Her visitor did as she commanded, but after a brief embrace, he pulled back, taking her hands in his.
"What's this? No gloves?" He winked at her and scandalously kissed her fingers.
"I'm not in Valborough anymore," she said, pulling her hand away. She resisted the urge to rub her thumb over the spot his lips had touched. "I need to adjust to new customs and traditions. What brings you here?"
"We got word of King Killian's passing." Traren pulled a chair over from near the window and sat down. "Also, Mariana had her babies."
"She did?" Ursula glanced at Rebecca who was smiling broadly. "Boys or girls?"
"One of each, if you can believe it," he said. "Orlando is overjoyed. They named the girl Elrica after Orlando's mother, and the boy is called Stephano."
"That's wonderful," Ursula said. "I wish I could see them."
"Your sister said you are welcome to come home for a visit whenever you want. Now, why don't you tell me why you're in the infirmary?"
Briefly, with interjections from Felecia and Rebecca, she explained about the poisoning and how they believed Princess Yamina was responsible.
"Lord Traren," Raell said when the conversation lulled a bit, "are you planning to be at the Sapphire Palace for a few days?"
"I am, but it's just Traren. I don't have a title."
"Not that you couldn't have one," Ursula muttered.
"Be that as it may," Traren said. "Is there something I can do for you, Doctor?"
"If you are going to be visiting the Queen, I will feel more secure in allowing her to recuperate in her own apartment."
"Oh, no," Traren said, standing. "I'm not getting in the middle of this. I believe she has more than enough babysitters with these two." He indicated Rebecca and Felecia. "If she is well enough to leave the infirmary, it will be under their care."
"I am well enough." Ursula motioned toward the cupboard across the room. "My robe in in there, Rebecca. Bring it to me."
"Your Majesty," Felecia said. "It would be inappropriate for you to walk to your room in just your robe."
"The Queen should not be walking," Raell said. "Let me get a chair and a few servants to carry her."
"How embarrassing," Ursula said as all the others scurried around to arrange her travel. However, she didn't protest with much conviction because she wasn't sure she could walk to her room under her own power.
In about half an hour, several palace servants arrived in the infirmary, along with Dashiell and Prince Gideon. The latter smiled when he entered her room. By that time, she was seated in a large chair with extra-long arms. An Earth Sensitive had built it to thank the physician for healing his son, who'd fallen off a palace wall to the courtyard below.
"Don't you look better than when I saw you last?" Prince Gideon said. "I understand you're going back to the Queen's apartment."
"I am capable of resting there," she said. "I'm sure the doctor is needed for people who are truly ill."
Gideon sobered. "Your Majesty, you were poisoned. The Elements have spared you, but it could have taken a different way."
"I think we should get going," she said instead. "I'm not confident about this venture, so the sooner I'm back in my own room, the better."
Footsteps behind her took Veronica's attention away from the thank you letters she was writing to Heyton nobles who'd sent gifts for Killian's wedding. It was a task that belonged to the Queen, but Ursula didn't know all the political connections, and one wrongly phrased note could undo months of negotiations.
Assuming her visitor was Deanna, her personal maid, bringing a cup of tea, she spoke over her shoulder. "Just set it on the table by the window. I'll stop after this letter."
"I'm not who you think I am, Highness." A male voice made Veronica jerk to her feet.
Lord Dalrymple was the head of the Throne's Council, a group of nobles whose job was to advise the King. With Killian's death, the Council had been idle, waiting for the coronation before they could meet with Josiah and apprise him on those things Killian had left undone.
"My Lord," Veronica said, "I am surprised to see you. I was under the impression that you had left the capital for your estate in the Southern Foothills."
"I was with my family for a few days," Dalrymple said, bowing slightly. "Thank you for remembering, but I returned to the Sapphire Palace to convene the Council."
Veronica continued to smile at the older man, but a shock of heat filled her belly. Whatever could bring the Council together before the coronation couldn't be good. Only matters of war or disaster could give these men any power in the absence of a true King.
"I was unaware of anything that would need the Council's attention before the King's funeral and Josiah's coronation."
"May we sit, Your Highness?" Dalrymple asked, motioning to a set of chairs in the center of the room.
"Of course." Veronica accompanied the men to the seats with the dignity befitting her station, but her mind was spinning.
The Heyton troops were spread thin at the moment, more than a third of them protecting the coastlines from Anamii incursions. The rest were scattered along the borders with Valborough and Heyton's three other neighboring kingdoms, but this was a normal state of affairs for the military.
If there had been any hostile actions along any of the borders, she'd have heard of it. That couldn't be the reason for his visit.
The only other thing that made sense had to do with Josiah's being named King. The Council was behind him. Of this she was sure, but Dalrymple wouldn't come her just to tell her this.
Dalrymple settled himself in a chair. "As things stand, you will be the Queen Mother, and the King's Widow would be expected to take her household and move into a small estate in the country. I believe Queen Ursula has said herself that is what she expects her future to be."
"Yes, that is all as it should be."
