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HelpRe: Saphirdufeu’s Royal Congrats - Round 7: Justice is Bloody and Swift
in reply to a message by saphirdufeu
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House of Wessex
H [dec]: King Philip Arthur Fulk
W [52]: Dowager Queen Edith Adeliza (formerly of Northumbria) / "Queen Mother"
D1 [33]: Baroness Eleanor Agnes Berengaria
-Bethrothal [d. 45]: Renard Humfrey Ayr, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
-H [32]: Hugo Alvar MacDougall, Baron Atholl (from Northumbria)
--S1 [4]: Simon Arnold MacDougall
--S2 [2]: Edmond Rune MacDougall
S1 [31]: King Geoffrey Fulk Edmund
-W [30]: Queen Aline Blanche Isabelle (formerly Rennes)
--S1 [11]: Prince Crispin Helias Isambard
--S2 [11]: Prince Faramond Jehan Balian / "Wryneck"
--D1 [9]: Princess Theophania Elizabeth Cecilia
--S3 [8]: Prince Teodoric Martin Edwin
--D2 [5]: Princess Amelia Johanna Dorothea
--Ward [8]: Mary Adela Runa of Brittany
D2 [29]: Queen Mathilde of France / Reine Mathilde de Wessex (Maud Alice Emma)
-H [37]: King Charles Benoit of France / Roi Charles
--S [9]: Prince Lionel Niall Damours
--D [3]: Princess Marie Elisabeth Damours
S2 [dec]: Prince James Christian Henrik
S3 [25]: Deacon Percival of Wessex (Percival Julian Richard)
D3 [22]: Princess Maria Frances Avelina
-Betrothal [25]: Rupert Einar Rotheberg, Earl of Arundel
S4 [13]: Prince David Lance Edward
Justice is Bloody, and Swift
It ended at the Second Battle of Oxford (Oxenaforda): October 25, 1198. In the first battle it was two rival nations, who afterward became one. But for this second battle, it was a king preventing his people from being torn asunder. It was bloody. It was brutal.
And King Geoffrey I was victorious.
He was present at this Second Battle of Oxford. The night before he had cloaked himself in dark, inconspicuous winter layers and heard the resentments and anxieties of his men. Their doubts. On the morrow he appealed to them, tossing aside any notion that this was for tyranny or greed, but rather for honor in duty. Six years before, on that day, his firstborn sons had been welcomed into the world, the heir to the throne named for the feast day. And on this day, he and his brothers-in-arms would celebrate victory over the mendacity that would seek to ruin their lives - that other men alive this day would think themselves beggarly and contemptible for having not participated. Geoff rallied his men, and even entered the fray with them.
When the tide of battle turned against them, Guy the Pretender felt it. He knew it was over - and he left the field, but not before sending a messenger to his wife in Brittany in secret. Geoff saw his great uncle and engaged in pursuit, overtaking his horse and bringing him to the ground. Geoff could have slain him in that moment, and been completely justified. But he wanted the trial. He wanted law and order to be restored in Wessex & Mercia. So he captured Guy, to take him back to the castle at Bath as a prisoner.
Word reached Brittany quickly, and the Pretender Queen Grainne knew what she had to do. She was certain the victorious monarch of Wessex would not spare her children to risk revenge later. She didn't know how her children would be dispatched, though she imagined it would be as gruesome as her own execution. There was only one choice before her: she had to kill her own children, painlessly, before taking her own life. She then retrieved a powerful painkiller from the apothecary and administered a fatal dose to her young son, Arthur of Brittany, who obeyed his mother's urge to "go to sleep." Toddling Mary, on the other hand, was not so obedient, and she evaded her mother and castle guards long enough for Wessex forces to arrive. They took Grainne away as a prisoner as she cursed her daughter's name the entire time; and they were appalled to see young Arthur lying in his bed, deceased. Now they had a very young girl-child to worry about.
While this was happening in Wessex, Princess Eleanor had found herself betrothed to the older Grand Duke of Luxembourg. However, not a week after the negotiations were finalized, Grand Duke Renard was thrown from his horse and broke his neck. Just like that, a second engagement for Nell ended, and she began to believe she was cursed, much to Queen Mother Edith and Princess Maria's lamentations.
