Chapter 1 – The Young King

King Cefdinir was young and newly crowned, his kingdom of Ancef small and obscure. At the reception of the Kings he had held his head high and worn his plain robes proudly before Didronel and the mighty of the world, but when he came to his chambers late after the reception of kings he seemed quite a different man.

He put down his crown and doffed his chains of office, and instead took to his breast his infant daughter – Cefepime.

"O daughter, what world have I brought thee to?" He whispered, holding her close and stroking her tiny face. "Cephradine my grandfather founded unto himself a kingdom, and in time left it to his son Cefotan. Cefotan my father in turn ruled wisely and Ancef knew peace, even when Cefotan died young and left rule to a son too young..."

"Young you may be, O my husband, but unready you are not.' Queen Resyl was not yet twenty, but she a true queen, wise and knowing; her husband respected her as much as he loved her.

"Is it wisdom to seek death, with no heir but a babe and she a girl? If I die, what will she face, an infant queen with the royal councilors to guide her in place of a father?" His wife made no answer, but embraced them both. "How will our neighbor King Coumadin deal with her if he live and I do not? Whenever our kinds meet, blood is shed, and so it has been since the foundation of my line.'

"Yet he is here, and you are here, and both ye have sworn to fight Nilstat and not each other. Will ye prove false? Do you not trust me to guard mine own child?" Cefdinir hung his head, ashamed before the courage and wisdom of his young wife. "Do ye forget that if you do not unite against Nilstat, surely the Dark lord shall destroy ye both?"

"Stand tall beside Coumadin thine ally, my husband, for if you do not stand together you shall both fall alone."

Cefdinir drew his beloved young wife into a tender embrace.

"Thy wisdom and bravery are great beyond thy years, and greatly beyond what thy weak husband deserves. I name thee steward of my kingdom during this war and Queen Regent to rule until the princess is grown if I do not return." He drew her in for a kiss. "And surely thou art queen of my heart besides."

Their night was tender, for they were indeed king and queen, but also young lovers soon due to be parted, perhaps forever.

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