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These characters were briefly introduced in www.deviantart.com/theothertho…

In summary: When the King died with no heir, the council chose his commoner wife, Amanda, to succeed him as Queen. Although she was the educated daughter of a wealthy merchant, the King's cousins attempted to undermine her authority by secretly referring to her as the Peasant Queen. Amanda has a good heart, but she also has a good head, and can be a shrewd opportunist. She openly embraced the epithet, dressed in homemade peasant clothing, and used her popularity with the common people as leverage to solidify her power.

And so nearly a year had passed since her coronation when a young page burst into the Great Hall to deliver a message to Amanda, the Peasant Queen.

The page ran almost right up to the throne, in front of a petitioner, and fell to his knees.

"My La... I mean Your Majesty! I am very sorry for this interruption, please don't be mad, but he said I MUST give this to you at ONCE, no EXCUSES, the last time I waited and he said..."

"All right, settle down, boy." Amanda recognized the seal on the scroll, and raised an eyebrow. "Hand it to me, and then get yourself some food and drink in the kitchen."

Amanda's face sunk as her eyes skimmed over the scroll. She stood and addressed the Hall. "I am sorry, but you and the other petitioners will have to return tomorrow, this requires my immediate attention. Steward, make arrangements for anyone who traveled here today to stay at the the inn for the night. Sergeant, clear the Hall."

Off to the side, the former King's cousins instructed their ladyservants to gather up the remaining cheese and wine.

"Not you, Helena. You and Beatrice will stay here with me, we have something to... discuss. Send your servants to their chambers. Sergeant, please close the door behind you, and post a guard."

The Sergeant cocked his head, "Your Majesty? I can't leave you alone with them. You know I will hold anything said in the strictest..."

"Sergeant, it is quite all right. When I worked for my father, I learned how to deal with thieves and cut-throats, and I kept myself safe. If I can't handle these two idle nitwits, I have no right to call myself your Queen. Go. And instruct the guard that he is not to enter even when he hears the screams. They won't be coming from me."

The beginnings of a smile formed on the corner of the Sergeant's lips. He had grown rather fond of the young Queen in recent months. There is a fire inside her that only reveals itself when the situation demands it. "Very well, Your Majesty, it is my duty to obey. But in this case I must do so under protest, as your safety is my responsibility. I will stand guard outside the door myself."

As the heavy doors groaned shut, Helena turned to the Queen and took another sip of her wine, looking indignant. "Amanda, dear, what is this about? I can't imagine what you..."

Amanda leapt at Helena like a tigress upon her prey. She smacked the goblet out of Helena's hand, shoved her back to the wall, and jammed an arm into her neck.

Helena was not particularly intelligent, but her survival instincts were keen enough. She sensed her only chance to calm the enraged monarch would be complete submission. She offered no resistance, and choked out what words she could despite having trouble getting full breaths. "Your... Majesty... I... humbly... beg... your... forgiv... forgiv..."

Beatrice had taken a few steps towards the Queen but knew she could do nothing to stop her. Whatever reputation Amanda had for being patient, Beatrice knew that physically restraining the Queen in her current state would end with Beatrice's own neck on the executioner's block. "Dear God! Your Majesty, you're killing her! Let my sister go, please! I beg you! You don't want to do this, you're better than..."

"Shut up. Shut up, both of you! Helena, you damned fool. Do you have any idea what you could have done? What would have happened, if I hadn't been two steps ahead of you?" She changed the position of her arm and allowed Helena to breathe, but did not let her off the wall.

"I don't care what you say about me, what foolish plans you concoct to try to undermine me. I can take it, and more. But I can't believe you betrayed your own kingdom, just to spite me! Do you know how many men could have died? Knights who fought beside my husband, your supposedly beloved cousin! What would he think of this?"

"Aman... I mean, Your Majesty, I have no idea what you're talking about. I swear it. There must be some mistake..."

Amanda smacked the wall next to Helena's face, making her flinch. "LIAR! You gave information to a spy about our defenses! Our armies! Our plans! Thank God I planted false information to weed out the traitor, or else my people would be in danger. YOUR people! Do you feel no responsibility for them at all, the people who work to feed you and clothe you, you parasites! Do you understand how close you've been to the block all this time? Do you have any idea how much I've done for you, how many times I ignored the Council's advice to get rid of you, despite the way you've treated me, all because I promised my husband that if anything happened to him I would take care of his idiot cousins?"