As evidence was being gathered for the trial of Guy and Grainne of Bath, the Comte and Comtesse of Aubert (their son and heir, Tobias, fell in the Second Battle of Oxford), and some others - and while they stewed in the dungeons - Queen Aline gave birth to a fifth child: a second daughter, Princess Amelia. Princess Theophania was glad to not be surrounded by only little boys anymore. When Mother Arilda's testimony regarding the alleged confession of Archbishop William arrived from Northumbria, along with her copy of Guy's original letter, the trial commenced. There was a pretense of a defense for Guy, acting from his own judgement of what was legal, but everyone knew it was a lost cause - that the evidence of his ruthless ambition was overwhelming. When the damage done to Wessex & Mercia - to its people, its crops, etc. - had been fully illuminated, King Geoffrey I passed down the sentence of execution to Guy, Grainne, Guy's daughter (and Geoff's first cousin once removed) Margaret, Guy's son-in-law Comte Aubert, and the surviving conspirators. Heirs to these titles, who did not participate in the rebellion, had to cede some holdings to the crown, but otherwise they were allowed to carry on with their lives. (Except all titles and holdings belonging to Guy of Bath, those were completely absorbed into the crown.) And it was deemed prudent for little Lady Mary of Brittany to be raised in the capital, among her second cousins, in order to negate the desire for revenge in the future. And so she became Geoff and Aline's ward.
Percival, having renounced all claim to the throne, was appointed Deacon, and is continuing his studies to become a priest. He has his sights set on eventually becoming a cardinal.
Back in Northumbria, Nell's disposition would not be described as "depressed," mostly "dazed." The new Grand Duke of Luxembourg had written to Queen Mother Edith regarding a betrothal, but given what they had heard of his nature the Wessexes were reluctant to agree. Nell didn't know what to do. Castle Atholl, near her maternal relatives in the capital, belonged to Baron Hugo MacDougall of Atholl. Without realizing, Nell wandered onto the grounds of his estate, and Hugo happened upon her in the forest. He began a rather cheeky conversation with her, claiming to doubt that she was really a princess and not some wood sprite sent to lead him astray. When Nell's uncle, King Reginald of Northumbria, discovered them after having sent out to look for her, he greeted the son of an old friend, and friend to his own son. Nell tried to make herself believe she had been annoyed by his company, but she found herself wandering through his forests more often. They met more times, and within the course of a month had fallen quite madly for one another. Nell hadn't thought she was capable of such a feeling, and finally understood her sister, Maud, and her relationship with Charles of France - for which Nell had resented her for the better part of a decade. Declining the proposal of the Grand Duke, the House of Wessex accepted Hugo's suit (despite him being so much lower than royalty on the nobility tier), and Nell remained in the kingdom that had become her home more so than that of her birth. Within the next five years, Baroness Eleanor MacDougall of Atholl gave birth to two sons: Simon and Edmond. As for Nell, who had dreamed of being queen as a child, she decided that a barony was significantly easier to manage than a whole kingdom. And then she decided to write her sister, Maud, a letter - her first communication with her sister since her marriage to the French Prince.
Three years ago, the King of France passed in his sleep. Charles and Maud's coronation was almost immediately after the funeral, and thus they became le Roi Charles et la Reine Mathilde. That same year, Maud finally birthed a second child, this one a daughter: Princess Marie. Little Prince Lionel marveled at how tiny she was, though the kingdom seemed disappointed that she had not been born a spare for the throne. As far as King Charles was concerned, though, two kids were more than enough to manage!
Queen Mother Edith returned to Wessex with Princess Maria and Prince David once the war was finally over, after Nell had married. Geoff was disappointed at not being able to come to the wedding (though Percy had visited from the priory), but he had entirely too much on his hands to abandon his duties. Edith and the Dowager Countess of Arundel missed the late Earl terribly, but his son Rupert had proven himself in a few battles during the civil war, including the Second Battle of Oxford. It wasn't long before the families negotiated an alliance through marriage: Earl Arundel and Princess Maria. While Maria had witnessed the love matches of her sisters, she hadn't believed she would experience that for herself. She had always felt... different. But Rupert was kind to her, so she couldn't really ask for more.
As for David, he had picked up his older sister Maud's archery hobby, and was teaching his twin nephews Crispin & Faramond. The twins were best friends, which was expected of identical twins. It was becoming apparent that Crispin, as the future king, would be the attractive, charismatic face of the country, while Faramond would be the mind behind the curtain holding everything together. Phannie was truly a little princess, dreaming of being queen someday, while Teddy didn't care for that nonsense and wanted to sail the high seas. As for Mary of Brittany, she had adapted surprisingly well, not seeming to notice that she lived on the charity of relatives. It would appear that if she ever resented her past, it would be due to outsiders influencing her feelings, not the people raising her.
