The Fate of a Haldane Princess Part II

[Shiral]

           "I understand completely, Sire."

          "Since you showed tremendous discretion and good sense, last winter, I believe you. I certainly wouldn't have told just any junior squire all this.

             "But about your seeming older than you are brings me to another matter I've been meaning to speak to you about. Sit down. You and need to be serious for a little longer."

           Alaric swallowed and obeyed as the King sat down again, facing him. "Have I done something wrong, Sire?"

         "Not wrong, precisely, but rather more adventurous than was wise. Do you feel yourself ready to become a father, Alaric?"

    "No! I mean not at all, Sire! I'm not nearly ready for that!"

         "No, you are not, and I'm glad to hear you realize that, Alaric." Brion smiled. "But I've heard certain reports that you had a most interesting evening with a lass down in Millesfleurs during our visit last summer. The sort of interesting evening that can complicate your life in very serious ways that you're better off not having to cope with, quite yet."

             "I yielded to temptation, I suppose," Alaric whispered.

             Brion let out a yelp of laughter. "I'm not your chaplain, Alaric!  Save that for your next confession.  Telling us what sins we'll have to atone for in the next life is what we have priests   for. And the girl down in Millesfleurs was at least as reckless as you were—even more so considering she was taking a greater risk than you were.

         "However since Lord Kenneth is no longer here, I think you and I had better talk about some of the practical consequences of coupling that can happen  here in this life. As your King, I am telling you very pointedly to cool off and wait for any more of these interesting evenings, at least until you are of legal age.  Even after that, don't be in a hurry, and always think before you act."

            "Yes, Sire," Alaric whispered.

         "You are already the Earl of Lendour, and you will soon be the first Duke of Corwyn in three generations since the death of Stiofan Anthony," Brion continued. "That will make you one of the Great Lords of my realm. When you are of age, your Ducal councilors in Corwyn will be very interested in seeing you marry and secure your legal succession. They won't be best pleased if they learn you've already sired a gaggle of ducal bastards out of wedlock. I know all this, because I've heard it all from my own Council, already. And Father impressed my dynastic duties upon me in very specific terms before he died.

    "I don't expect you to live like a monk, Alaric, but I am telling you you will need to be careful about your future dalliances. I believe you are already a more honorable man than my regrettable brother-in-law, but certain families will see you first as a Deryni and a threat, while others may welcome the Duke of Corwyn and Earl of Lendour for the eligible bachelor you will be. For them, any concerns they may have about your being Deryni will be less of an issue, but you'd best assume the issue will always be there in some way, openly or no. Either way, things will be rather more complicated for you than for the average young nobleman.  But there are three things I want you to keep in mind."

"I'm listening my Lord."

       "Be prepared. Simply dancing with a young lady you've just met at a court feast is harmless enough, but   find out what you can about her before you pay any more marked attention to her than that. Find out about her family connections—you'll want to avoid initiating contact with any girls with blood ties to the DeNore family and a few others. My mother can advise you—her knowledge of  Gwynedd's peers is exhaustive. She'll understand why you are asking. Take things slowly, above all."

        "And the second thing?"

         "Should you find that coupling with a commoner girl has got her with child, it's important to be as discreet as possible. Confide only on people you know you can trust for help in resolving the matter. It may be a matter of providing a home and an allowance for the girl and her child to live on comfortably. In certain cases it may be best to help her relocate to a new place to make a fresh start. Be generous to her—you can well afford it and will make a very great difference to her and to her child. She is more likely to be discreet and not be a problem for you in the future if you leave her with a good opinion of you.

     "But do try to avoid such situations if you can. Fathering a child out of wedlock needn't be a disaster for you if you are careful, but remember that association with you could be dangerous for any such child and for that child's mother if they fall into your enemy's hands. This will be a particular problem for you on account of bringing a Deryni child into the world. We both know that child could potentially come to a very bad end. So could the mother."

