| game,character,aliases,num_appearances,total_scenes,scene_ids,example_0,example_1,example_2,example_3,example_4,valid | |
| romance,Don Luis de Vega,"['Don Luis de Vega', 'Don Luis', 'Don', 'Luis', 'de Vega', 'Luis de Vega', 'De Vega']",461,3921,"openingscene_87,sceneadirect_353,sceneadirect_361,sceneadirect_361,sceneadirect_374,scenebdirect_128,scenebdirect_128,scenebdirect_132,scenebdirect_132,scenebdirect_136,scenebdirect_136,scenebdirect_140,scenebdirect_147,scenebdirect_147,masque_85,masque_94,scenec_59,scenec_142,politics_0,politics_35,tokens_188,tokens_200,tokens_200,tokens_253,scened_228,scened_230,scened_232,politics_108,politics_108,scened_241,scened_329,scened_491,scened_493,scened_493,scened_493,politics_207,politics_207,politics_210,scened_502,scened_502,scened_543,scened_560,scened_565,scened_634,scened_507,scened_512,scened_545,scened_545,scened_555,scened_570,scened_570,scened_566,scened_595,scened_638,scened_645,politics_479,scened_273,scened_285,scened_515,scened_529,scened_577,scened_577,scened_588,scened_588,scened_598,scened_603,politics_488,politics_492,politics_496,politics_500,scenee_4,scened_519,scened_525,scened_533,scened_539,scened_606,scened_620,scened_610,scened_616,scened_624,scened_630,politics_506,politics_510,politics_518,politics_533,politics_537,politics_550,politics_554,politics_567,politics_571,politics_584,politics_588,scenef_45,politics_675,politics_678,politics_681,scenef_91,scenef_50,scenef_50,scenef_95,scenef_95,scenef_99,scenef_99,scenef_103,scenef_103,scenef_54,scenef_60,scenef_60,scenef_71,scenef_78,scenef_78,scenef_87,scenef_175,scenef_114,scenef_124,scenef_132,scenef_138,sceneg_61,sceneg_455,marriage_92,marriage_92,marriage_75,marriage_75,marriage_97,marriage_113,marriage_113,marriage_80,marriage_118,marriage_231,marriage_321,marriage_323,marriage_323,marriage_282,marriage_388,marriage_388,marriage_388,marriage_523,marriage_825,sceneh_756,sceneh_759,sceneh_762,scenei_21,sceneh_769,sceneh_772,sceneh_775,marriage_812,sceneh_1021,sceneh_908,sceneh_911,sceneh_917,sceneh_917,scenea_25,sceneh_920,sceneh_804,sceneh_807,sceneh_812,sceneh_815,sceneh_818,sceneh_821,scenea_33,scenea_33,scenea_46,sceneh_846,sceneh_850,sceneh_854,sceneh_857,sceneh_860,sceneh_863,sceneh_869,sceneh_872,sceneh_875,sceneh_878,marriage_678,sceneh_925,sceneh_928,sceneh_932,sceneh_932,sceneh_932,sceneh_936,sceneh_995,sceneh_999,sceneh_1002,sceneh_1005,sceneh_1005,sceneh_942,sceneh_970,sceneh_886,sceneh_1008,sceneh_1010,sceneh_888,sceneh_891,sceneh_894,sceneh_900,sceneh_900,sceneh_311,sceneh_314,sceneh_317,sceneh_903,sceneh_1052,sceneh_1239,sceneh_1251,sceneb_102,sceneb_102,sceneb_106,sceneb_106,sceneb_110,sceneb_110,sceneb_114,sceneb_121,sceneb_121,sceneh_1339,sceneh_1347,mendosawands_96,mendosawands_111,mendosawands_99,mendosawands_103,mendosawands_114,mendosawands_114,mendosawands_194,mendosawands_205,mendosawands_205,mendosawands_201,mendosawands_124,mendosawands_127,mendosawands_129,mendosawands_156,mendosawands_173,mendosawands_181,mendosawands_188,mendosawands_224,mendosawands_399,mendosawands_399,mendosawands_139,mendosawands_146,mendosawands_558,mendosawands_562,mendosawands_566,mendosawands_412,mendosawands_424,mendosawands_458,mendosawands_516,mendosawands_540,mendosawands_429,mendosawands_444,mendosawands_464,mendosawands_486,mendosawands_496,mendosawands_507,mendosawands_584,mendosawands_253,mendosawands_274,mendosawands_320,mendosawands_374,mendosawands_475,mendosawands_626,mendosawands_634,mendosawands_677,mendosawands_696,mendosawands_699,mendosawands_714,mendosawands_716,mendosawands_716,mendosawands_724,mendosawands_729,mendosawands_736,mendosawands_736,mendosawands_747,mendosawands_747,mendosawands_747,mendosawands_767,mendosawands_771,mendosawands_779,personalpolitics_358,personalpolitics_374,personalpolitics_370,personalpolitics_563,personalpolitics_563,personalpolitics_567,personalpolitics_567,personalpolitics_567,personalpolitics_574,personalpolitics_574,personalpolitics_578,personalpolitics_578,personalpolitics_578,personalpolitics_382,personalpolitics_585,personalpolitics_386,personalpolitics_389,personalpolitics_389,personalpolitics_407,personalpolitics_591,personalpolitics_414,personalpolitics_416,personalpolitics_599,personalpolitics_190,personalpolitics_421,personalpolitics_430,personalpolitics_669,personalpolitics_676,personalpolitics_435,personalpolitics_447,personalpolitics_452,personalpolitics_458,personalpolitics_460,personalpolitics_617,personalpolitics_617,personalpolitics_694,personalpolitics_222,personalpolitics_632,personalpolitics_241,personalpolitics_509,personalpolitics_705,personalpolitics_721,personalpolitics_731,personalpolitics_735,personalpolitics_486,personalpolitics_467,personalpolitics_656,personalpolitics_706,personalpolitics_471,personalpolitics_499,personalpolitics_651,personalpolitics_654,personalpolitics_662,personalpolitics_664,personalpolitics_679,personalpolitics_525,personalpolitics_716,personalpolitics_522,personalpolitics_690,personalpolitics_541,sickness_104,sickness_137,sickness_137,sickness_152,sickness_152,sickness_170,sickness_145,sickness_147,sickness_147,sickness_158,sickness_162,sickness_117,sickness_125,sickness_150,sickness_234,sickness_196,sickness_196,sickness_200,assassins_103,assassins_111,assassins_111,assassinscounterattack_50,assassinscounterattack_167,assassinscounterattack_64,assassinscounterattack_70,assassinscounterattack_70,assassinscounterattack_181,assassinscounterattack_188,assassinscounterattack_188,assassinscounterattack_86,assassins_355,assassinscounterattack_823,assassinscounterattack_825,assassinscounterattack_827,wanderingeyeredux_43,wanderingeyeredux_94,wanderingeyeredux_134,wanderingeyeredux_96,wanderingeyeredux_102,wanderingeyeredux_104,wanderingeyeredux_107,wanderingeyeredux_126,wanderingeyeredux_150,wanderingeyeredux_121,wanderingeyeredux_174,wanderingeyeredux_174,wanderingeyeredux_186,wanderingeyeredux_196,wanderingeyeredux_192,wanderingeyeredux_200,wanderingeyeredux_200,wanderingeyeredux_220,wanderingeyeredux_230,wanderingeyeredux_235,wanderingeyeredux_205,wanderingeyeredux_435,wanderingeyeredux_461,wanderingeyeredux_207,wanderingeyeredux_439,wanderingeyeredux_442,wanderingeyeredux_465,wanderingeyeredux_468,wanderingeyeredux_211,wanderingeyeredux_213,wanderingeyeredux_213,wanderingeyeredux_765,wanderingeyeredux_732,wanderingeyeredux_540,wanderingeyeredux_718,wanderingeyeredux_754,wanderingeyeredux_779,meettomas_39,meettomas_59,meettomas_110,meettomas_120,meettomas_174,meettomas_168,meettomas_168,meettomas_175,meettomas_180,meettomas_180,meettomas_154,meettomas_160,meettomas_162,meettomas_287,meettomas_297,tomaspowwow_42,tomaspowwow_42,tomaspowwow_42,offwithherheadhca2_122,offwithherheadhca2_228,offwithherheadhca2_1164,thekingisdead_98,thekingisdead_98,thekingisdead_57,thekingisdead_206,thekingisdead_62,thekingisdead_130,thekingisdead_137,offwithherheadhca2_375,thekingisdead_143,offwithherheadhca2_781,offwithherheadhca2_381,offwithherheadhca2_410,offwithherheadhca2_783,offwithherheadhca2_788,offwithherheadhca2_795,offwithherheadhca2_795,offwithherheadhca2_801,offwithherheadhca2_801,offwithherheadhca2_387,thekingisdead_550,thekingisdead_709,thekingisdead_709,offwithherheadhca2_393,thekingisdead_552,thekingisdead_552,thekingisdead_561,thekingisdead_561,thekingisdead_569,offwithherheadhca2_636,offwithherheadhca2_638,offwithherheadhca2_643,offwithherheadhca2_650,offwithherheadhca2_650,offwithherheadhca2_656,offwithherheadhca2_656,offwithherheadhca2_1014,offwithherheadhca2_1014","You walk through the vineyards, through the courtyard, and towards your family's somewhat shabby villa. The villa is old and well-constructed, but not as well kept as it might be. Underneath the trellis of bright flowers, for instance, the lintel could really use painting. But the family simply does not have the money to keep up appearances as they should be kept…. Your great-grandfather was a Conde, and your great-aunt was a Condesa, and you have a second cousin or something who is a Condesa now. But your father is only an hidalgo–a younger member of a noble house. He has the title Don for courtesy, and he has a fine house in the country, but he doesn't have anything else. Not much money, and no power. Just the house and the family name. And so you don't have anything else, either, as you approach your sixteenth birthday–when you officially come of age. | |
| Far away in the capital city of Orovilla, things are happening. There Life Mages and Death Mages study to advance their art; there young men and women enjoy masques and balls and hunts and jousts; there wise and devious advisors lurk at the edges of the monarch's glittering Court. | |
| Perhaps it is not quite true that nothing ever happens here. Now that something has, are you feeling glad that life here is usually calm and kind of dull?","Angrily. | |
| ""Well, it is hardly my fault alone!"" you snap. Agustina turns around, startled. ""Half his blood is yours! I want a Life Mage child for Iberia as much as you do, but at least I love our son either way!"" | |
| ""I do love our son,"" Agustina says sharply. ""How dare you imply anything else? I love all my children! This business of an heir weighs me down, but I bear love for all my–"" | |
| ""Oh, yes,"" you say, working yourself up the way you always do, ""you bear great love for Esteban's daughter and for your Life Mage Tomás, but you cannot even find a smile for my child!"" | |
| ""You will not speak Esteban's name to me,"" the Queen says flatly. She turns to go. ""I have matters of business to discuss with de Vega. I will see you in Court."" She slams the door behind her.","You start to cry. | |
| Agustina turns around, looking weary. ""What is it?"" | |
| ""This failure crushes me,"" you whisper. ""I want a Life Mage child for Iberia as much as you do."" | |
| Agustina comes over and strokes your hair, as she did so often during the years the two of you waited for a child. ""Of course you do, my dear,"" she says, as she said all the times you cried during those years. | |
| ""You will stop loving me,"" you say as you have said often before. ""I am sure you will stop loving me."" | |
| ""No, no."" She keeps stroking your hair. Is it only your imagination, or are the words and the motion somewhat automatic? | |
| ""And you do not love Ricardo at all."" | |
| ""No, that is not true."" Her voice is patient, but tired. ""I bear love to all my children. I am worn down with the business of an heir, you know that. That is a different thing than love."" | |
| You continue to cry, and the Queen continues to comfort you. The servants go about their business with their eyes averted. It is not the first time they have witnessed such a scene. | |
| A tap on the door interrupts your tears. A servant has come from Luis de Vega, requesting a few minutes of the Queen's time. Agustina says she will meet with de Vega at once–speaking with a quickness that is not entirely flattering. She kisses you quickly and says she will see you at Court.","You start to cry. | |
| Agustina turns around, looking weary. ""What is it?"" | |
| ""This failure crushes me,"" you whisper. ""I want a Life Mage child for Iberia as much as you do."" | |
| Agustina comes over and strokes your hair, as she did so often during the years the two of you waited for a child. ""Of course you do, my dear,"" she says, as she said all the times you cried during those years. | |
| ""You will stop loving me,"" you say as you have said often before. ""I am sure you will stop loving me."" | |
| ""No, no."" She keeps stroking your hair. Is it only your imagination, or are the words and the motion somewhat automatic? | |
| ""And you do not love Ricardo at all."" | |
| ""No, that is not true."" Her voice is patient, but tired. ""I bear love to all my children. I am worn down with the business of an heir, you know that. That is a different thing than love."" | |
| You continue to cry, and the Queen continues to comfort you. The servants go about their business with their eyes averted. It is not the first time they have witnessed such a scene. | |
| A tap on the door interrupts your tears. A servant has come from Luis de Vega, requesting a few minutes of the Queen's time. Agustina says she will meet with de Vega at once–speaking with a quickness that is not entirely flattering. She kisses you quickly and says she will see you at Court.","You start to cry. | |
| Agustina turns around, looking concerned. ""What is it?"" | |
| ""This failure crushes me,"" you whisper. ""I want a Life Mage child for Iberia as much as you do."" | |
| Agustina comes over and strokes your hair, as she did so often during the years the two of you waited for a child. ""Of course you do, my dear,"" she says, as she said all the times you cried during those years. | |
| ""You will stop loving me,"" you say as you have said often before. ""I am sure you will stop loving me."" | |
| ""No, no."" She keeps stroking your hair. | |
| ""And you do not love Ricardo at all."" | |
| ""And that is not true at all."" Her voice is very patient. ""I bear love to all my children. I am worn down with the business of an heir, you know that. That is a different thing than love."" | |
| You continue to cry, and the Queen continues to comfort you. The servants go about their business with their eyes averted. It is not the first time they have witnessed such a scene. | |
| A tap on the door interrupts your tears. A servant has come from Luis de Vega, requesting a few minutes of the Queen's time. Agustina kisses you and says she will see you at Court.", | |
| romance,Doña Gabriela de Mendosa,"['Gabriela de Mendosa', 'Doña Gabriela de Mendosa', 'Doña Gabriela', 'Gabriela', 'De Mendosa', 'Mendosa', 'de Mendosa']",451,3921,"masque_40,masque_48,masque_55,masque_106,masque_200,masque_138,masque_207,tokens_29,tokens_35,tokens_39,tokens_42,tokens_60,tokens_70,tokens_70,tokens_72,tokens_74,tokens_90,tokens_431,tokens_431,tokens_269,tokens_269,tokens_269,scened_183,tokens_277,tokens_281,tokens_281,tokens_427,tokens_289,tokens_293,tokens_297,tokens_301,tokens_306,tokens_306,tokens_310,tokens_314,tokens_328,tokens_328,tokens_336,tokens_336,politics_0,politics_0,politics_35,politics_44,politics_48,politics_48,politics_50,politics_52,politics_54,politics_56,politics_108,politics_123,politics_123,politics_202,politics_128,politics_128,politics_134,politics_134,politics_138,politics_138,politics_142,politics_488,politics_492,politics_496,politics_500,politics_244,politics_506,politics_510,politics_514,politics_518,grandball_1,grandball_1,grandball_30,grandball_40,politics_617,grandball_49,grandball_78,grandball_89,grandball_89,grandball_97,proposals_211,proposals_18,proposals_339,proposals_347,proposals_216,proposals_220,proposals_220,proposals_220,proposals_224,proposals_227,proposals_230,proposals_239,proposals_242,proposals_242,proposals_246,proposals_250,proposals_31,proposals_33,proposals_252,proposals_252,proposals_252,proposals_264,proposals_266,proposals_266,proposals_277,proposals_280,proposals_283,proposals_293,proposals_293,proposals_293,proposals_304,proposals_326,proposals_326,proposals_326,proposals_308,proposals_308,proposals_317,proposals_317,proposals_317,scenej_154,scenej_167,scenej_174,scenej_184,scenej_184,scenej_184,scenej_191,scenej_191,scenej_191,scenej_198,scenej_198,scenej_221,scenej_221,mendosarecap_11,mendosarecap_11,mendosarecap_23,mendosarecap_30,mendosarecap_40,mendosarecap_24,mendosarecap_24,mendosarecap_45,mendosarecap_36,mendosawands_36,mendosawands_47,mendosawands_96,mendosawands_111,mendosawands_60,mendosawands_99,mendosawands_205,mendosawands_201,mendosawands_120,mendosawands_120,mendosawands_207,mendosawands_210,mendosawands_213,mendosawands_89,mendosawands_154,mendosawands_156,mendosawands_221,mendosawands_136,mendosawands_163,mendosawands_169,mendosawands_173,mendosawands_173,mendosawands_188,mendosawands_224,mendosawands_224,mendosawands_399,mendosawands_139,mendosawands_146,mendosawands_558,mendosawands_562,mendosawands_566,mendosawands_412,mendosawands_458,mendosawands_491,mendosawands_516,mendosawands_242,mendosawands_284,mendosawands_284,mendosawands_297,mendosawands_297,mendosawands_331,mendosawands_357,mendosawands_369,mendosawands_480,mendosawands_506,mendosawands_319,mendosawands_346,mendosawands_421,mendosawands_429,mendosawands_434,mendosawands_444,mendosawands_449,mendosawands_481,mendosawands_486,mendosawands_512,mendosawands_521,mendosawands_526,mendosawands_531,mendosawands_548,mendosawands_584,mendosawands_584,mendosawands_584,mendosawands_248,mendosawands_303,mendosawands_325,mendosawands_336,mendosawands_347,mendosawands_352,mendosawands_374,mendosawands_379,mendosawands_384,mendosawands_314,mendosawands_594,mendosawands_603,mendosawands_611,mendosawands_619,mendosawands_626,mendosawands_634,mendosawands_652,mendosawands_657,mendosawands_661,mendosawands_677,mendosawands_690,mendosawands_690,mendosawands_690,mendosawands_681,mendosawands_681,mendosawands_681,mendosawands_703,mendosawands_706,mendosawands_712,mendosawands_716,mendosawands_724,mendosawands_736,mendosawands_736,mendosawands_736,mendosawands_747,mendosawands_747,mendosawands_747,mendosawands_774,mendosawands_783,mendosawands_793,mendosawands_802,personalpolitics_15,personalpolitics_15,personalpolitics_358,personalpolitics_376,personalpolitics_379,personalpolitics_563,personalpolitics_563,personalpolitics_574,personalpolitics_574,personalpolitics_23,personalpolitics_585,personalpolitics_170,personalpolitics_33,personalpolitics_33,personalpolitics_33,personalpolitics_591,personalpolitics_127,personalpolitics_154,personalpolitics_140,personalpolitics_150,personalpolitics_415,personalpolitics_61,personalpolitics_162,personalpolitics_176,personalpolitics_65,personalpolitics_188,personalpolitics_599,personalpolitics_69,personalpolitics_200,personalpolitics_268,personalpolitics_79,personalpolitics_81,personalpolitics_104,personalpolitics_205,personalpolitics_452,personalpolitics_671,personalpolitics_110,personalpolitics_113,personalpolitics_617,personalpolitics_117,personalpolitics_88,personalpolitics_309,personalpolitics_323,personalpolitics_342,personalpolitics_346,personalpolitics_310,personalpolitics_350,personalpolitics_350,personalpolitics_318,personalpolitics_335,personalpolitics_337,sickness_268,sickness_287,assassins_41,assassins_702,assassins_709,assassins_47,assassins_714,assassins_757,assassins_761,assassins_781,assassins_783,assassins_785,assassins_788,assassins_51,assassins_562,assassins_612,assassins_647,assassins_658,assassins_692,assassins_719,assassins_748,assassins_750,assassins_752,assassins_755,assassins_90,assassins_372,assassins_808,assassins_842,assassins_852,assassins_886,assassins_566,assassins_584,assassins_586,assassins_588,assassins_594,assassins_722,assassins_92,assassins_95,assassins_162,assassins_56,assassins_89,assassins_157,assassins_366,assassins_560,assassins_736,assassins_60,assassins_128,assassins_77,assassins_215,assassinscounterattack_91,assassinscounterattack_198,assassins_204,assassins_137,assassins_149,assassinscounterattack_100,assassinscounterattack_106,assassinscounterattack_106,assassinscounterattack_106,assassinscounterattack_207,assassinscounterattack_213,assassinscounterattack_213,assassins_314,assassinscounterattack_122,assassins_512,assassins_316,assassins_322,assassins_326,assassins_364,assassins_556,assassins_295,assassins_339,assassins_348,assassins_457,assassins_466,wanderingeyeredux_239,wanderingeyeredux_261,wanderingeyeredux_264,wanderingeyeredux_266,wanderingeyeredux_586,wanderingeyeredux_736,wanderingeyeredux_722,meettomas_42,meettomas_45,thekingisdead_74,thekingisdead_147,thekingisdead_147,offwithherheadhca2_353,thekingisdead_87,thekingisdead_90,thekingisdead_209,thekingisdead_79,thekingisdead_94,thekingisdead_95,thekingisdead_384,thekingisdead_170,thekingisdead_177,offwithherheadhca2_805,offwithherheadhca2_832,offwithherheadhca2_881,thekingisdead_390,thekingisdead_183,offwithherheadhca2_807,offwithherheadhca2_817,offwithherheadhca2_828,offwithherheadhca2_828,thekingisdead_572,thekingisdead_587,thekingisdead_619,thekingisdead_715,thekingisdead_715,thekingisdead_725,thekingisdead_751,offwithherheadhca2_843,offwithherheadhca2_892,thekingisdead_574,thekingisdead_583,thekingisdead_583,offwithherheadhca2_845,offwithherheadhca2_860,offwithherheadhca2_877,offwithherheadhca2_877,offwithherheadhca2_901,thekingisdead_598,thekingisdead_630,thekingisdead_736,thekingisdead_762,offwithherheadhca2_660,offwithherheadhca2_687,offwithherheadhca2_736,offwithherheadhca2_853,offwithherheadhca2_870,thekingisdead_600,thekingisdead_615,thekingisdead_615,thekingisdead_637,thekingisdead_744,offwithherheadhca2_662,offwithherheadhca2_672,offwithherheadhca2_683,offwithherheadhca2_683,thekingisdead_608,offwithherheadhca2_698,offwithherheadhca2_747,offwithherheadhca2_700,offwithherheadhca2_715,offwithherheadhca2_732,offwithherheadhca2_732,offwithherheadhca2_708,offwithherheadhca2_725,thekingisdead_812,thekingisdead_844,thekingisdead_839,thekingisdead_836,offwithherheadhca2_1247,offwithherheadhca2_1279,offwithherheadhca2_1274,offwithherheadhca2_1271","""But the Queen must know her courtiers recognize her."" | |
| The young woman playing Perseverance starts to reply, but Don Benedicto speaks sharply. ""Perhaps, perhaps not. In any case, Your Majesty, you will do as you are told. Resume your position."" | |
| Embarrassed, you turn back to the tower. ""It's all right,"" Perseverance says, low. ""We've all said something like that from time to time. It is a somewhat ridiculous game we all play. Best not to say that out loud, though."" She smiles. ""I ought to have introduced myself before. Gabriela de Mendosa, at your service."" | |
| Don Benedicto curtly orders the rehearsal to resume, and it does.","""You are having a jest with me because I am new to Court, are you not?"" | |
| ""Certainly not,"" Don Benedicto says sharply. ""And since you are new to Court, you would do well to follow the instructions you are given. Resume your position."" | |
| Embarrassed, you turn back to the tower. ""It's all right,"" Perseverance says, low. ""We've all said something like that from time to time. It is a somewhat ridiculous game we all play. Best not to say that out loud, though."" She smiles. ""I ought to have introduced myself before. Gabriela de Mendosa, at your service."" | |
| Don Benedicto curtly orders the rehearsal to resume, and it does.","""Very well."" | |
| Perseverance smiles at you as you turn back to the tower. ""Very wise,"" she says. ""It is a somewhat ridiculous game we all play, but it's best not to say that out loud. By the way–I ought to have introduced myself before. Gabriela de Mendosa, at your service."" | |
| Don Benedicto curtly orders the rehearsal to resume, and it does.","Perseverance and her companions enter. Perseverance is so obviously the Queen, you cannot see how anyone could ever pretend to be fooled. The Queen, as Perseverance, uses a light wooden practice sword to ""vanquish"" Sloth and Gluttony. She strikes actual blows, rather than merely touching her opponents; but at least the blows don't seem to be very hard. They probably only sting. | |
| She switches to magic to fight Greed and Wrath (using the wand presented to her by Fortitude), and likewise, casts very small lightning bolts that seem to only sting. | |
| None of her opponents even touch her with weapons or magic; they only feint in the air around her. Those playing aides rather than opponents lavish far more attention upon her than upon Perseverance's companions. You cannot help but wonder if the Queen is really vain enough to believe they do not know who she is. | |
| At last, the Queen vanquishes the final obstacle (Pride) and looks up at you. You stretch out your hand beseechingly, as you have been instructed. | |
| When de Mendosa was playing this part, she only handed you down from the tower. But the Queen surprises you by reaching up, grasping you under the arms, and swinging you down beside her. | |
| And then she whips off her mask in a grand gesture. | |
| Do you pretend to be surprised?","You have a most delightful time the rest of the evening. There are other performances, and in between, you make the acquaintance of many different people. The Queen granted you her attention; now you have the attention of the rest of the Court, as well. You think you catch the Queen looking at you, now and then. You are certain that de Mendosa is. | |
| Your aunt comes to you, leading a plump, middle-aged woman with a red face and expensive clothes. ""Diego,"" she says, ""Doña Carlota Torres most particularly desired to make your acquaintance. Doña Carlota, my nephew Diego de Flores."" | |
| ""I am enchanted,"" Torres says to you. You murmur something conventional in reply. | |
| The rest of the night passes in a blur. You ride the wave of exhilaration back to your room and tumble into sleep.", | |
| romance,Queen Agustina,"['Queen Agustina', 'Agustina', 'Queen']",408,3921,"sceneadirect_232,sceneadirect_319,sceneadirect_302,sceneadirect_305,sceneadirect_323,sceneadirect_329,sceneadirect_345,sceneadirect_353,comingofageparty_180,scenebdirect_0,sceneadirect_361,sceneadirect_374,scenebdirect_6,scenebdirect_11,scenebdirect_17,sceneadirect_397,scenebdirect_67,scenebdirect_20,scenebdirect_35,scenebdirect_72,scenebdirect_78,scenebdirect_81,scenebdirect_96,masque_28,scenebdirect_132,scenebdirect_124,scenebdirect_156,scenec_0,masque_85,scenec_37,scenec_59,scenec_79,scenec_120,scenec_80,scenec_110,scenec_131,tokens_60,scenec_84,tokens_72,scened_65,scened_113,tokens_348,tokens_275,tokens_353,tokens_188,scened_244,scened_263,scened_634,scened_253,scened_259,scened_273,scened_285,scened_295,scened_304,scened_318,scened_306,scened_311,scened_320,scened_324,scenee_30,scenee_171,scenee_190,scenee_44,scenee_67,scenee_130,scenee_151,scenee_160,scenee_178,scenee_183,scenee_185,scenee_51,scenee_57,scenee_135,scenee_141,scenee_193,scenee_87,scenee_92,scenee_98,scenef_4,scenef_13,scenef_21,scenef_24,scenef_27,scenef_35,proposals_84,proposals_194,proposals_326,sceneg_718,sceneg_711,marriage_238,marriage_231,marriage_148,marriage_204,sceneg_418,marriage_323,sceneh_32,marriage_765,marriage_781,marriage_788,sceneh_418,sceneh_474,sceneh_220,sceneh_226,sceneh_234,scenei_177,scenea_10,sceneh_89,sceneh_155,sceneh_756,sceneh_759,sceneh_762,scenea_13,sceneh_179,sceneh_189,sceneh_192,sceneh_205,sceneh_1388,sceneh_769,sceneh_772,sceneh_775,sceneh_792,scenei_25,scenea_19,marriage_812,sceneh_838,scenea_25,sceneb_0,scenea_33,scenea_46,sceneh_537,sceneh_936,sceneh_540,sceneh_546,scenei_300,sceneb_7,sceneb_22,scenea_69,sceneh_942,sceneh_970,sceneh_1041,scenej_84,scenej_129,sceneh_947,sceneh_975,sceneh_1048,sceneh_1235,sceneb_55,sceneb_70,sceneh_311,sceneh_314,sceneh_317,sceneh_1050,sceneh_1057,sceneh_1074,sceneh_1237,sceneh_1244,sceneh_1251,sceneh_1089,sceneh_1109,scenej_139,scenej_147,scenej_103,scenej_103,scenej_119,sceneb_98,sceneh_1257,sceneh_1332,sceneh_1083,sceneh_1086,scenej_108,sceneh_1315,sceneb_130,sceneh_1260,sceneh_1264,sceneh_1271,sceneh_1275,sceneh_1312,sceneh_1337,sceneh_1345,sceneh_1352,sceneh_1299,sceneh_1302,sceneh_1306,sceneh_1309,sceneh_1153,sceneh_1177,sceneh_1221,sceneh_1148,sceneh_1180,sceneh_1189,mendosawands_47,mendosawands_570,mendosawands_677,personalpolitics_563,personalpolitics_567,personalpolitics_574,personalpolitics_578,personalpolitics_29,sickness_10,personalpolitics_471,personalpolitics_499,sickness_32,sickness_40,personalpolitics_691,sickness_71,sickness_101,sickness_117,sickness_189,sickness_300,assassins_769,assassins_776,assassins_629,assassins_674,assassins_733,assassins_825,assassins_868,assassins_632,assassins_677,assassins_736,assassins_828,assassins_871,assassins_576,assassins_580,assassins_72,assassins_77,assassins_145,assassins_137,assassinscounterattack_362,assassinscounterattack_365,assassinscounterattack_369,assassinscounterattack_378,assassinscounterattack_248,assassinscounterattack_251,assassinscounterattack_255,assassinscounterattack_261,assassinscounterattack_264,assassinscounterattack_638,assassinscounterattack_735,assassinscounterattack_546,assassinscounterattack_548,assassinscounterattack_585,assassinscounterattack_591,assassins_304,assassins_344,assassinscounterattack_487,assassinscounterattack_542,assassins_302,assassins_339,assassinscounterattack_523,assassinscounterattack_527,assassinscounterattack_759,assassins_462,assassinscounterattack_763,assassinscounterattack_766,assassinscounterattack_769,assassins_457,assassins_473,assassins_477,assassins_484,assassins_488,assassinscounterattack_772,assassinscounterattack_775,assassinscounterattack_815,assassinscounterattack_817,assassinscounterattack_827,wanderingeyeredux_43,wanderingeyeredux_48,wanderingeyeredux_55,wanderingeyeredux_82,wanderingeyeredux_86,wanderingeyeredux_134,wanderingeyeredux_136,wanderingeyeredux_139,wanderingeyeredux_146,wanderingeyeredux_155,wanderingeyeredux_161,wanderingeyeredux_317,wanderingeyeredux_162,wanderingeyeredux_174,wanderingeyeredux_239,wanderingeyeredux_186,wanderingeyeredux_250,wanderingeyeredux_256,wanderingeyeredux_258,wanderingeyeredux_205,wanderingeyeredux_589,wanderingeyeredux_644,wanderingeyeredux_653,wanderingeyeredux_592,wanderingeyeredux_684,wanderingeyeredux_492,wanderingeyeredux_791,wanderingeyeredux_710,wanderingeyeredux_713,wanderingeyeredux_765,meettomas_48,meettomas_92,meettomas_123,meettomas_138,meettomas_168,meettomas_157,meettomas_284,tomaspowwow_26,tomaspowwow_42,tomaspowwow_157,tomaspowwow_383,offwithherheadhca2_83,offwithherheadhca2_111,offwithherheadhca2_95,epiloguericardo_48,epiloguericardo_54,epiloguericardo_57,epiloguericardo_57,offwithherheadhca2_125,offwithherheadhca2_137,offwithherheadhca2_139,offwithherheadhca2_190,offwithherheadhca2_214,offwithherheadhca2_216,offwithherheadhca2_193,offwithherheadhca2_545,offwithherheadhca2_200,offwithherheadhca2_204,offwithherheadhca2_206,offwithherheadhca2_328,offwithherheadhca2_331,offwithherheadhca2_1055,offwithherheadhca2_250,offwithherheadhca2_498,offwithherheadhca2_537,offwithherheadhca2_543,offwithherheadhca2_1185,offwithherheadhca2_1190,offwithherheadhca2_286,offwithherheadhca2_467,offwithherheadhca2_1207,offwithherheadhca2_301,offwithherheadhca2_308,offwithherheadhca2_317,offwithherheadhca2_321,offwithherheadhca2_323,thekingisdead_482,thekingisdead_487,offwithherheadhca2_1285,offwithherheadhca2_1322,offwithherheadhca2_1373,thekingisdead_330,thekingisdead_349,thekingisdead_456,offwithherheadhca2_1092,offwithherheadhca2_1166,offwithherheadhca2_1168,offwithherheadhca2_1292,offwithherheadhca2_1324,offwithherheadhca2_1337,thekingisdead_22,thekingisdead_26,thekingisdead_30,thekingisdead_195,offwithherheadhca2_1170,offwithherheadhca2_1310,offwithherheadhca2_1347,thekingisdead_54,offwithherheadhca2_1160,offwithherheadhca2_1162,offwithherheadhca2_1111,thekingisdead_137,offwithherheadhca2_1113,thekingisdead_524,thekingisdead_692,thekingisdead_177,offwithherheadhca2_609,offwithherheadhca2_767,offwithherheadhca2_788,offwithherheadhca2_795,offwithherheadhca2_801,offwithherheadhca2_807,offwithherheadhca2_817,offwithherheadhca2_615,offwithherheadhca2_1035,offwithherheadhca2_1037,thekingisdead_561,offwithherheadhca2_845,offwithherheadhca2_860,offwithherheadhca2_1043,offwithherheadhca2_1043,thekingisdead_769,offwithherheadhca2_1010,offwithherheadhca2_621,offwithherheadhca2_643,offwithherheadhca2_650,offwithherheadhca2_656,offwithherheadhca2_662,offwithherheadhca2_672,offwithherheadhca2_909,offwithherheadhca2_1014,offwithherheadhca2_1019,offwithherheadhca2_1021,thekingisdead_250,thekingisdead_250,thekingisdead_253,thekingisdead_253,offwithherheadhca2_700,offwithherheadhca2_715,offwithherheadhca2_987,thekingisdead_294,thekingisdead_294,offwithherheadhca2_1229","The Queen. | |
| Of course she is. Agustina is a beautiful woman, brilliant and charismatic, and the Queen, to boot. How could any of the other ladies draw your eye when she was there?","The Queen's entrance shakes you out of your reverie. She stands quietly, looking down on your son. | |
| ""Is he not beautiful?"" you say to the Queen. Agustina does not reply. | |
| It took a frighteningly long time for","I poisoned Esteban. | |
| Striking at Esteban directly was dangerous; had you been caught, it would have meant your execution. But you were not caught, and Agustina proposed to you almost before the body was cold.","I used a death curse to kill Esteban. | |
| Striking at Esteban directly was dangerous; had you been caught, it would have meant your execution. But you were not caught, and Agustina proposed to you almost before the body was cold.","the two of you to find a Life Mage willing to perform the spell that would grant you a child, notwithstanding the fact that Agustina is the Queen. Neither you nor the Queen are favorites with the Life Mage Houses nowadays, for obvious reasons.", | |
