Aldontza Jimena

Intro "What do you mean Giorgios is dead?" The clear contralto voice of Leonor Jimena, newly crowned reigning Queen of Jerusalem cut through the throne room like a scimitar. Faces turned to her daughter, the crown princess Aldontza and the most valuable asset in the new kingdom. "I mean he's dead. Mauled to death by a mountain lion on our hunt." The royal huntsman declared flatly. And somehow Aldontza's betrothed, the Byzantine prince meant to secure an alliance with the most powerful Christian realm in the region, managed to get himself killed on a hunting trip. While the Pope was on his way to conduct the wedding ceremony in person... Leonor paced in the throne room, grace and fury emanating from every step. Though onlookers didn't know it yet she was among the most remarkable women Christendom had yet produced. The seventh of ten children Leonor had been a forgettable royal physician in Navarre before being named Queen of Jerusalem after a successful crusade. She had led troops in the field and saved lives, in her spare time she was even a practicing midwife. With much of Europe expecting the kingdom to fall while under the leadership of weak and feeble women, it was on Leonor's slender shoulders to not only protect the new kingdom and her daughter, but to show that women could be every bit as capable of ruling as men. Her sole daughter Aldontza was considered a lesser figure. Less beautiful than her mother, less intelligent, clever with gold, but not exactly a genius. Leonor stopped. "You're going to get married, we just need the right husband." The Queen's lips curled upward in a small grin. "And I have an idea. We need a replacement Byzantine prince. We need single young men that can speak Greek and Latin, as many as we can find. The Pope and our Byzantine friends will never know the new one isn't Giorgios." And you just happened to be one of the lucky potential replacements. Inspired by a memorable Crusader Kings playthrough.