The Queen and the Lion - Chapter 2
Furthermore, even if she had an heir early, by the time she reached her forties, she would no longer have the stamina to govern. At that point, it was customary for the queen to abdicate in favor of the heir and retire for recuperation.
Lysian’s mother, the former queen, had followed this tradition. When Lysian turned sixteen, her mother abdicated, withdrew from public life, and entered seclusion to focus on her health.
Because of this characteristic of the Blossom family, the officials were relentless in pressing the current queen about securing an heir. Especially since Queen Lysian, the current monarch, was considered one of the most beautiful and intelligent queens in history, admired by all.
Every eligible man of marriageable age was anxiously waiting for her selection, practically holding their breath. Yet, the queen herself showed so little interest. The Prime Minister pleaded once more.
“Is it because Sir Sid is abroad that the matter of marriage has been delayed?”
“Why bring up Sir Sid here?”
“Isn’t he the one closest to Your Majesty? His qualifications are impeccable.”
“He is merely a close friend.”
Lysian cut him off firmly. Realizing that the queen had absolutely no romantic interest in Sir Sid, the Prime Minister swiftly shifted the conversation.
“We are not insisting that you immediately take a consort. However, unless Your Majesty has your first experience and begins selecting men, there will be no heir, will there?”
Lysian was currently eighteen years old. While it was still slightly early for her to be pressured about a consort when considering the typical marriageable age of women, even this situation was the result of her delaying for two years.
Since Lysian turned sixteen, the officials had repeatedly begged her to take a partner. She had pretended not to hear them and postponed the matter, but the time when she could no longer avoid it was drawing near.
The fact that the topic of a consort and an heir came up even during discussions about the ongoing war showed how pressing this matter had become. Lysian was certain that the stress of producing an heir was one of the reasons previous queens abdicated so early.
Lysian sighed gracefully, like a flower swaying in the wind. Naturally, the officials showed no regard whatsoever for the queen’s inner struggles.
Lysian’s disinterest in men wasn’t due to any specific reason. She simply lacked interest to the point of annoyance and hadn’t met a man who aligned with her preferences enough to overcome that annoyance. However, she couldn’t indefinitely postpone her royal duty just because no one suited her tastes.
It would have been easier if there were at least someone she liked. Whether it was an ordinary soldier or a stable hand, she wouldn’t have cared.
Since the bloodline of the queen wasn’t influenced by the father’s heritage, the queen’s consort could be chosen relatively freely. Proof of this was that Lysian’s father had been a royal astronomer—a position involving observing and recording the movements of the stars, though it wasn’t particularly high-ranking.
In any case, Lysian felt frustrated. If she at least knew her own type, she could command that such a person be presented. But she hadn’t experienced even a flutter of excitement, let alone fallen for anyone, so the path forward felt bleak.
The thought of sharing a bed with someone she felt no attraction to was repellent. Yet, at this rate, she feared she might have to pick the most tolerable candidate among those proposed by her officials and proceed just to fulfill her duty.
These considerations weighed heavily on her.
At least, the recent issue of Heiban’s invasion, which had been troubling Lysian alongside the matter of a consort, seemed to be nearing resolution.
The Kingdom of Heiban was a small nomadic state sharing a border with Florea. Its land was neither expansive nor fertile, with its territory being mostly barren.
Heiban’s people were known for their large stature and exceptional physical strength. Their reputation for being able to fight ten men at once made them a source of fear for neighboring nations. Instead of cultivating their arid lands, they resorted to raiding surrounding countries to supplement their scarce food resources.
Attacking wealthy and prosperous Florea was an easy and frequent choice for them. What began as sporadic incursions had turned chronic and even blatant over time. The regional forces were no longer sufficient to handle the invasions, forcing Florea to station troops in the area.
The Heiban people were so tenacious and strong that even Florea’s formidable military struggled to fend them off. Particularly notable was Heiban’s general, the Black Lion, Aslan Yilmaz, whose exploits were extraordinary.
Wherever Aslan appeared, Florea’s soldiers fell like autumn leaves. Despite their numerical superiority, Florea’s forces had difficulty turning the tide of battle.
Fortunately, Heiban’s population was small, which worked in Florea’s favor. As the war dragged on, Heiban’s numbers began to dwindle, and the balance shifted in Florea’s favor.
The turning point came when Florea captured Heiban’s general, the Black Lion, Aslan. This brought Florea one step closer to victory.
Capturing Aslan was nothing short of miraculous—a stroke of luck.
Always at the forefront of battle, Aslan was a fearless warrior. His horsemanship and spear skills were exceptional, allowing him to single-handedly defeat every Florean soldier who came his way.
