'Sometimes we have to sacrifice our youths in order to let people live.'
Tulia Byrne has been a Queen for longer than she could remember. Her story begins so carefree and so full of love and yet by the end of it you'll be wondering if you even know...
اوووه! هذه الصورة لا تتبع إرشادات المحتوى الخاصة بنا. لمتابعة النشر، يرجى إزالتها أو تحميل صورة أخرى.
It had been a week since Charles and Tulia had danced their first dance, the couple had been getting on exceedingly well recently. Charles of course had not fixed his wandering eye but the young Dauphin seemed to be more inclined to spend his time with his betrothed rather than any random girl he encountered. They could both safely say that the two were friends of the sort.
The preparations for their wedding were well under way. Francis had asked the wedding to be moved closer so that when the time comes there will be a smooth transition of power to the both of them. And of course, Francis would not allow death to stop him from attending his best friend and his brothers marriage.
Tulia was stood in the feast hall overseeing the preparations being put up, occasionally pulling herself away to meet with guests that had arrived from her homeland and other countries. Although still scorned from being removed as King regent in Ireland, Lord Finnan O'Connor and Lady Adelaise Dresden were arriving soon in place of Dainial Shea who obviously could not attend due to obligations in Ireland.
The Sigel's of each noble family involved in the wedding were being hung up around the room. Valois-Angoulême and Byrne were centre stage and besides those sat the Tudor and Medici Sigel's.
The sound of heeled footsteps alerted Tulia to the presence of someone behind her. Catherine De Medici had been released from the dungeons and was making it her personal project to relentlessly hassle the Irish Queen about her wedding. To say Catherine tried to get Charles married off to someone else only weeks prior she seemed very excited about the occasion.
"Tulia." Catherine called, walking to her side and hooking one of her arms with hers. "My soon to be daughter-in-law. Tell me, have you attended your last dress fitting yet?"
"No. I haven't." Tulia rolled her eyes, the Queen mother asked her this every day and it was getting old now.
"When is it?" Catherine persisted, looking at her through narrowed eyes. "The dress needs to be perfect."
"It will be," Tulia assured. "When I try it on tonight."
"Brilliant." Catherine smiled, clapping her hands together in excitement. "Before or after dinner?"
"After." Tulia confirmed.
"Nonsense," Catherine recoiled at the statement she had received. "Your stomach will be enlarged from the food. You'll have it before and no later."
"Are you going to tell the dress makers that?" Tulia sighed, she did not want to hassle the people working on her dress too much when she had already agreed a set time with them.
"Yes." She nodded, unhooking her arm from Tulia's. "I'll do that right now. I want you in your chambers two hours before dinner, be punctual."
"I'll try my best." Tulia nodded, turning back to watch the decorators do their job.
---
The time had come for the last dress fitting before the wedding. Tulia surprisingly had not regretted letting Catherine change the times. All day the Queen had nervously been fretting over it, a sickly feeling had filled her stomach so much that she could not break her fast this morning. Mary had been very worried when she noticed that the younger girl had not touched anything on her plate. She did not know why she was feeling this way, she was probably just nervous.