       Alaric shuddered, thinking of the forms that could take. "Because of DeNore, Sire?"

     "DeNore and others," Brion confirmed. "Far too many others, frankly.  Your rank protects you, at least a little, but wouldn't necessarily protect your commoner child. Especially from an enemy of yours who would be glad to cause you pain.  That is why I urge you to slow down and proceed with much more caution."

    "What if the girl is not a commoner, My Lord?"

      Brion sighed rolling his eyes.  "Do us both a favor Alaric and make a point of avoiding compromising young noblewomen! Resolving that sort of scandal would be far more serious and would involve far more than just money!  The higher a girl's rank, the greater the likelihood you will have to deal with indignant parents who had very different plans for their daughters. Nor would I blame them for being angry!"

       Brion heaved a sigh and closed his eyes for a moment, clearly working to calm himself. Alaric shrank down in his chair, wondering what could have lead him to ask so insensitive a question after the last hour.

    "But that does bring me to the third thing I want you to think about in terms of your future dealings with girls," The King continued. "Above all, I ask you to remember Xenia's fate. For one misstep, she has lost so much.  The world is weighted very heavily in our favor as men. What might be a mistake for you could be a disaster for the  girl in question. Be good to her, be generous and be honorable. Ask yourself how you would want other men to treat your younger sister when she's older.   Treat other girls as you want her treated."

       Alaric forced himself to meet the King's eyes. "I will remember what you have said today, Sire. Upon my honor."

    "Thank you." Brion smiled back.  "I daresay I've lectured you long enough already for one afternoon, but I will also ask you to promise Prince Richard will never learn from you that you beat me quite thoroughly at Cardounet this afternoon. Should he find out I was beaten by a junior squire, he would never let me forget it."

       "I will say nothing unless he should ask me a direct question about it, Sire. I shall not of course lie in that case."

        "You impudent pup!" Brion laughed. "Fortunately my esteemed uncle took to his bed with a head cold last night, and his favorite remedy for such ailments is a stiff shot of Rhennish brandywine. If I'm lucky, he's still abed making life difficult for his attendants."

     Bordan reappeared and waited courteously just behind Brion's chair. "Begging your pardon my Lord, your bath is ready, and Godfrey is laying out your clothes for this evening's feast."

         "Good heavens it's already that time?" Brion stood and stretched.

   "It is still early Sire, but I know you dislike dressing in a hurry," Bordan replied.  "Lord Rhodri also asked me to remind you there is still the matter of the incomplete payment for the emerald necklace to attend to."

     "Yet another person ready to take me to task for being an extravagant bridegroom," Brion sighed. He winked at Alaric. "But I cannot retreat to the fantasy of being a wool merchant I suppose."

       "Would you wish to remain one for long, Sire?" Alaric asked. "After all, the Princesse Jehane would not be best pleased to find herself betrothed to a wool merchant. And you could not be sending her such magnificent gifts as emerald necklaces."

      As Brion blinked at him in surprise, Alaric feared he had been too presuming. To his relief, the King burst out laughing. Even Bordan had to hastily stifle a laugh of his own.

    "Dear God no, she would be horrified!" Brion gasped when he was able to speak again. "And even if Jehane were willing to overlook marrying a commoner, King Meyric absolutely would not!  Off with you, Alaric. I believe you are on duty for the feast tonight?"

    Alaric nodded. 

        "Then let us both be about our preparations," Brion said kindly. "And remember what I have told you. Good night, Alaric."

     "Good night Sire," Alaric bowed as Brion passed him, giving him a gentle punch on the shoulder in passing.

      That night waiting at table in the Great Hall, Alaric stood straight and quiet behind Queen Richeldis' chair, Silke, and Nigel and her Ladies in waiting surrounding her place. No place at table had been laid for Xenia, and her empty chair was now occupied by Silke. The mood was subdued but festive enough. A year ago, there would have been no such solemnity.
Alaric could not help still hearing Brion's words the whole family misses Xenia over and over again in his head. Silke he knew, had sorely missed her only sister all that year. He wondered what sort of table Xenia presided over in her husband's household. Given her ability to charm people, he hoped for her sake, that she had formed some bonds in Akadia. There was no denying what Rhemuth and the Haldanes had lost, in the Princess Xenia.

