The Kingdoms of America

Cadmus is a prince, a member of the class Imperio. He knows he was lucky to be born in the highest class. There were only four classes. He could’ve been born into any one of them, but he was born an Imperio. He could’ve been born a Plebo and been destined to beg in the streets for the rest of his life. He could’ve been born an Equando and been forced into hard labor tilling fields or skinning cows for leather. He could’ve been born a Sentaro and since he doesn’t have the mind for nobility, he would’ve been destined to give up his life to a knighthood.
But, Cadmus is a prince. He is the son of King Leander Stronghold, high ruler of the Kingdom of New’shington. He is awoken to the sound of bells. He gets to bathe in warm water, in an actually porcelain tub and not in a metal tub like the rest of country. He doesn’t have to worry about where his next meal is coming from like Pleboes. But if he were born something other than Imperio, today would not have been the day in which he was set to meet the women who he is promised to.
Once he finished putting on his royal garb, which consisted of fine silks and cottons, he left his bedroom, which was one of many in the Columbia Palace. Columbia is the capitol of New’shington and where he was born and raised. He meets his father in the Great Dining Hall where he and his mother, Queen Ginevra, were eating roasted venison for breakfast. Cadmus took his place beside them at the dining table and Elinor, their faithful handmaid, brought him his own plate of venison from the kitchen.
“Thank you, Elinor,” said Cadmus.
“You grace,” she answered in a welcoming tone.
Elinor bowed and then left the room.
“How did you sleep, son?” asked his father, Leander.
“Not well,” Cadmus answered.
“Well, that’s to be expected. You must be excited to meet your future wife,” replied Ginevra.
“Excited isn’t quite the word I’d use, mother,” said Cadmus sarcastically.
“Don’t you speak to your mother like that, Cadmus. You need to watch your tongue,” snapped Leander.
“Father, I just don’t understand why I can’t marry someone of my choosing.”
“Because son, this is how the politics of the Kingdoms work. If you want an alliance to stay true and strong, you reinforce it with marriage. Now you’re going to marry King Finley’s daughter. You have no say in the matter.”
“She’s my cousin,” said Cadmus.
“She is the daughter of your cousin, which makes her no kin of yours.”
“At least meet her, Cadmus. You might like her.”
Cadmus couldn’t even take a bite of his food. He was too bothered by the fact that not only was he set to marry someone he hadn’t even met yet, but her mother was his cousin. How was he supposed to stomach food after all of that? He decided to get up, carrying his plate and walk to the kitchen where the servants were talking. He spotted Elinor. He gave her the plate of food.
“Someone should eat this,” he said to her and then left.
Cadmus liked to walk the grounds when he was upset, he knew he couldn’t take long because the revealing ceremony. He’d never hear the end of it if he missed that. There was a wooded area directly behind their palace where his father did most of the hunting, but he also doesn’t hunt that often. Olaf is our royal hunter as far as killing game for our food.
Cadmus loves nature and he loves animals, but he also knows that animals must die for him to live and that’s just how life goes. There aren’t many fresh crops in the capitol. The devastation had too great an impression on the soil in the city. They’ve tried growing crops many times, but each time it has failed. He wondered how it could be that trees and wild bush still grow, but it is almost impossible to grow a single carrot or any other vegetable. They can have vegetables every now and then, when they’re imported from Meerland, which is the only ally of New’shington.
When the sun started to reach the top of the sky, he knew that the King and the Princess would be arriving from Meerland soon. He began his walk back to the castle. When he arrived, he noticed that a carriage with a Meerland coat of arms on it was in front of the palace. He decided to use the back entrance to the palace to freshen up before he met his new bride. He walked into his washroom, took water from his bucket and put it into his marble bowl before splashing it onto his face. He reached, with his eyes closed, for his cotton rag. They get the cotton imported from Pantanalia, which is the southern-most Kingdom. He took a deep breath and looked into his mirror, that special combination of silver and glass that produces the perfect reflection of anything the light touches in front of it.
Looking into his reflection, he knew that he had no interest in a princess, or any girl for that matter. He couldn’t tell his father that. He couldn’t tell anyone. Being gay in this world isn’t necessarily a death sentence, but if you admit to homosexuality you’re telling the world that you’re not going to procreate; you’re not going to help in the repopulating of our continent. This makes you, for the most part, useless; this goes especially for royalty. What’s the point of being royalty if you’re not going to produce an heir?
