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Emperor Alfons IX stood with his 14-year-old son Pere right outside the palace, watching a carriage roll though the gate and around the grand marble fountain decorating the courtyard. In the carriage was the young Jeanne de Valois, niece of Emperor Charles VIII of France. A marriage with the French Valois line was imperative in ensuring strong relations between the two most powerful royal families in Europe. As the Valois line spread, there was the growing fear that they would start relying on their own and see no need to keep on such good terms with Hispania. Alfons certainly wasn't going to allow that bond to fray any time soon. With Austria lost forever as an ally, Valois France and Scandinavia could not be lost. Hispania may be strong, but it would not be wise to isolate themselves. A marriage or two would keep those ties strong.
The two of them remained silent as the carriage rolled up. Pere was not one for talking, perhaps because of his speech impediment. The entire left side of his face was partially paralyzed and had been since he was a toddler. The paralysis made the skin under his left eye droop and the edge of his mouth curl down slightly, and he tended to talk with a stutter. Alfons was reminded of it as Pere looked over at him and smiled, giving an unintended half-smirk that was becoming his trademark, a result of only half his mouth curling up in a smile. The Emperor supposed it wasn't the worst thing that could happen, although he had seen the frustration Pere had with it at times. He glanced over at his son, who had a drop of drool starting to form on the paralyzed side of his mouth. His tutor, a stern old woman who spent her time instilling the ways of the court into the boy, already had a handkerchief in her hand and was ready to wipe the drool away. For once, Pere was ahead of her and wiped it away with his sleeve, much to the tutor's chagrin as it left a wet stain on the Crown Prince's shirt. Judging by the slightly darker patches of fabric, that happened far too often than it should. The tutor rolled her eyes but remained silent. At least she was an improvement over the last one. He'd caught the last tutor raving that Pere's disability was a result of his Greek blood. Alfons had had her dismissed before the Empress Dowager got word of that statement, more for the tutor's sake than anyone else's.
When the carriage finally pulled near the doors, Pere straightened his shirt. A smack on the back from his tutor had him standing up straight as well. Alfons did his best to keep a straight face. He distracted himself by paying full attention to his guests. The carriage door opened and a servant rushed over to help a young girl and middle-aged woman step down from the carriage, the French Emperor's niece and the Crown Princess The girl was a tiny thing, not that surprising since she was only twelve. Her womanly figure was just starting to show, but her face was still that of a child. While her mother carried herself with an air of grace, the girl remained timid and kept her eyes to the ground.
"Welcome to Valencia, my lady," Alfons said, bowing to the girl's mother.
The Crown Princess curtsied and offered her hand. "The honour is mine, Your Imperial Highness."
Alfons took her hand and guided her towards the palace. Pere fell in step beside Jeanne. The girl's eyes kept darting around at all the guards and servants swarming around. Most likely she was anxious about being in a new place, and perhaps considering the circumstances for why she'd been brought to Valencia. Pere didn't seem to mind her nervousness. He offered his hand, which she gingerly took. She blushed as he led her behind Alfons, but the Crown Prince didn't seem to notice her reaction. Neither did Jeanne's mother notice the discomfort of her child as she pulled out a lace fan and started fanning herself.
"The air is dreadfully humid here compared to Paris."
Alfons merely nodded his head as they walked through the palace. They passed by various pieces of art, but the Crown Princess seemed unimpressed. The best pieces had been destroyed during the Hispanian Civil War, so he supposed what was left wasn't all that impressive compared to what the French possessed. As they neared the study where they could discuss business, the Crown Princess stopped abruptly, Pere nearly walking right into her in the process. She stared up at one painting depicting the Empress Dowager carrying the young Emperor like a sack of potatoes through the burning streets of Valencia during their flight from the capital.
"My, that is quite a scene," the Crown Princess said. "I am surprised you would allow an artist to paint such an appalling event so humiliating to your royal person."
Alfons took a moment to look over the painting. It certainly brought back memories, perhaps not the most pleasant ones. He didn't like to think about the Civil War. Yet he knew he should never forget, for it was a symbol of the chaos that could ensue if he ever gave up. He turned to the Crown Princess and said, "I find it rather humbling."
The Crown Princess looked the painting over again and suppressed a sneer. "If you say so."