[DerynifanK]

A wonderful story Melissa. Your writing is amazing and I was excited to see more posted today.  I enjoyed Brion's warning to Alaric and his description of the impact on the woman of relationships outside of marriage. I have to say, no wonder Alaric didn't marry until he was thirty.  I wonder if every time he approached a woman he could hear Brion's voice in his head warning him. And I wonder whether Brion ever thought he might have overdone the warnings and created a situation where he was considering ordering Alaric to marry. However, his wait was amply rewarded when he found the perfect woman for him in Richenda.  I love the relationship between Brion and Alaric and the way he sometimes forgets that he is talking to a barely 12 year old.

[revanne]

A lovely treat for a cold winter afternoon. Thank you Shiral, for giving us further insight into the relationship between Brion and Alaric.

The thought crossed my mind, for the first time, that possibly had Brion had a daughter he might have hoped that he could marry her to Alaric.

[Jerusha]

An interesting turn in Brion's conversation with Alaric, but a necessary one, I think. I was never really comfortable with Alaric's brief indiscretion, and Brion's lecture will make Alaric think twice, and probably three times, before a recurrance.

[Evie]

A lovely treat for a cold winter afternoon. Thank you Shiral, for giving us further insight into the relationship between Brion and Alaric.

The thought crossed my mind, for the first time, that possibly had Brion had a daughter he might have hoped that he could marry her to Alaric.

If I remember correctly, Jehana had a daughter after she had Kelson, but their daughter was either stillborn or died very young. But it does make for an interesting Alternate Universe scenario, if that daughter had lived long enough for a betrothal.  (Though Jehana would have had kittens at the very thought of marrying any child of hers to the "dastardly Darkling Duke"!)

[Nezz]

Well that was a lovely story. Thank you for showing the young men being sensitive to—and learning to be sensitive to—a woman's place in their world. Along with their knowledge of the unfairness of Xenia's fate.

[Shiral]

A lovely treat for a cold winter afternoon. Thank you Shiral, for giving us further insight into the relationship between Brion and Alaric.

The thought crossed my mind, for the first time, that possibly had Brion had a daughter he might have hoped that he could marry her to Alaric.

If I remember correctly, Jehana had a daughter after she had Kelson, but their daughter was either stillborn or died very young. But it does make for an interesting Alternate Universe scenario, if that daughter had lived long enough for a betrothal.  (Though Jehana would have had kittens at the very thought of marrying any child of hers to the "dastardly Darkling Duke"!)

Kittens? Full blown lion cubs, I think! She'd have sneezed bricks! She would have thrown a different kind of fit if Silke and Alaric were even rumored to be betrothed. Alaric himself warned Princess Silke that Jehana's enmity toward him would probably make any marriage between the two of them impossible. (He was pretty gobsmacked by Silke's suggestion himself.) Brion might have consented though, if Jehana had not been in the picture. But...she was. And he let her set far too many terms after they reunited. Melissa

[Laurna]

In TKD, as Alaric's duties were to Queen Richeldis and her daughters, I got the impression that Alaric and Silke were getting closer and as they grew up would find each other attractive. Their titles were perfectly matched for one another. And I believe they would have had a happy marriage with many children. But life got in the way, and it was not to be. Xenia's abrupt marriage and short unhappy future, effected Silke very heavily.
The future Queen Jehanna would have been sure to keep Brion's sister far away from the Deryni Duke.
And here we see Brion giving Alaric a serious mentoring on the subject that was usually dispensed by a father. I love seeing Brion taking serious step to performing the duties that would have been Kenneth's. Alaric would have not dared to look at Silke in this year maybe hoping that they had years to find each other. And by the following year, Silke was heartsick over her sister and looking to the church. I am sure Jehanna did not discourage that vocation. Sadly the romance that could have been, was never started.