***
Please rate my personal name lists:
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/109399
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/91835
http://greens-end.myminicity.com/
House of Wessex
H [dec]: King Philip Arthur Fulk
W [52]: Dowager Queen Edith Adeliza (formerly of Northumbria) / "Queen Mother"
D1 [33]: Baroness Eleanor Agnes Berengaria
-Bethrothal [d. 45]: Renard Humfrey Ayr, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
-H [32]: Hugo Alvar MacDougall, Baron Atholl (from Northumbria)
--S1 [4]: Simon Arnold MacDougall
--S2 [2]: Edmond Rune MacDougall
S1 [31]: King Geoffrey Fulk Edmund
-W [30]: Queen Aline Blanche Isabelle (formerly Rennes)
--S1 [11]: Prince Crispin Helias Isambard
--S2 [11]: Prince Faramond Jehan Balian / "Wryneck"
--D1 [9]: Princess Theophania Elizabeth Cecilia
--S3 [8]: Prince Teodoric Martin Edwin
--D2 [5]: Princess Amelia Johanna Dorothea
--Ward [8]: Mary Adela Runa of Brittany
D2 [29]: Queen Mathilde of France / Reine Mathilde de Wessex (Maud Alice Emma)
-H [37]: King Charles Benoit of France / Roi Charles
--S [9]: Prince Lionel Niall Damours
--D [3]: Princess Marie Elisabeth Damours
S2 [dec]: Prince James Christian Henrik
S3 [25]: Deacon Percival of Wessex (Percival Julian Richard)
D3 [22]: Princess Maria Frances Avelina
-Betrothal [25]: Rupert Einar Rotheberg, Earl of Arundel
S4 [13]: Prince David Lance Edward
Justice is Bloody, and Swift
It ended at the Second Battle of Oxford (Oxenaforda): October 25, 1198. In the first battle it was two rival nations, who afterward became one. But for this second battle, it was a king preventing his people from being torn asunder. It was bloody. It was brutal.
And King Geoffrey I was victorious.
He was present at this Second Battle of Oxford. The night before he had cloaked himself in dark, inconspicuous winter layers and heard the resentments and anxieties of his men. Their doubts. On the morrow he appealed to them, tossing aside any notion that this was for tyranny or greed, but rather for honor in duty. Six years before, on that day, his firstborn sons had been welcomed into the world, the heir to the throne named for the feast day. And on this day, he and his brothers-in-arms would celebrate victory over the mendacity that would seek to ruin their lives - that other men alive this day would think themselves beggarly and contemptible for having not participated. Geoff rallied his men, and even entered the fray with them.
When the tide of battle turned against them, Guy the Pretender felt it. He knew it was over - and he left the field, but not before sending a messenger to his wife in Brittany in secret. Geoff saw his great uncle and engaged in pursuit, overtaking his horse and bringing him to the ground. Geoff could have slain him in that moment, and been completely justified. But he wanted the trial. He wanted law and order to be restored in Wessex & Mercia. So he captured Guy, to take him back to the castle at Bath as a prisoner.
Word reached Brittany quickly, and the Pretender Queen Grainne knew what she had to do. She was certain the victorious monarch of Wessex would not spare her children to risk revenge later. She didn't know how her children would be dispatched, though she imagined it would be as gruesome as her own execution. There was only one choice before her: she had to kill her own children, painlessly, before taking her own life. She then retrieved a powerful painkiller from the apothecary and administered a fatal dose to her young son, Arthur of Brittany, who obeyed his mother's urge to "go to sleep." Toddling Mary, on the other hand, was not so obedient, and she evaded her mother and castle guards long enough for Wessex forces to arrive. They took Grainne away as a prisoner as she cursed her daughter's name the entire time; and they were appalled to see young Arthur lying in his bed, deceased. Now they had a very young girl-child to worry about.
While this was happening in Wessex, Princess Eleanor had found herself betrothed to the older Grand Duke of Luxembourg. However, not a week after the negotiations were finalized, Grand Duke Renard was thrown from his horse and broke his neck. Just like that, a second engagement for Nell ended, and she began to believe she was cursed, much to Queen Mother Edith and Princess Maria's lamentations.
