DAMEISELE CWĒN (Damsel Queen) 6

[sidhe_faerie]

 The Dameisele’s Plan

After taking some time to get settled into a routine, Taralen started to think about the future. On one of those rare occasions she had to sit at the loom and weave she let her thoughts drift to what was going to need to be done.

The one thing that was worrying her the most was the fact she would have to have an heir to succeed her. When she was younger, she never thought of the possibility of having children. Her only thought was to become a priestess at Tara. Those days were long behind her now.

She stopped to reload her shuttlecock when she heard a knock at the door.

“Enter!” Taralen called out.

Miran came inside. “There are letters from the Tylwyth Teg and the Midsummer Courts. They are asking for a meeting to discuss alliances. The Midsummer Court is also asking fi the arranged marriage is still valid.”

“No. It is not. I was never going to honor it. It was the reason we fled in the first place. My father had just died and the Queen told my mother that I would be leaving for the Midsummer Court soon after the burial.” Taralen said. “I will have to make that clear to them. Schedule meetings for each court representative, Miran. The Midsummer Court’s envoy should be first.”

“Taralen, you will need a husband. How else will you have an heir?” Miran reminded her.

“If I marry, I will choose the man that makes me happy not a man that is part of a treaty agreement. It is so barbaric these arranged marriages. That is why there are so many bastards at the Courts now.” Taralen said with disgust.

Miran raised an eyebrow at the Queen. “I didn’t realize you had even thought of those things.”

“I think of a great deal of things when I weave.” Taralen said. “To be truthful I do not wish to marry at all but I need a daughter to take my place.”

Miran nodded. “There cannot be one without the other.”

“I know. I will weave a while longer and think on things. Let me know of the arrangements for the meetings. “Taralen said. 

“Yes My Lady.” Miran smiled and left the Queen to her weaving and thoughts.

The envoy from the Midsummer Court arrived two days later. Prince Daer was the same prince she had been betrothed to by her aunt.

“My Lady.” Prince Daer bowed. “You are even lovelier than I have heard. Your grace rivals that of a swan. I am in awe at your presence.”

Taralen rolled her eyes and Miran barely suppressed a chuckle.

“You may stop with the flattery, Prince Daer. I have no intention of marrying you.” Taralen said bluntly. “You are here to make a treaty not a betrothal.”

“I apologize if I have offended you.” Prince Daer bowed again. He held out a scroll. “My queen has sent these proposals for your review.”

Taralen waved him closer and took the scroll. She read it quickly while he stood there. She looked up. “I shall have to read this more thoroughly before we start negotiations. Chambers will be provided while you wait. I will hear from me again in the morning.”

“Yes My Lady.” Prince Daer said.

Sol came from beside Taralen and beckoned the young prince to follow him. Once they were out of the room, Taralen laughed.

“That was ridiculous. Did he believe that all that honey-tongue would work with me?” Taralen looked at Miran.

Miran shook her head. “I think he did.”

“The proposals are fine for the most part but the numbers are a bit large.” Taralen looked at the parchment again. “I will write up a counter offer and send him back in the morning. I don’t wish to be flattered to death.”

“He is handsome with his dark hair and sharp eyes.” Miran said.

“So is my favorite unicorn.” Taralen laughed. “I’m not going to marry it either.”

Miran laughed. “I should hope not. The envoy for the Tylwyth Teg will be her the day after next.”

“I hear from Sol that one of the guards is your son’s brother.” Taralen said.

“He is. We are welcoming him when he arrives.” Miran said. “He is family after all.”

Taralen nodded. “I hope he will have a good visit. I will take this to my chambers now. Go home and prepare for his arrival, Miran.”

Miran smiled and left.

Taralen went to her chambers and worked on the proposal until supper time. She just had it down with everything the way she liked and signed it when there was a knock at the door.

“Enter!” Taralen said as she rolled up the parchment.

Miran slipped in with her supper. She sat the tray on the table. “That prince has been a nuisance to the serving girls. I had to hear about the things he was requesting of them and how he tried to touch them. I have a footman serving him now.”

“You see. That is what the Midsummer Court is all about. They are legendary for their debauchery.” Taralen said. “I would never have peace as a wife with the likes of him. Handsome or not he is trouble.”

“I agree.” Miran said. “Maybe the envoy from the Tylwyth Teg court would be more to your liking.”