| romance,the Princess Juanita,"['Juanita', 'Princess Juanita', 'the Princess Juanita']",221,3921,"scenebdirect_2,scenebdirect_59,scenebdirect_124,masque_85,scened_9,scened_13,scened_17,scened_65,scened_113,scened_23,scened_31,scened_48,scened_71,scened_79,scened_96,scened_119,scened_136,scened_153,scened_26,scened_34,scened_50,scened_57,scened_74,scened_82,scened_98,scened_105,scened_129,scened_139,scened_155,scened_162,scened_44,scened_53,scened_61,scened_92,scened_101,scened_109,scened_125,scened_132,scened_149,scened_158,scened_166,scened_175,scened_203,scened_329,scened_343,scened_543,scened_560,scened_565,scened_545,scened_595,scened_295,scened_304,scened_352,scened_515,scened_529,scened_569,scened_577,scened_588,scened_311,scened_400,scened_433,scened_459,scened_606,scened_620,scened_361,scened_367,scened_408,scened_418,scened_425,scenee_12,scened_375,scened_385,scened_392,scenee_17,scenee_26,scenee_199,scenee_217,scenee_151,scenee_160,scenee_202,scenee_207,scenee_212,scenee_223,scenee_228,scenee_233,scenee_74,scenee_91,scenee_98,scenef_38,scenef_21,scenef_27,scenef_35,scenef_50,scenef_54,scenef_128,scenef_175,scenef_187,scenef_236,scenef_270,scenef_298,scenef_199,scenef_204,scenef_274,scenef_341,scenef_351,scenef_210,scenef_276,scenef_214,scenef_223,scenef_227,scenef_248,scenef_257,scenef_261,sceneg_463,marriage_129,marriage_96,marriage_124,marriage_79,marriage_117,marriage_231,sceneg_403,sceneh_242,sceneh_212,sceneh_249,sceneh_418,sceneh_423,sceneh_423,scenei_105,scenei_110,scenei_171,scenei_171,scenei_177,marriage_825,sceneh_256,sceneh_260,scenei_193,scenei_197,scenei_197,scenei_237,scenei_237,sceneh_159,sceneh_165,sceneh_266,scenei_253,scenei_268,sceneh_273,sceneh_407,sceneh_410,scenei_209,scenei_257,scenei_272,sceneh_371,scenei_283,sceneh_282,sceneh_332,scenei_286,scenei_291,scenei_219,scenei_221,scenei_231,scenei_233,sceneb_2,sceneb_46,sceneh_384,sceneh_398,sceneh_292,sceneh_323,sceneh_343,sceneh_354,sceneh_362,sceneh_305,scenei_307,sceneb_98,scenej_106,assassinscounterattack_373,assassinscounterattack_375,assassinscounterattack_378,assassinscounterattack_382,assassinscounterattack_259,assassinscounterattack_388,assassinscounterattack_261,assassinscounterattack_264,assassinscounterattack_268,assassinscounterattack_274,assassinscounterattack_479,assassinscounterattack_482,assassinscounterattack_553,assassinscounterattack_652,assassinscounterattack_705,assassinscounterattack_500,assassinscounterattack_559,assassinscounterattack_527,assassinscounterattack_761,meettomas_152,meettomas_318,thekingisdead_17,thekingisdead_344,thekingisdead_349,thekingisdead_456,thekingisdead_22,thekingisdead_26,thekingisdead_30,thekingisdead_35,thekingisdead_39,thekingisdead_362,thekingisdead_459,thekingisdead_462,thekingisdead_465,thekingisdead_552,thekingisdead_561,thekingisdead_403,thekingisdead_700,thekingisdead_705,thekingisdead_650,thekingisdead_656,thekingisdead_538,thekingisdead_543,thekingisdead_639,thekingisdead_645,thekingisdead_786,thekingisdead_851","Though you are King Consort, your life has not been altogether pleasant these past five years. The prominent Life Mage families of Iberia openly loathe you, blaming you and the Queen equally for the death of King Consort Esteban. Shortly after your betrothal, Flora de Aguilar (the younger sister of the late King Consort) went so far as to accuse you of conspiring in Esteban's death. The Queen had her shut away as a madwoman, and this demonstration of the Queen's power effectively discouraged others from making public accusations against you in Court. | |
| Nothing can stop the silent undercurrents of hatred from the Life Mage families, however, or from your stepdaughter Juanita. Worse, no command of the Queen's can make the common folk love you as they did Esteban. You are not often actually booed in the streets…but you have never once been cheered. | |
| And worst of all…the hatred of the Life Mages has begun to have serious consequences for Iberia.","Though your life as the Queen's favorite has many compensations, the past five years have not been without their difficulties. The King Consort, his elder sister the Duquesa de Aguilar, and Princess Juanita quietly hate you…as do most other prominent Life Mages, since the Queen's love for you has greatly reduced the influence of the King Consort and therefore his family. Flora de Aguilar (the younger sister of the Duquesa de Aguilar and the King Consort) went so far as to accuse you in open court of","The King Consort has still not given the Queen a Life Mage heir, though they have not stopped trying. Sometimes you fear that Agustina's love for you will fade if she ever gets the heir she needs from Esteban. This would be much less likely, of course, if you managed to give the Queen a Life Mage child yourself–but the odds are overwhelmingly against it, and even then it is uncertain where that would leave you. Your hypothetical child would still be illegitimate, and would be younger than the Queen's existing legitimate Death Mage daughter Juanita and illegitimate Life Mage son Tomás.","You sit at a table in the Great Hall with the other young ladies- and gentlemen-in-waiting (most of whose names you don't yet know) and enjoy a most delicious meal. Between courses, you look around. | |
| At the high table sit Queen Agustina and her consort, Esteban. The King Consort is a Life Mage, from the formidable Family de Aguilar. | |
| At the Queen's other side sits Luis de Vega, foremost advisor of the Court. | |
| At the King Consort's other side sits Princess Juanita, the only living child of the Queen and her King Consort. Unfortunately for all, she is a Death Mage like the Queen, and therefore cannot inherit the throne. | |
| But you notice that the eyes of both the Queen and the King Consort go often to a lower table, where sits a small boy whose resemblance to the Queen is unmistakable. This must be Tomás de Reyes, whom you have learned is the Queen's illegitimate Life Mage child. His illegitimacy makes it difficult for him to inherit, but it is noteworthy that the Queen sent for him to live at Court after the stillbirth of the most recent royal child. Between a Death Mage daughter and an illegitimate Life Mage son, the succession is a thorny issue. | |
| The Queen sends a dish down to Tomás de Reyes' table, and the King Consort's lips tighten a little.","At the doorway to the Great Hall, you suddenly come face to face with Princess Juanita. She regards you calmly, almost expressionlessly, with the very faintest of poisonous smiles. She must have been listening to the exchange regarding the Queen's scarf.", | |
| romance,the Duquesa de Aguilar,"['the Duquesa de Aguilar', 'Aguilar', 'Duquesa', 'The Duquesa de Aguilar']",201,3921,"scenebdirect_59,scenebdirect_20,scenebdirect_35,scenebdirect_47,scened_11,scened_61,scened_109,scened_132,scened_166,scened_203,scened_203,scened_203,scened_226,scened_329,scened_491,scened_493,politics_207,politics_210,scened_502,scened_543,scened_543,scened_560,scened_565,scened_634,scened_545,scened_545,scened_273,scened_285,scened_285,scened_295,scened_295,scened_304,scened_318,scened_352,scened_515,scened_569,scened_569,scened_577,scened_577,scened_311,scened_357,scened_400,scened_400,scened_433,scened_459,scened_606,scened_361,scened_367,scened_413,scened_418,scened_425,politics_506,politics_510,politics_514,politics_518,scened_380,scened_385,scened_392,scenee_17,scenee_22,scenee_217,scenee_44,scenee_106,scenee_130,scenee_151,scenee_202,scenee_207,scenee_212,scenee_223,scenee_74,scenee_91,scenee_98,scenef_4,scenef_50,scenef_54,scenef_175,scenef_175,scenef_195,scenef_236,scenef_236,scenef_270,scenef_298,scenef_199,scenef_204,scenef_345,scenef_348,sceneg_25,scenef_218,scenef_223,scenef_227,scenef_252,scenef_257,scenef_261,sceneg_455,sceneg_455,sceneg_463,sceneg_463,sceneg_472,marriage_231,sceneg_403,sceneg_403,sceneh_54,sceneh_69,scenei_165,sceneh_1358,marriage_517,sceneh_50,scenei_77,scenei_105,scenei_105,scenei_110,scenei_171,marriage_825,sceneh_1379,scenei_115,scenei_125,scenei_193,scenei_237,sceneh_550,scenei_25,scenei_49,scenei_248,scenei_253,scenei_263,scenei_268,scenei_56,scenei_64,scenei_92,scenei_99,scenei_259,scenei_274,marriage_662,scenei_36,scenei_43,scenei_219,scenei_231,sceneb_46,sceneb_7,sceneb_22,sceneb_34,scenei_331,scenei_343,mendosawands_399,sickness_300,assassins_776,assassins_733,assassins_774,assassins_74,assassinscounterattack_158,assassinscounterattack_45,assassinscounterattack_70,assassinscounterattack_106,assassinscounterattack_134,assassinscounterattack_188,assassinscounterattack_213,assassinscounterattack_213,assassinscounterattack_230,assassinscounterattack_230,assassinscounterattack_242,assassinscounterattack_362,assassinscounterattack_365,assassinscounterattack_369,assassinscounterattack_375,assassinscounterattack_378,assassins_142,assassins_154,assassinscounterattack_86,assassinscounterattack_122,assassinscounterattack_151,assassinscounterattack_417,assassinscounterattack_388,assassinscounterattack_399,assassinscounterattack_251,assassinscounterattack_255,assassinscounterattack_264,assassinscounterattack_402,assassinscounterattack_413,assassinscounterattack_442,assassinscounterattack_468,assassinscounterattack_282,assassinscounterattack_303,assassinscounterattack_403,assassinscounterattack_274,assassinscounterattack_285,assassinscounterattack_292,assassinscounterattack_304,assassinscounterattack_330,assassinscounterattack_295,assassinscounterattack_326,assassinscounterattack_328,assassinscounterattack_352,assassinscounterattack_354,assassinscounterattack_611,assassinscounterattack_296,assassinscounterattack_497,assassinscounterattack_556,assassinscounterattack_322,assassinscounterattack_348,assassins_480,meettomas_79,assassinscounterattack_856","Though your life as the Queen's favorite has many compensations, the past five years have not been without their difficulties. The King Consort, his elder sister the Duquesa de Aguilar, and Princess Juanita quietly hate you…as do most other prominent Life Mages, since the Queen's love for you has greatly reduced the influence of the King Consort and therefore his family. Flora de Aguilar (the younger sister of the Duquesa de Aguilar and the King Consort) went so far as to accuse you in open court of","The war with Sahra–the war Agustina started during your first Season at Court, in retaliation for Sahra's incursion into Iberian lands–rages on. The borderlords are key to a successful defense of Iberia, of course. And the borderlords know this. The Life Mages among the borderlords have consistently demanded concessions from the Queen in exchange for their support. It is widely known that the Duquesa de Aguilar is largely responsible for encouraging the borderlords' greed, and no one has any doubt her motives are as much personal as political. | |
| What actions, if any, have you taken with regard to the Sahran war?","The south has been unquiet for several years now. The borderlord rebellion that started during your first Season at Court–the rebellion that Agustina provoked with her harsh punishment of the borderlords' tacit sanction of Iberian incursions into Sahran lands–has never been completely quelled. Your presence in the Queen's bed contributes to this ongoing disquiet, as many of the lords of the south are from Life Mage families. Indeed, the Duquesa de Aguilar (King Consort Esteban's elder sister) has left Court and now openly heads the rebel forces, and no one doubts her motives are as much personal as political. | |
| What actions, if any, have you taken with regard to the borderlord rebellion?","The south has been unquiet for several months now. While no borderlord is actually in a state of rebellion, an unusual number of disputes have taken place between the soldiers of the Queen and the soldiers of local lords. The Duquesa de Aguilar, who left Court just before the disquiet began, is widely assumed to be encouraging and coordinating it. No one doubts her motives are as much personal as political. | |
| What actions, if any, have you taken with regard to the situation in the south?","Beside her stands her aunt–Constanza, the Duquesa de Aguilar.", | |
| romance,King Tomás,"['King Tomás', 'Tomás']",198,3921,"scenebdirect_124,tokens_52,scenei_110,scenei_122,scenei_130,scenei_61,scenei_69,scenei_92,scenei_99,scenei_36,scenei_43,sceneb_98,scenei_331,scenei_343,sickness_297,sickness_300,sickness_306,assassinscounterattack_360,assassinscounterattack_362,assassinscounterattack_365,assassinscounterattack_369,assassinscounterattack_246,assassinscounterattack_248,assassinscounterattack_251,assassinscounterattack_255,assassinscounterattack_573,assassinscounterattack_579,assassinscounterattack_585,assassinscounterattack_591,assassinscounterattack_769,meettomas_98,meettomas_100,meettomas_110,meettomas_123,meettomas_126,meettomas_188,meettomas_190,meettomas_192,meettomas_194,meettomas_203,meettomas_204,meettomas_210,meettomas_214,meettomas_226,meettomas_237,meettomas_254,meettomas_262,meettomas_290,meettomas_325,meettomas_266,meettomas_318,meettomas_321,meettomas_332,tomaspowwow_6,tomaspowwow_7,tomaspowwow_12,tomaspowwow_14,tomaspowwow_16,tomaspowwow_39,tomaspowwow_42,tomaspowwow_42,tomaspowwow_53,tomaspowwow_152,tomaspowwow_82,tomaspowwow_157,tomaspowwow_169,tomaspowwow_177,tomaspowwow_97,tomaspowwow_162,tomaspowwow_193,tomaspowwow_198,tomaspowwow_203,tomaspowwow_210,tomaspowwow_217,tomaspowwow_119,tomaspowwow_229,tomaspowwow_257,tomaspowwow_274,tomaspowwow_390,tomaspowwow_417,tomaspowwow_277,tomaspowwow_293,tomaspowwow_355,tomaspowwow_383,tomaspowwow_393,tomaspowwow_271,tomaspowwow_397,tomaspowwow_408,epiloguericardo_19,epiloguericardo_19,epiloguericardo_23,epiloguericardo_26,offwithherheadhca2_137,offwithherheadhca2_146,offwithherheadhca2_155,offwithherheadhca2_164,offwithherheadhca2_186,offwithherheadhca2_188,offwithherheadhca2_190,offwithherheadhca2_192,offwithherheadhca2_208,offwithherheadhca2_212,offwithherheadhca2_214,offwithherheadhca2_216,offwithherheadhca2_219,offwithherheadhca2_238,offwithherheadhca2_422,offwithherheadhca2_222,offwithherheadhca2_243,offwithherheadhca2_263,offwithherheadhca2_200,offwithherheadhca2_202,offwithherheadhca2_204,offwithherheadhca2_328,offwithherheadhca2_331,offwithherheadhca2_334,offwithherheadhca2_447,offwithherheadhca2_476,offwithherheadhca2_495,offwithherheadhca2_250,offwithherheadhca2_252,offwithherheadhca2_254,offwithherheadhca2_258,offwithherheadhca2_260,offwithherheadhca2_452,offwithherheadhca2_457,offwithherheadhca2_498,offwithherheadhca2_533,offwithherheadhca2_337,offwithherheadhca2_346,offwithherheadhca2_487,offwithherheadhca2_491,offwithherheadhca2_500,offwithherheadhca2_513,offwithherheadhca2_537,offwithherheadhca2_539,offwithherheadhca2_541,offwithherheadhca2_543,offwithherheadhca2_294,offwithherheadhca2_435,offwithherheadhca2_439,offwithherheadhca2_467,offwithherheadhca2_508,offwithherheadhca2_518,offwithherheadhca2_523,offwithherheadhca2_528,offwithherheadhca2_301,offwithherheadhca2_308,thekingisdead_191,thekingisdead_330,thekingisdead_195,thekingisdead_332,thekingisdead_335,offwithherheadhca2_757,thekingisdead_213,offwithherheadhca2_1113,offwithherheadhca2_373,offwithherheadhca2_605,thekingisdead_220,offwithherheadhca2_609,offwithherheadhca2_612,offwithherheadhca2_615,offwithherheadhca2_1035,offwithherheadhca2_1043,thekingisdead_237,thekingisdead_241,offwithherheadhca2_643,offwithherheadhca2_650,offwithherheadhca2_662,offwithherheadhca2_672,thekingisdead_248,thekingisdead_250,thekingisdead_253,offwithherheadhca2_700,offwithherheadhca2_715,offwithherheadhca2_987,offwithherheadhca2_934,offwithherheadhca2_1141,thekingisdead_255,offwithherheadhca2_992,offwithherheadhca2_997,offwithherheadhca2_999,offwithherheadhca2_1001,offwithherheadhca2_1003,offwithherheadhca2_1143,thekingisdead_260,offwithherheadhca2_952,offwithherheadhca2_957,thekingisdead_262,thekingisdead_264,thekingisdead_284,thekingisdead_276,offwithherheadhca2_977,offwithherheadhca2_981,offwithherheadhca2_1216,assassinscounterattack_859,assassinscounterattack_853,assassinscounterattack_856","The King Consort has still not given the Queen a Life Mage heir, though they have not stopped trying. Sometimes you fear that Agustina's love for you will fade if she ever gets the heir she needs from Esteban. This would be much less likely, of course, if you managed to give the Queen a Life Mage child yourself–but the odds are overwhelmingly against it, and even then it is uncertain where that would leave you. Your hypothetical child would still be illegitimate, and would be younger than the Queen's existing legitimate Death Mage daughter Juanita and illegitimate Life Mage son Tomás.","The food is delicious, the hall full of a dazzling array of gorgeous clothes and flashing jewels. Alas, Torres's conversation is not particularly interesting and mostly directed toward Uncle Pedro. | |
| You are surprised when a servant pauses beside you, and offers you a plate of fresh fruit shaped to look like flowers. ""From Her Majesty,"" the servant murmurs. | |
| You look towards the high table, and find the Queen watching you. Your eyes meet, and she inclines her head slightly, with a smile. | |
| You turn and help yourself to the fruit, heart fluttering. When you look around the table, you see that Torres does not appear to have noticed, but Uncle Pedro is smiling and Aunt Leonor frowning. | |
| It is not so uncommon for a young lady or gentleman recently come to Court to receive the attention of Her Majesty the Queen. The Queen is known to frequently take lovers, both male and female. Tomás de Reyes is the product of one such liaison, with a young woman who has since died. (A particularly valuable Life Mage spell is the one that allows two women or two men to become the blood parents of a child. One assumes the Queen must have been quite taken with Tomás's other parent, to have participated in this ritual.) | |
| But still it is something thrilling to know yourself the one who has caught the Queen's eye. | |
| The banquet goes until very late. You sleep in the next morning, and the whole family is content to let you recover, well aware of how late you returned the night before.","""House de Aguilar 'requested' that we confirm our long friendship by the betrothal of our eldest child Juanita to the Duquesa's heir. Circumstances have made it impossible to honor such a request. We can, however, seal the bargain with the betrothal of our natural son and eldest living child Tomás.""","As soon as peace is declared, the marriage of Tomás to the Duquesa's eldest is celebrated with a pomp and circumstance that turns your stomach. But though the marriage increases his importance and strengthens his political base, at least Tomás was not declared to be the official heir of Iberia.","As soon as peace is declared, the marriage of Tomás to the Duquesa's eldest is celebrated with a pomp and circumstance that turns your stomach. But though the marriage increases his importance and strengthens his political base, at least Tomás was not declared to be the official heir of Iberia.", | |
| romance,Don Diego de Flores,"['Diego de Flores', 'Don Diego', 'Don Diego de Flores', 'Diego', 'Flores', 'de Flores']",181,3921,"openingscene_180,openingscene_206,sceneadirect_163,sceneadirect_189,comingofageparty_104,comingofageparty_201,masque_13,scenec_28,scenec_35,scenec_37,masque_115,masque_123,masque_179,masque_188,masque_200,masque_200,masque_207,masque_207,scenec_52,masque_147,masque_155,scenec_110,tokens_60,tokens_74,tokens_412,tokens_269,tokens_348,tokens_425,tokens_370,tokens_336,tokens_401,tokens_440,politics_123,scened_253,scened_259,scened_285,scened_295,scened_352,scened_485,scenee_44,scenee_124,scenee_151,politics_681,scenef_145,proposals_211,scenef_175,proposals_18,proposals_35,proposals_38,proposals_339,proposals_347,proposals_41,proposals_43,proposals_53,scenef_334,scenef_227,scenef_261,scenef_289,scenef_316,proposals_224,proposals_227,proposals_84,sceneg_61,proposals_266,sceneg_290,proposals_139,proposals_153,marriage_129,sceneg_304,proposals_286,marriage_53,marriage_124,sceneg_688,proposals_293,proposals_308,marriage_144,marriage_197,sceneg_329,sceneg_366,sceneg_403,marriage_186,episode2_4,episode2_9,sceneg_431,sceneg_438,episode2_15,episode2_24,marriage_776,sceneh_89,sceneh_155,marriage_428,sceneh_189,sceneh_838,sceneh_922,sceneh_691,sceneh_1041,sceneh_1010,sceneh_905,sceneh_1057,sceneh_1069,sceneh_1244,sceneh_1109,sceneh_1083,sceneh_1287,scenej_158,sceneh_1264,sceneh_1275,sceneh_1321,sceneh_1352,sceneh_1299,sceneh_1306,sceneh_1142,sceneh_1218,sceneh_1143,sceneh_1148,episode3_8,mendosawands_50,mendosawands_703,personalpolitics_362,personalpolitics_366,personalpolitics_370,personalpolitics_129,personalpolitics_407,personalpolitics_154,personalpolitics_425,personalpolitics_110,personalpolitics_113,personalpolitics_85,personalpolitics_476,personalpolitics_327,personalpolitics_685,personalpolitics_335,sickness_65,sickness_73,sickness_78,sickness_83,sickness_158,assassins_543,assassinscounterattack_632,assassinscounterattack_739,wanderingeyeredux_435,wanderingeyeredux_461,wanderingeyeredux_562,wanderingeyeredux_542,wanderingeyeredux_549,meettomas_42,meettomas_45,meettomas_194,meettomas_204,meettomas_215,tomaspowwow_75,tomaspowwow_152,tomaspowwow_128,tomaspowwow_157,tomaspowwow_97,tomaspowwow_114,tomaspowwow_147,tomaspowwow_119,tomaspowwow_244,offwithherheadhca2_95,epiloguericardo_30,offwithherheadhca2_120,offwithherheadhca2_452,offwithherheadhca2_346,offwithherheadhca2_301,thekingisdead_67,offwithherheadhca2_1292,thekingisdead_90,offwithherheadhca2_828,thekingisdead_229,thekingisdead_552,thekingisdead_583,offwithherheadhca2_877,thekingisdead_615,thekingisdead_410,offwithherheadhca2_683,offwithherheadhca2_732,offwithherheadhca2_987,thekingisdead_434,thekingisdead_294,offwithherheadhca2_1226",Diego,de Flores,Diego,de Flores,"Mateo claps his hands in delight. ""Come on, Diego! I can hear guests arriving! It's time to go downstairs!""", | |
| romance,Uncle Pedro,"['Uncle Pedro', 'Uncle', 'Pedro']",170,3921,"comingofageparty_4,comingofageparty_201,masque_1,scenec_59,scenec_64,scenec_73,tokens_52,tokens_412,tokens_412,tokens_269,tokens_348,tokens_425,scened_329,scened_491,scened_332,scened_343,scened_335,scened_339,scened_400,scened_433,scened_459,scened_485,scened_408,scened_413,scened_418,scened_425,scened_439,scened_444,scened_451,scened_465,scened_470,scened_477,scened_375,scened_380,scened_385,scened_392,scenef_143,scenef_145,scenef_161,proposals_211,scenef_175,proposals_18,proposals_35,scenef_176,scenef_187,proposals_339,proposals_339,proposals_347,proposals_347,scenef_326,scenef_329,scenef_179,scenef_183,scenef_236,scenef_270,scenef_298,proposals_53,scenef_334,proposals_220,scenef_214,scenef_218,scenef_223,scenef_227,scenef_248,scenef_252,scenef_257,scenef_261,scenef_280,scenef_285,scenef_289,scenef_308,scenef_312,scenef_316,marriage_712,marriage_197,marriage_152,marriage_152,marriage_201,marriage_209,marriage_209,sceneg_403,sceneg_220,marriage_462,marriage_343,sceneh_442,sceneh_452,sceneh_465,sceneh_469,sceneh_477,scenei_105,scenei_237,marriage_425,marriage_428,marriage_804,scenei_49,marriage_644,sceneh_1109,mendosawands_224,personalpolitics_270,personalpolitics_694,personalpolitics_224,personalpolitics_247,personalpolitics_299,sickness_2,sickness_170,assassinscounterattack_129,assassinscounterattack_132,assassinscounterattack_225,assassinscounterattack_228,assassinscounterattack_134,assassinscounterattack_230,assassinscounterattack_151,assassinscounterattack_410,assassinscounterattack_444,assassinscounterattack_447,assassinscounterattack_292,assassinscounterattack_330,assassinscounterattack_333,assassinscounterattack_800,assassinscounterattack_802,assassinscounterattack_817,assassinscounterattack_827,assassinscounterattack_834,assassinscounterattack_835,wanderingeyeredux_101,wanderingeyeredux_142,wanderingeyeredux_102,wanderingeyeredux_104,wanderingeyeredux_107,wanderingeyeredux_111,wanderingeyeredux_118,tomaspowwow_0,tomaspowwow_18,tomaspowwow_26,tomaspowwow_39,tomaspowwow_42,tomaspowwow_50,tomaspowwow_29,tomaspowwow_32,tomaspowwow_36,tomaspowwow_53,tomaspowwow_60,tomaspowwow_62,tomaspowwow_64,tomaspowwow_75,tomaspowwow_152,tomaspowwow_174,tomaspowwow_128,tomaspowwow_157,tomaspowwow_169,tomaspowwow_97,tomaspowwow_114,tomaspowwow_147,tomaspowwow_119,tomaspowwow_365,tomaspowwow_374,offwithherheadhca2_231,offwithherheadhca2_1080,offwithherheadhca2_1088,thekingisdead_349,thekingisdead_199,thekingisdead_202,offwithherheadhca2_1101,offwithherheadhca2_1107,offwithherheadhca2_368,thekingisdead_780,thekingisdead_789,thekingisdead_796,tomaspowwow_439,tomaspowwow_439","The next few days meander past. Nothing of note occurs, except for the arrival of your Uncle Pedro and Aunt Leonor for your coming-of-age ball. Your uncle is in fact financing the ball, with money gained from a recent successful campaign abroad, or you wouldn't be having one at all. Your parents could certainly never afford it. | |
| Finally, your birthday arrives. Downstairs, your mother and father await the guests, talking with your aunt and uncle. Up in your pleasant, but plainly-furnished bedroom, your fourteen-year-old brother Mateo helps you dress for the party. | |
| Chattering without a pause for breath, Mateo finishes tying all your laces. ""There!"" he says. ""Now you can look!"" You turn to look at yourself in the glass–a very fine mirror indeed, one of the few remnants of your family's former glory. | |
| ""You look splendid!"" Mateo declares. | |
| And indeed, you are quite pleased with what you see reflected. The rich color of your coat complements your… | |
| Would you like to specify the color of your hair?","You have taken only the first step when your uncle's voice booms out, calling for everyone's attention. | |
| ""I wish to propose a toast!"" he says. ""In honor of my nephew's birthday!"" | |
| There is a smattering of applause. Goblets are raised. | |
| ""And I wish to make an announcement!"" Uncle Pedro continues. He pauses to be sure he has the attention of the entire room, and then says, ""I have been so fortunate as to receive the favor of our most gracious Queen! In recognition of my service abroad, she has awarded me with a suite of rooms in the palace, and given me permission to bring my nephew Diego to Court when the Season starts in the autumn. Diego, you shall have a proper Season after all.""","From that point on, time seems to move faster than it ever has before. Two months are scarcely enough time to put together the wardrobe you will require as a young gentleman of the Court: coats, shoes, scarves, hose and garters, bejeweled trinkets. Almost before you know it, the day of your departure is at hand, and you find yourself jolting over the roads with Uncle Pedro, Aunt Leonor, and Mateo. | |
| For Mateo is accompanying you. He is too young to be presented at Court, of course, but your mother and Aunt Leonor thought it would be well for you to have a companion, and well for Mateo to get an idea of how the Court functions. You wouldn't have thought it would be much fun, to be dragged along to the capital and once there, spend most of the time under Aunt Leonor's supervision and none at all enjoying Court functions–but Mateo seems delighted. He chatters excitedly the whole journey, hardly even stopping for breath. | |
| So how are you feeling about having him along?","In the corridor, you are joined by Uncle Pedro. Life at the center of Court agrees with him, and he looks happy and prosperous–and handsome in a new coat of black with silver buttons. His fourth new coat in as many months, you happen to know. Wealth agrees with him, too. And it agrees with Aunt Leonor, who is off in the country, happily managing their new estate. | |
| Uncle Pedro greets you pleasantly and falls in behind you, as is only appropriate. You lead the way to the stairway. | |
| Below you stretches a hallway full of courtiers and servants bustling to and fro. Most of them are making for the entrance to the Grand Hall, as you are. Suddenly the bustle stops, and the crowd parts neatly in two. You know what that means. You pause in your descent down the staircase to watch the Queen come purposefully down the corridor with de Vega just behind her. Both Agustina's face and de Vega's are dark and worried. Whatever business they were just discussing, it was not good. | |
| ""Oh, Your Majesty!"" a high voice calls. ""Your Majesty!""","The Queen stops. All heads turn in the direction of the voice. A girl all in white scampers up to the Queen, golden hair streaming behind her. ""You dropped this, Your Majesty,"" she says breathlessly, holding out a scarf. | |
| The Queen's black look lifts slightly from her face. She smiles indulgently. ""Aren't you a sweet thing. We thank you."" She reaches out and caresses the girl's cheek, and she drops into a low curtsy, practically wiggling like a puppy in her delight at receiving attention. | |
| You recognize the girl now. Adelita de Delgado, sixteen years of age, come to Court for the Season. Her father is an hildago of a wealthy upstart Life Mage house. | |
| You feel Uncle Pedro's hand close over your arm. | |
| ""Rise, rise,"" the Queen says, and Adelita does. ""Are you coming to see our Court?"" The girl nods with wide eyes and parted lips. ""Excellent. We hope you find it instructive."" | |
| ""Oh, I am sure I will, Your Majesty!"" Adelita says. The Queen smiles again at her enthusiasm, and dismisses her with a nod.", | |
| romance,Don Mateo,"['Mateo', 'Don Mateo']",161,3921,"comingofageparty_4,comingofageparty_104,comingofageparty_205,masque_1,masque_8,masque_10,masque_12,scenec_23,scenec_23,scenec_28,scenec_35,scenec_37,scenec_40,scenec_43,scenec_47,scenec_52,tokens_60,tokens_64,tokens_66,tokens_70,tokens_74,scened_178,tokens_448,tokens_456,scened_228,scened_238,scened_329,scened_343,scened_352,scened_515,scened_400,scened_433,scened_459,scened_485,scened_606,scened_361,scened_367,scened_408,scened_413,scened_418,scened_425,scened_439,scened_444,scened_451,scened_465,scened_470,scened_477,scened_375,scened_380,scened_385,scened_392,grandball_1,grandball_106,scenef_42,scenef_45,scenef_143,scenef_145,grandball_171,scenef_153,scenef_157,proposals_211,scenef_166,scenef_175,proposals_18,proposals_35,scenef_187,scenef_329,scenef_236,scenef_270,scenef_298,scenef_334,scenef_199,scenef_204,scenef_354,scenef_214,scenef_218,scenef_223,scenef_227,scenef_248,scenef_252,scenef_257,scenef_261,scenef_280,scenef_285,scenef_289,scenef_308,scenef_312,scenef_316,sceneg_32,proposals_280,proposals_326,sceneg_261,sceneg_269,sceneg_239,sceneg_288,marriage_470,marriage_343,sceneh_498,scenei_135,sceneh_502,sceneh_507,scenei_140,sceneh_179,sceneh_192,sceneh_200,sceneh_205,sceneh_514,sceneh_550,sceneh_668,sceneh_671,sceneh_556,sceneh_673,sceneh_675,sceneh_678,sceneh_537,sceneh_562,sceneh_617,sceneh_612,sceneh_663,sceneh_686,sceneh_691,sceneh_694,sceneh_694,sceneh_886,sceneh_574,sceneh_583,sceneh_1039,sceneh_627,sceneh_634,sceneh_704,sceneh_710,sceneh_593,sceneh_605,sceneh_1063,sceneh_644,sceneh_656,sceneh_1069,sceneh_1074,sceneh_957,sceneh_1109,sceneh_959,sceneh_1094,sceneh_1160,personalpolitics_272,personalpolitics_699,personalpolitics_301,meettomas_39,meettomas_42,meettomas_45,meettomas_48,meettomas_52,meettomas_102,meettomas_249,tomaspowwow_145,offwithherheadhca2_233,offwithherheadhca2_235,thekingisdead_202,offwithherheadhca2_767,thekingisdead_700,thekingisdead_537,offwithherheadhca2_621","The next few days meander past. Nothing of note occurs, except for the arrival of your Uncle Pedro and Aunt Leonor for your coming-of-age ball. Your uncle is in fact financing the ball, with money gained from a recent successful campaign abroad, or you wouldn't be having one at all. Your parents could certainly never afford it. | |
| Finally, your birthday arrives. Downstairs, your mother and father await the guests, talking with your aunt and uncle. Up in your pleasant, but plainly-furnished bedroom, your fourteen-year-old brother Mateo helps you dress for the party. | |
| Chattering without a pause for breath, Mateo finishes tying all your laces. ""There!"" he says. ""Now you can look!"" You turn to look at yourself in the glass–a very fine mirror indeed, one of the few remnants of your family's former glory. | |
| ""You look splendid!"" Mateo declares. | |
| And indeed, you are quite pleased with what you see reflected. The rich color of your coat complements your… | |
| Would you like to specify the color of your hair?","Mateo claps his hands in delight. ""Come on, Diego! I can hear guests arriving! It's time to go downstairs!""","""I can manage a Season's worth of coats,"" he adds the following morning over breakfast, when it is just family again, ""not more than that; you won't be able to return next year if you don't manage to find a spouse this year. But four months ought to be enough."" | |
| ""I am very grateful to you, Uncle,"" you say. | |
| ""Only doing my best for the family,"" he replies, somewhat pompously. ""And giving you the opportunity to do your best, in turn. Depending on whose eye you catch, you may be able to secure me a spot of influence commensurate with our family's honor, if not its recent fortunes."" | |
| ""Even if you can't do that,"" says your father, ""a match with a suitor of means can improve our family's fortunes."" | |
| ""And secure your own comfort,"" says your mother. | |
| ""And then after you are married, you can chaperone me when it is my turn to be presented at Court!"" says Mateo. | |
| What about you? What are you hoping to get out of this?","From that point on, time seems to move faster than it ever has before. Two months are scarcely enough time to put together the wardrobe you will require as a young gentleman of the Court: coats, shoes, scarves, hose and garters, bejeweled trinkets. Almost before you know it, the day of your departure is at hand, and you find yourself jolting over the roads with Uncle Pedro, Aunt Leonor, and Mateo. | |
| For Mateo is accompanying you. He is too young to be presented at Court, of course, but your mother and Aunt Leonor thought it would be well for you to have a companion, and well for Mateo to get an idea of how the Court functions. You wouldn't have thought it would be much fun, to be dragged along to the capital and once there, spend most of the time under Aunt Leonor's supervision and none at all enjoying Court functions–but Mateo seems delighted. He chatters excitedly the whole journey, hardly even stopping for breath. | |
| So how are you feeling about having him along?","Annoyed. I have plans, damn it, and I worry that Mateo's presence will make them harder to execute. | |
