Tiresome

"Your Highness you--"

"No."

The woman in front of Leah sighed, and her thin fingers tugged at the edges of her dress. Her face was as strained as her patience, and with every 'no' Leah offered the woman tugged harder. "What if--"

"P'ughhh," Leah sighed, her eyes rolled towards the Heavens and she sunk into the throne, her legs then splayed haphazardly in front of her and allowed her dress to crumple. If she had to repeat herself again...

"Look," the woman started, raising a hand as Leah opened her mouth, "you have to do... something. I don't care if you love someone; I don't care if you know someone. I only care that your kingdom is intact. If you don't care about that -- it's your own problem. But you have to take responsibility for that and what it will do to your kingdom."

Leah took a deep breath and shut her eyes. The woman waited. Pressuring Leah wasn't how things happened -- and they both knew it. Moments ticked by.

The Queen was young... probably too young to be in her position. However, as childish and unwilling to compromise as Leah was, she truly cared about her people. At the end of the day everyone knew Leah would do what was best. Even if it came with much complaining.

Leah gave in first.

"Alright," Leah sat straight up on her throne and repositioned her dress. "Invite him to dinner. Entertain his company. Send Michale to his kingdom and have him deliver a report." The woman she spoke to nodded, curtsied, and turned on her heels.

The kingdom of Lynsid was small, but powerful. Their Queen, Leah, was a young ruler with an idealistic outlook for how the world should be ran. Unlike surrounding rulers Leah ran her court with a relatively diverse mixture of women, men, old, young, and even various races. Those within the kingdom were not all generational descendants, as with most kingdoms, but were rather there by choice. Many came from far away lands, or kingdoms with unjust and corrupt rule.

As such, this gave Lynsid a unique air. Its inhabitants typically bartered rather than sold; they taught skills and knowledge to those who simply asked; and they stood up for their kingdom with a vigilance of no compare.

Their Queen was the third generation of a line of rulers. She was brought to the throne by despair and misfortune at thirteen. Fortunately, she was well taught and immersed in the ways of politics and rule since her birth. Lynsid prospered under Leah, as it had before her, but the Queen was approaching her mid-twenties and the kingdoms surrounding Lynsid were growing restless with an unwed, and female, ruler in power. As such, many suitors visited Lynsid -- many more without respectful notice.

Every suitor having visited Leah came with tales of riches and power, but none visited with stories of equality, or prosperity, or love for their people. She was uninterested. If she had to rule until her deathbed without a King at her side, she would. As long as the world let her, at least.

"Your Highness Leah, I present --" The woman from before was pushed to the side. She stumbled slightly before righting herself and staring daggers at her assaulter.

"Your Highness, Leah; Queen of Lynsid. I am pleased to--" The man who pushed Marcella, the woman, was now standing in front of Leah. His hands were clasped in front of him, his nose upturned, staring at the Queen from over his cheekbones. Even though his words began loud, and clear, they softened as Leah slowly rose from her throne and moved towards him. As she neared, his introduction quieted before it ended altogether.

Lead strode past him, ignored him entirely, and approached Marcella instead. "My Lady, are you harmed?" Leah's voice was confident, but quiet. Marcella shook her head, and Leah turned to the man who had intruded upon her court.

"Who do you introduce?" Leah asked, sternly.

"I... I am pleased to--"

"Who," Leah insisted, "do you," her voice grew louder, "introduce?" She ended the initial question as command this time, her voice filling the room and suffocating her intruder.

The man's voice faltered, his shoulders dropped, and he spoke in a subservient tone for the first time since entering her court, "King Ewan."

Leah maintained eye contact with him, raising her head higher to look at him as he had looked at her. "King Ewan!" She bellowed. "Your presence is thusly required."

Another man, likely in his thirties, who was admittedly handsome, rounded the corner. His shoulders were still squared, despite the impropriety of his introduction. And he strode with a sense of purpose Leah immediately disliked. "Your Highness." He called from across the throne room, allowing his voice to linger in the air while he approached, and bowed, to the Queen.

"Your introduction was marred by the indiscretions of your court," Leah gestured to the first man, her face stoic. "He has physically and emotionally affected a member of my court. In my kingdom -- my throne room. What say you?"

King Ewan's head tilted slightly to the right, and eyebrow raising in what Leah assumed was amusement. Wonderful; it will be another meeting like this. She held back an eyeroll.

"He... will be punished?" King Ewan said, nonchalantly.

"And how?" Lead pressed.

King Ewan shrugged -- shrugged -- at her. "Your discretion, Your Highness."

"No."

"What do you mean... 'no'?"

"Am I under the impression you are unaware 'no' functions as a full sentence?" King Ewan's mouth opened to reply, but Leah continued. She walked further towards him, and circled around him as she had continued on. "If I was interested in elaborating, I would have. But, since you seem incapable of reading beyond the words spoken, I shall humor you. Within thirty seconds of meeting, and before we ourselves were introduced, your court has shoved a member of mine, disregarded said member of my court, made me repeat myself -- as you have now done -- and still he has not apologized for his actions.

In turn, you have yet to apologize either. And, now, instead of handling the misdeeds of yourself and your court," Leah finished the last circle of King Ewan, and came to stand in front of him with her hands clasped behind her back and her face hard as stone. "you push your responsibility for punishment and recompense on myself when it was my court whom had been wronged. So, King Ewan, I return to my response of 'no,' and dreadfully hope you've learned something from my expanse upon the word."

It took everything Ewan had to not laugh at the tiny statured Queen who circled him like a shark. She was hell-bent on recourse. The fire in the Queen's eyes as she challenged him reflected the vigor Lynsid was famous for. Now Ewan knew why. Queen Leah interested him. Her kingdom interested him. He needed to treat the situation carefully.

"Franklin." Ewan motioned to his friend, beckoning him over.

Franklin, whose face had remained contorted in shame, walked closer to his King before answering quietly. "Your Highness."

Queen Leah stood her ground, not breaking her eye contact with Ewan. Ewan spoke again, "Did you shove Lady... Marcella...?"

As he remembered the lady's name, he saw Queen Leah's face soften. He smirked despite himself, and Leah's face returned to stone.

"Yes, Your Highness..." Franklin answered, his head bowed

Marcella stepped to the side, her hands tugged at her dress. She was obviously embarrassed, but remained silent. "So," Ewan spoke again, "what say you to Lady Marcella, Franklin?"

Franklin turned to Marcella, making sincere eye contact with her. "I would like to express my deepest and sincerest apologies, My Lady. Shoving you was out of order, and I have no excuse for my actions."

Marcella curtsied, no emotion on her face, and replied, "Your apology is appreciated, My Lord." Turning to King Ewan, she curtsied again. "Thank you as well, Your Highness."

Ewan inclined his head toward Marcella despite his continued focus on the Queen. He smiled, pleased with himself, "Queen Leah?"

Leah let out a breath, controlling it barely enough so as not to sigh. "Marcella?"

"I am satisfied, My Queen."

"At least one of us is." Leah remained for a moment before she turned swiftly and resumed her place on the throne.

King Ewan's smugness and handling of his... 'Franklin', was less than acceptable. She couldn't imagine one of her court treating another in that manner. Imagine what kind of person would keep someone like that in their company, let alone their court?

The room was quiet, everyone's eyes were on Leah, and she was uniquely aware of the power she held in this moment. She remained silent.

"Well," King Ewan said, having broke the silence after several moments. "This is... tiresome."

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