"Hurry up, please. I'm waiting!"
Queen Amrietta taps her nail on her desk while waiting for her maids. The Queen's office is bursting with energy as the maids run in and out of the room. Her dark blue eyes glared as her maids were scrambling to give the queen what she wanted. The Queen, Amrietta Landry, is gathering dating profiles of daughters from high society to arrange a marriage for the dukes.
" Bring me the files on the kingdom's finest duchesses and marquees!" The Queen demanded.
"Yes, Your Majesty!!" the maids said in unison.
Agnes, the Queen's lady-in-waiting, handed over the dating profiles. Disgusted at the quality of women who fell short to her standards, Queen Amrietta scoffed at most profiles in her presence. The maids were subjected to hear demeaning and degrading remarks from the Queen regarding the profiles they chose,
" No, her family is lacking in too many areas."
" I can't stand the Marquee & his wife."
" Why is this person in my file list?"
"Please, My son is a GRAND DUKE! I am looking for the future Queen for my son, not a tavern wh*re."
Tasked with preparing the grand dukes' engagements, the Queen had to set high expectations, especially for her son, Grand Duke Henry. Henry, the youngest brother, was considered to be one of the kingdom's treasure, wanted by all, but available for none; his sun-kissed hair that shimmered like gold with piercing blue eyes that could rival the blue skies and a body marbled after a tall Greek god that stands under 2 meters tall, captivated the hearts of women but envious animosity of most men.
Agnes handed the Queen a stack of more dating profiles. Queen Amrietta quickly flipped through most of them, then paused. A familiar name caught her attention.
" Eleanor Quindoor... hmm. Daughter of Duke William Quindoor. Prestigious yet powerful military family."
" All thanks to me, of course."
" Perhaps.. she might be a good match for my son, Henry."
The Queen chuckled to herself. After filtering through all the files, the Queen was able to select a few more candidates of age for her son, Henry. She tossed the rest of the files she had no use for in the trash beside her desk. Agnes asked of the Queen,
" Shall I prepare a list of candidates for your other son, Grand Duke Louis, Your Majesty?"
" Oh, Agnes dear, you always say the funniest things. That is what the public posting is for."
" My apologies, your majesty."
Queen Amrietta laughs behind her fan, then puts it down, trying to hold her composure. She then claps her hands for the other maids to return to her.
"Now, we must send these invitations to the women I have selected. Do make haste."
"Yes, Your Majesty." The maids all said in unison and bowed before leaving.
As the maids leave, they notice that the public posting mentions that all nobility can apply, including viscounts and barons. The Queen's acceptance of lower nobility caused the maids to gossip on their way out of the Queen's office.
"Viscounts & barons?"
"Barons are barely nobility."
"Why would the royal family accept such low nobility?"
"Maybe because Duke Louis isn't her birth son?"
The Queen overhears the maids' gossip and tells Agnes to keep the gossip to a minimum. The Queen wants to keep this a secret from the king because she doesn't want to upset King Clement. Agnes agrees and honors the command.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
As the Queen gets up and looks out the window, Agnes joins her at her side. The Queen smiles as she looks out at the capital through her window.
" I will find the perfect fiancé for my son."
" As for Duke Louis... he is lucky that I allowed him to return to the capital."
" Shall I prepare the letter for Duke Louis's return then?" Agnes asked the Queen
" Yes, tie it loosely so the bird will drop it."
Agnes bows but holds her position as she can't follow that command. The Queen sighs heavily and looks at Agnes again.
" Fine, send it to him if we must."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"You're dismissed, Agnes."
Agnes finished her bow & left the office. Queen Amrietta sighs as she continues to look out the window and says to herself,
"Well, Duke Louis DOES need a fiancé. So we'll do just that."
A mischievous look on the Queen's face grew with a conniving smile that stretched from ear to ear.
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The following day, the Kingdom of Seradona was raving about the news of the bridal selection hosted by the royal family. In the history of Seradona, this is the first time daughters of any social class can request to be part of the bridal selection. The gossip from viscounts and even barons swallowed the town whole.
"Do you believe this? "
" A baroness can be a queen? Baroness? "
" No, but maybe a marquee or count... Is this real?!"
" But the higher nobility treat us viscounts & barons like insects!"
" Why should we embarrass our daughters for the royals' entertainment?"
Some were thrilled with the news, while others thought it was another ploy by the royal family to raise their approval ratings. Still, with this proclamation, many nobility rushed to the closest palace office to enter their daughters' information to be part of the bridal selection. Even the poorest of Barons, Edgar Casseroff, completing deliveries with his son Charles, perked up at the idea. The Barons of Casseroff were merchants who sold flowers, seeds, and soil to most of the shops in the capital. Edgar turned to his son,
"Did you hear the news? The queen is looking for brides for the grand dukes.".