| So true. His childish babbling will just get in the way. Still, nothing to be done about it.", | |
| romance,Doña Carlota Torres,"['Carlota Torres', 'Doña Carlota Torres', 'Carlota', 'Torres', 'Doña Carlota']",160,3921,"sceneadirect_272,scenebdirect_156,scenebdirect_161,scenebdirect_166,scenebdirect_170,scenebdirect_177,masque_200,masque_200,masque_200,masque_207,masque_207,masque_207,tokens_0,tokens_0,tokens_14,tokens_20,tokens_23,tokens_27,tokens_29,tokens_35,tokens_39,tokens_42,tokens_52,tokens_74,tokens_74,tokens_92,tokens_431,tokens_269,tokens_269,tokens_348,tokens_348,tokens_355,tokens_359,tokens_359,tokens_427,tokens_364,tokens_370,tokens_370,tokens_379,tokens_379,tokens_385,tokens_407,tokens_388,tokens_395,tokens_401,tokens_401,tokens_440,tokens_440,politics_35,tokens_444,tokens_448,tokens_452,tokens_456,tokens_456,tokens_466,tokens_466,tokens_460,tokens_463,politics_108,politics_118,politics_118,politics_202,politics_488,politics_492,politics_496,politics_500,politics_252,politics_506,politics_510,politics_514,politics_518,grandball_1,grandball_24,grandball_30,grandball_40,grandball_40,grandball_49,grandball_78,grandball_81,grandball_97,proposals_35,proposals_38,proposals_339,proposals_347,proposals_43,proposals_51,proposals_53,proposals_49,proposals_58,proposals_61,proposals_65,proposals_65,proposals_70,proposals_70,proposals_75,proposals_75,proposals_84,proposals_94,proposals_94,proposals_104,proposals_194,proposals_194,proposals_108,proposals_186,proposals_186,proposals_31,proposals_33,sceneg_84,sceneg_75,proposals_130,sceneg_93,sceneg_290,sceneg_290,proposals_116,proposals_119,proposals_124,proposals_127,proposals_132,proposals_135,proposals_139,proposals_153,marriage_34,sceneg_298,sceneg_304,sceneg_308,proposals_163,proposals_206,proposals_166,proposals_172,proposals_172,proposals_177,proposals_181,proposals_293,sceneg_314,sceneg_314,sceneg_317,sceneg_317,sceneg_321,sceneg_324,sceneg_324,sceneg_327,sceneg_357,sceneg_359,sceneg_359,sceneg_364,sceneg_329,sceneg_366,sceneg_334,sceneg_336,sceneg_340,sceneg_371,sceneg_373,sceneg_377,sceneb_130,sceneb_135,sceneb_140,sceneb_144,sceneb_151,mendosawands_640,mendosawands_647","I am, alas, merely the Queen's paramour. | |
| There is pain in your place, and in the disapproval of some of the more hidebound courtiers. But you would rather be the Queen's lover than any other lady's husband. | |
| What of Carlota Torres? Did you accept her proposal of marriage?","And then there is your married life with Carlota de Torres. | |
| It is a difficult tightrope to walk, being the Queen's acknowledged favorite and married to another. Each day brings at least one moment where you must choose between Agustina's desires and Torres' pride. It would be possible to completely ignore your wife–but it might not be wise. | |
| How have you handled this?","The Queen always comes first, of course. Torres means nothing to me. I make certain the whole world knows where my affections lie. | |
| This has not made your home life particularly peaceful, but that doesn't matter much in the grand scheme.","The Queen is by far the most important person in my world, but when I can, I throw Torres a scrap to soothe her pride. | |
| You have achieved a delicate balance of which you should be proud. While never giving the Queen cause for jealousy, you have managed to maintain a quiet and polite home life.","I feel constantly guilty over my treatment of Torres, and I try to assuage her pride whenever I can. Occasionally this has irritated the Queen. | |
| Very natural mis-steps, all things considered. And at least it has ensured you a quieter and more polite home life than you might have otherwise enjoyed.", | |
| romance,Sahran,"['Sahra', 'Sahran']",111,3921,"scenebdirect_11,scenebdirect_17,scenebdirect_72,scenebdirect_78,scened_209,politics_118,politics_123,politics_134,politics_207,scened_634,politics_485,scened_352,politics_488,politics_492,politics_496,scened_400,scened_433,scened_459,politics_228,politics_236,politics_256,scened_361,scened_367,scened_408,scened_375,scenee_199,scenee_44,scenee_151,scenee_219,politics_632,politics_639,scenef_236,scenef_270,scenef_298,scenef_199,scenef_204,scenef_351,scenef_214,scenef_248,marriage_90,marriage_73,marriage_111,sceneg_403,scenei_165,scenei_115,sceneh_550,scenei_248,scenei_56,scenei_99,scenei_99,scenei_257,scenei_272,scenei_43,scenei_43,scenei_225,scenei_225,sceneh_562,sceneh_617,sceneh_1002,scenei_337,scenei_337,scenej_221,mendosarecap_11,assassins_607,assassinscounterattack_24,assassinscounterattack_158,assassinscounterattack_45,assassinscounterattack_70,assassinscounterattack_106,assassinscounterattack_134,assassinscounterattack_188,assassinscounterattack_213,assassinscounterattack_230,assassinscounterattack_378,assassinscounterattack_417,assassinscounterattack_471,assassinscounterattack_399,assassinscounterattack_444,assassinscounterattack_248,assassinscounterattack_251,assassinscounterattack_251,assassinscounterattack_255,assassinscounterattack_255,assassinscounterattack_261,assassinscounterattack_264,assassinscounterattack_264,assassinscounterattack_621,assassinscounterattack_413,assassinscounterattack_442,assassinscounterattack_468,assassinscounterattack_303,assassinscounterattack_274,assassinscounterattack_285,assassinscounterattack_288,assassinscounterattack_328,assassinscounterattack_354,assassinscounterattack_482,assassinscounterattack_573,assassinscounterattack_296,assassinscounterattack_436,assassinscounterattack_462,assassinscounterattack_652,assassinscounterattack_666,assassinscounterattack_705,assassinscounterattack_721,assassinscounterattack_645,assassinscounterattack_694,assassinscounterattack_759,meettomas_82,thekingisdead_421,thekingisdead_796",Agustina supported her nobles against Sahra's unreasonable demands.,"Agustina made both sides unhappy, aiming at the difficult balancing act that would prevent either Sahra or the borderlords from moving openly against her",Agustina supported his nobles against Sahra's unreasonable demands.,"Agustina made both sides unhappy, aiming at the difficult balancing act that would prevent either Sahra or the borderlords from moving openly against her","As courtiers murmur over this unsettling news, you become aware of a commotion in the corridor outside. A guard appears in the doorway, looking flushed and annoyed. ""Your Majesty, my most humble apologies for this disturbance. There is a–a petitioner here, who wishes to address you before the Court. She comes–"" The guard looks as though he would much rather not be delivering this news. ""–she comes under a flag of truce from Duquesa Constanza de Aguilar."" | |
| The Queen's face turns purple. ""Let her approach,"" she barks. | |
| The messenger is a pretty young woman unknown to you. She holds carefully aloft a pole from which flutter a white flag of truce and a banner displaying the device of House de Aguilar. She bows as deeply as she can manage with her burden. | |
| ""What have you to say?"" the Queen demands. | |
| ""My mistress the Duquesa bids me express her concern over the situation with Sahra. She says that when Iberia is threatened, it is a time for all Iberians to stand together, and set aside their personal differences for a happier season. Therefore, you may count upon her assistance in defending the border against the barbarians from Sahra…""", | |
| romance,Prince Ricardo de Iberia,"['Ricardo', 'Prince Ricardo de Iberia']",107,3921,"sceneadirect_329,sceneadirect_387,sceneadirect_361,sceneadirect_374,scenebdirect_121,scenec_28,scened_13,scened_560,scened_565,scened_595,scened_569,scened_577,sceneg_32,sceneh_429,sceneh_487,scenea_19,scenea_59,scenea_33,scenea_46,scenej_57,scenei_307,sceneb_95,sceneh_1074,sceneh_957,sceneh_1289,sceneh_1158,sickness_2,assassins_663,assassins_857,assassins_620,assassins_666,assassins_722,assassins_816,assassins_860,assassins_60,assassins_206,assassinscounterattack_365,assassinscounterattack_378,assassins_355,assassinscounterattack_251,assassinscounterattack_264,assassinscounterattack_425,assassinscounterattack_451,assassinscounterattack_311,assassinscounterattack_337,assassinscounterattack_605,assassinscounterattack_615,assassinscounterattack_564,assassinscounterattack_513,assassinscounterattack_533,assassinscounterattack_807,meettomas_335,meettomas_350,meettomas_346,tomaspowwow_8,tomaspowwow_39,tomaspowwow_42,tomaspowwow_50,tomaspowwow_29,tomaspowwow_32,tomaspowwow_36,tomaspowwow_64,tomaspowwow_157,tomaspowwow_169,epiloguericardo_7,offwithherheadhca2_111,epiloguericardo_16,epiloguericardo_19,epiloguericardo_23,epiloguericardo_26,epiloguericardo_48,epiloguericardo_30,epiloguericardo_54,epiloguericardo_57,offwithherheadhca2_552,offwithherheadhca2_439,thekingisdead_472,thekingisdead_477,thekingisdead_482,thekingisdead_487,thekingisdead_17,thekingisdead_456,thekingisdead_67,thekingisdead_71,thekingisdead_26,thekingisdead_459,thekingisdead_462,thekingisdead_465,offwithherheadhca2_1099,offwithherheadhca2_1318,thekingisdead_369,thekingisdead_130,thekingisdead_218,thekingisdead_170,thekingisdead_561,thekingisdead_700,thekingisdead_705,thekingisdead_637,thekingisdead_410,thekingisdead_789,thekingisdead_796,thekingisdead_434,thekingisdead_294,thekingisdead_301,thekingisdead_309,assassinscounterattack_876,assassinscounterattack_863","But Ricardo was worth the wait. He is a fine healthy child, with pink cheeks and your black hair and brown eyes and the Queen's forehead and mouth…and he is a Death Mage, like both of his parents. | |
| ""There was never any great likelihood of him being a Life Mage,"" you say cautiously. There was, in fact, no more than a 1 in 100 chance that a Death Mage (such as yourself) and a Death Mage with some Life Mage blood (like the Queen) would engender a Life Mage child. | |
| Agustina shakes herself out of her thoughts. ""Oh, I know. It is only that it would have made things much easier."" She kisses you absently on the forehead and turns away. Is it your imagination that her interactions with you are increasingly impersonal these days? | |
| It might be, or it might not be. How would you describe the state of your relationship after your five years together?","Charmingly. | |
| As you have done so often before, you arrange your lips into a charming smile. ""It would have,"" you agree. ""I wish I could make things easier for you."" | |
| She turns around, trying to smile back. ""Oh, you do that quite well, I assure you."" | |
| ""Ricardo is a fine, healthy child,"" you say. ""We can have another healthy child. Perhaps the next time…"" | |
| ""Perhaps,"" the Queen says.","You start to cry. | |
| Agustina turns around, looking weary. ""What is it?"" | |
| ""This failure crushes me,"" you whisper. ""I want a Life Mage child for Iberia as much as you do."" | |
| Agustina comes over and strokes your hair, as she did so often during the years the two of you waited for a child. ""Of course you do, my dear,"" she says, as she said all the times you cried during those years. | |
| ""You will stop loving me,"" you say as you have said often before. ""I am sure you will stop loving me."" | |
| ""No, no."" She keeps stroking your hair. Is it only your imagination, or are the words and the motion somewhat automatic? | |
| ""And you do not love Ricardo at all."" | |
| ""No, that is not true."" Her voice is patient, but tired. ""I bear love to all my children. I am worn down with the business of an heir, you know that. That is a different thing than love."" | |
| You continue to cry, and the Queen continues to comfort you. The servants go about their business with their eyes averted. It is not the first time they have witnessed such a scene. | |
| A tap on the door interrupts your tears. A servant has come from Luis de Vega, requesting a few minutes of the Queen's time. Agustina says she will meet with de Vega at once–speaking with a quickness that is not entirely flattering. She kisses you quickly and says she will see you at Court.","You start to cry. | |
| Agustina turns around, looking concerned. ""What is it?"" | |
| ""This failure crushes me,"" you whisper. ""I want a Life Mage child for Iberia as much as you do."" | |
| Agustina comes over and strokes your hair, as she did so often during the years the two of you waited for a child. ""Of course you do, my dear,"" she says, as she said all the times you cried during those years. | |
| ""You will stop loving me,"" you say as you have said often before. ""I am sure you will stop loving me."" | |
| ""No, no."" She keeps stroking your hair. | |
| ""And you do not love Ricardo at all."" | |
| ""And that is not true at all."" Her voice is very patient. ""I bear love to all my children. I am worn down with the business of an heir, you know that. That is a different thing than love."" | |
| You continue to cry, and the Queen continues to comfort you. The servants go about their business with their eyes averted. It is not the first time they have witnessed such a scene. | |
| A tap on the door interrupts your tears. A servant has come from Luis de Vega, requesting a few minutes of the Queen's time. Agustina kisses you and says she will see you at Court.","You know the common people would like you more, and the fangs of the Life Mages would be effectively pulled, if you could only manage to give the Queen a Life Mage child. It was not absolutely impossible that Ricardo could have been one…and you hoped for it fervently…but alas, your hope was in vain.", | |
| romance,Don Felix,['Don Felix'],96,3921,"scenec_23,scened_178,sceneg_269,sceneg_239,sceneg_270,sceneg_280,sceneh_72,sceneh_498,scenei_140,sceneh_179,sceneh_192,sceneh_200,sceneh_205,sceneh_519,sceneh_550,sceneh_531,sceneh_537,sceneh_562,sceneh_617,sceneh_540,sceneh_546,sceneh_568,sceneh_612,sceneh_623,sceneh_663,sceneh_686,sceneh_572,sceneh_574,sceneh_1039,sceneh_1041,sceneh_625,sceneh_627,sceneh_704,sceneh_710,sceneh_590,sceneh_593,sceneh_602,sceneh_605,sceneh_641,sceneh_644,sceneh_653,sceneh_656,sceneh_1057,sceneh_1069,sceneh_1103,sceneh_1244,sceneh_1105,sceneh_1109,sceneh_1118,sceneh_1121,sceneh_1197,sceneh_1132,sceneh_1209,sceneh_1228,sceneh_1171,sceneh_1214,sceneh_1233,sceneh_1140,sceneh_1173,sceneh_1218,sceneh_1143,mendosawands_224,mendosawands_399,mendosawands_458,mendosawands_297,mendosawands_480,mendosawands_319,mendosawands_464,mendosawands_481,mendosawands_486,mendosawands_303,mendosawands_320,mendosawands_325,mendosawands_470,mendosawands_475,mendosawands_309,mendosawands_314,mendosawands_626,mendosawands_716,mendosawands_729,offwithherheadhca2_765,offwithherheadhca2_767,offwithherheadhca2_772,offwithherheadhca2_776,thekingisdead_530,thekingisdead_698,thekingisdead_700,thekingisdead_705,thekingisdead_537,offwithherheadhca2_619,thekingisdead_538,thekingisdead_543,thekingisdead_547,offwithherheadhca2_621,offwithherheadhca2_627,offwithherheadhca2_631","""Yes?"" you call. | |
| Another servant pokes his head deferentially inside. ""It is your brother Don Mateo, Your Majesty. Shall I show him in?"" | |
| ""Yes, of course."" The servants know that Mateo is always welcome here, unless you and the Queen are enjoying some time alone. | |
| He comes through the door in a swoosh of cloth and a sparkle of gemstones. Since marrying the extremely wealthy widower Don Felix de Chaves two years ago, Mateo is usually so attired. He still approaches life with the enthusiasm of the fourteen-year-old he was when you both came to Court. Granted, he no longer runs down the corridors and he has acquired some understanding of the functioning of the world, but he still tends to see the bright side and speak in exclamations. His marriage to Don Felix is reasonably happy. They have no children as yet, but Mateo is very fond of his young stepdaughter Rosa, Don Felix's child by his first marriage.","""We appreciate your attendance upon us,"" the Queen says with perfunctory courtesy. ""Don Felix, we have heard your report in private. Let us have it now where all our attendants may hear."" | |
| Mateo's husband comes forward and bows deeply. He is a handsome man of middle age–black hair streaked with silver and black eyes marred by crows'-feet, but still of powerful and vigorous physique–and of battlefield talents sufficient to put him in charge of the Queen's southern forces. ""My lords, ladies, and gentles,"" he begins. ""I have just received reports from the south."" | |
| The reports from the south are never cause for cheer.","I can kill Don Felix, if that is what it takes to get a Life Mage child, but killing his daughter–Mateo's beloved stepdaughter–is too much. Perhaps Ramirez will understand?","You walk purposefully back through the palace gates. You have no memory of where you went in the city, or why, but you are firmly certain that it is not important. | |
| The Court is just drawing to a close as you slip in and walk calmly up to where Mateo and Don Felix stand near the Queen. Without pausing or hesitating in any way that might betray your intentions, you slip a stiletto out of your sleeve and drive it into the back of Don Felix's neck. You kill him coldly and calmly. He deserved to die for giving the evidence that caused Don Enrique's exile. As Don Felix falls to the ground and Mateo begins screaming in horror, you lunge towards the Queen, intent on killing her as well. | |
| The Royal Guards are not selected purely for parade-ground appearance. Their halberds flash down upon you before you can ever reach the Queen with your bloody knife. You fall to the ground in intense pain and a spreading pool of blood. | |
| Amidst the stunned silence of the Court, a disembodied voice speaks calmly: ""Thus is Don Enrique de Ramirez revenged upon his enemies."" The Queen rushes to your side, realizing that you were acting under the mind control of a master Life Mage, and shouts desperately. ""A Life Mage! We need a Life Mage! He is dying!"" | |
| But the skills of the Life Mages who are present, and willing to help you, are no match for the injuries inflicted by the Royal Guards. The Queen holds your hand and gives you what comfort she can. And while Mateo cries over Don Felix's body, you breathe your last.","""Please, Don Enrique. I know that you have suffered greatly, and your anger against Don Felix is just. But the child…she is just a child."" You pause and look at the Life Mage imploringly. ""You can have your revenge on Don Felix. I will make him die for his crimes against you. But let his daughter live."" | |
| ""You have no idea what my life has been like because of that treacherous worm. His death alone is not enough for my revenge. My child, too, has lived in exile, away from his patrimony. Did Don Felix care about that?"" | |
| ""Then show that you are better than him. Show the world that Don Enrique will be revenged upon his enemies but shows mercy to the innocent. Sleep well knowing that you have had your vengeance without becoming a monster like Felix de Chaves."" | |
| Don Enrique sits silently, his lips tensed for a long moment. Just when you begin to give up hope, he speaks again. ""Very well. It shall be as you say. Give me the death of Felix de Chaves alone, and you will have your Life Mage child."" | |
| ""Thank you, Don Enrique. You will not have cause to regret this."" | |
| ""When he is dead, I will leave a potion for you here, and instructions for using it. Not before. You will have no chance to double-cross me.""", | |
| romance,Don Enrique Ramirez,"['Don Enrique Ramirez', 'Don Enrique', 'Ramirez', 'Enrique Ramirez']",87,3921,"scenef_153,scenef_157,scenef_60,scenef_166,sceneg_10,sceneg_97,sceneg_112,sceneg_112,sceneg_117,sceneg_124,sceneg_137,sceneg_151,sceneg_247,sceneg_143,sceneg_147,sceneg_155,sceneg_255,sceneg_261,sceneg_266,sceneg_269,sceneg_158,sceneg_163,sceneg_163,sceneg_206,sceneg_206,sceneg_233,sceneg_239,sceneg_708,sceneg_270,sceneg_280,sceneg_168,sceneg_171,sceneg_695,sceneg_177,sceneg_185,sceneg_191,sceneg_220,sceneg_730,sceneg_192,sceneg_197,sceneg_203,sceneg_347,sceneg_384,sceneg_395,scenej_53,scenej_21,scenej_43,scenej_57,sceneh_574,scenej_30,scenej_30,scenej_63,scenej_72,scenej_84,sceneh_593,sceneh_1048,sceneh_1114,sceneh_1235,sceneh_644,scenej_64,scenej_94,sceneh_1257,sceneh_1329,sceneh_1332,sceneh_1124,sceneh_1126,sceneh_1193,sceneh_1130,sceneh_1197,sceneh_1197,sceneh_1132,sceneh_1134,sceneh_1134,sceneh_1142,sceneh_1177,sceneh_1221,sceneh_1148,meettomas_280,meettomas_262,meettomas_257,meettomas_258,meettomas_259,meettomas_260,offwithherheadhca2_294,offwithherheadhca2_621,offwithherheadhca2_627,offwithherheadhca2_631","""I don't care! I want a Life Mage child!"" | |
| ""Of course you do,"" Mateo says soothingly. ""This Life Mage is called Enrique Ramirez, and he will be at the Three Bells tavern in the southern quarter of the city tomorrow.""","""I believe that when so great a reward is possible, so great a risk is justified."" | |
| ""Of course it is,"" Mateo says soothingly. ""This Life Mage is called Enrique Ramirez, and he will be at the Three Bells tavern in the southern quarter of the city tomorrow morning.""","""In return, I have acquired some information I believe you will find most interesting."" He takes a deep breath. ""There is, as it happens, a Life Mage currently residing in Orovilla who is capable of the spell you seek."" | |
| You feel the blood drain from your face. ""Really?"" | |
| ""Indeed yes. There is only one small problem…he is an outlaw. The Queen exiled him ten years ago for practicing mind-influencing magic. He was forbidden to set foot within Orovilla ever again, on pain of death."" | |
| ""Yet he is here?"" | |
| ""He is here,"" de Vega confirms. ""His name is Enrique Ramirez, and he will be at the Three Bells tavern in the southern quarter of the city tomorrow."" He gives you a very gentle look. ""I wish you all possible good fortune, Your Majesty. Only…take care. This path is not without danger."" | |
| You nod. De Vega bows again, and takes his leave.","Of course not! | |
| Your eyes meet Mateo's, and he nods imperceptibly. He will make sure you know how to contact the Life Mage, once your uncle is out of the room. (Later, he whispers to you that the Life Mage, who now is called Enrique Ramirez, will be at the Three Bells tavern in the southern quarter of the city tomorrow morning.)",Go to the Three Bells to meet with Enrique Ramirez., | |
| romance,Aunt Leonor,"['Aunt Leonor', 'Leonor']",85,3921,"comingofageparty_4,comingofageparty_108,comingofageparty_180,masque_1,masque_13,tokens_0,scenec_59,tokens_42,tokens_52,tokens_74,tokens_83,tokens_421,tokens_359,tokens_407,tokens_336,tokens_388,tokens_401,tokens_440,tokens_456,tokens_466,tokens_460,tokens_463,proposals_211,proposals_18,proposals_35,proposals_38,proposals_339,proposals_347,proposals_41,proposals_43,proposals_220,marriage_343,personalpolitics_94,sickness_2,sickness_108,sickness_114,sickness_117,sickness_121,sickness_125,sickness_129,sickness_134,sickness_246,sickness_226,sickness_207,assassinscounterattack_129,assassinscounterattack_225,wanderingeyeredux_150,meettomas_59,meettomas_62,meettomas_65,meettomas_69,meettomas_105,tomaspowwow_0,tomaspowwow_10,tomaspowwow_18,tomaspowwow_42,tomaspowwow_32,tomaspowwow_53,tomaspowwow_67,tomaspowwow_87,tomaspowwow_174,tomaspowwow_128,tomaspowwow_157,tomaspowwow_142,tomaspowwow_97,tomaspowwow_111,tomaspowwow_114,tomaspowwow_147,tomaspowwow_119,tomaspowwow_317,tomaspowwow_336,tomaspowwow_342,offwithherheadhca2_102,offwithherheadhca2_95,offwithherheadhca2_125,offwithherheadhca2_130,offwithherheadhca2_231,thekingisdead_349,thekingisdead_199,thekingisdead_202,thekingisdead_780,thekingisdead_789,thekingisdead_796,tomaspowwow_439,tomaspowwow_439","The next few days meander past. Nothing of note occurs, except for the arrival of your Uncle Pedro and Aunt Leonor for your coming-of-age ball. Your uncle is in fact financing the ball, with money gained from a recent successful campaign abroad, or you wouldn't be having one at all. Your parents could certainly never afford it. | |
| Finally, your birthday arrives. Downstairs, your mother and father await the guests, talking with your aunt and uncle. Up in your pleasant, but plainly-furnished bedroom, your fourteen-year-old brother Mateo helps you dress for the party. | |
| Chattering without a pause for breath, Mateo finishes tying all your laces. ""There!"" he says. ""Now you can look!"" You turn to look at yourself in the glass–a very fine mirror indeed, one of the few remnants of your family's former glory. | |
| ""You look splendid!"" Mateo declares. | |
| And indeed, you are quite pleased with what you see reflected. The rich color of your coat complements your… | |
| Would you like to specify the color of your hair?","You stand with your mother and father, receiving guests and graciously accepting their best wishes. The guests are mostly families from nearby estates, plus a few friends of your parents' from farther away. Everyone looks most splendid, dressed in formal coats and beautiful gowns in a rainbow of colors. Everyone has a smile for you. Some of the adults look at you appraisingly–only to be expected as you are now considered to be of marriageable age–and many of the youngsters of your age try to flirt. You flirt back…but only a little, since your mother and Aunt Leonor are standing nearby. | |
| Oh, by the way, are you flirting with the young men or the young women?","You stand in the receiving line for what seems to be hours. Behind you, the guests circulate and talk, and snippets of gossip drift to your ears. | |
| ""…did you hear about Don Alonso's youngest? Foolish girl, she turned down a most advantageous proposal last year–and it was her third Season at Court!"" | |
| ""What does she think to do now? She can't possibly offer a proposal to anyone; her parents cannot afford to set her up in her own household…"" | |
| It is the way of things. One either courts or is courted. A youngster of sixteen or so is courted, generally by a well-established adult of twenty-five or thirty. Among the nobility, an eldest child is likely to have his or her own household, and seek to bring a husband or wife into it. Younger children are courted by others. There are exceptions, of course: wealthy parents may be able to provide all their children with sufficient inheritance to set up households, and poverty-stricken families–like yours–cannot even do it for their eldest. | |
| ""I heard that she turned down that proposal because she had hopes of Doña Beatriz offering for her!"" | |
| ""Foolish indeed! Doña Beatriz has no money to support a wife!"" | |
| ""I heard that Beatriz's sister Eugenia is having a love affair with Don Carlos de Vargas…"" | |
| ""With Don Carlos? But he is a Life Mage, and she is a Death Mage! How shocking!"" | |
| That, too, is the way of the world. There are Death Mage families and Life Mage families. One tends to marry within one's set. Except for the Queen, of course. Queen Agustina, like all the Monarchs of Iberia, has married across mage lines. She is a Death Mage, and her King Consort a Life Mage. This means their children are more likely to be Life Mages, and so a Life Mage will succeed a Death Mage to the throne. That has always been the way of things. | |
| Of course, it is only the way of things if the Queen and King Consort succeed in producing an heir. | |
| ""…I heard Their Majesties have lost another unborn child,"" you hear another thread of gossip start. | |
| ""How dreadful!"" | |
| It is dreadful. Their Majesties have only the one child, and she is a Death Mage. She cannot succeed to the throne. | |
| ""I heard that the Queen has commanded young Tomás de Reyes to be brought to Court…"" | |
| Aunt Leonor clears her throat and changes the subject, reminding the speaker that there are youngsters listening. | |
| At last, your duties in the receiving line end. Now what?","From that point on, time seems to move faster than it ever has before. Two months are scarcely enough time to put together the wardrobe you will require as a young gentleman of the Court: coats, shoes, scarves, hose and garters, bejeweled trinkets. Almost before you know it, the day of your departure is at hand, and you find yourself jolting over the roads with Uncle Pedro, Aunt Leonor, and Mateo. | |
| For Mateo is accompanying you. He is too young to be presented at Court, of course, but your mother and Aunt Leonor thought it would be well for you to have a companion, and well for Mateo to get an idea of how the Court functions. You wouldn't have thought it would be much fun, to be dragged along to the capital and once there, spend most of the time under Aunt Leonor's supervision and none at all enjoying Court functions–but Mateo seems delighted. He chatters excitedly the whole journey, hardly even stopping for breath. | |
| So how are you feeling about having him along?","Early in the morning of your first day at Court, your aunt takes you to Their Majesties' private rooms, where all the ladies- and gentlemen-in-waiting are assembled. | |
| A servant opens the door at your aunt's knock, and the first thing you see is a tall, middle-aged man addressing an assembly of ladies- and gentlemen-in-waiting. He turns and regards you and Aunt Leonor with a raised eyebrow. | |
| Aunt Leonor curtsies. ""Don Benedicto,"" she says. ""May I present my nephew, Diego de Flores."" | |
| ""Oh,"" Don Benedicto says. ""Yes, of course. Thank you, Doña Leonor."" Your aunt curtsies again, and leaves. | |
| Don Benedicto looks at you in a manner more appraising than friendly. ""We are rehearsing a masque to be performed before the Court this evening. It is somewhat late to be adding another part. Perhaps it would be best if you took a seat and observed."" | |
| ""Oh, but Don Benedicto,"" says one young man. ""Doña Teresa is feeling ill. Why could I not take her part, and Your Majesty take mine? I am only being rescued,"" he adds, turning to you. ""It would not be difficult to learn at all.""", | |
| romance,Prince Antonio,"['Antonio', 'Prince Antonio']",75,3921,"scenej_84,scenej_129,scenej_94,scenej_98,scenej_150,scenej_106,scenej_121,scenej_158,sickness_2,assassins_617,assassins_663,assassins_719,assassins_813,assassins_857,assassins_620,assassins_620,assassins_666,assassins_722,assassins_722,assassins_816,assassins_816,assassins_860,assassins_56,assassins_632,assassins_636,assassins_677,assassins_681,assassins_740,assassins_828,assassins_832,assassins_871,assassins_875,assassins_60,assassins_60,assassins_197,assassins_199,assassins_81,assassins_206,assassins_405,assassins_407,assassins_223,assassins_231,assassinscounterattack_365,assassinscounterattack_378,assassinscounterattack_77,assassinscounterattack_80,assassinscounterattack_113,assassinscounterattack_116,assassinscounterattack_142,assassinscounterattack_145,assassinscounterattack_251,assassinscounterattack_264,assassinscounterattack_627,assassins_477,assassinscounterattack_835,meettomas_280,meettomas_257,meettomas_258,meettomas_259,meettomas_260,meettomas_266,meettomas_321,offwithherheadhca2_83,offwithherheadhca2_104,epiloguericardo_11,offwithherheadhca2_111,offwithherheadhca2_95,offwithherheadhca2_555,offwithherheadhca2_1207,thekingisdead_472,thekingisdead_477,thekingisdead_482,thekingisdead_344,thekingisdead_372,thekingisdead_307","To your immense disappointment, your second son Antonio is a Death Mage like his brother and his parents. Agustina is disappointed, though she expected nothing else. She is kind to you and the child in a distant sort of way. | |
| Perhaps Ramirez guessed that you planned to betray him. Or perhaps he tied the magic in the elixir to his own life. The more you think about it, the more likely that seems. If you had kept your side of the bargain, perhaps you would have a Life Mage child now.","But–small surprise–your second son Antonio is a Death Mage like his brother and his parents. Agustina is disappointed, though she expected nothing else. She is kind to you and the child in a distant sort of way.","And–to your astonishment, gratitude, and delight–it is. Ramirez's magic has worked as promised. | |
| Your son Antonio is as definite a Life Mage as anyone has ever seen. ""A miracle!"" the Court declares. Courtiers wondering if you did anything to aid the miracle keep their opinions to themselves.","And–to your astonishment, gratitude, and delight–it is. Even without the assistance of a powerful Life Mage spell, there was a small chance that your child would be a Life Mage–and you were very lucky indeed. | |
| Your son Antonio is as definite a Life Mage as anyone has ever seen. ""A miracle!"" the Court declares. Courtiers who wonder, incorrectly, if you did something to aid the miracle keep their opinions to themselves.","Antonio is three months old, and you are sitting in the garden enjoying one of the last mild evenings you expect the summer to give you when a servant approaches you. | |
| ""Your Majesty? Forgive me for disturbing you, but…I am the bearer of an unusual request. There is a traveling poet who has just arrived at the palace gates and wondered if she might beg an audience with you."" | |
| How odd, you think. But it has been an uneventful few weeks and there seems to be no reason not to investigate this curious happenstance. ""Very well,"" you say.", | |
