"Queen of The Known World"

Baldr looked at Onya's back and thought hard. He wondered what was bothering her so badly. Of course he was going to welcome Aliza back and claim his child if she was indeed pregnant. She should know how important children were to the clan, he would never turn away any child of his. Why would she be worried about it though? She and he would have many children of their own, in fact he would be surprised if they had not already begun with the way they had been going at it.

He thought about everything he knew that might be upsetting her. It could not be anything from his culture so it must be something from hers. He began to go over everything he knew of hers he had learned from his mother and traveling merchants. Finally it came to him and then he realized why she was so upset. He walked up behind her and wrapped her up in his massive arms and kissed her on top of her head, then turned her around so he could kiss her lips.

"You are worried about our children and the way those in the South perceive inheritance. Onya your child will be my successor as it always is, but I will not deny my child. You know how important children are to us and I know how important they are to you." Rubbing her stomach he chuckled, "Besides my love are you sure she is the only one in that condition. You and I have been enjoying ourselves a little too much lately, perhaps you already have a little prince or princess growing inside of you."

Onya chuckled, wrapping her arms tightly around her lover's muscular trunk. "Too early to tell, m'love."

As she clutched Baldr even tighter, Onya suddenly realized that she'd never been more desperate to be with child than she was now. It almost felt like a race to birth an heir to the Chieftain. But, of course, Aliza had a Moon's head start on her.

She pushed Baldr away from her, pointed at the door to her room, and demanded, "Git! I have a wedding to prepare for."



(OOC: Short. Back to work.)

Baldr knew that while Onya was trying to sound happy she was actually upset about his news. While he could understand her feelings he also thought she was being a little unreasonable. She had grown up in the camp of a Clan and knew the ways of the North. While many warriors had 2 or 3 wives there were also some who only had 1 and just made do with mistresses. It was an open and accepted part of the culture of the Northern lands and even the women indulged in it. However it was always known that the first wife was the one that held the heart of the man for she was the one he had chosen to marry first.

Baldr decided he needed to do something to prove his love to her. While he did love Aliza he loved her in a different way to her. Onya was the love of his life and she had captured his heart. It may sound silly to say that and then say he loved Aliza as well but he did. Just what he could do for her he did not know though. It needed to be grand and public though to show not only her but everyone just how much she meant to him and to leave no doubt just how important she was to him.

As he walked back to his own room he started to think very hard. The wedding would be the perfect venue to do it. Every Lord and Lady for miles around would be there and word would surely get around to those that were not in attendance. It would also get back to the high priestess. He needed to think of something that would both surprise and delight her and disrupt any plans the Priestess was making.

He was halfway to his rooms when he started to grin. He had just had a great thought that might just work. Smiling he sent for a servant and sent for the high priest to meet him in his rooms. He needed to clarify some laws before he made the announcement.

The seamstresses had been working on wedding dress for Onya almost from the moment she'd been returned to Virta from Vint. There had been a hierarchy amongst the women, with a designer and two closely supervised assistants overseeing the whole affair, a half dozen fitters seemingly measuring the teen's every curve a hundred times, and -- working all through the day and night in shifts -- a total of three dozen women and girls cutting and sewing in a combination of care and haste.

Finally, even as the guests were already assembling in the Temple's Great Hall, the woman in charge -- yes, Lady Stella of Platt -- said it was finally ready to be donned. And an hour later, after the tugging of bindings at her back and waist and the finally re-stitching of seams that had sprung -- as they so often did when you were trying to fit such a complicated gown so tightly to emphasize a young woman's curves -- Onya was ready to be seen by the men and women of the Known World who would in short order be her legal subjects...


"I don't think I can do this," Onya whispered to Stella after the majority of the seamstress crew had made their final bows to their future queen and departed. (Each had been given one or more gold coins by Stella as they departed, the equivalent in some cases to a year's wages, causing eyes to bulge and heads to bow repeatedly in deep gratitude.) "All those people--"

"There are only six people out there with whom you need be concerned, m'lady," Stella told her as she continued to tug her and caress her as she circled Onya, looking for trouble areas. "Myself ... Lords Tyr and Yol ... Lady Gree, the High Priest..." She hesitated as she came around Onya's front to catch the young woman's gaze, then finished, "And Baldr ... your husband to be ... your king to be..."

