The Dead Queen

6 - Peter's Room

The whole palace waited for the Prince to leave his room: bishops, nobles of the father and mother's family, as well as themselves. Peter looked at himself in the mirror: the biggest issue wasn't the wounds on his face, which now were almost healed. It was his difficulty in standing still.

He had drunk a lot of wine alone the night before, had hardly slept, and was still dizzy. The Duchess of Burgundy offered help to enter and talk to Peter. But Queen Beatrice ignored her and knocked on the door. She was the mother; the duchess was nothing. Peter opened it and went to wash his face again.

"Son, we are late! What did you promise us?" She asked.

Peter wiped his face, irritated. He walked towards the door, determined, but held on to the walls. How would he walk towards the altar?

"Are you drunk?" Asked the mother, incredulous.

"I already said I'm fine! I am leaving! Leave me alone you all!" He muttered, throwing the wet cloth on the floor.

At that very moment, the King entered the room, forcing the door. He was furious.

"Be careful how you talk to your mother, you stupid drunk!" Shouted Afonso IV.

The father's enormous height has always inspired fear in Peter and everyone. No coincidence he would one day be called 'Afonso IV the Brave'. His appearance, in fact, lived up to the title.

It was common for people to see him in armor, riding and wielding the sword himself, in front of his army. He did not hide behind soldiers. The King feared death no more than losing his honor, he always said.

The honor as a man and the honor of his family name, proudly descended from the Burgundy house. But sometimes, he considered Peter unworthy of it.

"It took endless wars and reconciliations, your wife crossed kingdoms and kingdoms for this marriage to be consummated, and at the time of the ceremony, you are drunk?" He shouted, in his deep voice.

The King's hands were gesticulating over and over, dramatically. When he did it, he was truly nervous.

Outside the room, all the castle's inhabitants looked at each other, not knowing what to say. Some whispered that they had seen this scene before. Definitely did.

There were endless violent discussions in that castle between Afonso IV and his son and between Afonso IV and his father, King Denis. It looked like a curse between father and son, passed down from generation to generation.

The Duchess of Burgundy decided to enter the room. She approached the king, touched his shoulders and whispered something. Queen Beatrice didn't like it. This woman always had to intrude on her family.

She noticed that the Duchess was holding a small vial in her hands. She herself had already recovered from several drunks, and the Duchess knew what worked for her and Peter. The King gave her permission to act, but would never leave the room. He would closely watch every step of his son, from there to the altar.

The Duchess handed him the bottle. Peter refused to take it, turning his face away. He noticed that the King was even more enraged, capable of some madness. Then he drank it and turned his back on everyone. Afonso IV lost control. Peter never dared to turn his back on the King.

"Turn to your King now! Now!" Shouted Afonso IV, the finger shaking and pointed at Peter. The Queen took the husband by his shoulders, trying to calm him down.

Peter immediately turned to the King and lowered his head. There was hatred within him. That's why Peter had drank in the palace kitchen, alone, the night before. There wasn't only hatred for what his father was, but for what he had done with those women. And he would force Peter to do it with this one, pushing him again into an unknown noblewoman.