December 23, 2014

In Which Dea Does by the Laws

September 5, 1188

"Oh, no. Don't you pat my head and tell me to go practice my embroidery." Dea had stormed into her father's study and slammed the door--not a thing many kings were used to. She would have been scolded for being so unladylike had she not caught him off-guard. "Why do Kaldar and Ella get nothing from you? I get that you think you do enough for us by keeping us fed and clothed and sheltered, but you're responsible for their existence too. You can't just sweep them under the rug!"

"Not that it is any of your business," her father sneered as he regained some semblance of composure, "but their mother is an irrational shrew who would not let me see them unless she too was around, and I don't care to subject myself to that woman more than I already have."

"You should have thought of that before you slept with her, then!"

"Medea!" Outside of an official capacity, her father was the only one who called her by her full name. She hadn't been very old when she'd figured out why. "A young princess shouldn't know of such things!"

"I'm fifteen, in case you've lost track of time. Aunt Leara and Aunt Camaline were both married at my age!" She feared for a second she might have planted an idea in his head, but there was no need. Her father wouldn't marry her or Gennie off until he found two indisputable highest bidders. "And at least Lady Ellona cares about her children, which is more than anyone can say about you!"

"Medea--!"

"Name Kaldar Lord Ravenhold."

His angry snarling and his startled blinking were an unsuited mix of expressions. "What?"

"The new territory to the west. People are already living there, in case you haven't noticed. They need a lord, and that lord is going to be Kaldar."

"That territory is a part of your dowry!"

"Then by the laws of our forefathers, it is mine to do as I please with before I am betrothed. So unless you've sold my hand behind my back, Kaldar will be Lord Ravenhold whether you like it or not." As if she'd have use for that land in her dowry anyway. Her father would never marry her off to someone who didn't already have his own land, and he couldn't pretend he cared to keep her close. "And while we're on the subject, you are to match Sir Casimiro penny for penny with Ella's dowry, and then to double the gross sum. And if you have any children with your new mistress, you'll take suitable care of them too."

"Medea--"

"You will! Or I'll have to take care of them for you--and you may not like everything I have to tell them."

Her father's hands balled into fists. Furious as he was with her, and furious as she'd be at the thought, what he said next would be the closest thing she ever got to an expression of affection from him.

"A pity you weren't a boy."

NEXT CHAPTER:

8 comments:

Van said...

And a pity Ietrin wasn't a half-decent father.

Ann said...

Go Medea!! Awesome girl! *bunnydance*
Now THAT is showing what a Queen is made of! *wavesQueenDeaflag*
The only pity here is that Ietrin didn't die of a heartattack... though I guess that would have put Dea on the spot. Maybe he could choke on a pea later? A girl can hope, right?

Merry Christmas to you and all your family and friends! Happy happy holidays and a wonderful 2015! (It's got a lot to make up for.)

Ekho said...

Word mistake I think, you've got 'anyone' where 'anyway' fits.

Whoa, Medea is pretty awesome. I am curious how this is going to effect her long term, surely Ietrin isn't going to let her get away with standing up to him. Even if he respects her more after this, he's not the type of man to be humble or accepting. To me he seems more spiteful and conceited, but then again, maybe he will see the benefit of her intention and agree with her.

Van said...

Ann: There would have been definite upsides to Ietrin having a heart attack here, but alas, I need him for a little while longer.

But yep--Dea was born to rule, so here's hoping it happens some day. ;)

Merry Christmas! And ha, yeah--after 2013 and 2014, 2015 had better be fucking awesome.

Ekho: D'oh! Thanks for the catch!

Ietrin mostly ignores Dea in day-to-day life, so he might go out of his way to be a bit more cautious of her, maybe restrict her freedoms somewhat. Not that Dea listens to Ietrin much anyway, and not that Ietrin pays enough attention to know that.

Oh, Ietrin wrote the book on spiteful and conceited. He might be able to acknowledge that there is something worthwhile in his daughter, but he's not going to bother himself with nurturing it, nor will he feel threatened enough to outright squash it. But he'll "humor" her this once.

Winter said...

*also waving a Queen Dea flag*

Good on Dea for looking out for her half-siblings and sticking it to their father. Someone with some sense of decency would have been mindful of his natural children's future. (When Mordred is in any way a better father than you, you lose at being a father.) With any luck, Dea won't be lacking for lands soon enough, even without direct ownership of Ravenhold.

Also, bonus points to Casimiro for putting in for Ella's dowry. That's a pretty impressive marriage of convenience.





Van said...

I should really start selling those Queen Dea flags. Seems like it would be a profitable business. XD

Yeah, you know you're a shitty parent when Mordred has anything one up on you. :S While Dea can't fix everything, she can do what she can to try to make for Ietrin's failures. And I'm sure she'll end up with some amount of land some time or another...

Casimiro is a pretty good candidate for Stepfather of the Year.

Ekho said...

Ietrin has such a prude idea of the world! If anything women should be more informed on the matter of sex considering they're the ones who have to endure any resulting pregnancies!

I know I commented on this before... But still!

Van said...

Oh, Ietrin is definitely a prude when it comes to people other than him and his (liked) sex partners. :S

Alas, he's not the first man to be in denial about women's sexual knowledge, and he won't be the last. Idiots. :S