The Queen of Dawn

Chapter 1

2 years later...

The day had started well, the sun was shining with no sight of a cloud to rain on that day in sight. It was the beginning of spring so the weather was warm but there was still a pleasant breeze that ruffled the leaves in the trees.

Azora had woken up, mid morning and taken breakfast in bed, as was the custom. Whilst the men worked early in the mornings, the women were expected to rest their 'fragile' bodies.

For the past two years, Azora had a routine that was the same every single day except for Sundays where she was expected to go to church for Sunday mass. The maids would come in and clear away her dishes and make the bed as her personal maids would dress her for the day. She would join her ladies in waiting for the morning meal, and sewing, and then she had to join her husband for morning court, or she read in the privacy of her bedroom, depending on the day. The afternoons were spent in the garden before dinner, which was either eaten in the banquet hall or the privacy of her own room.

Azora yawned as she thought about everything she had to do that day. Everyday was the same, and the most entertaining thing that happened was the morning gossiping, about who was coupling with who. Usually it was the King and a lady in waiting. Not that she cared.

That morning she entered the parlour, with her ladies in waiting trailing behind her. They all sat in their respective positions, on couches or stools. They sat sewing, gossiping, and drinking mead. The room was quiet, with only whispering filling the awkward silence. Azora would rather be anywhere but here. She knew all her ladies in waiting, but not on a personal level, and she knew some wanted her position and only used her to get higher and higher in the ranks, and eventually into the Kings bed.

The older Ladies in waiting, who were her mothers old ladies, and also her mothers spies, just gossiped about the fact that it had been two years and a royal heir had not been born. Many mistresses had selfishly put their own illegitimate children forward for royal heir, but they were turned down by the court as soon as the words left their lips. Azora was grateful for this, she could hardly bear to live life if some snobby favorite of the King flounced around, showing off her child, and shoving it in her face.

As Azora sat embroidering a handkerchief, she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see a timid maid, her face red and her hands clasped in front of her.

"His Majesty wishes to have an audience with you milady." Azora thanked the timid maid, who quickly scurried away. The whispering of ladies in waiting got louder as they tried to figure out why the maid was there. Many guessed that it was the King and they were right.

Azora would be surprised that her husband was coming to visit her if she knew that he was not coming for her. She was just an excuse to see the new Lady in waiting that had joined her entourage. This months special was a timorous girl of 16, named Adelaide. She had sandy blonde hair, pale but not too pale skin, a curvaceous figure, and a round face. She had replaced another Lady in Waiting, who had left on maternity leave. You could guess who the father was.

'Oh and that woman just happened to also have blonde hair, pale but not too pale skin, a curvaceous figure, and a round face.' Azora remarked sarcastically in her head.

She scowled a little, not realizing it, until the King stood in front of her, her hand in his.

"Why the frown, my Queen." He jested, a cheeky smirk on his face. He kissed the top of her hand politely, and grinned as she turned her gaze to him, a blank expression on her face.

"Forgive me my Lord, I was distracted."

The Kings grin faded as she did not continue the jest, he thought her boring, and she would never joke along with him if he made a joke. Her Ladies in waiting however...

His smile returned, and he leaned in to kiss her cheek. This caused a few Ladies in Waiting so glare or scowl at the action.

"Well I am going to socialise now, I hope you can bear my absence." He smiled, hoping to get a reaction out of his emotionless wife. His smile once again faded as she sat, with no emotion on her face, her chin slightly in the air.

"Yes, I think I shall bear it, but with some difficulty, I have never had you leave my side." She retorted sarcastically, her mouth twisting into a haughty smirk. King Kallian nodded his head briskly before leaving her side to flirt with the ladies in waiting. They stopped glaring and scowling as the King came towards him, ignoring the Kings entourage who had followed him in and were flirting with the ladies until this point.

The older Ladies in Waiting sat in a separate group, muttering and frowning about how the King didn't even spend proper time with his own wife, and preferred the attention of her Ladies. Azora wouldn't be surprised to receive a letter from her mother soon, talking about the importance of producing an heir, and bonding with her husband. She scoffed.

Azora watched as Kallian basked in the attention of the Ladies. He occasionally returned the attention but it was usually focused on Adelaide, who blushed and looked at her folded hands in her lap whenever he paid her attention. Azora tried to focus on her embroidery, as her breathing quickened, and she ground her teeth together. A jealous feeling burned in the bottom of her stomach, and she looked up at the 'couple' once again.

This time Kallian caught her gaze. He smirked, trying to shove it in her face, trying to get some sort of emotion from her but all he got back was her raising one eyebrow and then looking back at her embroidery. He sighed, defeated but quickly regained his composure when Adelaide placed her hand on his arm, her brows furrowed in worry.

"Is there anything wrong, your majesty?" Her voice quiet, so no one else could hear.

"All is well Addy, I was just thinking." He grinned, and she seemed to relax.

"About what, may ask?" She had a curious expression on her small round face.

Kallian leaned down to whisper in her ear, her face going slightly pink due to the closeness.

"About your beauty, my love."

She placed a hand on her mouth, muffling a giggle, as her face went even more red and she batted her eyelashes.

~~~

A/N Just to clear something up, tea and coffee weren't introduced to Europe until the 1600s, so before tea, there were drinks like mead and other boozy concoctions which had ingredients such as milk, hot water, very weak alcohol, and honey. Yuck XD. I hope you enjoyed that chapter, and please vote!

Love, PhenaPoo