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* Deceased King: Walter Alexander Milo James Theodore *
Dowager Queen: Evelina Amelia Katherine Magdalena Elizabeth [61]

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King: Brandon Joseph Atticus Desmond Rhys [30] His Majesty King Joseph
* Deceased Queen: Susanna Elizabeth Viviana Anastasia Matilda *
Prince: Quinton Edmond Peregrine Basil Simon [12] His Royal Highness Prince Quinton
Princess/Prince: Rosabelle Evelina Susanna Irena Joyce [9] Her Royal Highness Princess Rosabelle / Walter Brandon Donovan Matthew Bernard [9] His Royal Highness Prince Matthew
Princess: Alexandra Elizabeth Charlotte Victoria Jane [8] Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra
Prince/Princess/Princess: Gideon Percival Samuel Michael Jacques [3] His Royal Highness Prince Gideon / Julianna Matilda Gwendolyn Anastasia Yvaine [3] Her Royal Highness Princess Julianna / Katarina Zoe Marina Viviana Leah [3] Her Royal Highness Princess Katarina
Queen: Judith Eliana Minerva Lydia [28]
Princess: Liliane Annabel Cecelia Theresa Honor, Her Royal Highness Princess Liliane [nb]

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From the Royal House of: Tyrian
In the Kingdom of: Irnys

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Only two months passed before Bran was forced to marry Judith, the daughter of Duke Roland, the ruler of a small island that was once part of Irnys. Irnys needed his legendary spies to help with the war effort, but he demanded his daughter be married to the king before the spies were given. So after meeting her only twice before, Bran stood heartbroken at his second wedding and married Judith. The children, especially Quinn, were furious and felt betrayed that their father would replace their beloved mother so quickly. They stood with their grandmother at the wedding, their aunt Gabriella, uncle Lucian, and Aunt Theresa holding the triplets. Susanna's family kept the children behaving in an appropriately dignified and regal way, though they could not bring themselves to talk them out of their anger. Though all Susanna's sisters and brothers and most of her nieces and nephews all fully understood why it had to happen, most couldn't help feeling just as upset with Bran for marrying so soon after Susanna's death.

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Judith herself was not thrilled with Bran. She wanted to marry him because she wanted the power and the position that would come with him. But Bran was far from her ideal husband. For one thing, he didn't worship her the way that she had always imagined her husband would. Beautiful, educated, and rich, she was used to respect and even adoration. Bran clearly didn't even like her. He allowed no celebration after the wedding, but returned to the war room with his advisors the moment the ceremony was over, and Judith was left basically to herself. She had to bring her own ladies and servants because none of Susanna's would agree to serve her. Her stepchildren would not even be in the same room with her--not that Judith liked children in any case, but she felt it disrespectful of them--and she was surrounded by people who were a constant reminder of how much Queen Susanna had been loved by everyone. The people were basically outraged, almost the entire population of Irnys very against the marriage even though they generally knew it was Judith's father who provided the spies that kept the skirmishes from becoming full scale war.

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Bran refused to spend his wedding night with Judith, instead spending it in the nurusry with his children. He had Judith shown to a suite of chambers near the ones that he and Susana had shared. The thought of sharing his bed--Susanna's bed--with Judith was something he couldn't handle. Eventually his children forgave him as they saw he took as little interest in their stepmother as they did. Judith was allowed to do as she liked, spending her generous allowance renovating her chambers and giving herself an extravagent wardrobe. Their marriage was not even consummated for a long time. This was discovered after a full year, when the advisors tacitly suggested that perhaps he should have a child with Judith to cement the alliance with her father. The advisors, knowing that Bran would probably never approach Judith, convinced her to approach him. They encouraged her to threaten to tell her father if he continued to refuse to share her bed. Knowing the spies were what was keeping the war at bay, Bran gave in and agreed to visit her bedchamber. A routine began: he spent one hour with her once a month. Other than that, he rarely saw her, and the children almost never did. They didn't even take their meals with her, and she took no interest in them. Susanna's family took over helping Bran raise them, and Quinn was an enormous help with his younger brothers and sisters.

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Bran was at first horrified that he had gotten Judith pregnant, but not nearly as horrified as Judith was. She had never wanted to bear children; she almost hated her stepchildren, whom she saw as spiteful, and was horrified at the thought of childbirth. But Bran would not let her have the physicians end the pregnancy. Though he didn't want her child any more than he wanted her, the idea was distasteful to him. So after an easy pregnancy and childbirth Judith made more fuss than was strictly necessary over, Judith gave birth to a baby girl. As soon as Bran saw her, he couldn't help it. He fell in love as he had with his other children. Judith, however, did not. She had always found newborn babies ugly and gladly handed the child over to a wet nurse. She did not even assist in the naming, though the children did. Liliane was named to honor Susanna, whom Bran couldn't help viewing as her true mother as he was still very much in love with Susanna. The children couldn't help loving their little sister as well. Judith happily gives all responsibility for Liliane to Bran and her stepchildren. She takes no interest in raising the child she hardly feels is her daughter. She returns to her expenses, taking up gambling as well. The Quinn, Rose, Walter, and Alexandra all make a pact to keep Judith, or "That Woman" as they call her, from influencing their younger siblings at all, even the one she gave birth to.

This message was edited 9/1/2011, 1:33 PM