Work Text:
Audrey stalked through the corridors of her palace.
The most tiresome thing about being Queen was the diplomatic functions she was expected to attend, but the one compensation of the formal attire she felt obliged to wear - with it's stiff bodices and multi-layered long, flowing skirts - was the way it leant itself to stalking through corridors or making dramatic exits as she swirled her skirts behind her with a flourish.
Today, she stalked; through corridors and into the room where her senior advisory council were discussing options for improving their sea defences.
They looked up in surprise. She was supposed to still be entertaining today's visiting dignitary from across the valley. William .
"I will not marry that man," Audrey stated with feeling, pointing back the way she had come for emphasis.
There was an audible gasp of surprise from the Teagues brothers. Absolute Monarch she may be, but they still thought they could instruct her in the ways of tradition. (She would never admit this to anyone, but sometimes, when all the evidence and good sense pointed equally towards two different options, she would make her final decision by thinking about which would most annoy the Teagues.) They had been keen to impress upon her the importance of family and succession to the stability of the realm. She was expected to marry a fellow monarch, but that meant options were limited, and inevitably meant her realm merging with another, which was the precise opposite of stability as far as she was concerned. They were far too concerned with appearances and didn't give enough thought to the long term consequences.
Howard was just as bad, as he demonstrated now by being the one to speak. "Audrey, you must …"
She rounded on him. "You will address me as 'Your Majesty'! And you will not tell me what I must or must not do. Every person in this realm has the freedom to decide who - and if! - they marry. I will not be any different."
"Still," Vince ventured after a moment, "There is the question of the future and security of the realm to consider, Your Majesty."
"Yes, and I do not see how allying ourselves with William's kingdom provides better security for us. It will stretch our resources and put us at risk of attack."
"There is the question of an heir…" Dave pointed out hesitantly.
Dwight frowned at her in silent consternation.
Nathan frowned at the table; talk of potential heirs his least-favourite topic.
"I do not need a marriage to produce an heir," Audrey replied, realising the truth of it only as she said it. "William does, and that is why he's willing to risk upsetting his people for an alliance that could leave him and his kingdom vulnerable."
Nathan looked up at her, surprised.
The Teagues gaped, "But what are you….?"
"Everyone out!" Audrey announced. "Give me the room, I need to think."
The men all stood, bowed and made their way towards the door. Audrey called out at the last moment. "Wuornos! You stay."
The others frowned at this. Nathan was her oldest friend, chief advisor, and closest thing to a lover she had. The others didn't like to be reminded that he was more than an advisor to her, but she couldn’t be too concerned about that just at the moment.
She paced for a moment or two, deep in thought, as Nathan watched and waited for what she wanted to say. He was good that way. He was good in a lot of ways.
She stopped pacing. "I'll need you to start work on a decree. A change to the order of succession. My crown will pass to my eldest surviving daughter, whoever her father is and whether it is known who her father is or not. And then her crown will pass to her eldest daughter in the same way, and so on. No Haven Queen ever need marry again, unless she chooses to do so for love, and the people will have stability and clarity of succession regardless of her emotional attachments."
Nathan blinked at her in surprise.
"You disapprove?"
Nathan was shaking his head before he decided what to say. "No. Just ... processing."
She smiled and rested her hand on his arm. "It is a big change. That's why we need to announce it properly, with a well written decree."
"You intend to produce an heir out of marriage. Who …" In his uncertainty Nathan stumbled over his words, "w-who will you choose as the father?"
"I've chosen already," she told him, and stepped forwards to place a soft kiss on his lips. "If you'll have me?"
Words deserted him completely, and Nathan could only nod.