| romance,Adelita de Delgado,"['Adelita de Delgado', 'Delgado', 'Adelita']",71,3921,"scenec_64,scenec_64,scenec_80,scenec_110,scenec_121,scenec_131,scenec_84,scenec_99,scened_343,scened_634,scened_638,scened_273,scened_352,scened_529,scened_459,scened_459,scenee_6,scened_620,scenee_10,scenee_12,scenee_30,scenee_30,scenee_28,scenee_171,scenee_146,scenee_146,scenee_39,scenee_39,scenee_62,scenee_62,scenee_239,scenee_243,scenee_193,scenef_13,scenef_18,scenef_71,scenef_120,scenef_187,scenef_298,scenef_298,scenef_302,scenef_338,scenef_304,sceneg_704,sceneg_403,sceneg_220,scenei_150,sceneh_442,scenei_162,sceneh_449,sceneh_455,sceneh_469,sceneh_469,sceneh_480,sceneh_778,sceneh_824,sceneh_183,sceneh_192,sceneh_200,sceneh_205,sceneh_810,sceneh_1002,sceneh_970,sceneh_1010,scenej_136,scenej_139,scenej_143,scenej_147,wanderingeyeredux_51,wanderingeyeredux_59,meettomas_284","The Queen stops. All heads turn in the direction of the voice. A girl all in white scampers up to the Queen, golden hair streaming behind her. ""You dropped this, Your Majesty,"" she says breathlessly, holding out a scarf. | |
| The Queen's black look lifts slightly from her face. She smiles indulgently. ""Aren't you a sweet thing. We thank you."" She reaches out and caresses the girl's cheek, and she drops into a low curtsy, practically wiggling like a puppy in her delight at receiving attention. | |
| You recognize the girl now. Adelita de Delgado, sixteen years of age, come to Court for the Season. Her father is an hildago of a wealthy upstart Life Mage house. | |
| You feel Uncle Pedro's hand close over your arm. | |
| ""Rise, rise,"" the Queen says, and Adelita does. ""Are you coming to see our Court?"" The girl nods with wide eyes and parted lips. ""Excellent. We hope you find it instructive."" | |
| ""Oh, I am sure I will, Your Majesty!"" Adelita says. The Queen smiles again at her enthusiasm, and dismisses her with a nod.","The Queen stops. All heads turn in the direction of the voice. A girl all in white scampers up to the Queen, golden hair streaming behind her. ""You dropped this, Your Majesty,"" she says breathlessly, holding out a scarf. | |
| The Queen's black look lifts slightly from her face. She smiles indulgently. ""Aren't you a sweet thing. We thank you."" She reaches out and caresses the girl's cheek, and she drops into a low curtsy, practically wiggling like a puppy in her delight at receiving attention. | |
| You recognize the girl now. Adelita de Delgado, sixteen years of age, come to Court for the Season. Her father is an hildago of a wealthy upstart Life Mage house. | |
| You feel Uncle Pedro's hand close over your arm. | |
| ""Rise, rise,"" the Queen says, and Adelita does. ""Are you coming to see our Court?"" The girl nods with wide eyes and parted lips. ""Excellent. We hope you find it instructive."" | |
| ""Oh, I am sure I will, Your Majesty!"" Adelita says. The Queen smiles again at her enthusiasm, and dismisses her with a nod.","You rush down the stairs and push your way through the courtiers and servants, who quickly back out of your way when they see the anger in your eyes. By the time you reach the Queen and Adelita, most of the Court is watching you. | |
| Do you turn your wrath on the Queen or on the would-be seductress?","You rush down the stairs and push your way through the courtiers and servants, who quickly back out of your way when they see the anger in your eyes. By the time you reach the Queen and Adelita, most of the Court is watching you. | |
| ""How could you?"" you begin. | |
| A cold and bitter laugh from behind you interrupts your tirade as it begins. ""You forget yourself, Diego. I am still Agustina's King Consort."" King Consort Esteban's voice cuts through the crowd. ""If you do not know, it's past time that you learn that a rose wilts shortly after the flower is cut from the bush. And no sooner has it wilted, than it is discarded. You may find it enlightening to think about that."" | |
| Your face hot with embarrassment, you try in vain to come up with a suitable reply. Esteban chuckles darkly and passes into the Great Hall. You do your best maintain some semblance of dignity, but the snickering around you makes it difficult.","You calmly make your way down to join the Queen as she approaches the Great Hall. As she looks over at you with a forced smile, you say, ""Misplaced your scarf again, my dear? I would hate to think that age was taking a toll on your memory. You do remember all the things you have promised me, don't you?"" | |
| The Queen coughs with embarrassment. ""Yes, of course, my dear. You needn't worry–sometimes a dropped scarf is merely a moment's inattention, nothing else."" | |
| ""As long as you remember that, my love, all will be well."" | |
| As the Queen enters the Great Hall, you note with satisfaction that she studiously avoids looking at Adelita, despite her obvious attempts to draw her attention.", | |
| romance,lucia de Vega,"['lucia de Vega', 'lucia', 'Lucia']",44,3921,"wanderingeyeredux_134,wanderingeyeredux_96,wanderingeyeredux_102,wanderingeyeredux_146,wanderingeyeredux_351,wanderingeyeredux_278,wanderingeyeredux_297,wanderingeyeredux_292,wanderingeyeredux_304,wanderingeyeredux_356,wanderingeyeredux_391,wanderingeyeredux_409,wanderingeyeredux_409,wanderingeyeredux_419,wanderingeyeredux_419,wanderingeyeredux_402,wanderingeyeredux_580,wanderingeyeredux_656,wanderingeyeredux_670,wanderingeyeredux_597,wanderingeyeredux_501,wanderingeyeredux_592,wanderingeyeredux_596,wanderingeyeredux_506,wanderingeyeredux_511,wanderingeyeredux_684,wanderingeyeredux_692,wanderingeyeredux_695,wanderingeyeredux_686,wanderingeyeredux_701,wanderingeyeredux_742,wanderingeyeredux_745,wanderingeyeredux_704,wanderingeyeredux_791,wanderingeyeredux_791,wanderingeyeredux_710,wanderingeyeredux_751,wanderingeyeredux_765,meettomas_89,tomaspowwow_240,offwithherheadhca2_141,offwithherheadhca2_166,thekingisdead_51,thekingisdead_54","Yes. I ask the Queen who he is. | |
| ""lucia de Vega,"" Agustina says. ""De Vega's nephew, so he tells me. I should have guessed. Such a polished manner for one so young, and the boy seems quite well-versed on the latest political happenings. Pretty little thing, isn't he?""","For the first time in all the years you have known each other, he seems reluctant to meet your eyes. ""Er, my nephew, actually. My late brother's eldest child. lucia. A lovely boy, sweet and modest and quite an accomplished Life Mage, for all he is so young. He has just celebrated his sixteenth birthday."" De Vega clears his throat.","""lucia de Vega! Luis de Vega's nephew!"" Uncle Pedro's eyes bulge from his head as he storms about your sitting room. ""His late brother's eldest child. Highborn, well-spoken, an accomplished Life Mage, and clearly pleasing to Her Majesty's eye! This is a disaster!""","The next day features a garden party in honor of Andrea Vasques, the most popular poet of the Season. In the course of the afternoon, you observe lucia intelligently discussing poetry with the Queen. | |
| Everyone else observes lucia intelligently discussing poetry with the Queen, too. | |
| The boy really is something special. He could not be faking that level of intelligence or thoughtfulness, any more than he could be faking his beauty or his skill in the arts of a Life Mage. Although it is possible someone is coaching him in how to be particularly appealing to the Queen…. You cannot help but notice that he compares the work of Andrea Vasques to Marina Salazar, whose work Agustina particularly admires. Agustina even wrote a commentary on Marina Salazar's epic [i]El Cantar de Iberia[/i], back when she was a young woman.","As you watch, lucia draws a handkerchief or a scarf from his pocket and runs it through his fingers. Is it just a nervous habit? Or did the Queen ask the boy for a token? | |
| What do you do in response?", | |
| romance,this Tomás de Reyes,"['Tomás de Reyes', 'this Tomás de Reyes']",39,3921,"comingofageparty_180,comingofageparty_199,masque_85,tokens_52,scened_595,marriage_231,marriage_152,marriage_209,scenei_77,scenei_183,marriage_825,marriage_793,scenei_25,scenei_30,scenei_49,scenei_89,scenei_318,scenej_119,sickness_295,assassinscounterattack_360,assassinscounterattack_246,assassinscounterattack_570,assassinscounterattack_573,meettomas_77,meettomas_188,tomaspowwow_75,tomaspowwow_293,tomaspowwow_302,tomaspowwow_397,tomaspowwow_408,epiloguericardo_32,offwithherheadhca2_457,offwithherheadhca2_430,offwithherheadhca2_487,offwithherheadhca2_301,offwithherheadhca2_950,thekingisdead_294,thekingisdead_309,tomaspowwow_439","You stand in the receiving line for what seems to be hours. Behind you, the guests circulate and talk, and snippets of gossip drift to your ears. | |
| ""…did you hear about Don Alonso's youngest? Foolish girl, she turned down a most advantageous proposal last year–and it was her third Season at Court!"" | |
| ""What does she think to do now? She can't possibly offer a proposal to anyone; her parents cannot afford to set her up in her own household…"" | |
| It is the way of things. One either courts or is courted. A youngster of sixteen or so is courted, generally by a well-established adult of twenty-five or thirty. Among the nobility, an eldest child is likely to have his or her own household, and seek to bring a husband or wife into it. Younger children are courted by others. There are exceptions, of course: wealthy parents may be able to provide all their children with sufficient inheritance to set up households, and poverty-stricken families–like yours–cannot even do it for their eldest. | |
| ""I heard that she turned down that proposal because she had hopes of Doña Beatriz offering for her!"" | |
| ""Foolish indeed! Doña Beatriz has no money to support a wife!"" | |
| ""I heard that Beatriz's sister Eugenia is having a love affair with Don Carlos de Vargas…"" | |
| ""With Don Carlos? But he is a Life Mage, and she is a Death Mage! How shocking!"" | |
| That, too, is the way of the world. There are Death Mage families and Life Mage families. One tends to marry within one's set. Except for the Queen, of course. Queen Agustina, like all the Monarchs of Iberia, has married across mage lines. She is a Death Mage, and her King Consort a Life Mage. This means their children are more likely to be Life Mages, and so a Life Mage will succeed a Death Mage to the throne. That has always been the way of things. | |
| Of course, it is only the way of things if the Queen and King Consort succeed in producing an heir. | |
| ""…I heard Their Majesties have lost another unborn child,"" you hear another thread of gossip start. | |
| ""How dreadful!"" | |
| It is dreadful. Their Majesties have only the one child, and she is a Death Mage. She cannot succeed to the throne. | |
| ""I heard that the Queen has commanded young Tomás de Reyes to be brought to Court…"" | |
| Aunt Leonor clears her throat and changes the subject, reminding the speaker that there are youngsters listening. | |
| At last, your duties in the receiving line end. Now what?",I see a group gossiping in the corner. I shall go and see if I can hear more about this Tomás de Reyes.,"You sit at a table in the Great Hall with the other young ladies- and gentlemen-in-waiting (most of whose names you don't yet know) and enjoy a most delicious meal. Between courses, you look around. | |
| At the high table sit Queen Agustina and her consort, Esteban. The King Consort is a Life Mage, from the formidable Family de Aguilar. | |
| At the Queen's other side sits Luis de Vega, foremost advisor of the Court. | |
| At the King Consort's other side sits Princess Juanita, the only living child of the Queen and her King Consort. Unfortunately for all, she is a Death Mage like the Queen, and therefore cannot inherit the throne. | |
| But you notice that the eyes of both the Queen and the King Consort go often to a lower table, where sits a small boy whose resemblance to the Queen is unmistakable. This must be Tomás de Reyes, whom you have learned is the Queen's illegitimate Life Mage child. His illegitimacy makes it difficult for him to inherit, but it is noteworthy that the Queen sent for him to live at Court after the stillbirth of the most recent royal child. Between a Death Mage daughter and an illegitimate Life Mage son, the succession is a thorny issue. | |
| The Queen sends a dish down to Tomás de Reyes' table, and the King Consort's lips tighten a little.","The food is delicious, the hall full of a dazzling array of gorgeous clothes and flashing jewels. Alas, Torres's conversation is not particularly interesting and mostly directed toward Uncle Pedro. | |
| You are surprised when a servant pauses beside you, and offers you a plate of fresh fruit shaped to look like flowers. ""From Her Majesty,"" the servant murmurs. | |
| You look towards the high table, and find the Queen watching you. Your eyes meet, and she inclines her head slightly, with a smile. | |
| You turn and help yourself to the fruit, heart fluttering. When you look around the table, you see that Torres does not appear to have noticed, but Uncle Pedro is smiling and Aunt Leonor frowning. | |
| It is not so uncommon for a young lady or gentleman recently come to Court to receive the attention of Her Majesty the Queen. The Queen is known to frequently take lovers, both male and female. Tomás de Reyes is the product of one such liaison, with a young woman who has since died. (A particularly valuable Life Mage spell is the one that allows two women or two men to become the blood parents of a child. One assumes the Queen must have been quite taken with Tomás's other parent, to have participated in this ritual.) | |
| But still it is something thrilling to know yourself the one who has caught the Queen's eye. | |
| The banquet goes until very late. You sleep in the next morning, and the whole family is content to let you recover, well aware of how late you returned the night before.","De Vega gives you a sympathetic look. ""I'm afraid there is not much I can do for Ricardo. Already he has three counts against him: he is illegitimate, he is Her Majesty's youngest child, and he is a Death Mage. While it is admittedly unclear whether Princess Juanita or Tomás de Reyes will take the throne, Ricardo is last in line by any reckoning. I am sorry I cannot aid you in this matter. May I still ask you to support me, in the name of our long friendship?""", | |
| romance,King Consort Esteban,"['King Consort Esteban', 'Esteban']",30,3921,"sceneadirect_296,sceneadirect_299,sceneadirect_302,sceneadirect_305,sceneadirect_345,sceneadirect_353,scenebdirect_2,scenebdirect_2,scenebdirect_35,scenebdirect_124,masque_85,scenec_110,scenec_110,scenef_4,scenef_4,scenef_13,marriage_323,marriage_530,marriage_812,scenea_25,scenei_280,sceneb_2,sceneb_2,marriage_682,sceneb_22,sceneb_98,sickness_93,sickness_101,wanderingeyeredux_48,meettomas_245","I arranged false evidence suggesting that Esteban was unfaithful to the Queen. | |
| A clever and cunning approach to the problem. Of course, you were a little taken aback when the Queen did not merely divorce Esteban, but rather had him executed. All the more reason for you to walk carefully now that you are the King Consort.","I created rumors that Esteban dabbled in forbidden mind control magic. | |
| A clever and cunning approach to the problem. Of course, you were a little taken aback when the Queen did not merely divorce Esteban, but rather had him executed. All the more reason for you to walk carefully now that you are the King Consort.","I poisoned Esteban. | |
| Striking at Esteban directly was dangerous; had you been caught, it would have meant your execution. But you were not caught, and Agustina proposed to you almost before the body was cold.","I used a death curse to kill Esteban. | |
| Striking at Esteban directly was dangerous; had you been caught, it would have meant your execution. But you were not caught, and Agustina proposed to you almost before the body was cold.","Surely, even if she does not now, Agustina loved me once. Our time together couldn't have been meaningless, and her words of passion weren't just lies to get me into her bed. Or so I tell yourself, hard as it is to believe that at times. | |
| I'm sure that things aren't as bad as that. After all, the Queen is still with you, and she has done nothing to set you aside. Although, as I think about it, I'm sure that's what King Consort Esteban told himself, too.", | |
| romance,Condesa Paula de Soto,"['Condesa Paula de Soto', 'De Soto', 'Condesa']",25,3921,"openingscene_87,mendosawands_284,mendosawands_443,mendosawands_429,mendosawands_434,mendosawands_439,wanderingeyeredux_290,wanderingeyeredux_290,wanderingeyeredux_302,wanderingeyeredux_302,wanderingeyeredux_409,wanderingeyeredux_409,wanderingeyeredux_419,wanderingeyeredux_230,wanderingeyeredux_230,wanderingeyeredux_424,wanderingeyeredux_429,wanderingeyeredux_586,wanderingeyeredux_213,wanderingeyeredux_670,wanderingeyeredux_601,wanderingeyeredux_684,wanderingeyeredux_701,wanderingeyeredux_701,wanderingeyeredux_704","You walk through the vineyards, through the courtyard, and towards your family's somewhat shabby villa. The villa is old and well-constructed, but not as well kept as it might be. Underneath the trellis of bright flowers, for instance, the lintel could really use painting. But the family simply does not have the money to keep up appearances as they should be kept…. Your great-grandfather was a Conde, and your great-aunt was a Condesa, and you have a second cousin or something who is a Condesa now. But your father is only an hidalgo–a younger member of a noble house. He has the title Don for courtesy, and he has a fine house in the country, but he doesn't have anything else. Not much money, and no power. Just the house and the family name. And so you don't have anything else, either, as you approach your sixteenth birthday–when you officially come of age. | |
| Far away in the capital city of Orovilla, things are happening. There Life Mages and Death Mages study to advance their art; there young men and women enjoy masques and balls and hunts and jousts; there wise and devious advisors lurk at the edges of the monarch's glittering Court. | |
| Perhaps it is not quite true that nothing ever happens here. Now that something has, are you feeling glad that life here is usually calm and kind of dull?","The Condesa serves you and de Mendosa tea in her pretty sitting-room. | |
| ""I think your proposal is just marvelous, Doña Gabriela,"" she says. ""I cannot wait until there are Death Rods available to all Life Mages!"" | |
| How do you reply?","I attempt to charm the Condesa into changing her mind, hinting that I would owe her a favor if she did.","The Condesa's face turns serious as she considers your well-presented arguments. ""I had not though of it that way,"" she concedes. ""In that case, very well, you may count upon me to speak against de Mendosa's proposal."" | |
| Against all odds, you have won a valuable ally to de Vega's side.","The Condesa's face turns serious as she considers your well-presented arguments. ""I had not though of it that way,"" she concedes. ""But I still find the idea advantageous in the short-term to me and mine; I will not speak against it. I will not speak at all, and let the chips fall where they may."" | |
| At least you have stolen an ally from de Mendosa's side.", | |
| romance,Your Majesty!,"['Your Majesty!', 'Your Majesty']",25,3921,"openingscene_196,sceneadirect_179,masque_115,masque_147,scenec_59,scenec_59,scenec_99,scened_31,scened_79,scened_136,scened_493,scened_339,grandball_163,scenef_183,sceneg_37,sceneg_455,marriage_721,sceneh_778,sceneh_824,scenej_150,sickness_246,wanderingeyeredux_409,wanderingeyeredux_378,wanderingeyeredux_387,meettomas_168","And your family name, Your Majesty?","And your family name, Your Majesty?","Yes. | |
| From the other players in the masque, and from everywhere else in the Court, you hear (impressively realistic) gasps of surprise. You put your hand to your heart as if overcome. ""Oh, Your Majesty!"" | |
| ""'Tis I,"" she says, and kisses your hand. She reaches out and very gently pulls your mask over your head. ""But yours is a face unknown, virtuous Virtue–what is your name?"" | |
| ""Diego de Flores, Your Majesty,"" you say, and make a deep bow. | |
| ""Ah yes, of course. Don Pedro's nephew."" She smiles at you. ""Come just in time to show us all how Virtue should appear. It has been our honor to rescue you this evening, and we hope you will enjoy your time in our Court.""","Yes. | |
| From the other players in the masque, and from everywhere else in the Court, you hear (impressively realistic) gasps of surprise. You put your hand to your heart as if overcome. ""Oh, Your Majesty!"" | |
| ""'Tis I,"" she says, and kisses your hand. Her eyes run appraisingly up and down your figure, and then she reaches out and pulls off your mask. ""But yours is a face unknown. What is your name?"" | |
| ""Diego de Flores, Your Majesty,"" you say, and make a deep bow. | |
| ""Ah yes, of course. Don Pedro's nephew."" She smiles at you. ""Well, we have been most pleased to rescue you this evening, and we hope you will enjoy your time in our Court.""","In the corridor, you are joined by Uncle Pedro. Life at the center of Court agrees with him, and he looks happy and prosperous–and handsome in a new coat of black with silver buttons. His fourth new coat in as many months, you happen to know. Wealth agrees with him, too. And it agrees with Aunt Leonor, who is off in the country, happily managing their new estate. | |
| Uncle Pedro greets you pleasantly and falls in behind you, as is only appropriate. You lead the way to the stairway. | |
| Below you stretches a hallway full of courtiers and servants bustling to and fro. Most of them are making for the entrance to the Grand Hall, as you are. Suddenly the bustle stops, and the crowd parts neatly in two. You know what that means. You pause in your descent down the staircase to watch the Queen come purposefully down the corridor with de Vega just behind her. Both Agustina's face and de Vega's are dark and worried. Whatever business they were just discussing, it was not good. | |
| ""Oh, Your Majesty!"" a high voice calls. ""Your Majesty!""", | |
| romance,Conde Javier de Valdés,"['Conde Javier de Valdés', 'De Valdés', 'Conde']",24,3921,"openingscene_87,tokens_175,tokens_188,mendosawands_224,mendosawands_399,mendosawands_399,mendosawands_241,mendosawands_412,mendosawands_412,mendosawands_242,mendosawands_253,mendosawands_258,mendosawands_263,mendosawands_274,mendosawands_279,mendosawands_594,mendosawands_600,mendosawands_603,assassinscounterattack_817,assassinscounterattack_817,wanderingeyeredux_33,wanderingeyeredux_33,offwithherheadhca2_754,offwithherheadhca2_609","You walk through the vineyards, through the courtyard, and towards your family's somewhat shabby villa. The villa is old and well-constructed, but not as well kept as it might be. Underneath the trellis of bright flowers, for instance, the lintel could really use painting. But the family simply does not have the money to keep up appearances as they should be kept…. Your great-grandfather was a Conde, and your great-aunt was a Condesa, and you have a second cousin or something who is a Condesa now. But your father is only an hidalgo–a younger member of a noble house. He has the title Don for courtesy, and he has a fine house in the country, but he doesn't have anything else. Not much money, and no power. Just the house and the family name. And so you don't have anything else, either, as you approach your sixteenth birthday–when you officially come of age. | |
| Far away in the capital city of Orovilla, things are happening. There Life Mages and Death Mages study to advance their art; there young men and women enjoy masques and balls and hunts and jousts; there wise and devious advisors lurk at the edges of the monarch's glittering Court. | |
| Perhaps it is not quite true that nothing ever happens here. Now that something has, are you feeling glad that life here is usually calm and kind of dull?","The marshall of the lists throws down a plain red flag as the signal for the joust to begin. The Queen and her opponent, the Conde de Vistahermosa, spur their horses and charge across the pitch. Each grasps a heavy ash staff, glowing with magical power. As they close to within four lengths of each other, they chant ancient words of power and raise their staves. A blast of red flame erupts from the Queen's staff and throws the Conde de Vistahermosa from his horse. | |
| The Queen finishes her pass, wheels her horse, and pumps her fist in triumph. She then notices that the Conde is not moving on the ground. The Marshall holds aloft the personal standard of the Queen, recognizing her victory, but then he puts down the standard and runs over to the Conde. After a moment he shouts, ""Life Mage! We need a Life Mage!"" | |
| A Life Mage hurries forward and begins casting spells over the Conde, but stops after a few minutes and shakes her head. The Marshall begins gathering a group of grooms to carry the body away. | |
| The Queen walks back to the royal pavilion, her expression deeply troubled. ""The Conde de Vistahermosa has always been noisome, but for something like this to happen…"" | |
| How do you react?","The Conde's death is tragic, but the Queen's sheer unbridled power is impressive…and sexy. | |
| ""Oh, Your Majesty,"" you say, laying a hand on her upper arm, ""you must not blame yourself. How could you know that he would be unable to handle the mighty power of your wizardry? The Conde was weak and unworthy, and your realm is well rid of him."" Your eyes gleam with a savage bloodthirst as you remember the Queen crushing her rival. ""As word of this spreads, it will serve to remind all, friends and enemies alike, of your power, strength, and vigor."" | |
| If you approach the Queen slightly closer than is strictly appropriate, who can blame you under the circumstances? With the Queen standing triumphant before you, having literally struck dead her opponent, how could you not? | |
| ""You are right, of course, my dear,"" responds the Queen, rapidly regaining her composure. ""We were simply the victor in a test of might. And to the victor go the spoils, eh?"" The Queen loops an arm around your waist, pulling you in against her. ""Come, let us go for a walk."" | |
| A walk, and rather more, ensues. The Queen is passionate and aggressive. Before things proceed too far, however, a rider approaches, salutes the Queen, and informs her that de Vega has urgent matters of state that need her attention. If the messenger is nonplussed to find the Queen in an embrace with someone besides the King Consort, he conceals it well. | |
| ""We shall have to continue this later,"" says the Queen as she mounts her horse and rides back to the palace.","""The game is won or lost before an idea is ever proposed in open Court,"" you say to de Mendosa as you serve her tea. The two of you are alone in your sitting-room, preparing your strategy. ""Particularly so in this case, since Her Majesty has said she will listen to your proposal and then to what her noble counselors say."" | |
| ""And I know de Vega is doing everything he can to stir those noble counselors against me,"" de Mendosa says. ""We must therefore line up as many allies as we can. Do you know whom we should approach?"" | |
| With Uncle Pedro's help, you have compiled a list. You share it with de Mendosa. | |
| ""First, there is Conde Javier de Valdés. He is perhaps the most powerful Death Mage at Court. Certainly he is the loudest, and where he leads, the others follow. His opinion carries great weight with the Queen, and he will certainly be opposed to the idea of Death Rods. He will not want to lose status to a commoner. | |
| ""Second, there is Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales. Since the Duquesa de Aguilar is no longer at Court, she is foremost among the Life Mages. | |
| The Queen respects her opinion. She is likely to support your idea because she will see short-term advantage to the Life Mages, but if de Vega talks to her, he may convince her that there is a long-term threat to her status as well. She may then speak against us rather than for us. | |
| ""Third, there is Don Felix de Chaves, the commander of the Iberian military. Left to himself, he would probably not speak in open Court, but if we or de Vega manage to stir his blood, he might easily lend his support to one side or the other. He might be made to see either a disadvantage or an advantage to the army. Death rods would make Iberia more powerful, but he might not like the idea of them being in the world at all. What if Iberia's enemies were to acquire them? | |
| ""Fourth, there is Doña Natalia Medina. These days she is the most outspoken of the merchants. Like Don Felix, she is unlikely to speak in open Court unless we or de Vega persuade her. Death rods would allow merchant caravans to defend themselves, but they might also give commoners a weapon to use to attack merchant caravans. | |
| ""Fifth, there is your friend Don Rafael Gutierres, and the rest of those young scholars. I know he will support you; I am sure we need do nothing there; and he is not shy about speaking in Court. But the Queen does not really respect him. Fortunately, the Queen does not really respect Doña Marta de Gomes, either, the old scholar who is likely to speak against us. So I suppose that is about even."" | |
| De Mendosa nods. ""We have only a day before I am due to speak in open Court,"" she says. ""We cannot cultivate all of these people in a day, surely."" | |
| You shake your head. ""I think we will only be able to talk with three."" | |
| De Mendosa looks at the list. ""Where should we start?""","""The game is won or lost before an idea is ever proposed in open Court,"" de Vega says as you serve him tea. The two of you are alone in your sitting-room, preparing your strategy. ""Particularly so in this case, since Her Majesty has said she will listen to your proposal and then to what her noble counselors say. I am sure de Mendosa is doing what rabble rousing she can, but you and I shall persuade the majority of those noble counselors that this Death Rod idea is madness."" | |
| De Vega has a list of people he believes you and he should approach. ""First,"" he says, ""there is Conde Javier de Valdés."" De Valdés is perhaps the most powerful Death Mage at Court. Certainly he is the loudest, and where he leads, the others follow. His opinion carries great weight with the Queen, and he will certainly be opposed to the idea of Death Rods. He will not want to lose status to a commoner. | |
| ""Second, there is Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales."" Since the Duquesa de Aguilar is no longer at Court, she is foremost among the Life Mages. | |
| The Queen respects her opinion. She is likely to support de Mendosa because she will see short-term advantage to the Life Mages, but if you and de Vega talk to her first, you may convince her that there is a long-term threat to her status as well and win her to your side. | |
| ""Third, there is Don Felix de Chaves."" The commander of the Iberian military. Left to himself, he would probably not speak in open Court, but if de Vega or de Mendosa manages to stir his blood, he might easily lend his support to one side or the other. He might be made to see either a disadvantage or an advantage to the army. Death rods would make Iberia more powerful, but he might not like the idea of them being in the world at all. What if Iberia's enemies were to acquire them? | |
| ""Fourth, there is Doña Natalia Medina."" These days she is the most outspoken of the merchants. Like Don Felix, she is unlikely to speak in open Court unless someone persuades her. Death rods would allow merchant caravans to defend themselves, but they might also give commoners a weapon to use to attack merchant caravans. | |
| ""Fifth, there is de Mendosa's old friend Don Rafael Gutierres, who speaks for those young scholars. I know he will support de Mendosa, and he is not shy about speaking in Court. Fortunately, the Queen does not really respect him. Less fortunately, the Queen does not really respect Doña Marta de Gomes, either, the old scholar who is likely to speak against him. I would call that about even."" | |
| You nod. ""We have only a day before de Mendosa is due to speak in open Court. We cannot cultivate all of these people in a day, surely."" | |
| De Vega shakes his head. ""I think we will only be able to talk with three. Where should we start?""", | |
| romance,Doña Rosa,"['Rosa', 'Doña Rosa']",24,3921,"scenec_23,sceneh_502,sceneh_507,sceneh_519,sceneh_668,sceneh_556,sceneh_675,sceneh_531,sceneh_686,sceneh_691,sceneh_572,sceneh_574,sceneh_583,sceneh_583,sceneh_1039,sceneh_625,sceneh_634,sceneh_634,sceneh_704,sceneh_593,sceneh_1063,sceneh_644,sceneh_1334,meettomas_249","""Yes?"" you call. | |
| Another servant pokes his head deferentially inside. ""It is your brother Don Mateo, Your Majesty. Shall I show him in?"" | |
| ""Yes, of course."" The servants know that Mateo is always welcome here, unless you and the Queen are enjoying some time alone. | |
| He comes through the door in a swoosh of cloth and a sparkle of gemstones. Since marrying the extremely wealthy widower Don Felix de Chaves two years ago, Mateo is usually so attired. He still approaches life with the enthusiasm of the fourteen-year-old he was when you both came to Court. Granted, he no longer runs down the corridors and he has acquired some understanding of the functioning of the world, but he still tends to see the bright side and speak in exclamations. His marriage to Don Felix is reasonably happy. They have no children as yet, but Mateo is very fond of his young stepdaughter Rosa, Don Felix's child by his first marriage.","And while Mateo dislikes mushrooms, Rosa likes them well enough, although they are not a favorite of hers. You might end up poisoning her as well. | |
