Chapter 2: The Proposal
Kion grunted as his physician changed the bandages over his left eye, the ointment and herbs stinging for a moment before easing the pain.
"Better monseigneur?" The middle-aged clergyman asked.
"Oui, merci." Kion exhaled deeply.
The priest smiled and bowed his head slightly. Ono shared a gesture of respect with him before the physician departed.
"You should join the others Ono." Kion said as he picked up a goblet of wine on the table and slowly sipped it, savoring the rich flavor. The chaplain sighed slightly and turned to the merry celebrations within Kion's estate in Rennes.
The main hall was a magnificent display of vibrant tapestries, fine wooden crosses, and other wonderous decorations. All this grandeur complimented the celebrations taking place before the Prince as dozens of his knights, household and feudal, drank, feasted, and danced to the melodic music from shawms and lutes alongside men-at-arms and other infantry, including Janja.
"Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them." Ono said, crossing himself.
"True enough, I suppose. But Christ is understanding. One can enjoy this world within reason and still love the heavenly Father more." Kion chuckled.
"He's right, you know. But I'd ask why you aren't joining in?" Fuli said with a smirk towards Kion.
"I still have work to do." Kion said, emphasizing the parchment in front of him. Since their victory just over a week earlier, Kion remained busy despite his injury.
From there, the archbishop of Brittany hosted a mass in thanksgiving to God for their victory, and Kion began planning how he'd spend his money. First, collecting plunder from the Norse dead and prisoners before distributing it evenly to the men in his army and ensuring the widows of those who fell received compensation. However, this money paled compared to the ransom payment for six thousand of the Viking prisoners he took. At the same time, the remaining eleven hundred who also survived the battle agreed to baptism and were free to settle in the Angevine Empire.
"Let's take a look at what our Prince will spend all that gold and silver!" Fuli chuckled, distracting him while Anga snuck up from behind and seized the document.
"Anga!" Ono said sternly.
"Let's see. He's building three more castles along the northern coast, a Nunnery orphanage/hospital, a dozen churches across Brittany, and a new estate for the Knights Templar. Bon Dieu, Kion, spend a little of it on yourself." Anga said, shaking her head.
The Prince shook his head but kept smiling.
"That money doesn't belong to me, Fuli. It belongs to God, and I will show gratitude for the grace he's blessed upon my family and me, not to mention everything the Templars have done for my father."
"That's true enough. But you're at least going to celebrate with us!" Fuli and Anga grabbed Kion by the arms and dragged him up, carrying the Prince into the celebrations.
"There he is!" Bunga laughed before taking over from his female companions and guiding Kion amongst his men. Eventually, he gave up and joined in willingly, savoring the camaraderie and joy of his loyal fighting men.
Beshte lifted Bunga up as two Breton men-at-arms poured wine into his mouth, soaking the Knight's otherwise fine tunic and trousers.
"Is that all you got!" He jeered, slightly intoxicated.
The Saxons laughed hysterically when they saw Jasiri force her way in and seize Janja before kissing him.
Ono still smiled while watching Kion, who eventually danced with Fuli, though purely platonic.
"Come on." Anga said, offering her hand to the chaplain. Taking a deep breath, Ono got up and joined her in a dance.
Two days passed, and Kion rode across northern Anjou with the rest of his Lion Guard and a dozen or so other Knights. By now, Kion no longer wore the bandages over his eye but still smiled with great spirits as if he flew.
"I see someone's in a good mood." Fuli chuckled.
"Who can blame him? Nothing's better than a good family reunion!" Bunga said, patting Kion's shoulder. After the battle, Kion received a message that his father and his much larger army ambushed one of Ivar's decoy forces in Normandy, destroying it while his brother Kopa's army found similar success in Aquitane.
Now Simba wanted to see all of his children celebrate their victory, including Kiara, whom Kion hadn't seen since her marriage.
"Who knows, maybe the King and Queen will finally have a proper betrothal for you." Anga jested, earning a slightly frustrated look from her Prince/Duke.
"I'll marry when the time is right."
"The time was right years ago. You're twenty-four, the Duke of Brittany and a Prince of the Angevine Empire." Fuli said, harsher than she intended.
"I'll get married when you do." Kion retorted, earning chuckles from the others. However, Fuli merely shrugged.
