Princess Helga, the Great Beauty of the North

Count Anton was a small, fragile-looking old man. Whether or not he was once a great warrior, you couldn't really tell. His muscles have shrunk with age, and his bald head had very few wisps of white hair. His castle was not impressive in size but not quite small either. It has been filled with several hearths and tapestries all meant to reduce the unforgiving cold. Count Anton is Princess Helga's greatgranduncle, you've been told; that explains just why the old man seems so frail. He was the granduncle of Helga's mother.

Count Anton's old face brightens up when you tell him you are there to see Helga. "Oh good!" He says through nearly toothless gums. Time had not been kind to his teeth much like your granduncle Hermann. "My dear greatgrandnieshe Helga hash been waiting for an eligible shuitor shuch ash yourshelf." He then turns his gaze to Eliza and the guards behind you. "But my dear Helga, she prefersh to meet one on one. She doeshn't do well in groupsh" he says noticeably uncomfortable.

"Is she intimidated by groups?" you ask.

"Oh no!" he says, waving his brittle arms in front of himself. "Shesh jusht, well, eccentric. It only takesh time to get ushed to her, um, shtrong pershonality" He smiles awkwardly, hoping for a change of topic.

"Very well," you say, "I'll go alone." He visibly relaxes but you're not done talking, "But Eliza comes with me. She needs to be there." You stress.

Anton sighs knowing he can't change your mind on the matter with Eliza and leads you away from your party down a short hallway. He comes to a thick wooden door. "Helga dear!" he yells, knocking on the door. "A dishtinguished young man ish here to shee you! A king!"

There is silence for a moment. "Send him in" an unimpassioned but attractively feminine voice says from behind the door. He pulls the door open and lets you and Eliza in.

At the desk sits a young woman. Your heart skips a beat, your breath stills and stop in your tracks as you begin to comprehend the wonderful sight in front of you. Sitting before you and Eliza is beyond a doubt the most beautiful woman of your eyes have ever been gifted to behold. Light, straight platinum blonde hair goes almost down to the floor from her seated position. She is tall and slender woman, her features seem extremely delicate and feminine but with a confident posture. Her skin like porcelain. Her lips a healthy red. Her heavy breasts, narrow waist and abundant hips are contained tightly within her dress. She turns to look at you with her beautiful crystal blue eyes, almost like living sapphires.

So this is the beauty, Dietrich said, that she inherited from her mother. The sole thing detracting from her beauty is her cold frown. If the mere act of looking could kill, this woman would be excellent with it. Princess is not the correct term to call her. Ice Queen is better suited. You are starting to understand your host's nervousness, and perhaps eagerness to see her married off.

"I did not expected to be visited by a King." She says, "let alone be visited with his wife. Please take a sit." She offers not even gesturing to you and Eliza before turning her head back to its original position. "So why have you come?" She asks, "I don't suppose you are here to offer me marriage considering you are already with a wife." She speaks while not even sparing you a glance.

"Princess Helga, it is common etiquette and good manners to look at the persons you are speaking to." Eliza retorts. Helga doesn't turn her head but she does narrow her eyes. "Also, while my King is married. He is not married to me. No, he is married to another whom I may say honestly isn't all the beautiful compared to either you or I."

"Eliza, we are not here to comment about my wife's outward appearance." You nearly hiss at her. You then speak to Helga who is yet to turn her back to you, "I've read up on the ways and customs of the Northern Kingdoms. The men are allowed to marry only one wife. For men like your father, his marriage was mainly for the purposes of a political alliance. While a wife is for political gains, they can take as many concubines provided their wealth and station can allow it for the pleasure and fun. This is not so different with how we do it. The key difference here is that unlike us, children born from concubines such as yourself are legally entitled to the same rights and privileges as the children of the wife. It doesn't change the fact that children of concubines are just that. A certain amount of their pride is reduced."

It is then Helga turns around to see you. "That is... astounding to hear from you. So you read up on my people and our ways." You nod. She continues, "Quite frankly, I prefer your ways better. One wife, one line of descent. The illicit dalliances of your men are just that, illicit, giving no legal claim to the offspring. Far from a perfect system but so much better than mine. My people cannot consolidate any gains. Anything a man wins in his life is divided between a whole brood, and no progress is made. What is not reduced to a pittance is squandered through internecine fighting." Her voice is full of conviction; she has likely thought on this a great deal. You try to read her, but she is almost completely emotionless besides the occasional flash of scorn. "Why have you come here? You cannot offer me a marriage. You already are."

"Quite true. I cannot offer marriage but I can offer an alliance. I will help you reclaim your father's lands. You have the right to your father's lands just as any of your half-siblings. You simply lack the means. Well I have the men, the swords, the ships to help do just that. I am aware that your father has done the rather splendid job of breaking ties with the other Northern Kingdoms."

Helga rolls her eyes, "He has. Some of half-siblings are born from concubines from the other Kingdoms. The chances of them being offered helped by their mothers' countrymen are low."

"Exactly. So aside from any stupid decisions or any sort of strategic and tactical brilliance from your half-siblings, reclaiming your father's land will... not be so challenging." Saying it would be easy is just an invitation for misfortune to come.

"But what do you want? You can't possibly be doing this out of the goodness of your heart." Helga demands.

"I will explain that if you don't mind." Eliza speaks up, "Princess, this is what we offer. We shall hand you our assistance in reclaiming your father's lands and putting you in power. But your Kingdom will join Ostgrenze. I'm not referring to a political alliance. No, I mean your land will officially become part of Ostgrenze. You'll have to give up your crown and your title as Queen if we succeed."

"I beg your pardon." Helga softly snarls. Her frown deepening. Eliza smirks, "I'm not done yet. Aside from going from Queen to maybe Arch or Grand Duchess, you'll also have to bear his child." Eliza gestures to you.

She stands up a bit violently, "If this is some kind of ploy-"

But you interrupt her, "No ploy." You say calmly. "This is our offer. Our help but you must join my Kingdom and bear my child. Our child will then be the sole inheritor of your land and will succeed you as the new Arch or Grand Duke of the Arch/Grand Duchy of Daynland."

"Of all the audacity!" Helga nearly yells. From Queen to Duchess, that just didn't seat well with her. "You're just like my father. He was a married man. My mother was set to marry another. But he come upon her and decided to take her for his own. I refuse to become just some concubine to another King!"

"Oh don't be too upset, Princess Helga." Eliza stands up. She rubs her belly to emphasize the small bulge on her dress. "I was given the offer too. I accepted. But you're wrong. This man, this king," Eliza gestures to you again, "is nothing like your father. We have gave me this offer he made it clear that once the child is conceived, we needn't lay with each other again. I didn't have to be his concubine and I certainly am not now. I am his lover though. We made sweet love on the ship ride on the way here. This child inside me," She rubs her belly again, "I don't regret it. I love it already. If you accept our offer, your child and your child alone will inherit your lands when you are gone."

"And I swear on that," You say strongly and resolutely. "Our child will be a bastard but I can legitimize it. Our child will be the sole inheritor of your lands. No one else." You pause for breath. "I'm sure this is all rather too large to swallow. Princess Helga, we did not come here to insult or mock you. This is a genuine offer. You are more than welcome to refuse. Duchess Eliza was." You pause for second. "As well as make a counter offer. Isn't that how negotiations work?" You beam her a sincere smile.

(switching's note: special kudos once again to crunchyspag whose original chapter provide the base for this one.)