The Vinandy's
The Vinandy’s: the history of the Batavian dynasty is a story series compiled and written by Gustaaf Vermeylen. Work is currently underway on writing down the stories about the Vinandy dynasty. It is a coherent whole of actual historical facts supported by fictional stories.
Theme music
The theme music for this story series comes from the documentary series about "The Romanovs:
Part I: The first Vinandy king
Part II: Inter regna
Part III: Golden Age of Vinandy
Part IV: The tree of many branches
Part V: Return of Vinandy
Main characters in this part:
Arkadius Frederik Gustavus des Vinandy, Holy Catologian Emperor, King of Amokolia, King of Batavia, Emperor of Francia and Grand Duke of Helderbourgh
Clara Sundara Waffel-Paine, ex-wife of Arkadius Frederik Gustavus des Vinandy
Elisabeth Asara des Vinandy, Princess of Austrasia
Margaery des Vinandy, Princess of the Beneluccas
Arkadius and Clara: A Royal Love Story
Even before this story series was invented, the love story between Arkadius and Clara was described in: Arkadius and Clara: A Royal Love Story.
The continuation of the story after the divorce of Arkadius and Clara is as follows:
Chapter 1: A fairy tale castle of a princess
"Your Majesty, we have just been greeted by the Storish air traffic control, and Storish fighter jets will soon be accompanying us," the co-pilot told the Frankish Emperor. "Thank you," the Emperor replied, winking at his daughter. She giggles, because her father frowns when he looks at the cards on the table. Yes, his daughter is winning without having to let her win. Smiling with paternal pride, he looks at the girl, he doesn't mind losing from her. She may win, now that it is not bad that she would lose. Soon, if she is the Queen of Batavia, then she cannot lose, then she must win. Gain all the evil forces that would threaten her country.
The fighter jets arrived accompanied the Kaiserlicher Reichsadler Eins to the airport of Amorica. The receiving committee knew that the aircraft would soon land when the fighter jets flew low. When the emperor and his daughter descended from the flight of stairs, the Vinandy song was played by the brass corps of the Chevaliers d'Oriflamme Sacré. A flower bouquet is offered to the princess, while the many flags flutter in the wind.
In a convoy of white luxury cars, the imperial guests are driven to the Château Cour-de-forêt. Both were very impressed with the castle, because it was the first time for both of them to see the castle. When the emperor was taken by the hand of his daughter, he only looked at the waiting woman in the doorway of the castle. He couldn't believe his eyes, a beautiful woman. Her red blond accented hair was a beautiful frame of a pretty face. Two blue eyes look at him, after which the emperor recovered from his gaze. The girl on his hand pulled him towards the waiting woman. “Welkom in Gasconje. Welkom in het Château Cour-de-forêt” said the woman in flawless Batavian. The Court master took the floor: “Your majesty and your royal and imperial highness, this is Esther Fatima Gudrid Ayreon-Kalirion ibn al-Majeed bin Sathrati af Ettlingum Freyu, de Châtelaine du Château Cour-de-Forêt”. The emperor was not sure if he would shake her hand, but his daughter preceded him and handed her the hand, "Hello, I am Elisabeth with a lot of names and titles." Esther grinned and gave Elisabeth the hand, "Thou can just call me Esther". Elisabeth answered quickly: "Thou, that’s not necessary ".
The emperor laughed at the spontaneity of his daughter and shook Esther's hand. "Thank thou for receiving us." Esther said to Elisabeth: "Your father already talks so nicely." Elisabeth chuckles. "Indeed," said the emperor, "let's just tutor." "Sounds good to me," Esther replied. "What is that tuto ... eh," Elisabeth asked her father, "That is using ‘you’ instead of ‘thou’.” Esther invited the imperial guests to move on, "We must not stand here in the door all day." In the hall the imperial guests looked with astonishment at the high decorated space. In the centre of the hall is a statue of Arkadius I, king of Batavia, half surrounded by the stairs. The company walked down a long corridor, where there were portraits of various Vinandy’s on the walls. A table was set up in a beautiful high room. Esther invited guests to sit at the table. Arkadius actually wanted to see more of the castle first, Esther noticed, whereupon she said: "The castle is not running away, you must be hungry." Elisabeth had already sat down so that her father could no longer refuse.
After the meal with typical Gascon dishes, Elisabeth played on the rug in front of the fireplace. Her father still had to do some work, because reigning of three countries never stops. Esther asked Elisabeth if she could join. "Yes of course", the girl answered enthusiastically. When her father came back into room after a while, he saw Esther playing with Elisabeth. He smiled, but still had to interrupt the game. After all, it was bedtime for his daughter. Esther brought the imperial guests to the most beautiful bedroom in the castle. After all, it is Elisabeth who has been assigned the castle, which gives her the most beautiful bedroom. A large bed is ready and after Elisabeth is changed, her father read a story. Esther left the room, but continued to peek at the scene. Although he is the emperor, king and grand duke of three different countries, he still reads a story to his own daughter. After the story, Elisabeth asked: "Dad, would you like to get married again". Arkadius was surprised by the direct question from his daughter, but answered: “Ehmm, if there is a woman who would not only want to marry your father, but also want to be a mother to your brothers and you, then I would like marry that woman”. "Daddy," the girl sighed, "that's a long answer." Her father smiled: "You are right, I am not in the Lagerhuis or the Reichstag". Elisabeth started to smile again. "Who would you want as a mama," Arkadius asked. "Today I had a great time with Esther", the girl replied. Her father thought for a moment and said, "It's time, young lady." He pulled the blankets and kissed her. "Good night, Elisabeth." "Good night, Dad."
The emperor walked back to the room with the cozy fireplace. There Esther sat on one of the armchairs, she looked up from her book when Arkadius entered. He was still thinking about the conversation with his daughter and he was nervous. As he walked to the remaining armchair, he wanted to say something, but a lump in his throat produced an inimitable sound from his mouth. He coughed, and Esther asked, "Are you all right?" "Yes, it's ... it's what my daughter said," replied Arkadius. "Oh," Esther responded, "may I know what". Arkadius thought for a moment and said, "Well, anyway, she likes you very much." Esther did not ask any further, although she had not heard the conversation, this could not be everything. "May I offer you something to drink?" She asked instead. A tray with a wide variety of beers was presented. "Ah, you know what I like," said Arkadius. Esther admitted immediately: "Of course I did a study of my guests". Arkadius smiled and then he was even more surprised when a selection of cigars was presented to him. "You don't mind smoking," he asked. "No, but don't expect to go French kissing afterwards," Esther said spontaneously. Arkadius laughed. The atmosphere relaxed and the two had a frank conversation. It was already very late when the two each went to their own room. Arkadius lay awake in his bed, staring at the ceiling. His thoughts did not stand still: ‘Esther, the contender for the mother of my children’.
Chapter 2: What a feeling!
The Châtelaine du Château Cour-de-Forêt, the Storjarla Esther Fatima Gudrid Ayreon-Kalirion ibn al-Majeed bin Sathrati af Ettlingum Freyu, Imperial Chieftainess of Normandie, Earla of Anglia, lay abed in her opulent bedchamber in Château Cour-de-Forêt. Esther's flat and toned stomach was supercalifragilisticexpialidociously buzzing of excitement: Her Imperial and Royal Highness could hardly lay still! The tremendous fluttering in her tummy was caused by having been struck by the dart of love twice over earlier that day.
First there had been the dart of motherly love: a whoosh of golden light, gorgeous and delightfully disruptive. It hit Esther when she, for the first time in person, laid her eyes on Her Royal Highness the Princess Elisabeth of Austrasia, awaking the latent loving mother inside her as well as hooking Her Imperial and Royal Highness for good on motherhood. The Princess Elisabeth was spontaneous, smart and witty as well as wise way beyond her years. Her Royal Highness also possesses a tremendous charisma, being the bodily culmination of numerous awesome ancestors.
Supercalifragilisticexpialidociously shortly after the first dart of love came the second one for Esther: striking Her Imperial and Royal Highness right in the heart, igniting the love of a woman for a man. In a bright golden burst of magic it transformed the Frankish Emperor into Sir Arkadius des Vinandy, Esther's Knight in Shining Armour: hotter than dragonfire and so exuberantly handsome that he could compete with Thordynnar Galtivaris in the good looks department, which is not too surprising since the Frankish Emperor descends from that hunky Elf too.
