"Let's get started then, shall we?" her mother gleamed as she straightened her pile of suitors. "Would you like to start with the chosen suitors or the remaining suitors?"
"Let's start with the two chosen suitors," clasping her hands in her lap, "Then I can better assist with choosing the last suitor based on your standards."
"Very well." She plucked two pages from her pile and placed them in front of Isabella.
"Your father was asked by an old friend to give his heir a chance." she rolled her eyes, "His name is Lord Adrian, a well respected and wealthy Duke of Verdesaint. I personally would not have picked him due to the fact that it does not help us expand our kingdom, but you were childhood friends. I am not sure if you can still remember him, you were very little. No matter, he is able to boost the economy through his business savvy."
Isabella glanced over the parchment, all the details her mother had recited where noted, a small sketched picture of Lord Adrian sat snuggle on the page. She recalled their brief meeting at the Artisan's Exhibition and wondered if he had already known of the pending arrangement.
"My personally selected suitor is next, Prince Casmir of Valerosa, Several advisors have recommended him as a more than worthy suitor." Her mother's eyes twinkled with pride. "Although still a prince the king is said to only take action by his word. He is very wise and cunning for his age if he is used as the sole adviser to the king already. I believe he will be a great king that could become a threat to Verdesaint once he is crowned as King."
"Valerosa? Isn't that one of the biggest kingdoms in the realm?" Isabella gasped.
"When we last heard of them they were the same size as Arcoi's kingdom, but since the prince has begun advising the king in recent years their kingdom has grown to rival our own." She winced at her remaining words, " Our only problem is that the prince is considered rather particular and withdrawn. Our informants advised that he would consider being a suitor, as marrying would allow him to gain the title of King, but you would have to catch his interest and work hard to keep him happy."
"Considering his personality I am not sure if I even stood a chance at impressing him." Isabella continued shyly, "But I will happily put in the effort if that is what you wish."
Isabella took Prince Casmir's sketch in hand; she found his long hair odd for a man as young as him. He exuded confidence in his posture, hands calmly at his sides. His eyes were focused and determined, nothing like Lord Adrian's soft, warm-hearted demeanor.
"Those are the two suitors that will receive invitations once we finalize the last suitor and preparations." Her mother continued, pulling Isabella from her thoughts.
A knock at the door had them both fall silent. Her mother clasped her hands together, visibly annoyed at the interruption.
"Pardon your majesty, but we have received a message regarding the public apology from Arcoi." Edmund's voice rang from behind the door.
"You may enter, please proceed with the message." She pressed, wanting to continue. "We still have a lot to discuss, and Arcoi has wasted enough of our time."
"Very well, your majesty," He entered, bowing respectfully and then proceeding with the message.
"The message is as follows: Greetings to His and Her Majesty,
We have sent messengers to announce our apology regarding the unfortunate events of the Artisan's Opening night. We would like to once again apologize for our behavior as a whole.
With much respect,
Queen Helene and Prince Alexander.
We also received word from the informants confirming that several messengers had announced the public apology in Arcoi as well as Verdesaint."
"Thank you for the report. We will have to finalize these arrangements faster than I anticipated." her mother absent-mindedly clenched her jaw in annoyance. "At this rate we will likely receive a message requesting to continue their proposal and terms. I thought we would have more time."
"Your majesty, if I may, would you like us to respond noting that we have received the apology?" Edmund proposed.
"Yes, but perhaps we should inform them that due to their rash behavior we have decided to allow the princess the opportunity to consider other suitors." She smirked at the idea.
"As you wish, your majesty, I will have the notary write the message and sent it to you for approval right away." He left at once.
"Let's continue then, these are the five remaining suitors that you will decide from." She said laying out five separate sheets in front of Isabella. "We have three Dukes from Verdesaint, although these suitors would not allow us to expand, it will help us strengthen from within. First we have Lord Cedric who is heir to the Duchy of Wintervale, a prominent province of Verdesaint. They have substantial influence in Wintervale, known for its fertile lands and thriving trade routes. Marrying him would strengthen Verdesaint's internal unity and economic stability."
Isabella looked over his sheet, he was older than the two main suitors, he looked stern and neat. She felt a lick of disappointment at his lack of military attire that the previous suitors adorned. Lord Edmund brought in the letter for the queen to sign off and approve, Edmund advised that the letter would be received by Arcoi shortly.
"Second we have Lord Alistair, the eldest son of a powerful noble family with vast lands along the Verdesaint coast. They have control over Verdesaint's coastal trade, marrying him would boost the kingdom's maritime influence and connections to overseas markets."
His sketched image was less disappointing than Lord Cedric, but only for the fact that he wielded a large harpoon and was situated on a ship. Her heartbeat quickened at the thought of setting sail and exploring the sea.
"The last Duke of Verdesaint is Lord Gabriel, a charismatic and intelligent noble with a reputation for diplomacy and problem-solving. His diplomatic skills and connections could foster alliances with neighboring kingdoms, ensuring Verdesaint's stability and influence in the region."
Lord Gabriel was seated at a desk, his quill in hand and feather in his bonnet. Isabella cringed slightly at his small stature as if he were somewhat starved of nutrition.
"Next we have Prince Elias of Eldoria, which is a neighboring kingdom known for its skilled artisans. Marrying the Prince would mean access to Eldoria's renowned craftsmanship, which could enhance Verdesaint's artistic and cultural reputation, as well as valuable alliances in the region. We would also in turn expand our kingdom's reign."
The Prince wore a robe that barely covered his chest, Isabella felt unnerved at the lack of decency and realized that she would need to learn more about their culture as they are vastly different to what she is accustomed to.
"And lastly we have Prince Leopold of Ivoria, second in line to the Ivorian throne, a kingdom known for its strategic military prowess. Marrying this Prince would help us gain Military support and expertise, strengthening Verdesaint's defense capabilities and deterring potential threats."
Prince Leopold wore a military uniform, but she felt a sting of concern when she noted a large gash across the entirety of his face. It was clear from the mark that the Prince had been in a few wars or battles already.
"Well now that is everyone, I think you understand why it has been challenging for us to decide the final suitor." Her mother sighed softly. "Do you have any questions or did any of these men catch your eye?"
"Well I-" Isabella was cut off by the library door slamming open, Her father rushed in with Edmund following after.
"My dear! You will not believe the audacity of the Arcoi royals!" He yelled furiously.
"What is it now? We are trying to finalize the arrangements for the Suitors! Once that is done they will have no reason to disturb us anymore!" She exclaimed, jumping out of her chair.
"They are insisting that Prince Alexander be one of the suitors that Isabella should consider! They will excuse all past disputes in exchange to partake in the suitor arrangements." He continued.
The queen sank to her chair, her chin resting on her hands before glancing at Isabella. A small smile grew on her face before she erupted in laughter.
"This couldn't be more perfect!" she chuckled. Her eyes met the king, "Let them know we accept those terms."
"You can't be serious!" he shouted in outrage.
"I am dead serious, just because he is one of the three suitors does not mean she has to marry him." her mother smirked. "We allow him to compete in trying to woo her heart, but it will all be for naught, our prize is Prince Casmir."
"The point of having three suitors for Isabella to decide who she would like to wed, if we predetermined the suitor then we could have followed previous tradition and arranged the marriage directly." He placed his hand on Isabella, as if standing up for her.
"Isabella will choose which prince wins her heart, I am simply stating that he is the best option of the three." Her mother glared at Isabella, letting her know her true intentions.