Earning the Love of a Princess-Chapter 214: Teardrops

3 May, 1361. Magdaline Castle, Islia.

The weeks were sliding by in a comfortable blur, as signs of spring began spreading throughout the castle gardens and surrounding countryside.

Such a season of contrast to last year, Camilla thought with dark humour. She could now look back and laugh about the stifling heat and the never ending buzz of insects at Westerhaven.

At the time, there had been nothing funny about it.

Camilla and William were heading back to their apartments after dinner in the great hall. A travelling troupe of musicians from the Western Continent were residing in court for several days and they had played a stream of lively ballads that evening.

Camilla’s feet were throbbing in her high heeled shoes, aching after being spun around for hours in time to the wild music. William was laughing as he watched her limp.

"For fuck’s sake, wife. You walk as if you’ve been beaten. Let me just carry you, before terrible rumours start to spread about me!"

"No. I refuse to be carried to my room like a sleepy child. I’ll be alright once I take my shoes off. And since when have you cared what the courtiers said about you?" Camilla peered ahead of them and groaned. "Good lord, has this corridor always been this long?"

"Well, if you won’t let me carry you like a child..." William suddenly threw her over his shoulder.

Camilla screeched in outrage. "What the hell are you doing? I’m not a barbarian either!"

"That remains to be seen!" William kept walking steadily towards their rooms, despite his laughter as she continued to howl her protests.

Camilla craned her neck so that her face was no longer pressed against William’s back. From her vantage point, she was able to see when William strode through the double doors to their presence chamber. Looking around slightly, she soon locked gazes with Matilda and Louisa from her upside down position, who were both staring at her in shock.

"Oh, damn." Camilla sighed. "William, I’d like to be set upright now, please."

He set her down gently on the floor with a flourish, looking rather pleased with himself.

Camilla’s feet began instantly aching again but she grit her teeth in front of her maids.

"Will you be needing our help getting ready for bed tonight, my lady?" Matilda asked, face pinched.

Before Camilla could send her away, her infuriating husband butted in. "No, she won’t. She has me, and I fancy myself an expert at undressing ladies and getting them into bed."

"William, you’re going to hell. I just know it." Camilla muttered, too tired to even be very embarrassed anymore. All she could think of was removing her very tall scarlet heels.

Both maids bowed and started heading towards the doors. Almost as an afterthought, Matilda said, "A package was delivered earlier to this room, Your Highnesses." She pointed to a box wrapped in red cloth that rested on a small side table.

Once the maids had left the room, William picked up the box and turned it over slowly in his hands. "It’s from my uncle, stamped with his Great Seal."

Camilla sunk into an armchair, sighing with relief and wriggling her toes the minute she’d kicked off her shoes, only half listening to him. It was only when William sat next to her that she paid any attention to the box in his hands.

He broke open the wax seal to the small parchment that sat on the box lid, and unfolded the note. Quickly scanning it, William then handed it to Camilla to read the distinctive scrawl.

To the victors go the spoils. Lord Michal’s trial date has been set for the sixth day of June.

- Edward Rex

Camilla nodded absently, unsure why the king was sending them a message to tell them what they already knew. What everyone already knew, really.

The fall of the Marquis of Niarnol was all the court was gossiping about that spring. Rumours had spread like wildfire as the courtiers speculated what could have caused his arrest and ruin. The real reasons, however, were only known to a small group within the royal family.

King Kenneth had proven surprisingly cooperative about sharing the beautifully detailed maps he’d been sent the previous winter by Lord Elias Michal. Camilla had seen the maps herself when King Edward had received them last month. Once tabled, the counties of Eberelle and Kotailt had bloomed in vivid colour before her eyes, signed by one of Islia’s most distinguished mapmakers.

Her uncle had always been one for discarding people - both friends and allies - once he deemed them as no longer useful, Camilla mused. He would’ve seen no reason to hide the Marquis of Niarnol’s treachery any longer.

Former marquis, she quickly corrected herself. After Lord Michal’s arrest, King Edward had declared the Marquessate of Niarnol as a forfeited title and the lands as reverting back to the Crown’s possession. The king of course, was delighted to have the sizeable rents from those lands going directly into his coffers.

Marchioness Sarai had petitioned the king for an annulment of her marriage and to be allowed to return to her family in Havietten. King Edward seemed inclined to grant the annulment. However, he had decided to wait for two months to pass after Lord Michal’s arrest before making a final decision, to ensure she wasn’t with child.

From praying for a son every morning, to suddenly praying for an empty womb, William had commented wryly when he’d heard.

Camilla stopped sifting through her thoughts when she heard William whisper several curses. She looked at him in surprise.

William had opened the parcel in his lap to reveal an extravagant diamond necklace. He held it up for them both to look at more carefully. The enormous tear shaped gems glittered even in the low candlelight of the presence chamber. There was a small note under the necklace.

These will flatter you, Princess

- E. Rex

"This necklace is worth a small kingdom." William murmured in wonder. "Given my uncle is quite the miser, his gifting it to you is high praise indeed."

"It’s also hideous." Camilla tried to stifle a giggle as she tried to picture herself wearing something so over the top. "If my tastes ran similar to Violet’s though, I’d wear it proudly."

William gave a snort of laughter. "You’d look like an utter magpie. Fuck, this is garish!"

"Will His Majesty be very insulted if I never wear these jewels? I think my neck would snap under the weight of them. And something about the shape of the diamonds...they look like giant teardrops strung from a chain."

William eyed her. "You understand the significance of this necklace though, don’t you? And the message the king is sending by giving it to you?"

"No..."

He blew out a breath. "These jewels are the hereditary diamonds of the Marquessate. Passed down the Michal family line for generations and worn by their ladies on State occasions."

Camilla grimaced in disgust. "That makes them even less appealing! I don’t want to wear the gems that were recently on Sarai’s neck. Or that should’ve been worn by Ned’s wife one day!" 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"You may literally be the only woman in the world who is squeamish about the jewels you wear. You realise that everything you own now, once rested on the head or neck or hand of a dead person?" William pointed out.

"Well, when you phrase it like that..."

"The necklace you’re wearing." He gestured at the emeralds that had once belonged to Duchess Isabella. "Hell, the betrothal ring I gave you was originally my father’s."

Camilla glanced down at the square cut sapphire on her hand. "Yes, I suppose..."

"My uncle will expect you to show proper gratitude for such a generous gift. So I’ll make a bargain with you then, my wife." William gave her his most winning smile. "I’ll use some of the diamonds to fashion earrings for you. Nothing ridiculous looking, I know you like simplicity."

Camilla nodded at his suggestion. Earrings were a much more acceptable option than having what looked like a sparkling candelabra hanging from her neck. "And what will we do with the rest of the gems?"

"Throw them in the back of one of our vaults." William said. "Should you ever need to raise funds to ransom your beloved husband if he’s ever taken prisoner in battle, you can sell them. Or if Malcolm grows up to marry a lady you don’t approve of, you can present them to her as a wedding gift."

Camilla burst out laughing at his suggestion, then grew serious. "Can we use one of these cursed diamond teardrops to pay for a proper tomb and stone memorial for Ned?" She was aware Lord Michal had buried his second son outside the little parish church near Ferrenthor, in an unmarked plot. Nothing had been erected to mark his existence, as if he were nothing but a blight best forgotten.

"You’re the sweetest of women." William pecked her lips. "I’ll send message to the most reputable stonemason near Ferrenthor, to start work within the week."