Esther lay skyclad between the Valtian Silk sheets that cover her humongous bed, her gorgeous body raging with love. She writhed and squirmed, twisted and turned, adamantely trying to calm herself down. The Earla of Anglia was exuberantly pumped like she had never been before; filled from head to toe with energetic excitement, enthusiasm and other wonderful emotions. To her tremendous delight had Her Imperial and Royal Highness' reception and hosting of her most honoured guests, the Princess of Austrasia and the Frankish Emperor been a smashing success; that was something which was for a substantial part owed to the excellent information provided by the Corps de Renseignement of the Fleur de Lys-Longships Guard and for co-equal parts caused by her own meticulous preparation - which included masterclasses with the famed Storish golfer Johanna Johansdóttir of the House of Ostqvist, the Storish chess champion Carl Magnusson of the House of Asker and her great-great-grandmother High Queen Mother Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir of the Houses of Kaupsted and the Descendants of Freyja, who in her teens had gained renown around Reikistjarna for her prodigious virtuosic skill as a pianist - and the efforts of the Maison du Duc de Gascogne, the ducal household of the Duke of Gascony. Moreover, due to fate she today had contracted a seemingly permanent bout of of mommy fever as well as run into the man she wanted to tie the knot with.
A true family man he is, that Arkadius Frederik Gustavus des Vinandy, who in spite of the tremendous burden of governing three sovereign realms, still found time to lovingly attend to his children. Given the fact that he was of good Imperial stock it would be a piece of cake to obtain the permission of the Imperial Longships Throne for their nuptials. With Arkadius, Esther could also fulfill her inherent duty of passing on her ancient lineage - which includes mythical giants like Björka Hnossdóttir, Kaiser Raynor I of Shireroth, Tuuler Kalir, Harald Freyjugjöf the Generous Giver, Rashid Shahanshah of Babkha and Kaiseress Noor of Shireroth - as her parents, the late Kaiseress Noor of Shireroth, of Glorious and Beloved Memory, and King Noah of Elwynn, would have expected of her. Esther Fatima Gudrid Ayreon-Kalirion ibn al-Majeed bin Sathrati af Ettlingum Freyu des Vinandy... That name most certainly had a tremendous Imperial and Royal appeal to it!
The Divine Power moves in such mysterious ways: us puny mortals never know when or where zie shall set up anyone of us for love. Hnoss had encountered Thordynnar Galtivaris in the Godsgrove of the Temple of the Lady and the Fisherman in Valtia; her grandmother Esther Ayreon-Kalirion, the sixth Emira of Sathrati, also known as Esther the Elder, had met her grandfather, Hallbjörn Haraldsson, who later served as Kaiser Hjalmar of Shireroth, at an informal reception held at the Hall of Hundred Hearths of the Vanadísarhall during Emperor Nathaniel of the Natopians' Imperial Visit to the High Realm of Stormark; her aunt the Storjarla Fjǫrleif Llængjarla of Eidsivarike had run into the love of her life, the Lady Alys Geloyra of the Milkhouse, while looking for adventure in The Green; and it had taken years before her father, King Noah of Elwynn, had pierced the mental armour worn by her mother, the late Kaiseress Noor of Shireroth, finally realizing her attraction to him. Ah, what a couple they were!
Her Knight in Shining Armour, Arkadius Frederik Gustavus des Vinandy, actually descends from a great knight from the days of yore: Count Bertolf des Vinandy, also known the Bertolf the Brave, the founder of the House of Vinandy. He is widely regarded as one of the finest knights ever, who even could teach famed and legendary knights such as Kendra Harcourt and Pierre Bourgault de Dampierre a thing or two. To this very day Bertolf is a folk hero in northern Batavia, Gascony and Francia with him featuring in innumerable tales. He is remembered as a jolly bon vivant, strong and competent ruler, champion of justice, and perfect chivalric lord with a hearty goodfellow manner; males would like to be like him and many a nubile damsel dreams of him wearing her favour.
A stanza of an ancient Gascon folk song, which she had sung to the Princess Elisabeth while the two of them where playing on the rug in front of the fireplace, popped up in her mind:
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There were the women of the village |
Arkadius in many respects governed his domains in a manner similar to that of his forebear Count Bertolf des Vinandy: patriotic, just, inclusive, hopeful, aspirational and inspirational. During his various tenures and reigns as a statesman and monarch he displayed wisdom and extraordinary leadership, gaining acclaim both domestically and internationally. In a recent article the Gascon newspaper called the Quill and Arrow wrote that Arkadius had "a proven track record of strong leadership and he recognises the challenges one must confront. Time and time again this scion of the Des Vinandy dynasty has also shown himself to be empathic, understanding, knowledgeable, pragmatic and sensible."
The thought of standing before the wedding table with Arkadius wearing a certain red Babkhi gown with the traditional Shahzamini golden embroideries, the very same dress in which her grandmother, Esther the Elder, tied the knot with her grandfather, Hallbjörn Haraldsson, and which was also worn by her great-great-great-grandmother Tuuler Kalir at the inauguration of Rashid Arsalani's Grand Viziership, years before him being made both Shahanshah of Babkha and Kaiser of Shireroth brought a smile bright enough the light up the entire planet on Esther's face. A feeling of peace and contentment came over Her Imperial and Royal Highness and then she slipped into a pleasant deep sleep, sweetly dreaming about hiking with her future offspring, both by acceptance and of her own body, in the Forest of St Michael on the Gascon island which is known as the Isle St Jeanne: a litter of children the size of a small army.
Chapter 3: Love at shipwreck
Weeks after she expressed her desire to sail the seas of Micras just like before, the moment was there. Again she would go sailing, as in her younger days. Different routes have been considered. From the Beneluccas to the Jasonian archipelago, or from the Beneluccas to the Princess Fränzi-Ferdinanda Island, or even to continental Batavia. Ultimately, a sailing route was chosen from the Beneluccas to Jorvik.
The salty sea air, the swell of the boat on the waves, the wind full of sails, in short: the feeling of freedom and the struggle with the elements. She loves that. But the reality is that she hasn't made a real sailing trip for years. Her work has prevented that. First when she was queen, now as princess and governor of the Beneluccas, she is still very busy. Yet an opportunity has been created to make her dream come true. A sailing trip and taste of the salty wind.
Her brother and her distant cousin were not entirely comfortable with her plans, but she had already done some trial trips with her crew around the Beneluccas. The test runs were successful, where necessary improvements were made. The sailing boat "Queen of the seas" was prepared and the supplies were brought on board. The princess was busy on the deck with the final preparations. And then the moment was there. The gangplank was brought in, the bunches were released, the boat separated from the quay.
A few hours later, the mountains of the Beneluccas can only be seen as green-gray contours on the horizon. On the port side you can see the mountains of the northernmost island of the Skerry Isles. When the sailboat will pass the north cape of that island, a change in the current and wind is to be expected. The crew takes the necessary preparations and eats a little before the sea becomes more restless. The princess steers the boat more to the west, so that the current is, as it were, cut. Just as expected, the wind changes and the western sea current is noticeable after the north cape has passed. Still it was not too bad.
The sailboat sails northwest again and the sea gets restless in the O’Rear Strait. The narrow strait makes the current very strong, but the weather also deteriorates. The princess is concerned if it turns out that a storm is starting on arrival in the Street of Pearls. The incidence of darkness only makes it worse. A fierce storm plays with the sailboat as if it is nothing. The big waves hit the deck, the mate is still trying to steer, but the storm has made it impossible to keep course. Efforts are made to hold on to ropes. The princess sends out a distress signal, but a reaction on the radio does not occur. On deck she wants to help with the ropes, but she sees too late that the main sail's boom has come loose. The boom throws the princess into the sea. A wave hits the boat and it starts to capsize dangerously. For a moment the boat seemed to be more stubborn, but the next wave does the rest.
