Queen Artemis de Valois nee Plantagenet POV
Blois Palace, France
March 11, 1532
I scream out in pain as my water breaks and know it's the moment I've been dreading. I am eight months pregnant with what my midwife and I believe is triplets - a blessing but not what my husband, King Louis XIII desires. He longs for a son to ascend the throne after his death, and I have been frantic to have a boy as well.
Though I go through labor, I am thankful that the delivery is easy. After the first baby, my husband is in shock to see a buff little boy already. I name him Louis, the XIV of his name, after his father, a gesture of my love and his soon to be king.
Then the rest come in rapid succession, three boys and a girl. I name them Beauregard, Henri, Raphael, and Mariette after family members.
As soon as they are all born, I am relieved. I have done my duty of providing an heir to the throne and the much-wanted male offspring, but to me, they are all precious bundles of joy and I vow to raise them with love and respect - treating my daughter no differently than my sons.
King Louis XIII is overjoyed to have four children to leave his legacy and names my eldest son, Louis, as the crown prince. He takes the next three boys under his wing and gives them the best tutors and education to make them ready to assume the throne when the time comes.
My daughter Mariette is a surprise to me, but I am determined to give her the same chance as the boys to become the best she can be. Though she will never sit on the throne, I am sure she will do great things and will be a true force to reckon with.
My four children are my pride and joy and I look forward to the future with excitement and anticipation.
Princess Rachel Angouleme nee Plantagenet POV
Angouleme Manor
We first met two years ago at a ball of my father's. Alexander was the son of the duke of Angouleme and had been a loyal subject to my father since then. We had fallen in love almost instantly, although I had known I could never officially marry him without father's permission. Though I did not know of the betrothal.
So, when my father gave me permission to marry him, it had felt like all of my dreams had come true. His family had welcomed me with open arms, and we had moved in here to Angouleme Manor, a manor commissioned for us, as a wedding gift.
As we walked around the manor grounds, I smiled as I felt the baby kick inside me. Alexander had wanted this baby more than anything and I was overjoyed to bring this blessing to him. We had been so lucky to have conceived so quickly and I prayed that my little one would be healthy and strong.
We strolled past the gardens and then around to the lake. I remembered how Alexander and I had taken a boat out on this lake the day before our wedding. It had been so romantic and peaceful and now the lake seemed to bring us back together again.
King Louis XIII POV
Blois Palace
As I walked into Queen Artemis's bedroom, I could see the signs of a woman who had just birthed five children into the world. I could feel exhaustion emanating from her body, her beautiful face drawn from the toll childbirth had taken on her. Regardless, I silently walked over to the bed, admiring the goddess that the mother of my children had become.
I carefully lifted the blanket from her body and climbed onto the bed. Taking her hands in mine, I started to massage them, chancing a glance up at her face. Even with all the pain she must be in, a gentle, knowing smile tugged at her lips.
I gingerly leaned down to capture her lips with mine and we allowed our tired bodies to fall into the heavenly bliss of our lovemaking. We fell into a deep and peaceful sleep, learning afterward that in that moment, a divine intervention had blessed us with the conception of our sixth and seventh children.
A few weeks later I received the news that two more children would soon join our ever-growing family. I felt elated to hear of this news, overcome with emotion as I looked to the sky with gratitude. I thought of the day I had shared with my beloved wife while thanking the stars for the way they had conspired to give us this surprise blessing which had so unexpectedly and delightfully come our way.
It has been twelve long years since my father's death, but it is still fresh in my memory. Since then, my siblings have married off and scattered to different lands.
As I look at my wife, Artemis, I am reminded of our large family. My mother Catherine and father Louis had me, Pierre and Ferdinand, the triplet sisters Maria, Rosalina and Madeline, the younger triplet siblings Henri, Isabella, Alexander and Anne, and the youngest triplets Andrew, Angelo and Catalina, whom my mother died giving birth to.
After my father's death, Rosalita remarried to Drake Brandon, while my father's mistress Petunia passed away when she was giving birth to her daughters Nadine, Angelette, and Ruby Naples.