Beatrice put her hand on Amanda's shoulder. Without moving, Amanda growled, "Remove that hand from your Queen, if you wish to keep it."

"Amanda, please. This isn't Helena's fault, let her go."

"Beatrice, you're usually not as foolish as your sister, and I know you are just trying to protect..."

"It was me."

"What?"

"I trusted the wrong man. He was a visitor from a friendly kingdom, a supposedly brilliant general, and he had credentials to prove it and contacts I thought I could trust had vouched for him. He said if I provided him this information, he would find a way to use it to embarrass you, or force you to abdicate. I don't know, he was very convincing and it all made sense at the time. I didn't know that he was a spy or an imposter until just now. I didn't want to hurt anybody, I just...

Amanda released Helena, as Beatrice continued. "I loved him you know. Your husband, I mean. He was a wonderful Prince, and when he grew up to became a great King I believed I'd be the one to marry him. But he never cared about me that way, I was just his silly cousin. And then one day he met you and he never looked at another woman again. A commoner! I hated you for it, and I couldn't get over it, even after he died. And now, I've done something unforgivable, and dishonored his memory. You were exactly the queen this kindgom needed after the King died, I just couldn't see that until now." Beatrice got down on her knees and bowed her head. "And I will accept whatever punishment my Queen believes is just."

Amanda grabbed a tuft of hair on Beatrice's head. "I should have them remove this head." She thought a moment, and then released her. "But that would be too easy."

Beatrice broke down and sobbed, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Don't thank me yet. From now on, you're both going to earn your position as noblewomen, and do your best to lead and serve the people of this kingdom. As your first task, you are both going to be the Crown's Ambassadors to the Poor. This fall, we're going to continue my husband's tradition of providing food and clothing to widows and orphans across the realm in preparation for winter. You will both be responsible for coordinating and personally participating in this effort. Neither of you is as helpless or as foolish as you behave, I think you just need some encouragement to get back on the right path. So here it is: if I hear one complaint from the people of this kingdom that you are not diligently performing the duties I have assigned you, I will strip you of your lands and titles and have you thrown out onto the streets to fend for yourselves. And as of today, I consider my promise to my husband to be fulfilled. There will be no more warnings, and no more little personal chats here in the Great Hall. If you ever betray me or this kingdom again, you will be dead."

---

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Description

These characters were briefly introduced in www.deviantart.com/theothertho…

In summary: When the King died with no heir, the council chose his commoner wife, Amanda, to succeed him as Queen. Although she was the educated daughter of a wealthy merchant, the King's cousins attempted to undermine her authority by secretly referring to her as the Peasant Queen. Amanda has a good heart, but she also has a good head, and can be a shrewd opportunist. She openly embraced the epithet, dressed in homemade peasant clothing, and used her popularity with the common people as leverage to solidify her power.

And so nearly a year had passed since her coronation when a young page burst into the Great Hall to deliver a message to Amanda, the Peasant Queen.

The page ran almost right up to the throne, in front of a petitioner, and fell to his knees.

"My La... I mean Your Majesty! I am very sorry for this interruption, please don't be mad, but he said I MUST give this to you at ONCE, no EXCUSES, the last time I waited and he said..."

"All right, settle down, boy." Amanda recognized the seal on the scroll, and raised an eyebrow. "Hand it to me, and then get yourself some food and drink in the kitchen."

Amanda's face sunk as her eyes skimmed over the scroll. She stood and addressed the Hall. "I am sorry, but you and the other petitioners will have to return tomorrow, this requires my immediate attention. Steward, make arrangements for anyone who traveled here today to stay at the the inn for the night. Sergeant, clear the Hall."

Off to the side, the former King's cousins instructed their ladyservants to gather up the remaining cheese and wine.

"Not you, Helena. You and Beatrice will stay here with me, we have something to... discuss. Send your servants to their chambers. Sergeant, please close the door behind you, and post a guard."

The Sergeant cocked his head, "Your Majesty? I can't leave you alone with them. You know I will hold anything said in the strictest..."

"Sergeant, it is quite all right. When I worked for my father, I learned how to deal with thieves and cut-throats, and I kept myself safe. If I can't handle these two idle nitwits, I have no right to call myself your Queen. Go. And instruct the guard that he is not to enter even when he hears the screams. They won't be coming from me."

The beginnings of a smile formed on the corner of the Sergeant's lips. He had grown rather fond of the young Queen in recent months. There is a fire inside her that only reveals itself when the situation demands it. "Very well, Your Majesty, it is my duty to obey. But in this case I must do so under protest, as your safety is my responsibility. I will stand guard outside the door myself."