The princess was barely conscious by the blow and managed to cling to a piece of wood. With the rope on the wood, she ties herself to the driftwood. The storm continues unabated. Then she loses her consciousness. Her eyes are closed, the sound is silent and everything is turning. Then she hears a voice say her name. First far away, then increasingly louder. A warm blanket was wrapped around her while she still wore her wet clothes. She heard the sea, but nothing like that night. No storm noises, no big waves. But calm waves that compete on a beach, whoever comes the furthest. Then she hears that voice say her name again.
"Margaery, are you awake ?!", then her vision sharpens and she sees a male face. Two brown eyes looked questioningly at her. She started to smile and reassured the man. She wanted to get up, but then she felt pain coming in all kinds of places. "Who are you?" She asked stammering. "Where am I? How do you know my name?” “Calm down,” the man calmed her down. “My name is Noah. You are on the island of Narvik. We just fished you out of the sea. Apparently you have suffered a shipwreck.” “My crew, my ship! ”She exclaimed, standing still. On the beach around her she saw parts of her ship washed ashore. Several crew members sat or walked on the beach, along with other men and women. "Narvik?" She asked Noah. “Yes, Narvik in Stormark. Just lie down again, that's better.” The man's strong arms guided her while she forgot her pain. The man put a water bottle on her lips and she drank from the bottle. Her eyes were fixed on the man's brown eyes. She no longer knew what happened to her. First shipwreck, now love fell over her.
Chapter 4: The king is dead, long live the king!
There were great concerns when the king of Arcadia fell seriously ill. But at his request, he was not taken to a hospital, but cared for in the castellum. His sister flew over from Narvik, his distant cousin from Helderbourgh. Arkadius and Margaery stood at the edge, while Gustavus gave his last orders.
“Arkadius, have Arcadia included as an autonomous region of Batavia. You will be the new king of Arcadia and Prince of Calbian. But make sure that this kingdom is not annexed by Batavia as a glory. It is up to you, but I would love it if Gustavus Nathan, when he is an adult, becomes the king of Arcadia." said Gustavus. Arkadius nodded in agreement. “Margaery, you will be raining in Arcadia. That way you can control Arcadia, because Arkadius already has a lot under his reign. "Margaery nodded and replied: "I will do what you ask of me."
Gustavus was tired and wanted to sleep. Arkadius and Margaery watched over the dying king. Gustavus' heavy breathing showed that he was struggling. A few hours later they were talking softly at the table on the other side of the room. Suddenly she stopped talking. The king's breathing had stopped, they got up and walked to the bed. "The king is dead," said Arkadius. "Long live the king," Margaery replied. Both cried for the loss of their wise and beloved Gustavus.
The news of the death of Gustavus led to much sadness in Arcadia. The king who took care of the unification of Arcadia is dead. In the following days, the deceased king was laid out, allowing people to say goodbye. The last goodbye was held in the Basilica of Koningsrots. The deceased king was laid out, behind which stood the new king. He carried all the regalia, while the coffin of Gustavus was closed. Then the coffin went to the mausoleum where Gustavus was buried.
Chapter 5: Hot soup!
In recent times it has been a nice experience to meet a woman who had fallen in love with him. And to be honest, he had to admit that he too had fallen in love. But as it is with falling in love, you see everything through rose-tinted glasses. Therefor he consulted his wise mother. She urged him to do the soup test.
So Arkadius started to prepare everything for that soup test. It had been some time since he himself would be standing in the kitchen, because normally the food was prepared for him. But this time Arkadius took Esther to the kitchen. There he invited her to sit down while he started preparing the soup.
That's how Arkadius got to work, under the watchful eye of Esther. Four whole garlic bulbs were put in a pan of water, loosened, but not peeled. He then made a "bouquet garni" consisting of parsley, thyme and laurel. Tied together with leek leaves. He scooped the garlic from the boiling water, after which he began to peel the garlic. The peeled garlic cloves were brought back to the boil together with the "bouquet garni". Then he adds some olive oil and puts the lid on the pan.
He then blanch the bacon strips. Esther looked surprised and asked, "Why are you blanching the bacon strips?" "That is to remove the dominant salt," replied Arkadius. Soon after, he poured the bacon strips and started making the white roux. He melted butter, added flour and cooked it dry. He checked the garlic cloves, which were softly cooked. Then he removed the "bouquet garni" and began to mash the garlic. Then added the roux.
He tasted the soup and added some pepper. It turned out to taste good, after which he put the bacon in the soup. Then took two robust soup bowls and scooped the soup into it. He finished that with some grated cheese. So he served Esther, while he sat down opposite her at the table. Esther smiled and her first bite was tasted under his watchful eye. "Wow," said Esther, "that's great!" Arkadius had also taken a bite and responded with "Mmm mmm".
Esther said she is very impressed with Arkadius' cooking skills, whereupon Arkadius modestly said that really is not a kitchen prince, but can prepare a few things. "Remnants of my student days," said Arkadius. When the soup bowls were empty, the rest from the pan was divided and eaten. Both enjoyed this simple dish. When the soup bowls were empty, Esther began to clear the table, pointing to Arkadius to remain seated. Arkadius sat back a little, when suddenly Esther sat down on his lap. As she continued to talk, he listened in silence. She leaned her head against his head and said, "The simple things, such as this simple soup, are sometimes the best things in life." Arkadius said, "Yes, that's right." Esther looked him in the eye and then he started French-kissing him.
Arkadius could jump around, dance around with joy. Esther had passed the soup test, with flying colours. A slight red colour was visible on her cheeks when they had stopped kissing. Arkadius laughed, and she said, "Why are you laughing like that?" “I tested you with this garlic soup, namely whether you would kiss me after eating this soup. So whether the garlic smell would matter. And it turns out, I didn't have to try if you wanted to kiss me. You already did that spontaneously!” Together they laughed and Esther said: “Good test! ”. Arkadius replied: "Passed with honours!".
Chapter 6: That was a supercalifragilisticexpialidociously funtastic day!
The Châtelaine du Château Cour-de-Forêt, the Storjarla Esther Fatima Gudrid Ayreon-Kalirion ibn al-Majeed bin Sathrati af Ettlingum Freyu, Imperial Chieftainess of Normandie, Earla of Anglia, was watching Her Royal Highness the Princess Elisabeth of Austrasia, her tummy fluttering with mommy fever. The little royal lady was fast asleep in her bed with an angelic smile on her face, tired but contented from the many fun adventures she and Esther had had on their first mother-daughter day out ever.
An hour or two before the dawn their day of mommy-daughter fun commenced with Esther taking a skyclad swim in the Lac des Têtards, one of the countless rivers, lakes and waterfalls where this part of the Duchy of Gascony which surrounds the city of Amorica, the Pays de Penthièvre of the County of Vannetais, is famous for. Esther is ever since the year 1652 when she was a Temple Handmaiden at the Thingeyri Temple under the mentorship of Princess Thiadís Ballindís of the House of Pellaiqua, one of the most senior Vanic Priestesses and Princesses of the Ancient ways ever, in the habit of taking a quotidianly nude early forenoon swim, the latter getting Esther quickly hooked on that healthy and relaxing aquatic activity. Her Imperial and Royal Highness usually takes such daily morning swim in La Rivière de la Bourluçon in the Duchy of Normandie or the Fulltrui Flow in the Jarldom of Gularike; or - when she is not in residence at Château de Vathune or the Vanadísarhall - in whatever suitable local river, lake or stream in the vincinity of the place she is staying.
The Lac des Têtards, which means "Lake of Little Ones" or "Lake of Toddlers" in Gascon Walsch, is warmed by the various thermal springs from which it emerges. Surrounded by numerous hilly, forested peaks and glowing luminous with minerals, the Lac des Têtards is one of the most famous natural swimming lakes of the Sacred Maiden Duchy. The lake derives its name from a folk belief, ancient beyond the memory of woman. It is said by the locals that any woman longing for a baby who swims in the Lac des Têtards will be rewarded accordingly. "The perfect place for me to swim then," Esther had chuckled when entering the warm, soothing caress of the lake's water.
