20th November, 1616
The first months of a new king's life had been a steep learning curve for Henry of Carib, first of his name. Had he been left to his own devices, Carib might well have faltered in his lack of self-confidence. But he was not alone. He had his wife, the fiery Queen Brynhilde; he had the chancellor, Baron Bradan, with his voice of experience; and he had Thomas Montague, his friend and advisor. Between them, they had taught him the art of ruling a country - even this country, with its convoluted politics and near-permanent divisions.
Over the summer months since his marriage and coronation, King Henry had earned for himself a reputation as a fair-minded man, as likely to lean from his horse to help a child lost on the road as he was to grant a boon to a noble who gave good reason for it. Between them, Henry and Bryn had fortified the border with Lotharingia, protecting the people from raids from that quarter; they had instituted new laws for the preservation of the commons against the greed of the nobles; they had brought horse lords into their councils and all but forced north and south to work together to shore up Carib as it struggled to regain what it had been generations before. His successes were reported with delight back in Pomerania, where his cousins waited eagerly for news and sent back advice and praise in their own turn; his failures were never lingered over, but turned to good account, something to learn from rather than mourn over. Carib had been accepted into the league with Pomerania and her vassal states, and with that acceptance had come offers of friendship from the other royal houses who were a part of that alliance. For the first time in centuries, Carib did not stand alone, and it was entirely due to the determination and commitment of her young king.
Of course, court life was an interesting challenge, but there, too, Henry was not alone. For he had brought with him to this court a sister, and despite her initial fear and shyness, she had blossomed into her role as princess, navigating the court intrigues and managing the court itself with the help of her champion, and the friends she was slowly making. Still, there were always those looking for their own gain, especially among the nobles. Their ploys had been transparent at the beginning, but as time went on, they became harder to fathom. Wary of being caught in the net, the young monarchs had drawn their advisors closer, and each morning was spent sequestered with one or more of them, navigating the petitions that needed to be looked over.
On this morning, a surprisingly crisp November day, despite the never-ending sunshine Carib enjoyed, Thomas was in with Henry, finishing the last of the land-grabbing petitions that were all to be denied.
"One more signature," Thomas assured his friend and king. "Then you should have a drink. Elspeth wants to talk to you."
For a man who'd been raised a commoner with no prior knowledge of his true lineage, Henry had made great strides in coming to grips with his sudden and unexpected rise to power and influence, but he had never forgotten his meager beginnings and as such, had become a fair king who truly always had the welfare of his people in mind, especially those who were unable to speak for themselves. He had found all of it a challenge, to be sure. There had even been a time when he'd doubted his own ability to rise to the challenge, but he had persevered.
Still, he knew his success was not due solely to him, but in good part to the friends and family and advisors whom he counted on to give him sound counsel each and every day. Today was not unlike any other day, sequestered as he'd been with his closest friend and advisor as they went over the almost mind-numbing tasks in front of them. Morning was nearly done by the time the last signature was needed, and Thomas suggested a short break.
"A drink?" Henry echoed with a grin. "You say that as though I need one to prepare myself for her visit. I take it her visit is not merely a sisterly one then."
"Judging by the amount of pacing that was going on when I last looked into the antechamber, no," Thomas chuckled, moving to pour his friend a cup of cooled wine. The stuff they drank here was white, not red, and unexpectedly refreshing in the heat. "Here." He set the cup down on the desk near Henry's hand. "She gave Miles to Bryn this morning, too. Apparently he needed to be kept out of the way while she spoke to you." Thomas' grin was wide as he wiggled his brows in Henry's direction.
"Oh, good goddess!" Henry murmured with an unkingly but very brotherly eyeroll. "I need the man to ask me for her hand before I can sanction a marriage," he complained, guessing that was what his sister's visit was all about. Either that or complaining about some lord or other who was a little too aggressive in attaining her attention. "You know Lord Feehan has been soliciting himself as her newest suitor these past days. The man is very tenacious," he added with a sigh and a frown.
"He's also several thousand gold in debt, and has just sold off the last of his serfs to pay for the new doublet and hose he was sporting yesterday," Thomas pointed out ruefully. "You'll be happy to note that the crown bought those serfs, and they have been removed from hard labor to be rested and cared for until they are healthy enough to be freed and allowed to take paying work on their own terms."
