Sixteen years later

Lady Jacqueline sat in her private chambers with her husband, Philippe taking advantage of their daughter's morning ride to speak of her in secret.

"My dear husband," said Jacqueline. "We cannot allow these rebellious ideas of hers to continue."

"But my love, she is only sixteen. Perhaps we could give her…more time." Even as she said this, she knew it was impossible. Sixteen was far too old to be unmarried. "But if we allow this attitude," she retorted, "she will, perhaps, turn her eyes forever more from marriage. We must be firm and stop her disobedience. When she returns from her ride, we will call her forth and make her comply with our wishes."

Just then a raucous rose from the courtyard below. Jacqueline looked out her window to see Elektra on a stallion that was obviously too big for her to ride followed by two of her more adventurous ladies-in-waiting, Ponette and Marie.

Jacqueline called to one of her ladies ordering them to bring Elektra before them. "She will be very perturbed that you have disrupted her archery practice," said Philippe.

"Well," replied Jacqueline. "She will just have to cope with her perturbation. I am her mother and therefore have sovereignty over her. Our daughter will put aside her arrogance."

It was at that moment that Elektra entered the room followed by Ponette and Marie. "Mother, Father, you requested an audience with me?" Her words were saturated with sarcasm.

"Have you completely forgotten you manners? You do not simply burst into a room when summoned. Curtsy for goodness sake." Elektra made a rather unattractive face and slid into a messy curtsy nearly slipping on her skirt causing her to go careening into a painfully expensive vase. Jacqueline winced. That vase had been a wedding present. Well, it was her own fault. She should have known better than to insist upon a curtsy. Elektra was known for her complete lack of social graces. Her singing was painful, and her dancing was a life threatening event. "To the point," sighed Jacqueline with authority. "It has been brought to my attention that Lord Henri received a refusal for his request to court you."

"Indeed he did," countered Elektra. "He cannot even ride my horse or string my bow. If he cannot claim dominion over an animal and a stick of wood, what makes him think he can claim dominion over me?"

Jacqueline groaned in frustration. "I have also heard that Lord Louis and Lord Pierre both received similar refusals."

"What you have heard is true," Elektra responded. "I challenged them both to an archery contest and I beat them both so soundly, it would have been an embarrassment for me to be courted by either of them. For what woman can accept a Lord who is less of a man than she is?"

Philippe finally spoke, "There is more to being a man than archery and riding. You cannot go on with these refusals. Sooner or later you must marry."

"I shall marry no man who cannot beat me at archery, and as no such man exists, I shall happily die an old maid."

"You are very arrogant," answered Philippe. "To assume you can beat all men, especially those you have never challenged."

"Lord Louis is the Norman archery champion. If I can beat him, does that not also mean I can beat all other Norman men?"

"Perhaps," said Jacqueline. "But what of men who are not Norman. What of the Saxons? I have heard that they are quite superior archers, so how do you know that you can beat them."

"As to that, I cannot vouch," replied Elektra. "As you know I have never been to England, and so have never met a Saxon to challenge him."

"Alright, dear daughter." Jacqueline looked as though she had been struck with an idea. "You shall go to England for a year and a day, with chaperones of course. It is high time you visited that land. If you find a man there to suit your fancy, then that is all well and good. Marry him. But, if after a year and a day you return home without a husband, your father and I shall pick one for you without your consultation. Therefore, Maid Elektra, use this time in England wisely. It is all you have."

"But Mother, Gertrude said I should never go to England. She said it was full of ruffians and far too dangerous for a lady."

"I am your mother, and my word means more than a deceased nursemaid. And as for England being full of ruffians, if that be true then I dare say you shall fit in quite well there. Now go and pack, for you leave within the week."

Elektra curtsied swiftly saying, "As you wish, Mother," and swept out of the room.