Some time thereafter Esther was joined by Her Royal Highness the Princess Elisabeth of Austrasia. The little royal lady was on top of the world, enchanted by the fairylike atmosphere caused by Lac des Têtard's luminousness, the glow of platinum braziers providing heat in the morning cold as well as the illumination and soothing scents emanating from various crowned marble statues of Ladies in regal robes who hailed from Esther's long and glorious lineage - such as the Goddesses Freyja and Hnoss, Björka Hnossdóttir and the other Storlafðir, Tuuler Kalir, Esther Ayreon-Kalirion the Elder, Gudrid Thorbjarnardottir, Sara Rikjudottir Isammaður, Geirbjörg Gefialdrsdottir, Fatima al-Osman, Gunvør of Humlebæk, and the Kaiseress Noor of Shireroth - bowls of scented, burning whale oil cradled in their arms. Her Royal Highness was also looking forward to spending a whole day in Esther's company.
Elisabeth was allowed by Her Imperial and Royal Highness to mount her tummy, and with the giggling little royal lady sitting astride on her toned belly Esther backstroked various long laps in the Lac des Têtard's warm, luminous waters. Her Royal Highness felt like she was Bertolf the Brave mounted on a seahorse, speeding through warm, watery fields. "You are my red-maned seahorse," Elisabeth told Esther with a big smile during one of the laps in the lake. This made Esther laugh so hard that she nearly threw Her Royal Highness off. Elisabeth's spontaneousness was so adorable! "Well, I'm supercalifragilisticexpialidociously glad that you have left your golden spurs at Château Cour-de-Forêt then," the Earla of Anglia replied, mischievously winking. The two of them then burst into raucous laughter. A couple of laps later Esther swam to a shallower part of the lake where a lady-in-waiting of the Maison du Duc de Gascogne took Elisabeth off Esther's tummy while a Fleurinette put floaties on her arms and provided Her Royal Highness with a kickboard. Closely watched and guided by Esther, Elisabeth paddled and splashed away, causing quite the aquatic stir and spray: a prudent exercise which aides the little royal lady with the development of strong leg muscles, helping her to in time become a fine swimmer herself. Joyously Elisabeth went on until another lady-in-waiting signified from ashore that breakfast was ready.
While the pair of Scions of Saint Harald were being towelled off by maids of honour appertaining to the Maison du Duc de Gascogne, the rising sun sent fingers of light through the pale white mists of dawn. Esther seized the opportunity to explain to Elisabeth the itenary of their mother-daughter day out, informing Her Royal Highness about the places the two of them were to visit and the things they would do there. Elisabeth was enthralled by what she heard! Her girly eyes sparkled and she couldn't wait to embark on the string of adventures awaiting her in the coming hours. But first it was time to have most important meal of the day: breakfast!
At a formally laid dining room table, especially brought over from Château Cour-de-Forêt, which was situated by the lake's edge, the Princess of Austrasia and the Imperial Chieftainess of Normandie happily broke their fast by candlelight. The Fleurinettes who would accompany Esther and Elisabeth on their day out were seated near them at trestle table. All of them feasted on honeycakes baked with blackberries and nuts, buttery croissants, boiled goose eggs, tartines, sausages, lamprey fried up with onions and bacon, gammon steaks, brioches, galettes, fingerfish crisped in breadcrumbs, Gascon stew, pears, apples and oranges, and a Norman dish of onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, cheese, and chopped eggs cooked up with fiery peppers which once had been one of Björka Hnossdóttir's favourites. "Nothing like a hearty breakfast as rocket fuel for a long day of fun as well as to whet one's appetite for the seven-course lunch to follow at noon," Esther commented as their plates were filled by maids of honour. Elisabeth nodded enthusiastically. There were various beverages to wash it all down with: milk, coffee, mineral water, tea and fruit juices.
When the maids of honour were clearing the tables Esther and Elisabeth both remained seated in their comfortable chairs. Through binoculars given to them by a Fleurinette they - while letting the supercalifragilisticexpialidociously rich foods on which they had broken their fast, digest - enjoyed the gorgeous sights provided by the Lac des Têtards and the stunning views of the flora and fauna around that luminous lake. This was followed by Esther combining the practical with the pleasurable by playing a little educational game with Elisabeth. The tablecloth the covering dining room table at which they had breakfast was strewn with coats of arms of Batavian cities and other subdivisions of the Land of the Lions' Throne. If Elisabeth would get them all right, Her Imperial and Royal Highness would at nighttide read her a bedtime story of her very own choice. Naturally the little royal lady passed this test with flying colours and she chose "The Seven Battles of Bertolf"; a story about when Bertolf the Brave, the founder of the House of Vinandy, fought - and won - seven battles in a single day. "You little evening stretcher! That is one long story! You want to make it really late tonight, don't you? By the time I will be finished I will have blisters on mine tongue," Esther jokingly said. "If I truly was out to give you a hard time then I would have picked the "Chanson de Hruotland"," Her Royal Highness replied, mischievously dry, followed by a wink. "Touché," Esther conceded. And the both of them burst into raucous laughter.
A little while later the Imperial Chieftainess of Normandie and the Princess of Austrasia were in the saddle, surrounded by a swarm of mounted Fleurinettes, galloping away from the Lac des Têtards. Both of those Scions of Saint Harald were wearing a variation of the Fleur de Lys - Longships Guard full dress uniform which is reserved to members of the House of Orchids; the uniforms Esther and Elisabeth had donned appertained to the rank of Maréchal, the second highest rank among the Lyseni and therefore junior only to the Prévôt des Maréchaux. The little royal lady was mounted in front of Esther, securely strapped in a teaching saddle which allowed Her Royal Highness riding in tandem with the Earla of Anglia. All of them were mounted on Altamore coursers, a breed of swift horses introduced to the Lands of the Longships Throne and its Bilander by High Queen Asa the Beloved, the Second Lady Wife Mortal of High King Harald of Stormark. This type of horse is named after the Duchy of Altamore, a peerage from the Royal Kingdom of Gotzborg that Her late Imperial and Royal Majesty was associated with; first as Ducal Consort of Lord Raudúlfr Bloodhelm and subsequent to his passing away in the year 1514 as Duchess of Altamore in her own right. Asa and Raudúlfr were quite big on fast horse, and horse racing in particular, with them also having been the owners of a racecourse called the Altamore Downs, which is situated in the Yeorlskapp of the Storish Jarldom of Gularike which is known as the Skogsöarna.
When the forenoon fogs had completely cleared away the Pays des Tertres spread out beneath the mounted company and they halted. A plain stretching as far as the eye can see: wide, lush and green. Strewn by a wide variety of flowers, its vast flatness was dotted with hills and long, low hummocks. Esther pointed them out to Elisabeth with her white-gloved hand. "May I present to you, the Barrows of the Ancients." The Princess of Austrasia frowned. "Have we ridden onto a graveyard?" “There are barrows all over the Duchy of Gascony, Sweetling," Esther told her. "This is a land of legends. It is so very old." “And supercalifragilisticexpialidociously cold,” Elisabeth grumbled, pulling her ermine-lined royal blue cloak more tightly around herself and silently thanked Cato for thermal clothing. "A stove, my future kingdom for a stove," Her Royal Highness remarked, sarcastically dry. "So why have brought me here to the middle of cold nowhere?" "To provide you with a little, fun history lesson about various ancestors of yours and other historic individuals linked to your lineage who had exploits in this area. A smile bright enough to light up the whole of Micras appeared on Elisabeth's face and she immediately was all ears.
The Earla of Anglia embarked on a journey of tales of the Pays des Tertres, a region which has been shrouded in mystery for inumerable generations. This ancient land of wide, grassy hilly plains where half-hidden doors in the sides of hills open onto labyrinthine caves that wend their way through darkness to reveal unimaginable wonders and vast treasures deep beneath the earth. There are also countless barrows - the age-old graves of the Gasq, from whom the name of the Duchy of Gascony is derived - to be found. The largest of those barrows, the Grand Tertre which is situated in a hamlet called Mont-Dol, is said to contain the grave of the Great King of the Gasq who was also known as the Premier Roi des Tertres. Her Royal Highness especially liked the story about the Tertre d'Epée, the barrow where the Storjarla Björka Hnossdóttir invested the Count Grimalt of Gascony with a sword royal, an act of giving which elevated the latter from a Count to a Duke with royal status. Another tale she liked well involved the Tertre des Noces. This is the mount on which Tancredo d'Adraisio, the founder of the County of Adraisia, married Lady Richilde de Cáthau, the daughter of Duke Hrodwulf of Normandie, with whom he had eloped. Elisabeth's favourite story, however, was the one involving Count Bertolf des Vinandy seated on a big liquor barrel on a hummock called the Tertre de la Bière after winning the Battle of Loudéac, entertaining his knights and men-at-arms with bawdy jokes and tall tales while all of them feasted on various delicious dishes with mead, beer and ale flowing like water.
