12-22-2025, 01:36 AM
Day 19: The Tryst
In Zongongia, homophobia is the domain of the upper class. When you understand that, you understand much more about Zongongian politics.
Among the common people of Zongongia, homosexual relationships have been at least tacitly accepted for centuries. While gay marriage has only recently been legalised, there has also been a lack of laws criminalising the act. It has never been strictly illegal to engage in homosexual acts, though there are of course periods where it has been frowned upon if (and only if) one has been open about one’s preferences.
For the upper class, however, sex outside of marriage has been seen as generally unacceptable – therefore, before equal marriage, homosexuality was of course judged much more harshly than among other classes. Should an upper-class citizen engage in such acts, they are generally expected to marry as soon as the matter comes to light, provided both parties are available to do so (if they are not, it is so much more of a scandal).
This is why the matter of Prince Kristofer and Natasha Robinson caused such a stir within Zongongia. Her refusal to marry was seen as much more of a sin than the original act. In the age of the internet, the scandal spread far and wide, and will be recorded for posterity – at least, as long as the servers which hold up the internet function as intended. But before the age of the internet, the upper classes of Zongongia had far more benign – and far more forgotten – scandals.
*
It is 1792, and the young princess Margrethe is sneaking out to meet her lover, Birgitta. As the only daughter the King, Margrethe is set to one day become Queen, unless her 40-year-old mother manages to squeeze out a boy. The girls are both in their late teens, adults by the reckoning of the times, and on the verge of being married off whether they want to be or not.
“Why can’t we just run away?” Birgitta says after (a rough translation, at least).
“You know why,” Margrethe whispers sadly, stroking Birgitta’s hair. “My father would hunt us to the ends of the earth.”
“There are many places we could hide,” Birgitta urges. “If we head to Costeno in the south we can hide in the corners of their empire, where nobody will ever find us.”
“You haven’t seen how fast my father can ride. He would be upon us before we had crossed into Fleura, never mind as far south as Costeno. Besides, I was taken on a trade voyage as a child, and those ships make me violently sick. Plus, the edges of the Costenan Empire are full of savages and monsters.”
“Monsters?”
“That’s what I’ve heard,” Margrethe nods. “Sea leviathans the size of a castle which can swallow whole ships. And on the lands, undead things which suck the blood out of your veins!”
“Stories designed to scare people,” Birgitta shook her head. “Spread to put people off travelling. I expect the natives of those lands told the Costenans such stories to frighten them away from their conquests.”
“Why would they do that? Aren’t the Costenans bringing civilisation?”
Birgitta just looked at Margrethe as if she was slightly dim-witted. Which, in this context at least, she had been taught to be.
“Well, whatever,” Margrethe said stubbornly, annoyed by her lover’s look. “I will not turn away from my birth right.”
“No,” sighed Birgitta, “you wouldn’t, would you.”
*
Margrethe went on to marry a man, who she never loved and only very reluctantly took to bed twice, before she decided she could not stand it. She was succeeded by one of her sister’s children since she never produced an heir. After her marriage, she did not continue to meet Birgitta, fearing discovery. By all accounts, her adolescent affair had no effect on her reign or her life.
But to an outside observer – to the rocks and the gods – a much subtler influence could be detected if one would only look closely.
In 1819, when Costeno comes begging to the Fleurans and Zongongians for help as the Sanctarians attack San Fernando Colony, Queen Margrethe rejects their call. When her military leaders come to her with their own proposals for colonial ventures, she chooses the path of caution, the path of restraint. This makes her enemies, but she holds fast. She survives four assassination attempts; and far more attempts by advisers to undermine her rule. But every time someone suggests conquest, she sees Birgitta’s face.
Queen Margrethe dies in 1850 at the age of 76 of natural causes. Zongongia never possesses an empire. History does not record the relationship between Margrethe and Birgitta.
At least, not in so many words.