| You could invite the three of them to take tea with you and put a small amount of poison in your cup, Mateo's, and Rosa's and a large amount in Felix's. That would also look as though you were the target. | |
| You could poison a carafe of wine or fruit juice in their rooms, and then invite Mateo and Rosa to take tea with you so they do not drink it.","You could invite the three of them to take tea with you and put a small amount of poison in your cup and Mateo's and a large amount in Felix's and Rosa's. That would also look as though you were the target. | |
| You could poison a carafe of wine or fruit juice in their rooms, and then invite Mateo to take tea with you so he does not drink it.","But he puts a helping on Don Felix's plate. And then–with, it seems to you, deliberate slowness–a helping on Rosa's plate. | |
| After a nerve-wracking moment, Rosa begins to eat the mushrooms. | |
| A few moments later, Don Felix does likewise.",Poison a carafe in their rooms and then keep Mateo and Rosa away., | |
| romance,House Aguilar,['House Aguilar'],22,3921,"scened_543,scened_560,assassinscounterattack_158,assassinscounterattack_45,assassinscounterattack_188,assassinscounterattack_213,assassinscounterattack_230,assassinscounterattack_86,assassinscounterattack_122,assassinscounterattack_151,assassinscounterattack_403,assassinscounterattack_739,assassinscounterattack_652,assassinscounterattack_705,assassinscounterattack_721,assassinscounterattack_318,assassinscounterattack_344,assassinscounterattack_694,assassinscounterattack_504,assassinscounterattack_566,assassinscounterattack_869,assassinscounterattack_865","""I do not see the situation that way, Don Luis. If we allow Juanita's betrothal to the Duquesa's eldest, House Aguilar will accumulate far too much power. Relying on Aguilar represents a greater threat than the situation with the Sahrans.""","""I do not see the situation that way, Don Luis. If we allow Juanita's betrothal to the Duquesa's eldest, House Aguilar will accumulate far too much power. And there is a way to peace with Sahra without strengthening House Aguilar–the Queen should marry Juanita to the eldest Sahran prince."" | |
| You do not need to mention the other benefit of this plan–it moves Juanita far away from the throne of Iberia and her brother Ricardo.","The rest of the day, and the following night, pass in a shaken blur. Not until the following day are you able to think rationally about your experience…and then you begin to notice how strange it was. | |
| House Aguilar did nothing to conceal their attack. The assassins themselves were unaffiliated with any house, nothing more than Death Mage killers-for-hire–but it was obvious who hired them. The Royal Guard found coins from the Aguilar mint in the purses of some of the assassins. One of the assassins even carried a wand with the arms of Aguilar quartered with the arms of a minor borderlord–a gift from liege to vassal, no doubt. | |
| It is no surprise that House Aguilar holds a grudge against the Queen. And yet…Aguilar has been disgraced, weakened and left with little political support within Iberia. To invite a punitive response from the Queen would be madness–the Duquesa de Aguilar could face an attainder of treason, execution, and the loss of her family's lands and titles. Why would anyone, least of all the politically astute Duquesa, proclaim her connection with the assassins? | |
| The more you think about it, the less it makes sense. And then it dawns on you. She wouldn't. | |
| But someone else might wish to frame her. Your thoughts turn farther south. | |
| A renewed conflict between the Royal House and House Aguilar would tip the balance of power towards Sahra. Striking at you while drawing the Queen's wrath to Aguilar: the more that you think about it, the more obvious it seems. Those assassins weren't from House Aguilar. Sahra sent them, and tailored their possessions to throw suspicion on Aguilar.","While everyone thinks of teleportation and other movement magics as uniquely Sahran, that is not quite true. Magic runs in bloodlines, after all, and there has been plenty of intermarriage between the noble houses of Sahra and the noble houses of the Iberian borderlands. While House Aguilar is a Life Mage house, many of its vassals and even a few of the cadet branches of the House itself have the occasional ""Sahran"" mage among them. | |
| And Aguilar–Aguilar has every motive to strike against you and your family. They have just as much reason to hate you as Sahra does, and your death would clear the way for their future dynastic ambitions. Even more notably, a renewed war with Sahra would make Aguilar all the more indispensable. Striking at you while drawing the Queen's wrath to Sahra: the more that you think about it, the more obvious the truth is to you. Those assassins weren't from Sahra. House Aguilar sent them.","""You mean about how we can punish House Aguilar?"" | |
| ""Not precisely, no. But that gets at what I want to discuss."" De Vega pauses for a moment. ""House Aguilar did nothing to conceal their attack. The assassins themselves were unaffiliated with any house, nothing more than Death Mage killers-for-hire–but it was obvious who hired them. The Royal Guard found coins from the Aguilar mint in the purses of some of the assassins. One of the assassins even carried a wand with the arms of Aguilar quartered with the arms of a minor borderlord–a gift from liege to vassal, no doubt. | |
| ""It is no surprise that House Aguilar holds a grudge against the Queen. And yet…Aguilar has been disgraced, weakened and left with little political support within Iberia. To invite a punitive response from the Queen would be madness–the Duquesa de Aguilar could face an attainder of treason, execution, and the loss of her family's lands and titles. Why would anyone, least of all the politically astute Duquesa, proclaim her connection with the assassins? | |
| ""The more I considered it, the less sense it made. She wouldn't. | |
| ""But someone else might wish to frame her. And so my thoughts turned farther south. | |
| ""A renewed conflict between the Royal House and House Aguilar would tip the balance of power towards Sahra. Striking at you while drawing the Queen's wrath to Aguilar: the more I think about it, the more obvious it seems. Those assassins weren't from House Aguilar. Sahra sent them, and tailored their possessions to throw suspicion on Aguilar."" | |
| You lean back, your head spinning. | |
| ""And so we are left with only one question,"" de Vega concludes grimly. ""What shall we do about it?""", | |
| romance,the Life Mage,"['the Life Mage', 'Life Mage']",22,3921,"sceneadirect_374,scenebdirect_2,scenebdirect_35,scenebdirect_128,scenebdirect_132,scenebdirect_140,sceneg_37,sceneg_37,sceneg_44,scenei_197,scenea_46,sceneb_2,sceneb_22,sceneh_574,sceneh_593,sceneh_644,sceneb_102,sceneb_106,sceneb_114,wanderingeyeredux_150,wanderingeyeredux_809,wanderingeyeredux_822","You start to cry. | |
| Agustina turns around, looking concerned. ""What is it?"" | |
| ""This failure crushes me,"" you whisper. ""I want a Life Mage child for Iberia as much as you do."" | |
| Agustina comes over and strokes your hair, as she did so often during the years the two of you waited for a child. ""Of course you do, my dear,"" she says, as she said all the times you cried during those years. | |
| ""You will stop loving me,"" you say as you have said often before. ""I am sure you will stop loving me."" | |
| ""No, no."" She keeps stroking your hair. | |
| ""And you do not love Ricardo at all."" | |
| ""And that is not true at all."" Her voice is very patient. ""I bear love to all my children. I am worn down with the business of an heir, you know that. That is a different thing than love."" | |
| You continue to cry, and the Queen continues to comfort you. The servants go about their business with their eyes averted. It is not the first time they have witnessed such a scene. | |
| A tap on the door interrupts your tears. A servant has come from Luis de Vega, requesting a few minutes of the Queen's time. Agustina kisses you and says she will see you at Court.","Though you are King Consort, your life has not been altogether pleasant these past five years. The prominent Life Mage families of Iberia openly loathe you, blaming you and the Queen equally for the death of King Consort Esteban. Shortly after your betrothal, Flora de Aguilar (the younger sister of the late King Consort) went so far as to accuse you of conspiring in Esteban's death. The Queen had her shut away as a madwoman, and this demonstration of the Queen's power effectively discouraged others from making public accusations against you in Court. | |
| Nothing can stop the silent undercurrents of hatred from the Life Mage families, however, or from your stepdaughter Juanita. Worse, no command of the Queen's can make the common folk love you as they did Esteban. You are not often actually booed in the streets…but you have never once been cheered. | |
| And worst of all…the hatred of the Life Mages has begun to have serious consequences for Iberia.","The south has been unquiet for several years now. The borderlord rebellion that started during your first Season at Court–the rebellion that Agustina provoked with her harsh punishment of the borderlords' tacit sanction of Iberian incursions into Sahran lands–has never been completely quelled. Your presence in the Queen's bed contributes to this ongoing disquiet, as many of the lords of the south are from Life Mage families. Indeed, the Duquesa de Aguilar (King Consort Esteban's elder sister) has left Court and now openly heads the rebel forces, and no one doubts her motives are as much personal as political. | |
| What actions, if any, have you taken with regard to the borderlord rebellion?","At least you have Luis de Vega as an ally. You and he spend many hours together, with Her Majesty and sometimes even without her, discussing the issues that face Iberia and the best ways to address them. You know your alienation of the Life Mage families has made de Vega's job much harder than it used to be, but–perhaps because of the Queen's regard for you, perhaps because of his own–he never throws it in your face.","And to put the icing on the cake, Luis de Vega considers you a personal enemy. Even if you and he had never crossed swords otherwise, your alienation of the Life Mage families has weakened Iberia and made de Vega's job much harder than it used to be. He also appears to have viewed your loving relationship with Agustina as a threat to his own access to the Queen. He is never anything less than polite to you–he knows better than to try Her Majesty's temper–but he opposes your desires and closes you out of discussions of policy whenever he can.", | |
| romance,Duquesa Constanza de Aguilar,"['Constanza', 'Duquesa Constanza de Aguilar', 'Constanza de Aguilar', 'Duquesa Constanza', 'a de Aguilar']",19,3921,"scened_11,scened_198,scened_209,politics_108,scened_253,scened_259,scened_273,scened_285,scened_320,marriage_262,marriage_490,marriage_349,marriage_545,marriage_627,marriage_656,assassinscounterattack_611,assassinscounterattack_497,assassinscounterattack_556,assassinscounterattack_856","Beside her stands her aunt–Constanza, the Duquesa de Aguilar.","As courtiers murmur over this unsettling news, you become aware of a commotion in the corridor outside. A guard appears in the doorway, looking flushed and annoyed. ""Your Majesty, my most humble apologies for this disturbance, but there is–"" | |
| A mud-splattered young woman pushes past him. ""Your Majesty!"" | |
| The Queen stands. ""Teodora de Peres! What in the name of Death and Life–"" | |
| ""Your Majesty–"" The woman falls to one knee. ""Forgive me. This news could not wait an hour. I am the last of four who fought our way from the south to bring this news to you. Your Majesty, we have discovered who rouses the borderlords against you."" She takes a breath. ""It is Duquesa Constanza de Aguilar.""","As courtiers murmur over this unsettling news, you become aware of a commotion in the corridor outside. A guard appears in the doorway, looking flushed and annoyed. ""Your Majesty, my most humble apologies for this disturbance. There is a–a petitioner here, who wishes to address you before the Court. She comes–"" The guard looks as though he would much rather not be delivering this news. ""–she comes under a flag of truce from Duquesa Constanza de Aguilar."" | |
| The Queen's face turns purple. ""Let her approach,"" she barks. | |
| The messenger is a pretty young woman unknown to you. She holds carefully aloft a pole from which flutter a white flag of truce and a banner displaying the device of House de Aguilar. She bows as deeply as she can manage with her burden. | |
| ""What have you to say?"" the Queen demands. | |
| ""My mistress the Duquesa bids me express her concern over the situation with Sahra. She says that when Iberia is threatened, it is a time for all Iberians to stand together, and set aside their personal differences for a happier season. Therefore, you may count upon her assistance in defending the border against the barbarians from Sahra…""","When you arrive at the grand audience chamber where the Queen will receive the Ambassador and discuss matters, a large number of courtiers and interested parties have gathered. The room is filled with the buzz of quiet conversation. Certain people, including the Queen's advisor Luis de Vega, actively work the room, although you cannot tell at a glance whether they seek to measure or to influence opinion. Others, including Carlota Torres, Gabriela de Mendosa, and the King Consort's influential elder sister, Duquesa Constanza de Aguilar, stand around with coteries of their allies and associates. Those worthies eagerly seek out the opportunity to bend the ear of de Vega and others who might sway the Queen, but they stay among friends as they do so. | |
| What do you plan on doing while waiting for the arrival of Her Majesty the Queen?","""You shouldn't let it upset you so,"" you murmur. Agustina rests her hands on the back of a chair, and you come up behind her and rub her shoulders. ""What is she to you, after all? You need not concern yourself with her demands. She is unworthy of your notice."" | |
| Agustina grumbles at first, but gradually relaxes under your touch. ""Ah, Diego, I do not know what I would do without you."" She sits down, drawing you to sit beside her. ""I will never agree to such a demand, that is true, but you are right that allowing Constanza to upset me is only another form of allowing her manipulation.""", | |
| romance,Family de Aguilar,"['Family de Aguilar', 'de Aguilar']",18,3921,"scenebdirect_30,scenebdirect_42,scenebdirect_51,scenebdirect_54,scenebdirect_91,scenee_166,marriage_262,marriage_349,marriage_545,marriage_825,scenei_237,sceneb_17,sceneb_29,sceneb_38,sceneb_41,sceneb_65,scenej_221,mendosarecap_11","I have tried to encourage the Queen to reconcile with Family de Aguilar. As distasteful as I might find it personally, Iberia must stand as one against the invaders.",I have encouraged the Queen's anger against Family de Aguilar and the rest of the borderlord families. I cannot have her reconciling with them. It would endanger my position.,"I have tried to promote reconciliation between the Queen and Family de Aguilar (and the rest of the borderlords). I have been unsuccessful so far–and no wonder, all things considered–but I live in hope.",I have encouraged the Queen's anger against Family de Aguilar (and the rest of the borderlords). I cannot have her reconciling with them. It would endanger my position.,"I have tried to encourage the Queen to reconcile with Family de Aguilar. As distasteful as I might find it personally, Iberia must stand as one against the invaders.", | |
| romance,Her Majesty's Court,"['Her Majesty', ""Her Majesty's Court"", 'Majesty']",18,3921,"scenec_99,tokens_74,tokens_412,scened_595,scenef_54,proposals_51,proposals_382,marriage_97,marriage_80,marriage_118,sceneh_37,sceneh_34,marriage_855,personalpolitics_671,sickness_125,wanderingeyeredux_107,offwithherheadhca2_308,offwithherheadhca2_957","I will teach the tramp to know her place. | |
| You turn on Adelita, who flinches at the look in your eyes. ""How dare you? The Queen is a married woman, and yet you go throwing yourself at her like this."" | |
| She drops a miserable curtsy to you. ""I am sorry if I offended Your Majesty. I only wished to be of service to Her Majesty when she dropped her scarf."" | |
| ""We know all about the service you wish to offer the Queen,"" you respond. ""You had best find some other target for your ambitions. We will be most displeased if we see similar displays in the future."" | |
| Adelita gasps, and her face turns bright red. ""I never meant anything like that, Your Majesty!"" she practically squeaks. She isn't very convincing, but she's clearly very embarrassed to have been called out on her intentions. She curtsies again and hurries away, unwilling to even stay at the Court with your glare upon her. | |
| That worked out well, even if it will be the talk of the Court for weeks to come.","Your aunt Leonor greets you with a smile as you enter the sitting room. ""Ah, Diego, how good to see you this morning. And after such a successful time at the banquet. Carlota Torres has sent you a very nice scarf–imported silk, no less!–and an invitation to tea. I do hope you will accept."" | |
| ""Ah, I had not heard of that token. Mateo mentioned only the invitation from Her Majesty and from de Mendosa."" | |
| Leonor makes a face and waves her hand dismissively. ""You know children. They have childish ideas. But you are not a child any longer. You are a young man and you need to think like an adult. Romance is all very nice, but it does not put a fine roof over your head and give your children an inheritance of which you can be proud. | |
| ""If you want my advice,"" she says, continuing without waiting to hear if you do, ""forget about Her Majesty and de Mendosa. It would be all very well to marry the Queen, but she is married already. And you are both Death Mages–you could never truly hope to marry her. Better to be married to a respectable lady than to be the amusement of even the Queen. As for de Mendosa, she can barely pay for her own needs. You would be embracing a life of suffering if you were to marry her. Torres may not be exciting, but she is wealthy and would provide for you well. If you must think of romance, it is only sensible to wait until you are a wealthy widower."" | |
| How do you respond to your aunt's opinion?","You rap politely on the door to your uncle Pedro's study. | |
| ""Come in,"" he calls out tersely. As you enter, he brightens, puts aside the quill with which he had been writing, and stands up. ""Ah, Diego, come in, come in. I was handling some of my correspondence, but I am more than happy to interrupt that for you."" | |
| ""I want to ask your advice, Uncle. How should I decide among my suitors?"" | |
| ""Ah, yes. You have made quite the entrance at Court, quite the entrance. | |
| ""I would begin by saying that you simply must encourage Her Majesty's interest. She is, after all, the Queen. You might manage to displace the current King Consort, but even if you cannot, better to be her lover than anyone else's husband. If she takes you on as a lover, you would have access to influence, riches, and power. How could you pass up an opportunity like that?"" | |
| How do you respond?","De Vega gives you a sympathetic look. ""I'm afraid there is not much I can do for Ricardo. Already he has three counts against him: he is illegitimate, he is Her Majesty's youngest child, and he is a Death Mage. While it is admittedly unclear whether Princess Juanita or Tomás de Reyes will take the throne, Ricardo is last in line by any reckoning. I am sorry I cannot aid you in this matter. May I still ask you to support me, in the name of our long friendship?""","As soon as they are gone, de Vega meets your eyes. ""I understand you approached Her Majesty on the topic of betrothing Juanita to the Aguilar child."" | |
| ""I did."" | |
| ""Even if the gambit did not garner the success we hoped, I am deeply grateful for the attempt."" | |
| You bow your head.", | |
| romance,Doña Natalia Medina,"['Doña Natalia Medina', 'Doña Natalia']",16,3921,"mendosawands_224,mendosawands_399,mendosawands_330,mendosawands_491,mendosawands_491,mendosawands_331,mendosawands_496,mendosawands_501,mendosawands_507,mendosawands_512,mendosawands_336,mendosawands_341,mendosawands_347,mendosawands_352,mendosawands_640,mendosawands_647","""The game is won or lost before an idea is ever proposed in open Court,"" you say to de Mendosa as you serve her tea. The two of you are alone in your sitting-room, preparing your strategy. ""Particularly so in this case, since Her Majesty has said she will listen to your proposal and then to what her noble counselors say."" | |
| ""And I know de Vega is doing everything he can to stir those noble counselors against me,"" de Mendosa says. ""We must therefore line up as many allies as we can. Do you know whom we should approach?"" | |
| With Uncle Pedro's help, you have compiled a list. You share it with de Mendosa. | |
| ""First, there is Conde Javier de Valdés. He is perhaps the most powerful Death Mage at Court. Certainly he is the loudest, and where he leads, the others follow. His opinion carries great weight with the Queen, and he will certainly be opposed to the idea of Death Rods. He will not want to lose status to a commoner. | |
| ""Second, there is Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales. Since the Duquesa de Aguilar is no longer at Court, she is foremost among the Life Mages. | |
| The Queen respects her opinion. She is likely to support your idea because she will see short-term advantage to the Life Mages, but if de Vega talks to her, he may convince her that there is a long-term threat to her status as well. She may then speak against us rather than for us. | |
| ""Third, there is Don Felix de Chaves, the commander of the Iberian military. Left to himself, he would probably not speak in open Court, but if we or de Vega manage to stir his blood, he might easily lend his support to one side or the other. He might be made to see either a disadvantage or an advantage to the army. Death rods would make Iberia more powerful, but he might not like the idea of them being in the world at all. What if Iberia's enemies were to acquire them? | |
| ""Fourth, there is Doña Natalia Medina. These days she is the most outspoken of the merchants. Like Don Felix, she is unlikely to speak in open Court unless we or de Vega persuade her. Death rods would allow merchant caravans to defend themselves, but they might also give commoners a weapon to use to attack merchant caravans. | |
| ""Fifth, there is your friend Don Rafael Gutierres, and the rest of those young scholars. I know he will support you; I am sure we need do nothing there; and he is not shy about speaking in Court. But the Queen does not really respect him. Fortunately, the Queen does not really respect Doña Marta de Gomes, either, the old scholar who is likely to speak against us. So I suppose that is about even."" | |
| De Mendosa nods. ""We have only a day before I am due to speak in open Court,"" she says. ""We cannot cultivate all of these people in a day, surely."" | |
| You shake your head. ""I think we will only be able to talk with three."" | |
| De Mendosa looks at the list. ""Where should we start?""","""The game is won or lost before an idea is ever proposed in open Court,"" de Vega says as you serve him tea. The two of you are alone in your sitting-room, preparing your strategy. ""Particularly so in this case, since Her Majesty has said she will listen to your proposal and then to what her noble counselors say. I am sure de Mendosa is doing what rabble rousing she can, but you and I shall persuade the majority of those noble counselors that this Death Rod idea is madness."" | |
| De Vega has a list of people he believes you and he should approach. ""First,"" he says, ""there is Conde Javier de Valdés."" De Valdés is perhaps the most powerful Death Mage at Court. Certainly he is the loudest, and where he leads, the others follow. His opinion carries great weight with the Queen, and he will certainly be opposed to the idea of Death Rods. He will not want to lose status to a commoner. | |
| ""Second, there is Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales."" Since the Duquesa de Aguilar is no longer at Court, she is foremost among the Life Mages. | |
| The Queen respects her opinion. She is likely to support de Mendosa because she will see short-term advantage to the Life Mages, but if you and de Vega talk to her first, you may convince her that there is a long-term threat to her status as well and win her to your side. | |
| ""Third, there is Don Felix de Chaves."" The commander of the Iberian military. Left to himself, he would probably not speak in open Court, but if de Vega or de Mendosa manages to stir his blood, he might easily lend his support to one side or the other. He might be made to see either a disadvantage or an advantage to the army. Death rods would make Iberia more powerful, but he might not like the idea of them being in the world at all. What if Iberia's enemies were to acquire them? | |
| ""Fourth, there is Doña Natalia Medina."" These days she is the most outspoken of the merchants. Like Don Felix, she is unlikely to speak in open Court unless someone persuades her. Death rods would allow merchant caravans to defend themselves, but they might also give commoners a weapon to use to attack merchant caravans. | |
| ""Fifth, there is de Mendosa's old friend Don Rafael Gutierres, who speaks for those young scholars. I know he will support de Mendosa, and he is not shy about speaking in Court. Fortunately, the Queen does not really respect him. Less fortunately, the Queen does not really respect Doña Marta de Gomes, either, the old scholar who is likely to speak against him. I would call that about even."" | |
| You nod. ""We have only a day before de Mendosa is due to speak in open Court. We cannot cultivate all of these people in a day, surely."" | |
| De Vega shakes his head. ""I think we will only be able to talk with three. Where should we start?""","Doña Natalia Medina, the merchant.","Doña Natalia Medina, the merchant. | |
| ""I fear I have been too busy to follow the gossip about Doña Gabriela's invention, Your Majesty,"" Doña Natalia says politely. | |
| How do you respond?","Doña Natalia Medina, the merchant. | |
| ""I fear I have been too busy to follow the gossip about Doña Gabriela's invention, Your Majesty,"" Doña Natalia says politely. | |
| How do you respond?", | |
| romance,Felix,['Felix'],16,3921,"sceneh_502,sceneh_507,sceneh_553,sceneh_556,sceneh_686,sceneh_691,sceneh_694,sceneh_1063,sceneh_1235,sceneh_1332,sceneh_1083,sceneh_1086,sceneh_1299,sceneh_1302,sceneh_1306,sceneh_1309","And while Mateo dislikes mushrooms, Rosa likes them well enough, although they are not a favorite of hers. You might end up poisoning her as well. | |
| You could invite the three of them to take tea with you and put a small amount of poison in your cup, Mateo's, and Rosa's and a large amount in Felix's. That would also look as though you were the target. | |
| You could poison a carafe of wine or fruit juice in their rooms, and then invite Mateo and Rosa to take tea with you so they do not drink it.","You could invite the three of them to take tea with you and put a small amount of poison in your cup and Mateo's and a large amount in Felix's and Rosa's. That would also look as though you were the target. | |
| You could poison a carafe of wine or fruit juice in their rooms, and then invite Mateo to take tea with you so he does not drink it.","You have the vial of poison hidden in your sleeve. You need to add a large quantity to Felix's drink and a small quantity (just enough to cause minor illness, just enough for versimilitude) to the rest.","You have the vial of poison hidden in your sleeve. You need to add a large quantity to Felix's and Rosa's drinks and a small quantity (just enough to cause minor illness, just enough for versimilitude) to yours and Mateo's.","And wait. | |
| Finally, beginning to feel a little cold, you send a servant to inquire. She comes back with the news that Mateo, Don Felix, and Rosa have all been taken gravely ill. You rush to Mateo's rooms, where you learn the Rosa is already dead, and Felix and Mateo are both in dangerous condition. The physician in attendance has identified the poison, but it is one for which there is no reliable antidote. | |
| ""I want to see my brother,"" you say. | |
| The physician does not want to let you in, but you have enough authority to insist.", | |
| romance,Don Felix de Chaves,"['Don Felix de Chaves', 'Don Felix De Chaves', 'De Chaves']",14,3921,"scenec_23,scened_189,sceneg_247,mendosawands_224,mendosawands_399,mendosawands_296,mendosawands_458,mendosawands_626,mendosawands_631,mendosawands_634,mendosawands_712,mendosawands_724,meettomas_249,offwithherheadhca2_233","""Yes?"" you call. | |
| Another servant pokes his head deferentially inside. ""It is your brother Don Mateo, Your Majesty. Shall I show him in?"" | |
| ""Yes, of course."" The servants know that Mateo is always welcome here, unless you and the Queen are enjoying some time alone. | |
| He comes through the door in a swoosh of cloth and a sparkle of gemstones. Since marrying the extremely wealthy widower Don Felix de Chaves two years ago, Mateo is usually so attired. He still approaches life with the enthusiasm of the fourteen-year-old he was when you both came to Court. Granted, he no longer runs down the corridors and he has acquired some understanding of the functioning of the world, but he still tends to see the bright side and speak in exclamations. His marriage to Don Felix is reasonably happy. They have no children as yet, but Mateo is very fond of his young stepdaughter Rosa, Don Felix's child by his first marriage.","De Chaves continues, ""I fear the tidings are most grave.","""What do you want?"" | |
| ""A life for a Life Mage's talent."" Ramirez finishes the substance in his mug. ""Actually, two lives. Do you know who it was that gave the evidence that led to my exile?"" | |
| You shake your head. | |
| ""Don Felix de Chaves."" Ramirez speaks the name with hatred. ""I want you to wreak my vengeance upon him. When he is dead, and that daughter of his as well, then you'll have your spell for a Life Mage child."" | |
| You stare at him. He smiles. | |
| So what are you going to do?","""The game is won or lost before an idea is ever proposed in open Court,"" you say to de Mendosa as you serve her tea. The two of you are alone in your sitting-room, preparing your strategy. ""Particularly so in this case, since Her Majesty has said she will listen to your proposal and then to what her noble counselors say."" | |
| ""And I know de Vega is doing everything he can to stir those noble counselors against me,"" de Mendosa says. ""We must therefore line up as many allies as we can. Do you know whom we should approach?"" | |
| With Uncle Pedro's help, you have compiled a list. You share it with de Mendosa. | |
| ""First, there is Conde Javier de Valdés. He is perhaps the most powerful Death Mage at Court. Certainly he is the loudest, and where he leads, the others follow. His opinion carries great weight with the Queen, and he will certainly be opposed to the idea of Death Rods. He will not want to lose status to a commoner. | |
| ""Second, there is Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales. Since the Duquesa de Aguilar is no longer at Court, she is foremost among the Life Mages. | |
| The Queen respects her opinion. She is likely to support your idea because she will see short-term advantage to the Life Mages, but if de Vega talks to her, he may convince her that there is a long-term threat to her status as well. She may then speak against us rather than for us. | |
| ""Third, there is Don Felix de Chaves, the commander of the Iberian military. Left to himself, he would probably not speak in open Court, but if we or de Vega manage to stir his blood, he might easily lend his support to one side or the other. He might be made to see either a disadvantage or an advantage to the army. Death rods would make Iberia more powerful, but he might not like the idea of them being in the world at all. What if Iberia's enemies were to acquire them? | |
| ""Fourth, there is Doña Natalia Medina. These days she is the most outspoken of the merchants. Like Don Felix, she is unlikely to speak in open Court unless we or de Vega persuade her. Death rods would allow merchant caravans to defend themselves, but they might also give commoners a weapon to use to attack merchant caravans. | |
| ""Fifth, there is your friend Don Rafael Gutierres, and the rest of those young scholars. I know he will support you; I am sure we need do nothing there; and he is not shy about speaking in Court. But the Queen does not really respect him. Fortunately, the Queen does not really respect Doña Marta de Gomes, either, the old scholar who is likely to speak against us. So I suppose that is about even."" | |
| De Mendosa nods. ""We have only a day before I am due to speak in open Court,"" she says. ""We cannot cultivate all of these people in a day, surely."" | |
| You shake your head. ""I think we will only be able to talk with three."" | |
