'Sometimes we have to sacrifice our youths in order to let people live.'
Tulia Byrne has been a Queen for longer than she could remember. Her story begins so carefree and so full of love and yet by the end of it you'll be wondering if you even know...
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The arrival of Princess Claude at French court was a surprise to everyone including Queen Catherine. When Tulia first saw the princess strutting down the corridor towards her mother and brothers she could instantly tell that the two were very different.
Tulia liked to have her hair partially down and in a fairly simplistic style, whereas Claude had it all held together at the back of her head. Tulia preferred dresses that covered her shoulders and were quite warm whereas Claude's dresses barely had any material at all. She wore a purple and orange gown that had no sleeves and a low neckline. Tulia wasn't opposed to how the girl dressed but she herself would never wear anything of the sort.
The Queen watched as the princess greeted her mother and brother, offering a polite hello to Mary before making her way over to Bash and Kenna. The conversation between the three seemed tense, Bash seemed uncomfortable and Claude seemed to have taken on a seductive body language. Tulia grimaced at this, they were half-siblings after all.
"Claude." Francis called, beckoning his younger sister to come over, "I'd like to introduce you to Tulia, Queen of Ireland."
"It's lovely to meet you Princess Claude." Tulia greeted, nodding her head at the woman and smiling slightly at her.
"You must be the poor soul who is to marry my other brother." Claude smirked, looking the Queen up and down with a judgemental stare. "I feel for you I really do."
"Claude." Francis scolds, looking at Tulia with an apologetic smile.
"It's alright." Tulia reassures, looking at Claude calmly. "It is an honour to be married into a family of such high status, your brother is lucky that the offer was even on the table." Francis tried desperately to hide the smile that threatened to emerge onto his face.
"My brother is lucky?" Claude gaped, appalled by the Queen's words. "For some reason I highly doubt that."
"Well." Tulia sighed, "It's a good thing that I'm marrying your brother and not you then, Isn't it."
"I like this one." Claude smirked, before walking away over to where her mother stood with a look of disapproval written all over her face.
Claude was a complex character, she didn't like people who could not fight back for as much as they were pushed down. She liked to challenge people to see how they would react, she had no time for people that changed their character to accommodate other peoples feelings. She believed that a woman should be a woman. Not a wife, not a mother, not a sister. They should be known as their own person, nothing more and nothing less.
"Well," Francis quipped, "That went well."
"I think she liked me." Tulia humoured, looking to Francis with a playful smile. "If only your brother thought the same."
"I'm sure Charles would love you." Francis sighed, an uneasy frown making its way onto his face.
"Oh I'm sure he would." Tulia grumbled, "If he ever could be bothered to give me the time of day."
