The Love in your Eyes

VIII | The past: Part Two

MISAEL

During the Princess's stay I was able to gather that she was rather privy when it came to family affairs, and only ever revealed something about any members of her family when it involved either her siblings and or her niece and nephews, of whom she was unbelievably fond of. Of her father she barely spoke, and of her mother she never spoke.
It made sense to me as to why Evangeline did not speak of her mother Josianne, the late Queen Consort of Benineé. The Princess's mother had taken her own life years ago, it had been a tragic matter, especially given how this information spread through all the kingdoms like a wildfire and put Evangeline and her siblings in a position of extreme ostracization. For how could children possibly become respectable adults without their mother to raise them? Especially if said mother had committed the grave act of taking her own life.

Evangeline's unwillingness to speak on the matter sparked my curiosity and so I began asking some members of the royal council as well as some of my reliable sources on the matter. So, I learned that the late Queen Josianne, had apparently suffered massively under the immense pressure of being queen. The constant taunting of her mother in-law the Grand Dowager Queen Catarina –Evangeline's grandmother– for not birthing enough male heirs, her husband's severe anger and temper issues he let out on her. Additionally, did the late Consort struggle to assert her authority at court, and therefore she had lacked allies, which made life in the royal palais all the more difficult and harder to endure. Though she had birthed five children only one, the eldest Prince Castor, was a son. The other four were Princess Evangeline, Princess Valérianne, Princess Lilianne and the youngest Princess Karoline.
I was aware that the Benineé royal family struggled because of a lack of male heirs, especially as the kingdom had one the strictest male-preference primogeniture rules in all the lands, but I had not known that the situation was so severe that the Grand Dowager had even began to pressure not just her grandchildren but especially her granddaughter-in-law Princess Alicia, wife to the Crown Prince, to have as many healthy male heirs as possible.

"Absolute tyrant that woman." Evangeline had admitted bitterly as we strolled through the gardens one peaceful evening talking about family matters. With every word she spoke of her life and especially the difficulties behind her political endeavours had I come somewhat closer to understand what it entailed to not be a man in a royal family, especially a royal family that put such importance on having as many sons as possible. Queen Josianne had been seen as a mere tool for the royal family, and towards the end of her life, even a broken tool no longer useful to the court or the royal family. Upon that realisation, I had made a promise to myself that I would protect Evangeline from that possible fate under all circumstances. I did not quite think of the fact that Evangeline and I were not yet officially betrothed. But I could not find myself to care. I had grown fond of Evangeline and whether we would wed or stay as good acquaintances I wanted to ensure the Princess's safety and wellbeing. Tough as the future would soon show, instead of protecting the woman I had grown fond of, I instead would hurt her and leave her to her own devices, time and time again.
"Princess Evangeline I must acquire something of you." I had set my mind on asking for permission to court Evangeline, but before I could ask the Princess the question, one of her handmaids came running towards us, sheer distraught painted on her face as she tightly held a letter in her hand. A letter that would change the course of not just our relationship, but our lives entirely.

"Your Highness a letter has arrived for you from his Majesty the King, your father!" Had said the handmaid as she quickly but still respectfully gave Evangeline the envelope. Without any hesitation did Evangeline open the envelope and read the contents of it.
A personally written letter from a King sent overseas to his child could never bode something good. With every word that was read did it seem as though Evangeline stopped breathing. Her delicate hand shakingly clasped over her mouth, her breathing becoming hectic, eyes filled with horror, her knees growing week as she limply let her arm holding the letter fall next her body, the letter and envelope falling to the muddy ground. She did not utter a word, complete silence for mere seconds, before she slowly turned to me and shakingly bowed down. "I must leave Bayareau sooner than expected Your Majesty and return home immediately." She had said weakly as she started to walk away, her handmaid steading the Princess so she would not fall to the ground. Clumsily I grabbed the letter and envelope, as something of such great importance could certainly not lay around on the muddy ground and followed the Princess back to the palace.
Within hours everything had been readied for Evangeline's departure, and in the hectic of it all had I forgotten to give her the letter and instead accidently kept it in my pocket. Quickly the Princess departed Bayareau leaving behind only memories, a sullied letter and a red scarf she had forgotten in the chamber she had stayed in. Soon the news would be revealed.