A series of giggles came from behind them, causing the Crown Princess to snap her head in that direction. Apparently the two young royals, while waiting for their parents to move on, had taken notice of a particular classic that failed to properly cover the modesty of those in the painting. The two of them were still at the age where nudity was hilarious, especially when those depicted either had a small manhood or flat chest.
The Crown Princess surely wasn't amused. "Jeanne! Compose yourself!"
Jeanne snapped to attention like a soldier, her face beet red. The Crown Princess scowled and turned back around. The two youngsters eyed each other, biting their lips to keep from laughing. Alfons did his best to keep from laughing at their display. An icy look from the Crown Princess sobered him up. "Shall we discuss business then?"
"Ah, yes, the marriage," the Crown Princess said as the group finally reached the study. "It would be an honour to see my daughter wed to the Crown Prince of Hispania."
"So His Imperial Highness is in agreement then? And the Crown Prince?" Alfons asked. Glancing between the Crown Princess and her daughter, he added, "And where is the Crown Prince? I expected he would be joining us."
"He had to remain in France," the Crown Princess said, resting her hands on a mahogany table. "What with war with Austria beginning, my husband may be needed. I am to settle this marriage business in his stead."
Alfons sat down in a velvet-lined seat and bade the Crown Princess to do the same. Pere and Jeanne were off to the side examining a globe. The girl seemed to be pointing places out and telling the boy about them, him nodding in interest. Pere had never taken well to his studies, so seeing him genuinely interested in anything was a godsend. Perhaps this marriage would be good for him.
The next while was spent hashing out a marriage agreement. It was not a difficult endeavour, for it was clear that France wanted the match as much as Hispania. It seemed given that it would go ahead regardless. It was soon decided that the two would be wed the next year after Jeanne's thirteenth birthday. As they worked out the details, Alfons didn't fail to take notice of the future couple quietly talking across the room. He didn't know what they were discussing, but it was clear that neither of them were lost for words. It was rare to see his son speak so much with anyone. If the girl was bothered by his speech impediment, she didn't show it. Yes, this match would be good for Pere indeed.
When the arrangements were finally made, the Crown Princess handed Alfons an envelope. "A letter from Scandinavia," she said. "I was told to deliver this to you on behalf of the Regent."
Alfons took the envelope, pealed off the wax with the Valois seal printed into it, and read over the letter. He smiled as he read its contents. The Regent of Scandinavia had agreed to a betrothal between the young king of Scandinavia and Alfons's daughter Clara. Two Valois marriages secured in one day. Hispania would be better of with these arrangements in place. Blood ties tended to bring nations together.
"Good news, I presume," the Crown Princess said.
"Very." Alfons placed the letter down and rose from his seat. "Now that our business is concluded, I shall have the servants escort you to your quarters."
The Crown Princess gave a small curtsy and followed a servant out of the room. She waved over Jeanne to follow her, which took some vigorous hand motions before the girl separated from Pere. The Crown Prince waved goodbye to his future wife. As they left the study, the Crown Princess muttered a little too loudly, "I hope my room has plenty of windows. I don't know how I'll sleep in this dreadful heat."
After they had left, Pere walked over to his father. They stood beside each other for a minute in silence staring at the door the two women had left through. Then the boy looked up at Alfons, that half-smirk on his face. "Will Jeanne be s-s-staying in the p-p-palace for awhile?"
"Worried I might send your new girlfriend away?" Alfons said with a smirk.
Pere blushed and scrunched up the non-paralyzed side of his face in what was clearly faked disgust. "She's not my g-g-girlfriend!" He wiped away a glob of spit forming in the corner of his mouth, using his hand to hide his reddening face. "She's just... nice. The other k-k-kids living in the palace aren't like her."
Alfons nodded, fully understanding what Pere meant. Finding children to play or spend time with a royal child was a difficult enough business, but it was made even more so when those children had the tendency to make fun of anyone for their disabilities. More than once Alfons had come across Pere by himself crying as a child because the other children had made fun of his speech impediment. He supposed it was rare for anyone his age to treat him with proper respect and kindness.
Alfons let a smile spread across his face as he looked down at his son. "I expect she'll be spending a very long time here. A very long time indeed."
