Queen of the purple flame(Revised)

IX. The Tourney

Winter 1520

The horse's hooves clattered across the wooden drawbridge as they came to a stop in the Castello's courtyard, Alessandro looked around and could see the bright candlelight shining through yonder the high arched windows on three sides. The fourth side was dark and eerie as the south wing had been destroyed by fire a century before.

Alessandro dismounted from his chestnut horse and the huge oak doors swung open. He found himself in the great marble hall where a magnificent curved staircase went up to the left and several oak doors led off this hall. As he walked towards the throne room he gazed at portraits of kings, queens, nobility and courtiers that had long since gone. Handsome men in uniforms and beautiful women in gowns and jewels, faces looking down on him from another era.

He sat on his Oak framed throne which was cushioned with grey wolf's fur. As he thought about his father whether he would be proud of him or if he was a disappointment that he had given back La Royaume to the rightful ruler. It had been four months since his father had died and he proclaimed King of all of Oakencrest. It was believed that his father died of a fever, but there were theories he was poisoned. Some said that Alessandro poisoned him, so he could become king however the physicians ruled that out and claimed it was a fever.

Alessandro's parentage was of an interesting nature. He was never brought up by his biological parents; his father was bewitched by a maid in the queen's service. She seduced him and conceived a child with him. The King Domenico Alessandro's father claimed he wasn't the child's father and had the witch imprisoned until after the birth of Alessandro. Later, she was condemned to death on the charges of witchcraft and regicide the death of the King.

But there was still the issue of what to do with the King's illegitimate child. He could not have an illegitimate child living with him at court leading him to send the child away to live with a foster family where he grew up in the village of Villamorte. He became the best of friends with Lucille until the day armed men had come to take him away from the life he knew years after Lucille's departure. King Domenico had no sons only daughters. So he named Alessandro his heir the Crown Prince of Oakencrest at the age of eighteen.

Alessandro came back into the present as a blonde girl of seventeen came running down the stairs to greet him. Her name was Adelaide, but Alessandro called her his little Alice. She had the most beautiful long golden swirly hair with a silver and pearl head piece. She was adorned with a beautiful white silk nightgown embroidered with pearls and a pretty silver pendant with a wolf engraved rested peacefully on her chest.

She hugged him as they conversed in the Italian tongue "Fratello your back I knew you would be. I've missed you so much!" Alessandro smiled "Little Alice my sweet sorellina. I am home there is nothing to worry about, but it's late you should get to bed. We will speak in the morning. You better go promptly you don't want tua madre to catch you out of your bed." Alice frowned at the mentioned of her mother "S- s-sì, your right fratello, but I had to see you!" "That's very sweet of you little Sorella. I thought I saw a light lit upstairs was that you?" "Sì, I couldn't sleep, but now you're here I should be able to. Buona notte fratello!" she kissed him on the left cheek, "Buona notte sorellina sweet dreams! We will talk on the morrow." He kissed her cheek in return then she went up the staircase to bed.

Alessandro then followed. He strode into his bedchamber and threw his blood red leather gloves onto the bed, which was draped with red satin and embroidered into the fabric were faces of wolves and on the wall hung stuffed wolves' heads. He went over to his heavy pine desk and took out a bundle of letters tied with purple ribbon which were the many unsent letters he never had the heart to send Lucille for in theory part of him was uncertain as to what manner of relationship he wanted with her. If only we could be together, but I must marry another, royalty don't have the luxury of marrying for love. I hope one day Luce will understand.