Eskil Castle,
Southern Isles
The young king broke the familiar seal of Arendelle, though the handwriting was unfamiliar, and the tone formal, the announcement was plain as day and the news it bore overflowing his heart with love. Upon reading the short announcement, the King collapsed into his desk chair, folding his hands on the desktop before him, gaze going to the beautifully crafted crystal snowflake that resided on his desk- that she had had commissioned, and gave to him as a wedding gift. Tears trailed down his cheeks, both of joy and relief at the happiest of news, that his wife had pulled through, as had their child-
To His Royal Majesty, King Johannes Christian Westergård of the Southern Isles,
It is with sincerest congratulations that I write on behalf of the Queen of Arendelle, to inform you that on this day, the 21st of November, 1844, after three days of intense labor, Her Royal Majesty, Queen Iduna Elisabeth Bekkerdahl, birthed the heir to the thrones of Arendelle and the Southern Isles at approximately 2.15 this morning;
Her Royal Highness, Camilla Helene Westergård Bekkerdahl, Crown Princess of Arendelle and the Southern Isles.
Both mother and child are recovering well from the birth, and Her Majesty awaits your reply.
Your Faithful and Humble Servant to the Crowns of Arendelle and the Southern Isles,
Lord Kristoff Bjorgman Bismarck,
Junior Councilmember of Her Majesty, Queen Iduna Elisabeth II
"Gods alive, thank you. Thank you so much for keeping them both safe for me during her labor. If only I could be there now to share this beautiful development with my darling Eliza-" His gaze turned back to the announcement, and he let his gaze drift over the name she had chosen, Camilla Helene.
His heart clenched as he realized that his wife had chosen to name their child after his beloved mother. Oh, Mother, how I wish you were still here, that you could meet your granddaughter-
After a moment, he turned his attention to the second letter that the messenger had brought with the official announcement. Bearing the Queen's personal seal, scrawled upon the back was merely, Hans. Taking a deep breath, he slowly broke the seal and opened the letter, gaze lighting upon his wife's familiar scrawl.
21 November 1844,
Linnea Castle,
Arendelle
My Dearest Hans,
I have borne you a daughter, my King. As you know from the missive I asked Lord Bismarck to pen, I have named her Camilla Helene, for your beloved mother. My darling, how I wish you had been here to help me through the pain and fear I felt these last three days! But it's over now, she is borne, our little Crown Princess. Oh, Hans, if you had only seen her after she was first born; the sight of her just out of my womb and in the midwife's arms- it was perhaps the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on, though even Anna was surprised when the midwife informed us that our darling baby girl was nine pounds- and most likely part of the reason why my labor was so long and hard.
We are strong and healthy, both of us, and have pulled through the difficultness of birth; I am exhausted, and hurt in areas I did not know I possessed, but overall, relieved that she is now here and in my arms. The moment the midwife laid her within my arms, her cries quieted immediately, as though she knew she was safe in my embrace, and while it took a bit, I was finally able to get her to latch upon my breast and nurse. I thought I could only love you, my dearest, but now I find myself falling more and more in love with our little Camilla- something I never thought possible. I cannot wait until the day you are able to meet her, I pray it will not be too long from now. We will be eagerly awaiting you to return to us from the Isles, so that we may be a family, no matter how brief that may be. With all our deepest, truest love, my darling.
Your Loving Wife,
Elisabeth Isabella Katerine Westergård Bekkerdahl, Queen of Arendelle and the Southern Isles
Tears filled his eyes as he let his his gaze return to the beginning of the letter, as he read the six most beautiful words ever written.
I have borne you a daughter.
A daughter.
His wife had given him a daughter, a beautiful little girl who was now the heir to both her mother's throne and his.
After a moment, he stood, going to the window; the window of his personal study looked out over the sea, towards Arendelle. He had learned quickly that the seas between his country and hers bent to the Queen's command, for she controlled water in perhaps its most elemental form. And for the last three days or so, a storm had raged over the Isles, the seas and Arendelle, heavy, violent snowfall breaking over the Scandinavian country, unlike any ever seen. But now, the seas were calm, the snow falling softly, and he knew that the storm had been tied to his wife's powers- and her inability to control them due to childbirth.
A moment passed, as he leaned against the window ledge, watching the snow fall- much lighter here than in Arendelle- and he sighed. Would their child inherit her mother's powers? Or would she develop powers entirely separate to her mother's? And if she did, how would they handle raising a child with powers? The future queen of Arendelle and the Isles?
When that happens, we will face it together, I promise. As he became lost in the gentle drifting of the light snowfall, his own words came back to niggle his brain. A love like ours will build empires-
He chuckled dryly. How naïve he had been, that long ago day back in Arendelle, when they'd snuck out of the castle and waded in the waters of the inlet. Mere children, they'd been back then. But now they had a child of their own- and their empire had only just begun, started from scratch, the foundation laid with the stones of love, blood, sweat and tears. If they played their cards right, one day, this empire they had started in secret would one day scrape the stars above- like that of the Tudors, created from the two branches of Plantagenets, York and Lancaster, which had brought about Good Queen Bess- and leave an indelible mark upon the history of both the Isles and Arendelle, and hopefully, unite both countries into one, a force feared to be reckoned with.
Closing his eyes briefly, he released a soft sigh, imagining his beloved wife and child, and praying that his Eliza knew he was thinking of her. Eliza, my darling, I promise you, with all of my soul, and all that I am, that this empire we build will rival those within our countries that came before us. We may not have built our individual dynasties, but this one... this one, we will build together, until no one can deny it and every other country will bow before the strength of it. For our dynasty, our empire, will be built upon love, and nothing, and no one, will ever be able to tear it down.
Opening his eyes, he moved away from the window, returning to his desk. He had a response to pen, after all.