Time passed quickly and numerous tales later at Esther's command the troupe of horsewomen gave their mounts the spurs, speeding off to make it back to Château Cour-de-Forêt in time for the next events on the intenary: a knighting ceremony and the presentation of a new Frankish variation of the Fleur de Lys - Longships Guard flag to certain Fleurinots and Fleurinettes that were to depart for Francia to join the Frankish Sister Force of the Storish Fleur de Lys - Longships Guard to guard the Froyalan Tribunal and perhaps in future see the re-establishment of the Compagnie de la Connétablie d'Hyfrost as the police force of the Royal City of Hyfrost; this Frankish force, which had recently been refounded by the Frankish Emperor in the lands that were once part of the territorial holdings of the Elwynnese Royal Precinct called the Kingdom of Amokolia, is part of the tireless - and very successful - efforts by the Frankish Emperor to rebuild lands which were devastated by two disastrous decades of Livvist rule, but after his rise to power therein were supercalifragilisticexpialidociously rapidly moving towards His Imperial Majesty's goal of a society with peace, prosperity and justice for all.
The knighting ceremony and the presentation of force colours were to be followed by the Vǫrðrskípti, the formal changing of the guards ceremony in which sentries of the Fleur de Lys-Longships Guard providing ceremonial guard duties are relieved in the afternoon by a new batch of (wo)men-at-arms, including a galloping ride from Château Cour-de-Forêt to the Duke Brieu Barracks, the main barracks of the Connétablie Ducal in the City of Amorica which were situated in a castle called Château du Champilet. The Vǫrðrskípti was instituted in the year 1623 by the Storjarl Hallbjörn Haraldsson of the Houses of Ayreon-Kalirion and of the Descendants of Freyja during his period of Ruling Stewardship of the Flower of the North. It was one of the several measures taken by this Steward of Elwynn to increase the level of pomp and pageantry surrounding the Royal Family of the Land of the Two Sacred Rivers. As a special honour to the Princess of Austrasia the Fleur de Lys-Longships Guard would, with the leave of the Lady Regent of the High Realm of Stormark, perform the Konungsvagt, which means "King's Watch" in the Froyalanish language; this type of guard change usually only takes place when the Monarch is in residence and it is accompanied by a full music band of Fleurinots and Fleurinettes, including lutenists, flutists, drummers, fiddlers, pipers, trumpeteers, saxophonists and horn players. In addition it also features various acrobats and jongleurs.
Upon arrival at Château Cour-de-Forêt's lower courtyard, the Imperial Chieftainess of Normandie and the Princess of Austrasia received a ducal salute from the foot soldiers of the Fleur de Lys-Longships Guard and the Connétablie Ducal who were lined up there. "Now it is time to inspect these troops who are out here in your honour, ma petite. I may presume that you know how to do that?" Esther told Elisabeth. "Yes, very much so. I have watched daddy do that several times," the little royal lady said, vigorously nodding before donning the face appertaining to the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Arkadian Countries. Under the watchful eye of Esther - while Flambard, the Altamore courser where the two Scions of Saint Harald were seated on, walked past the assembled Þrírkronar and Connétabliens Ducals - Elisabeth inspected with a look in her eyes which would make Bertolf the Brave flinch, inspected the lined up troops. She's every inch a future queen already, Esther thought.
Having reached the Ducal Dais that had been erected on Château Cour-de-Forêt's lower courtyard for this occasion by craftsmen appertaining to the Maison du Duc de Gascogne upon completing the troop inspection, various Lyseni rushed towards the Imperial Chieftainess of Normandie and the Princess of Austrasia to assist the two of them with dismounting. This dais was a gorgeous raised platform with twin Ducal Thrones. It was covered with white silk which was embroidered with various patterns in colours associated with the House of Vinandy as well as achievements of arms from the Armorial d'Elisabeth, that is to say: the numerous coats of arms very duly and of right to be used by Her Royal Highness. Esther and Elisabeth each took a seat on one of the thrones and Her Imperial and Royal Highness commanded that the event's next phase could commence.
A troubadour of the Compagnie Royale des Cornemuses et des Tambours of the Fleur de Lys-Longships Guard bearing the name of Seinfreid d'Amboise appeared before the Imperial Chieftainess of Normandie and the Princess of Austrasia. Seinfreid bowed deeply for the pair of royals before performing a ballad that he had written especially for this event. With a voice which sounding like honeyed thunder he heaped praise upon Elisabeth, extolled the members of her most glorious line of ancestors, but also sang about the perils and pitfals of rulership in a world scarred by hatred, perfidity and betrayal. Anterior to taking his leave, Seinfreid received a standing ovation from Her Imperial and Royal Highness as well as Her Royal Highness, and also three cheers from the Tveirsilfrs and Connétabliens Ducals present at Château Cour-de-Forêt's lower courtyard.
The Connétabliens Ducals withdrew from Château Cour-de-Forêt's lower courtyard while numerous Fleurinots and Fleurinettes flowed onto that courtyard. With eagerness as large as the mighty bosom of the Lady Unna, those Lyseni set about to dazzle the pair of royal spectators seated on the two Ducal Thrones of the dais with one their amazing performances. In spite of growing up in cities like Ardashirshahr, Avaldsnes, Eliria, Goldshire Hamlet, Haraldsborg, Hyfrost, Konungursbýur and Lindström, and having dwelled over the years in palaces and castles like the Avaldsborg, Castle Islàn, Château de Vathune, Eliria Castle, the Lonely Light Castle, Mount Royal Castle, the Palace of Krull and the Palace of One Thousand Columns - and as a consequence having the watched Fleur de Lys - Longships Guard perform many, many times - the performance skills of the Þrírkronar never ceased to amaze Esther. The Tveirsilfrs are renowned - some say notorious - for their fondness of pomp and pageantry as well as being the masters of sprezzatura, the art of making something difficult look easy. Putting their best foot forward, the Lyseni smoothly - and seemingly effortlessly - performed numerous dashing manoeuvres of tremendous complexity, displaying a level of skill that other forces and troupes can only dream about and which often leaves their audiences wondering how do they do that. Frigga is one of the few outside the membership of the Fleur de Lys - Longships Guard, both past and present, who does know that, but Her Most Sacred Majesty is not going to tell you. Needless to say that this performance by the Þrírkronar in honour of the Princess of Austrasia also ended with a standing ovation from the twin Ducal Thrones by the pair of Scions of Saint Harald attending.
Beamingly a Fleurinot called Timothé Laframboise stepped forward, ascended the Ducal Dais and bowed deeply for the Imperial Chieftainess of Normandie and the Princess of Austrasia before kneeling on a prie-dieu which just had placed in front of the two Scions of Saint Harald, at the ceremonial distance of thirteen steps required by House of Ettlingar Freyu protocol, by a pair of his colleagues. Holding the rank of Chevalier de l'Hôtel du Roi, at that present time Timothé Laframboise was the most senior of the Storish Tveirsilfrs who were going to join the Frankish Sister Force of the Storish Fleur de Lys - Longships Guard. Her Imperial and Royal Highness and Her Royal Highness rose and walked up to Chevalier de l'Hôtel du Roi Laframboise. Elisabeth gently tore off the badges and patches signifying Laframboise's membership in the Storish Fleur de Lys - Longships Guard which serves in the Storish Biland which is known as the Duchy of the Jyleyjar from his full dress uniform. From a platinum platter offered by an aide-de-camp the little Llængjarla took the freshly made Frankish Þrírkronar badges and patches and skilfully attached them to the appropriate places on Chevalier de l'Hôtel du Roi Laframboise's ceremonial military attire. After having commanded him to rise Her Riverine Highness presented Chevalier de l'Hôtel du Roi Laframboise with the flag of the Frankish Fleur de Lys - Longships Guard. She declared that the Lady Regent of the Twenty-Six Jarldoms had released him as well as those colleagues of his who were also to depart to the Frankish Empire from all their oaths connected to their service in the Storish Fleur de Lys - Longships Guard. The Princess of Austrasia also wished all of them well and said that she was supercalifragilisticexpialidociously sure that they would serve as well in Francia as they had done in the Lands of the Longships Throne and its Bilander. This all was followed by three cheers from the Fleurinots and Fleurinettes present in Château Cour-de-Forêt's lower courtyard as well as applause by Her Imperial and Royal Highness and Her Royal Highness. Chevalier de l'Hôtel du Roi Timothé Laframboise again bowed deeply for the two Lady Descendants of Freyja and took his leave, upon which time had come for the next item on the order of business: a knighting ceremony.
