Impossibly Normal [Book 1 of 4]

(16) English Ships

Queen Raeanne

I stare at my new husband as he lays asleep beside me. The thought is quite odd. My husband, sleeping beside me. I am no longer a free woman in all senses of the word. My childhood is gone, my independence is gone, and most importantly, my innocence is gone. My life no longer belongs to me.

An urgent, heavy, and rapid knocking at my chamber door forces me to sit up and quickly make an attempt to make myself look somewhat presentable for whomever is about to walk in the door.

"Enter." I stand myself off the bed and steady myself by holding on to the bed post as my vision blurs slightly. My head is pounding with pain from my fall yesterday.

My two chamber guards enter, a third man enters after them. This one, one of my soldiers.

"Your highness," he speaks while bowing. Upon standing, he walks over and hands me a letter. "Word has just reached the castle that there are English ships over the horizon. At least a dozen of them."

"Who are the passengers aboard the ships?" I ask as I grab a robe to cover my sad excuse for trying to dress myself presentably for them.

"As far as we can see from our posts, the ships are lined with soldiers." He alerts me.

"Soldiers?" I ask, alarmed. Why would England, our greatest enemy, have ships filled with soldiers make the journey over here? "Are they armed?"

"It is nearly impossible to tell at this point your grace. They are still too far away."

"I want to know as soon as you do. And, gather The Queen Mother. Tell her to met me in the throne room at once!"

"As you wish." I dismiss him and send him back to his post. The guards close the door behind him.

I remove my robe and call my ladies to the room. They begin helping me strip of my night clothes.

What a wonderful way to start my day.

My ladies pull a new gown on over my corset. This dress is my absolute favorite: a deep purple color with gorgeous and intricate designs covering the chest. My descriptions would never do it the justice it deserves.

My ladies leave as quickly as they came.

I look over as Phillip sits himself up in the bed. "Where are you off to?" He asks, stretching.

"There are a dozen English ships crossing the horizon. I need to meet with anyone I can to figure out what to do about them." I answer as I finish lacing up my shoes and walk towards the door.

"Do you wish I am in attendance to this meeting?" He asks, beginning to change in to new clothes as I open the door and prepare to leave our chambers.

"If you wish. I do not see your presence at the meeting necessary at this time." I answer as I leave and make my way to the throne room to discuss what is to be done about the approaching ships threatening me and my people. "What are we to do?" I ask my mother as I enter the room and see her already dressed and ready for the day.

"We need to get all of the soldiers we have in place for attack. We must not delay any longer or else they will have even more of an upper hand." My mother paces in a small circle around me.

"What if they are not really here to fight? What if England only wants to speak with us?" I offer another alternative to their methods.

"Why would one of the most powerful countries in the world send over a dozen of their ships and hundreds of their men just to have a chat over some tea and biscuits?!" My mother angrily forces me to understand that they are here looking for a fight.

"I do not know. Maybe they are delivering a letter."

"Oh, simple child of mine, Elizabeth has come for a fight. And we are going to give her a fight with the best men we have." My mother clenches her fists.

"Our best men were killed in battle mother. Estonia is left with a few hundred men. We do not have enough to fight England off, even though they have only sent a quarter of their men." I argue.

"That is enough out of you." My mother dismisses my input and begins murmuring plans to herself under her breath.

"I agree with the Queen." King Phillip walks in, his sword hanging from the belt of his pants.

"Thank you, Phillip." I smirk at my mother. Maybe now that he agrees with me, mother will listen.

"Sometimes, countries send diplomats over to speak in the behalf of the royal party. These ships may simply be coming along with a highborn noble The Queen has sent and they naturally do not want him ambushed while on foreign land. They may just be for his protection." He offers up another alternative to mothers idea of them coming for war.

"We should first see what they want and then line up our troops if we see it fit." I turn towards him and smile. He is on the same wavelength as me.

"I think you are making a tragic mistake here Raeanne." My mother warns me about my choice to not send troops out immediately.

"I think differently, mother. I truly believe this is the best thing to do for this situation at the stage it is at." I stand by my King as my head begins to pound again due to the arguing.

"Fine then. As you wish. I will watch Estonia crumble beneath my feet from the safety of my locked chambers." My mother storms off in the direction of her room, angry with my choices. "Think about your brother, dear. Think about his future."

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