Granada

Chapter 1

"What if I run away?"

"Rowena..."

"I could take some of Anthony's clothes, cut my hair and..."

"Do not dare touching your hair" Anne said, threatening her friend with her finger.

"Alright, fine. I won't touch my hair. But what about a fake beard? I can also wear a fake fat belly and hide my hair with a hat. Say my name is... Robert."

"Rowena, can you please stop?" Anne said, sitting on the bed next to her. "You can't run away from this. None of us can."

"I can. I just need the perfect plan."

"There is no perfect plan. War is knocking at our door, and we must do this to protect our people."

"I'm more useful on the battlefield than married to some random prince."

"He isn't random. He is the second in line to the throne of one of the most powerful kingdoms out there."

"One full of barbarians" Rowena replied, crossing her arms over chest.

"Have you ever met anyone from there?"

"I have not, no. But I've heard stories."

"What stories?"

"Just... stories" she shrugged.

"Rowena, I know you hate this. And I don't like it that much either. But it is our duty."

"Our duty" Rowena scoffed, rolling her eyes. "We are born to do more than just marry and bring children to the world. Look at shieldmaidens. They did that, but they also fought next to men and ruled over them."

"My mother rules over men too" Anne pointed out. "And you like vikings, who historically have been called barbarians, but not our future people?"

"They will never be my people. My people are the ones outside these walls."

"And if we don't marry and seal this alliance, your people will have no future. This may not be the way you would have chosen to protect them, but it is the one you were offered, so make the most of it. I know I will."

"You'll have it easier, Anne. You are marrying the heir, you will be Queen one day."

"And I plan to have you by my side" she said, taking Rowena's hand on hers and giving it an encouraging squeeze. "This will work out. You'll see."

"What if I hide on one of the boats that leaves for the south?"

"Urgh" Anne groaned, getting up from the bed and going back to trying to decide which books she wanted to take with her.

In just two days, she and Rowena would leave their home and their families to marry some random princes, the marriages forming an alliance between both their countries to protect them against the common enemy coming from the south. Though they hadn't been the only ones forced to marry someone they didn't know. Liam, Anne's older brother and heir to the throne, was marrying a princess from one of the other countries who suffered the threat of these new enemies. The only lucky one, had been Anthony. Since he was a soldier with a promising career, he was more useful on the battlefield than at court. And that's where Rowena would like to be too. Fighting.

Anthony was the son of Lord Mason Mount (or Count Mount, but he never liked the rhyme), and Rowena the eldest daughter of Lord Declan Rice. They had grown up at court with Anne and Liam, the Queen's children, and it had always been the four of them together. Though Rowena had always felt closer to Anthony.

Their parents were like family, and she saw him as his little brother despite him always reminding her that he was just a few months younger than her. Growing up, instead of playing with dolls like other girls and her sisters were doing, Rowena was interested in learning how to fight, how to use a sword, an axe, a shield. She wanted to be like Lagertha, the shieldmaiden from her favourite book. She was a viking, but also a queen, and many people had feared her and respected her, including the king who ruled Rowena's home back in the day.