The Cursed Tyrant and His Reluctant Queen

Marchioness Crasso is a good teacher. She's easy to understand, and she doesn't waste time on useless details.

Only when she sees I'm curious does she slow down to answer my questions.

Most of the time, her lessons are interesting. Some things I already knew while some I'm discovering as she speaks. However, it doesn't take much to obtain her approval.

Either she's easy to impress, or this is a tactic to motivate her pupils. Still, I prefer being praised to cold observations about how I'm reaching the goal of the course.

History is my favourite subject. Maybe it's because we don't talk about real history. I already know enough about it, apparently.

What I learn during history lessons is all about gossip. Different kinds of gossip but still...

We even sit in front of a cup of tea, and the Marchioness takes the chance to correct some of my old habits. She says it's nothing major but, in the capital, it could attract attention.

«As expected, your knowledge is broad in most subjects,» she says one day.

After talking about so many topics, I'm not even sure anymore if we were just conversing, revising, or it was a test.

«Certainly, your current education is more than enough to take on yourself the duties of a Queen.»

I raise my brows, surprised.

This praise is a little exaggerated. Is this what people call flattery?

«The only lacking aspect is etiquette,» she continues.

Oh, good. It's not flattery.

«We will focus on etiquette for the time being.»

I nod, pretending to have a saying into it.

«I just want to be clear, my Lady. I won't be teaching you etiquette because you lack manners or because you'll need something specific when you go to the capital. My goal isn't to show you how to behave. There's very little a Queen needs to know about the protocol, and you'll be instructed by the officers of the Protocol Cabinet when the time comes. My purpose is to make sure you recognise when someone else is openly showing disrespect.»

I nod again, sipping my warm tea. Without moving my eyes away from the Marchioness, I use my magic to make it hot again. Not as much as to cause steam, though. That would be suspicious and noticeable.

«After our lessons, you will be able to notice and correct when other people think they can avoid being courteous with you, my Lady.»

«Can I ask you a question about this, Marchioness?»

«Yes, of course.»

«Am I even allowed to call you like this, right now? I am not Queen. I have no title until the coronation, right?»

«For the moment being, you're the King's Consort. You're in between a Duke and the Royal Family. You can call me Marchioness, indeed.»

«Is a Consort even a thing?» I murmur. «I heard it before, but I'm not sure where... Maybe history lessons?»

«In Alba, it's not very used. However, other countries have the title of Consort for the King's wife when she is not crowned. It happens, sometimes. Reasons can vary, but they're mostly political or bureaucratic.»

«Like a previous marriage, for example?»

«Like that, yes.»

«But being married before the coronation isn't a problem?»

«In your case, it is not. Your husband is the King, after all.»

«So, right now, I'm Lady Veronica Nerva, Consort of the King.»

«Correct,» she replies with a smile. «Shall we start with the lessons?»

«Is there a Dowager Queen?» I inquire, instead.

We'll have weeks to learn how to scold people later. For now, I want to know more about Ignis's family. His real family.

«There are two. The Queen Dowager, the late King's wife. And the late King's mother, the Queen Dowager Grandmother.»

«So, the mother of the King survived the coup...» I comment.

Oh, well, I guess no amount of hate can make a child hurt his own mother. I wouldn't hurt my father either, no matter the reason. But I didn't live through what Ignis bore for years.

«The Queen Dowager isn't his Majesty, the King's mother,» the Marchioness points out.

It's most probably the first bit of information I have from the start of this whole story.

«She... isn't?»

«Correct. The Queen Dowager gave birth to the First Prince, at the time, the Crown Prince.»

«And who is my husband's mother?»

«She died when he was a child. She was a maid of the Palace. Some rumours say the Queen Dowager tried to poison the child and caused the death of the mother, but those are just rumours. I don't think the Queen Dowager feared his Majesty enough to commit such an act.»

«The other Queen Dowager is Ignis's... I mean, King Aurelius's grandmother, right?»

«Yes, she is.»

So, not just that he was a second son. He also was born out of wedlock. All of a sudden, his words about never having mistresses and children from other women have a different meaning.

«Do you think the King's birth mother was poisoned?»

«It is only my opinion, but it might have been the case. Even though her life in the Palace wasn't easy.»

«And... How did the late King react? After all, there were talks about his wife poisoning a maid.»

«The late King didn't care. His Majesty, King Aurelius, was sent far from the Palace.»

«Is that when he came to Narith?»

«He spent a fair amount of time with the Falco family. The Count's wife died as well a few months before his Majesty's mother. I guess they grieved together.»

So, this must be the reason why Ignis considers Fernard Falco as his brother.

«There's one thing I can't understand, though.»

«Yes?»

«I'm not sure I'm allowed to ask.»

«Oh, you should, my Lady. There are many things you don't know, especially regarding the Royal Family. It's important you clear all your doubts before going to the capital. And even then, I suggest you ask his Majesty when you're unclear about something. I'm sure he will be glad to explain.»

«Oh then...» I murmur.

If I can ask, there's this thing that I can't stop thinking of now that I've heard about the Queen Dowager, Ignis's stepmother.

«How come my husband killed his father and brother but left his stepmother alive. Even more, she's the woman said to have killed his mother.»

«His Majesty did not kill his family members,» the Marchioness points out, tilting her head. «Has my Lady thought that rumour to be true all this time?»

«Yes?» I moan, immediately losing focus from this very conversation.

Have I ever said something about it in front of Ignis? How harsh was I?

Did I hurt him?

In the end, not just that I know nothing of him, but I also misunderstood him right from the start. From when I said that King Aurelius was a brute and a killer.

«What happened?»

«It was a coup. Middle-tier nobles and their knights attacked the Palace and killed the King. They kept the Crown Prince prisoner with the intention of negotiating more power for themselves in exchange for the throne but an incident caused his Highness's death. As a result, his Majesty was crowned King even if he wasn't a legitimate son. He was recalled from war, and the coronation took place immediately after the funerals.»

«And the Queen Dowager wasn't hurt in all of this?»

«I can't know what exactly happened with her.»

«And the nobles?»

«Most of them are dead by now. The last few tried surging against his Majesty a month ago.»

«It's when we left,» I sigh.

«That's correct. The Royal Guards cleaned the Palace from the rebels and hunted down the last remains of that group. Yet, it's not safe to assume no more enemies survived the cleansing.»

And through all of this, Ignis was alone. He had his few loyal advisors and even fewer friends while fighting for a place he didn't ask for.

«Please, tell me about it. Tell me all about his Majesty's first months of reign.»

«We were supposed to talk about etiquette,» the Marchioness complains.

«I know, but I feel it's more important to know what happened back then. I can survive if I don't know which knife to use to cut the beef. It will be harder if I have no clue about the happenings before my arrival.»

«You're wise, my Lady,» she replies. «It's a pleasure to be teaching you and an honour.»

«Oh, please, I am grateful for all the help. I would be completely lost at this time if it weren't for you.»

«We can talk about the past while training etiquette,» she offers, smiling like an aunt tricking children.

«No way we can skip it?» I murmur.

«No way. That's what I'm here for.»

I sigh, opening the book she handed me earlier today. It's the short version of the Palace protocol.

Who bows to whom and how deep. Who can call people by name, and who strictly need to use the title.

Boring, useless stuff.. Oh, but at least, I'll take the chance and learn more about Ignis this way.