"It will take more than a new doublet and hose to convince me he is well-suited to court my sister," Henry remarked, taking a swallow of the wine, in part to quench his thirst and in part to prepare himself for Elspeth's visit. It was fairly common knowledge that there were few he loved more than his sister, besides the queen, and there were some who thought that he was dragging his feet in arranging a marriage. They would not be wrong, but he had his reasons. "If she doesn't marry soon, I will be pressured into choosing a suitor for her or forcing her into the sisterhood," he added with a further frown.
"Or giving her to Lorcan MacTeer," Thomas pointed out with a faint smirk. "Although it would appear that his mother has sent him away from the capital again. That boy needs to learn to keep a civil tongue in his mouth, or he's never going to spend more than three days at court in a row. His father thinks it's hilarious."
"Lorcan MacTeer is nothing more than a spoiled child. I am not sure which of them is worse!" MacTeer or Feehan, Henry meant. Neither was suitable for Elspeth, and though everyone at court could see she was smitten with her champion, his name had not yet been suggested as a possible match, except in private quarters. "Perhaps his father ought not to have spared the rod," Henry muttered further, regarding Lorcan's upbringing.
"I think it's more that the lad is a man in the eyes of his clan, and yet has not been offered a marriage or a position of influence yet," Thomas considered thoughtfully. "He wants to be a great warrior like his father, but Domnall cannot give a position of power to a new man who cannot even control his own temper yet. It's a harsh lesson, but one he has to learn. When he's not trying to be a man, he's reasonable company, so I'm told. He nearly fainted when Louise offered to let him feel the child in her belly."
"Your wife is a brave woman," Henry remarked with a fond smile, though he didn't think Lorcan meant any harm; he only needed to grow up and learn what it was to be a man. Perhaps Henry could help him with that. "Perhaps we should send him to the border. Give him a captaincy of his own. See what he's made of," Henry suggested, his thoughts drifting to the problem of Lorcan before he could focus on Elspeth. "He's never going to grow up if he remains under his mother's influence forever."
The first months of a new king's life had been a steep learning curve for Henry of Carib, first of his name. Had he been left to his own devices, Carib might well have faltered in his lack of self-confidence. But he was not alone. He had his wife, the fiery Queen Brynhilde; he had the chancellor, Baron Bradan, with his voice of experience; and he had Thomas Montague, his friend and advisor. Between them, they had taught him the art of ruling a country - even this country, with its convoluted politics and near-permanent divisions.
Over the summer months since his marriage and coronation, King Henry had earned for himself a reputation as a fair-minded man, as likely to lean from his horse to help a child lost on the road as he was to grant a boon to a noble who gave good reason for it. Between them, Henry and Bryn had fortified the border with Lotharingia, protecting the people from raids from that quarter; they had instituted new laws for the preservation of the commons against the greed of the nobles; they had brought horse lords into their councils and all but forced north and south to work together to shore up Carib as it struggled to regain what it had been generations before. His successes were reported with delight back in Pomerania, where his cousins waited eagerly for news and sent back advice and praise in their own turn; his failures were never lingered over, but turned to good account, something to learn from rather than mourn over. Carib had been accepted into the league with Pomerania and her vassal states, and with that acceptance had come offers of friendship from the other royal houses who were a part of that alliance. For the first time in centuries, Carib did not stand alone, and it was entirely due to the determination and commitment of her young king.
Of course, court life was an interesting challenge, but there, too, Henry was not alone. For he had brought with him to this court a sister, and despite her initial fear and shyness, she had blossomed into her role as princess, navigating the court intrigues and managing the court itself with the help of her champion, and the friends she was slowly making. Still, there were always those looking for their own gain, especially among the nobles. Their ploys had been transparent at the beginning, but as time went on, they became harder to fathom. Wary of being caught in the net, the young monarchs had drawn their advisors closer, and each morning was spent sequestered with one or more of them, navigating the petitions that needed to be looked over.
On this morning, a surprisingly crisp November day, despite the never-ending sunshine Carib enjoyed, Thomas was in with Henry, finishing the last of the land-grabbing petitions that were all to be denied.