Shiral, I love seeing Brion be a father/mentor and not just a king.

[Shiral]

In TKD, as Alaric's duties were to Queen Richeldis and her daughters, I got the impression that Alaric and Silke were getting closer and as they grew up would find each other attractive. Their titles were perfectly matched for one another. And I believe they would have had a happy marriage with many children. But life got in the way, and it was not to be. Xenia's abrupt marriage and short unhappy future, effected Silke very heavily.
The future Queen Jehanna would have been sure to keep Brion's sister far away from the Deryni Duke.
And here we see Brion giving Alaric a serious mentoring on the subject that was usually dispensed by a father. I love seeing Brion taking serious step to performing the duties that would have been Kenneth's. Alaric would have not dared to look at Silke in this year maybe hoping that they had years to find each other. And by the following year, Silke was heartsick over her sister and looking to the church. I am sure Jehanna did not discourage that vocation. Sadly the romance that could have been, was never started.

Shiral, I love seeing Brion be a father/mentor and not just a king.

Thanks, Laurna! The first time we meet Alaric Morgan, he's deeply mourning Brion, even as he hurries to help Kelson, knowing that's what Brion and Kelson needed most from him. In DR, he describes Brion as "a father and a brother," and that's the start of the relationship I tried to show, here. Not only that Brion steps up and takes Alaric under his wing and gives him "the talk" as an older more experienced man (Or at least A talk), but I also wanted to show that Alaric, even if only by sitting and listening, helps Brion ease his unhappiness and anger over his sister's fate.

Thanks to everyone else for your kind comments. I never had the impression that Brion was at all happy about Xenia's fate--I think he loved and pitied his sister. But as King, he truly did have to think about the entirety of his Kingdom and not only about her fate.  Much as he clearly wanted to fold, spindle and mutilate Sigismund, he HAD to think of the cost of that action and the death and destruction a war with Torenth would cause.

As Brion points out, the society he lived in was outrageously unfair to women. He wasn't about to make a lot of societal changes, but he was conscious of it.  Royalty was also very interested in avoiding public scandals. Modern royals still are. Princess Diana found it a hard life, certainly. And a difficult family to marry into.   I love reading about  KK's Universe, but I'm sure glad I don't live in it as a woman!

I believe that Alaric and Silke did grow up as friends. She, being older, thought of him romantically before it dawned on HIM. Had the timing worked out to their advantage, perhaps they could have made a good life, together, but they would have weathered some storms as well, Alaric being who he was. Maybe that gap between her status and his could have been bridged, and maybe Brion couldn't have allowed it, even if he regretted it.  I hope Silke found her Conventual life satisfying.   

Melissa

[revanne]

I had forgotten the conversation between Silke and Alaric.


I have wondered why Brion allowed Jehana such leeway after their reconciliation though perhaps he was aware how vulnerable he was with only one heir and hoped for another?


As I understand it conventual life could be a very positive option for wealthy medieval women. Not all convents were austere by any means and it was an opportunity for women to enjoy considerable day-to-day freedom from male authority, and of course from the danger of repeated pregnancies and childbirth.

[DerynifanK]

I do hope Silke found some happiness in the conventual life if that was her final choice although I don't think her final decision was ever told. We heard no more about her after Jehana left the convent. I wonder how much her choice was influenced by Jehana. Although Jehana eventually  came to learn about, accept and even embrace her Deryni heritage, I think she did a lot of harm before she reached that point.  And i always felt rather sorry for Brion. I always wondered if he would have been more accepting of magic and learned more  about how to use his Haldane powers. If he had, maybe he would have not been vulnerable to Charissa's attack. How much of a part did Jehana's strong aversion to Deryni magic play in his failure to learn more about or develop them.