Eloise's Journey

Note from the actual author: This is a fantasy story I wrote sometime ago. Apologies to the various fantasy authors I was inspired by/shamelessly cribbed from. Any similarities to any actual people living or dead is unintentional, which should probably be assumed being as it's fantasy.

The Calandrian Chronicles: Eloise's Journey

From the pen of Tatiana Eversure, Royal Calandrian Historian, junior grade:

In my role as Royal Calandrian Historian I've been tasked by this office with relating the following story for public consumption. A story that on it's surface may seem somewhat frivolous but is an important one in the history of our great Nation and will, in this record, be relayed authoritatively to the people for the first time While it took place near 20 years ago when I was a small girl, every detail has been confirmed to me both by the people at it's core who are still with us as well as verified by documentation where possible. As a result, this book will bear the symbol of this office, meaning it is now the official account of the story, long the subject of much gossip and half-truths.

To understand this story some geographic knowledge is required of the Kingdoms and Nations mentioned within. While the principal nations are well known regionally, interest of this story is widespread, being as it has inspired similar undertakings around the globe. As such a very amateur verbal cartography will be undertaken.

The primary, of course, is Calandria itself. A relatively small, coastal nation on the eastern side of the Great Western Continent. Calandria has always had little in the way of land but blessed by what land there was. The Great Coastal Mountains encircle our western borders, providing the bountiful mineral resources that has long made Calandrian wealth the envy of many while simultaneously acting as the country's best defence against any aggression from those envious parties. Attempts by foreign parties to invade via the narrow mountain paths have always been beaten back by our dedicated soldiers with the bare minimum of casualties and the maximum of ease. After the mountains there is a relatively small valley of good farmland and roads before one reaches the capital city. The capital city encompasses the entire coastal region. The world's largest and busiest seaport is here which allows our ships to trade our wealth across the globe as well as providing docking for the unrivalled Royal Calandrian Navy. Thus it is that we are protected on land by the mighty mountains and on sea by our powerful ships.

These reasons, among others, explain why in it's long history, Calandria has never been successfully been invaded or there been a serious attempt made to do so. For near two thousand years, since the old Western Empire was fractured, Calandria has been a stable and prosperous nation. The people of Calandria noble and true, their skins tanned a light brown by the sun of our coast and their mannerisms orderly and refined.

The Ascibian Empire is, I suppose, the secondary player here. A nation of tremendous physical size but little by way of resources. It's once powerful military had been humbled in recent attempts at conquest at the time of our story. This led to economic problems within as, naturally, once a nation who has built itself on the spoils of war as well as dedicated much of their production to supplying their armies with supplies and materials finds itself in peacetime they can find the foundation they've built their economy upon to be a precarious one.

Despite these problems, The Ascibians had long been friends to Calandria for both geographic and economic reasons. Calandria was and is the Empire's largest trading partner. The Empire had the vast and bountiful farmlands Calandria didn't and required the metals and money that Calandria could exchange. Calandria has always been surrounded on all sides by the Ascibians. They shared the mountainous border to our west and stretched on for hundreds of miles both North and South. Trading via land would be near impossible without a friendly relationship with the Ascibians. Once the dominant power on the continent, at the time of our story they were thought by many to be in the final stages of any real power. Physically, Ascibian people tend towards the pale and slender.

The final nation relevant to our story is Nilfenhem. Less a nation really than a loose tribal collection of pirates, hunters, fishermen and raiders united under the banner of a War Chief. The harsh icy coasts of the North and several of the larger islands in the Frozen Sea were the lands they called home. Perhaps a result of the harsh climes, their people grew abnormally large and strong. It was their victories over the Ascibians that truly halted the Empire's aggressive tendencies and, though now at peace, there remained an unease between the two nations.

Throughout the story there may some historical issues that may need clarification. If so, I will provide editors annotations as RCH.

