Between Two Queens

Prologue: 1347

In 1347, Hungary was one of the largest and most powerful kingdoms in Europe. The lands ruled by the king not only consisted of Hungary, but Croatia as well. The land of Bosnia was in Croatia, and was governed by a ruler known as a Ban. A Ban ranked roughly somewhere between a duke and a count, and was usually elected instead of hereditary. However, it was different in Bosnia. From 1250, the Kotromanic dynasty ruled the land, and the title "Ban of Bosnia" passed from father to son. In 1347, Stephen II, grandson of the first Kotromanic Ban, ruled Bosnia. Between Catholic Croatia and Orthodox Serbia, most of the people of Bosnia followed their own church, the Church of Bosnia, which was considered heretical by both the Western and Eastern Churches. However, in the 1340s, more and more Bosnians were converting to Catholicism. In 1347, after years of switching between churches, Ban Stephen II finally decided his family shall bow to the Catholic Church.

***************************************************************************

The sound of children's laughter was heard in the cemetery of the small church. "I saw you, you are right behind... here!" A girl peaked behind the box-shaped, gabbled tomb stone.

A boy hiding on the other side scowled at her. "You always find me. You must have your eyes open as I go hide."

"Or you must always find the easiest places to hide." the girl said. She looked around the cemetery. "Now where can Maria and Vuk be? They always seem to hide in the best spots." She ran off, looking around. Her long, dark, wavy hair flowed loose behind her.

The boy sat against the tombstone, his arms crossed across his chest. His cousin was beautiful and clever. She was also the daughter of the Ban, while he was the son of the Ban's younger brother. She seemed to have it all. He heard another shriek coming from somewhere behind him. "I better not be the first one you found!" he heard his older sister's voice say.

"Well, you are in luck, because you are not. That honor goes to your brother, Tvrkvo. But I still can't find little Vuk."

"Vuk, we must find him soon." said the other girl, her voice showing some concern.

The boy, no point staying in his hiding spot, since he was now discovered, got up, and decided to look for his little brother himself. He looked behind every tombstone. Soon, he walked toward a moss covered one in the back of the cemetery. It was so old that it was even sinking into the ground. He peered behind it, and saw a small boy curled up. "I found you!"

The smaller boy bolted up. "It was Betta who was supposed to find me."

"She went the other way. I wanted to find you before it was too dark." The older boy grabbed the hand of the smaller one, and started heading toward the little church. A little way outside of the cemetery, he could see the two girls wandering in the field, talking to each other, laughing. They were wandering off, probably talking about something that girls often talked about. But their apparent bliss was quickly interrupted.

"Where are you going!" a woman scolded, stopping right in front of their tracks.

"Looking for Vuk, we are playing the hiding game." said the girl who was the searcher.

 "My Vuk,.. I told you all that you can't let him leave your sight. He's still too young for these games..."

"I found him, mama!" the older boy said, running up to her, pulling his younger brother behind him.

"Oh, thanks be to God and His saints" the woman picked up the younger boy, and held him to her breast.

"I was supposed to find him, Tvrtko." his cousin scowled.

"Well you were going the wrong way, Betta. Someone had to find him."

"Do not call me Betta!"

"Come." the woman said. "It is time for you to be good Catholic children. Everyone is awaiting you inside the church."