"Highness," he said when they had settled themselves in the chair. "As you know, the Council advised King Killian, the Elements rest him, to seek an alliance with Valborough now that a Chaos Sensitive sits on their throne. It is unfortunate that Queen Mariana is married, and, we understand, now has Presumed Heirs. An allied marriage with her would, of course, have put Valborough under Heyton control, which would be a great advantage for us on the world stage."
"Yes, my Lord Dalrymple," she responded, clenching her fists to keep from screaming at him that all this was unhelpful and an unnecessary waste of time. "What's on your mind?"
"The fact remains, Grand Princess. Heyton needs this alliance with Valborough."
"And my brother married the Queen's sister. The alliance has been made." Her cheeks ached from continued smiling.
"But, forgive me, Grand Princess, but that's not good enough. While Ursula does remain the King's Widow, with the responsibilities for the coronation, once your son, Elements willing, wears the crown, our official friendship with Valborough is ended. As you are aware, relations with that kingdom have not been good. In addition, Ursula is part of the bloodline that produced the Chaos Sensitive. Access to that could be as valuable as the political alliance itself."
She nodded, allowing her expression to dim a bit. "And?"
Now the man's expression changed to one of victory, which caused the icy fear in her middle to travel throughout her body.
"We believe we have come up with a plan, Your Highness, that will strengthen Heyton's position and power in the world. This plan will require little change in the current situation in the Sapphire Palace, but will go far toward bringing Valborough under Heyton control."
A buzzing began in Veronica's ears as what this man was suggesting began to grow clearer in her mind. Her line of sight narrowed until all she could see was Dalrymple's face.
"You want Josiah to marry Ursula."
"It is the only solution that makes sense," the Lord said.
She said nothing. Part of her wanted to hear him say something about how regretful it was that good King Killian had no direct male heirs. That was the kind
of thing every councilor or courtier had said, in one way or another, since Killian had died.
As though Josiah was something of a poor second choice to succeed her brother, instead of the best person for the job.
Well, he was a poor second choice, of course. She, herself, was the best choice, but Josiah was the only way Heyton could benefit from her wisdom.
Veronica stood and walked to the window, her back to her guest so he couldn't see her wringing her hands. She was supposed to be the real power in Heyton, whispering in Josiah's ear, showing him the right choices to make.
If Ursula remained in the Sapphire Palace as his wife, she would be the one he listened to. The Council would expect that, and they would show her the consideration Veronica had received since Charlotte's death.
If that were to happen, the Grand Princess would be nothing more than a near impotent figure in royal circles, a woman who sat close enough to the throne to touch her son but not close enough to influence his decision making.
All her life, she'd worked to get to the point where she ruled Heyton, if not in reality, then in truth.
The Council was going to make it so that couldn't happen, and she couldn't see any way around it.
She turned back to the Lord. "Have you spoken to either my son or Queen Ursula about this?"
"Not yet, Highness, but we will. This arrangement must be agreed on before the coronation to assure the people a smooth succession and continuation of power."
"Of course." Veronica wanted to choke the life out of him and toss his worthless body into the moat with the waste buckets. "You will give the Council my regards, I'm sure."
Dalrymple stood, confusion clouding his face as he recognized the dismissal. "Your Highness, understand that this is something the Council does not need your agreement on. I have come here as a courtesy for your guidance over the years in our dealings with your brother. However, Heyton needs this alliance with Valborough, and Josiah needs to see the wisdom in wedding Queen Mariana's sister."
"Of course. Good day, Lord Dalrymple."
He bowed and left her office.
Veronica stayed where she was as she stared at the floor. Dalrymple was right about Heyton needing Valborough's friendship, but the Council's plan would ruin everything.
She had to come up with some other way to keep the alliance in place and secure her own position with it.
Perhaps Yamina hadn't been so wrong, after all. If Ursula had died, the people would still see her as someone who died for love, and the entire kingdom would be saddled with remembering her in perpetuity.
However, that would mean that she had done what she came here to do; form a bond between the two kingdoms.
Maybe it wasn't too late for that scenario.
Chapter 24
On the morning of the funeral, the sun shone brightly into Ursula's rooms, belying the mood of the day.
She studied her reflection in the mirror, wondering if she looked like a Queen and a widow to anyone else, because she felt as though she were playing a role she hadn't prepared for.
Rebecca opened the door when a knock sounded. Exarch Josiah stood there, dressed as he had been the day of the King's viewing. "I'm here to escort you, Your Majesty." He bowed formally, and Ursula's heart pounded. She tried to blame it on recent events and tell herself she wasn't recovered, but she knew that was a lie.
It was this situation.
When the funeral was over, the duties of the King's Widow would require her full attention. Of course, Josiah was the rightful heir. She had no reason to believe otherwise, but when he was crowned and she'd secured the release of the prisoners, what was her life then?
"Thank you." She said to him, smoothing her hands over her skirt to hide the trembling.
In addition to the gray and blue somber gown that her dressing staff had created for today, Felecia had set a crown on the bed. It was gold and from the bottom hung a dark blue veil that would cover Ursula's face, because of her presumed state of mourning.