She reached out to lay a hand upon Onya's flat belly, then said with a hopeful tone, "And your son to be's father to be."

They studied one another's faces for a moment as thoughts about being with child ran through each of their minds. Stella was eager to soon be carrying Tyr's child, and she knew that Onya felt the same way about Baldr. Of course, Stella couldn't know that the primary thought bouncing around inside the soon to be Queen's head was that another woman was already with child at Baldr's efforts.

There was a knock at the door, and after Stella call out her permission, Gree opened the door. The former slave-become-Noble had been in and out of the room aiding Stella and Onya, but for the last hour or so she'd been helping with the crowd filling the cathedral's main hall. Stella caught the concerned expression in the younger woman's eyes and asked what the problem was.

"There are so many people," Gree said softly. She looked to Onya, recalling how the other teen had been so panicked by the number of people in the dining hall two nights before. She emphasized, "So many people. Who are they all--"

"It's fine," Stella said in a comforting tone, first to the already panicky Onya, then to Gree, to whom she turned and politely hurried out of the room with some whispers Onya couldn't hear. When she turned back to the woman in white, Stella smiled broadly, hesitated, then bowed more deeply than she had for anyone since first meeting the man she would marry, kill, and replace as the leader of the Barony of Platt. When she rose again, she said with a reinforcing tone, "You are her Grace ... Onya ... of the House of Meretheni ... Queen of the Known World." She hesitated a moment, then demanded, "Say it."

Stella had to urge Onya twice more, but finally the teen repeated the words ... then again with less trembling in her voice ... then again, and again with Stella speaking with her. The two by this time were holding each others hands, and Stella told Onya simply, "You were born for this."

Onya contemplated the simple statement, then drew a deep, nervous breath -- that caused her bosom to swell and a stitch to pop under her arm pit. Stella chastised her, called in a remaining seamstress to repair the damage, then stepped back to look Onya over one last time. She told the teen, "Time to get married."



Gree had been right: so many people.

The invitations -- both delivered by hand and by bird -- had gone out to fewer than two dozen Houses. Onya had expected perhaps half of those Nobles to attend, some alone, some with spouses. Which meant that with the Clan's Karants -- both experienced and recently elevated after the conquest of Virta and the sacking of Vint -- Onya had expected about 50 attendees at her wedding to Baldr.

Instead, the hall was packed with more than 300 guests! At the sight of the crowd, standing just outside the Hall's great doors, Onya began to panic again, asking Stella in a growling whisper, "Who are these people...? Where did they all come from?"

Stella mentioned a few new names and places on the map in Onya's mind, but for the most part she just tried to calm the teen, reminding her that there were only 6 people with whom she needed to concern herself. "Keep your eye on the High Priest..."

From where they stood, Baldr was out of view to the right. Stella continued, "Move slow ... take careful steps ... don't fall on your face--"

Onya could help but laugh, then looked quickly to her arm pit fearing she'd popped that stitch again. Stella continued, "Breath ... breath..." Stella stepped back away from Onya into the doors, gestured for her to breath, then repeated softly, "You are her Grace Onya of the House of Meretheni ... Queen of the Known World..."

She urged Onya, and soon the two of them were whispering the words together. Stella turned her back to Onya, gestured to a Novitiate who in turn gestured to another somewhere else, and a moment later a choir was filling the Hall with soft, melodic music. Stella looked back over her shoulder one more time, smiled, then threatened playfully, "If you don't pull this off ... I'll be forced to marry Lord Baldr and Lord Tyr ... and from what I've seen in your face after your nights with Baldr, I don't know if I have that kind of energy."

Onya burst out in laughter, this time definitely popping the stitch but doing nothing more than grimacing about it. She shooed Stella forward, telling her, "Let's get this over with. Let's get this done."

