Chapter 1 - Fia
“What do you mean an arranged marriage?!”
Fia turned towards her parents in surprise, dropping the delicious looking apple tart she was about to devour back onto her plate. Her mother, the Queen Arabetha Angevin, set her fork down and looked at Fia reproachfully.
“Watch your volume please, Fiametta. This is the breakfast table.” Her mother’s voice was quiet but sharp. Fia fought her rising anger and straightened herself before replying.
“Mother, please explain what you mean about the need for an arranged marriage.” She softened slightly.
“You turn twenty-five in six months and are set to take the crown soon from your father.” She paused to look at her father, King Tyrian Angevin, who grimaced and stroked his graying beard.
“I know it is not law that you be married before your coronation, but the people are worried that you have not shown interest in a relationship or producing heirs.” The Queen said and Fia scoffed.
“Why must I be pressured to produce heirs before my coronation? I haven’t even taken the crown yet to worry about my successor!” Her mother held up a hand.
“It is not just that, my little fire. There is a part regarding the continuation of the line, yes, but there is another political reason behind this.” She paused, her mother’s lovely face turning a bit darker.
“With the civil war ended across the sea, there is some concern that the Belrians will soon be looking at the treasures of our shores. They have finally united and will likely be in sore need of resources. The council and I believe that it may be necessary to build a relationship with one of our neighboring countries to ensure that we have allies when it happens.” Fia pondered that for a moment.
“You said when, not if? She asked. Her mother nodded gravely.
“By our reports, the Belrians are very close to taking that step, having continued to maintain an organized military. We are protected much on one side by the Stresian Mountains, but it is only a short sail down the River Gelry to our people and we happen to be the closest to them. I know things have been peaceful across Wrisos for a while now, and our neighbors would likely help on the matter anyways, but it wouldn’t hurt to have a strong ally through marriage just in case. ”
“And our neighbors are interested in pursuing said arrangement?” She questioned lightly, picking up her tart once more. Her father smiled jokingly.
“Oh, the neighbors are more than interested.” Fia raised an eyebrow and the queen chuckled.
“Our five lovely neighboring Kings and Queens have been sending marriage proposals along every year since you turned 20 years old, my fire.” The tart turned dry in her mouth.
“Every year?”
“Every year. They seem quite besotted with the idea of an alliance with the Princess Fiametta Angevin, reported scholar, warrior, and beauty. Not to mention the only heir of our lovely Kingdom, Andelvan!” Her mother threw her arms out wide in emphasis and her father gazed at her with a smile.
“You’ve been considered quite the catch for some time, Fia.” He said.
“Why am I just now hearing about this?” Fia asked, giving up on her food.
“Dear, we did tell you once, years ago. I believe your response was ‘I have no interest in marriage and if you tell me about another proposal, I’ll go streaking from the castle gates until I’m deemed unmarriable!’ Hopefully you have matured since then to realize that this is needed for the country.” The Queen’s tone turned in a way Fia knew her response would have to be tailored to match. As she thought about the issue, her father interjected.
“You won’t be entirely without choice, you know.” He said. She looked up at him for an explanation.
“Each country is willing to send a prince here to have a chance to court you. They also already understand that it would be your choice who you choose among them, and there would be no in-fighting regarding the outcome.” He gave a pointed look to her mother who just folded her napkin demurely. Fia had a feeling that her mother’s regal tone had turned its sight on those countries as well. She sighed.
“I can promise this; I will meet with each of these princes and see if there is any chance of building a relationship,” Her mother’s face lightened. “But if I cannot find romantic interest in any of them, I reserve the right not to choose and instead proceed with my coronation.” Her mother started to decline, but Fia held up her hand.
“I understand the threat that may reach our shores and our need for allies. I will work with these princes to secure military alliances if not a marriage, and ensure that we will be prepared for anything that might occur. I have already been working with the army and the ShanZi for some time and while I have not fought in a war yet, I will not leave us defenseless should the Belrians really cross to our shores.” Fia’s voice grew with the strength of her promise and she could see her mother back down. There was a reason she was to be crowned soon and she took her responsibilities seriously, even if they did potentially require her hand in marriage. She stood to leave from breakfast but stopped midway from her seat.
“When do the princes arrive and how long will they stay?” She asked her mother.
“Two of the five princes will be in attendance at the Honeysuckle Ball in three days, the others will be arriving over the next two weeks. They each plan to stay at least three months in an effort to get to know you, but may stay as long as the summer.” Fia’s eyes widened. She wanted to yell at her mother for the short notice. Three days, so very soon, but she forced herself to bow her head in deference before leaving the dining room.
