In The Name of Love

Prince Adalberto settles in a chair next to one of the narrow windows in his suite, overlooking a dilapidated courtyard below. His dinner—some sort of leek, cabbage, and rabbit pie, by the look and smell of it—sits waiting on a table next to the chair, steam wafting from slits in its crust. Also on the table are various pieces of parchment; most are notes he took during meetings with the royal advisors, or notes from the advisors themselves, but at least one is a letter from King Celestino. Right now none of the words on the pages make any sense to him. He awoke before dawn and has spent most of his time since then discussing various issues with the royal advisors. Now, at noontide, he’s exhausted, and the prospect of an afternoon filled with more work is daunting, to say the least.

But he mustn’t get discouraged. Ruling a kingdom is hard work, and he knew that when his father entrusted him with taking on many kingly responsibilities while he is near the border with Barhesta. He doesn’t trust any of my brothers to take any of it on, not even Lisandro, Adalberto reminds himself, shaking his head as he sighs. He’s often heard that a crown is a heavy burden, but hearing about it and bearing it are two different things.

“It shouldn’t be too much longer,” he mutters to himself. His father’s most recent letter had an optimistic tone. He and the nobles in the provinces near Barhesta seem to be closing in on an agreement. Once it’s settled, the king will return to Zosya, and Adalberto will be able to spend all of his time on wedding plans, instead of just a few hours each afternoon.

He’s just about to take a bite of his dinner when someone knocks at the door. Another heavy sigh escapes his lips. Never a moment of peace, he laments internally.

“Enter,” he calls. He is expecting the interruption to come from a servant, or perhaps one of the nobles. Instead, to Adalberto’s surprise, Prince Lisandro comes through the door, a dulcimer hanging by a strap from his shoulder. One of his hands clutches a piece of parchment, which bears a red wax seal.

“I’m sorry to bother you, brother,” Lisandro begins, stiff and awkward, the way he’s been around Adalberto since Minna announced her decision. “I crossed paths with a courier on the way here, and he had…this for you, and I thought…. We haven’t seen each other much lately, and I….”

“You’re not bothering me,” Adalberto assures his brother, rising from his chair. “How are you doing, Lisandro?”

Lisandro won’t meet Adalberto’s eyes. “Oh. Um. I…. It’s been harder, to find places to practice without bothering anyone, since we’ve come back. Emiliano and Casimiro are more…volatile lately. And Ramiro just wants to read and gripes when anyone disturbs him.”

“I know. You’re always welcome here. Meetings with the royal advisors would be more bearable with music.”

Lisandro smiles slightly, but then his expression turns guilty. “I should be asking you, how you’re doing. You’ve been so busy—”

“Not too busy to see you, if you need something. Being busy is…helpful. It’s harder to get…lost.”

“Right. I’m sure. That’s part of why I’ve been looking for places I can play undisturbed…. Although, I shouldn’t compare—”

“It’s okay to be upset. I know you really like her.”

Lisandro ducks his head and blushes. “It doesn’t matter.”

“She said, while we were still at Adelhyod, that she would still like to play duets with you someday. If that’s any consolation.”

“That’s…very nice of her. And good to hear. Um…. This is for you. From her, I think.” He hands Adalberto the parchment with the wax seal. The elder prince recognizes the Aethyrozian seal in the wax at a glance.

“Either her or her father,” Adalberto confirms.

“I doubt King Ansgar uses such flourishes when he writes,” Lisandro argues, pointing to the swirling letters spelling his older brother’s name on the parchment.

“True. It’s not his handwriting.” Adalberto isn’t sure how to proceed. If it’s from Minna, he doesn’t want to read it in front of Lisandro; such an action would seem to be salt in a wound. But he doesn’t want it to get lost in the rest of the papers on the table beside his chair, either, and so setting it down seems unwise.

“Go ahead and read it. I don’t mind,” Lisandro urges. “She chose you. And you deserve to be happy again. I can respect what’s been decided. Just…treat her well.”

“I will do everything in my power to make sure she is happy here.” Adalberto speaks slowly, choosing his words with care.

Lisandro nods, but his lower lip quivers and his jaw tightens. “I would expect no less. You’ve always…done your best to help…all of us. Even those who don’t appreciate it.” He sends a venomous glare out the window behind Adalberto, who takes it to mean that Casimiro and Emiliano must be in one of Zosya’s courtyards, jousting or fencing or something of that nature. “Anyway. Will I be in the way in the drawing room, there?” Lisandro gestures to a closed door on his left, a few paces away.

“That room is always reserved for you, as your personal practice space, whenever you wish it.” Adalberto means it. None of their brothers will bother Lisandro as long as he stays in Adalberto’s suite, whether or not they can hear his music. Even swaggering Casimiro knows that Adalberto can best him in a fight, should a disagreement between them come to blows.