In Zongongia, homophobia is the domain of the upper class. When you understand that, you understand much more about Zongongian politics.
Among the common people of Zongongia, homosexual relationships have been at least tacitly accepted for centuries. While gay marriage has only recently been legalised, there has also been a lack of laws criminalising the act. It has never been strictly illegal to engage in homosexual acts, though there are of course periods where it has been frowned upon if (and only if) one has been open about one’s preferences.
For the upper class, however, sex outside of marriage has been seen as generally unacceptable – therefore, before equal marriage, homosexuality was of course judged much more harshly than among other classes. Should an upper-class citizen engage in such acts, they are generally expected to marry as soon as the matter comes to light, provided both parties are available to do so (if they are not, it is so much more of a scandal).
This is why the matter of Prince Kristofer and Natasha Robinson caused such a stir within Zongongia. Her refusal to marry was seen as much more of a sin than the original act. In the age of the internet, the scandal spread far and wide, and will be recorded for posterity – at least, as long as the servers which hold up the internet function as intended. But before the age of the internet, the upper classes of Zongongia had far more benign – and far more forgotten – scandals.
*
It is 1792, and the young princess Margrethe is sneaking out to meet her lover, Birgitta. As the only daughter the King, Margrethe is set to one day become Queen, unless her 40-year-old mother manages to squeeze out a boy. The girls are both in their late teens, adults by the reckoning of the times, and on the verge of being married off whether they want to be or not.
“Why can’t we just run away?” Birgitta says after (a rough translation, at least).
“You know why,” Margrethe whispers sadly, stroking Birgitta’s hair. “My father would hunt us to the ends of the earth.”
“There are many places we could hide,” Birgitta urges. “If we head to Costeno in the south we can hide in the corners of their empire, where nobody will ever find us.”
“You haven’t seen how fast my father can ride. He would be upon us before we had crossed into Fleura, never mind as far south as Costeno. Besides, I was taken on a trade voyage as a child, and those ships make me violently sick. Plus, the edges of the Costenan Empire are full of savages and monsters.”
“Monsters?”
“That’s what I’ve heard,” Margrethe nods. “Sea leviathans the size of a castle which can swallow whole ships. And on the lands, undead things which suck the blood out of your veins!”
“Stories designed to scare people,” Birgitta shook her head. “Spread to put people off travelling. I expect the natives of those lands told the Costenans such stories to frighten them away from their conquests.”
“Why would they do that? Aren’t the Costenans bringing civilisation?”
Birgitta just looked at Margrethe as if she was slightly dim-witted. Which, in this context at least, she had been taught to be.
“Well, whatever,” Margrethe said stubbornly, annoyed by her lover’s look. “I will not turn away from my birth right.”
“No,” sighed Birgitta, “you wouldn’t, would you.”
*
Margrethe went on to marry a man, who she never loved and only very reluctantly took to bed twice, before she decided she could not stand it. She was succeeded by one of her sister’s children since she never produced an heir. After her marriage, she did not continue to meet Birgitta, fearing discovery. By all accounts, her adolescent affair had no effect on her reign or her life.
But to an outside observer – to the rocks and the gods – a much subtler influence could be detected if one would only look closely.
In 1819, when Costeno comes begging to the Fleurans and Zongongians for help as the Sanctarians attack San Fernando Colony, Queen Margrethe rejects their call. When her military leaders come to her with their own proposals for colonial ventures, she chooses the path of caution, the path of restraint. This makes her enemies, but she holds fast. She survives four assassination attempts; and far more attempts by advisers to undermine her rule. But every time someone suggests conquest, she sees Birgitta’s face.
Queen Margrethe dies in 1850 at the age of 76 of natural causes. Zongongia never possesses an empire. History does not record the relationship between Margrethe and Birgitta.
At least, not in so many words.
LIDUN President 2024 | she/her | Puppets: Kerlile, Glanainn, Yesteria, Zongongia, Zargothrax