"Dad... surely you're not considering requesting my sister to join?"
" Your sister would be perfect for this."
"Dad.. my sister..."
" We're talking about Emerie, short-tempered Emerie, my sister."
"Nonsense, my boy, the queen would be lucky to have Emerie as a daughter-in-law."
To Edgar, his oldest daughter, Emerie Casseroff, has the beauty of the Sistine Chapel; possessing eyes akin to a rich chocolate that glistened in the sun's rays with locks of lustrous golden brown hair. A young woman who radiated beauty & the brains that could outsmart any scholar, but due to their family's poor financials & lack of power, she ranks lower than most barons. Edgar wanted to give Emerie a chance at a new life, something he could only offer as a doting father. The father turns to Charles,
"Son, you finish delivering the soil and seeds to Ms.Perriweather's shop, and then wait for me here."
"But dad.."
The father left the cart with his son Charles and rushed to submit his daughter's name at the palace office stalls. Charles waited for a while at their cart. As he waited, he could see all the disappointed men and women pass by. They have failed to enter their daughters in. Charles sighs
"Hope my old man won't get his hopes up."
"...Dad?"
Charles looked up from his hands and saw his father approaching the wagon. He was unsure of the outcome as his dad was hard to read. The father pulled out the invitation ticket.
"Your sister is going to meet the queen."
He smiled, looked at the invitation, and put it deep into his pocket for safekeeping. He bragged to his son,
" I managed to get the last spot amongst other barons and viscounts."
"That was the easy part, Dad. Now you have to convince Emerie to go."
Charles chuckled at his dad and motioned the horses to pull the cart to ride back home. The father puts his hand on his chin as he appears to be in deep thought,
" Yes, that is another challenge we must face, son."
" Yep, Dad."
" Wait... WE?!?"
The father looked up to the sky and crossed his arms, smiling, not saying a word.
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On the other hand, the Queen's invitation reached the doors of the Quindoors' mansion. The mother, Wileena Quindoor, smiled as she opened the envelope.
" Finally, all my hard work has paid off."
" Eleanor, my dear. Please come here."
" Coming, Mother."
She smiled and folded the invitation back up. Eleanor closed the books she was reading and entered her mother's study room with Fiona, her maid.
" You called for me, mother?"
" Yes dear, please come sit."
Fiona helped Eleanor sit beside her mother, anticipating what she would say. " We have received an invitation from the Queen.
" Eleanor, you have been invited to be a bridal candidate."
" Are you saying I will be part of the royal family, mother?"
Wileena smiles and hands the invitation to Fiona to give to Eleanor. Eleanor squeals in her seat and clears her throat to gain composure.
" For formalities, you must participate in the bridal selection; however, the queen owes the Quindoor family a great debt."
" You must attend promptly; leave no room for doubt. Be sure to thank the Queen as well."
"Yes, mother."
Eleanor exits the room with Fiona. Since she was a little girl, she was told she could be the next Queen, and now her chance is here. She looks at the invitation one more time and smiles.
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In time for dinner, Charles and Edgar Casseroff finally returned home from the capital. His wife, Meredith Casseroff, welcomed them home as she finished making dinner for her family. Hearing the commotion downstairs, Emerie ran down the stairs to greet her father with a hug as her maid, Marlene, trailed behind her.
" Welcome home, Father!"
" Welcome home, my lord &...Charles."
" Emerie, tell Marlene to call me her lord, too."
" Brother, please, a rock displays more wit than you ever could."
" Now Emerie, don't tease your younger brother. Come sit at the table for dinner."
The mother shook her head and called everyone to the table for dinner. Emerie looked at Marlene, then at Charles, and laughed till they nearly cried together. Emerie and Marlene always teased Charles. Although Marlene was a maid, Emerie always treated her as a close family friend, practically a sister she never had. The family sat down at the table and passed around the food bowls. It was the usual warm atmosphere. The flagrant aroma of slow-roasted beef with gravy covers the mashed potatoes with corn and greens. It filled the family's nostrils before it could fill their stomachs. As always, it was a good time with the family; however, Charles was tasked to do what was inevitable.
" Umm, sis. I have something to tell you."
" ..Dad got you an invitation to be part of the capital's bridal selection."
" Son, I told you not to throw me under the wagon now."
The father pulls the invitation out of his pocket and gives it to Charles. As Emerie's body froze with the fork still in her hand, she was filled with shock and disbelief, along with her mother, Meredith, and the maid, Marlene. Charles begins to read the invitation for everyone to hear.
"Emerie, You have successfully requested and will be invited to participate in the Kingdom's royal bridal selection.
Please be at the Palace of Landry 6 candle flicks sharp. (6 AM)"
Emerie shot up and out of her seat with her hands slamming down on the table. She looked at her brother, who was showing her the invitation and looked at her father.
"What did you just say?!"
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