, meaning that Britannia had power in North. But now Marianne is dead, so what will become of Britannian-Northan relations is up in the air.
But that's not even my largest concern, these memories I've received are-
I look up from my hands clenched in my lap, it was dark out, already night. It only takes a glance to see that my siblings are all already asleep, my mother sits across from me. Her head is in her hands and she- she's crying. It was the first time I've ever seen her cry, even when Father leaves, even when strákur died. She's always stood tall. 'No, regardless of any life I once had, regardless of any reality I believed this to be then this is me now. I am Valentin Fannarson and my family is all that matters. Now and forever.'
I see the port come in view. 'Ah, whatever, I can save the existential crisis for the ride home.' I nudge Pup awake.
"Wha? Wha'issit?"
"Come on, get up, we have to board now."
"Oh, okay."