The Reason for Marriage - Chapter 4.2

The King, her now-husband, came into the chamber with a rather tired face. Iveca faced him without changing her facial expression, or letting her body betray her mind. Daniel sat across from her and smiled.  

“You worked hard today. You should be proud of yourself.”

 They had performed ceremonies in front of the crowd in uncomfortable yet colorful outfits, had their first dance at the celebration party, and received all kinds of greetings and gifts throughout the day. The whole time, Iveca had not let her smile drop but now, in the quiet of the palace, she showed extraordinarily little. 

“We are supposed to be planning a honeymoon right now, though I hardly think the climate is one for a holiday, wouldn’t you agree?”

“It’s okay.”

Iveca sighed before she could stop it. She was spared having to explain herself to a curious Daniel by the arrival of the ladies-in-waiting, who had brought tea for them both. Iveca knew that custom dictated she serve the first tea of their marriage, and she had been forced rather unwillingly to practice it repeatedly. As if she did not know how to serve tea. But again, she wore a smile through it. The easier she made things, the easier they would be going forward, she reasoned. She lowered the pot with a trembling hand, while Daniel stared at her with his chin resting on his own hand.

It is quite unnatural to have him gazing at me, thought Iveca. She had returned the looks as much as she could, smiling sweetly enough to at least give the appearance of affection for him throughout the whole wedding. But now, the privacy of just the two of them left her feeling rattled by the looks he gave her.

Drinking the tea that she handed him, he opened his mouth gently and spoke. 

“Typically, the Queen attends meetings of the royal or aristocratic families.”

Iveca nodded.

“I do not wish for you to attend these meetings.”

Without her knowing, Iveca looked at him in surprise. He spoke slowly.

“I do not want you becoming involved with any political affair. I hope you can understand my reason for this.”

Iveca knew, of course. It is not possible for employees of affiliated organizations to express their political preferences, and she was still an employee of the Bureau of Investigation. There was nothing wrong with Daniel’s comments, only the facts, but it was the delivery of the remarks that left Iveca feeling a little nervous.

‘You are just a superficial Queen that is going to be used.’

Like magic, Anriq’s words echoed in her mind. Looking at his sweet smile, Iveca lowered her eyes for a moment. Well, it was hardly a normal marriage in the first place. If the King liked her status as an employee of an affiliated organization, she couldn’t help it. 

“Is there anything, anything at all, that you wish to be involved with politically, Iveca? If so, please tell me. There may be something that I need to know.”

Iveca bowed her head with a bitter expression. Her father would, of course, want her to attend the meetings and express an opinion. Not her opinion, but Count Esselburn’s. She had no political convictions herself, but she knew that her father would use her as a mouthpiece at the first chance he got.  

However, Iveca was quick to work out something her father might provide an advantage to her for. Her position as Queen was likely precarious, to say the least. However, her noble father held sway within the political sphere, and he was sure to want her in her position as long as possible. He would help her, even if it were for his own ends. However, the King’s intention to break her away from any political matters might make this more difficult. 

“I’d like to ask for something from you, Iveca. It’s a task I know you will do well at.”

It was a friendly but confident tone. His blue eyes were staring at her as if he could pierce her with them. Her hands shook again and started to sweat. What choice did she really have? 

“I’ll cut to the chase, Iveca. I want us to produce an heir as soon as possible.”

Iveca nearly choked on her tea. Of all the things he could have asked, this was not what she had been expecting. He ignored her reaction, however, and continued. 

“At the moment, there are only two people in the royal palace with the surname of ‘Amethane’. Myself, of course, and Giselle.”

Iveca bit her lower lip. Giselle was the daughter of Daniel’s brother William, Daniel’s niece, and the only child William had produced before his death.

“A child… was this all you ever wanted from me?”

Daniel shook his head. “It seems you don’t know why the tragedy of this Queen’s Palace began. A product of your memory being erased.”

Iveca had only heard small amounts of the tale, and any more she wasn’t exactly chomping at the bit to hear. It was a gruesome affair; Daniel’s mother, the then Queen, died horribly at the hands of a concubine belonging to Daniel’s father. William had died at the hands of the only princess, and the second prince disappeared after being accused of murder. The Princess herself, after William’s death, had married a lord of a distant foreign province, effectively severing her claim to the throne completely.

“If I were to die at this point,” Daniel continued again, “Giselle would ascend the throne. She is four years old, so obviously an unacceptable course. Giselle’s mother, Roseley, represents the conservative aristocrats. Who knows how badly that would turn out, and how quickly it could destroy any semblance of balance I have managed to achieve in my time as King. However, if I had an heir of my own, the throne passes directly to them.”

Iveca’s head was spinning. She hardly heard the next words from his mouth, merely mumbling what he had already said under her breath in a vain attempt to make it seem true. She felt his blue eyes on here again and looked up into them, a sea of blue that was doing an excellent job of drowning her.