My brother Pierre is in Spain with his wife Irene Marie d'Este. My brother Ferdinand is in Spain married to a Spanish noblewoman Maria Isabella Garcia, with whom he has four children: William, Elizabeth, John and Katherine.
My sisters Maria is in Turkey married to Gazi Bey and has a daughter Adina. Rosalina is in Portugal married to Prince Sebastian with two children, Carlos and Estrella. Madeline is in Russia married to Prince Alexei Makarov with two children, Ilya and Abigail. Henri is in Italy married to Duchess Chiara di Ruvo and has two sons, Lucas and Alessio. Isabella is in England married to Lord Francis Grey and has two children, Isabella and Henry. Alexander is in Germany married to Baroness Ana Christina von Strien and has two children, Elsa and Giovanni. Anne is in Sweden married to Baron Sven Bjornsson and has a son Eric and a daughter Sofia.
Andrew is in Greece married to Lady Helena Petrova and has a daughter Kassandra and a son Malcom. Angelo is in Italy, married to Countess Lina Orsini and has two sons, John and Gaetano. Catalina is living with me, married to Count Abelard de Parde and they have a daughter and a son, Selina and Edmund.
Louis is in France with his wife, Countess Cordelia Penfold with a son and a daughter, George and Angelina. Roselia is in Germany with her husband, Duke Carl von Vogel and they have a daughter and son, Olivia and Richard. Raphael is in Austria with his wife, Baroness Lotte Franzenberger and they have two sons, August and Felix. Francois is in France with his wife, Baroness Dominique von Schomberg and they have a daughter and son, Emilie and Mathieu. Beauchamp is in Belgium with his wife, Princess Beatrice van Helsing and they have two daughters, Eliza and Candice. Isabelle is in Spain, married to Don Juan Mendoza and they have a daughter and a son; Clara and Eduardo. Looking at Artemis, I feel so blessed and proud. I have a wonderful wife and a plentiful and loving family. With my distant family in various lands, it is time for a reunion. I will bring my beloved family together like a United Kingdom.
Rosalita Brandon nee Bête POV
Brandon Chateau
April 8, 1532
A sense of warmth and happiness overwhelms me as I admire the strength of my family. Christian, the most loyal and honest in my family, married Eva, a Spanish noblewoman and had two precious children: Samuel and Tristan. Francois and his twin Raphael have been so devoted to each other, like nothing I have seen before, finding strength in each other and helping each other. They also have done well in their respective marriages, Francois to Baroness Dominique von Schomberg and Raphael to Duchess Zsofia Vargas, both blessed with 2 beautiful children. Francois has a daughter and son, Emilie and Mathieu, and Raphael also has a son and a daughter, Noah and Nymphodora.
Beauchamp, my legitimate son by King Louis XII, is happily married to Princess Beatrice van Helsing, and they have two daughters: Eliza and Candice. Isabelle, the second eldest of my legitimate children, is married to Don Juan Mendoza and has a daughter and a son: Clara and Eduardo.
Drake Brandon, my third husband, sired my youngest, all of whom I love dearly. Henri, the eldest of the bunch, found happiness with Margaret MacGregor, a Scottish noblewoman, they have two sons: Colin and Robin. Aurora, the second eldest, was married recently to John Smith, and I am so delighted to hear that they are expecting a baby.
Jane is married to Michael von Brandt, a duke from Saxony, and is truly blessed with two wonderful children: Emilia and Dennis. Edward married Charis von Münster, a duchess from Bavaria and are proud parents to two children: Abby and Liam. Charles married Cécile Dupont, a French countess, and they have a son and a daughter: Benjamin and Sara.
My last son, Sebastian, married Leonora de Alvarado, a baroness from Spain, and they have two children: Miguel and Sofia. Lastly, my daughter Luna is married to Ivan Szolomáj, a duke from Hungary and they have three children: Lucas, Viktor, and Lila.
As I take a deep breath and look out across the lands of Brandon, I can't help but feel proud of the legacy I have left behind. This is what life will be like forever!