SEVERUSMAX
Benevolent Master
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2004
- Posts
- 28,995
King Marcian II of the great Kingdom of Lamont sat on his regal throne, one that was now a thousand years of age, and he felt as old as his seat. The sixth king of his great dynasty, he felt that he had proven himself worthy of his ancestors, but he was a bit annoyed with his new Queen. She might be pretty and charming, but she was also as nosy and gossipy as possible.
His mistresses were fine, but they were usually of the lower classes, largely because he disliked most of the ladies at court these days. They were usually either merchant's daughters or peasant wenches, whom he gave a title and estate, chiefly to ensure that any bastards from his seed did well and to end the liaisons on a pleasant note. He was an unusual king in that he hated the troubadours, the courtly love nonsense, and all of that servile rubbish.
He wasn't about to grovel to some vain, silly, ignorant noblewoman. He hated the tournaments, only tolerating them for show. Many a foolish king, like his father, had been done in by them. They were a waste of life, blood, health, and treasure. He was tired of this nonsense of vainglorious knights, begging for a lady's favor to wear while they rashly jousted and got impaled on some other idiot's lance.
No, his pleasures were hunting, drinking, fencing, feasting, wenching, reading, and balls.....especially masqued balls, no matter how much the clergy denounced them for their rampant lechery. That was the whole fun of the enterprise, the very point of the masquerade.....lechery with some stranger who might actually be your baron's wife....or your own daughter.....yes, now that was jolly good fun.
He stroked his beard at that point.....his favorite daughter, his bastard daughter, Countess Julianne. Just turned 18, and quite the most sensible of the lot. She was pretty, just as her half-sisters were....given their mothers, that was no shock. But whereas his two previous wives were both treacherous and had to be put to death for their ambitious treason, her mother was a humble midwife who had been exalted to the heights of nobility by his good graces for her role in saving the lives of more than queen and royal mistress. Julianne was very much like her mother, but had some of her father's gregariousness as well.
How better to seduce her then through a means in which she would not know it was him? Then, when the deed was done, he could reveal himself and perhaps indulge himself with her blessing. Surely, she was above such petty platitudes as those preached against incest. There was surely no harm in it, despite the pious sermons of the friars and priests.
Yes, he would do it.....for the first time in a long time...
The King summoned his royal herald.....
"Announce a royal masque here at the palace for tomorrow night at sunset. Let all the princes and nobles of the realm, and their families, attend. Let them know that there will be plenty of music, drinking, feasting, and of course, dancing...."
There, it was done. Now to set about his costume. If he planned and executed this well, he could find the most taboo mistress of all: his own daughter.
His mistresses were fine, but they were usually of the lower classes, largely because he disliked most of the ladies at court these days. They were usually either merchant's daughters or peasant wenches, whom he gave a title and estate, chiefly to ensure that any bastards from his seed did well and to end the liaisons on a pleasant note. He was an unusual king in that he hated the troubadours, the courtly love nonsense, and all of that servile rubbish.
He wasn't about to grovel to some vain, silly, ignorant noblewoman. He hated the tournaments, only tolerating them for show. Many a foolish king, like his father, had been done in by them. They were a waste of life, blood, health, and treasure. He was tired of this nonsense of vainglorious knights, begging for a lady's favor to wear while they rashly jousted and got impaled on some other idiot's lance.
No, his pleasures were hunting, drinking, fencing, feasting, wenching, reading, and balls.....especially masqued balls, no matter how much the clergy denounced them for their rampant lechery. That was the whole fun of the enterprise, the very point of the masquerade.....lechery with some stranger who might actually be your baron's wife....or your own daughter.....yes, now that was jolly good fun.
He stroked his beard at that point.....his favorite daughter, his bastard daughter, Countess Julianne. Just turned 18, and quite the most sensible of the lot. She was pretty, just as her half-sisters were....given their mothers, that was no shock. But whereas his two previous wives were both treacherous and had to be put to death for their ambitious treason, her mother was a humble midwife who had been exalted to the heights of nobility by his good graces for her role in saving the lives of more than queen and royal mistress. Julianne was very much like her mother, but had some of her father's gregariousness as well.
How better to seduce her then through a means in which she would not know it was him? Then, when the deed was done, he could reveal himself and perhaps indulge himself with her blessing. Surely, she was above such petty platitudes as those preached against incest. There was surely no harm in it, despite the pious sermons of the friars and priests.
Yes, he would do it.....for the first time in a long time...
The King summoned his royal herald.....
"Announce a royal masque here at the palace for tomorrow night at sunset. Let all the princes and nobles of the realm, and their families, attend. Let them know that there will be plenty of music, drinking, feasting, and of course, dancing...."
There, it was done. Now to set about his costume. If he planned and executed this well, he could find the most taboo mistress of all: his own daughter.