Stella' smile widened as she told her friend knowingly, "Done ... no. You are only just now starting."

Stella winked to Onya, gestured four girls around six or seven to take their places at the train of Onya's dress, then turned and walked into the Hall, joined by Tyr who had been standing just beyond the doors. The pair traversed the length of the passage between the guests. When Stella and Tyr stepped off to one side, facing Gree and Yol who had begun walking upon the start of the singing, Onya took another deep breath, then started forward, whispering to herself, "I am her Grace Onya ... of the House of Meretheni ... Queen of the Known World ... I am her Grace Onya ... of the House of Meretheni ... Queen of the Known World ... I am--"

After who knows how many times repeating that, she caught sight of Baldr standing at the top of the three steps she'd beginning to worry about stumbling over. As she met his gaze, her lips widened ... then she chuckled, short and sharp just one time. She checked the steps, ascended, looked from Baldr to the High Priest as he began to speak to the assembled, and thought to herself, I am her Grace Onya... Then, looking again to the man at her right, the thought to herself, I am Onya ... of the House Baldr.

Baldr had been standing on the small raised platform in front of all the guests for over ten minutes in all his finery and he was starting to feel a little uncomfortable. He did not normally have any problems being the center of attention or being looked at, but for some reason today it was making him extremely nervous.

Beside him Tyr looked on and chuckled at him. "Do not worry chief, She will be here soon. I am almost positive she would not have decided to run away."

Baldr glared at the man then smiled. He was about to reply when Tyr's eyes lit up and he dashed towards the doors and Baldr's nervousness ramped up.He could not see the doors from where he stood and it was still many minutes before he saw Gree and Yol appear and then veer to the side and then lady Stella and Tyr.

Finally Onya appeared in a stunning dress and a smile lit up his face and he forgot everything else as he stared at her. She was gorgeous and in just a small amount of time she would be his wife. He could not believe his luck that this woman had agreed to marry him. He just hoped she liked his surprise.

As she stepped up next to him and smiled he took her hand and turned to the high priest. At the same time he flashed a quick look at Ellenora who he had made sure had a front row seat. He had stopped her and told her they had agreed to her demands and he wanted her to witness their wedding. Of course he had added Onya's demands and after a few minutes Ellenora had agreed. Now Baldr thought about the surprise he had in store and smiled. She might be in for a large shock soon.

The High Priest began the ceremony, welcoming the guests and blessing the whole proceedings. Baldr hardly heard him as he gazed into Onya's eyes. In fact he was only brought back to reality when she began to speak her vows. The Holy man he had brought with him had approached and wrapped their hands in the sacred binding and she was repeating the words the high priest was saying before placing the gold band on his finger.

He smiled and then it was his turn. He smiled and took the ring, repeating everything the priest said then as he indicated he should place the ring on her finger he smiled and then began to speak. "Onya, you are the light of my life and if I had not met you I truly do not know where I would be now. You are making me the happiest man right now by marrying me and becoming my wife, however we are not just joining as man and wife but we are joining two cultures, the North and the South. You are the Queen of all that there is in the South and I am the King of the North." He looked at her and smiled. "Soon our children will be the heirs to all the lands of the known world, let us hope we are able to give them a peaceful land to rule."

Placing the ring on her finger he grinned widely. "Onya, I Baldr of clan Baldr take you as my first and only wife. You are now Queen of the Baldr clan with all that entails. You now rule all the North as my equal and shall stand by my side forever more as my equal in everything."

He smiled widely at her and waited for her response.

Stella had practiced with Onya the vows she would be repeating, to ensure she didn't look the fool once the High Priest had begun the union portion of the ceremony. Yet as the Northern Holy Man wrapped her hand with Baldr and the Southern priest began speaking, all memory of the lessons disappeared and panic set in. She had to lower her eyes to the enjoined hands to apply all her concentration to the words coming from the man's mouth. She repeated them all precisely, gaining confidence as the ceremony proceeded, finally allowing her to look up into Baldr's eyes as they neared the last. She smiled with delight as she finished, thinking Half way...