“Thank you, brother.” Lisandro disappears into the drawing room quickly, closing the door behind him. Sweet dulcimer music emanates from that doorway moments later.

Satisfied that he is once again alone, Adalberto considers briefly whether to focus next on Minna’s letter or his dinner. But curiosity far outweighs hunger, and so he takes his letter-opener from the table—silver with two larks entwined in flight as the pommel, a gift from Valeriya—and slides it under the sealing wax, removing it in one piece. The letter unrolls readily, inviting him to read it, and so he does.

He wasn’t sure Minna would write to him at all, though he hoped she would. The three days of her Quest for Favor weren’t enough time for them to really get to know each other. At Adelhyod, Adalberto had been struck by Minna’s poise and control and unfailing good nature towards all her suitors. The Minna revealed in her letter is different, but no less admirable. Her words are kind and considerate, even with her many questions, but above all else, she seems to be focused on how to make his life easier and their eventual union positive for everyone.

Tears prick the backs of Adalberto’s eyes and he blinks them away, irritated that they would dare to make their presence known. For the first time in a long time, he decides that his official work can wait. He takes his dinner and Minna’s letter into his private study and locks the door behind him, intending to draft his reply to her immediately.

***~O~***

To Princess Wilhelmina, Minna, of Aethyrozia, may this letter find her in good health and good spirits,

Thank you so much for taking the time to write to me, and for your kindness and consideration. I have indeed been quite busy, handling the business of ruling Syazonia and planning our wedding while my father negotiates with the nobles near the border with Barhesta. Your letter has provided me with some respite from those burdens, and I am grateful.

Our journey was uneventful. Casimiro and Emiliano were somewhat sulky, but I think at least Emiliano has his eye on your younger sister, and both will recover quickly. They are more annoyed that they lost to me in a competition than anything else, and that annoyance will fade as they find other things with which to occupy their time. I have no doubt that you, with your myriad charms and social graces, will be perfectly able to get along cordially, if not better, with every member of my family.

Regarding my parents, nothing could please my mother more than a bouquet of Aethyrozian flowers. She adores flowers and her suite is constantly overflowing with them. She took ill a few years ago and never quite recovered her strength from that illness, so going into the courtyards is difficult for her. My father—much like yours, as I understand it—is thrilled that our marriage will cement an alliance between our two countries and that is more than gift enough for him. Your manners and poise will be icing on that metaphorical cake for him.

Set your heart at ease; you have overstepped no boundaries. I see marriage as a partnership between two people, and you honor me with your willingness to start acting as a partner even though we are many leagues apart. Unfortunately, I know of nothing that I can delegate to you at this distance, but Chuezoh willing, my father will return to Zosya soon and resume ruling, and I will be able to focus more on the wedding plans.

At present, all I can tell you regarding the wedding is that we will have a traditional ceremony in the Royal Zoche, and there will be days of feasting and revelry to follow. If there are any dishes or dances you would like to feature, please let me know and I will do my best to see that they are included. I will ask your father about this, but I am of the opinion that the Royal Orchestra of Aethyrozia is superior to our court musicians here in Syazonia, and if they can be part of the entourage that accompanies you here, I think it would greatly improve the festivities. That would also allow you to take on some planning. Your selections for the Ball in your Quest for Favor were unerringly superb, and I believe your taste to be better than mine in such matters.

Similarly, I think having miniatures painted of your family members to bring with you to Syazonia is an excellent idea. Of course Fifi may come with you for the wedding, and any other members of your family or friends you like. Per my father’s wishes, no more than half of your servants here may be Aethyrozian, but feel free to bring a few of your maids. I want this to become a true home for you, and though I expect the transition will be difficult in some ways, I intend to ease it in every way that I can.

I absolutely meant it when I extended that invitation to Emrik, and Fifi is more than welcome to come visit, as well, anytime your parents allow it. I will broach the issue again in my next letter to your father, along with the inquiry about borrowing your Royal Orchestra. Autumn in Syazonia is beautiful, my favorite time of year, and the hunt never disappoints. With Chuezoh’s blessing, perhaps we can time their visit for Oggerheim, when there will be much feasting and merriment with the fruits of the harvest.

As a final note—you have no cause to be self-conscious about your Syazonian. The language, at least, should cause you little difficulty when you join me here.

Should you see fit to write me again, I would love to know more about you—your hopes, your fears, your interests, what you enjoy doing when duty does not impose upon your time. I will answer you in kind, and perhaps in that way we can build something of a foundation for our future together.

Kindest regards,

Adalberto