The Queen of Sussex

Quiet as the light of day, an empty hallway with two guards with medieval armor and spears stand silently at the door. Footsteps echo from the other side of the big door. It opens and a butler in his 40's with a white wig and renaissance clothes, enters to announce...

"Your Majesty, the King of Lothbrook, King Njord the conqueror is here with his son Prince Sigmund!" he shouted.

King Njord in his 70's, a Dane, wearing a black fur coat, and his son Sigmund in his late teens, also wearing black fur clothing, are heading to the throne. The throne on which Queen Leigh in her 80's, wearing her white royal gown, sits with her: advisers; the archbishop Keitel, favorite Ebba, and her three daughters Leanne, Agatha, and Sybilla. together with the lords, ministers, and other subjects. They're lining up towards the thrown wearing the same red overcoat. The King and the Prince both walk towards the queen.

"Good day my Queen Leigh, how are you feeling today?" he asked.

"Fine, why is it that you're here King Njord?" she asked.

"My son Sigmund," - he points to Sigmund. "He is now a man, I'm looking to marry him to Leanne to strengthen our friendship," he proposed.

Queen Leigh and the princesses looking at Sigmund.

"True he is a fine young man, It's unfortunate that Leanne here is a lesbian, and my second already has a husband. Can my decision wait, my good friend as I talk with my girls later?"

King Njord nods and kneels again and they leave the throne room. The queen takes thought and sleeps on it on her throne. Everyone is silent except for the princesses whispering...

"What is it my daughters?" the Queen spoke and asked eyes closed.

"Nothing mother," Leanne said.

The Queen lays on her back, asleep. Sybilla the youngest, covers her mother using her coat. She goes back to her seat.

Moments later...

Queen Leigh awakens from a bad dream, looking shocked. Her daughters react as with the archbishop.

"What is wrong your highness?" Klein asked.

Queen Leigh stands up as they all stand with her. She walks to the center pointing at the door, eyes wide open. She falls on the carpet, she sits as everyone reacted, Sybilla approaches her together with Klein.

"What is the matter with thee?" Sybilla asked.

She helps her get up and walk back towards the throne.

"I must, I must..." Leigh muttered.

Leigh sits and gets into her senses. She coughs...

"It seems I am growing old, certainly not getting younger. So I will step down as your ruler and proclaim Leanne as your new queen," she said out loud.

Everyone reacted and started making noises inaudible as Klein piped up.

"But your majesty, this is too sudden. You're still well!"

"Yes but I'm planning on retiring lord bishop, this work is taking too much energy of this old woman," Queen Leigh said.

Queen Leigh stands as her subjects follow...

"Ebba! Let it be heard across Europe, that I Queen Leigh abdicates her throne to her eldest daughter Lianne, the new Queen of Sussex... With you all as my witness, tomorrow we shall have a coronation, I expect you all to obey and prepare for the feast!" she commanded. "Dismissed."

"Yes, your highness!" all subjects said in unison and bowed.

Everyone producing a ruckus as the Queen leaves. The three daughters look at each other worryingly and follows their mother and Ebba to her chambers.

In the Queens' bedroom, the daughters gather at her side as she rests.

"Mother are you ill?" Sybilla asked.

"Not quite my child," Leigh answered.

"Then what is the matter with thee?" Leanne asked.

"Will you just obey your dear mother, know that I am tired, I need rest. You will be queen tomorrow Leanne, let it be so," Leigh answered.

Leanne bows.

"I will not disappoint you Queen-mother," she said.

"Then what will happen to Sybilla and me Queen-mother?" Agatha asked.

"You will help her govern this land and protect it. Hear ye Agatha," Leigh said.

Leanne listens...

"Our dear Agatha will be in charge of the royal documents, as you will surely bore of that place if you do it yourself and as for Sybilla, she will govern our western lands in London, as for me, I shall be at Eiberg Castle with my 50 knights, and will visit you all from time to time," Leigh said to them.

Sybilla laughs...

"You are joking mother," she said.

"I assure you I am not," Leigh said to Sybilla.

"I do not support this decision mother, clearly you're mad," she said.

"You dare not call your mother mad!" Leigh shouted and coughed.

Agatha holds Sybilla's hand.

"Sybilla stop, please..." Agatha said.

"No, you stop, stop this foolishness at once. Clearly, our mother is not well and has gone senile." Sybilla said.

Leigh looking angry at Sybilla as she wakes and sits up to say to her...

"You wouldn't dare, how dare you talk to your mother like that! This is an order I tell you! For I say to you I will cast you out of the kingdom right now!" Leigh shouted.

"No please your Majesty, your daughter is merely saying things she should not say," Ebba defended.

Leigh is furious as Sybilla looking to not be swayed.

"Fine, I will leave thee. You are a fool mother, for not seeing what will happen which can cause future wars by this misguided decision," Sybilla said. "There's still yet time."

"You... are you jealous of thee?" Agatha asked.

Sybilla stands silent.

"Are you, is that why you scorn me?" Leanne asked. "You better watch your tone dear sister."

"There it is. There is the future of your kingdom," Sybilla said.

"Get out of my sight!" Leigh shouted. "You are no daughter of mine."

Sybilla cries and leaves as her sisters looking at her irrationally.

Sybilla gets out of the castle and enters her carriage out to the gates.

"Where to your highness?!" the coachman asked.

"West!" she answered.