"You see, that's where God blessed us minor nobles. You see, unlike you, a Prince and Duke, we can marry someone we want to marry."
"Speak for yourself. I know Kion will find me a good wife someday. A nice heiress I hope." Bunga said, nudging his shoulder.
"You'll get exactly who you deserve Bunga." Kion answered.
"Allons-y!"
Beshte shook his head and rode closer to Kion.
"I won't forget about you, either, big guy."
"I appreciate it, Kion. But don't feel the need to find me someone that important. I'm just a knight."
"You're the fiercest Norman ever to live, and God himself knows that means something. You must have a family one day, and I'll be sure of it."
As they continued through the surrounding countryside, Kion's party passed numerous castles, villages, farmlands, and even a few churches. The Prince made time to stop occasionally and greet the locals, all of them exuberant to see him.
By now, Kion earned a mighty reputation as a fierce warrior and benevolent Prince, giving generously to charity, ensuring the well-being of commoners just like his father and brother.
"Prince Kion!"
"Might Lion Prince!"
Finally, they reached the massive fortified walls of Angers, where the golden lions of the Plantagenet banner flew proudly on the battlements alongside armored men-at-arms.
"Who would enter Angers?" One of the soldiers asked.
"Prince Kion of the house Plantagenet and Duke de Brittany!" Ono declared while Beshte held up the banner.
"Bénédictions à vous, votre grâce! Welcome to Angers! His majesty will rejoice!" The gates opened to reveal a magnificent city. Bustling markets, vast churches, dynamic libraries, and active hospitals flowed alongside the three rivers.
Angers was among the Empire's most populated cities, but now it swelled with the arrival of troops from southern France and Northern Spain. Kion passed nobles and commoners alike, who all greeted him with respect and admiration, which the Prince, in turn, returned, not ignoring those below noble birth.
Finally, they reached the citadel, a castle that put all others in France to shame, a mix of beauty and intimidation with its towering battlements and deep moat.
Kion's party gained entry, whereupon he found an enthusiastic welcome.
"Mon précieux garçon!" The Prince was nearly dragged from his horse by a pair of firm arms. A beautiful woman in a rich silk dress and golden grown with long dirty-blonde hair and blue eyes held Kion so tightly he almost struggled to breathe.
"C'est bon de te voir aussi, mère."
"Your majesty." Beshte and the others bowed before Queen Nala.
"Blessings to you all! Dieu ait pitié! Kion, what happened to your eye!?" Nala almost screamed in horror when she saw the scar over Kion's left eye and placed her hands around it.
"A gift from Ivar, don't worry, I'm ok. I can see fine." Kion tried to assure her. However, the Queen wasn't so convinced, and her face was a mixture of fear and rage.
"Forgive us for not protecting him, your grace." Bunga said with surprising humility as he bowed his head lower.
"Ivar's lucky I wasn't there. I'd have ripped his head off with my bare hands!" Nala snarled with such ferocity that she frightened Bunga, Beshte, Ono, and a few of the other knights. However, Fuli and Anga merely chuckled.
"I'd pay a five-hundred livre to see that." Anga whispered to Fuli.
"I'd pay a thousand." Fuli said back.
"Détendez-vous, mère. A warrior prince should have scars. It shows his devotion to God and the people."
Two more men in armor approached. Both men stood tall and muscular like Kion and bore a striking resemblance. The older had red hair identical Kion's but much longer and thicker, like a lion's mane adorned with a golden crown. He had the same brown eyes as Kion and wore the Plantagenet sigil on his surcoat.
The other man looked a few years older than Kion but still under thirty. However, he looked almost a perfect younger version of the man beside him, only with Nala's hair and eyes with a crown atop his head. His surcoat had the Plantagenet lions like Kion and Simba's, only the lions shared space with gold chains on a red background, with an emerald in the center of the nexus between its eight arms of links, above them.
"Kopa." Nala gave her firstborn a stern look, but he and Simba both took over for the Queen and embraced him.
"Welcome home, mon fils victorieux." Simba embraced Kion first, soon followed by Kopa.
"Your majesties." The others bowed as they did for Nala.
"Ahh, my beloved brother's valiant knights and cunning spies. His 'Lion' Guard." Kopa chuckled but with a look of admiration.
