Anna's new love

12 September 1068 "Why do we have to leave Emberlin?" Anna complained to her brother Aaron. Anna was the type of girl who loved shoes, dresses, jewelry and all that was shiny. She did not want to go to a strange new land where people would face many hardships. She did not want to say goodbye to all her friends, especially to Thomas. No, Anna loved life among the nobles of Emberlin and did not wish to leave. And why should they? Only her father had betrayed the king and he had died during the first battle. Surely, King Harold would not punish her for her father's mistakes? She realized then her brother had not answered her question. She looked up from the shirt she had been embroidering and soon wished she hadn't. For she found herself looking into the dark blue eyes of the Duchess of Wellington, her mother.

"We are leaving because we are cousins to the king. And though are bodies pulse with the blood of ancient kings we are broke. Thanks to your father the great fool," said Catherine dryly. "Also this increases the odds of you getting a glorious marriage."
"How? I would be married to a traitor. For the island will be full of nothing but traitors and most likely I would be married to a broke traitor." Besides none could be as handsome as Thomas ,Anna silently added.
"You know that John will be King of this new country and he is how old?"
"Fifteen, soon to be sixteen."
"And your age is?"
"Sixteen."
Her mother looked expectantly at Anna as if the reason for their move should now be obivous. It wasn't. Anna had no clue what her mother was getting at. She lifted her shoulders in a helpless shrug and her mother blinked rapidly several times.

Catherine's face fell as she registered Anna's puzzled look. "Mon Dieu! Comment mon plan de réussir si elle repose sur une fille folle." She murmured angrily. "I hope to marry you to John." Catherine turned sharply her black skirt flaring out around her as she left the room. For a moment Anna fancied that death in its black robes had visited her and had decided not to kill her. Not out of mercy but because Death foresaw Anna would participate in a dark tragedy that he would find immensely amusing. The feeling soon past and a new fancy came upon her. She saw herself wearing a purple dress with gold embroidery and a golden crown on her head. She quickly lost her love for Thomas because a more stronger love had taken root in her heart. A love for a golden crown.

She remembered her mother's mutturing in French. She asked her brother what their mother had said.
He pretended to think about it for a while. Then he said thoughtfully, "You might not want to know."
Anna didn't care what her mother had said, not really. For Anna felt that day her fate had been decide. She would be Queen and have power over life and death. She did not realize it but she was uncannily right and hopelessly wrong at the same time.