Chapter 2

Next morning, the fair sad maiden was surrounded by maids, packing her belongings. Her mother was selecting her best dresses to take with her. It was impossible for Regina to feel any more miserable. She looked lost beyond salvation, staring as dozens of maids worked like bees to get her ready to leave the next day. Her mother, on the other hand, couldn't be more ecstatic. Cora was beaming with joy; her daughter was to be married to a king of a small country and be crowned consort ruler of his kingdom. It was a small kingdom but a kingdom, nonetheless. As long as Regina had a crown upon her head, it didn't matter. It was the perfect match, even if the King was much older and harboured no feelings for her daughter.

The young maiden of eighteen resigned to her fate, her eyes still rimmed red from the loss she had suffered in the previous day, sat by the window watching as everybody decided her future for her. No one bothered to ask her opinion on any matter that concerned her personally. No one asked her which dresses she liked to bring, which jewellery, which hairpins or personal objects. Her dolls - which were given to her by her father in what seemed now like a distant past - would remain there. When she mustered the strength to open her mouth to speak and ask what to do about them, her lady mother told her she would send them right away as soon as she had provided her husband with an heir; it was unlikely she would ever receive the dolls for her mother never liked them. She would burn the toys as soon as she was out of the kingdom. Her harp, however, was packed and ready to go. All this had a purpose. Cora expected her child to impress her future husband. The harp would do, for the time being.

Regina looked down the window. Leopold's men were readying themselves for the trip back to Alsace. Some polished armours; others sharpened swords and spears or axes, others brushed and fed the horses under the trees near the stables. In just a few hours, she would leave the castle; the soldiers would pass in review, marching proudly in front of her and kneel before her. She would then be escorted by them to her new home where she would be married and crowned to appease her mother's envy and ambition. She would miss everything about Molina de Aragón: the windmills, the castle, the stables, the village, the natural perfumes, the trees, the summertime wind's song, the sweetness of the grapes from their vineyard, the winter's sun, the golden colour of wheat fields, the brilliance of the Gallo River, the freshness of the creeks when it rained, the people, the almond trees' flowers... But most of all, she would miss her father...and Daniel Rócin: the stable-boy whose affection and sweet countenance had captivated her. She reminisced about the nights she would sneak from the castle and meet him at the stables; the tender kisses they had shared under the bloomed almond trees, the touch of his work-roughed hands on her soft cheeks, his gentle voice whispering and singing sweet things into her ear. But that was all gone.

Before she went away never to return, the noble fair maiden had still something to do. Her father asked her for one last chess game, a request to which she willingly complied. They sat at the table, moving the pieces around the board. She would never play with the white pieces. It was a kind of superstition of hers. At the end of her game, the apprentice had surpassed the master; Regina had won. As a prize, her father bestowed upon her one last gift: a black queen. He grabbed the piece from his pocket taking her hand and closed her fingers around it. She opened her hand and observed the hand-carved ebony queen chess piece on it. Her father was quite talented. The details were perfect, the crown was both beautiful and elegant.

"Something to remind you of home." Of me, he meant. "Promise you'll keep this with you, always." And promise she did, as the tears spilled from her eyes. She went around the table and threw herself in his arms, holding him tight. Enrique couldn't help the tears blurring his sight. It was both brutal and unfair, the way he was being forced to part from his daughter, his only friend, the only one who understood him.

By sunset, Regina took a moment to walk alone in the garden, trying to memorise every detail. The summer night's breeze was warm and comforting, transporting the inebriating perfume of the jasmine flowers nearby; the blood-red roses had now a golden glow about them due to the last sunbeams of the afternoon and they swayed lightly at the wind. She grabbed a bit of brown dirt and let it go with the wind. A small portion of it still found refuge in her hand. She would take it and put it inside a locket her father had given her years ago, when she was a child; she would take it to Alsace but never wear it. Around her neck she already had something far more special, far more precious: a necklace with Daniel's ring. She wore it in a gold necklace, the ring he had given her as a token, symbol of his love and devotion. He would have slipped it into her finger while saying his vows to her if only he had the chance. No, she would keep her father's locket in her jewellery box and Daniel's ring close to her heart. She went to the stables, where all had happened. His blood still stained the earth from when they had stabbed him fatally and mingled with straw and horse droppings. The shame... Such pure blood spilled for nothing and soiled in such a manner! Regina would curse her own mother if she knew she wouldn't curse her with something ten times worse. One sword right through Daniel's heart was all it took to rip him from her. He was now resting at her family's mausoleum, his wound sewn and cleaned, dressed in some of her father's best old clothes and waiting for a proper tombstone her father had insisted on commissioning. She would never get to see it. She hadn't even been permitted to kiss him goodbye. Her Daniel, her future...

The night came too fast for both father and daughter. Cora had invited a few noblemen to celebrate her daughter's engagement to Leopold, a king who received from his father the kingdom he had conquered just because he felt tired of his brothers' mockery. Maintaining the kingdom at peace proved itself to be an almost impossible task, but he managed. To secure his throne he needed a new queen and an heir; that was a subject he had yet to discuss with his young fiancée. The kingdom was humming with remarks about how their king was not getting any younger and still heirless. They wanted a strong king, one they could trust with their lives and happiness. Leopold was awakened by the light applauses from the guests when Regina entered the room. She was wearing a red and white gown with golden embroideries; around her waist hung a gold and ruby belt. It showed off her womanly curves. Her hair braided but this time there was no sign of the customary ivy or jasmine flowers which used to adorn her pretty head; instead, she had gold rings holding her braid together. It had been her mother to comb and style her hair this time. Her maid, Violante Nuñez had stood back, not saying a word while her young mistress sat silently having her hair pulled and combed by her lady mother who went on about how useless she was for never doing a good job with her ladyship's hair. The fierce maid would have her revenge, calling Cora all sorts of names and insulting her the way she saw fit when she would find herself among kitchen staff. And they would laugh at her fury and pat her back, comforting her.