"Onya, you are the light of my life...

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...Baldr began, causing a chill to run up the Queen-to-be's back and an even wider smile to grace her lips. The thoughts and images of her life with Baldr as husband and Baldr as King rushed through her mind like a herd of Northern ponies.

Then, as he was placing the ring on her finger, he continued...

"Onya, I Baldr of Clan Baldr take you as my first and only wife..."

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Onya's ears heard the words but in her jumbled mind they didn't immediately make an impact. Then, suddenly, she realized what he'd said: only wife! She stared at him, her mouth opening a bit in shock as the realization of what the Northern Chieftain was offering her. And what an offer it was. She'd grown up in the Unnamed Untamed, amongst the Clans. She knew that even if a Chieftain didn't want additional wives, he was expected to take them anyway. Borona, Onya's first Northern master, had had six wives, yet he'd only birthed claimed heirs via his first wife Loro and one other wife; and two of the wives had ceased doing anything other than sleep with him for winter warmth after having given him their purity.

When Onya realized that Baldr had gone quiet, she wasn't sure what to say. Stella and Gree had prepared her for anything and everything the ceremony might include -- even falling on her face as she approached the dais -- but this! This was the truly unexpected.

She scrambled for something to say ... anything to say that would match what Baldr had just given her yet found nothing. Then, she remembered the gift she was going to give him at a later date. She looked to Tyr with panicked eyes, then mouthed a word to him. He looked perplexed, so she repeated the silent word with emphasis. This time he understood but Stella wasn't already moving, turning and taking a step back to call, "Scratch!"

Onya laughed at the word, having been introduced to Crone by his childhood nickname. There was a rattling of chain mail against a helmet as Tyr's squire hurried up from behind his Lord and Lady to hand them a long object wrapped in cloth. But Stella instead urged Crone to take it to Onya, who in turn gestured the young man to stand on the step beneath the taller High Priest so that he was facing the crowd from between Baldr and Onya.

Onya gave a deeply heartfelt explanation -- specifically to Baldr, though loud enough for the rest of the throng to hear, too -- about how the Falling Wars had done so much damage to the Known World, to the House of Meretheni, and to Onya herself. She finished with, "But you, m'lord ... m'love ... you rescued me from all that hurt..."

She glanced out upon the crowd, and -- though she knew that many of these people still viewed the Northern Chieftain as an invader -- she continued, "As you will rescue all of us from that hurt by aiding me in reuniting the Known World under one crown ... in peace."

Onya saw the turning heads and doubtful expressions on some of the faces yet ignored them. She turned back to Baldr, then to Crone, who pulled back the cloth, which Onya would later explain was a cape that included the crest of the House of Meretheni on it. Inside the cloth was an elegantly crafted sword that immediately not only sent a glare of light up upon the three closest to it but also caused a bit of a stirring in the crowd.

"This was my father's sword," Onya explained, now speaking lower just to Baldr though, again, others nearby could hear. "After his death, it was kept safe by the Order of Vint and the Darkness Ambassador who served our House."

Onya took it from Crone, shocked a bit by the weight, turned it -- almost slicing Baldr with the tip -- and held it before her bosom. Then ... causing a much greater stir amongst the members of the wedding gathering, Onya lowered to her knees before her husband and king to be and held it up between their faces.

"For my King," Onya said simply, this time loud enough to ensure all heard.

To her rear and front both, her closest female friends each had looks of surprise on their faces. The soon to be Queen of the World was kneeling before the conquering of the Territory of Vint. Oh, sure, they themselves didn't think of Onya or Baldr as such, but they both knew the others in attendance would.

What would the reaction be...?

Baldr had tried to surprise his bride and instead she had in turned surprised him. Now here she was kneeling before him with her old fathers sword, offering it to him. He knew exactly what that meant and he was sure most of those in attendance did as well.

While he had acknowledged her as his Queen and told all in attendance that she would rule by his side and not below him, she was now telling them that she was her King and giving him the sword of her late father, thus making sure they knew she acknowledged he was every bit as good as he was.