"We are honored to be in the presence of two Kings." Beshte said.
"Corrección, one King and one King Consort." Another fierce voice reached their ears, one who spoke in Spanish. Kion saw a young woman Kopa's age with long black hair, a slightly Mediterranean skin tone, bluish eyes, and a somewhat ferocious demeanor. The young woman wore a rich dress and crown like Nala's and dismounted her horse while Kopa smirked back at her.
"And one day you'll only be the Queen Consort of everything you see around you, mi amor." Kopa switched from French to Spanish and planted a short kiss on Vitani's lips.
"Vitani." Kion respectfully kissed his sister by law's hand after Kopa withdrew, though the Queen didn't make it easy for her husband to do so.
Just after his knighthood, Kopa met then-Princess Vitani of Navarre, sister of King Nuka. The two siblings had a bad falling out after Nuka seized various lands and estates their father left to Vitani, leaving the Princess to seek refuge in Aquitane. Whereupon Kopa rescued her from routier mercenaries sent by Nuka to apprehend his sister.
Vitani spent the next few years in Aquitane alongside Kopa, who was acting as Duke in Simba's stead while he administered other parts of the Angevine Empire.
When Kopa turned twenty-two, he married Vitani and demanded that Nuka return Vitani's land. Instead, the King tried to march on Aquitane, but most of his nobles refused to go to war with the Angevine Empire. Instead, Nuka hired a mercenary army and marched towards southern Gascony to ravage the land.
However, instead of helpless peasants, he found Kopa waiting for him with an army including men from across France, French-speaking Anglo-Norman nobles from England, Anglo-Saxon Huscarls, and even Navarrese nobles who supported Vitani. The battle was short and decisive, ending with Nuka's army scattering and the King dying at the hands of an Anglo-Norman Knight.
With Nuka dead and no children, Vitani was crowned Queen of Navarre and Kopa her King Consort. Thus one day, the Kingdom of Navarre too would join the ever-expanding Angevine Empire when Kopa succeeded his father as the Angevine King.
"Where's my favorite nephew?" Kion asked warmly, earning a similar response from his brother and sister-by-law. A nurse slowly approached, guiding a toddler who looked perhaps three.
"Hello, Simba. You're looking stronger every time I see you." Kion knelt and took the boy's hand.
"Hello, uncle Kion."
"Mind yourself, Simba. He is your uncle, but he's also a Prince and Duke. Remember your lessons." Vitani said while stroking her son's dirty-blonde hair.
"It's alright. I don't get to see him often enough." Kion assured her.
"Your uncle won a great victory a week ago, Simba. You should congratulate him." Kopa added.
"Indeed." Simba the 1st said, taking his son by the shoulder and guiding him towards an older and very wise-looking man adorned in the robes of an Arch-bishop.
"Arch-bishop Rafiki."
"Prince Kion, God blesses us with your safe return."
"Mostly." Kion chuckled as he emphasized his scar, much to the frustration of Nala.
"Yet here you stand all the same. My student has kept you in good grace, I presume." Rafiki smiled at Ono, who bowed his head respectfully.
"I do my utmost, your excellency."
"Ono, I've known you since you were a boy. There is no need for such formalities." The Bishop said, patting Ono's shoulder.
"The House of Plantagenet is reunited."
"Kiara and Kovu aren't here yet." Kion corrected.
"Soon enough, soon enough." Simba assured him. Just as the King said, his daughter arrived later that night and shared a warm embrace with her family before joining them for dinner.
"How many!?" Kiara laughed.
"Seventy-one hundred prisoners, six-thousand ransomed, and eleven-hundred converted." Kion said humbly.
"Kion, mon frère guerrier, you never cease to amaze me."
"You've had quite a lot of success yourself, what with your diplomatic skills among the Reich Imperial Diet, you've elevated yourself from a Queen to a Kaiserin."
"Vskutku." Sitting beside Kiara was a young man with long black hair, green eyes, and a scar like Kion's. He too wore a crown with a sigil of a black eagle in a silver shield on his surcoat.
"A toast to Kovu and Kiara, King and Queen of Bohemia, and by next month Kaiser and Kaiserin of the Reich Empire!" Simba declared as he and his family raised their goblets.