“Always the matchmaker.” Taralen smiled as she pulled the tray of food closer to her.

“I have hope that you will find what you want in a husband.” Miran said. “Good night Taralen.”

“Good night. I shall see you in the morning.” Taralen said as she looked at the tray.

Miran slipped out and headed home.

The next morning the Prince was sent on his way with the counter proposals tucked in his bag. Taralen had the footman take the scroll to the Prince and inform him a portal would be opened for him as soon as he came into the courtyard. When the Prince asked to say good bye to Taralen, he was told she was not available. He left without insisting to be seen.

Later that afternoon, Taralen was at her prayers when the warning bells started to ring. She hurried down to the courtyard to see a man being carried on a stretcher.

“Who is he? Where did he come from?” Taralen asked the guards.

“We found him unconscious by the edge of the mist. He looks like a warrior. The Mundanes are waging war with each other he must be one of their warriors.” The guard told her.       

Taralen nodded. “Take him to the west turret and fetch the healer. Tell me if he wakes. I will want to ask him questions.”

“Yes My Lady.” The guard said.

Miran came up behind Taralen. “What are you thinking? You should have him taken back through the mist to his own people. Their healers will take care of him.”

“I have an idea.” Taralen said. “Come with me and I will explain.”

Miran followed Taralen back to her chambers. Taralen took a book from the shelf and opened it to the page she wanted. She showed the book to Miran.

“Have you ever heard of this potion?” Taralen asked.

“Yes but I have never used it.” Miran looked up at the young queen. “Taralen, are you going to do what I think you are going to do?”

“His coloring is similar to the Tylwyth Teg. If I use this potion on him I will conceive without having to marry. Taralen said.

“If he lives and will take it.” Miran said. “I’m not even sure that a Fae and a mundane can have a child.”

“I don’t know either but I have heard stories of Halfling children.” Taralen said.

“Those are just tales, Taralen. If he refuses to help you, what will you do?” Miran asked.

“I am going to enchant him. “Taralen said. “I need a daughter and this is my best option.”

“A husband would be your best option.” Miran said. “What if the child is a boy or it favors its father?”

“I will keep him here until I have what I want.” Taralen said. “It is the only way.”

“Taralen, think about this. He is a mundane. His blood will weaken the child’s magick and the royal blood line.” Miran said.

“He is a warrior like my father. He will give the blood strength.” Taralen shrugged. “The royal line is not what it once was. We were a race of warriors but we are no longer.”

Miran sighed. “I promised your mother I would help you find a good husband.”

“That was her dream for me but not mine. I need to check on this mundane and then I would like your help with the preparations.” Taralen said.  

“I will do what you need me to because you are my Queen but not because I think you are right in this.” Miran said.  

“I understand and I don’t mean to put you in this position but I need a daughter and soon. I do not have time for a courtship or a lengthy engagement. I must do this.” Taralen said. She hugged Miran and went to check on the man in the turret.

“Well how is he?” Taralen asked the healer when she arrived in the turret.

“He will live, My Lady. The wound was not mortal and he will have a slight headache from that knot on his head in the morning.” The healer said.

“Thank you for looking after him. I want you to have a footman assigned to care for him until he is better.” Taralen said.

“He will be better tomorrow, My Lady. We should send him back before he wakes. This is no place for a mundane.” The healer said.

“I have already had an earful from Miran I don’t need one from you.” Taralen admonished the man. “He is to stay until I say he is fit to leave. Is that clear?”

“Yes My Lady.” The healer bowed and left without another word.

The young Queen studied the man’s features. He had reddish blonde hair and freckles on his cheeks. He was not bad looking. She looked at his build and found him short and thickly built.

Taralen sighed in resignation. She had chosen him as the father of her child and that was the end of it. There was nothing left to do but make the potion and proceed with her plan.

A footman appeared in the doorway.

“See that he is looked after. I want no female Fae in his presence but me and Miran. I fear we know little about his kind.” Taralen told the man.

“I will see to it, My Lady. The footman said. He bowed low to her.   

“Thank you.” Taralen left the man and the footman alone to get the plan started.

As she walked back to her chambers she realized it was not going to be easy. She would have to do the one thing she never wanted to do. She never wanted to lose her purity. Even now that she had realized that taking the veil was never going to happen, she still held on to the ways of an initiate.