Reluctantly, she stood still as Rebecca and Felecia put the thing on her head and adjusted the veil.
Unfortunately, now Ursula could barely see to walk. Having Josiah's arm to hold on to as he guided her would make this easier. He came to her side, and she took hold of him.
"We'll stop by the Princesses' suite first," he said as they left the apartment. "They will walk behind you, although I expect it would be appropriate to have Oriana walk with you."
"I should be walking behind them," she replied. "They have lost more than I have."
"Appearances are everything as far as this family goes." Josiah's voice said more than his words.
"I assume your mother isn't happy with your relationship with Lady Cynara."
He sighed. "She's been married twice before to older noblemen, and she has a reputation for marrying for money and then killing her husbands."
"Josiah, that can't be true."
"She has the reputation, although it isn't spoken of publicly. She didn't kill her husbands. The first one, Lord Barnaby, died in a hunting accident. A wild boar gored him, and the wound got infected. The gossip was that she poisoned him, but there was no evidence."
"I see." Ursula wished she could see his face, but she felt him straighten.
"That's not important now," he said. "My focus is on you today. Lady Cynara is not the appropriate companion for a future King."
"But I thought..." Ursula started, but Josiah stopped walking and interrupted her.
"We've reached the Princesses' apartment.”
"Your Majesty." Oriana's voice moved so Ursula knew, without seeing it, that the King's daughter had curtsied. "We're ready to follow you."
The two girls fell behind Josiah and Ursula, and he guided the King's Widow toward the stairs.
"You're not going to make Oriana join a religious order when you take the throne, are you?" Ursula asked Josiah, keeping her voice low enough for only him to hear.
"I will have to," he said. "The law is clear. Unmarried daughters of a previous King must wed by the age of twenty-five. If they are wed by that time, and produce a son, that son has claim to the throne. If another King has taken the throne before a son is produced, the daughters of the previous King who are under the age of twenty-five must swear that any future sons will renounce any claim to the throne."
"But Oriana was married. As a widow, couldn't she swear the same thing?"
Josiah shook his head. "If a daughter of the previous King is more than twenty-five years old and unwed when the next King is crowned, she must leave the world and forswear marriage."
Ursula sighed but clenched her teeth to keep from saying something unwise. This may be her kingdom, but she was still a stranger to all its laws.
"Aunt Ursula, I don't like it, either," Josiah said, his voice gentle. "The laws were set down to keep wars between family members from destroying the royal line. If it were up to me, I'd let them stay in the palace after I'm King, but as I said, appearances are more important than truth."
A moment later, the four of them arrived the front door of the palace where a carriage carrying the body of King Killian sat.
The rest of the family waited until the carriage began rolling toward the chapel on the other side of the palace estate. Josiah, with Ursula on his arm, followed behind with Oriana and Isabel next. Everyone else came after.
Soon they arrived at the chapel, and while the carriage went around to the back so the pallbearers could bring the casket inside more easily, the family went inside. Ursula realized that what she'd been told about the people's feelings had been true.
The people who were already gathered applauded, cheered, and threw flowers at her as she passed them.
"They should be bowing or curtsying," Grand Princess Veronica snarled in her ear. "You should say something."
Ursula stopped moving down the aisle and faced her sister-in-law.
Why was Veronica so angry about this display of affection? With the people knowing only that she was Kil
lian's widow, couldn't it be said that their actions reflected more how they felt about him?
"What would you like me to say to them?" she asked. "They are showing appreciation and love to their King's Widow. Would you like me to tell them that isn't appropriate? Would you like me to stop everything and make this funeral about me?"
"Mother, can we just get to our seats at the King's funeral without you causing a scene?" Josiah sighed and tucked Ursula's hand more firmly inside his elbow. "Now is the not the time to reprimand the Queen for something she has no control over." He turned and led Ursula to her seat at the front of the church.
"Thank you," she whispered to him.
"I did it for myself more than just for you," he replied keeping his eyes on the casket. "My uncle was loved by his people, and if the people suspect that Mother doesn't like you, they will turn on her and our reign will be much harder than it needs to be."
The funeral itself was formal, but focused more on the Elemental Afterlife and Killian's place in it than on his deeds in this life. Ursula had hoped she'd be able to learn something about her late husband, but other than that he was a magnificent warrior King who'd only wanted the best for his people, she learned nothing.
After a number of prayers to the various Elements and the Divine Alchemist, a choir of young boys sang a long series of dirges and chants designed to implore the Guardians of Paradise to take Killian to their company.
When all of that had finished, Josiah came back to Ursula's side, followed by his brother and Prince Gideon.
"Now we go to the family mausoleum," Josiah said, "to see him placed in his spot with his ancestors. You will remain after the crowd and the family leave. This is to symbolize your devotion to my uncle."
"She shouldn't have to do that," Gideon said from just behind her right shoulder. "I've always found this particular tradition a bit barbaric, like those women who throw themselves on the pyres."
"It's not like that," Damien said. "She only has to stay in the mausoleum for an hour or so alone to show the people that she is distraught over the loss of her husband."
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