As the heavy doors groaned shut, Helena turned to the Queen and took another sip of her wine, looking indignant. "Amanda, dear, what is this about? I can't imagine what you..."

Amanda leapt at Helena like a tigress upon her prey. She smacked the goblet out of Helena's hand, shoved her back to the wall, and jammed an arm into her neck.

Helena was not particularly intelligent, but her survival instincts were keen enough. She sensed her only chance to calm the enraged monarch would be complete submission. She offered no resistance, and choked out what words she could despite having trouble getting full breaths. "Your... Majesty... I... humbly... beg... your... forgiv... forgiv..."

Beatrice had taken a few steps towards the Queen but knew she could do nothing to stop her. Whatever reputation Amanda had for being patient, Beatrice knew that physically restraining the Queen in her current state would end with Beatrice's own neck on the executioner's block. "Dear God! Your Majesty, you're killing her! Let my sister go, please! I beg you! You don't want to do this, you're better than..."

"Shut up. Shut up, both of you! Helena, you damned fool. Do you have any idea what you could have done? What would have happened, if I hadn't been two steps ahead of you?" She changed the position of her arm and allowed Helena to breathe, but did not let her off the wall.

"I don't care what you say about me, what foolish plans you concoct to try to undermine me. I can take it, and more. But I can't believe you betrayed your own kingdom, just to spite me! Do you know how many men could have died? Knights who fought beside my husband, your supposedly beloved cousin! What would he think of this?"

"Aman... I mean, Your Majesty, I have no idea what you're talking about. I swear it. There must be some mistake..."

Amanda smacked the wall next to Helena's face, making her flinch. "LIAR! You gave information to a spy about our defenses! Our armies! Our plans! Thank God I planted false information to weed out the traitor, or else my people would be in danger. YOUR people! Do you feel no responsibility for them at all, the people who work to feed you and clothe you, you parasites! Do you understand how close you've been to the block all this time? Do you have any idea how much I've done for you, how many times I ignored the Council's advice to get rid of you, despite the way you've treated me, all because I promised my husband that if anything happened to him I would take care of his idiot cousins?"

Beatrice put her hand on Amanda's shoulder. Without moving, Amanda growled, "Remove that hand from your Queen, if you wish to keep it."

"Amanda, please. This isn't Helena's fault, let her go."

"Beatrice, you're usually not as foolish as your sister, and I know you are just trying to protect..."

"It was me."

"What?"

"I trusted the wrong man. He was a visitor from a friendly kingdom, a supposedly brilliant general, and he had credentials to prove it and contacts I thought I could trust had vouched for him. He said if I provided him this information, he would find a way to use it to embarrass you, or force you to abdicate. I don't know, he was very convincing and it all made sense at the time. I didn't know that he was a spy or an imposter until just now. I didn't want to hurt anybody, I just...

Amanda released Helena, as Beatrice continued. "I loved him you know. Your husband, I mean. He was a wonderful Prince, and when he grew up to became a great King I believed I'd be the one to marry him. But he never cared about me that way, I was just his silly cousin. And then one day he met you and he never looked at another woman again. A commoner! I hated you for it, and I couldn't get over it, even after he died. And now, I've done something unforgivable, and dishonored his memory. You were exactly the queen this kindgom needed after the King died, I just couldn't see that until now." Beatrice got down on her knees and bowed her head. "And I will accept whatever punishment my Queen believes is just."

Amanda grabbed a tuft of hair on Beatrice's head. "I should have them remove this head." She thought a moment, and then released her. "But that would be too easy."

Beatrice broke down and sobbed, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Don't thank me yet. From now on, you're both going to earn your position as noblewomen, and do your best to lead and serve the people of this kingdom. As your first task, you are both going to be the Crown's Ambassadors to the Poor. This fall, we're going to continue my husband's tradition of providing food and clothing to widows and orphans across the realm in preparation for winter. You will both be responsible for coordinating and personally participating in this effort. Neither of you is as helpless or as foolish as you behave, I think you just need some encouragement to get back on the right path. So here it is: if I hear one complaint from the people of this kingdom that you are not diligently performing the duties I have assigned you, I will strip you of your lands and titles and have you thrown out onto the streets to fend for yourselves. And as of today, I consider my promise to my husband to be fulfilled. There will be no more warnings, and no more little personal chats here in the Great Hall. If you ever betray me or this kingdom again, you will be dead."

---

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