"Is the person who is going to be knighted a dwarf?" Elisabeth queried when she noticed that the attributes of knighthood that were brought onto the Ducal Dais by various Þrírkronar were pretty small. "No," Esther said, gazing intently at the little royal lady. "At present she's relatively small of stature, but it is expected that she will grow to stand as tall as a queen". "So might the knightee be a young Archroyal then?" Her Royal Highness asked. "The Court of the Realm would surely grant a claim of Archroyalty if she would file such a claim, but because her birth and station, as recorded in the Kónga- og Aðalsfólksjóðursbók, supercalifragilisticexpialidociously trump that of a mere Archroyal there is no need for her to do so," the Earla of Anglia replied, intensifying her gaze that was firmly locked upon the young Llængjarla. Elisabeth was totally bewildered. All of a sudden she noticed - and recognized from old images from House of Vinandy lore - the coronet which was lying on a silken pillow that was held by a Lyseni, causing her to be dumbfounded. "Wh. . . wh. . . whe. . . where does that coronet come from!? How can it be here!? It was lost a century ago! And it should be mine!" Her Royal Highness blurted out with a stammer; this was something that did only rarely occur with her, a confident young lady blessed with the Gift of Gab. "Especially for this very special girl, her queenly great-great-grandmother tapped into her network of contacts from her days as a smuggler. It yielded the joyful result of finding out that this crown of yours had been re-discovered in a vault deep in the bowels of a castle located in this Sacred Maiden Duchy which is called Château les Roargues, a castle which is situated on the Isle St Jeanne near the town of Vacqueyras, Esther said." "Huh!?" Elisabeth exclaimed, totally confused. For a couple of heartbeats her mind raced at lightspeed. Then the penny dropped. . .
Esther would never forget the look of exultation that appeared on Elisabeth's face when the little royal lady had figuered out that she would be the one that was going be knighted. The Princess of Austrasia literally jumped for joy. Many a child's imagination is fed on tales of valiant knights and venerable chivalry, and Elisabeth is no exception to that. She would now, however, live the fantasy for real and be become a knight herself, just like her ancestor Bertolf the Brave. In the blink of an eye Her Royal Highness rose and, with what seemed to be the speed of light, dashed to the prie-dieu on which she then solemnly knelt down. Count Loris Depoorter of Boulaincourt, the Chancellor of the Order of the Batavian Knights Templar of Gascony, handed Esther the Imperial Sword of Gascony, a Valtian Steel sword which since times ancient beyond the memory of woman is known as Pureté. She unsheated the sword and held it aloft.
Countess Veerle Lissau of Champdeniers, the Lady Usher of the Orange Rod - another senior officer of the Order of the Batavian Knights Templar of Gascony - stepped forward and read Princess Elisabeth the ancient, solemn admonition of a knight, modified to her circumstances: "Be at all times strong in the faith of the Holy Catologian Church, always endeavour to protect the weak and vulnerable and the oppressed, and above all earthly things: love thy Sovereign Lord the King-Emperor and his right defend unto thy last breath with all thy heart and power." Then, charging her in the name of Cato to be brave, just, and a champion of the innocent, Esther dubbed Elisabeth a knight. Subsequently she invested the freshly created Knight Bachelorette with various attributes of knighthood: spurs, sword belt, livery chain, badge and a short sword, before placing the age-old Princely Crown of Austrasia, the crown which had been found in Château les Roargues, on the little royal lady's head. "Arise, Dame Elisabeth Asara des Vinandy of Cour-de-Forêt, a Knight of Anglethyr, Gascony and the Twenty-Six Jarldoms," the Earla of Anglia commanded. Rising, Her Royal Highness beamed so intensely and luminously that the spectators almost required sunglasses to prevent from being blinded by her radiance, and the crowd cheered so loud that if Château Cour-de-Forêt's lower courtyard had a roof it would have been blown off by the noise.
Posterior to Elisabeth's knighting as well as the official relief of the Fleur de Lys - Longships Guard sentries performing ceremonial guard duties at Château Cour-de-Forêt by a new batch of Lyseni sentries, the Imperial Chieftainess of Normandie and the Princess of Austrasia mounted Flambard again. In the company of hundreds of mounted Fleurinots and Fleurinettes the two Scions of Saint Harald embarked on a Vǫrðrskípti to Château du Champilet, where the main barracks of the Connétablie Ducal in the City of Amorica are located. Cheered on by the huge crowd which lined the Voie de Björka - a major Valtian Road which was commissioned by the Storjarla Björka Hnossdóttir and which connects all major ancient cities in the Duchy of Gascony - and threw flowers in their path, the Tveirsilfr horse(wo)men showed off their tremendous skills. Lyseni acrobats jumped from horse to horse, made saltos and performed other feats of unimaginable gymnastic skill while mounted Þrírkronar musicians played loud and lustily; and this all while galloping down the Voie de Björka at breck-neck speed. Albeit performed by mortals it drew comparisons to the Wild Hunt. Elisabeth had the time of her life watching the circus-like activity around her. To her tremendous delight was she also allowed by Esther to, from time to time, blow a warhorn.
In no time the two Scions of Saint Harald and their mounted party of Tveirsilfrs had reached Château du Champilet where they were received by Colonel Égide Vannier de Seyrès, Commandant of the Duke Brieu Barracks; Chrysagon de la Cruex, the Lord Mayor of Amorica; and various of their guests and senior staffers. Needless to say that Colonel Vannier de Seyrès, Lord Mayor de la Cruex and their staffers were favourably impressed with the Princess of Austrasia's royal demeanor and the mature and gracious way she performed the customary courtesies towards the host and his welcoming party. Elisabeth is really good at this, Esther thought. Barely having caught their breath from their wild horseback ride, the Imperial Chieftainess of Normandie and the Princess of Austrasia went to freshen up in one of the castle's Ducal guest rooms. It was situated above the castle's kitchens and they could smell meats roasting and breads baking. Happily chatting about events to come they, aided by a couple of maids of honour, freshened up and traded their Fleur de Lys - Longships Guard uniforms for elegant skirt suits. Full of anticipation, escorted by footmen and honour guards, Esther and Elisabeth then strode to Château du Champilet's Duchess' Ballroom for a rich lunch of seven courses with Colonel Vannier de Seyrès, Lord Mayor de la Cruex, various of their senior staffers as well as movers and shakers from the City of Amorica and its hinterland. Trumpets blared when the doors of the Duchess' Ballroom swung open for Her Royal Highness and Her Imperial and Royal Highness.
The guests stood along the tables as heralds called out the full names and titles of the pair of Scions of Saint Harald making their entrance. With maids of honour walking before them - scattering rose petals - pages in the Ducal livery escorted the Imperial Chieftainess of Normandie and the Princess of Austrasia down the broad central aisle of the Duchess' Ballroom onto the dais, to the seats of honour beneath a huge portrait of the Storjarla Björka Hnossdóttir on horseback in her full naked glory performing the Godgifusríða - earning the burghers of Amorica a considerable tax cut. The gallery above the ballroom was packed with musicians; drummers and pipers and fiddlers, strings and horns and skins. It was clear that this lunch would be an event of song and splendour, designed to trumpet the power and wealth of the City of Amorica, which had received the Charter which elevated it from village to city from the Lady Björka.
