"You really ought to take it easier, Lovino. You only just got out of your bed today."
"I'll be fine, your Highness. If anything, I was getting a bit stir-crazy there. It's nice to walk around again, even if it means Alfred is already sending me on errands."
Katerina kept a cautious eye on Lovino as they strolled through the hallway. She had been enjoying some long-overdue quality time with Antonio in the parlour, when Lovino and Feliciano interrupted them. Now they were accompanying Lovino back to the library, while Feliciano ran off to find Gilbert and Ivan.
"Do you know why Alfred is summoning me?" Antonio asked.
"He didn't say," Lovino answered, "He did just receive some letters from Prathage, though, it's probably about that. He also sent Feliks to find Princess Madeline."
"A whole conference of royals, it seems," Katerina noted, "We'll see if I'm welcome to join."
They reached the library doors, and Antonio moved ahead to enter first with Katerina and Lovino following. Alfred was alone in the seating area, pacing back and forth in front of the couches as he read a few parchments of paper, before looking to see that company had arrived.
"Antonio, we have big news from Prathage," Alfred announced, "I've summoned Madeline to join us, along with Gilbert and Ivan to help mediate."
"May I join you as well?" Katerina requested as she helped Lovino sit down on a couch to the right side
"Of course, Katya, take a seat," Alfred approved, "This will affect you as well at some point."
"What's the news from Prathage?" Antonio asked, "Or do I have to wait for the others to get here?"
"You can read this first message while we wait," Alfred offered as he handed a letter to Antonio.
Katerina crossed to the opposite couch on the left side. Antonio moved towards her as he read the letter, standing by the left side of her couch and not taking the empty seat beside her just yet. Moments later, Feliks entered the room with Madeline, Arthur and Tolys.
"Alfred, you called for me," Madeline addressed as she sat beside Lovino.
"Yes, we have major news from Prathage," Alfred explained, "Antonio's just reading the first piece of it right now while we were waiting."
As Alfred spoke, Katerina noticed how the two Voustan rangers circled around to stand behind Madeline and Lovino, while Arthur circled around the other side to join herself and Antonio.
"You've got to be kidding me," Antonio suddenly blurted out, "Alfred, is this genuine?"
"Confirmed as official by the Court itself," Alfred confirmed, "The other two letters from Vousta and Rochosta say the same thing."
"Letters from Vousta and Rochosta?" Tolys asked, "Has something happened in the North?"
"A major development, yes," Alfred replied as Feliciano walked in with the Kings.
"Alfred, Feliciano says you have news for us," Gilbert addressed.
"Yes indeed, your Majesties," Alfred answered, "Antonio, why don't you read that aloud to everyone, now that we're all here?"
Katerina briefly glanced as Feliciano joined Arthur behind their couch, while the two Kings stayed standing opposite Alfred. She then turned to watch as Antonio cleared his throat before speaking.
"We the People of the Prathagean Duchy of Ridudia reject the recent decision made by the Honoured Council of Prathage to demand that Her Royal Highness, Princess Madeline, forfeits her claim to the Throne. We the people acclaim Her Royal Highness as the rightful ruler of Prathage, and demand that Her Royal Highness take the Crown as Queen and Sovereign Ruler of Prathage."
"They want me to be Queen?" Madeline checked, "Even as the Court rejects me?"
"It's not just Ridudia claiming you as Queen," Alfred amended, raising the other two letters in your hands, "The peoples of Vousta and Rochosta immediately pledged their support to Ridudia's demands for you to take the throne."
"Antonio, may I see that letter please," Arthur requested.
"Sure," Antonio agreed.
"Looks like the Prathagean sovereignty crisis continues," Gilbert remarked as Antonio passed the letter to Arthur behind Katerina's head, "Just as you thought there was a possible plan in place, the people raise their voices."
"Any reaction from the court?" Ivan asked as Antonio sat down beside Katerina, "Have they spoken out against the Ridudians?"
"Yes, the court is not pleased about this," Alfred elaborated, "They had demanded that Madeline forfeit her right to the crown, and this defies their demands."
"Not entirely surprising," Feliks remarked, "The court has a lot more Southerners than Northerners, they've spent the last seven years arguing whether the Prince or the Duke should take control, and what to do about the Princess."
They were suddenly interrupted by a knock at the door, and Katerina joined everyone in turning to look. Yao entered the room just then, bowing to the gathered royals.
"My apologies for the interruption," Yao addressed, "I have another message here for Prince Alfred, it just arrived from Prathage."
"Bring it here," Alfred allowed, gesturing for the servant to come through and hand it over.
"Any thoughts on this, Madeline?" Gilbert pried as the head servant gave the letter to Alfred, "You still hadn't made a decision about the court's initial demands, after all."
"This just makes everything more complicated," Madeline judged as Alfred opened and read the letter, "I was already troubled by the court's rejection, but now the people of Prathage are demanding for me to rule."
