January 1819

20th January 1819

Ykkhó, The royal palace

Damon II. was stroking his sideburns nervously and looking at the door of Leonie's chamber. He ignored all servants who were running around him and were taking the most expensive paintings and candlesticks from the walls. He did not notice he was in their way. There was another, more important problem for that young king. There was Olbram. There was the fact that Olbram was in the capital city. There was a punishment which was threatening the king like the sword of Damocles. Damon always has wanted to be a good ruler. In the year of 1811, when he had become a king, he had issued The Law of freedom of religion. Thanks to it people had not be forced to be only catholics but protestants and atheists too. People had been happy but one old catholic noble kin, Renairds' family, had not agreed with the king's act. The king had felt that the already mentioned powerful and influential kin had been threatening his own power. Because of that, he had the Renairds' family murdered in 1813. His own sister-in-law, Olbram's wife, Anna Renaird, had not survived. And this was why he had to be punished on that January night.

"Your Majesty," said a servant to him, "your wife..."

"Oh, yes, where is she? I have told her to prepare for the journey."

"Your Majesty..." the servant said carefully, "the queen is not able to travel anywhere. The labor has just begun."

"Now? Damn!" Damon whispered. "I can not stay with her, I can not stay here. If I do not leave the city Olbram will kill me... Prepare a carriage for my wife so that she can follow me as soon as possible."

"Your order," bowed the servant and left the hall.

Damon II. turned his look to his wife's chamber. Hurray! His son, his Prince was going to be born that night. Leonie and the new born Prince would arrive to him and they all would wait patiently. One day, Olbram would have to die. If the older of both brothers, Damon, died firste, there would be his son! The happy king did not want to think of any bad things that could happen in future when he was leaving the Palace.

...

Four hours later

Leonie's head fell to the pillows. She had tears in her eyes but they were the tears of her happiness. She laughed, she felt a huge joy and for a moment, it was the only thing feeling her mind. "Is it a son? Is it a boy?" she asked.

No answer.

"Do you hear me, midwife?! Why did my child not cry? What is wrong?"

No answer.

Leonie watched – shocked, nervous and with her throat clenched with anxiety – as the midwife held the young queen's child upside down and her hand was slaping its butt. When she looked at the child, she noticed it was a boy.

It seemed the time stopped at the moment. Every minute was extremely long.

And while Leonie was waiting what would happen with her son, behind the window there was a cannon volley  sounding to celebrate king Damon's descendant.

...

A half an hour later

When Olbram stood at the door of his sister-in-law's chamber, she was lying in her bed. She did not look at him. "Hey, my loved Leonie, I am here!" he said loudly as he entered the room.

"My husband is not here," Leonie said coldly.

"Yeah," Olbram nodded. "I heard that my brother escaped. I am not worried because I am sure I will find him. However, my darling sister-in-law, there is someone else who is threatening me. Not my brother, but my nephew. I heard you have given birth to a boy. Where is he? I wanna see him, Give him to me."

"I cannot," she whispered.

"I am his uncle and I have a right to see him! Give him to me!"

"I cannot, Olbram," Leonie repeated.

"Do not make me angry, Leonie! I am your new king and you must listen to my orders! Show me my nephew, immediately!"

"That is impossible!" Leonie screamed. "He is dead, Olbram, he was born dead!"

"Are you so naive and think that I will believe you? Show me his body."

"Here he is. Are you satisfied?"