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Greatest Warriors
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Tova's Four Kingdoms Tova
TOVAThere was a sharp rap on the door and my mother opened it with shaking hands to reveal a very tall, very large imposing man who had to duck to get through our doorway. I was sitting at the kitchen table dressed in my Sunday outfit, even though it was only Tuesday. There was a small fur cloak that was laying out on the table that my mother had painstakingly made, the fur cut out from her very own coat, making it unusable for her. My father stood, rigid, back to the door, staring into the fireplace.“Is she ready?” the man asked. His voice was gruff, but not unkind.“He won’t hurt her?” my mother asked in a begging voice. The man answer, the gruffness dropped from his voice and replaced with sympathy.“No. She is his bride. It has been foretold.”“She is only six!” my mother cried out. “How can she be someone’s bride? She is too young!”“He will not mate her until she turns of age,” the man reassured her. “But he wants her with him to train as future queen and to keep her
Tova's Four Kingdoms Oremgoth
TOVAI turned nineteen years old today. I’ve been living in the castle for thirteen years, learning what it takes to be Queen, wife of the High King. My teachers have not all been kind; I have scars across my shoulders from one of the harsher teachers who believed children needed to have information beaten into them. My favorite teacher is Lady Ulka, the current Queen of Oremgoth. She teaches me about her duties, how to be a high bred lady and how to support my husband in politics. I also have history and geography lessons which I hate. The teacher is a mean wizard who has no patience with my stumbling over the pronunciation of towns and villages I will probably never visit. He stands over me and shouts, his foul breath making it hard for me to breathe. I study hard so that these lessons are not overly long.My favorite classes are the ones outside. I take riding lessons from Olf, the groom. The castle keeps horses, but also keeps a dozen Sleipner beasts, the eight legged ho
Tova's Four Kingdoms Bo
TOVAAfter an entirely enjoyable breakfast with Lady Ulka, I was escorted down to the stables where I began to saddle Bo. Bo was being naughty today, nuzzling my hair and pushing me, not allowing me to cinch the straps. I giggled and braced my feet and he pushed against me harder. Then he growled.I turned my head to see Gunhild, another one of the King’s children, standing outside the stable and making faces at me. She was only thirteen but was born without an ounce of kindness. She was rude to the servants and cruel to the animals. I hated that she was allowed in the stables. “Go back to the castle, child. Bo is not amused by your presence,” I warned. Bo stomped his feet. With eight hooves, it is impressive.She stuck her tongue out at me and flung a horse apple at me, a hardened ball of horse shit. It hit me on the side of my leg. I sighed and patted Bo.“Sorry, Buddy. I’m not going to let this one go.” I dropped the saddle tool on the ground and took off after Gunhil
Tova's Four Kingdoms Preparations
TOVA Birgir led the way back to the stable, not allowing me to take my time on the way back. I was a little miffed at him and at the High King; it was my birthday and I certainly didn’t want to spend it in uncomfortable dresses with my hair pulled up too tight and shoes that pinched. I wanted to wear my buckskin leggings with a shift over the top and my hair loose and not contained. I wanted to be riding Bo through the glades. I didn’t want to be a lady, the next Queen. I wanted to just be Tova. I was sitting in my bath after being fussed at by Frida for my black eye. She had disappeared to gather supplies to make me presentable tonight and I lay back, sighing with relief. I didn’t like being chastised like I was a child, though in their minds I was still the scared six-year-old that showed up smelly and cowed. I lay back and let my feet float to the top of the water, idly watching my toes when the outer door to my cham
Tova's Four Kingdoms Dinner
TOVA Birgir squeezed my upper arm gently, guiding me to follow the guard. “Come with me,” I whispered, frantically. “I can’t, Little One. I’ve not been invited. You will be fine. I won’t take my eyes off of you,” he cooed reassuringly into my ear. I wasn’t placated. I knew that the High King could do whatever he wanted to me, including death, and there wouldn’t be a thing Birgir could do. I followed the guard, trying not to look like I was being led to the gallows. I passed Lady Ulka who gave me a sympathetic smile and a conspiratory wink. Normally I would find that funny but not tonight. Tonight just turned for the worse for me. The guard held my chair and I slipped into it like I had been taught. He started to slide it in, and I moved with the chair, causing it to loudly clank on the ground and my face to redden. One of the King’s Concubines giggled, and several other gu
Tova's Four Kingdoms Dessert
TOVA If I had thought my torment was over because the acting High Queen Ulka had said it was to be over, I was mistaken. I underestimated the sheer pettiness of women, and the pleasure men take in watching us fight. I had made it through the soup course without mishap, speaking to no one and not minding at all. I usually sit in the corner, so I don’t have the opportunity to observe and watch people and I was enjoying it. I tried hard to do it astutely so that no one would notice. That is why I wasn’t aware that I was being spoken to until I was. I realized Queen Marta was speaking to me. “I’m sorry?” I said, smiling and leaning forward a little so I could see her better. She smiled sweetly at me and repeated. “Do you enjoy your studies?” I smiled back at her. She seemed like she was genuinely interested. “Yes, your highness, I do. Of course, I enjoy some more than others, but they are all i
Tova's Four Kingdoms Duel
TOVA Thankfully dinner didn’t go on much longer. I wasn’t sure what to think of what had happened between the High King and myself. I knew that he had a lot to drink with dinner and I was sure that had a lot to do with his attitude towards me. In the past he barely spoke to me or acknowledged my presence. It was not uncommon for us to go a year without him seeing me. I was shocked he was so familiar with me tonigh. I was not a naïve child anymore. I am still innocent, in that way, but I knew what was to take place in the marriage bed and I knew where babies came from. When I said that my education was well rounded, I wasn’t kidding. The midwife and the medicine man gave me a formal sex* education but the servants gave me an informal one. Where the midwife prattled on about it being my duty and an honor, the servant girls spoke of passion and pleasure. It appears that, with the right person, it was much mor
Tova's Four Kingdoms Bath
TOVA I looked at High King Erik with alarm. He was in my bath chamber, and I was naked under the water. The bubbles hid most of me, but he was my betrothed, and there was nothing improper about him being here. He was High King. He could be anywhere he wanted to be. He was also irritated with me. I am used to him being angry with me, but usually just because I was existing, not because I’ve actually done anything. I should have been very afraid, knowing how volatile and brutal he could be, but I wasn’t. I was angry. I still had enough self-preservation to know that I should not provoke him while he was angry. I lowered my eyes while I considered my words. “And now you’re ignoring me?” he continued to shout. Okay, that’s it. Forget it. I’ll probably be whipped tomorrow morning, but he was making me mad. “Yes, High King. I am ignoring your question. I refuse to lie to y
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