The Kingdom of Bohemia was a feudal state within the mighty Reich Empire, in which Kiara's husband Kovu was King. However, when Kaiser Frederick II of the Reich Empire died without an heir, the Imperial Diet began the process of electing a new Kaiser among themselves. Kovu presented himself as a candidate, and Kiara lobbied hard among the other Imperial Prince-Electors, eventually gaining enough support to secure Kovu's election. By next month, the pope would crown Kovu Kaiser in Rome.
"Indeed, we have much to celebrate tonight. Kion's victory of the Norse, Kovu's election to the Imperial throne, and our family coming back together." Nala spoke tenderly and with deep emotion.
"Oui, and something else." Kiara's smile grew giddish as she caressed her stomach.
"No!" Nala almost stood up and shouted, Simba and Kion sharing her expression.
Kovu slowly nodded.
"Indeed, our physician confirmed it."
"Praise God!" Kion laughed. Nala got up and rushed to her daughter and similarly caressed Kiara's stomach.
"Merci! Merci! My next grandchild!"
"Speaking of which, why haven't you found a wife for Kion yet?" Kiara asked with a stern look towards her parents.
"Oh boy." Kovu said, shaking his head and backing up a little as he saw the ferocity in his wife's face. Kion now looked nervous and noticed Kopa smirking with Vitani.
"This should be entertaining." Kopa whispered.
"Si." Vitani chuckled.
"Kiara-" Simba started.
"No, father, I'm serious! Kion is probably the most eligible bachelor in Christendom, a proven commander, Prince of the Angevine Empire, Duke of Brittany, and you haven't found him anyone yet!" Kiara stood up, her face turning slightly red.
"Kiara, try to understand we-" Nala started.
"Kiara, I'm fine wait-" Kion similarly began.
"Either find him a proper wife, or we will!" Kovu nodded reassuringly to Kion.
"We have countless Lords and Ladies in the Reich Empire who would beg to have you married to one of their daughters."
"No, no, you need to find yourself a beautiful Spanish Princess, little brother."
"Si, we could find him someone there. King James of Aragon and Ferdinand III of Castile & Leon both have daughters his age."
"Enough!" Simba roared, silencing his children. Kion struggled to ease himself. In truth, he did want to marry, but his father and mother insisted on allowing them to find him a wife. He trusted them, of course, but also grew slightly impatient.
"You need to understand. There's a reason we-" Simba started.
"Sire!" The King turned with his family and saw an exuberant Rafiki almost sprinting in despite his advanced age. The Bishop held in his hand a piece of parchment with a red seal. Upon closer inspection, the Prince nearly jumped when he recognized it as a Greek Cross surrounded by four smaller ones, the sigil of Outremer.
Simba and Nala's eyes lit up, and they raced over to Rafiki, who opened the parchment and whispered to them. Nala covered her mouth and nearly teared up in joy while Simba crossed himself.
Kion and his siblings looked at each other in pure confusion. What in God's name was going on?"
"Mother, Father?" Kion asked.
Taking a deep breath, King Simba came over and embraced his youngest son, Nala, too, joining in.
"You wanted to know why we hadn't picked a wife for Kion yet. In truth, we have." Nala said.
"Really!?" Kiara and Kion shouted together.
"Indeed, you recall the passing of King Sahashi of Outremer." Rafiki said somberly. The Plantagenets crossed themselves.
The Kingdom of Outremer was the holiest place on Earth, located across the Mediterranean in the Holy Land where Christ lived, taught, performed his miracles, died for man's salvation, and rose again from the dead. For centuries the Aurevitas Empire ruled that part of the world and once persecuted the early Christians before embracing the word of Jesus, though they followed Eastern Orthodox as opposed to Europe's Catholocism.
The Aurevitas Empire fought with the mighty Persian Empire for centuries over control of this land, only for a new power to emerge just over a century earlier, the Sonn. These nomadic tribesmen came from the steppes of Asia and swept into the Aurevitas Empire, seizing most of its land and similarly pushing back the Persians, committing great atrocities against both civilizations as they did so.
