The Death of Queen Katherine Carrion
Katherine Winter woke from her deep rest in a sweat. She brushed a strand of hair gently behind her ear and lit the torch that was propped beside her bed. She gently padded down the corridor to the room of her caretaker.
“A nightmare.” She wiped her eyes as tears continued to seep from them.
“Just go back to sleep Katherine…” The man turned over in his bed, obviously annoyed with Katherine’s interruption.
“But I dreamt of a fire...taking my future husband from me. Ripping all my loved ones from my grasp.” Katherine had known for a long while that she was to be married to King Heinrik Carrion I in the morrow. She was determined to keep him and her loved ones safe, but there is not much a queen can do.
Katherine eventually found sleep, she does not know how but it seemed to creep up on her. As the sun rose she knew that she was to be married very soon. The nerves mixed with dread and excitement crippled her to near break down. The day seemed like a fantasy; a plethora of different men and women were preparing her for the wedding. The dress was beautiful, made of silk and was covered head to toe in lace. As she walked down the aisle, she could hear audible gasps at how breathtaking she looked. Katherine closed her eyes for a moment as she sauntered towards Heinrik. This was her first look at him, she noted his striking good looks and his professional demeanor. Finally the wedding wrapped to a close after the two sealed the ceremony with a simple “I do.”
This was her first day of being the queen of Oren. Such respect was given to her from people she had never met in her life. Men and women bowed to her as she walked down the streets of Abresi. ‘How can someone have so much respect for a women they know nothing of?’ Soon months passed, then years and Katherine seemed to grow accustomed to her new life. She knew what to say and how to act. Soon Heinrik and Katherine decided that they were in need of an heir. They were not able to keep the throne forever, they needed someone to pass it down to once they were withered and gone. Katherine was blessed with two beautiful twins, one girl and one boy. Heinrik wanted to honor his parents by naming the bundles of joy Roy and Ipera. Prince Roy was to take the throne after Heinrik was too old and brittled to rule any longer. The next few years Katherine was very happy, despite the fact her husband was constantly at war with the Dwarven Nation, and the Scourge. Katherine and Heinrik grew closer and closer each day. Their children grew into toddlers and were in need of constant care.
The couple decided to try for another child, another to care of and give all of their love to. Katherine was once again pregnant but it was not like before. She was much older this time, the baby took some tolls on her body, she found herself with no energy and in need of constant rest. Her mood was also affected, Heinrik wanted less and less to do with her since she would snap at the simplest of things. The time had finally come and Katherine could feel it. The two rushed to their royal maid to give birth once more. Katherine could feel herself getting weaker and weaker at each push, at each breath she was losing consciousness. She became unresponsive and the efforts to open her eyes back up were in vain. Queen Katherine Carrion had died that night but another baby was born to the royal family.
Heinrik leaves the room, closing the doors behind him and picking up his two young children. He looks to them saying quietly, saying “We come as crows” before kissing them both on the forehead and laying them to bed.
Frederick, Heinrik’s bastard looks to him saying “Pappa, where is the queen?” Heinrik looks at him wearily and says with sullen eyes,“In a much better place, a place without war, without sin and without despair” before walking to the aviary, sending birds out to all of his nobles, friends, and allies. The crows flutter out of the aviary, Heinrik looks to them as they travel through the sky before leaving to grieve for the loss of his beloved wife.