“Your grace,” Cadmus heard behind him.
He turned around and saw Elinor.
“I’m sorry, your grace, but the ceremony is about to begin.”
“Thank you Elinor. I’ll be just a minute.”
Elinor bowed and then backed out of the washroom. Cadmus took one more deep breath and then walked out of the washroom. He could feel his heart gathering in his throat as he walked down the hallway and entered the Great Hall, where his father’s throne stood. The hall was empty, which is a rarity. It’s usually full of the people of New’shington, begging his father for a loan or for a plot of land.
His father sat in his throne, his mother stood on his left side and his place was on his father’s right side. His three younger siblings stood against the wall on the left side of the hall, which is like a stone dome, decorated with the Kingdom mascot, the masculine stag. There, they all awaited the trumpeters to announce the entrance of King Finley and his daughter, Princess Saura. And then as the majestic sounds of the trumpets infiltrated the Great Hall, Cadmus saw King Finley and Princess Saura slowly walk into the hall from the Royal Foyer. His father’s royal steward stepped up and faced the royal family.
“Your Highness, King Leander Martin, I present to you King Finley Elyot of Meerland and his daughter Princess Saura Elyot,” said Tam, the steward.
“King Finley,” started Leander, “thank you to you and your lovely daughter for making your long trip. I present to you my son, and heir to the throne of New’shington, Prince Cadmus Argus Martin.”
Cadmus stepped up to the princess and her father. She was beautiful, there was no doubt. She had a grace about her that only a princess could carry, but something gave him a feeling she was a little scrappy as well. He could see it in those green eyes of hers. He smiled at her and she smiled back politely, and then he bowed.
“It is quite a pleasure to be in your presence Princess Saura.”
Saura curtsied. “Your grace,” she responded thankfully.
“Son,” said Leander. “It is custom that you and your future bride retire to your chambers to…get to know each other better.”
Cadmus put his hand out for Saura to take. She took it and he led her to his bedroom. They sat in Cadmus’ hard chairs, in front of each other.
“So, I guess I should just get this out of the way,” started Cadmus. “I don’t really like this idea of an arranged marriage.”
“And you think I’m excited about marrying a complete stranger?”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page.”
“We’re definitely on the same page.”
“I’m Cadmus, but you already know that.” He puts his hand out to shake hers.
“Saura is my name. Thank you, by the way. I know this is not your idea of the perfect marriage, but you could’ve been a creep or something.”
“So you’re thanking me for not being a creep?”
She smirked nervously. “I guess.”
“I guess we should get used to each other,” said Cadmus.
Just then, King Leander walked into the room.
“It’s good that you two are getting to know each other, but the Princess has to retire to her guest quarters. She needs her rest. She and her father are leaving early tomorrow morning for their journey back to Meerland.”
Saura rose from her chair and so did Cadmus. They embraced briefly and the princess left the room. Leander stayed behind and Elinor took Saura to her room.
“She is quite a lovely girl, my son.”
“Yes, she is, father.”
“See, this isn’t going to be that terrible, right?”
“She’s still a stranger, father.”
“Cadmus, my hands are tied here. This alliance needs to be solidified.”
“I know,” Cadmus put his head down in defeat.
“I wish there was another way, but this is tradition. I know that this is difficult for you and I want you to know that I appreciate you are doing your best to accept this.”
Cadmus nodded and Leander walked out, closing the door behind him. Leander walked over to his bed, a bed that is fortunately comfortable. He’s gone with his father many times into Equando homes and looked at the cots that they have to sleep on. He’s fortunate enough to have a mattress stuffed with cotton imported from Silviaire, their only western ally. Lying on his bed he started to picture what his future life was going to be like. He’s obviously going to marry Saura and they’ll probably be obligated to have children in the future because being royal means that heirs are absolutely necessary to keep the crown in the family. Then, he wondered if he would ever get to explore the side of himself that is attracted to men. Would he be stuck in a loveless marriage forever? Or would he one day to be able to be with a person whom he’d truly love, a man?