Mother’s Legacy

A Proof of Wisdom

This proof has been the most difficult for me considering I had to contract Mother’s vast list of accomplishments. I’d like to thank the royal historian, Edworth, for providing me with his own list of gathered anecdotes he thinks future generations will look to when remembering Mother. Reviewing his list helped give me confidence in my own selections for this proof.

Prodigy Child

Before she had reached fifteen years of age, Elaine was already helping the Duke of Corm strategize against Multis. The two of them were able to end the most recent war with Multis before her coronation.

Master Archer

For the three years leading up to her coronation, Elaine won every archery contest for young adults in which she participated.

The Millenium Queen

Elaine’s coronation was postponed from her fifteenth birthday until shortly after her eighteenth birthday. This was done to align her crowning with the 1000th anniversary of Vallis’s founding. Her coronation marked the end of the Vallisian Dark Age.

Friend of Oremaris

Rededicating Vallis to the Unified Pact, Elaine reestablished historical trade agreements and alliances with Oremaris.

Benefactor of Nordenheim

Elaine had the foresight to see the value in supporting the burgeoning Kingdom of Nordenheim. Aiding Nordenheim in maintaining a firm grasp over its territories, she was able to establish favorable trade agreements for precious metals.

The Reformer

After her coronation, Elaine relieved the nobility from their antiquated military duties. While she allowed most to keep their lands, their governing powers were stripped from them. Free movement was established for all citizens and tenants of nobles’ lands who had suffered poor conditions were offered work in cities and other territories. As retribution for past misdeeds, some nobles even had their now private lands stripped from them. Her last major reform was giving up the crown’s ability to impose taxes and bestowing it upon Parliament.

Lover of a Common Man

Before their marriage, Elaine’s King Consort, Lawrence, had been managing a trading company from a young age. It is said of their first meeting that Elaine was deeply impressed by his competence. As he was born a commoner, their union further closed the gap between the nobility and the common folk.

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Patron of Knowledge

During Elaine’s time, many advancements in agriculture and medicine were made on the back of her funding.

Mother of Vallis

Elaine created a kingdom wide orphanage system which replaced and reformed local orphanages. Every time she visited a territory she would visit its orphanages.

The Sun Queen

This “accomplishment” is only listed among the others as it is likely to be remembered by future generations, despite it’s lacking factuality.

Elaine was crowned on the Founding Day in winter, yet on that day the sun shone like summer. Since then, the lands of the valley have been graced by an abnormal amount of sunny days. It is speculated that her rule has had the most sun-filled days out of any in Vallisian history. Our subjects thought so favorably of her that many of them claimed that Elaine was the cause of this phenomenon.

In Consequence...

Diane has become interested in writing a proof about the Vallisian Dark Age. She is also interested in writing proofs about Oremaris and Nordenheim.

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Lucille's Letter

With the work of the week finished, it was time to review the letters Eliza had finished sorting. As to be expected, Eliza’s work was fantastic. She delivered to me only the letters worthy of a direct response and marked only the sections I need read for context. For the rest of the letters, she made template responses for the other staff to copy and the letters that ought to be ignored were disposed of by her. Just thinking about having an employee so competent makes me feel relaxed.

Having said that, after she had done all of this meticulous work sorting these letters, you can imagine my surprise when I found such an out of place letter in the stack she delivered to me. It was a letter from Lady Lucille, a baronetess and owner of the capital’s most prominent theaters. I’ve never been to one of her theaters, but her troupe has performed in the palace from time to time when guests were present. Mother didn’t want me seen by the public until my debut, so she had me dressed as a maid and sitting with the staff during the performances.

You could tell that she was an expert playwright from her letter. From the way she waxed on about the loss of my mother, it felt as though I should be the one giving condolences. It wasn’t until this act was over that her true intentions were revealed. As eager for my favor as the rest, she invited me to her theater so we could share in our grief.

Honestly, if it was another maid who’d given me this letter, I wouldn’t have been surprised, but Eliza wasn’t sentimental enough for such an error. “Eliza,” I said when I saw her next. “Did you give me this letter by mistake?”

“May I see it?” She asked. I handed her the letter and she took a quick glance over it. “I’ve made no mistake, Your Highness. Lady Lucille is a prominent figure in high society.”

I wondered if that meant much anymore. Though Mother has maintained good relations with the new aristocracy, they had none of the direct political power of the old. Outside of formal events, I didn’t feel much need to associate with that lot.

“There is merit in responding to her.” Eliza said.

“Very well.” As long as Eliza could explain her reasoning it was fine. In the end, the decision of whether or not to respond was mine to make.