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The wedding day of the princess
Anastasia went as smoothly as could be expected, given that she had
been forced into it and hadn't really wanted to get married at this
point in her life. The marriage had been a condition of the treaty
that her father and the king of the opposing country had drawn up
together, after decades of warfare had devastated both countries, and
she didn't have much choice in going along with it, much as she had
wished otherwise. Except for one thing that kept her going through
the day of the wedding...
She had put up with the sonorous
droning from the priest during the actual ceremony as she had stood
by her new husband at the altar, surreptitiously shifting in her
beautiful white dress at times as she waited for the ceremony to be
concluded. This wasn't how she'd imagined her wedding day to go. Oh,
sure, her new husband, Prince Richard was, to borrow a phrase, tall
dark and handsome, though he wasn't her type at all. He seemed to be
too arrogant, someone who expected her to be a good little wife who
kept quiet unless spoken to, which was not her kind of man at all.
Especially as she wasn't like that at all. She wasn't the type to be quiet and dutiful, not when she could be off enjoying herself.
Sighing and fidgeting, Ana picked at
her food in front of her half-heartedly. The banquet was good, but
she wasn't in any mood to eat, just waiting for this charade of a
wedding to be over. Her new husband was practically ignoring her,
busy muttering to the best man who was seated next to him in some
sort of male talk that was interspersed with grunts at times from one
or the other as far as she could tell. She could barely hear the pair
of them over the noise of everyone else in the great hall with them,
but she wasn't too fussed about listening to them. She just had to
get through the meal and then make her speech, and see where that
took her.
Soon enough, the wedding feast was
over, and the speeches had begun. Her father made an eloquent speech,
and then the best man got up and made a simpering speech in support
of her new husband and how he wished them all happiness in their
married life in as sycophantic a tone as she had ever heard from
anyone. Time to upset their little world, Ana thought to herself as
she stood up just as the best man was sitting down. Murmurs sprang up
as she rose to her feet, and coughed delicately before speaking.
“Good afternoon, ladies, gentlemen.
I'm grateful that you could all make it to this wedding today, mainly
for one reason.”
She grasped the glass of water that was
nearby and took a sip from it before continuing on with her
unorthodox speech. Looking out across the room, she could see
everyone craning towards her, most seeming interested in what she had
to say.
“As you know, the treaty that this
marriage is part of is important and sacrosanct for both our
countries, and despite us both being mortal enemies, we came to an
agreement. It's just a shame that my husband couldn't meet his end of
the treaty at all.”
Puzzled frowns greeted her words as she
spoke, and she waved at the servants who were standing on the edges
of the room. Bowing to her, they all procured packets and proceeded
to walk through the room, handing them out to all the guests as Ana
continued to speak.
“If you would all look through the
envelopes, you will note within them pictures of my husband in some
rather salacious positions with several other women, as well as
copies of a lot of love letters written to presumably half these
women. Please also note the fact that he is wearing his engagement
ring as well in every picture as well, though quite why he was doing
such a thing, I can't work that one out.”
Over the hubbub that had broken out at
her words, she could hear her new husband grinding his teeth, and
then heard his chair scrape backwards as he stood up to confront her.
Overruling his sputtering start, she called out in a clear voice to
everyone,
“I'm sorry that you decided that your
dalliances with other women were more important than your countries
future, as you just broke the terms of the treaty, and by the clauses
you yourself wrote in them, your country is going to be subject to
some hefty charges that you're not going to get out of, not with
every other country watching you...”
Ana trailed off, and let her husband
manage to get a few words out.
“But... how... how did you do this?”
He grated out through clenched teeth,
his face a rictus of anger, and smiling mischievously, she replied in
a sweeter, lower tone,
“Why, husband of mine, didn't you
know that being the king's daughter grants you some power? That
combined with your arrogance at thinking you wouldn't be caught meant
that I had an easy job really of getting this all organised. Really,
next time you try something like this, think with your brain for
once.”
She finished, smirking slightly at the
rage painted across her husbands face, and decided that she was going
to leave the chaos she had just caused. Passing by her fathers chair,
she leaned down and whispered,
“Any further doubts that I'm not fit
to rule after you?”
Laughing quietly, her father just waved
her away and said,
“Go on Ana, enjoy yourself after what
you did here.”
Jamie - This made me smile! I believe I know a woman who is very similar to the princess you have portrayed here! :) Thanks for entering the contest!
ReplyDeleteLoved this story, and Ana. I can only imagine the stir her speech caused.
ReplyDelete