A final note before our story begins. Some of you may be asking both how I'm able to relay such intimate details about the events as well as why this office would write of them in such ribald and descriptive terms. The answer to the first question is simply the diligent research this office is known for combined with extensive interviews. The answer to the second, I suspect anyway, is that some of our drier histories have sold quite poorly amongst the public of late and our office is facing it's bi-annual budgetary review. I'm told amongst the common folk that tales of this sort are quite popular.

~Chapter One, in which tensions boil over~

"It is foolishness, utter foolishness"

Those were the words spoken by Princess Eloise as she paced about her sitting room. If she'd been the sort to swear or throw things she might very well have done so. This was not in her character, however. She'd been raised to be the very picture of stolid Calandrian royalty and the fire in her blue eyes were the only outward signs of her anger and disbelief. The wind was cool, a light breeze coming in from the bay that the Seaside Castle overlooked.

Our Princess was truly a beauty. She was said by all who saw her to not just conform to the standards of Calandrian appearance but also to be the finest example of it seen to date. She was of medium height with long, golden hair that was usually tied into an elaborate braid and skin that had been lightly kissed by the sun. Her face was at once aristocratic and delicate. High cheekbones and and a small, slightly upturned nose spoke to her high breeding while the sparkling sapphires of her eyes as well as the fullness of her lips simply spoke to how blessed she'd been. Her body was slender, soft and exceedingly well curved. Those curves, while earning her the admiration of all visiting nobility, palace guards and the occasional lucky messenger, tended to be well obscured by the formal, flowing silks she was required to wear as crown princess.

Truly, if she was one of many children she'd have been a terrific boon to her father. He could have demanded near anything he wanted for her hand and likely have found twenty dukes or visiting kings willing to pay the price.

But she was not one of many. She was one of one. The only child birthed by her mother, Queen Wilhelmina, before her tragic death when the Princess was only two years old. Eloise's marriage would determine the next King and the foolishness of which she spoke was the decision made in that regard. Today was the day marking her 18th year and, as custom, her betrothal had been announced. King Pietrus the IV had announced that she would be married to Francis, youngest of the three sons of the Ascibian Emperor.

(RCH: King Pietrus, though some may see him as the villain of this piece, was said by many to be a far more reasonable man before the death of his wife. Whether this is true or not, he was widely been come to known as King Pietrus the Incredibly Short-Sighted.)

"I don't know, Milady" spoke Georgina, one of the Princess' attendants "Francis is quite handsome and a Prince to boot. Girl could do worse."

"Don't be so bloody daft." the Princess replied, using language that was among the harshest she'd ever spoken "I was always going to marry someone of high birth. And handsomeness has nothing to do with the matter."

Eloise was no naive girl. She'd long known and accepted that any marriage she'd have would be one of political machination rather than of any childish notions of romantic love. What she'd long hoped for, what she saw as her duty, was that her father would choose the head of a powerful nation and important ally to align with and who'd rule to the benefit of both lands. Failing that, a intelligent Calandrian noble with a good head for statesmanship and warfare who'd make a fine king. As a last resort, she'd even have accepted a relatively harmless simpleton who she could rule through.

But Francis was none of those things. He was the scion of a dying nation who made no secret of his desire for the Calandrian throne merely as a means to funnel wealth to the rule of his father and then eldest brother in order to revive their failing military campaigns. He had no real head for military tactics or statesmanship either. A rude, vain boy who cared for little but his own indulgences.

"And handsomeness would be of scant relief when subjected to his peculiarities in the bedchamber." this was the Princess' Lady-in-Waiting, Marietta speaking. She was a beautiful, slightly less proper sort with copper hair and a penchant for dressing to tempt the notions of decency. Today was no exception, her dress low cut enough to give any sailor passing by the bay with a powerful looking glass a glimpse of an impressive valley of cleavage. She was a few years older than the Princess and her oldest and dearest friend.

"Oh, those are just rumours." Georgina said dismissively "Like you'd be privy to that."

"Me, no." Marietta shook her head "But I spoke with some of the girls in the delegation they sent last year and they said to me that..."

