The first noble daughter to be born was Viola Quartermaine.

Her parents were Mauricio and Isabella. Their marriage had been arranged. Before the wedding, Mauricio had confessed to Isabella that he intended to pursue Romance ouside of their marriage, as that was the kind of man he was. He did this as a courtesy, to allow Isabella the opportunity to cancel their nuptials if she could not accept this.

“I know that men like you can not be tied down”, Isabella said. “I will look the other way – but I have two requests. One, you must never bring shame onto our house. Two, you must not flaunt any children you conceive outside of our marriage. I was brought up with my father’s bastard children, and I won’t subject my children to that”.

“Very well”, Mauricio consented. And so they were wed. They were well-matched to each other – very sociable, and gracious hosts. Mauricio discovered that Isabella meant what she had said about ignoring his affairs. She was a very nice wife indeed, and he felt lucky to have her. As long as he fulfilled her two requests, she was very sweet and accomodating.

Isabella loved being a mother. Like most new mothers, she couldn’t help celebrating the beauty and wonder of her firstborn. She invited the other noble ladies, Elizabeth Spencer and Melisande Cassadine, over to meet her new babe.

Isabella had heard that Melisande went a little crazy after the birth of her son – her heart had been set on having a daughter. It was said that she stayed in her bed for days. In the thrill of new motherhood, Isabella carelessly could not help showing off little Viola to Melisande.

“Isn’t she just the prettiest thing?” Isabella crowed.”I’m so happy that she got my eyes – that’ s why we named her Viola”.

“She – does have beautiful eyes”, Melisande said carefully. “But whatever is that dreadful mark on her thigh?”

“Oh, that’s the Quartermaine birthmark”, Isabella explained. “See how it’s shaped like a star? Every Quartermaine has one”.

Years later, Isabella would have cause to regret showing off her daughter to Melisande. But in this moment, she was simply insulted that Melisande perceived a flaw in her utterly perfect baby.

And such a perfect baby she was! Isabella was very proud of her pretty little girl.

Knowing that a male heir was needed, Isabella easily and happily became pregnant again. It did not escape her attention that their maid, Ailbe Emmet, was pregnant. Ailbe gave birth to a son that she named Ronald.

Noticing Mauricio’s intense interest in the child, Isabella knew that she had to examine the baby. And there it was. The Quartermaine birthmark.

She sought a private moment with her husband.

“Mauricio, you must send Ailbe and her child away.”

“Why, darling wife? Is she too distracted by Ronald to do her duties?”

“We struck a deal when we were married, husband. I’ve seen that the baby bears your birthmark and I cannot shelter him in my house.”

Mauricio sighed. He would have liked to keep his firstborn son under his roof. But Isabella had been true to her word that she would not stop him from being with other women, and he would not dishonour his family name.

Ailbe was not so understanding. She was furious that Mauricio chose his wife over her. She declared that she hated him, and he would never see her or his son again. She packed her bags and fled to her brother’s house – the house of the local witch. There, her kin gladly gave them shelter.

She should have been queen. From the day she was born, her parents centred their lives around her. They taught her all the social graces, all the the right people to know, all the right things to say. They neglected to teach her compassion. Or common sense.
She was not brought up to know failure, only entitlement. And they told her that it was her destiny to marry Prince Frederic, there was no other woman that he could ask. No other woman as beautiful and cultured as her. It was simply a matter of time.

So Melisande became his friend in childhood, to make his acquaintance as soon as possible. And she told herself that she liked him. Melisande felt that she could be herself in his company. She gossiped and told him every dirty little secret she knew. She made up a few about the women she thought were her rivals.

It was puzzling that Frederic never made any romantic overtures towards her. But perhaps that was just good breeding. So Melisande bided her time and refused any other suitor. It was just a matter of time.

When Frederic was made king of New Edinburgh, Melisande thought that he would ask for her hand in marriage then. After all, she was the only unmarried noblewoman left in their kingdom.

Melisande never considered that he would marry someone from another kingdom. She was shocked and wounded when he married Kathleen, from another kingdom. It was all his father’s doing, Melisande thought savagely.

And since she had chased off every other man, Melisande found herself pushed into an arranged marriage. “You can not stay unmarried while Frederic has a wife”, her mother scolded. And so Melisande married Gregor Cassadine, and pretended to be happy. Even though she wasn’t.