"One more signature," Thomas assured his friend and king. "Then you should have a drink. Elspeth wants to talk to you."
For a man who'd been raised a commoner with no prior knowledge of his true lineage, Henry had made great strides in coming to grips with his sudden and unexpected rise to power and influence, but he had never forgotten his meager beginnings and as such, had become a fair king who truly always had the welfare of his people in mind, especially those who were unable to speak for themselves. He had found all of it a challenge, to be sure. There had even been a time when he'd doubted his own ability to rise to the challenge, but he had persevered.
Still, he knew his success was not due solely to him, but in good part to the friends and family and advisors whom he counted on to give him sound counsel each and every day. Today was not unlike any other day, sequestered as he'd been with his closest friend and advisor as they went over the almost mind-numbing tasks in front of them. Morning was nearly done by the time the last signature was needed, and Thomas suggested a short break.
"A drink?" Henry echoed with a grin. "You say that as though I need one to prepare myself for her visit. I take it her visit is not merely a sisterly one then."
"Judging by the amount of pacing that was going on when I last looked into the antechamber, no," Thomas chuckled, moving to pour his friend a cup of cooled wine. The stuff they drank here was white, not red, and unexpectedly refreshing in the heat. "Here." He set the cup down on the desk near Henry's hand. "She gave Miles to Bryn this morning, too. Apparently he needed to be kept out of the way while she spoke to you." Thomas' grin was wide as he wiggled his brows in Henry's direction.
"Oh, good goddess!" Henry murmured with an unkingly but very brotherly eyeroll. "I need the man to ask me for her hand before I can sanction a marriage," he complained, guessing that was what his sister's visit was all about. Either that or complaining about some lord or other who was a little too aggressive in attaining her attention. "You know Lord Feehan has been soliciting himself as her newest suitor these past days. The man is very tenacious," he added with a sigh and a frown.
"He's also several thousand gold in debt, and has just sold off the last of his serfs to pay for the new doublet and hose he was sporting yesterday," Thomas pointed out ruefully. "You'll be happy to note that the crown bought those serfs, and they have been removed from hard labor to be rested and cared for until they are healthy enough to be freed and allowed to take paying work on their own terms."
"It will take more than a new doublet and hose to convince me he is well-suited to court my sister," Henry remarked, taking a swallow of the wine, in part to quench his thirst and in part to prepare himself for Elspeth's visit. It was fairly common knowledge that there were few he loved more than his sister, besides the queen, and there were some who thought that he was dragging his feet in arranging a marriage. They would not be wrong, but he had his reasons. "If she doesn't marry soon, I will be pressured into choosing a suitor for her or forcing her into the sisterhood," he added with a further frown.
"Or giving her to Lorcan MacTeer," Thomas pointed out with a faint smirk. "Although it would appear that his mother has sent him away from the capital again. That boy needs to learn to keep a civil tongue in his mouth, or he's never going to spend more than three days at court in a row. His father thinks it's hilarious."
"Lorcan MacTeer is nothing more than a spoiled child. I am not sure which of them is worse!" MacTeer or Feehan, Henry meant. Neither was suitable for Elspeth, and though everyone at court could see she was smitten with her champion, his name had not yet been suggested as a possible match, except in private quarters. "Perhaps his father ought not to have spared the rod," Henry muttered further, regarding Lorcan's upbringing.
"I think it's more that the lad is a man in the eyes of his clan, and yet has not been offered a marriage or a position of influence yet," Thomas considered thoughtfully. "He wants to be a great warrior like his father, but Domnall cannot give a position of power to a new man who cannot even control his own temper yet. It's a harsh lesson, but one he has to learn. When he's not trying to be a man, he's reasonable company, so I'm told. He nearly fainted when Louise offered to let him feel the child in her belly."
"Your wife is a brave woman," Henry remarked with a fond smile, though he didn't think Lorcan meant any harm; he only needed to grow up and learn what it was to be a man. Perhaps Henry could help him with that. "Perhaps we should send him to the border. Give him a captaincy of his own. See what he's made of," Henry suggested, his thoughts drifting to the problem of Lorcan before he could focus on Elspeth. "He's never going to grow up if he remains under his mother's influence forever."