| De Mendosa looks at the list. ""Where should we start?""","""The game is won or lost before an idea is ever proposed in open Court,"" de Vega says as you serve him tea. The two of you are alone in your sitting-room, preparing your strategy. ""Particularly so in this case, since Her Majesty has said she will listen to your proposal and then to what her noble counselors say. I am sure de Mendosa is doing what rabble rousing she can, but you and I shall persuade the majority of those noble counselors that this Death Rod idea is madness."" | |
| De Vega has a list of people he believes you and he should approach. ""First,"" he says, ""there is Conde Javier de Valdés."" De Valdés is perhaps the most powerful Death Mage at Court. Certainly he is the loudest, and where he leads, the others follow. His opinion carries great weight with the Queen, and he will certainly be opposed to the idea of Death Rods. He will not want to lose status to a commoner. | |
| ""Second, there is Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales."" Since the Duquesa de Aguilar is no longer at Court, she is foremost among the Life Mages. | |
| The Queen respects her opinion. She is likely to support de Mendosa because she will see short-term advantage to the Life Mages, but if you and de Vega talk to her first, you may convince her that there is a long-term threat to her status as well and win her to your side. | |
| ""Third, there is Don Felix de Chaves."" The commander of the Iberian military. Left to himself, he would probably not speak in open Court, but if de Vega or de Mendosa manages to stir his blood, he might easily lend his support to one side or the other. He might be made to see either a disadvantage or an advantage to the army. Death rods would make Iberia more powerful, but he might not like the idea of them being in the world at all. What if Iberia's enemies were to acquire them? | |
| ""Fourth, there is Doña Natalia Medina."" These days she is the most outspoken of the merchants. Like Don Felix, she is unlikely to speak in open Court unless someone persuades her. Death rods would allow merchant caravans to defend themselves, but they might also give commoners a weapon to use to attack merchant caravans. | |
| ""Fifth, there is de Mendosa's old friend Don Rafael Gutierres, who speaks for those young scholars. I know he will support de Mendosa, and he is not shy about speaking in Court. Fortunately, the Queen does not really respect him. Less fortunately, the Queen does not really respect Doña Marta de Gomes, either, the old scholar who is likely to speak against him. I would call that about even."" | |
| You nod. ""We have only a day before de Mendosa is due to speak in open Court. We cannot cultivate all of these people in a day, surely."" | |
| De Vega shakes his head. ""I think we will only be able to talk with three. Where should we start?""", | |
| romance,Juana Inés de Iberia y Aguilar,"['Juana Inés de Iberia y Aguilar', 'Juana']",14,3921,"sceneh_429,thekingisdead_369,thekingisdead_401,thekingisdead_403,thekingisdead_410,thekingisdead_784,thekingisdead_786,thekingisdead_789,thekingisdead_796,thekingisdead_428,thekingisdead_430,thekingisdead_432,thekingisdead_848,thekingisdead_851","Today marks the dark of the moon. Death curses are considered to be easier to cast at night, but during the day should still work. You arrange for some of the servants to take Ricardo out, dismiss the rest, lock the door, and get to work. | |
| Soon your chamber smells of sulphur powder and the floor is littered with blackberry leaves and snakeskin. Your hands are slimy with the blood of the dozen black kittens. You use the blood to draw symbols upon the floor. You walk them in the prescribed order. You say the ancient words. | |
| And then you say her name. | |
| ""Juana Inés de Iberia y Aguilar."" | |
| And you know you have succeeded. You feel her life leave the world.","The estate is clearly meant to make it easier for the Queen to keep an eye on you, but it nonetheless is a fine and peaceful place for your family to dwell. You take possession immediately after Juana's coronation. | |
| You look down from your window onto green hills and golden fields, a silence broken only by the droning of bees. In the courtyard, Ricardo",Juana:,"Juana (no longer ""Juanita""):","Concealing your feelings as much as possible from your family, you pack up everyone and everything and make the journey to Orovilla. You try to remember the sixteen-year-old you once were, traveling this long road from the country to the capital, but you cannot quite remember what he was thinking, all those years ago. | |
| Orovilla seems somehow smaller than you remembered. | |
| You have barely settled yourself and your family in a suite of guest rooms (you try to remember who it was that lived here in your day, but you cannot bring that to mind either) when a servant comes to bring you to Queen Juana. She chooses to receive you in the garden with the fountain, instead of in a formal room indoors. | |
| The years on the throne have aged her. You would think her older than yourself, if you did not know. But you conceal your surprise and greet her with all due respect, and she speaks kindly to you and to the other members of your household. Then she indicates a tea that has been spread out at the far end of the garden, and invites your family to go and refresh themselves. ""Diego,"" she adds with an upraised hand. ""Please stay here and sit by me."" | |
| You sink back down. | |
| ""I am dying,"" Juana says. ""I do not know if the rumors have penetrated your country holdfast, but they are true. The Life Mages can do nothing more for me. It is a matter of months–perhaps a year. And I have no children of my own."" Her eyes rest on Ricardo as he piles tarts gleefully onto a plate. Boys of his age are always hungry. ""When does he come of age?"" | |
| Surely she already knows. But you wet your lips and reply, ""Two months, Your Majesty."" | |
| ""I can certainly hold on that long."" Juana turns to look at you. ""There is a certain symmetry in it.""", | |
| romance,Don Jaime de Peres,"['Don Jaime', 'Don Jaime de Peres', 'Jaime']",12,3921,"marriage_358,marriage_358,marriage_554,marriage_554,marriage_359,marriage_365,marriage_555,marriage_561,marriage_567,marriage_650,marriage_650,marriage_675","Don Jaime de Peres has been plying me with sentimental glances and badly-composed serenades. While it is not uncommon for a courtier to pay such attention to the Queen's favorite, there is something particularly intense about Don Jaime…I think I could persuade him to join me in telling this lie.","Don Jaime de Peres has been plying me with sentimental glances and badly-composed serenades. While it is not uncommon for a courtier to pay such attention to the Queen's favorite, there is something particularly intense about Don Jaime…I think I could persuade him to join me in telling this lie.","Don Jaime de Peres has been plying me with sentimental glances and badly-composed serenades. While it is not uncommon for a courtier to pay such attention to the Queen's favorite, there is something particularly intense about Don Jaime…I think I could persuade him to drug the King Consort's food, if I led him to believe it would only make him sick. Afterwards, of course, he would be involved and therefore unable to turn me in without exposing himself.","Don Jaime de Peres has been plying me with sentimental glances and badly-composed serenades. While it is not uncommon for a courtier to pay such attention to the Queen's favorite, there is something particularly intense about Don Jaime…I think I could persuade him to drug the King Consort's food, if I led him to believe it would only make him sick. Afterwards, of course, he would be involved and therefore unable to turn me in without exposing himself.","You flirt back with Don Jaime, until you are sure your attentions have made him into your devoted slave…and then you explain what you want him to do, assuring him that he will be well-rewarded once the throne is yours. | |
| He willingly agrees to help you.", | |
| romance,Doña Marta de Gomes,"['Doña Marta de Gomes', 'Doña Marta']",12,3921,"mendosawands_224,mendosawands_399,mendosawands_368,mendosawands_540,mendosawands_540,mendosawands_369,mendosawands_374,mendosawands_379,mendosawands_384,mendosawands_388,mendosawands_661,mendosawands_666","""The game is won or lost before an idea is ever proposed in open Court,"" you say to de Mendosa as you serve her tea. The two of you are alone in your sitting-room, preparing your strategy. ""Particularly so in this case, since Her Majesty has said she will listen to your proposal and then to what her noble counselors say."" | |
| ""And I know de Vega is doing everything he can to stir those noble counselors against me,"" de Mendosa says. ""We must therefore line up as many allies as we can. Do you know whom we should approach?"" | |
| With Uncle Pedro's help, you have compiled a list. You share it with de Mendosa. | |
| ""First, there is Conde Javier de Valdés. He is perhaps the most powerful Death Mage at Court. Certainly he is the loudest, and where he leads, the others follow. His opinion carries great weight with the Queen, and he will certainly be opposed to the idea of Death Rods. He will not want to lose status to a commoner. | |
| ""Second, there is Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales. Since the Duquesa de Aguilar is no longer at Court, she is foremost among the Life Mages. | |
| The Queen respects her opinion. She is likely to support your idea because she will see short-term advantage to the Life Mages, but if de Vega talks to her, he may convince her that there is a long-term threat to her status as well. She may then speak against us rather than for us. | |
| ""Third, there is Don Felix de Chaves, the commander of the Iberian military. Left to himself, he would probably not speak in open Court, but if we or de Vega manage to stir his blood, he might easily lend his support to one side or the other. He might be made to see either a disadvantage or an advantage to the army. Death rods would make Iberia more powerful, but he might not like the idea of them being in the world at all. What if Iberia's enemies were to acquire them? | |
| ""Fourth, there is Doña Natalia Medina. These days she is the most outspoken of the merchants. Like Don Felix, she is unlikely to speak in open Court unless we or de Vega persuade her. Death rods would allow merchant caravans to defend themselves, but they might also give commoners a weapon to use to attack merchant caravans. | |
| ""Fifth, there is your friend Don Rafael Gutierres, and the rest of those young scholars. I know he will support you; I am sure we need do nothing there; and he is not shy about speaking in Court. But the Queen does not really respect him. Fortunately, the Queen does not really respect Doña Marta de Gomes, either, the old scholar who is likely to speak against us. So I suppose that is about even."" | |
| De Mendosa nods. ""We have only a day before I am due to speak in open Court,"" she says. ""We cannot cultivate all of these people in a day, surely."" | |
| You shake your head. ""I think we will only be able to talk with three."" | |
| De Mendosa looks at the list. ""Where should we start?""","""The game is won or lost before an idea is ever proposed in open Court,"" de Vega says as you serve him tea. The two of you are alone in your sitting-room, preparing your strategy. ""Particularly so in this case, since Her Majesty has said she will listen to your proposal and then to what her noble counselors say. I am sure de Mendosa is doing what rabble rousing she can, but you and I shall persuade the majority of those noble counselors that this Death Rod idea is madness."" | |
| De Vega has a list of people he believes you and he should approach. ""First,"" he says, ""there is Conde Javier de Valdés."" De Valdés is perhaps the most powerful Death Mage at Court. Certainly he is the loudest, and where he leads, the others follow. His opinion carries great weight with the Queen, and he will certainly be opposed to the idea of Death Rods. He will not want to lose status to a commoner. | |
| ""Second, there is Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales."" Since the Duquesa de Aguilar is no longer at Court, she is foremost among the Life Mages. | |
| The Queen respects her opinion. She is likely to support de Mendosa because she will see short-term advantage to the Life Mages, but if you and de Vega talk to her first, you may convince her that there is a long-term threat to her status as well and win her to your side. | |
| ""Third, there is Don Felix de Chaves."" The commander of the Iberian military. Left to himself, he would probably not speak in open Court, but if de Vega or de Mendosa manages to stir his blood, he might easily lend his support to one side or the other. He might be made to see either a disadvantage or an advantage to the army. Death rods would make Iberia more powerful, but he might not like the idea of them being in the world at all. What if Iberia's enemies were to acquire them? | |
| ""Fourth, there is Doña Natalia Medina."" These days she is the most outspoken of the merchants. Like Don Felix, she is unlikely to speak in open Court unless someone persuades her. Death rods would allow merchant caravans to defend themselves, but they might also give commoners a weapon to use to attack merchant caravans. | |
| ""Fifth, there is de Mendosa's old friend Don Rafael Gutierres, who speaks for those young scholars. I know he will support de Mendosa, and he is not shy about speaking in Court. Fortunately, the Queen does not really respect him. Less fortunately, the Queen does not really respect Doña Marta de Gomes, either, the old scholar who is likely to speak against him. I would call that about even."" | |
| You nod. ""We have only a day before de Mendosa is due to speak in open Court. We cannot cultivate all of these people in a day, surely."" | |
| De Vega shakes his head. ""I think we will only be able to talk with three. Where should we start?""","Doña Marta de Gomes, the old scholar.","Doña Marta de Gomes, the old scholar. | |
| Doña Marta peers at you and de Vega out of nearsighted eyes. ""What is all this nonsense I hear about Death Rods? I hope you will quash it before that young fool does damage to the realm."" | |
| How do you respond?","Doña Marta de Gomes, the old scholar. | |
| Doña Marta peers at you and de Vega out of nearsighted eyes. ""What is all this nonsense I hear about Death Rods? I hope you will quash it before that young fool does damage to the realm."" | |
| How do you respond?", | |
| romance,Amadeo Morales,"['Amadeo', 'Amadeo Morales']",11,3921,"tomaspowwow_193,tomaspowwow_203,tomaspowwow_210,tomaspowwow_393,tomaspowwow_397,tomaspowwow_408,offwithherheadhca2_447,offwithherheadhca2_447,offwithherheadhca2_452,offwithherheadhca2_452,offwithherheadhca2_457",Free Amadeo without alerting Tomás.,"Alert Tomás, free Amadeo, attempt a cure","Alert Tomás, fail Death curse, free Amadeo","It requires some effort, but you manage to get a minor functionary to sit for the ritual, Amadeo Morales, a Life Mage. | |
| This raises the question of what to do with the thread that binds him to Tomás.","Burn the thread completely. | |
| ""What have you done?"" asks Amadeo, when the ritual is complete. | |
| ""Tomás de Reyes was controlling your mind,"" you say calmly. ""I have broken his power over you."" | |
| A look of shock comes over Amadeo's face; he begins to pace back and forth nervously as his memories return to normal. ""Why would I have told him that? Why would I have done that?"" Amadeo's pain is palpable. ""Thank you for freeing my mind–it is like I have just awoken from a long nightmare. You have my thanks, but Tomás knows too much. I dare not act against him directly."" | |
| You continue working to chip away at Tomás's network of mind slaves, and free a few more. Soon, however, none of the remaining slaves are willing to even talk with you, let alone agree to go through a ritual. And, of course, the Queen remains under Tomás's control. | |
| Now what?", | |
| romance,Doña Juliana Ortis,"['Doña Juliana Ortis', 'Doña Juliana', 'Juliana', 'Ana']",11,3921,"openingscene_156,sceneadirect_139,marriage_379,marriage_587,marriage_380,marriage_384,marriage_588,marriage_592,marriage_598,marriage_647,marriage_647",Ana,Ana,"Doña Juliana Ortis is in waiting, as I once was. She is from a family of low degree, but so charmed Their Majesties that she was given a place at Court. Now (after many years in waiting) she is betrothed to a rich and highborn man, similarly too entranced by her loveliness to care about her background or her age…and she is therefore desperate that he never learn of her ongoing love affair with the groom called Moreno. I think I could threaten her into supporting my lie.","Doña Juliana Ortis is in waiting, as I once was. She is from a family of low degree, but so charmed Their Majesties that she was given a place at Court. Now (after many years in waiting) she is betrothed to a rich and highborn man, similarly too entranced by her loveliness to care about her background or her age…and she is therefore desperate that he never learn of her ongoing love affair with the groom called Moreno. I think I could threaten her into drugging the King Consort's food, if I led her to believe it would only make his sick. Afterwards, of course, she would be involved and therefore unable to turn me in without exposing herself.","Doña Juliana turns white as soon as she understands your proposal. She quickly agrees to do anything you ask, if only you will not ruin her life by telling. You promise that she will be well looked-after once you have your throne. She watches you leave with fear in her eyes.", | |
| romance,Fernando Torres,"['Fernando', 'Fernando Torres']",11,3921,"sceneg_61,sceneg_84,sceneg_71,sceneg_97,sceneg_290,sceneg_295,sceneg_298,sceneg_301,sceneg_304,sceneg_329,sceneg_366","You recognize the paper as having come from your wife's study–emblazoned across the top are the coat of arms granted to her by the Queen five years ago. But the writing is not your wife's. You run your eye down the paper to the signature, and see that it is that of your wife's younger brother. Who has, with good reason, never liked you. | |
| You return to the top of the letter. It reads: | |
| ""Diego - | |
| Carlota has been taken seriously ill. The physician says it is her heart. The housekeeper sent for me rather than you for obvious reasons, but common decency requires I inform you. If you wish to see her before the end, you had better come at once. | |
| - Fernando"" | |
| ""Diego?"" | |
| You look up at the sound of your name. The crowd on the stairway has made its way into the Great Hall while you have been reading the letter, leaving you standing alone with the messenger. The Queen and de Vega now stand at the door to the Great Hall, having apparently just arrived. The Queen looks preoccupied and irritable, and addresses you impatiently. ""Are you coming?"" | |
| How do you respond?","The young man standing there is known to you. He is in your wife's employ. He hands you a letter. | |
| You recognize the paper as having come from your wife's study–emblazoned across the top are the coat of arms granted to her by the Queen five years ago. But the writing is not your wife's. You run your eye down the paper to the signature, and see that it is that of your wife's younger brother. Who has, with good reason, never liked you. | |
| You return to the top of the letter. It reads: | |
| ""Diego - | |
| Carlota has been taken seriously ill. The physician says it is her heart. The housekeeper sent for me rather than you for obvious reasons, but common decency requires I inform you. If you wish to see her before the end, you had better come at once. | |
| - Fernando"" | |
| Are you going to go?","""Yes, of course."" I shove the note into my pocket and continue into the Great Hall. | |
| It is more important that you be present to influence the policy of Iberia than that you be present at the deathbed of a spouse with whom you share a marriage of convenience only–but the decision is not without its cost. Between the messenger and Fernando Torres, your heartlessness in refusing to visit your wife upon her deathbed will shortly become prime gossip throughout the city. You have certainly not done your reputation any good, but perhaps that will not matter if you are able to secure the outcome you wish from this meeting of the Court.","No. It is of paramount importance that I see the Life Mage. Nothing else matters. | |
| An understandable decision, and certainly wise in one sense–but not without its cost. Between the messenger and Fernando Torres, your heartlessness in refusing to visit your wife upon her deathbed will shortly become prime gossip throughout the city. You have certainly not done your reputation any good, but perhaps that will not matter if you are able to secure the outcome you wish from meeting with Ramirez.","The ornate front hall of the Torres mansion is very quiet, and seems unusually chilly. The housekeeper comes to meet you, her eyes red, and in the corner, you see Carlota's steward, his face grave. Torres has always treated the servants well, and been well-liked by them. | |
| Fernando Torres comes down the staircase. ""Diego,"" he says expressionlessly. ""You came."" | |
| How do you respond?", | |
| romance,Jacinta Fernandez,"['Jacinta Fernandez', 'Jacinta']",10,3921,"meettomas_39,meettomas_59,meettomas_100,meettomas_194,meettomas_237,tomaspowwow_233,tomaspowwow_350,tomaspowwow_350,offwithherheadhca2_118,offwithherheadhca2_1220","Even after years at Court, you value your weekly tea with Mateo. It is one of the rare occasions that you can fully relax–your brother has known you for so long, there is no need to engage in the various games and deceptions that are common around the Court. So you sip your tea together and quietly converse, discussing gossip, or artwork and poetry, or nothing at all. | |
| Today, though, Mateo seems to have something on his mind. After a few minutes of the usual light chatter, Mateo gets to the point. ""I overheard a few courtiers talking yesterday–Guadalupe de Vargas and Jacinta Fernandez. They didn't know that I could hear them. One of them said that she had heard that you were unfaithful to the Queen, that you and de Vega were having an affair. The other said that if the Queen found out, she would have you put to death. I thought you needed to know about the rumors.""","Even after all of these years at Court, with all of your influence and power, you still have to meet your Aunt Leonor for a weekly tea. It is expected. It can even sometimes be diverting or useful, although on the days when the tea seems like an interminable chore it is hard to remember how. | |
| Today, though, Aunt Leonor seems to have something on her mind. After a few minutes of the usual light chatter, she gets to the point. ""I overheard a few courtiers talking yesterday–Guadalupe de Vargas and Jacinta Fernandez. They didn't know that I could hear them. One of them said that she had heard that you were unfaithful to the Queen, that you and de Vega were having an affair. The other said that if the Queen found out, she would have you put to death. I thought you needed to know about the rumors.""","You begin to look away, then quickly glance back at Tomás' entourage. That is Guadalupe de Vargas on one side of him, and Jacinta Fernandez on the other. Two things occur to you: one, if Tomás has earned the ear of those nobles, he is well on the way to building a significant power base at Court. And two, those were the very nobles","""Your Majesty!"" he says, taking your hand. He speaks softly, but the sound rings in your ears. ""The pleasure is all mine!"" | |
| Guadalupe de Vargas, Jacinta Fernandez, and Garcia Varitas are all here as well, nodding and smiling. | |
| ""I…yes. A pleasure."" You feel strange. | |
| ""Diego,"" says Tomás. ""Look into my eyes. Look into my eyes and obey me.""","Tomás seems genuinely surprised. ""Really? I hadn't thought you capable of it. What about you, Jacinta?"" | |
| ""I wondered, but I could never be sure until now."" Jacinta does not react with surprise; by the sound of her voice, you might as well be discussing a sudden change in the weather. | |
| ""How did you do this?"" asks Tomás. | |
| Against your will, you go into some detail. | |
| ""How gruesome!"" says Tomás. But he doesn't seem particularly bothered; if anything, he seems amused. ""You can rest assured that your secret remains safe with us.""", | |
| romance,Don Rafael Gutierres,"['Don Rafael Gutierres', 'Don Rafael']",9,3921,"mendosawands_224,mendosawands_399,mendosawands_356,mendosawands_516,mendosawands_516,mendosawands_357,mendosawands_531,mendosawands_652,mendosawands_657","""The game is won or lost before an idea is ever proposed in open Court,"" you say to de Mendosa as you serve her tea. The two of you are alone in your sitting-room, preparing your strategy. ""Particularly so in this case, since Her Majesty has said she will listen to your proposal and then to what her noble counselors say."" | |
| ""And I know de Vega is doing everything he can to stir those noble counselors against me,"" de Mendosa says. ""We must therefore line up as many allies as we can. Do you know whom we should approach?"" | |
| With Uncle Pedro's help, you have compiled a list. You share it with de Mendosa. | |
| ""First, there is Conde Javier de Valdés. He is perhaps the most powerful Death Mage at Court. Certainly he is the loudest, and where he leads, the others follow. His opinion carries great weight with the Queen, and he will certainly be opposed to the idea of Death Rods. He will not want to lose status to a commoner. | |
| ""Second, there is Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales. Since the Duquesa de Aguilar is no longer at Court, she is foremost among the Life Mages. | |
| The Queen respects her opinion. She is likely to support your idea because she will see short-term advantage to the Life Mages, but if de Vega talks to her, he may convince her that there is a long-term threat to her status as well. She may then speak against us rather than for us. | |
| ""Third, there is Don Felix de Chaves, the commander of the Iberian military. Left to himself, he would probably not speak in open Court, but if we or de Vega manage to stir his blood, he might easily lend his support to one side or the other. He might be made to see either a disadvantage or an advantage to the army. Death rods would make Iberia more powerful, but he might not like the idea of them being in the world at all. What if Iberia's enemies were to acquire them? | |
| ""Fourth, there is Doña Natalia Medina. These days she is the most outspoken of the merchants. Like Don Felix, she is unlikely to speak in open Court unless we or de Vega persuade her. Death rods would allow merchant caravans to defend themselves, but they might also give commoners a weapon to use to attack merchant caravans. | |
| ""Fifth, there is your friend Don Rafael Gutierres, and the rest of those young scholars. I know he will support you; I am sure we need do nothing there; and he is not shy about speaking in Court. But the Queen does not really respect him. Fortunately, the Queen does not really respect Doña Marta de Gomes, either, the old scholar who is likely to speak against us. So I suppose that is about even."" | |
| De Mendosa nods. ""We have only a day before I am due to speak in open Court,"" she says. ""We cannot cultivate all of these people in a day, surely."" | |
| You shake your head. ""I think we will only be able to talk with three."" | |
| De Mendosa looks at the list. ""Where should we start?""","""The game is won or lost before an idea is ever proposed in open Court,"" de Vega says as you serve him tea. The two of you are alone in your sitting-room, preparing your strategy. ""Particularly so in this case, since Her Majesty has said she will listen to your proposal and then to what her noble counselors say. I am sure de Mendosa is doing what rabble rousing she can, but you and I shall persuade the majority of those noble counselors that this Death Rod idea is madness."" | |
| De Vega has a list of people he believes you and he should approach. ""First,"" he says, ""there is Conde Javier de Valdés."" De Valdés is perhaps the most powerful Death Mage at Court. Certainly he is the loudest, and where he leads, the others follow. His opinion carries great weight with the Queen, and he will certainly be opposed to the idea of Death Rods. He will not want to lose status to a commoner. | |
| ""Second, there is Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales."" Since the Duquesa de Aguilar is no longer at Court, she is foremost among the Life Mages. | |
| The Queen respects her opinion. She is likely to support de Mendosa because she will see short-term advantage to the Life Mages, but if you and de Vega talk to her first, you may convince her that there is a long-term threat to her status as well and win her to your side. | |
| ""Third, there is Don Felix de Chaves."" The commander of the Iberian military. Left to himself, he would probably not speak in open Court, but if de Vega or de Mendosa manages to stir his blood, he might easily lend his support to one side or the other. He might be made to see either a disadvantage or an advantage to the army. Death rods would make Iberia more powerful, but he might not like the idea of them being in the world at all. What if Iberia's enemies were to acquire them? | |
| ""Fourth, there is Doña Natalia Medina."" These days she is the most outspoken of the merchants. Like Don Felix, she is unlikely to speak in open Court unless someone persuades her. Death rods would allow merchant caravans to defend themselves, but they might also give commoners a weapon to use to attack merchant caravans. | |
| ""Fifth, there is de Mendosa's old friend Don Rafael Gutierres, who speaks for those young scholars. I know he will support de Mendosa, and he is not shy about speaking in Court. Fortunately, the Queen does not really respect him. Less fortunately, the Queen does not really respect Doña Marta de Gomes, either, the old scholar who is likely to speak against him. I would call that about even."" | |
| You nod. ""We have only a day before de Mendosa is due to speak in open Court. We cannot cultivate all of these people in a day, surely."" | |
| De Vega shakes his head. ""I think we will only be able to talk with three. Where should we start?""","Don Rafael Gutierres, the young student.","Don Rafael Gutierres, the young student. | |
| Don Rafael is an old and dear friend of Gabriela de Mendosa, and so it is perhaps not surprising that he receives you coolly. He says something under his breath about de Vega holding back progress. It is not a promising beginning. | |
| How do you intend to persuade him?","Don Rafael Gutierres, the young student. | |
| Don Rafael is an old and dear friend of Gabriela de Mendosa, and so it is perhaps not surprising that he receives you coolly. He says something under his breath about de Vega holding back progress. It is not a promising beginning. | |
| How do you intend to persuade him?", | |
| romance,Don Raimundo de Lopes,"['Don Raimundo de Lopes', 'Don Raimundo', 'Raimundo']",9,3921,"marriage_369,marriage_571,marriage_370,marriage_376,marriage_572,marriage_578,marriage_583,marriage_653,marriage_653","Elderly Don Raimundo de Lopes is beset by debts, and desperately seeking enough money to bring his son to Court next Season. I think I could bribe him to join me in telling this lie.","Elderly Don Raimundo de Lopes is beset by debts, and desperately seeking enough money to bring his son to Court next Season. I think I could bribe him to drug the King Consort's food, if I led him to believe it would only make him sick. Afterwards, of course, he would be involved and therefore unable to turn me in without exposing himself.","First you offer to aid Don Raimundo, discreetly. You tell him of your family background; you assure him of your understanding of his difficult position. You suggest that you can be of immediate aid to him and long-term benefit to his son. | |
| And then you explain what you want him to do. | |
| He draws in his breath sharply, but he is a practical man. He is quick to see the advantages to himself and his family if you succeed in your attempt. He agrees to support your story.","Unfortunately, you have nothing like enough money to persuade Don Raimundo to swear a false oath. He refuses, disgusted. Whoops.","First you offer to aid Don Raimundo, discreetly. You tell him of your family background; you assure him of your understanding of his difficult position. You suggest that you can be of immediate aid to him and long-term benefit to his son. | |
| And then you explain what you want him to do. | |
| He draws in his breath sharply–he is not, you think, fooled by your claim that the substance will only cause illness–but he is a practical man. He is quick to see the advantages to himself and his family if you succeed in your attempt. He agrees to do as you ask.", | |
| romance,Doña Carmela,"['Doña Carmela', 'Carmela']",9,3921,"sickness_28,sickness_32,sickness_40,sickness_65,sickness_90,sickness_73,sickness_165,sickness_234,sickness_246","As you arrive at the Queen's suite, various attendants silently move out of the way to let you pass into the inner chambers. The door to the bedchamber is open, and the Queen lies, or rather tosses, on the bed inside. Doña Carmela, the Royal Physician, has just emerged from the bedchamber. Small patches of blood and vomit mar her pale blue robe. She bows respectfully as you approach. | |