"This is how you properly style a queen's hair, Violante, you stupid girl!"

Regina wanted to protest against her mother's attitude, but she knew Cora would turn to bash her if she did. Being so, she kept silent and thought that, the only good thing about her impeding marriage to Leopold was that she would finally get rid of her cantankerous mother.

Anyway, Regina was in the room and sat by her husband-to-be and put her arms on her chairs' armrest, looking around the great hall taking in all the faces. She recognised some of Leopold soldiers, possibly those of a higher rank. Her mother's friends were there as well; one of her uncles was present, sitting by her father. Marie was sitting next to her father, she looked positively blissful. She couldn't blame her: she was to have a new mother.

The King lifted himself from the table and all went silent.

"Good people," he said for all to hear "Today our countries are at peace. I can't begin to tell you how pleased I am to be able to break bread and taste your rich wine in your company. Good Lord Enrique and Lady Cora de Molina were most gracious hosts and very kind for having me here. I am humbled and thankful for the generosity they showed me and my daughter; yet, their kindness cannot be compared to that of the lady sitting beside me." Leopold gestured Regina to get up and join him. She did, as quickly as physically possible. The king took both her hands in his. "It is because of this lady, whose beauty, wisdom, courage and grace have no match in any part of any domain, that we are able to celebrate the end of conflict and carnage between our people. She is also the very reason why my daughter, the thing I love the most, is able to attend this happy gathering. If it wasn't for this Lady, I would be grieving another loss. As you all know, Queen Eva passed a few years ago and I had never found a woman whose countenance and heart were befitting those of a Queen...until I met Regina de Molina. With His Majesty, Jaime of Aragón's and her father's blessing, we shall be married by the end of this month." The room erupted in applauses. Leopold smiled, still looking into beautiful Regina's eyes. She bowed her head. All the attentions focused on her were making her feel uncomfortable. "And now, let the feast begin!"

The King and the fair maiden sat again, side by side. The crowd dug in, eating and chatting, drinking and laughing at the sound of the soft music played by the musicians sitting by the fireplace. Regina ate like a bird, Leopold noticed. He ate until he was mildly satisfied. He had had enough wine, he was now drinking water. He was very moderate. A King should always set the example, he'd tell his daughter. Marie was now talking to her father. Commenting how colourful everything was, how cheery people were. They seemed happy for Regina. The monarch then turned to his wife-to-be and observed her for a while. He was lost in her face. Until a joyful shout and consequent laughter took him away from his musings. There was so much noise that it became almost impossible to talk. People were now singing, cheering and toasting. It was then that she saw Leopold's hand taking hers. His thumb would caress the back of it with circular movements. His hand was warm and his gesture had almost been calming. She did not move her hand away. It wouldn't look good, if someone noticed. It was tender but unwelcome. She wasn't ready for his touch. The way he was touching her hand reminded her of Daniel. Everything reminded her of happier moments.

After several pigs had been eaten and several bottles of wine had sated the guests' thirst, people started to dance. Marie wanted to dance with her father. She pulled him from the chair, leaving Regina to her thoughts. The noble and fair maiden just sat there, watching father and daughter twirling at the sound of the music. Memories of herself and her father, dancing in big parties thrown by her own mother or her youngest uncle running though her mind. Such good memories... She would miss him terribly and she was sure he would also miss her. People passing by her table would bow to her. She was already on a pedestal and she wasn't a queen yet. Yes, this was now the end of her humanity. From this day forward she was an institution, a mere statue to be worshipped occasionally. People would now make line to kiss her hands and obey her every word. Regina didn't want to be worshipped or obeyed. Regina wanted to love and be loved in return.

Now, deprived of her own humanity, she couldn't even imagine her future and wasn't even sure if she had one. She was quite certain and would have a very hard time to believe that love would come her way ever again, as she had told her father the day Daniel had been killed. Leopold interrupted her thoughts. He asked her to join him in a dance. She accepted, not that she had much of a choice; after all, he was to be her husband. She got up from the table and grabbed her dress in order not to trip on her way to him. They danced for a while under the watchful eye of Cora de Molina. Marie sighed and smiled seeing her father in such high spirits. Enrique couldn't almost look at the daughter he was about to lose to another man. He took in the smile that couldn't reach her eyes, the way her head bowed; she looked distraught. This... this was the last image that he would get of his beloved daughter.

Leopold had been very kind by giving Enrique a land and title in his country as a wedding gift. He was now a Baron of a very small town on the outskirts of the royal castle. Enrique would be able to go and see his daughter and meet her children. He wouldn't take Cora along. What she had done to her own daughter was unforgivable. Such horror could only be caused by a heartless woman, and Cora filled the description perfectly. Maybe her punishment would give her what certainly doesn't beat within her chest. Maybe this way she would change. It was enough punishment for his sins, he certainly was now paying for all of them. There is no worse punishment to a parent than being deprivedfrom his or her children. He doubted Cora would miss her daughter; but he would. And tears almost went down his cheeks from the pain he was already feeling, the loss he was already suffering. She's going to be married to a good man, he hoped... A king, he had gold and land, he was at peace with their country. She would have a good life. Hopefully, she would have a good life.

The feast ended in the wee hours of the morning; Regina had asked to be excused for she wanted to retire early so she could get up with the sun. They would be leaving in the morning.

Here it is, sorry it took so long! Hope you liked it. Also I should to tell you that, I imagined Leopold to be younger, like in that episode we saw him with Cora for in Middle Ages fourty year old people were already considered old. Review if you can, please!