Queen of Sorrows--Dramatis Personae

[Evie]

Thank you. I had no idea they had so many responsibilities. I can see now why she needed so many to help her.

Well, if it was just up to Adémar, she would primarily be a decorative baby-maker and hostess who keeps her nose out of politics. But even if she was willing to be kept in the metaphorical box he wants to keep her restricted to, she would still need assistance even if she's only meant to be running the domestic sphere in a home that happens to be a Royal Palace which might have dozens to hundreds of people in residence at any given time, depending on the time of year and what's going on. But a Queen who has been given much more responsibility, such as Soraya or Catalina during wartime, would definitely have been delegating a lot of tasks to what is essentially their staff. Think about all of the preparations for the Siege of Rhemuth, for instance, while the King was bedridden and the Princes were on the front lines! Sure, they wouldn't have been doing the physical labor of stockpiling everything, but they would have been coordinating at least some of the defense effort.

[revanne]

And even in Adêmar's limited perception of his Queen's role offering impressive hospitality was - is- a good way of showcasing a country's importance, especially if that country relied on influence and soft power rather than military might.

Offering daughters of the nobility a role of honour at court is also a way of keeping said nobility onside though it has the less desirable effect of giving the more manipulative amongst them a chance for intrigue and insider knowledge.

[tmcd]

A Queen was expected to be able to keep up appearances, and having a household of ladies-in-waiting to assist her in all of the tasks she was expected to perform helped her to do that.

To amplify that: simply having a large household was part of looking important and powerful, as well as having excellent clothes, expensive jewelry, well-made and decorated armor, display in ceremonies, et cetera.

[JudithR]

Probably no connection - is Lady Elisaveta an ancestress of the Princess Elisaveta (declared heir of King Carol of Belsornia, after the repeal of Salic law)) of the Chalet School series?

[Evie]

Probably no connection - is Lady Elisaveta an ancestress of the Princess Elisaveta (declared heir of King Carol of Belsornia, after the repeal of Salic law)) of the Chalet School series?

I'm not familiar with that series, but considering that it isn't set in the Eleven Kingdoms of the Deryni world, I would have to say no, unless someone has been tinkering with Portal-based interdimensional travel.

(Wait, I've been tinkering with Portal-based interdimensional travel! But never mind that, since that story is nowhere near completion anyway, and the time skip was a complete accident.  )

[Evie]

Added: Queen Miranda's chaplain.

[Evie]

Since tomorrow is looking like it will be busy, I've gone ahead and updated this page a little earlier than usual.

Added: The Arilans

[Evie]

Oh my, how time passes when we're having fun (or not)! In my upcoming chapter, it's already the summer of 1463, which is the summer just before King Uthyr meets his unexpected death. I have gone ahead and updated most of my Haldanes for you. Richeldis and Elisa still look a bit too young here, but that's because I realized I forgot to show you what they looked like closer to the beginning of the story, when Miranda was still a newlywed bride rather than a young mother of two. I will try to remember to update them next time, maybe when I get around to updating my Morgans, who have of course also grown older over the years. But since Uthyr's demise is not all that far ahead, I thought you might want to see how our Pawns and Queens main family looked in somewhat happier days a few months prior to the King's death.

[Evie]

Lady Marija's children added (mentioned in last Thursday's chapter). Someday I'll manage to stay current with these portraits!

[Evie]

As Monday's chapter will bring us up to the beginning of Pawns and Queens in the story timeline, I have again updated some character portraits accordingly, including replacing Camber's original portrait with a slightly age-progressed one that looks more like the age he ought to be at this point in the timeline (roughly 23/24 during the time period covered in Pawns and Queens.

[Evie]

Several new characters added in preparation for next Monday's chapter. Also, Camber has been updated again, since we are now in the post-war period of Gwynedd's history and this is his most current appearance.

[Evie]

Aaaannnnd I almost forgot to update my other Haldanes yet again! I guess Catalina would like for me to acknowledge her as Queen now....   

[Evie]

Last minute addition: The Wine Merchant.

[Evie]

Added for tomorrow's chapter, a sneak peek of Morgan's undercover team (a few of them, anyway).

Also, the Camberian Council will be making a reappearance, but as the current members are still the same people who were on it a few months earlier in Pawns and Queens, I just added a link to the Pawns and Queens portrait thread rather than reposting all of the same portraits and info captions here.

[Evie]

Edited to add a few characters from next Monday's chapter: Rolf (and his passenger), The Nursemaid (aka Lucija).