| Do you speak with her?","I hurry through to Agustina's bedside. I must be there for her at once. | |
| You brush past Doña Carmela. She holds out a hand to stop you for a moment as she begins speaking to you, but you simply continue on to Agustina's bedside. She looks pale and slightly green. It is hard to imagine that the feeble body lying on the bed, tossing listlessly, was once the strong and confident woman with whom you fell in love. | |
| Dim flickers of consciousness pass over Agustina's face. Every so often, her eyes open and even glance over at you. But you cannot tell if she knows who you are, or even that you are there. Her only speech is occasional incoherent moaning. You speak to her quietly, trying to reassure and encourage her, and you squeeze her hand gently.","I must get to Agustina quickly, but I can spare a moment to speak with the Royal Physician. | |
| ""How is Her Majesty? Will she live?"" you ask hurriedly. | |
| Doña Carmela answers slowly, carefully weighing each word. ""Her Majesty was once a very strong woman. Only a few years ago, I would have said she would definitely recover. Now, though, at the Queen's age…it is not a sure thing. I am hopeful, but I can say nothing more than that with confidence."" | |
| ""What happened? Why has she fallen ill?"" | |
| ""Why do any of us become sick? It is a simple illness, nothing more. I have checked carefully and see no signs of either poison or magical influence. But even mundane illness can kill, despite our best efforts."" | |
| A cheery thought. The Queen stirs a little, though only a little, and you know that you must go to her now. You give Doña Carmela a nod and proceed into the royal bedchamber, sitting in a chair by the Queen's bedside.","Finally, after you have sat for nearly an hour by her bedside, the Queen opens her eyes and looks at you clearly. ""Diego. It is so good to have you beside me, to have your support. I do not know how I could bear the pain without you. And if it is my time to die–as well it may be–it makes it easier to know that the man I love is beside me."" | |
| You quickly protest that of course she will not die, but the Queen gently hushes you, squeezing your hand ever so weakly as she does. | |
| ""We cannot know when the time for our deaths are at hand. But you must be strong for me. You must be ready to watch over our children, to stand up for Iberia…"" The Queen stops speaking as a cough wracks her frame. Doña Carmela hurries in and quickly casts some strengthening Life Magic as you wipe the flecks of blood away from the Queen's royal but all too mortal lips.","The hours pass slowly, but the Queen eventually begins to recover. Moments of coherence change into minutes, and then the Queen alternates between hours when she is in full control and hours of fitful sleep. | |
| As the Queen sleeps, Doña Carmela murmurs to you, ""The danger has passed. Her Majesty will make a full recovery."" She smiles with a sense of satisfaction. ""It was a simple disease, perhaps complicated by Her Majesty's overindulgence in rich foods. Despite my concerns, my magic was well able to handle it.""", | |
| romance,Doña Hernando de Lopes,"['Doña Hernando de Lopes', 'Doña Hernando', 'de Lopes']",8,3921,"proposals_378,proposals_378,proposals_378,proposals_382,marriage_851,marriage_851,marriage_851,marriage_855","About a month after your return–a month during which your father has scarcely said a word to you–he calls you into the library. Without preamble, and without looking you in the eye, he says, ""Doña Hernando de Lopes has spoken to me about the possibility of an alliance between our families."" | |
| The de Lopes family is not worthy of an alliance with your family–they are hidalgos, but none of their relatives are Grandes de Iberia, and they are only a little better off financially. You are in no position to point this out to your father, however. | |
| You consider the situation. Doña Hernando's eldest son, Alejandro, is undistinguished in every way, but you could do worse. She is not handsome, but nor is she ugly, and while her skills as a Death Mage are marginal, she can at least read and write clearly. This is far from what you once dreamed of…but you destroyed those dreams yourself.","About a month after your return–a month during which your father has scarcely said a word to you–he calls you into the library. Without preamble, and without looking you in the eye, he says, ""Doña Hernando de Lopes has spoken to me about the possibility of an alliance between our families."" | |
| The de Lopes family is not worthy of an alliance with your family–they are hidalgos, but none of their relatives are Grandes de Iberia, and they are only a little better off financially. You are in no position to point this out to your father, however. | |
| You consider the situation. Doña Hernando's eldest son, Alejandro, is undistinguished in every way, but you could do worse. She is not handsome, but nor is she ugly, and while her skills as a Death Mage are marginal, she can at least read and write clearly. This is far from what you once dreamed of…but you destroyed those dreams yourself.","About a month after your return–a month during which your father has scarcely said a word to you–he calls you into the library. Without preamble, and without looking you in the eye, he says, ""Doña Hernando de Lopes has spoken to me about the possibility of an alliance between our families."" | |
| The de Lopes family is not worthy of an alliance with your family–they are hidalgos, but none of their relatives are Grandes de Iberia, and they are only a little better off financially. You are in no position to point this out to your father, however. | |
| You consider the situation. Doña Hernando's eldest son, Alejandro, is undistinguished in every way, but you could do worse. She is not handsome, but nor is she ugly, and while her skills as a Death Mage are marginal, she can at least read and write clearly. This is far from what you once dreamed of…but you destroyed those dreams yourself.","""I understand, Father,"" you reply. ""Will Doña Alejandro be calling on us soon, then?"" | |
| ""Doña Alejandro?"" your father asks. ""You misunderstand me. Doña Hernando's husband passed away some three years ago, and she wishes to remarry. We could not hope to marry you to Doña Alejandro."" | |
| If Doña Alejandro was a disappointing prospect, Doña Hernando herself is a devastating one. Doña Hernando is as old as your grandparents, ugly, and ill-tempered. She smells like an unwashed goat. The thought of spending years around her, let alone being forced to be intimate with her, is frankly nauseating. | |
| ""But Father…"" you begin. | |
| Your father's face turns dark with anger. ""You had better prospects than this, and threw them away yourself. This is not what I wanted for you, but now neither of us has any choice in the matter."" He turns away from you. ""Doña Hernando comes tomorrow to discuss the details of your marriage contract."" | |
| You stare at his back. Then you slowly leave the library, slowly walk through the shabby villa, and slowly mount the stairs to your room. You can see your whole life unfolding before you: dancing attendance on a horrible old woman until her death leaves you with a pittance and her estate goes to her grown children. You sit down on your bed and weep for the lost opportunities of Her Majesty's Court.","About a month after your return–a month during which your father has scarcely said a word to you–he calls you into the library. Without preamble, and without looking you in the eye, he says, ""Doña Hernando de Lopes has spoken to me about the possibility of an alliance between our families."" | |
| The de Lopes family is not worthy of an alliance with your family–they are hidalgos, but none of their relatives are Grandes de Iberia, and they are only a little better off financially. You are in no position to point this out to your father, however. | |
| You consider the situation. Doña Hernando's eldest son, Alejandro, is undistinguished in every way, but you could do worse. She is not handsome, but nor is she ugly, and while her skills as a Death Mage are marginal, she can at least read and write clearly. While this is far from what you once dreamed of…you did not exactly play the Season's game successfully.", | |
| romance,Flora de Aguilar,"['Flora de Aguilar', 'Flora']",8,3921,"scenebdirect_2,scenebdirect_59,marriage_349,marriage_349,marriage_545,marriage_545,sceneb_2,sceneb_46","Though you are King Consort, your life has not been altogether pleasant these past five years. The prominent Life Mage families of Iberia openly loathe you, blaming you and the Queen equally for the death of King Consort Esteban. Shortly after your betrothal, Flora de Aguilar (the younger sister of the late King Consort) went so far as to accuse you of conspiring in Esteban's death. The Queen had her shut away as a madwoman, and this demonstration of the Queen's power effectively discouraged others from making public accusations against you in Court. | |
| Nothing can stop the silent undercurrents of hatred from the Life Mage families, however, or from your stepdaughter Juanita. Worse, no command of the Queen's can make the common folk love you as they did Esteban. You are not often actually booed in the streets…but you have never once been cheered. | |
| And worst of all…the hatred of the Life Mages has begun to have serious consequences for Iberia.","Though your life as the Queen's favorite has many compensations, the past five years have not been without their difficulties. The King Consort, his elder sister the Duquesa de Aguilar, and Princess Juanita quietly hate you…as do most other prominent Life Mages, since the Queen's love for you has greatly reduced the influence of the King Consort and therefore his family. Flora de Aguilar (the younger sister of the Duquesa de Aguilar and the King Consort) went so far as to accuse you in open court of","The King Consort's youngest sister, Flora, who is rumored to hate the King Consort. | |
| Flora de Aguilar is the forgotten youngest child of the de Aguilar family. Although she has her own place at Court, and was once married to a (now deceased) high-ranking man, she is said to be bitterly jealous of the power of Duquesa Constanza and the status of the King Consort. Still, this is an enormous thing you ask of her…to lie about her own sibling, and in so doing put her own family out of power?","The King Consort's youngest sister, Flora, who is rumored to hate the King Consort. | |
| Flora de Aguilar is the forgotten youngest child of the de Aguilar family. Although she has her own place at Court, and was once married to a (now deceased) high-ranking man, she is said to be bitterly jealous of the power of Duquesa Constanza and the status of the King Consort. Still, this is an enormous thing you ask of her…to lie about her own sibling, and in so doing put her own family out of power?","The King Consort's youngest sister, Flora, who is rumored to hate the King Consort. | |
| Flora de Aguilar is the forgotten youngest child of the de Aguilar family. Although she has her own place at Court, and was once married to a (now deceased) high-ranking man, she is said to be bitterly jealous of the power of Duquesa Constanza and the status of the King Consort. Still, this is an enormous thing you ask of her…to kill her own sibling, and in so doing put her own family out of power? But you have heard that Doña Flora is mad; it seems worth a try, if terribly risky.", | |
| romance,Guadalupe de Vargas,"['Guadalupe de Vargas', 'Guadalupe']",8,3921,"meettomas_39,meettomas_59,meettomas_100,meettomas_194,tomaspowwow_233,tomaspowwow_420,offwithherheadhca2_118,offwithherheadhca2_1220","Even after years at Court, you value your weekly tea with Mateo. It is one of the rare occasions that you can fully relax–your brother has known you for so long, there is no need to engage in the various games and deceptions that are common around the Court. So you sip your tea together and quietly converse, discussing gossip, or artwork and poetry, or nothing at all. | |
| Today, though, Mateo seems to have something on his mind. After a few minutes of the usual light chatter, Mateo gets to the point. ""I overheard a few courtiers talking yesterday–Guadalupe de Vargas and Jacinta Fernandez. They didn't know that I could hear them. One of them said that she had heard that you were unfaithful to the Queen, that you and de Vega were having an affair. The other said that if the Queen found out, she would have you put to death. I thought you needed to know about the rumors.""","Even after all of these years at Court, with all of your influence and power, you still have to meet your Aunt Leonor for a weekly tea. It is expected. It can even sometimes be diverting or useful, although on the days when the tea seems like an interminable chore it is hard to remember how. | |
| Today, though, Aunt Leonor seems to have something on her mind. After a few minutes of the usual light chatter, she gets to the point. ""I overheard a few courtiers talking yesterday–Guadalupe de Vargas and Jacinta Fernandez. They didn't know that I could hear them. One of them said that she had heard that you were unfaithful to the Queen, that you and de Vega were having an affair. The other said that if the Queen found out, she would have you put to death. I thought you needed to know about the rumors.""","You begin to look away, then quickly glance back at Tomás' entourage. That is Guadalupe de Vargas on one side of him, and Jacinta Fernandez on the other. Two things occur to you: one, if Tomás has earned the ear of those nobles, he is well on the way to building a significant power base at Court. And two, those were the very nobles","""Your Majesty!"" he says, taking your hand. He speaks softly, but the sound rings in your ears. ""The pleasure is all mine!"" | |
| Guadalupe de Vargas, Jacinta Fernandez, and Garcia Varitas are all here as well, nodding and smiling. | |
| ""I…yes. A pleasure."" You feel strange. | |
| ""Diego,"" says Tomás. ""Look into my eyes. Look into my eyes and obey me.""","""Jacinta and Guadalupe have confessed to the dark deeds the three of you undertook together–treasonous conspiracies, dark magic, sordid sexual escapades. They will die as well, of course, but sacrificing a few pawns to remove my opponent's queen from the board seems a worthwhile trade.", | |
| romance,House Diaz,"['House Diaz', 'Diaz']",8,3921,"sceneh_179,sceneh_179,sceneh_192,sceneh_192,sceneh_200,sceneh_200,sceneh_205,sceneh_205","Before Agustina has awoken, you have ordered servants to bring her favorite breakfast. You send other servants to your room to fetch your demure pearl-gray coat, dress yourself carefully, and only then wake the Queen. You preside over a most enjoyable breakfast in her quarters, and are compliant and obliging when the Queen indicates an interest in bed sport afterwards. | |
| ""Ah, Agustina,"" you murmur afterwards. ""There is no one like you."" She seems pleased. | |
| You send servants for more refreshments, and, steeling yourself for the task ahead, gradually lead the conversation into discussion of various members of Court–trivial little anecdotes about Mateo and Don Felix's daughter, Doña Roberta de Peña's conquest of Don Miguel de Sanchez, rumors that the second-eldest girl of the Diaz family will not be having a Season at Court because she is with child by a local boy nowhere near good enough to marry into House Diaz. Agustina seems amused by your gossip.","Before Agustina has awoken, you have ordered servants to bring her favorite breakfast. You send other servants to your room to fetch your demure pearl-gray coat, dress yourself carefully, and only then wake the Queen. You preside over a most enjoyable breakfast in her quarters, and are compliant and obliging when the Queen indicates an interest in bed sport afterwards. | |
| ""Ah, Agustina,"" you murmur afterwards. ""There is no one like you."" She seems pleased. | |
| You send servants for more refreshments, and, steeling yourself for the task ahead, gradually lead the conversation into discussion of various members of Court–trivial little anecdotes about Mateo and Don Felix's daughter, Doña Roberta de Peña's conquest of Don Miguel de Sanchez, rumors that the second-eldest girl of the Diaz family will not be having a Season at Court because she is with child by a local boy nowhere near good enough to marry into House Diaz. Agustina seems amused by your gossip.","You gradually lead the conversation into discussion of various members of Court–trivial little anecdotes about Mateo and Don Felix's daughter, Doña Roberta de Peña's conquest of Don Miguel de Sanchez, rumors that the second-eldest girl of the Diaz family will not be having a Season at Court because she is with child by a local boy nowhere near good enough to marry into House Diaz. Agustina seems amused by your gossip. Finally you mention the rumors of Adelita's wantonness–briefly, giving them no more attention than any other topic. | |
| ""She seems to be a young woman of questionable character,"" you conclude. | |
| Agustina raises her eyebrows. ""Yes, I would imagine you would be in a position to judge,"" she says dryly. | |
| You decide not to ask what she means by that. | |
| A little later, she speaks slightingly of Adelita, and so you infer you have accomplished your objective. The rest of the day passes pleasantly.","You gradually lead the conversation into discussion of various members of Court–trivial little anecdotes about Mateo and Don Felix's daughter, Doña Roberta de Peña's conquest of Don Miguel de Sanchez, rumors that the second-eldest girl of the Diaz family will not be having a Season at Court because she is with child by a local boy nowhere near good enough to marry into House Diaz. Agustina seems amused by your gossip. Finally you mention the rumors of Adelita's wantonness–briefly, giving them no more attention than any other topic. | |
| ""She seems to be a young woman of questionable character,"" you conclude. | |
| Agustina raises her eyebrows. ""Yes, I would imagine you would be in a position to judge,"" she says dryly. | |
| You decide not to ask what she means by that. | |
| A little later, she speaks slightingly of Adelita, and so you infer you have accomplished your objective. The rest of the day passes pleasantly.","Over breakfast, you gradually lead the conversation into discussion of various members of Court–trivial little anecdotes about Mateo and Don Felix's daughter, Doña Roberta de Peña's conquest of Don Miguel de Sanchez, rumors that the second-eldest girl of the Diaz family will not be having a Season at Court because she is with child by a local boy nowhere near good enough to marry into House Diaz. | |
| Finally you mention the rumors of Adelita's wantonness–briefly, giving them no more attention than any other topic. So subtly do you reference the rumors that the Queen hardly realizes you have done so, but you definitely turn her thoughts in that direction, and she frowns. You consider that you have accomplished your objective.", | |
| romance,Francisco,['Francisco'],7,3921,"openingscene_0,openingscene_12,openingscene_20,openingscene_25,openingscene_29,openingscene_77,openingscene_80","Part I: Choice of Romance | |
| A high-pitched shriek splits the sweltering summer air: ""Help! Oh, help, help!"" | |
| Your youngest sister Clara skids to a stop in front of you. ""Francisco and I were playing in the barn!"" she sobs. ""He was showing me spells, and he set the hay on fire, and now–"" | |
| A breath of wind springs up, and the acrid scent of smoke reaches your nostrils. | |
| The barn is some ways away from your parents' villa and the vineyards–there's that. But it is full of hay for feeding the horses, and hay catches fire so fast–it would be so easy for the wooden barn to burn to the ground– | |
| The smell of smoke grows stronger the closer you get. By the time you reach the barnyard, your throat and eyes are stinging. You can't see flames from the yard, but as you approach the door, you can feel their heat. Out of the corner of your eye, you see the grooms running towards you. Then you reach the barn door and look inside. Your seven-year-old brother Francisco, face white with terror, is backed up against the barn's far wall, surrounded by leaping flames.","I don't know! There's nothing I can do! | |
| There, there. There's no shame in being frightened. | |
| As you stand there paralyzed, you hear feet pounding on the ground behind you. You can't tear your eyes away from the flames to look, but the feet run past you, and then you see one of the grooms. The smell of smoke must have reached as far as the stables. He stumbles to a stop at the barn door, looking inside with horror. | |
| The head groom is shouting instructions, and you see that all three of them carry buckets. The head groom reaches you, grabs your shoulders, and shakes you. Before you realize what has happened, you are part of a line that stretches from the water pump to the barn, passing heavy buckets and slopping water on the ground. | |
| The fire is almost out by the time your family arrives. Heedless of the remaining danger, your father rushes inside and returns with Francisco. He spends quite a while thereafter alternately praising the head groom for his quick thinking and berating your brother for his stupidity. | |
| Eventually, the entire family returns to the house.","I rush into the barn to grab Francisco. | |
| You rip off your shirt–not very modest, but now is hardly the time for modesty–soak it in the water trough, and run into the barn. | |
| It's like running into an oven. The flames are higher and hotter every second as they gobble down the stacks of hay. You use the wet shirt to beat aside the fire for just long enough to reach Francisco. Then you grab his hand and run, pulling him after you. Flames hiss in your ears and lick at your shoes, and both his clothing and yours is on fire when you stagger into the barnyard. The grooms are there by then; they grab Francisco and you and push you down into the dirt, smothering out the flames.","I shout to the grooms to bring buckets of water. The best way to save Francisco is to put out the fire. | |
| The head groom stops in his tracks, and then turns to relay your orders to the others. There are only three of them in total–never have you so regretted your family's inability to afford a proper number of servants–but you help as well, and soon the four of you form a line, passing heavy water buckets from hand to hand between the well and the barn.","Like Francisco, I know some magic. Maybe there's a way to use magic to get him out. | |
| Your family, like most noble families of Iberia, has magical talent. Unfortunately, you are Death Mages. Death Magic is very useful in combat, but it tends towards firebolts and so forth–in other words, it is better at starting fires than at putting them out. Francisco almost certainly started this one with a firebolt gone wrong. | |
| But then an idea occurs to you. You run around to the back of the barn, and, summoning all your concentration, throw a firebolt at the back of it. A hole explodes in the wood. | |
| You run towards the hole, and it is like running towards an oven. The fire within is hotter and higher every second. But you've provided Francisco with an escape route, and he stumbles towards it just as you get there. You grab him and pull him to safety. The grooms have arrived by then, and you hear the head groom shouting orders at the other two. They start carrying water from the well nearby to put out the fire.", | |
| romance,Life Mage Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales,"['Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales', 'Life Mage Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales']",7,3921,"mendosawands_224,mendosawands_399,mendosawands_283,mendosawands_424,mendosawands_611,mendosawands_616,mendosawands_619","""The game is won or lost before an idea is ever proposed in open Court,"" you say to de Mendosa as you serve her tea. The two of you are alone in your sitting-room, preparing your strategy. ""Particularly so in this case, since Her Majesty has said she will listen to your proposal and then to what her noble counselors say."" | |
| ""And I know de Vega is doing everything he can to stir those noble counselors against me,"" de Mendosa says. ""We must therefore line up as many allies as we can. Do you know whom we should approach?"" | |
| With Uncle Pedro's help, you have compiled a list. You share it with de Mendosa. | |
| ""First, there is Conde Javier de Valdés. He is perhaps the most powerful Death Mage at Court. Certainly he is the loudest, and where he leads, the others follow. His opinion carries great weight with the Queen, and he will certainly be opposed to the idea of Death Rods. He will not want to lose status to a commoner. | |
| ""Second, there is Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales. Since the Duquesa de Aguilar is no longer at Court, she is foremost among the Life Mages. | |
| The Queen respects her opinion. She is likely to support your idea because she will see short-term advantage to the Life Mages, but if de Vega talks to her, he may convince her that there is a long-term threat to her status as well. She may then speak against us rather than for us. | |
| ""Third, there is Don Felix de Chaves, the commander of the Iberian military. Left to himself, he would probably not speak in open Court, but if we or de Vega manage to stir his blood, he might easily lend his support to one side or the other. He might be made to see either a disadvantage or an advantage to the army. Death rods would make Iberia more powerful, but he might not like the idea of them being in the world at all. What if Iberia's enemies were to acquire them? | |
| ""Fourth, there is Doña Natalia Medina. These days she is the most outspoken of the merchants. Like Don Felix, she is unlikely to speak in open Court unless we or de Vega persuade her. Death rods would allow merchant caravans to defend themselves, but they might also give commoners a weapon to use to attack merchant caravans. | |
| ""Fifth, there is your friend Don Rafael Gutierres, and the rest of those young scholars. I know he will support you; I am sure we need do nothing there; and he is not shy about speaking in Court. But the Queen does not really respect him. Fortunately, the Queen does not really respect Doña Marta de Gomes, either, the old scholar who is likely to speak against us. So I suppose that is about even."" | |
| De Mendosa nods. ""We have only a day before I am due to speak in open Court,"" she says. ""We cannot cultivate all of these people in a day, surely."" | |
| You shake your head. ""I think we will only be able to talk with three."" | |
| De Mendosa looks at the list. ""Where should we start?""","""The game is won or lost before an idea is ever proposed in open Court,"" de Vega says as you serve him tea. The two of you are alone in your sitting-room, preparing your strategy. ""Particularly so in this case, since Her Majesty has said she will listen to your proposal and then to what her noble counselors say. I am sure de Mendosa is doing what rabble rousing she can, but you and I shall persuade the majority of those noble counselors that this Death Rod idea is madness."" | |
| De Vega has a list of people he believes you and he should approach. ""First,"" he says, ""there is Conde Javier de Valdés."" De Valdés is perhaps the most powerful Death Mage at Court. Certainly he is the loudest, and where he leads, the others follow. His opinion carries great weight with the Queen, and he will certainly be opposed to the idea of Death Rods. He will not want to lose status to a commoner. | |
| ""Second, there is Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales."" Since the Duquesa de Aguilar is no longer at Court, she is foremost among the Life Mages. | |
| The Queen respects her opinion. She is likely to support de Mendosa because she will see short-term advantage to the Life Mages, but if you and de Vega talk to her first, you may convince her that there is a long-term threat to her status as well and win her to your side. | |
| ""Third, there is Don Felix de Chaves."" The commander of the Iberian military. Left to himself, he would probably not speak in open Court, but if de Vega or de Mendosa manages to stir his blood, he might easily lend his support to one side or the other. He might be made to see either a disadvantage or an advantage to the army. Death rods would make Iberia more powerful, but he might not like the idea of them being in the world at all. What if Iberia's enemies were to acquire them? | |
| ""Fourth, there is Doña Natalia Medina."" These days she is the most outspoken of the merchants. Like Don Felix, she is unlikely to speak in open Court unless someone persuades her. Death rods would allow merchant caravans to defend themselves, but they might also give commoners a weapon to use to attack merchant caravans. | |
| ""Fifth, there is de Mendosa's old friend Don Rafael Gutierres, who speaks for those young scholars. I know he will support de Mendosa, and he is not shy about speaking in Court. Fortunately, the Queen does not really respect him. Less fortunately, the Queen does not really respect Doña Marta de Gomes, either, the old scholar who is likely to speak against him. I would call that about even."" | |
| You nod. ""We have only a day before de Mendosa is due to speak in open Court. We cannot cultivate all of these people in a day, surely."" | |
| De Vega shakes his head. ""I think we will only be able to talk with three. Where should we start?""","Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales, the Life Mage.","Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales, the Life Mage. | |
| The Condesa serves you and de Vega tea in her pretty sitting-room, smiling somewhat falsely. ""Do you really find the idea of Death Rods so threatening?"" she asks sweetly. ""I thought them quite an exciting and useful invention, myself."" | |
| How do you respond?","Condesa Clàudia de Gonsales is next to be acknowledged. ""Your Majesty,"" says she, ""I see Doña Gabriela's invention as the brightest light to grace Iberia in many years. I, a Life Mage, might carry a rod to defend myself from enemies upon the battlefield, while I labor to heal knights and Death Mages wounded in Your Majesty's service? And someday my brothers and sisters among the Death Mages might carry comparable rods, and thereby heal themselves when I cannot reach them in time? How could this be anything less than wonderful for all Iberia? Your Majesty, I beg you will grant Doña Gabriela's request."" | |
| She goes on to make a spirited speech in defense of Death Rods. A number of important nobles nod in agreement–and not just other Life Mages.", | |
| romance,Perseverance,['Perseverance'],7,3921,"masque_22,masque_28,masque_40,masque_106,masque_167,masque_173,masque_138","That proves to be an understatement. You soon discover that the role assigned to you consists of waiting atop a tower while battle rages beneath you. Eventually, the hero of the masque will fight her way to you, and release you from imprisonment. | |
| Still, despite the small and boring nature of your part, you have to admit that the masque being rehearsed is very impressive indeed. You have seen them before, of course; even staged some small ones with your siblings; but the scale of this is immense in comparison. | |
| A masque is an after-dinner entertainment in which ladies and gentlemen disguise their identities and play assigned roles. In this case, the story is of a mage, Perseverance, who uses her magic to dispatch many evil creatures–Greed, Pride, Gluttony, and so forth–with the aid of helpful sprites with names like Purity, Devotion, and Endurance. At the end, Perseverance reaches her true love, Virtue, and rescues Virtue from imprisonment. | |
| You think it is likely that the young man who used to be playing Virtue considered it a significant advancement to take the part of Devotion instead. Devotion has many lines, and participates in a dance of all the helpful sprites. | |
| You watch the rehearsal from atop your tower, admiring the construction of the tower and the care that has been put into the costumes. If this is an everyday entertainment, your time at Court will be dazzling indeed.","At last Perseverance succeeds in reaching you, and you rehearse the rescue. Perseverance is a nice-looking young woman…although ""young"" is perhaps not quite the right word, you realize suddenly. She is older than most of the ladies- and gentlemen-in-waiting assembled here, in her mid-twenties at least. | |
| As you climb down from the tower, your coat catches. You quickly pull it free, thankful it did not tear. ""We will have to be careful not to do that tonight!"" you say to Perseverance, trying to make conversation. | |
| ""Oh, it will not be 'we' tonight!"" she says. | |
| You look at her in confusion. | |
| ""The Queen is taking the part of Perseverance tonight,"" Don Benedicto says. ""Except of course you must not recognize her."" | |
| ""I must not…?"" You can't imagine what they mean. | |
| The young woman playing Perseverance explains. ""The Queen will come in disguise to play the part of Perseverance. We are all to behave as though we cannot tell it is she in disguise. The Queen does this on occasion, so that she can be certain her riding and dancing and magic is admired for its own sake, not merely out of deference to her title."" | |
