When Evelina descended for her morning beverage, she found her aunt seated in the royal parlour, bleary-eyed and cradling a steaming cup of spiced tea.
Stifling a cheeky smile at the sight of her, Evelina inquired, "Long night?"
"The things I do for you!" Natalia groaned. "Everything is arranged, though – the building of the tourney grounds will begin today, messages have been sent, and the combatants will arrive within the week."
Evelina's amusement faltered. "So soon?"
Over the rim of her cup, Natalia raised her eyebrows. "I'm sure I precisely recall you saying that 'time is of the essence'."
The Queen shut her eyes briefly as if in pain. "I did. I just…"
As her voice trailed off, her aunt set her cup down and pushed to her feet, crossing to engulf her in a hug. "Take heart, perhaps you will find someone you truly like over the course of the tourney."
"Gods, I hope so," Evelina admitted, pressing her forehead against her aunt's shoulder. "I know this is the right course of action, and that I must do what needs be done, but part of me wishes I were simply a low-born lass, capable of marrying whomever I truly love."
Natalia leaned back to cup her face with gentle hands. "Oh, my darling… I wish you did not have to carry the burdens of an entire Kingdom. Sometimes it breaks my heart to see your courage, and it is my dearest desire that you find someone who makes you happy."
"Well, there will be many suitors attending," Evelina said, more optimistic than she felt, "One of them is bound to be worthy."
Her aunt smiled, somewhere between sad and mischievous. "Aye, but they will be a rare one."
Evelina laughed, tossing back her raven hair. "I suppose I must lay my trust in Fate, for I've yet to lay eyes upon the man who ignites all of my imaginings."
A strange, fleeting expression of knowing flickered upon Natalia's face, but she smothered it with a yawn before her niece noticed. "Indeed. Now, let me not delay you from your morning tea any longer – I must return to my chambers and catch up on my sleep."
Evelina had the good grace to look chastised as she pressed a kiss to Natalia's cheek. "I'm sorry for abandoning you to the Council last night. Thank you, for seeing to everything."
"Of course," Natalia said, turning for the door. "What would be the point of being a Queen if you had to agonize over every last detail yourself?"
With a wink, she disappeared beyond the frame, and Evelina shook her head with a rueful grin as she reached for the waiting teapot. Natalia had left her an ample share, and she drained two cups of the warm, honey-spiced tea as she sat by the window looking out. Beyond, the hills rolled away from her palace bounds, affording her an impressive view of the stretching vista. She sighed as she sank her gaze into the serenity of farm and forest, and deliberately kept her attention away from the dust cloud that clung to the southern horizon. Out there, she knew, her forces were fighting an inexhaustible foe – the legion of beasts, stirred from their lairs by the gods only knew what. The monsters kept coming, day and night, ravaging, raiding, killing…
At last, her gaze followed the thoughts she was trying to avoid, and her lips tightened with grim determination as she stared at the blight at the edge of her kingdom.
"Whatever it takes," she whispered, feeling hot grit spread like steel through her soul. If she had to marry the most unsavoury man on earth to save her kingdom, so be it – she would not be the Queen who surrendered the Dawn Palace and its attendant lands to the hordes.
Stifling a shiver, she tore her eyes from the horizon, facing instead the impossible dilemma she had created for herself: the question of her marriage. Her lip curled with distaste as she pictured the whole debacle – the very idea of suitors competing for her hand was anathema to her, but in the face of the dire threat to her kingdom at least it was something she could DO. The only thing worse than her impending marriage to a stranger, was watching helpless as her kingdom fell.
Indeed, she could at least cling to the hope that a rich House with a large army would send an exceptional contestant to participate – gods knew, her kingdom needed someone with a surplus of both, to marry her.
Would someone like that want her hand, though? Self-doubt crept in, slow and insidious. Was the promise of influence in the southernmost kingdom enough to lure the type of match she needed? The Dawn Kingdom was wealthy, once – sure, there was still an excess of gold and gems beneath her hills, but… there was a distinct lack of both time and able bodies to mine it since the beasts had descended. Who was she, to mandate a marriage of standing – to demand a worthy suitor as her Knight in Shining Armour? Would any of the gentlemen of the realms even answer the invitation?
Stop it, she told herself firmly.
She drew herself up and stepped away from the window. She was as worthy a Queen as any, had kept her Kingdom from the jaws of doom for nearly three years already, pouring every resource she had into keeping her people safe. Indeed – and she settled her mouth to a grim line – she was worth her salt. She would find a good match, someone resilient, undaunted, and capable of helping her protect her legacy, if it took her to her last breath. Depositing her empty cup, she swept from the room on a tide of bravado, and in her wake, her courage echoed.
Whatever it takes.