(RCH: Prince Francis' particular peculiarities have never been conclusively revealed. Very few women would ever admit to having been subjected to them and the ones that have have never spoken as to them in detail. None of the principals would even repeat to this Historian what Marietta claimed. The most persistent rumours on the subject have involved several of the larger farm animals and their ruder bodily functions. It is said by some that that the official story of Francis' death of drowning at sea years later was simply to cover up the truth of one of his predilections gone horribly wrong. This has not been independently confirmed.)

"Enough." Eloise interjected. She wanted to continue on the subject she'd brought up and was being made ill by the stories being told "Regardless of his supposed monstrosity the point is that he would deplete the treasury to further his family's idiotic ambitions. We would be a vassal state to a dying, wounded beast. I cannot allow that."

"Well, what can you do?" Georgina asked "Your father's made up his mind."

"I...." Eloise didn't know and stopped her pacing as she did her best to think of a strategy. "I can entreat upon him to change his mind perhaps."

"Seems unlikely." Marietta replied with genuine sympathy "I've heard he's already let the Emperor know and the wedding is to be in two short weeks."

"Well, I can...."

Eloise looked about the room, desperate. All she saw were the eyes of her two loyal friends and her well appointed chamber. Nothing in her sight gave her any ideas as how to avoid her impending nuptials.

"I don't care!" the Princess continued, her mind still empty of ideas for escape. "I will not allow my father to throw this country into ruin simply because he's a believer in old alliances. I'd rather let those four idiots in the town who call for an end to noble rule and a people's republic have their way."

(RCH: While the People's Movement was growing at this point in history, the extent of it was still relatively unknown by the Princess. She really did believe she was simply speaking of Efram Jacobs, William Thurgood, Anton Tebeds and Ignatius Poole, then the authors of the popular treatises on the benefits of a democratic government now referred to as The People's Manifestos. The Princess was a quarter correct in this assertion however as Jacobs was indeed an idiot who'd simply been credited as a contributing author because he worked in, and could provide access to, a printing shop.)

Georgina gasped audibly at this statement

"Milady, lower your voice." she whispered "Any folk, even nobles, who're found to be sympathizing with that lot are hanged by your father's decree."

"I don't care." the Princess replied "I'd rather roll the dice with what the mob thinks than let my fool of a father undo us with his lunacy."

"Milady, I beg you, lower your voice." Georgina looked genuinely fearful "Your father's guards are right outside."

"Half of the entire army could be here in the room and I'd say the exact same...."

"I think she's right, Princess." Marietta interjected, her expression seemingly undecided between concern and a wicked smile. "You never know who might hear you."

This did give Eloise pause. Marietta was not a sheltered, naive girl like Georgina. She knew the ways of the world. Eloise always gave Marietta's advice a great deal of weight and thought. She dropped the subject and sat down unceremoniously on her fainting couch, her frustration making the furniture's stated purpose the furthest thing from possibility. The three sat in relative silence for the rest of the afternoon as they continued with their needlework.

It was over the Princess' dinner with her father that night where she made her case for him to change his mind. She recounted all of her good practical reasons for why his choice had been a foolish one. To nearly every one of her arguments he'd simply responded with a patronizing "There, there" or "This is why men rule and not women" which had infuriated her to no end. He accused her of childishness and ignorance no matter how she went about detailing why such a marriage would spell ruin for the Kingdom. All he could respond with was simplicities about old friendships and parables about naive creatures who could not see the larger world around them. It was when Eloise, at her wits end, began to bring up the unusual sexual appetites her husband-to-be was said to have that her Father finally lost his patience.

"I am the King. My word is absolute law!" he shouted. Eloise simply looked at him angrily. He was an elderly man now. He'd had her at an advanced age and he was no longer the imposing presence of her youth.

"Father, I..."

"No!" he shouted again "You will marry who I have decided. You will provide him a sympathetic ear as he rules this land. Whatever he may ask of you in the bedroom it will be your wifely duty to consent!"