As Fia strode through the castle, her thoughts raced with the news. Why couldn’t this have happened after her coronation? She was already busy with her preparations to take over as Queen and the ShanZi warriors required more training. Normally her duties as a princess would be manageable, but her management and addition of the ShanZi to Andelvan’s military was taking its toll. Now add on having to entertain five pampered princes, who probably spent most of their life in court and wooing ladies. Having to deal with small talk and being polite and… and… flirting? She was sure to go insane. Her skin already prickled with anticipation of meeting them, and it just had to be at the Honeysuckle Ball too.
A few minutes later, she pushed the door open to her bedroom and immediately made her way to her closet, picking out a tunic and pants as opposed to the restricting corset and skirt she was wearing. Her bedroom was small by her mother’s standards, with a short couch and end table seated in front of a stone fireplace next to the bathroom, making up her sitting room. A heavy door separated the sitting room from her bedroom, where there was another fireplace on the left, a large bed on the right, and the opposite wall consisting of ceiling to floor bookshelves filled with texts pertaining to history, art, math, military strategy, novels of legends and romance, and more. In the middle of the bookshelves was a tall window with a small inlet bench laden with pillows. The perfect reading place when the sun was good and Fia stared at it for a moment longingly. But this was not the time for reading.
There was energy building in her, a combination of anxiety, anger, and fear. Fear of the unknown, of people and their choices. She knew from experience that there was only one way for her to combat that growing worry so she changed quickly into her new clothes and then turned towards the fireplace opposite her bed. To its left was a beautiful tapestry depicting the Stresian mountains that backed their Kingdom. The towering peaks capped with snow, all leading down to a valley teeming with life and at the edge of their bases lay the Iron Caverns. That was Andelvan’s greatest source of power. Their mountains were filled with iron ore runs, as well as rare caverns of crystal and gems. The mountains were treacherous in their own right, but navigable with the help of centuries of good record keeping and technical prowess. The iron sources kept Andelvan a good neighbor and formidable enemy, as getting to the caverns for anyone else would mean crossing their country, which they had ensured was strengthened with military might as a precaution.
She stared at the tapestry for only a moment before pushing it aside to reveal the stone door behind it, a long time remnant of the servants’ passages in the castle. Fia pushed and the door gave way silently. She kept it in working order due to her frequent escapades and insomnia. It closed behind her again as she began running down the steps towards the outer wall. The stairs were dark, with only the rare torch lit when the passage branched in another direction. Fia remained in the darkness, her feet flying as she knew the passage by heart. She had been coming down this way since she was twelve years old and she hadn’t missed a step for at least a year now.
When she finally reached the end of the stairs, she paused before a smaller stone door and cracked it open slightly. Fia listened for scuffles of movement outside, but hearing none, pushed forward. The door gave way to bright light and a chilled breeze. Fia shivered slightly. Winter lingered over Spring even in April, and the days took some time to warm up.
Just outside her secret passage were the rose gardens, her favorite place in the whole world. Fia ran through arches, past fountains and still slumbering greenery, before emerging into a square clearing at the edge of the property. It was fenced in by the high stone walls of the castle and garden, but each wall was covered in ivy and weathered by time. To her right sat a thin wooden bench and small storage chest containing fresh water flasks and dried snacks, refilled by the staff every few days. Eight posts of thick ironwood stood in the center, spread out by five to ten feet randomly. The hard wood showed evidence of pitting and slashes and Fia frowned at the thought that they would have to be replaced soon. She began stretching out her muscles and losing herself to the calm that came with training and the deep breaths of the cold air that tested her lungs.
She patted at her long hair already secured in tight braids close to her scalp, before tugging at the two fans hanging on her belt. She spun them slowly, loosening her wrists. The fans, or the ShanZi as they were called, were her proudest achievement. She had become interested in the art of fighting and self-defense as a teenager, but nothing had ever spoken to her as the fans did. The commonly appearing hand fans were laced with thin steel knives with an edge sharp enough to cut through the ironwood of the Stresian forests. When she discovered an old book in the castle library detailing their use, Fia had immediately run to the blacksmith for him to make her one. One turned into two, which turned into years of training and expansion.
The fans were most interesting in their ability to be discreet. Clad in the usual bright cloth and lace of a lady’s fan, they could easily be overlooked as mere accessories, making her ShanZi warriors exceptional at subterfuge. But the fans were also very versatile and could be used for close combat or from afar when swung from thin chains. Fia pulled those chains from her belt and looped them around her forearms until she had a few extra feet of reach on the fans. She strode to the center of the posts, took some clearing cold breaths, and began to unleash the worry, anger, and fear that plagued her.