Smiling Baldr took the sword from her and raised it in the air and then reached down and helped her to her feet. He felt the weight and balance of the sword and realized that for all the fancy craftsmanship it was still a weapon built for the battlefield. It would have taken a warrior of tremendous strength to wield it but it fitted in his hand well and as he held it aloft he already felt the power in it.

Looking down at his side he pulled his own blade from his scabbard and passed it to Crone. "From now on I shall use no other blade but this one. I shall do my utmost to honor my Father in laws Blade and to bring the dream he had to life with his daughter."

Sheathing the blade he turned to the priest and smiled. "Sorry to interrupt your ceremony, but if you would please continue. I would like to be officially married to this wonderful woman."

The high priest smiled and after saying a few more words Baldr slipped the ring on Onya's finger and he was finally able to kiss his new Wife. He did so with pleasure and while most of those gathered cheered loudly he kissed her deeply, slipping his tongue into her mouth and dueling with hers.

Then turning to face those gathered he led her down the aisle and out to the hall where he guided her to the dining hall. It had been set up beautifully and a large feast prepared and they took their seats and the main table as other guests filed in. Tyr, Stella, Gree, Yol, Conal and several others sat with them at the main table and they made small talk as they waited until everyone was seated then Baldr stood up.

"I thank everyone for coming today and witnessing our marriage. Please eat and drink to your hearts content." Clapping his hands the servants started to bring in the first course and Baldr turned to his now wife.

"So now Wife," he smiled, "I hope you are as happy as I am."

As Baldr took possession of the sword -- with obviously greater ease than she herself had held it upwards -- Onya looked up into her king-to-be's face and saw in his expression an understanding for what the gift meant. But as her eyes were watching, her ears were listening as well. There was still just enough of a stir amongst the wedding attendees to be noticeable. She wondered how much of the dismay and shock was because of her kneeling before the Northern heathen and how much of it was because of giving him the most sacred of Southern swords, that of the man whose marriage had set forth the path Onya was now taking.

"From now on I shall use no other blade but this one..."

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...Baldr began, before asking to complete the ceremony and escort his new wife away. In the great dining hall, Onya smiled with amazement and delight. During this second half of her life, she had never seen so much food in one place except for perhaps in one of the many marketplaces that provided it. It was truly a feast that would be remembered for all time, if not by those Nobles assembled -- who even in these hard times rarely wanted for anything -- then at least by Onya herself who would forever remember that this was all done for her wedding to the man at her side.

"So now Wife ... I hope you are as happy as I am."

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Onya smiled wide, grasping Baldr's hand as she responded, "Happier ... my husband."



The feast seemed to go on forever, with course after course of Southern and Northern foods both appearing one after another, accented by the continuing flow of ale and wine and liqueurs of varying color, scent, and thickness. Onya was encouraged by Stella to at least sip at each as it was offered by the Noble from whose land it came, reassured by Gree that each bottle -- which was then held in custody behind the dais by Baldr's watchful men -- had first been sipped at by a peasant taster to ensure its safety.

Onya knew about poison and its uses, of course. Although it had happened when she was but a girl, her own parents had been killed by poisoned dates. But Onya herself had never had to worry about getting poisoned herself. No one had ever cared about her enough to kill her before now. Every time Stella and Gree reassured her it was okay to sip at a new concoction, she wondered to herself about the drink's provider Would he gain from my death...? What could he possibly gain from this Untouched slave's demise?

She looked to Baldr, who was also partaking of the drink, and thought They would love to see him dead! Bastards! I'd kill them all ... cut off their heads ... Lords, Ladies ... their offspring. She wondered whether she would have the courage to send Baldr's Horse Warriors -- which now, apparently, would fall under her control upon his death -- off to burn to the ground the villages, towns, and cities of a Noble who even dared to try to take the Chieftain from her.

I would, she thought as he looked to her with a smile. She urged him to lean closer so she could give him an open mouthed kissed. As he pulled back and she looked into his eyes, she told herself I'd burn their lands to the ground ... leaving nothing but ash upon which MY Horse Warriors and their Kin would then live in prosperity.

