A New Beginning

[Samoblivion 532]

"Okay, my lady, stop! It's here!"

 

"Ahh.. What is it.."

 

"It's a girl, my lady. A little girl."

 

+~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~+

 

Lady Regent Leana Stafyr laid in the stately bed of the Marquis's quarters, sweat staining her brow and dress as she cradled her newborn daughter. She was sleeping - probably exhausted, poor thing. Leana knew how she felt. She smiled - probably for the first time in months - as the baby girl hiccuped in her sleep. Leana gently reached down and stroked her little head, moving the swaddling aside. Her breath caught in her throat as she noticed that the baby had little sprouts of blonde hair. Just like her son. Just like her husband. Tears rolled down Leana's cheeks - a mix of joy at the birth of her second child and sadness for her husband's abandonment of her for some foolish grief over the loss of his order.

 

As she sat in contemplation, two faces looked into her chamber. Leana smiled to them, beckoning them in. Her son, Godwein, and young nephew, Farley, wandered over. Leana looks to them, letting them see the baby.

 

"Come and meet your sister, Godwein."

 

The seven year old smiled as he cooed over her. Leana inwardly smiled had how the little boy with such a tough exterior with his cousins turned to soppy mush with his sister. Three year old Farley joins them, standing on his toes to see over the bed.

 

"Does she have a name yet, Auntie Leaya?"

 

Leana smiled thoughtfully. A name came to mind.

 

"Her name's Anice, Farley. Little Anice Bru-"

 

Leana paused at the last. No. Her hair would be enough a reminder of her father.

 

"Anice Stafyr. Her name's Anice Stafyr, Farley. After your grandmother, Godwein."

 

The two boys smiled and nodded. As they did so, the various young ladies of House Stafyr entered the chamber, cooing over little Anice much to the boys' chagrin.

 

+~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~+

 

An hour later, after all had left and Anice slept silently in her crib - the same one Godwein had slept in when he was young - Leana sat awake. Unable to sleep she looked around the room. Ironic that she had brought life into it when her brother Edmund had died here just months before. With a start she realised that it was the same bed as well. She had refused to sleep in it since he died, preferring to use a smaller one on the other side of the room, but when her labour had started the midwives put her on the first bed available.

 

Leana sighed, feeling the sheets.

 

Oh, Edmund... What must you think of me...

 

Edmund had been ten times the ruler she was, no matter what he thought of himself at the end. Since becoming regent for her nephew all she had done was mourn and fret, leaving the House to Alistier and its own devices. She had little mind for politics - nether, the last time she had paid any proper attention to current events, her husband was Count of Lachsin, Kaedrin still existed and Oren was an empire. She had paid little attention to the civil war - her apathy had led to Schattenburg being considered enemy territory by King William III, despite her family's allegiances. Leana had thought it better to remain neutral - who wanted to fight a war while pregnant? What a fool she had been. The once proud bannermen of the House had all left, the castle's halls almost silent. Now the North had opened up, its horrors ravaging and killing their way through what remained of Hanseti...

 

The world had changed and gone to the nether in her absence. She had been a poor ruler, but that could change. It had to. For the sake of her son, her new daughter and nephew. For the sake of her House and family. For the memory of her brothers and for the first Godwein.

 

+~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~+

 

Leana moved to stand, wincing slightly as she did. No time for rest now. She'd rested enough. She looked to her desk - piles of letters had stacked up there. She leafed through a few of them.

 

Requests for allegiance...

 

Declarations of new kingdoms...

 

Requests for aid...

 

Censuses of troops...

 

Leana pursed her lips, looking over to her sleeping daughter.

 

May you grow up in a better world than this, my sweet girl.

 

She picks up a quill and begins writing. She had a lot of work to do.

 

+~~~~~~~~+~~~~~~~~+

 

A letter arrives at the court of King William III of Oren, bearing the seal of House Stafyr:

 

To His Majesty, King William III of Oren,

 

I, Lady Regent Leana Stafyr, hereby repledge House Stafyr to your service in the name of the infant Marquis Farley II Stafyr. Though our House has fallen from its traditional zeal in your service, this state of affairs is at an end. Though our lands no longer hold the same yield of troops for your armies as we have had in the past, our loyalty knows no bounds. I intend to come in person to make this pledge, when my health allows. Creator guide and keep you.

 

Long Live the King.

 

[Emenzi 1069]

Edmund sits in the Huntshill of the afterlife and nods looking down at Leana "You're making me proud sister" 

[Moot 1719]

Moved to the Great Library. It shall be sorted into appropriate category shortly.