<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="text-decoration: underline"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;">Act One - Long Live the King</span></span></span></div><br/><br/><div style="text-align: justify;">Easter Sunday, 1500<br/><br/>Lent was finally over, a new King had risen not too long ago, and a new Queen was by his side. It was a lot of change for everyone involved. The people had to get used to a new King and Queen. The courtiers had to get used to a new style and new behaviors. The advisers had to get used to having a King who was still learning how to rule. The ladies in court had to get used to a new and foreign Queen in their midst. The Queen had to get used to, well... everything about her new position as a Queen and a married woman, who was supposed to be a role model and to provide the King with - hopefully male - heirs.<br/><br/>It had been easy to focus on other things during Lent, though, as she had been busy with prayer and spending most of her time retired with her ladies and her sister. Now, though, Queen Emanuela felt that things were about to change. She was going to be more exposed to the public eye now, and spending more time with her husband than she had previously done, and this felt like a turning point in her life.<br/><br/>The feast that was being prepared to mark the end of Lent was definitely making Queen Emanuela nervous. She felt like a lot would depend on how well things went this during this gathering. It would be her first contact with some courtiers, and the first time she would be in the public eye for an length of time after coronation. Even though nobody was saying anything, the Queen felt that the pressures would begin mounting very soon. Everything she did and said would probably be under scrutiny, and that was a nerve-wrecking feeling for Emanuela.<br/><br/>That day had begun early for the Queen. She had made sure to be up as soon as the sun was out, and go to confession first thing in the morning. She had then returned to her chambers to make sure her ladies would be dressed properly for the day. They usually were dressed modestly, but today was a very important day, and the Queen was afraid that any misstep would bring a stain upon her name, and consequently, the King's.<br/><br/>Once everything had been settled, Queen Emanuela sat patiently in her chambers with her ladies and took up some needlework she had been busying herself with, in order to pass the time while she waited for word from the King, as she was not yet at the point where she felt secure enough in her position to go greet the King without being called to his presence.<br/><br/>It would be a long day...</div>