"Let the cups be filled for the Loyal Toast!" Elisabeth proclaimed, when the Gods and Goddesses had been given their due. "The High King, our Duke!" the lttle royal lady said, as she proudly offered the Gascon Loyal Toast to her great-great-great-grandfather; this was, in accordance with venerable tradition and ancient custom, repeated in unison by all those present. Accompanied by the musicians, a skald with a thunderous voice that filled every corner of the Duchess' Ballroom began to sing a song about Bertolf the Brave; and with that the feasty lunch was well and truly begun. The first dish that was served was a creamy soup of mushrooms and buttered snails, served in gilded bowls. Elisabeth tasted a spoonful of soup and pushed the bowl away. "Not to your liking, sweetling?" the Earla of Anglia queried. "There is to be so much food, Esther, and I must ensure that there is some space left for tonight's pancakes. I have a little tummy." Esther gave the little royal lady a warm motherly smile. She is so prudent already, and she will therefore be a fine Queen of Batavia, Her Imperial and Royal Highness thought.
Under the sprightly tunes played by the musicians dishes and entertainments, to the merriment of all, succeeded one another in a staggering profusion, buoyed along upon a flood of the finest beverages. Ten Sangunese master pyromancers conjured up beasts of living flame to tear at each other with fiery claws whilst maids of honour ladeled out bowls of blandissory, a mixture of beef broth and boiled wine sweetened with honey and dotted with blanched almonds and chunks of capon. Then came Babkhi belly dancers and sword swallowers, along with a leche of brawn, spiced with cinnamon, cloves, sugar, and almond milk. A Norman juggler kept half a dozen swords and axes whirling through the air as supercalifragilisticexpialidociously buttered peas, chopped nuts, and slivers of swan poached in a sauce of saffron and peaches were brought to the tables. Duelling Sólarish pipers nearly blew the castle down with battle tunes from the days of yore while servants moved in with skewers of sizzling hot blood sausages boiled in fiery oriental spices. A Frankish stand up comedian mounted his stilts and strode around the tables while making fun of Livvists and their meddlesomeness, all the while the guests were served a stew thick with leeks, carrots, barley, raisins, and onions, along with clams and chunks of cod, crabmeat and chopped mutton, all swimming in a stock of heavy cream, almond milk and butter.
The final course was the climax of this lavish lunch: a breathtakingly beautiful, pinky and crusty iced cake of ten tiers which was decorated with thousands of individually handcrafted sugar flowers. It lowest tier was two meters wide. All the guests stood, shouting and applauding, as that amazing piece of pastry made its slow way down the length of the hall, wheeled along by a half a score of beaming cooks. Their culinary feat was accompanied by a harper heaping praise upon various Dukes of Gascony throughout times through tunes and song. "They are bringing in the pie, ma petite. You are needed," Esther said. "Why?" asked Elisabeth, slightly bewildered. "You have the honour of being the first one to cut the cake." "But the cake is so big and I'm such a little girl!" the Princess of Austrasia replied. "No worries! I will be there to help you with the cutting." Her Imperial and Royal Highness assured. Elisabeth breathed a sigh of relief, and beamingly the little royal lady dashed to the cake followed by a motherly smiling Esther.
A Fleurinette bowed before the Imperial Chieftainess of Normandie and the Princess of Austrasia and offered them Pureté: a meter of ornate silvery Valtian Steel, bright with runes. Her Imperial and Royal Highness knelt to get to Elisabeth's level. She and Her Royal Highness then joined hands to lift the sword and swung it down together in a silvery arc. When the piecrust broke, a roar of delight went up from the Duchess' Ballroom, and the fiddlers and pipers in the gallery began to play a sprightly tune. "And the next big cake you will be cutting, will be at the wedding of you and daddy. I command it!" Elisabeth exclaimed cheerfully. "And I lovingly obey," Esther said. The Earla of Anglia took the little Llængjarla in her arms, and whirled her around merrily. The future Batavian queen regnant squealed of joy!
Esther and Elisabeth were served the first two pieces of the iced cake. It was beyond delicious! Just like the other guests they savoured every bit of it, and Esther caused a good number of pieces to be set aside to afterwards be brought over to Château Cour-de-Forêt for later enjoyment. Lots of sand had gone through the hourglass time had come too quickly for the two Scions of Saint Harald to say goodbye to Colonel Vannier de Seyrès, Lord Mayor de la Cruex and the guests, and off they were; travelling by motorcade to the Musée de Björka Hnossdóttir d'Amorica, the next item on their itenary, for a free range visit.
Even though nigh all the mythical giants and exceptional individuals of the days of yore who put an inedible mark on the lands which nowadays constitute Francia, Stormark and Batavia are long gone there are places which bring their world vividly back to life again. The Musée de Björka Hnossdóttir d'Amorica is such a venue. Bursting with venerable treasures such as books, manuscripts, statues, runestones, plans, coins, weapons, letters as well as other objects and artifacts, this lavish museum with its romantic atmosphere gives one the feel that one steps back into ancient times and that Björka Hnossdóttir or Bertolf the Brave could at any time emerge from one of its alcoves. The museum boasts gems like: Amorica's first city charter which was issued by the Storjarla Björka Hnossdóttir; a hoard of coins and other treasures from the ancient kings of 's Koningenwaarde; and a letter from Lady Ástríðr of Ettlingar Freyu to Count Bertolf de Brave, written during the Centuries of Blood, congratulating him on his victory in the Battle of Vaureix. Elisabeth had the time of her life in the Musée de Björka Hnossdóttir d'Amorica, feeling like a kid in a confectionery and relished every object and artifact she encountered like it was a piece of candy.
Strolling through its corridors, a little while into their visit to the museum, the Earla of Anglia saw the Princess of Austrasia staring at a display case with a frown on her face. In that display case a set of aluminium platters, cups and cutlery was exhibited; it was a gift from King Atericus X of Tyxixr to Count Bertolf des Vinandy. "What's up, sweetie?" Her Imperial and Royal Highness queried. "Esther, was Bertolf the Brave offended by this gift?" "No, why would he?" "A man of his renown and stature be given such a niggardly poor and cheap gift. . ." A smile appeared on the face of the Imperial Chieftainess of Normandie. "In Bertolf's day and age aluminium was a far cry from cheap. Before the advent of electrolysis as an industrial technique - which dramatically increased its availability, to the extent that it nowadays is a common metal and used in the most trivial and mudane products - aluminium was extremely difficult to extract that metal from its various non-metallic ores. Pure aluminium was therefore among the most precious of metals. This set displayed in in the display case in front of us was worth a kingdom in the days of yore." "Ah!" Elisabeth exclaimed with sparkling eyes, "Thanks for the explanatory information!" And the little royal lady sped off onto the subsequent leg of her journey of discovery in the Musée de Björka Hnossdóttir d'Amorica. Since all things mortal come to an end, Esther collected Elisabeth - innumerable of her fun discoveries later - and together the pair of Scions of Saint Harald went on to the penultimate out and about event of their mother-daughter day.
"Time to feed the Babkhi inside me and to introduce you, ma petite, to an ancient form of high-womanly pampering!" Esther told Elisabeth during the short walk which brought them to the Horiah Hammam a while later. The Horiah Hammam is an exclusive oriental bathhouse which was built in the year 1533 at the commission of the High King during the early years of his reign as Duke of Gascony as a gift for his second Lady Wife Mortal, High Queen Consort Asa the Beloved, who was a Sufi Muslima. The bathhouse's name is derived from Her late Imperial and Royal Majesty's Islamic name. The two pair of Scions of Saint Harald gasped when they entered - the both of them wearing the traditional bath-wraps - the High Queen's Chamber, the hammam's main room; it was one of the most beautiful, most atmospheric and enchantingly illuminated places they had ever seen. The High Queen's Chamber was circular with a domed ceiling and was decorated in white marble inlaid with patterns of blue and green. It was very hot and steamy inside. There was a shallow pool about ten or twelve feet in diameter in the center of the room. Smoke rose from various incense burners which sat on pedestals dotted around the pool, causing the air to be fragrant and also providing the space with a sensation of magical cloudiness.
