Dispatch #8: Meet The Royal Family
Wherein We Introduce Queen Ydela of Bryn
A Note To The Reader
Everything pertaining to this story and my forthcoming book, The Other Side Of The Sun, is subject to change or revision to improve the story. Should you, the Informed Reader, identify something you believe might be inconsistent or reality-impaired, you may write to me directly at me@beturpin.com to share it.
I seek constructive criticism, not destructive criticism… Grace for Grace, please!
*** A Programming Note ***
I will be visiting New Orleans next week, so there will be no Dispatch next Friday, February 10. The next Dispatch will publish on Friday, February 17.
Today’s Topic: The Royal Family
The Kingdom of Bryn was founded 366 years ago, in the year 124 JE. (JE = “Year Established” in La Komunalingvo - the Common Tongue). Formerly part of the old Duryan Empire, Bryn’s independence was secured after a bitter 5 year war with Durya, led by the legendary noble chieftain Magrim clan Buja, who went on to become Bryn’s first King. Having led the way to secure Bryn’s freedom, clan Buja was established as its royal clan, and has remained thus ever since.
Since 124 JE there have been 16 ruling monarchs, referred to in Bryn as the Sovereign - a term that also applies to the monarchial government, btw.
Today we’ll meet the 2 most recent Sovereigns of Bryn, plus a couple of key relatives.
King Grêon III
King Grêon III was the 15th Sovereign of Bryn. Born in 421 JE, Grêon’s father was the 14th Sovereign, King Adusta II, who reigned for 51 years before Grêon took over in 469 JE at the age of 48. Adusta II suffered from what we would know to be dementia, so for 3 years prior to becoming King, Crown Prince Grêon served as a Regent, or caretaker with limited powers, in his place.
By the time Grêon attained the throne, the 11 Barons of Bryn had already acquired quite a bit of power during Adusta’s lengthy decline, and the Kingdom had already begun to slide into conflict. Grêon managed to pull things back together a bit, though some of the Barons were still quite recalcitrant and uncooperative.
Grêon fathered four children. First he had a son named Kael by his first wife, Dona [doh-nah] (422-454 JE), who died in a carriage accident while Grêon was still a prince. He married a 2nd wife, Emora (434-480 JE), who gave birth to a daughter named Ydela; his son Galyl; and a 2nd daughter, Ardea.
Kael, a truly doughty knight, was declared Crown Prince at age 27 but died three years later in a glorious battle defending against the pernicious Nokuru in 472 JE. Grêon never trusted women with power, so he chose his 2nd son, Galyl, over daughter Ydela to become Crown Prince.
Crown Prince Galyl
Galyl was 6 years old when Grêon designated young Galyl as Crown Prince following the death of valiant Crown Prince Kael. From that time on, Galyl was carefully groomed to become the next King. From an early age, he was educated by the finest tutors and trained by the finest knights - although Grêon made it clear that Galyl would never be allowed to go into battle, for fear he might meet the same fate as Kael.
Galyl grew up to be a very handsome young prince, and he came to be loved by nearly all. He was the living embodiment of chivalry and rectitude, much to the chagrin of some of the Barons, who preferred a weak and pliable monarch. Many of Galyl’s future subjects expected that he would someday usher in an era of true prosperity. But that day never arrived.
In the early winter of 488 JE, during an evening of revelry with friends and courtiers, a very inebriated young Crown Prince Galyl, age 22, fell down one of the royal palace’s more tortuous stairwells. King Grêon was despondent, and Galyl was widely mourned. More than a few folk viewed the young Crown Prince’s untimely death to be suspicious, although evidence of foul play was elusive.
Ydela, Queen Regnant of Bryn
Princess Ydela was a bit shy and awkward early on and never groomed to become a Sovereign. She still received an excellent education, oftentimes seated next to her younger brother Galyl. Ydela spent her early to mid teen years as a Lady Attendant to Her Grace Marena clan Koro, Baroness Varona, an extremely savvy noblewomen who well knew how society and politics worked in the Kingdom. This proved to be a fortuitous relationship that has benefited both ladies into the current age.
Seeking to avoid the petty and not-so-petty intrigues at court in Bôlada, young Princess Ydela escaped to Roĝeno, a royal hunting estate near Kor in the far distant Meldûn Borderlands. Despite being forced by her father to enter a stormy and loveless marriage for political expediency with Kyx clan Hevrin, son of the fractious Baron Dumod, Ydela refused to leave Roĝeno. While there, Ydela gathered her own set of protective Lady Attendants of her own. Life for Ydela at Roĝeno became nearly idyllic… until the sudden death of her brother Galyl changed everything.
Ydela was called back to the capital Bôlada, where her father, Grêon, designated Ydela as the Crown Princess. Their relationship was immediately contentious. Grêon tried to educate Ydela on how to use corruption to manipulate the Barons to do what she wanted. But Ydela wanted nothing to do with such things, and quickly began to lose respect for her father. Grêon started to consider other (male) members of clan Buja to replace Ydela as the Crown Prince. However, during the Springtide festival, which heralds in the new year, Grêon suffered a severe stroke and died. Without warning, even as revelers could be heard celebrating outside, Ydela was quickly ushered in as Queen Ydela.
Princess Ardea
I bring up Princess Ardea here to make 4 points.
One… Ardea is a sweet person who is nowhere near prepared to become the Sovereign. She comes across as easily manipulated… meaning she is very pliable, as the Barons would prefer! Ardea may become a major vulnerability for Ydela.
Two… Queen Ydela and Princess Ardea are now the only other known living direct descendants of King Grêon III.
Three… So far Ardea has been mostly concerned with who she would be married off to. She wants to marry for love, but there are currently four known suitors expressing interest, some of whom are better than others. This is a bigger concern to her than anything else.
Four… if Queen Ydela dies or otherwise becomes incapacitated, Ardea will be next in line to accede to the throne in Bôlada. At story time Ardea is only 17 years old - which means someone else would have to be appointed as Regent to govern Bryn until she reaches her majority age (21). Since the Council of Barons would get to choose the Regent… well, Let your own imagination fill in some of those blanks. Just know that things could get pretty messy if that happens.
Epilogue
Ydela will definitely appear in The Other Side Of The Sun, as she tries to gain her footing as the unexpected new Queen Regnant of Bryn. She will likely become a protagonist in some future book, but in this first book, Ydela will be more of a “helper” figure who befriends the Band of Five and, along with Princess Ardea, will find their mutual fates somehow tied together.
I expect there to be flashback scenes in the first book featuring both King Grêon III and Crown Prince Galyl as well. Their past lives will be a thing.
Someday I hope to write a story about Magrim clan Buja and his rise to power to become King Magrim, the 1st Sovereign of Bryn. Steady as she goes…
We will also pay a visit to those nefarious, noxious humaniform beings known as Nokuru soon enough in a future Dispatch. They will be nasty little beings that one usually smells first… eww!
Conclusion
Thanks for reading this week’s Dispatch! I hope you enjoyed it.
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— B.E. Turpin
