The Queen of all Spain

Chapter 10

Scotland

A coronation, Aaron insisted on organizing me one as Queen of Scotland no matter my argument against it. He says the people should see me officially crowned, but I still have a feeling it is more than that.

"I still don't see why this is necessary, Aaron, wasn't marrying you enough?"

"Of course, you are Scotland's queen consort but there is an old tradition with the husband or wife of a Scottish monarch."

"Please, enlighten me with it."

"If a man marries a Scottish queen he does something barbaric to prove his strength such as carrying a tree trunk to Edinburgh Castle, large rocks, one man built a dam in the river for my great grandmother."

I laugh, looking out the window with him at the rolling hills, so much different from Spain.  "Well I am not a man, so what must I do?"

"There is only one tradition should the consort be a woman, and that is archery."

"I have to shoot an arrow?  Aaron you could have told me that first, we practiced archery all the time at French Court."

"You didn't let me finish, a flaming arrow, to show that your reign as Scotland's Queen has just been ignited."

I take his arm and we walk down the halls of his castle, those we meet bow to greet me but not Aaron. "I think it's a wonderful symbolism, but I want to know why they greet me and not you."

He leads me outside of the castle and the Autumn sun greets us, the landscape of Scotland is breathtaking as we both stare at the green hills, thick pine forests, and lush grass.

"In Scotland," he finally says, "the people do not look to the monarchy like they do in most countries. The King and Queen are ruling as all are, but the Scots are diverse with tribes, clans, and groups of people who have lived in the forrest all their lives, hardly aware of any monarchy."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"Lana, in Spain the people look to you for guidance, what should be done throughout the country at every moment, you make decisions for them on what they should do as Spaniards. Here it is much different, the Scots are a very independent people, relying more on the land than a person wearing a crown, that isn't to say they hate us, but should the monarch start making decisions for them and tell them what is to be done it goes against the true culture of Scotland. The reason they bow to you as simple, I am seem as their equal and I'm not above them in any way, you are my wife who is the Queen of the greatest nation in the world and they fear you."

"So that is why I must go through the Scottish coronation? It won't be one with flowers, music, and holy ceremony?"

"No, the reason you are doing this is so the people will know you are their equal as well."

After him telling me the truth behind it everything makes since, this isn't Spain, and I am a much different kind of queen here.  But I could get used to it, it's much less stressful than Spain, an escape from everything.
I head to our chamber to change into a simple dress, and when I meet Aaron in the courtyard he is dressed the same as any normal man. We mount our horses and ride the short distance to the closest town, dozens of people are gathered and I see a target in an open field.

Aaron helps me down from my horse and pulls the pin from my hair, making my hair fall down my back and blow in the soft breeze. "I like you this way, wild with the wind."

"You make me sound like a horse."

"A great stallion then, if you would like to compare yourself to horses."

We both laugh and the people cheer, I'm sure it brings them even more peace to see me like this. As the sun begins to set below the hills I'm given a simple bow, I notch my arrow and just before Aaron ignites it he turns to address the people.

"Good Scots, Queen Lana will now shoot the flaming arrow into her target and her reign shall be ignited. She is your equal as I am, no matter her title over Spain and I hope you will all see her that way."

They all cheer and he lights the arrow, resting a hand on my back as I hit the center of my target. The cheers grow louder, I raise my bow in the air as they call me Lana, a name I thought only my closest friends would ever call me. I am Castellana the Queen of Spain, but in my husband's country, I am Lana to every Scot.