| You try to make sense of this. ""So…we are to admire the performance of the one playing Perseverance, and then feign surprise when she removes her mask?"" | |
| ""Exactly."" | |
| This is…unusual behavior, to say the least. What do you say?","""But the Queen must know her courtiers recognize her."" | |
| The young woman playing Perseverance starts to reply, but Don Benedicto speaks sharply. ""Perhaps, perhaps not. In any case, Your Majesty, you will do as you are told. Resume your position."" | |
| Embarrassed, you turn back to the tower. ""It's all right,"" Perseverance says, low. ""We've all said something like that from time to time. It is a somewhat ridiculous game we all play. Best not to say that out loud, though."" She smiles. ""I ought to have introduced myself before. Gabriela de Mendosa, at your service."" | |
| Don Benedicto curtly orders the rehearsal to resume, and it does.","Perseverance and her companions enter. Perseverance is so obviously the Queen, you cannot see how anyone could ever pretend to be fooled. The Queen, as Perseverance, uses a light wooden practice sword to ""vanquish"" Sloth and Gluttony. She strikes actual blows, rather than merely touching her opponents; but at least the blows don't seem to be very hard. They probably only sting. | |
| She switches to magic to fight Greed and Wrath (using the wand presented to her by Fortitude), and likewise, casts very small lightning bolts that seem to only sting. | |
| None of her opponents even touch her with weapons or magic; they only feint in the air around her. Those playing aides rather than opponents lavish far more attention upon her than upon Perseverance's companions. You cannot help but wonder if the Queen is really vain enough to believe they do not know who she is. | |
| At last, the Queen vanquishes the final obstacle (Pride) and looks up at you. You stretch out your hand beseechingly, as you have been instructed. | |
| When de Mendosa was playing this part, she only handed you down from the tower. But the Queen surprises you by reaching up, grasping you under the arms, and swinging you down beside her. | |
| And then she whips off her mask in a grand gesture. | |
| Do you pretend to be surprised?","Perseverance and her companions enter. Perseverance is so obviously the Queen, you cannot see how anyone could ever pretend to be fooled. The Queen, as Perseverance, uses a light wooden practice sword to ""vanquish"" Sloth and Gluttony. She strikes actual blows, rather than merely touching her opponents; but at least the blows don't seem to be very hard. They probably only sting. | |
| She switches to magic to fight Greed and Wrath (using the wand presented to her by Fortitude), and likewise, casts very small lightning bolts that seem to only sting. | |
| None of her opponents even touch her with weapons or magic; they only feint in the air around her. Those playing aids rather than opponents lavish far more attention upon her than upon Perseverance's companions. You cannot help but wonder if the Queen is really vain enough to believe they do not know who she is. | |
| The most thrilling part of the masque arrives. Perseverance–the Queen–is surrounded by enemies, valiantly holding her own against Pride, Lust, and Envy. None of them are trying very hard, of course, but the Queen plays along, acting as though it is a difficult fight. You cannot help but be impressed by how smoothly and gracefully Her Majesty moves. | |
| You take a deep breath. If you want to impress the Court with your magical prowess, now is the time.", | |
| romance,Don Miguel de Sanchez,"['Miguel', 'Don Miguel de Sanchez']",6,3921,"openingscene_189,sceneadirect_172,sceneh_179,sceneh_192,sceneh_200,sceneh_205",Miguel,Miguel,"Before Agustina has awoken, you have ordered servants to bring her favorite breakfast. You send other servants to your room to fetch your demure pearl-gray coat, dress yourself carefully, and only then wake the Queen. You preside over a most enjoyable breakfast in her quarters, and are compliant and obliging when the Queen indicates an interest in bed sport afterwards. | |
| ""Ah, Agustina,"" you murmur afterwards. ""There is no one like you."" She seems pleased. | |
| You send servants for more refreshments, and, steeling yourself for the task ahead, gradually lead the conversation into discussion of various members of Court–trivial little anecdotes about Mateo and Don Felix's daughter, Doña Roberta de Peña's conquest of Don Miguel de Sanchez, rumors that the second-eldest girl of the Diaz family will not be having a Season at Court because she is with child by a local boy nowhere near good enough to marry into House Diaz. Agustina seems amused by your gossip.","You gradually lead the conversation into discussion of various members of Court–trivial little anecdotes about Mateo and Don Felix's daughter, Doña Roberta de Peña's conquest of Don Miguel de Sanchez, rumors that the second-eldest girl of the Diaz family will not be having a Season at Court because she is with child by a local boy nowhere near good enough to marry into House Diaz. Agustina seems amused by your gossip. Finally you mention the rumors of Adelita's wantonness–briefly, giving them no more attention than any other topic. | |
| ""She seems to be a young woman of questionable character,"" you conclude. | |
| Agustina raises her eyebrows. ""Yes, I would imagine you would be in a position to judge,"" she says dryly. | |
| You decide not to ask what she means by that. | |
| A little later, she speaks slightingly of Adelita, and so you infer you have accomplished your objective. The rest of the day passes pleasantly.","Over breakfast, you gradually lead the conversation into discussion of various members of Court–trivial little anecdotes about Mateo and Don Felix's daughter, Doña Roberta de Peña's conquest of Don Miguel de Sanchez, rumors that the second-eldest girl of the Diaz family will not be having a Season at Court because she is with child by a local boy nowhere near good enough to marry into House Diaz. | |
| Finally you mention the rumors of Adelita's wantonness–briefly, giving them no more attention than any other topic. So subtly do you reference the rumors that the Queen hardly realizes you have done so, but you definitely turn her thoughts in that direction, and she frowns. You consider that you have accomplished your objective.", | |
| romance,Don Pedro,['Don Pedro'],6,3921,"masque_115,masque_123,masque_179,masque_188,masque_147,masque_155","Yes. | |
| From the other players in the masque, and from everywhere else in the Court, you hear (impressively realistic) gasps of surprise. You put your hand to your heart as if overcome. ""Oh, Your Majesty!"" | |
| ""'Tis I,"" she says, and kisses your hand. She reaches out and very gently pulls your mask over your head. ""But yours is a face unknown, virtuous Virtue–what is your name?"" | |
| ""Diego de Flores, Your Majesty,"" you say, and make a deep bow. | |
| ""Ah yes, of course. Don Pedro's nephew."" She smiles at you. ""Come just in time to show us all how Virtue should appear. It has been our honor to rescue you this evening, and we hope you will enjoy your time in our Court.""","No. | |
| From the other players in the masque, and from everywhere else in the Court, you hear (impressively realistic) gasps of surprise. But you only smile at the Queen. ""I knew it could only be you, Your Majesty."" | |
| She frowns. ""You knew me?"" | |
| ""Of course,"" you say. ""So handsome and so bold–it could not be anyone else except you!"" | |
| The irritation smoothes from her face…mostly. ""You pay a pretty compliment."" She reaches out and pulls off your mask. ""But yours is a face unknown. What is your name?"" | |
| ""Diego de Flores, Your Majesty,"" you say, and make a deep bow. | |
| ""Ah yes, of course. Don Pedro's nephew."" She smiles at you. ""Well, we have been most pleased to rescue you this evening, and we hope you will enjoy your time in our Court.""","Yes. | |
| From the other players in the masque, and from everywhere else in the Court, you hear (impressively realistic) gasps of surprise. You put your hand to your heart as if overcome. ""Oh, Your Majesty!"" | |
| ""'Tis I,"" she says. ""But who are you, bold mage?"" She reaches out and pulls off your mask. | |
| ""Diego de Flores, Your Majesty,"" you say, and make a deep bow. | |
| ""Ah yes, of course. Don Pedro's nephew."" She smiles at you. ""No passive Virtue, you! You would have done better to take the part of an opponent, or a companion to Perseverance. Well, we have been pleased to have you fight beside us, and we hope you will enjoy your time in our Court.""","No. | |
| From the other players in the masque, and from everywhere else in the Court, you hear (impressively realistic) gasps of surprise. But you only smile at the Queen. ""I knew it could only be you, Your Majesty."" | |
| She frowns. ""You knew me?"" | |
| ""Of course,"" you say. ""So handsome and so bold–it could not be anyone else except you!"" | |
| The irritation smoothes from her face…mostly. ""You pay a pretty compliment."" She reaches out and pulls off your mask. ""But who are you, bold fighter?"" | |
| ""Diego de Flores, Your Majesty,"" you say, and make a deep bow. | |
| ""Ah yes, of course. Don Pedro's nephew."" She smiles at you. ""No passive Virtue, you! You would have done better to take the part of an opponent, or a companion to Perseverance. Well, we have been pleased to have you fight beside us, and we hope you will enjoy your time in our Court.""","Yes. | |
| From the other players in the masque, and from everywhere else in the Court, you hear (impressively realistic) gasps of surprise. You put your hand to your heart as if overcome. ""Oh, Your Majesty!"" | |
| ""'Tis I,"" she says, and kisses your hand. Her eyes run appraisingly up and down your figure, and then she reaches out and pulls off your mask. ""But yours is a face unknown. What is your name?"" | |
| ""Diego de Flores, Your Majesty,"" you say, and make a deep bow. | |
| ""Ah yes, of course. Don Pedro's nephew."" She smiles at you. ""Well, we have been most pleased to rescue you this evening, and we hope you will enjoy your time in our Court.""", | |
| romance,Doña Roberta de Peña,"['de Peña', 'Doña Roberta de Peña']",6,3921,"openingscene_200,sceneadirect_183,sceneh_179,sceneh_192,sceneh_200,sceneh_205",de Peña,de Peña,"Before Agustina has awoken, you have ordered servants to bring her favorite breakfast. You send other servants to your room to fetch your demure pearl-gray coat, dress yourself carefully, and only then wake the Queen. You preside over a most enjoyable breakfast in her quarters, and are compliant and obliging when the Queen indicates an interest in bed sport afterwards. | |
| ""Ah, Agustina,"" you murmur afterwards. ""There is no one like you."" She seems pleased. | |
| You send servants for more refreshments, and, steeling yourself for the task ahead, gradually lead the conversation into discussion of various members of Court–trivial little anecdotes about Mateo and Don Felix's daughter, Doña Roberta de Peña's conquest of Don Miguel de Sanchez, rumors that the second-eldest girl of the Diaz family will not be having a Season at Court because she is with child by a local boy nowhere near good enough to marry into House Diaz. Agustina seems amused by your gossip.","You gradually lead the conversation into discussion of various members of Court–trivial little anecdotes about Mateo and Don Felix's daughter, Doña Roberta de Peña's conquest of Don Miguel de Sanchez, rumors that the second-eldest girl of the Diaz family will not be having a Season at Court because she is with child by a local boy nowhere near good enough to marry into House Diaz. Agustina seems amused by your gossip. Finally you mention the rumors of Adelita's wantonness–briefly, giving them no more attention than any other topic. | |
| ""She seems to be a young woman of questionable character,"" you conclude. | |
| Agustina raises her eyebrows. ""Yes, I would imagine you would be in a position to judge,"" she says dryly. | |
| You decide not to ask what she means by that. | |
| A little later, she speaks slightingly of Adelita, and so you infer you have accomplished your objective. The rest of the day passes pleasantly.","Over breakfast, you gradually lead the conversation into discussion of various members of Court–trivial little anecdotes about Mateo and Don Felix's daughter, Doña Roberta de Peña's conquest of Don Miguel de Sanchez, rumors that the second-eldest girl of the Diaz family will not be having a Season at Court because she is with child by a local boy nowhere near good enough to marry into House Diaz. | |
| Finally you mention the rumors of Adelita's wantonness–briefly, giving them no more attention than any other topic. So subtly do you reference the rumors that the Queen hardly realizes you have done so, but you definitely turn her thoughts in that direction, and she frowns. You consider that you have accomplished your objective.", | |
| romance,Doña Sofía de Vega,"['Doña Sofía de Vega', 'Doña Sofía']",6,3921,"mendosawands_712,mendosawands_716,mendosawands_724,mendosawands_724,mendosawands_729,personalpolitics_389","De Mendosa takes her coin and begins her work, and within a fortnight the first batch of Death Rods are available for a demonstration. The Queen instructs the army to test them and report, and Don Felix de Chaves and Doña Sofía de Vega are the first to attempt a drill. The latter rolls her eyes at the task assigned to her, but duty is duty.","Less than an hour later, you are interrupted by a servant, and just behind her stands a white-faced Don Felix. ""Don Luis,"" he falters. | |
| De Vega looks up. And goes very still. ""Yes?"" he says, almost without inflection. | |
| ""Don Luis, I— It is my unhappy duty to inform you there has been a terrible accident."" Don Felix takes a deep breath. ""Doña Sofía and I were sparring with the Death Rods, as instructed, in full view of many other officers, when hers— It seemed to explode. It was as though—as though a death curse exploded in the middle of the training ground, if such a thing were possible."" | |
| De Vega's hand tightens into a fist. ""It never was before."" | |
| ""Doña Sofía and two officers standing close to her were felled by it. We sent for a Life Mage at once, but nothing could be done. I am so sorry."" | |
| De Vega is white about the lips. ""I'll kill Mendosa for this,"" he whispers.","Doña Gabriela heads off to the testing in good spirits. But when she returns, a little less than an hour later, she is as white as a sheet. | |
| ""Doña Gabriela, what has happened?"" you ask. | |
| She sits down, numbly, without asking your permission. ""Don Felix De Chaves and Doña Sofía de Vega were sparring. All was going well. Other officers were watching. I think they were even impressed. And then—then Doña Sofía's rod exploded in her hand. The Death Magic contained within it was—was loosed. She fell, as did the two officers standing closest to her."" She puts her head into her hands. ""We sent for a Life Mage, but nothing could be done. De Vega's wife is dead because of me. Oh Death and Life, I never meant for this to happen.""","Doña Gabriela heads off to the testing in good spirits. But when she returns, a little less than an hour later, she is as white as a sheet. | |
| ""Doña Gabriela, what has happened?"" you ask. | |
| She sits down, numbly, without asking your permission. ""Don Felix De Chaves and Doña Sofía de Vega were sparring. All was going well. Other officers were watching. I think they were even impressed. And then—then Doña Sofía's rod exploded in her hand. The Death Magic contained within it was—was loosed. She fell, as did the two officers standing closest to her."" She puts her head into her hands. ""We sent for a Life Mage, but nothing could be done. De Vega's wife is dead because of me. Oh Death and Life, I never meant for this to happen.""","About an hour later, a white-faced Don Felix rushes past you as you cross the courtyard on another errand. ""What has happened?"" you ask in alarm. | |
| ""I must find Don Luis,"" Don Felix says. ""There has been a dreadful accident. Doña Sofía and I were sparring with the Death Rods, as instructed, in full view of many other officers, when hers— It seemed to explode. It was as though—as though a Death Curse exploded in the middle of the training ground. The two officers standing nearest to her were felled as well. We sent for a Life Mage, but nothing could be done, and—forgive me, Your Majesty, I must find Don Luis.""", | |
| romance,General la Senora Sofía de Vega,"['General la Senora Sofía de Vega', 'Sofía de Vega', 'Sofía']",6,3921,"mendosawands_626,mendosawands_634,personalpolitics_15,personalpolitics_591,personalpolitics_421,personalpolitics_425","Don Felix de Chaves is acknowledged. ""Your Majesty,"" he says, ""speaking for the army which has the honor to serve Iberia, I am in favor of this idea. If our Death Mage knights could cast spells without the fatigue that now lays them low—if someday my common soldiers might carry the ability to cast Death Curses in their pockets—no power in the world could stand against Iberia. I do hope Your Majesty will see fit to grant Doña Gabriela's request."" | |
| Behind him, you see General la Senora Sofía de Vega, Luis de Vega's wife, pressing her lips together. She does not agree, it would seem. But she must defer to Don Felix.","Don Felix de Chaves is acknowledged. ""Your Majesty,"" he says, ""speaking for the army who has the honor to serve Iberia, I am opposed to this idea. At first glance, it would seem that we would increase our strength. But I fear a world in which these devices are commonplace. What if the enemies of Iberia were to acquire them? We would then lose our great advantage, the Death Magic that no other land possesses. I beg Your Majesty to deny Doña Gabriela's request."" | |
| Behind him, you see General la Senora Sofía de Vega, Luis de Vega's wife, nodding in emphatic agreement.","The autumn days slide by, cool and pleasant, and in de Mendosa's massive workroom, a small army of Death Mages labor under her guidance to refine the Death Rods. In the early mornings, you see them on the tourney grounds, conducting tests and scribbling notes; then they all disappear to the underground workroom to act upon what they have discovered (with occasional detours to the infirmary or in search of a Life Mage, if the testing has gone badly). Fortunately, no deaths follow Sofía de Vega's. | |
| In the afternoons, de Mendosa comes to report to you on their progress—as is entirely fitting; you are, after all, her patron. The two of you drink tea in your sitting room or walk through the gardens while Gabriela describes experiments with ebony and rosewood, the efficacy of engraved glyphs versus chanted incantations, and so on. Sometimes your conversations move on to other topics—art, music, the intricacies of Court politics. Gabriela is as fascinated by as wide a range of topics now as she was in her youth, and can discourse for hours upon almost any subject. She brings more consideration and more gravity to these conversations than she did as a young woman, though. She has grown into herself. | |
| How do you respond to her enthusiasm?","and by extension, the death of Sofía, because you held yourself neutral during the Court debate. Had you chosen to campaign against de Mendosa, Don Luis asserts, her research would never have been permitted to continue so far. | |
| ""But no, you could not be bothered! Nothing interests you save your own selfish concerns!","Two months after her death, according to custom, the official memorial for General la Senora Sofía de Vega is held in the main palace courtyard. Don Luis stands stoic throughout the proceedings, and afterwards politely accepts the formal condolences of his political allies and political enemies. | |
| You know why he does not allow his facade to crack. Too many people are watching. Too many people before whom he must always appear strong. | |
| You are therefore not altogether surprised when he knocks on your door later that evening.", | |
| romance,Don Benedicto,['Don Benedicto'],5,3921,"masque_13,masque_28,masque_40,masque_48,masque_55","Early in the morning of your first day at Court, your aunt takes you to Their Majesties' private rooms, where all the ladies- and gentlemen-in-waiting are assembled. | |
| A servant opens the door at your aunt's knock, and the first thing you see is a tall, middle-aged man addressing an assembly of ladies- and gentlemen-in-waiting. He turns and regards you and Aunt Leonor with a raised eyebrow. | |
| Aunt Leonor curtsies. ""Don Benedicto,"" she says. ""May I present my nephew, Diego de Flores."" | |
| ""Oh,"" Don Benedicto says. ""Yes, of course. Thank you, Doña Leonor."" Your aunt curtsies again, and leaves. | |
| Don Benedicto looks at you in a manner more appraising than friendly. ""We are rehearsing a masque to be performed before the Court this evening. It is somewhat late to be adding another part. Perhaps it would be best if you took a seat and observed."" | |
| ""Oh, but Don Benedicto,"" says one young man. ""Doña Teresa is feeling ill. Why could I not take her part, and Your Majesty take mine? I am only being rescued,"" he adds, turning to you. ""It would not be difficult to learn at all.""","At last Perseverance succeeds in reaching you, and you rehearse the rescue. Perseverance is a nice-looking young woman…although ""young"" is perhaps not quite the right word, you realize suddenly. She is older than most of the ladies- and gentlemen-in-waiting assembled here, in her mid-twenties at least. | |
| As you climb down from the tower, your coat catches. You quickly pull it free, thankful it did not tear. ""We will have to be careful not to do that tonight!"" you say to Perseverance, trying to make conversation. | |
| ""Oh, it will not be 'we' tonight!"" she says. | |
| You look at her in confusion. | |
| ""The Queen is taking the part of Perseverance tonight,"" Don Benedicto says. ""Except of course you must not recognize her."" | |
| ""I must not…?"" You can't imagine what they mean. | |
| The young woman playing Perseverance explains. ""The Queen will come in disguise to play the part of Perseverance. We are all to behave as though we cannot tell it is she in disguise. The Queen does this on occasion, so that she can be certain her riding and dancing and magic is admired for its own sake, not merely out of deference to her title."" | |
| You try to make sense of this. ""So…we are to admire the performance of the one playing Perseverance, and then feign surprise when she removes her mask?"" | |
| ""Exactly."" | |
| This is…unusual behavior, to say the least. What do you say?","""But the Queen must know her courtiers recognize her."" | |
| The young woman playing Perseverance starts to reply, but Don Benedicto speaks sharply. ""Perhaps, perhaps not. In any case, Your Majesty, you will do as you are told. Resume your position."" | |
| Embarrassed, you turn back to the tower. ""It's all right,"" Perseverance says, low. ""We've all said something like that from time to time. It is a somewhat ridiculous game we all play. Best not to say that out loud, though."" She smiles. ""I ought to have introduced myself before. Gabriela de Mendosa, at your service."" | |
| Don Benedicto curtly orders the rehearsal to resume, and it does.","""You are having a jest with me because I am new to Court, are you not?"" | |
| ""Certainly not,"" Don Benedicto says sharply. ""And since you are new to Court, you would do well to follow the instructions you are given. Resume your position."" | |
| Embarrassed, you turn back to the tower. ""It's all right,"" Perseverance says, low. ""We've all said something like that from time to time. It is a somewhat ridiculous game we all play. Best not to say that out loud, though."" She smiles. ""I ought to have introduced myself before. Gabriela de Mendosa, at your service."" | |
| Don Benedicto curtly orders the rehearsal to resume, and it does.","""Very well."" | |
| Perseverance smiles at you as you turn back to the tower. ""Very wise,"" she says. ""It is a somewhat ridiculous game we all play, but it's best not to say that out loud. By the way–I ought to have introduced myself before. Gabriela de Mendosa, at your service."" | |
| Don Benedicto curtly orders the rehearsal to resume, and it does.", | |
| romance,Don Emilio de Fernandez,"['Don Emilio de Fernandez', 'Don Emilio']",5,3921,"tokens_240,tokens_243,tokens_253,tokens_259,tokens_262","You quickly ready yourself. The marshall of the lists has prepared a fine stallion for you, and a heavy ash staff through which you will channel your energies. You face off against Don Emilio de Fernandez, an hidalgo with a reputation as a skilled wizard. | |
| The marshall raises a plain red flag, and you each salute the Queen and begin chanting the words of power that create your protective shields. The marshall drops the flag and you couch your staff, spurring your horse into a spirited charge at Don Emilio. As you approach five lengths, you shout words of power and focus all of your magical energy through the staff at Don Emilio.","Fire and raw magical energy erupt from your staff. The wave of power smashes into Don Emilio, sweeping aside his attack as if it were nothing and hurling him from his steed. He lands bruised and battered and rolls several times before coming to his knee and signaling that he yields. The marshall swings his flag in your direction, marking your victory, and you ride back to the royal pavilion. | |
| ""Well done indeed,"" says the Queen with a broad smile. ""Rarely have we seen such a convincing victory. We salute you in your triumph."" | |
| ""Thank you, Your Majesty,"" you reply. | |
| The Queen laughs. ""When we asked you to join us to watch the joust, we hardly expected that we would be watching you in the finest match."" | |
| You rejoin the Queen in her box and spend the rest of the afternoon discussing, in detail, the jousting. | |
| By ancient tradition, romance is a dance between the pursuer and the pursued, with the wealthier, older partner seeking to impress the younger, more dependent partner. For the pursued to demonstrate his prowess in jousting is not the most typical way to pursue romance, but it seems to be working for you nonetheless.","You exchange mighty blasts of fire with Don Emilio. His attack rocks you, throwing you against the back of your saddle. As you circle your arms to keep your balance, you lose your grip on your staff and it falls to the soft dirt below. Finally, however, you grasp the reins and bring your steed under control. You turn back, expecting to have lost the pass on a marshall's decision, but Don Emilio fared less well than you did. You did not unhorse him cleanly, but he fell before regaining his balance. The marshall signals that you have prevailed, although Don Emilio quarrels with the decision and stomps off in an ill-humor as you ride back to the royal pavilion. | |
| ""Not the finest jousting we have seen, but a victory nonetheless,"" says the Queen as you approach. ""Our congratulations."" If the Queen sounds a little perfunctory, there is nothing you can do about it. | |
| You rejoin the Queen and spend an enjoyable afternoon with her. Her jousting goes rather better than yours. After a few hours, de Vega calls her away to deal with a matter of state. She does not seem as dismayed by this as you might have hoped.","Don Emilio's attack reaches you before you even begin your own. You are clearly outmatched. The force of his magical attack throws you bodily from your horse to a painful, awkward, and graceless landing. Even so, you know that you are fortunate that your staves were designed to be safe–with a war staff, he would have killed you outright. | |
| The saving grace, as you painfully pull yourself to your knees, is the Queen's reaction. She rushes over to where you fell, placing her strong arms around you and comforting you. And then, after making certain that you are not badly hurt, she murmurs, ""And now, we will show you that we are more than capable of protecting our own.""","The Queen calls out, ""Marshall! Ask Don Emilio if he would do us the honor of riding for another pass. We shall test his mettle personally."" | |
| Don Emilio accepts the royal challenge. How could he decline? | |
| While the Queen's victory over Don Emilio is perhaps less lopsided than your defeat, it is nonetheless convincing. The Queen wields her staff with skill and experience and easily dismounts Don Emilio on the first pass. She then returns to the royal pavilion, where she is solicitous of your comfort, treating you like a lightly crushed flower, for the rest of the afternoon.", | |
| romance,Orovilla,['Orovilla'],5,3921,"scenei_253,scenei_268,wanderingeyeredux_812,thekingisdead_796,thekingisdead_434","As soon as peace is declared, the marriage of Juanita to the Duquesa's eldest is celebrated with pomp and circumstance extreme even for Orovilla. | |
| How do you feel about this state of affairs?","As soon as peace is declared, the marriage of Juanita to the Duquesa's eldest is celebrated with pomp and circumstance extreme even for Orovilla. | |
| How do you feel about this state of affairs?","A month later, word reaches Orovilla of King Consort Esteban's death.","""Your Majesty,"" Leonor says, starting to object, but the Queen raises a hand to stop her. ""I am sorry it does not please you,"" she says, ""but you can see it must be. I would rather this than a civil war after I am gone. Sahra would like nothing better than such weakness in Iberia. | |
| ""After I am gone, you and Pedro will have to help him,"" she adds. ""Not as Regents–but as counselors. You know things from your own experience that he does not."" | |
| Leonor bows her head. ""Of course, Your Majesty."" | |
| She looks up to find Juana watching Leonor intensely. ""Is this what you wanted? To be the power behind the throne?"" | |
| ""No, not at all,"" says Leonor. ""Those peaceful years in the country were what I really wanted."" | |
| ""Then I am glad you had them, since so few of us get what we want,"" Juana says, with apparent sincerity. ""Now that your duty to Iberia compels you once more to a public life, I think you will do it well."" | |
| Leonor looks away to watch Ricardo eating tarts and laughing at some jest, with no idea of how Orovilla is about to change his life. Orovilla changes everyone's life. | |
| A purple butterfly flutters around the fountain and lands on your son's head.","She settles back, regarding you with a curious look. ""What an interesting life you've had, Diego."" | |
| ""Yes,"" you say, ""I suppose I have."" You look away to watch Ricardo eating tarts and laughing at some jest, with no idea of how Orovilla is about to change his life. Orovilla changes everyone's life. | |
| A purple butterfly flutters around the fountain and lands on your son's head.", | |
| romance,Ramona,['Ramona'],5,3921,"tomaspowwow_317,tomaspowwow_326,tomaspowwow_333,tomaspowwow_336,tomaspowwow_342","Aunt Leonor ushers you into a small waiting room and introduces you to your ""cousin"" Ramona. She is not really your cousin, of course, but part of the ""extended family"" of House de Flores. | |
| ""I understand that you suspect the use of mind-altering magic,"" says Ramona. ""Detecting mind control requires powerful divination magic; such powers are not ordinarily available to Death mages. | |
| ""Our family has access to an extremely limited supply of eye drops. When applied to your own eyes, they will allow you to sense the effect of mind control on people around you."" | |
| ""Thank you for your help, Ramona,"" says Aunt Leonor. | |
| ""It is my honor to help you, Aunt Leonor, but do not thank me yet. I'm afraid that I'm going to have to quote you a price."" She passes a slip of paper to Aunt Leonor. | |
| ""This is a Queen's ransom,"" says Aunt Leonor, her eyes widening at the sum. | |
| ""I'm sorry,"" says Ramona. ""These are the last drops we have, perhaps the last to be held by any Death Mage in Iberia. The Life Mage who was able and willing to provide them to us died years ago. Without these drops, our only alternative is to ask a powerful Life Mage to betray their own kind. In the current political environment, that seems unlikely.""","Pay Ramona out of my own personal coffers. | |
| You reach into your pouch and place several large gem stones on the table. ""The drops are yours,"" says Ramona, handing you a vial of blue syrup. | |
| ""Apply a single drop to one eye; make direct eye contact with suspected victims and engage them in conversation. If their eyes flash red, their minds are not their own."" | |
| Now that you have a new way of gathering information, what do you do?",Pay Ramona out of my personal coffers. (You can't afford that much.),"Ask Aunt Leonor to pay for this from the funds of House de Flores. | |
| Aunt Leonor's mouth stiffens at your request, but she says nothing, reaching into her pouch and placing several large gem stones on the table. ""The drops are yours,"" says Ramona, handing you a vial of blue syrup. | |
| ""Apply a single drop to one eye; make direct eye contact with suspected victims and engage them in conversation. If their eyes flash red, their minds are not their own."" | |
| Now that you have a new way of gathering information, what do you do?","No, it's too much. | |
| ""I'm sorry we couldn't be of more help,"" says Ramona, gathering herself to leave. | |
| ""Thank you for your time,"" says Aunt Leonor, guarding her emotions. | |
| Now what do you do?", | |
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