The Queen - For the 10th DOM

What appears below is being prepared for the current challenge at "The Tenth Daughter of Memory". It is, at the moment, incomplete - I shall build the rest of this for tomorrow - but, if you like, you can tell me what you think so far.

The Queen

She strode over the polished floor of the corridor with the heavy footfall of a man. Tall, with a striking mane of glorious red hair, piercing green eyes and the thin gold crown of the Westmarch on her brow, she was an imposing sight. Especially now, in her anger. She burst through the door to the throne room and the King's Ministers fled, knowing, as they did, that to displease her was to court disaster and even from a distance they could sense her foul mood.

The King watched her approach.

"Your arm bleeds and you have a bruise under your eye. Things did not go well?"

"Things never go well when dealing with brigands, my Lord. But, in the end, a resolution was reached that We approve of. We are pleased with the result."

"Is he dead? I can't afford to lose more Nobles, Katherine. You haven't killed him, have you? If you have done ..."

"No, Sigmund. He is fine. Unharmed. Well ... his armour may be dented in some small measure, but he lives."

The King seemed satisfied with her answer and sat back on his throne. Katherine, his new wife and queen, was a strong and strong willed woman, and as she settled members of her family throughout the Kingdom, she met resistance with force of arms. Her young cousin, Lady Diedre, had been betrothed to Aeldred, Duke of Clarence and he had refused the troth. Queen Katherine knew the King needed Aeldred and the men he held at arms to balance off against the growing faction in the South that might rebel against Him. Many of the high born Nobility were miffed that the King had not chosen a woman from their ranks to be his wife. His Queen. They saw it as an erosion of their power and position. An insult. Queen Katherine's family were wealthy merchants, not Nobility. They were going to rise up against Him, of that she was certain, but Aeldred's presence on the side of the King would slow them down, perhaps long enough for her to solidify power behind the King.

That, she knew, is what a good Queen does.