Soon enough, the alcohol was having its effect on Onya, and she began to leave the worrying about the potential for her assassination to others. A series of entertainers from across the neighboring lands entered to perform in the open space between the guest's tables, just beneath the dais. Onya was enjoying all of it, even the acts she didn't particularly like, knowing that it was all being done for her wedding and imminent coronation.

Onya turned in her seat to look behind her. On a pedestal high enough for all to see were two crowns, each atop fabric bearing the seals of the House of Meretheni and the Clan of Baldr respectively. Stella had insisted that the crowns be the most elegant and elaborate items ever created, but Onya -- with Gree's support -- had demanded the head gear be simple. "A Northern Chieftain is not a King because he wears his Clan's wealth upon his head ... and my own crown will be no different."

Stella had given in, laughing as she asked, "Can I take the excess gold home to Platt?" The Baroness had put the best craftsmen in Virta to work on the crowns, and now they sat there in the illumination of the nearby candles for all to see.

Onya caught Baldr's gaze again and smiled. She leaned in, telling him, "Stella tells me that another two dozen more Noble Houses ... from Vint ... the Fenwater ... even the islands of Sutia and Selion ... they will be here tomorrow ... in time to watch our coronation day after that."

She was feeling like a little girl again, celebrating her birthday with a new pony and a beautiful dress for the ball. All of this was for her -- well, her and Baldr, she recalled, laughing at her own selfish forgetfulness. She looked to her husband again between acts on the floor before them, clutched his hand for a moment, then released it and -- as she tended to do when she was drunk -- slipped her hand down into his groin and whispered to him, "I can't wait to get naked with you."

Baldr made small talk with Tyr, Yol and Conal as the feast got under way. He was amazed at the variety of foods the kitchen had been able to prepare and he made a note to remember to thank his hunters and the cooks later. To think this was but a small portion of the food they would be preparing as well. Soon they would have the coronation feast to prepare and that occasion was supposedly going to be even grander.

Balder had made sure that unlike today, the whole city would join in the festivities and food would be served in key locations around the city provided by his men. Already preparations were underway with large bonfires being constructed for cooks to prepare meals on, tables being constructed, and ale and wine being carted in from nearby villages and towns.

Still as he talked to the men he kept a close eye on his new bride and he smiled often at her as he saw her enjoying herself. he did not have much time to talk to her as he was kept busy talking to this lord and that lady as they were paraded before him as the feasts dishes came and went and the entertainment began. Most were polite, some more enthusiastic than others, and some barely spoke a word.

He played his part. He looked grim at them and in some cases openly snarled and chuckled as one lady actually squealed and ran from him. Finally he had a moment to himself and he felt Onya's hand on his arm and he turned to her. She gazed at him and then her hand slid into his lap and a cheeky smile lit her face up as she leaned closer and whispered to him, "I can't wait to get naked with you."

Baldr chuckled along with her and leaned in and his own hand cupped her mound as he whispered back, "I believe my wife will be walking funny for several days after tonight, but she must be patient."

While Baldr had been drinking he was not nearly as drunk as his wife, but he was no less eager to get her back to their room. Yet he knew they must endure several more hours before they would be allowed to leave. Of course that did not mean he could not have some fun while waiting.

During the next hour he made sure to lean over her to talk to both Stella and several other people, each time placing his hand in her lap and tickling her mound or brushing her breasts and nipples, but showing no reaction when he did. He also walked around the room with her, placing his hand on her shoulder or hip normally, but occasionally allowing it to glide down to her ass to caress it through her dress.

Finally they were able to excuse themselves and they practically ran to their room and ripped their clothes off and jumped into bed. Their first round of lovemaking was animalistic as they threw themselves at each other, desperate to experience what they had been teasing each other with all night.

After a short break they went again, this time slower and more passionately as they enjoyed themselves, and finally just as the sun came up, they went for round three, exploring each others bodies, before ending up in each others arms crying out in pleasure before sleeping until well into the day.