As evidence was being gathered for the trial of Guy and Grainne of Bath, the Comte and Comtesse of Aubert (their son and heir, Tobias, fell in the Second Battle of Oxford), and some others - and while they stewed in the dungeons - Queen Aline gave birth to a fifth child: a second daughter, Princess Amelia. Princess Theophania was glad to not be surrounded by only little boys anymore. When Mother Arilda's testimony regarding the alleged confession of Archbishop William arrived from Northumbria, along with her copy of Guy's original letter, the trial commenced. There was a pretense of a defense for Guy, acting from his own judgement of what was legal, but everyone knew it was a lost cause - that the evidence of his ruthless ambition was overwhelming. When the damage done to Wessex & Mercia - to its people, its crops, etc. - had been fully illuminated, King Geoffrey I passed down the sentence of execution to Guy, Grainne, Guy's daughter (and Geoff's first cousin once removed) Margaret, Guy's son-in-law Comte Aubert, and the surviving conspirators. Heirs to these titles, who did not participate in the rebellion, had to cede some holdings to the crown, but otherwise they were allowed to carry on with their lives. (Except all titles and holdings belonging to Guy of Bath, those were completely absorbed into the crown.) And it was deemed prudent for little Lady Mary of Brittany to be raised in the capital, among her second cousins, in order to negate the desire for revenge in the future. And so she became Geoff and Aline's ward.
Percival, having renounced all claim to the throne, was appointed Deacon, and is continuing his studies to become a priest. He has his sights set on eventually becoming a cardinal.
Back in Northumbria, Nell's disposition would not be described as "depressed," mostly "dazed." The new Grand Duke of Luxembourg had written to Queen Mother Edith regarding a betrothal, but given what they had heard of his nature the Wessexes were reluctant to agree. Nell didn't know what to do. Castle Atholl, near her maternal relatives in the capital, belonged to Baron Hugo MacDougall of Atholl. Without realizing, Nell wandered onto the grounds of his estate, and Hugo happened upon her in the forest. He began a rather cheeky conversation with her, claiming to doubt that she was really a princess and not some wood sprite sent to lead him astray. When Nell's uncle, King Reginald of Northumbria, discovered them after having sent out to look for her, he greeted the son of an old friend, and friend to his own son. Nell tried to make herself believe she had been annoyed by his company, but she found herself wandering through his forests more often. They met more times, and within the course of a month had fallen quite madly for one another. Nell hadn't thought she was capable of such a feeling, and finally understood her sister, Maud, and her relationship with Charles of France - for which Nell had resented her for the better part of a decade. Declining the proposal of the Grand Duke, the House of Wessex accepted Hugo's suit (despite him being so much lower than royalty on the nobility tier), and Nell remained in the kingdom that had become her home more so than that of her birth. Within the next five years, Baroness Eleanor MacDougall of Atholl gave birth to two sons: Simon and Edmond. As for Nell, who had dreamed of being queen as a child, she decided that a barony was significantly easier to manage than a whole kingdom. And then she decided to write her sister, Maud, a letter - her first communication with her sister since her marriage to the French Prince.
Three years ago, the King of France passed in his sleep. Charles and Maud's coronation was almost immediately after the funeral, and thus they became le Roi Charles et la Reine Mathilde. That same year, Maud finally birthed a second child, this one a daughter: Princess Marie. Little Prince Lionel marveled at how tiny she was, though the kingdom seemed disappointed that she had not been born a spare for the throne. As far as King Charles was concerned, though, two kids were more than enough to manage!
Queen Mother Edith returned to Wessex with Princess Maria and Prince David once the war was finally over, after Nell had married. Geoff was disappointed at not being able to come to the wedding (though Percy had visited from the priory), but he had entirely too much on his hands to abandon his duties. Edith and the Dowager Countess of Arundel missed the late Earl terribly, but his son Rupert had proven himself in a few battles during the civil war, including the Second Battle of Oxford. It wasn't long before the families negotiated an alliance through marriage: Earl Arundel and Princess Maria. While Maria had witnessed the love matches of her sisters, she hadn't believed she would experience that for herself. She had always felt... different. But Rupert was kind to her, so she couldn't really ask for more.
As for David, he had picked up his older sister Maud's archery hobby, and was teaching his twin nephews Crispin & Faramond. The twins were best friends, which was expected of identical twins. It was becoming apparent that Crispin, as the future king, would be the attractive, charismatic face of the country, while Faramond would be the mind behind the curtain holding everything together. Phannie was truly a little princess, dreaming of being queen someday, while Teddy didn't care for that nonsense and wanted to sail the high seas. As for Mary of Brittany, she had adapted surprisingly well, not seeming to notice that she lived on the charity of relatives. It would appear that if she ever resented her past, it would be due to outsiders influencing her feelings, not the people raising her.
***
Please rate my personal name lists:
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/109399
www.behindthename.com/pnl/69381/91835
http://greens-end.myminicity.com/
This message was edited 7/25/2018, 8:27 PM
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Thought I saw a hint of Henry V there at the beginning, what with the king disguising himself to listen to his troops prior to a big battle and all. Well done as always! The sheer amount of planning involved in this is quite impressive, I must say.
1
Thank you! I'm having a lot of fun with this!
1