In desperation, the Aurevitas Emperor Alexios called upon the Pope and Western Europe for aid, and they answered. A vast army from France and the Reich Empire embarked upon the First Crusade, successfully pushing the Sonn out of much Aurevitas territory and eventually the Holy Land itself, including the holy city of Deiurbem.
However, the Aurevitas lacked the means to hold Deiurbem or the surrounding areas. Thus many crusaders remained to ensure its protection and the safety of Pilgrims visiting Deiurbem from the Sonn, the Kingdom of Outremer.
Even so, the Kingdom was vastly outnumbered by the Sonn still in Persian territory, who continued to try and seize the Holy Land and Aurevitas Empire. Many years ago, Kion's Grandfather, King Mufasa, led a great Crusade after a disastrous defeat in Outremer left the Kingdom at the Sonn's mercy. Mufasa destroyed the Sonn invaders and stabilized the situation.
However, as of late, Christendom hastened their prayers for their eastern brothers and sisters. For a new Sonn King completed his brutal conquest of the Persian Empire and now surrounded Outremer, and to make matters worse, just over a year prior, their King, Sahashi, died without a son.
"May Christ grand him rest." Kopa said.
"Oui, but alas, he was a wise King and prepared for the possibility of his early demise. In King Sahashi's will, he claimed that should he die without a son, that the Pope, King of France, Angevine King, and Kaiser should choose upon someone worthy to marry his daughter Rani and become King of Outremer."
Kopa, Vitani, and Kiara felt their mouths drop in disbelief. Kion himself trembled as his sister turned to a smirking Kovu.
"You!"
"I made my case to his holiness. I didn't want to get your hopes up if King Philip protested too harshly."
"Mother, father." Kion stuttered. The two embraced him, tighter this time, and teared up.
"His holiness agreed that you are the most worthy candidate to protect God's sacred Kingdom on Earth. He formally endorsed you to Queen Rani, and she said yes to the proposal. You're going to be King of Outremer."
Kion nearly collapsed, but Simba and Nala kept him upright. Kopa and Kiara sprinted over to embrace him.
"Our little brother is going to be a King after all." Kopa laughed.
"King Consort." Vitani corrected.
"Vitani!" Kiara growled.
Kion struggled to breathe and crossed himself while staring at a crucifix hanging above them. At that moment, he felt the weight of the world upon his shoulders. He knew the hardships of being a King, but Outremer was the most important Kingdom on Earth and now perhaps the most dangerous for anyone living there.
"I, I don't know if I can do this." He muttered.
"You can, Kion! The Lord knows you can. That's why he saw fit to see you as King! Trust in him, and trust in yourself! You've proven your worth time and time again!" Simba assured his son.
Rafiki similarly encouraged the Prince with a tender smile.
The next few days were turbulent, to say the least, as Kion had many affairs to set in order before his departure. Bunga and the others were beyond ecstatic upon hearing the news and that they'd go with him along with a contingent of Kion's most loyal forces.
From there, Kion formally abdicated his title of Duke in Brittany, relinquishing it to Kopa and ensuring he had all the information and contacts to administer the dutchy.
From there, Kion traveled to Cannes in southern France, where a fleet gathered. It wasn't just Kion's own retinue that prepared to embark for Outremer but a contingent of Templars and Hospitallers from across France who went to reinforce their Orders out east.
Kion stood near the entry plank to his ship while his mother embraced him.
"Be safe, and remember everything your father's taught you." Nala teared up harder as she tightened her grip on Kion.
"Don't be reckless. If you think the Kingdom needs help, send word right away!" Kiara struggled to hold back her own tears.
Kopa and Kovu nodded vehemently.
"Indeed, let's see the Sonn face down the full might of the Angevine and Reich Empires!" Kovu roared.
"Nothing to worry about, your highness. He's got us!" Bunga assured them.
"For once, Bunga's right, your grace. Kion's in good hands. By God, we swear this." Fuli added.
Simba took Kion by the shoulders and stared into his eyes.
"Take courage, my son, for God is with you. I've known for a long time you've had the makings of a King, and now you shall prove it."
Kion hugged his father before the others guided him onto the ship. From there, he watched his family and the Angevine Empire, the only home he'd ever known, slowly disappear.
Taking a deep breath, Kion saw his friends around him and felt his spirits grow as they looked off into the horizon.
"I won't fail you, my Lord God."