In The Name of Love

A sigh of relief escapes Minna’s lips as she and her family withdraw to a small private room off the Great Hall. The suitors and the young ladies invited to dance with them are still mingling in that large room, and the Royal Orchestra is still playing, but Minna has danced with all her suitors. Now the time has come for her to make her choice. Though the decision is meant to be hers alone, tradition dictates that she should discuss the competitors with her family prior to making her announcement.

“Good job, Minna,” Queen Ingrid tells her eldest daughter softly. “I know this has been difficult for you.”

Minna smiles in reply, trying to make it genuine. A knot of dread tightens in her stomach. Fifi comes to her side and squeezes her hand. I wish we’d talked more about it, before this. I wish we hadn’t both shut down after we argued, Minna muses. She knows it’s Fifi who sent their mother to comfort her after they fought, after the Questioning. I’ll have to thank her, at some point. Once all of this is over.

“Well. To business,” King Ansgar prompts. “I presume we can start by eliminating all of the suitors of less than royal birth from consideration?”

“Rather harsh, dearest,” Queen Ingrid reproaches.

“I suppose,” Minna relents, “although I was most impressed with Lords Ingemar, Mathias, and…Nicolaas.” She almost called him Kai, but stopped herself at the last moment.

“They were all admirable dancers, and answered well in the Questioning.”

“All this I will grant. But a Princess’s marriage cannot be based solely on personal inclination,” King Ansgar declares. “The noblemen’s sons are out of the running.”

Fifi grimaces, but none of them further push the king on the matter. She sits down in a corner next to Emrik, who looks bored to tears with everything. Minna drops into the seat beside her, more than ready for a break. But there’s no rest to be had; she still has a decision to make, the biggest decision of her entire life.

“What about Grand Duke Maksym, Minna?” Queen Ingrid prompts.

“I…don’t think he’s a good match for me,” Minna admits. “He’s very sweet, but so stiff and self-conscious in public…. I know he is older than I am, but I think he still has growing to do before he’s ready to take a wife.”

“I would agree,” Fifi murmurs, almost inaudible. “I could barely get him to talk to me.”

“A sound decision,” King Ansgar agrees. “And I have no desire to make any sort of alliance with Khandazar. The impact of the Dark Revolution still weighs them down. They are more of a liability than an asset.”

“Dear, that was generations ago, and no fault of this young man…” Queen Ingrid starts, but her husband’s dark glare makes her voice trail off into silence.

“Please say you’re kicking out that swaggering Casimiro,” Prince Emrik pipes up. “Don’t marry him.”

“I have no intention of marrying him,” Minna assures her brother. “Neither have I any interest in Prince Emiliano or Prince Ramiro. They are all out of consideration.”

“Good,” Fifi mutters. “They’re awful.”

Minna cannot help but smile. Were Fifi’s dances with them any better than mine? she wonders, but now isn’t the time to ask.

“That leaves Prince Lisandro and Prince Adalberto,” King Ansgar calculates. His eyes seem to be burning holes in Minna.

“And Prince Didier,” she reminds him, heat rising in her cheeks. “Father, he’s been more than exemplary in every aspect, and—”

“He’s withdrawn from the Quest for Favor.”

The air in the room is suddenly stiff and heavy, as though a storm is about to break.

“What?” Minna can hardly believe her ears. Is it possible he’s just saying this, to keep me from choosing Didier? The thought comes unbidden to her mind. Her eyes dart to Fifi beside her, who seems to be entertaining similar notions.

“He came to me at the end of the last dance, before we took our leave from the Great Hall, and told me he no longer wishes to compete and that he will be on his way home to Vyrunia this very night. He was very gracious, and thanked me for our hospitality—”

“Begging your pardon, Father, but did he say why?”

“He said he doesn’t believe you’d ultimately be the best match for him and for Vyrunia.” King Ansgar’s jaw is tight with finality, but Minna suspects he’s holding something back, hiding something from her. Her chest is tight, and pressure builds behind her eyes. He didn’t even say goodbye. And I thought we were getting along so well…. What did I do to offend him? What could have possibly convinced him to withdraw?

Fifi’s hand touches Minna’s shoulder, offering comfort, lending strength. Hold it together, Minna, she tells herself. Tonight, once everything’s over, you can cry and talk with Fifi.

“It’s just as well,” King Ansgar continues. “Aethyrozia most needs an alliance with Syazonia, not Vyrunia, and your marriage will cement that alliance. So, which one will it be? Lisandro or Adalberto?”

“Neither one is right for you,” Fifi bursts out. “Adalberto is too heartbroken to love you the way you deserve to be loved, and Lisandro is boring. Nice enough, and a talented musician, to be sure, but he didn’t have anything interesting to say the whole time I danced with him—”

“Fifi. This is not about you,” King Ansgar snaps. “You’ll have your turn soon enough.”

“She has a right to say what she thinks,” Queen Ingrid defends Fifi. “That’s the purpose of this discussion, is it not? They’re sisters and quite close friends. I’m sure Fifi’s opinion matters to Minna.”

“It does,” Minna confirms woodenly. To the extent that anything matters now. Didier was the best choice. And he’s gone. Not that it matters. Father would have been furious if I’d insisted on him.

“I like Adalberto,” Emrik votes. “He was so nice when he was teaching me sword techniques.”

“He’s so much older than Minna, though,” Fifi protests.

“Lisandro is closer in age,” Queen Ingrid agrees, “but that isn’t the only thing that matters in choosing a husband. Adalberto would make a better king, and he is first in line for the throne.”

“What matters more? Potential to find love, or becoming a Queen?” Fifi’s question is spoken light as a feather, but it’s sharper than any sword in the Royal Armory. Straight to the point. The heart of the matter, Minna smiles slightly in spite of herself.

“It matters not to me which one you choose. Either will seal the alliance,” King Ansgar says, wearing a smug, self-satisfied smirk.

Minna’s insides are churning. The choice before her feels impossible. I wish I had more time. I wish I could speak with Didier again. But there’s no use wishing, not now.

“Minna, darling. Talk to us,” Queen Ingrid coaxes. “What are you thinking?”

“You’ve all made good points. Both of them are decent choices. Both of them suit Father’s preferences for my future husband. Neither one is…ideal.”

“I know, sweetheart. I’m sorry that—”

“Please don’t.” Minna takes a deep breath to steady herself. Later. We can talk about that later. She pleads with her eyes for her mother to understand. “What I need to decide is which of them is best for me, and which is best for Aethyrozia. And which of those things matters more.”

“Don’t sacrifice your happiness for anything,” Fifi hisses. King Ansgar glares at her, but she doesn’t seem to care. What will this discussion be like when it’s her turn? Minna wonders. Fifi’s never been one to back down from a fight with their father.

“What if we put it in terms of…a life partnership, rather than love?” Queen Ingrid suggests. “Does that help at all, Minna?”

A life partnership. Which one would be a better partner, a better companion?

It only takes Minna a few moments’ consideration to make up her mind. Please, Chuezoh, let this be the right thing to do.

“Yes, Mother, it does. I have made my decision.”