With his final words he threw his utensils down and angrily pushed his chair back from the table. The attending staff looked terrified as they watched the outburst. King Pietrus had been heard to order staff executed for the simplest offences when in a rage. Eloise remained seated throughout the King's outburst. She finished her meal icily as her father stormed from the dining hall. The cold look in her eyes and the furious action of her knife a testament to how she remained true to her convictions.

There was to be no more discussion on the subject that evening and Princess Eloise retired to her bedchamber afterwards. She lay in her bed angrily for several hours, trying to rack her brain for some manner of appeal but finding none, before drifting off into a fitful, restless sleep. She dreamed of nothing as she slept several hours, the breeze from the ocean turning the warm summer day into a chilly night. It was the sound of her bed chamber door closing gently that woke her and so she sat up, clutching her thick quilt to her body. If it was some impertinent guard or, worse, some assailant, she knew the thin material of her bed clothes did little to hide her form.

"Who's there?" She whispered into the dark of her room.

"It's me, Eloise" the voice was unmistakably that of Marietta. The Princess breathed a sigh of relief before letting out an annoyed grumble.

"Oh for the last time...." She began as she let her quilt fall "I thought I made myself quite clear on this front Mari. Firstly, I do not think that I need any kissing 'practice' before my wedding day and secondly I do know that you merely use that as the flimsiest of pretexts to try to indulge in some of your own deviancy."

"What? No. Not that." Marietta responded quickly although as she took in the sight of the Princess, somehow lovelier than ever unmade up, relatively uncovered and with her hair loose about her shoulders, she seemed to reconsider "Well, I mean unless you have had a change of...."

"What is it then?" the Princess cut in "I have very little time left before I'm wed to that beast and would like to at least indulge in some sleep."

Marietta sat on the bed and looked into Eloise's eyes. There was none of Marietta's usual lightheartedness in her tone but a serious purpose the likes of which the Princess could not recall hearing in her friend before.

"Have you been able to persuade your father as to your thoughts on the matter?" Marietta enquired

"No" Eloise said angrily, recounting the tale of her dinner.

"Any thoughts as to another recourse?"

"Well, I had been day dreaming about luring Francis into my bedchamber on my wedding night and seeing how the pig would enjoy a garrote wire pulled tight around his neck." the Princess offered, cheerlessly

(RCH: The Princess, according to some accounts, would have been dismayed to learn that if she'd gone through with this plan that Francis would have enjoyed it quite a bit.)

Marietta continued her line of questioning

"The thing you said earlier. About rather letting the country fall into the hands of the People's Movement, rather than go through with this wedding?"

"What of it?" The Princess asked

"Did you mean it?"

Eloise looked harshly at her friend. She could not know why she was asking. If it was as an agent of her father's Eloise would not put it past him to order her own neck in a noose the evening of her wedding. Still, she trusted Marietta. Implicitly and with all things.

"I did." the Princess nodded earnestly

"What if I told you I knew of a way to perhaps set that in motion?" Marietta asked of her friend, a healthy does of mischief in her eyes. "Would you agree to that?"

Eloise looked at her Marietta skeptically. She didn't know what Mari could possibly have meant. She didn't even know the size and scale of the movement she was discussing. All Eloise knew were two things. First, that if she agreed she would be betraying her family, her nation and everything she'd been raised to believe since childhood. Secondly, that she had to agree for the good of all of the things she'd be betraying. Eloise nodded her head. Marietta's grin grew wider.

"Beautiful. Tomorrow then." Marietta leaned in and gave Eloise a tender kiss on the cheek.

~Chapter Two, wherein a plan is hatched~

Eloise's sleep before Marietta's intrusion to her room had been fitful and uneasy and afterwards it was completely of reach. The Princess kept playing their interaction in her head over and over again. She debated her decision over and over again, changing her mind and re-changing it through the night. She still had not been able to fall asleep when the sunlight flooded her room and permanently ended her attempts to do so. Eloise had only just finished dressing when Marietta knocked at her door.