Help Yourself and God will help you

[Acca Dacca]

[center]"Aiutati che il ciel t'aiuta"

[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f9/Flag_of_the_Kingdom_of_Sicily.svg/800px-Flag_of_the_Kingdom_of_Sicily.svg.png[/img][/center]

[i]Naples, Kingdom of Sicily.
Fort Antincendio Di Fortunato [/i]
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[i]Naples grew in importance, attracting Pisan and Genoese merchants, Tuscan bankers, and with them some of the most renowned Renaissance scholars and artists of the time, including Boccaccio, Petrarch and Giotto. The wealth of Naples began to grow much larger than Sicily, sparking an interest in the Naples-born families. The Queen herself was apart of this royal line that called Naples home. Her brother born in Sicily, favored the region of Palermo, and approached Council many times to bring the capital there. They denied each time, for it wasnt a competition, there was one Kingdom. One region.

In the early 1400s, the Pope had made his mark on the kingdom, giving them a Cardinal spot. A sicilian who gauranteed to lead the Kingdom as one. From that point on, the Pope, the Queen, and the Council of Nobles determined that Sicily and Naples remain politically linked. Forever.[/i]

These thoughts dwindled in the head of Queen Joan as she lay in bed, kissing her lover, Pandolfello Alopo. He looked to her with eyes that she had never seen from her first Husband, who died honourably in battle. She turned in the bed, and faced out to the view of the Sea. Last she lay with him, she asked if the sea was beautiful, his reply was what every lover says, not as beautiful as you. She did not ask again, she just awaited for hsi arms to wrap around her, and peer out to the sea together. They knew that the day would come where they would no longer remain together, as she was a Queen, and he was the son of a Noble. He wore no title of honour.

She looked out and asked God for her forgiveness, as she lay with ihm out of marriage, but the love was something that coud not last. At the thought, she sat up, put on her gown, and looked out to Naples. She loved the sight of it, and now it was all hers. She was becoming older by the day, and she needed a child to tend to her Naples, and she would not find it in Pandolfello. For this trouble, she turned to God and asked him to deliver her a husband, and shortly after, a child. She promised her undying loyalty to the Pope, and for all of her Kingdom to be a servant of God. There was no reply, but she would continue trying.

The Council pushed for Louis III of Anjou, son of the rival of King Ladislaus and himself still a pretender to the Neapolitan throne. To be her successor, and she denied as a last favor to her deceased brother. Louis was distant family, born in Germany, and she did not see fit to trust anyone outside of Roman or Sicilian lineage with her crown. In fact, she despised most of the rest of the world outside of Italy, Croatia, and those the Pope suggests she trusts. There was no other way to keep the house as nobles if the families reign ended with Joan, so as Pandolfello reached for her, she pushed him away. For now, she only looked to God for comfort.

House of Anjou will not end with her. She would have a son, even if it killed her.