She didn’t like Gregor. But he did want to move to New Edinburgh, and Melisande was eager to be there. To be near Frederic. Maybe – maybe, if she couldn’t be his wife, she could be his mistress. Or maybe Kathleen would die in childbirth or something.

So she socialized with the royals as often as possible, never noticing that the invitations were more and more infrequent.

It was disappointing that Kathleen survived childbirth quite nicely, and gave birth to Prince Geoffrey. While the royal couple cooed over their babe, Melisande plotted. She would give birth too – to a daughter. If she couldn’t be queen, she would be the mother of one.

<>

So Melisande became very willing to share her bed with Gregor – until her belly swelled.

The deed done, Melisande coldly told Gregor not to touch her again, until she was ready to provide him with a son. This baby was going to be a girl.

Gregor shrugged, and brought in a servant girl, to “help” Melisande. The girl was named Marisa, a local peasant who had fallen on hard times. Melisande despised her at first sight.

She was of some help – but not much after her own belly swelled in pregnancy. She swore that Benjamin Long was the only man she’d lain with – and the math was correct. Melisande knew that Gregor couldn’t be the father … this time.

Meanwhile, Melisande tried to get closer to Frederic. Tired of waiting for him to make an overture, she made one to him.

Frederic firmly told her to stop such “nonsense” – he loved his wife, not her, and she should pay more attention to her husband. And then he left.

Furious, Melisande became more and more determined that she was carrying a daughter. A beautiful little girl, just like her, whom she would love forever and who would marry Geoffrey. For some reason, her public insistence that she was carrying a girl amused Marisa.

All of the noble families were due to have children at the same time. It pleased Melisande to hear that the Spencers had a new son, Alexander – less competition for her soon-to-be-born daughter. Who would become Queen, no matter what.

Shortly thereafter, Melisande went into labour. Painful, messy, awful labour. Instead of being helpful, that stupid Marisa levitated in panic.

Finally, her ordeal was over. Melisande was handed her infant, and she was ready to announce the name she had chosen for her daughter.

Only – the midwife announced that she given birth to a son. A boy. Shocked and hurt, Melisande handed her child to Gregor, and said, “Here. You wanted a son, you raise him”, and took to her bed. Where she promptly burst into tears.

She could not be budged from her bed. Gregor tried bringing her the child, whom he’d named Ciaran. Melisande refused to look at him.

Later on, Marisa brought her a tray of food, and news that she was only too happy to share. Isabella Quartermaine, another noblewoman, had also given birth that day. To a daughter, named Viola.

Melisande threw Marisa out of the room and pulled the covers over her head. What would she do next?

<>Frederic continued to be charmed by his young wife. As a youngest daughter, she hadn’t been expected to take a throne, so she had some things to learn. But she was always inquisitive, and eager to fulfill all of her roles as queen, including that of mother.

She was a virgin as expected and to Frederic’s delight, her curiousity extended to the royal bedchamber. It seemed that she was determined to be an expert at everything.

Kathleen did have a lot to learn about being a queen. She studied her books to help design their castle, but some things can not be learned from written words. Kathleen seemed to be a genius at seating the wrong people next to each other at banquets, she killed all the plants by overwatering them, and was generally considered a little too outspoken, when it came to running the kingdom.

But she was also charming and clearly eager to please, and most of her subjects adored her. Rather than scolding her, Frederic suggested that she seek the assistance of the noble families that had accompanied them to New Edinburgh.

The Spencers were already good friends. Frederic had been a boyhood chum of Lukas Spencer, and had introduced Lukas to his future bride, Elizabeth. The two young lovebirds had willingly followed Frederic to these new lands, eager to leave behind some complicated family ties.

The Spencers spent many hours with Kathleen, coaching her on some of the finer points of noble society. Lukas became Frederic’s most trusted advisor, and a very close friend.

All that “education” in the royal bedchamber had a natural consequence – Kathleen very quickly became pregnant. Frederic worried about his delicate wife, but she handled her pregnancy and childbirth lke a champion.

The news quickly spread throughout the kingdom – a son! All hail Prince Geoffrey!

Also very friendly with the royal Stewarts were the Quartermaines. Mauricio and Isabella were very sociable and had the best parties and balls. They had an arranged marriage that worked very well for them. Mauricio was a skilled soldier who would keep the kingdom’s army in good shape and ready for anything.

