Eleanor sat at her desk, the heavy wooden surface scattered with scrolls and maps of Aquitaine. Her advisor, a wiry man named Bertran, stood before her, his expression grave.

"Your Grace, as much as you hold power, it is a precarious position for a woman alone," Bertran said, his voice cautious. "Two kidnappings, forced marriage attempts... Your title alone is a beacon for those who would seek to control it."

Eleanor’s gaze remained fixed on the parchment, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the edge. "I’ve learned to defend it," she replied, her voice low but steady.

"Indeed," Bertran nodded. "But even so, it would be wise to consider remarrying. A strategic marriage would protect your holdings, and perhaps keep those who covet them at bay."

She looked up, her gray eyes narrowing slightly. "And who do you suggest, Bertran?"

He cleared his throat. "The Count of Toulouse, perhaps. Or Duke Geoffrey of Brittany. He is powerful enough to offer protection, and his family could be of some use in your alliances."

Eleanor thought for a moment, her fingers curling around a golden pendant. "Geoffrey is too… pliable. I would not marry a man who cannot match me in wit and strength."

Bertran hesitated, then ventured, "The Duke of Normandy, perhaps? He is young, ambitious, and holds great sway in the north."

Eleanor’s lips curled into a slight, knowing smile. "The Duke of Normandy, you say?" She leaned back in her chair, a spark of interest in her eyes. "Why do I find myself not minding that Idea."

[In the Duchy of Normandy. A rider arrived at the seat of the duchy carrying a message from the duchess.]

The messenger, breathless from the ride, entered the grand hall and approached the duke.

"Your Grace," the messenger said, bowing deeply, "a letter from Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine." He handed over the parchment, sealed with the golden emblem of Aquitaine.

The Duke broke the seal and read aloud, his voice low: "I, Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine, request that you come at once... and marry me."

The messenger looked at the duke waiting an answer.