<div class="floatright">(http://englishhistory.net/tudor/monarchs/eliz1-scrots.jpg)</div><br/><strong>"Excellent, I'm so proud of you my little one,"</strong>he said.  Celes saw him taking in her lithe body as she stripped down, but it wasn't in a perverse manner.  It was more as you'd expect a horse trader carefully inspecting flesh.  As such she took her time as she made herself comfortable.  Whatever it was that he was looking for, he seemed to be satisfied.  He rubbed his brow and apologized for the heat,<strong> "I'm very sorry Celes, but the joints took a turn for the worse this winter.  Only now that the weather has turned back to heat again have I been able to make it out of bed."</strong>He did seem to be moving stiffly, but with out too much pain in this warm room.<br/><br/>He sighed and saw the grimace on Celes's face.<strong>"Yes,"</strong>he continued,<strong>"I kept it from you in my letters how bad the joint pain has gotten.   The clerics are some help, but are so expensive.  But it's fine, I've had a good long life." </strong>He cut her off before she could interrupt,<strong>"I'm not going anywhere just yet Poppet, don't worry, it's still a few more years before I join my dear wife in the cities of dust."</strong>Celes couldn't help but notice that he refered to his departed wife as such, and not as Celes's mother, and finally she could take it no longer.<br/><br/>"Father," she asked, "I'm confused, why do you speak of my mother so?  What did you mean that my mother had died?  Mother died giving birth to Ian."  Ian would have been twelve years old this winter, but had passed on during a bad strain of the flu, that also took her younger sister Cali.  The Vynar name was down to just her older sister, who was already married off, Jeannette d'Vynar d'Wynt and her younger brother, who was almost exactly a year younger then her, Jakob.  Jakob was far away currently, leading an entire company of soldiers in Arabia, battling a demon cult for control of lands considered holy by several religions.<br/><br/>Her father sighed, and leaned over slowly.  He picked up his pipe and slowly packed it with smokeweed.  Then taking a taper from his kit, lit it in the fire and slowly drew it into his pipe.   Celes knew far better than to interrupt him during this ritual as he used the few minutes to gather his thoughts.  He always did this when he had bad news, or news that was epic.  She resisted the urge to squirm in her seat as she waited.  Finally, after three solid draws on the pipe, scenting the air with the herbal smell of burning dried leaves, he spoke again.<strong>"Lady Cassandra d'Lfeers d'Vynar, the woman you knew as your mother, was not in so."</strong>Celes felt a little numb.  She felt like she should be shocked, but for some reason she wasnt.  Maybe it was because while she was tall and strong, she was always smaller and more nimble then her siblings.  Even her sister stood a few inches above her.  Or maybe it was because the Vynar bloodline seemed to be exclusive towards dark looks and hair, browns and blacks with almost dusky skin during the summer months.  But Celes had hair of flame, and skin like cream, and it was only with training and a hint of magic, that she no longer burned to a crisp in the sunlight.  But her father continued,<strong>"I've raised you as my own daughter and loved you as such from the time that you were only a week old.  You see, your real mother had you out of wedlock, a child borne of a night of passion.  A child conceived because according to your mother, her enemies tampered with the herbs she took to prevent such a thing."</strong><br/><br/>"Why father?  Why should it matter that my mother had a child out of wedlock?  These things happen in our world, why would such an occurrence be so bad for my mother?"  Celes felt more confused, not less.<br/><br/>Her father paused, and drew on his pipe again for a few moments.  Reaching over he drew down a small painting from the mantle.  It was one that had sat on the mantle for as long as Celes had known.  He handed it to her and asked her,<strong> "Tell me Celes, who is this a picture of?"</strong><br/><br/>She took the picture and looked at her father, wondering for just a moment if his eyes or perhaps his mind was failing as well as his joints.  But then she answered, "Father, it's Queen Elizabeth the first.  Queen of all Britannia and protector of the realm.  May the Gods watch over her soul.  Why would you ask me this question?"<br/><br/>Her father nodded,<strong>"Because, before she was 'queen Elizabeth,' she was known as lady Levina d'Tudor, and if it had been known that she was pregnant with a bastard child she never would have been allowed to be crowned.  And may the Gods watch over her soul indeed, as she, your mother, has passed on to the cities of dust last week.  Meaning now, you are the only true legitimate heir to the throne of all Britannia."</strong>