"The people of the North, specifically," Antonio corrected, "Do keep in mind, my dear cousin, that I've been leading the South all these years, and it was difficult enough to convince them to let you live. Just because the disconnected Northerners are speaking out in your defense, that might not be a sweeping royal acclamation."
"I am well aware of that, cousin," Madeline refuted, a slight sternness to her tone, "Do also keep in mind that, if you and Alfred hadn't ignored the North while spilling blood in the South, this might have turned out differently. You just resolved a civil war in the Southern duchies, don't try to start a new conflict elsewhere."
"Oh for fuck's sake," Alfred moaned before Antonio could answer Madeline, "There's been another development."
"What does this one say, Alfred?" Katerina pressed.
Alfred took a deep breath, before reading the new letter aloud.
"We the Peoples of Ridudia, Rochosta and Vousta make the following joint demand of the Court of Prathage. We demand that Her Royal Highness, Princess Madeline, immediately be acclaimed as Queen and Sovereign Ruler of Prathage. If this demand is not met, then the Prathagean Duchies of Ridudia, Rochosta and Vousta will declare their independence from the Kingdom of Prathage -"
"What?" Arthur gasped as mutters filled the room.
"Is that even possible?" Lovino inquired, "Can duchies declare independence from the kingdom?"
"Would you all please let me finish?" Alfred demanded.
Various apologies were muttered as the room silenced, allowing Alfred the floor again.
"Ridudia, Rochosta and Vousta will declare their independence from the Kingdom of Prathage the moment anyone else takes the Throne," Alfred continued, "The three independent duchies will form a new kingdom, where the first act of the People will be to acclaim Her Royal Highness, Princess Madeline, as the inaugural Queen and Sovereign Ruler."
"So they want Madeline to be Queen," Feliks summed up, "Whether she's the Queen of Prathage or not."
"Can they really do that?" Feliciano repeated his brother's question, "Are duchies able to withdraw themselves from kingdoms they've pledged their loyalty to?"
"It's not that unheard of," Gilbert disproved, "Ridudia itself used to be Ixaidellian, it has shifted between kingdoms multiple times in its history. However, such a change of power is usually determined by the duke."
"There are no dukes in the North right now," Antonio reminded, "They are leaderless."
"I don't think they are quite as leaderless as you think."
As Arthur interjected with that comment, Katerina finally noticed that he had moved to the front of the room, and was looking at the various letters with Alfred.
"What do you mean by that, Arthur?" Katerina requested.
"These two letters from Ridudia are written by the same hand," Arthur explained, "I know this handwriting all too well in my own world already, from a fellow nation known as the Netherlands."
"Netherlands?" Madeline checked, "Lars wrote these letters?"
"Lars Van Ryn," Lovino clarified, "Our good friend in Coit, Madeline freed him from Francis's werewolf spell."
"Yes, Lars wrote the first Ridudian letter and this new declaration of independence," Arthur elaborated, "I really should've seen this coming, based on what happened in my own world a few decades ago."
"What happened then?" Katerina asked, "And how would it affect this?"
"There was a war which affected much of the world," Arthur recounted, "Germany was the leading force when it came to conquering Europe, and the neighbouring Netherlands was quickly invaded and captured. Canada's military was still entrusted to my leadership at that time, but she took the initiative on assisting the Netherlands in many ways during the war. She protected his Royal Family, and made sure the newborn princess retained her eligibility for the crown. She helped liberate his lands at the end of the war, and that's after getting food across enemy lines to counter a famine. To this day, he still regards her as a hero and saviour."
"That would explain why he's supporting her in this world too," Tolys figured out, "She liberated him, and now he's put her on a pedestal."
"His proposal here is not as far-fetched as it may seem," Ivan evaluated, "In fact, it might be the solution to this Prathagean sovereignty crisis. The Northern duchies are capable of self-sufficiency, with their economic and natural resources. It would be difficult to arrange, and require plenty of organization and negotiation, but it is still possible for a new kingdom to form in the North. In addition, if Madeline were to take a new crown in the North, then Antonio would still be able to rule Prathage as the rest of you initially planned."
"Ivan is quite right," Arthur agreed, "That has happened in my world many times, even my own colonies gained their independence from my empire. While America resorted to bloodshed as the first to separate, Canada followed with negotiation as her chosen method. It was very difficult to relinquish control, but now we can look at each other as allies and equals."
"As I said earlier, this all only complicates my own decision," Madeline assessed, "It sounds like the only way the North would cooperate with having any other rule is if I were to outright refuse any crown. I have already struggled in deciding whether to argue with the court or accept their decision, and while this does appear to be a viable third option, establishing a new kingdom is a tremendous endeavor."
"You don't know what to choose, do you?" Katerina guessed.
"Absolutely no idea," Madeline answered, "I will need time to think about all this."
Katerina nodded in understanding. It seemed that Prathage's fate, as well as her own future status, lay in the hands of the Ice Princess.