There was one more noble family in New Edinburgh, another arranged marriage. Frederic had not wanted to bring this couple to his kingdom, but had been overruled.

Sure, Gregor Cassadine was a fine man, and he was the best financial advisor that a king could ask for. Such a shame that he’d lost his left hand in battle. It was his wife that Frederic never wanted to see again. Melisande.

He was the second youngest son and had been brought up as heir – despite having a very healthy older brother.

Through a brief war, his father won control of a newly discovered province. There were a few “townies”, but nobody from his kingdom resident in the lands. His father, having noted Frederic’s strengths as a quiet but effective leader, granted him the new lands, to be known as New Edinburgh.

“There is just one problem, my son”, the king said. “You have no wife to serve as your queen.”

Frederic had many choices. Two were of noble blood.One he knew, and one he had never met.
His childhood chum, Melisande, was unspoken for. She was beautiful, of noble birth, and Frederic knew her well. If he married her, he would not be marrying a stranger.

Yes, Frederic knew her well. She put forth the appearance of a perfect lady – but beneath her mask, she was vindictive and judgemental, and nakedly ambitious. He knew that Melisande expected to be his bride – in fact, she had rejected many suitors, waiting for his proposal. Frederic had no strong desire to propose – it would be like marrying an ice sculpture. Pretty, but very, very cold.

His father wished for Frederic to marry the youngest daughter of a neighbouring king. She was newly of age to be married. All Frederic knew of the Princess Kathleen was that she was barely adult and had a deep abiding passion for learning. It was rumoured that she would be sent to a convent, too deep inside books to be a suitable mate. He supposed she was a plain thing, probably too ugly to be married off.

Ever since it was announced that he would be a king, Frederic had been besieged by all types of females. All eager for the crown, and not for him. Melisande sat back and waited, coolly confident that she would soon join him in matrimony. Her smugness was unbearable.

Frederic decided to see Kathleen for himself. The kings arranged that he would visit her at her father’s castle. At Frederic’s request, he donned the garb of a simple peasant for his first meeting with Kathleen. The last thing he wanted was another crown-hungry wench.

Frederic introduced himself to the girl – nay, the woman. The blush of youth was blooming on her face, but there was an intelligence to her that belied her age. And her looks – why, she wasn’t plain at all. Perhaps she appeared very serious and sombre to the casual observer, but Frederic soon discovered she had the cutest dimples when she smiled…

They talked all night, at their first meeting. It was a new experience to speak with such a well-read woman, and Frederic found that tantalizing. It wasn’t just that she had good manners and breeding and had the credentials to be a queen – she was fascinating. She was funny and observant and very good company.

He regretfully took his leave, promising to meet her again the next night.

And indeed he showed up as promised – having spoken with her father, and changed into his own clothing. Her father introduced him as Prince Frederic – and left them alone to talk.

Kathleen looked at him silently, looking irritated at being fooled. Frederic hastily stammered out his explanation – about how he was tired of everyone wanting to marry a king, not the man he was, and he just wanted to meet a nice girl who wasn’t impressed by his title and she was a nice girl, very pretty, in fact, and smart too, and he liked that in a woman, only he hadn’t known he had liked that in a woman until he met her, and he was really, really, really sorry that he had fooled her and he hoped she would forgive him and marry him and he would always be honest with her and she could bring all her books with her if she liked.

It was the longest speech Frederic had ever made without drawing a single breath. He breathed, and waited for her reply.

Kathleen continued to stare at him … and then dimples appeared, quite beyond her control.

“Me? You want to marry me? The bookworm? And I can bring all my books?”

Frederic shyly reached for her hands – and she shyly reached for his.

“I – I will marry you, if that is your wish”. She smiled, with a twinkle in her eyes. “And not just because I don’t want to be sent to the convent if I refuse.”

As Frederic gaped, she leaned in and whispered, “And if you ever fool me again, I won’t be so forgiving!” and kissed his cheek.

Frederic realized that having Kathleen as his wife could be quite a lot more interesting than he’d imagined!

And thus it was that Kathleen agreed to marry Frederic and be his queen, and move with him to the new kingdom of New Edinburgh. With all of her books.