With tremendous joy the Princess of Austrasia and the Imperial Chieftainess of Normandie experienced the traditional hammam, enjoying total relaxation through age-old techniques, warm water and a unique soap massage. This ancient cleansing ritual dates back thousands of years and its present form originates in the former Storish Biland which was known as the Sultanate of Deryacezamin. The hammam ritual started with a full-body scrub, removing dead cells are and moisturizing their skins with an aromatic body peeling which is rich in oceanic minerals and the antioxidants. Then, a clay mask wass applied to purify the body from the poisonous substances. Subsequently the bodies of the pair of Falconesses were lathered in soap with the soap bag, and stretched. Following that Esther and Elisabeth's hair was given a herbal wash, while the two Llængjarlas simultaneously enjoyed an indulging scalp massage to maximize the relaxation caused by this pampering. The exotic aromas, the soothing music, the warmth of the foam on their bodies, and the feminine attendants' caring touches made Her Imperial and Royal Highness as well as Her Royal Highness feel like they were just like the sultanas of the days of yore! "This is the life!" Elisabeth said, when the two of them were - dressed in sliken bathrobes - afterwards relaxing in a cooling down room adjacent to the High Queen's Chamber with a cup of Babkhi apple tea. Esther couldn't agree more. Life goes on, however, and a little while later they put on their skirt suits and left the Horiah Hammam to grab an eventide bite.
Just a few blocks around the corner from the Horiah Hammam there was a house of pancakes called the Bistro du Roi de la Orchidée Blanche where the Princess of Austrasia and the Imperial Chieftainess of Normandie had a supercalifragilisticexpialidociously delicious supper. The Bistro du Roi de la Orchidée Blanche is a pretty, upmarket cafe which specialises in petite déjeuners, and serves up some of the best pancakes on Benacia. Originally this establishment was known as La Voûte but after it received a Royal Warrant from King Noah of Elwynn, who was very impressed with the fruits of its staff's culinary labour during a visit to Amorica in the year 1637, the cafe changed its name in honour of its royal patron, the White Orchid King. Thick Gascon pancakes of impressive circumference were stacked up on their plate. Very generous quantities of seasonal berries were beautifully presented, and perfectly complemented by the ricotta, topped off with icing sugar and just the right amount of syrup to keep any sweet-toothed diner - whether royal, noble or common - happy. Elisabeth feasted on those pancakes. "Mmmmm....," the little Llængjarla said, "when I'm Queen of Batavia, I will grant the Bistro du Roi de la Orchidée Blanche a Royal Warrant, making it a purveyor to the Royal Court at Blanckenhof Palace." "They already got one," Esther lovingly interjected. "The more, the merrier!" the Princess of Austrasia parried. "And mayhaps they will change their house of pancakes' name to Bistro de la Reine Lyonnaise," she continued with a big fat wink. "Touché," And the two Scions of Saint Harald burst into raucous laughter before continuing to binge and purge on the pancakes.
Somewhat later that eventide, finally back "home" at Château Cour-de-Forêt after their long day of mother-daughter fun, the Princess of Austrasia and the Earla of Anglia - giggling like schoolgirls - showered together: a feast of indulging themselves in loads of silly, girly horseplay and splashing. Subsequently the pair prepared for bed with the help of several maids of honour; as a tender gesture of affection the pair of Scions of Saint Harald insisted on brushing each other's hair in stead of letting a lady servant do that. Great hilarity was caused by Elisabeth when she asked, mischievously winking, one of the maids of honour to fetch her a horse mane comb for her red-maned seahorse. Esther kept her promise to future Queen of Batavia and read Her Royal Highness the story called The Seven Battles of Bertolf. "Thank you, mommy, for this joyous day! You're the best!" Elisabeth told Esther with the most adorable of smiles upon the end of the loving reading, a couple of turns of the hourglass later. Her Imperial and Royal Highness teared up of joy, while Elisabeth quickly slipped into a supercalifragilisticexpialidociously deep sleep, littered with the sweetest of dreams.
Chapter 7: Splendour of an engagement
He thought about it for a long time. How would he ask her? One day he would ask advice from his distant cousin, Gustavus des Vinandy, in blessed memory. He had asked Clara to marry him on the beach of Paravel with a so-called washed-up treasure chest with wine and baguette. Only, even more than then, is a marriage proposal to Esther not the question of whether, but when. His mother even insisted that she thought Esther had passed all tests.
Esther had already arrived at Castle Islàn, it was a homecoming. Since the castle was in the hands of the current Amokolian king, the castle has been restored to its former glory. She stood on a balcony, overlooking the water. She was lost in thought when the sound of a helicopter awakened her. The helicopter came closer and eventually a flyby. She had to smile because she recognized the helicopter. Her lover came there. A warm feeling tingled in her belly.
The helicopter landed on the other side of the bridge, a moment later her lover came over the bridge. She descended to the courtyard, where she arrived at the same time as her beloved on the opposite side. The two lovers walked close to each other and fell into each other's arms. A heartfelt embrace and kiss took a while, but the loved ones themselves experienced that as just a brief moment. "What is it like to be back in this castle?" Arkadius asked. "It's great!" Esther replied.
"Come," said Arkadius, offering his arm. Together they walked arm in arm through the halls, corridors and stairs. They chatted, well, Esther mostly chatted. Arkadius was nervous and tried to hide that. Ah, how he loved her, her smile, her voice, the sweet taste of her lips. How hard is it to stay within limits. They both wanted it, but they had to stay strong. Only if they were married, only then would they experience their love for each other in pure form.
They arrived at one of the terraces of the castle. Because this terrace was round and on the corner of the castle, more than 180 degrees had a view over the water. "The view from here remains breath-taking," Esther commented. "Certainly," said Arkadius. A table for two, covered with a white cloth, stood ready in the middle of the terrace. Esther saw the table and looked at Arkadius. "How romantic!" She said.
Arkadius guided her to one of the chairs and gallantly moved her chair. Esther increasingly felt that this evening is different from earlier evenings. Everything was better prepared than she had experienced before. Dinner was set in three courses, while the couple in love had a light conversation. Then the moment came, Arkadius pulled something out of his inside pocket and he stood up. Esther wondered what Arkadius is going to do. She looked into his eyes and had to look lower and lower, because Arkadius sat down on one knee. She suddenly realized what was happening. He held her hand and asked, "Esther, will you marry me." "Yes!" She answered immediately and enthusiastically. A cry of joy escaped her and tears of joy appeared. Arkadius had taken a small box from his inside pocket, he opened it and a shiny ring became visible.
First Esther wanted to hug him and kiss him, before sliding that beautiful ring around her finger. "It fits exactly," Esther said, nodding emotionally. Arkadius said: "I must admit that Elisabeth was in the plot, she has measured your rings." "The sweetheart!" Esther replied. Fireworks were lit from across the water. The two fiancées enjoyed the spectacle. A bottle of campaign and two glasses were prepared. It was difficult to stay within limits when he accompanied her to the door of her sleeping quarters in the castle. But wished her good night and kissed her, then he left for his own sleeping quarters.
Chapter 8: Night concert at Blanckenhof Palace
On the eve of His Majesty the King marrying his fiancé, a night concert was organized at the Blanckenhof Palace. Royalist Batavians were enthusiastic, but did not want to hurt the King's feelings when they handed him a petition for the organization of this concert. The King was very happy with the petition. All available seats were reserved in no time. As a result, the lawn behind the garden was also made available, but many Batavians would still be disappointed. The access to the lawn was limited to prevent chaos. The concert was therefore screened on large screens throughout Batavia. Even in Arcadia, Francia and Helderbourgh there were already too many registrations for these occasions in advance.
The exciting moment was there when the King himself arrived in the garden of the palace. Esther walked by his hand in a beautiful blue dress. All those present, no matter how far they were from the stage, got up and applauded. Later news media reported that a standing ovation was given throughout Batavia for the arrival of the king with his fiancé. The palace, which served as the setting for the concert, could bring back painful memories to the King, because the palace was built for and named after his ex-wife. But as painful feelings there were, the King did not show it. He was visibly moved by the excessive applause. The applause was uncomfortably prolonged and "Long live the King!" Many Batavians were so happy, the King is home again.
The length of the applause was almost embarrassing, but the King signaled to the conductor that the music could start to sound as far as he was concerned. The conductor nodded and gave a few seconds in advance. As before, the music in the gardens of the palace sounded:
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