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Post by Cassandra on Mar 3, 2007 11:06:05 GMT -5
Emeli walked to the audience chamber alone. She barely noticed the few people in the halls bowing or curtsying to her, acknowledging them occasionally with a nod of her head. She cursed as she almost tripped over the hem of her underskirt- trains like that weren't really practical. They looked regal but were such a pain. Maybe she should take after Ani and constantly dismiss maids and her ladies. She could dress herself, but for dismissing the nobles from her service- they (or their families) would probably consider it an insult.
She found a page lurking around the library near the door to the chamber and pulled him aside.
"Page," she said. The nervous boy bowed. "Can you please summon Princess Anitha for me? Tell her that she can meet me in no less than half an hour here. She should be in her room." Emeli pressed a silver coin into his hands. "Thank you,"
The page nodded, and then mumbled "Yes, Majesty." He bowed again and hurried off.
Well. She wasn't that frightening, was she?
(OOC: And here we go....)
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Post by alannatheknightess on Mar 3, 2007 11:24:12 GMT -5
Ani was in her room, brushing her hair, when she heard a tentitive knock at the door. She ignored it for a moment; her hair had a few more snarls in it from sleeping. The knock persisted, however, and she sighed quickly, getting up and opening it. Normally she would of had a servent do that, but she always banished them from her room when she was getting dressed. She liked the alone time.
A page boy was standing at her door. He was shorter than she was, and she looked down on him. His shoulders were arched, and he looked frightened. She waited for his message as he bowed hastily.
"Her Royal Majesty sent for you at once, to meet her in the audience chamber," he said.
"Thank you," she said. He looked up at her, then automatically looked away, a bit of awe in his eyes.
Noticing the way he looked at her with such wonder, she said coyly, "May I inquire of your name?"
"Page Jasson of Node," he said, still looking at the floor.
"Well, Page Jasson, thank you for the message from my sister." She dug into her pockets and produced a gold coin, then gave it to him.
He looked at it, then tentivatly took it as she smiled. He then bowed, once again, murmering thanks, and fled.
Ani grinned. She hasn't missed the wonder in his tone, and she had just earned herself a page friend. He wouldn't forget her, and he might be useful when he was a squire.
Ani shut the door and opened up the twin set of doors on her wardrobe, taking out a burgandy cover. She didn't have time to get dressed properly, but that didn't mean she should brave the Palace wearing something that another noble would wear. She took an extra five minutes, lacing up the bodice, so it flew nicely over her hips. She pulled a scarf over her hair, so it revealed her forehead, then tied it under the rest of her hair.
She left then, after schunichinizing herself in the mirror. She wasn't wearing normal regal attire, but she could easily pass for a princess. With that, she left, off to the audience chamber.
As she entered, she ducked a quick curtsy for her older sister.
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Post by Cassandra on Mar 3, 2007 11:33:20 GMT -5
"Ani," her older sister said. "You really don't have to do that for me."
Emeli found a chair. "I need to talk to you about Beltane. Several nobles have been wanting an extravagant ball here, instead of what we normally do- the festival in Corus. I really do not want to go through any more balls than I have to. We have one in a few days for that Duke's birthday, isn't that enough? And I'm still recovering from the one for my birthday."
She got up and started pacing. "How are you? I assume that you got more sleep than I did." Emeli glanced out of a window.
"Ani, do you want a festival as normal or a ball? I mean, the ball is utterly frivolous. It would just mean that there would be couples off in the side rooms of the ballroom than scattered around the city."
Suddenly she sighed. "And I have no one to jump over the embers with. I know people are expecting it by now. We need someone to fill in."
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Post by alannatheknightess on Mar 3, 2007 11:46:52 GMT -5
Ani got up from her curtsy, noting that her shift dragged slightly on the ground as she did that. She mentally noted to have someone tailor it. She scrunched her face up prettyily. She made sure it was pretty; she has practiced in the mirror many times. "Well..." she said, "I love balls. They're so much fun. And the commoners often have their own celebrations anyway, for Beltaine. Why do we even have a fesival, if they have millions of little ones circling around during it?" Annoynace started to colour her tone. "I suppose we could have a celebration for both, but the nobles are more important. They want a ball; give them a ball. For traditions sake, we could do a festival in Corus as well? But smaller." Ani pursed her lips and looked up at her sister, while lowering her chin at the last comment. "Find someone," she said simply. "It isn't as if there isn't an abundance of men in the Palace." (OCC: Ani likes looking pretty. )
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Post by Cassandra on Mar 3, 2007 16:50:21 GMT -5
"It isn't as if there isn't an abundance of men in the Palace."
Emeli rolled her eyes.
"Well yes, that's true. But."
She paused.
"But some are pages, a good lot are servants and slaves and most of the rest are annoying nobles and/or married."
She sighed. "See? And I wouldn't want to just pick anyone and give them ideas."
Emeli sat and rubbed her forehead. A headache already, what a nice start to the day this was. And it wasn't even noon yet.
"Well" she said in response to the ball comment. "The nobles want a ball- I don't. I'd rather make appearances at the festival, give the commoners support. And all the little festivals going on it would be nice to have one going through all of Corus. Um. Ani what do you think of this? Have a festival and a ball later. I can show up for a while if I absolutely have too. You can be there longer and jump over embers in my place."
Emeli grinned slightly wickedly.
"You find a man instead of I. After all there's an abundance in the Palace..."
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Post by alannatheknightess on Mar 3, 2007 17:23:24 GMT -5
"Well, then why pick anyone?" Ani said, a tad condesendingly. "If you don't want to, then why? I think you're allowed to jump over embers with family. Jump over with myself or Mother. Or not at all."
Ani bit her lowerlip, then stopped, running her tongue over her top set of teeth to make sure no facepaint residued onto her teeth. When she was certain there wasn't, she resumed biting her lower lip gently. "Two sounds all right. A festival for the commoners to get drunk, or whatever else they do, and a ball. Beltaine is such a fun event." She grinned consiously at the last comment.
"So, we let the commoners do what they want, and we do our own?"
Ani added sourly, "And no, I won't go find my own man to jump the embers with. Jumping the embers is done for fertility. Something my twenty somthing Queen sister needs more than I." She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes cutely.
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Post by Cassandra on Mar 3, 2007 17:36:16 GMT -5
And no, I won't go find my own man to jump the embers with. Jumping the embers is done for fertility. Something my twenty somthing Queen sister needs more than I."
"Stop it Ani. I'm not even twenty five. Besides, Tortall would be shocked if I found some random man and jumped with him for fertility. They want me to be married first. I mean I'd rather not be married yet. So far I haven't found anyone that appealed."
Emeli changed the topic. "Have you had breakfast yet? I don't think I have. I don't remember."
She pulled at her hair, releasing the red locks from the pinned up style they were in. Emeli shook her head so that they tumbled over her shoulders and down her back.
"That's so much more comfortable," she said, pulling out a few pins. "Don't you find how they just stick into your scalp no matter what Ani?"
(OOC: Sorry for the shortness)
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Post by alannatheknightess on Mar 3, 2007 19:33:28 GMT -5
"If Tortall would be shocked," she said laungidly, "Then why are you worrying about finding someone?" She moved her hand to under her chin, and moved her head down, so her angular cheekbones stood out. She wondered mildly why she did this with her sister, but it was just habit. "Listen," she advised. "On the subject of fertility plights: pretend you think it is rude to the gods or some other nonsence to jump with a man when you are not courting. Rude to their holiday. You have an excuse, and your nice, sensitive side won't hurt someone's feelings."
Ani pursed her lips, annoyed. "I'm thirsty," she declared angrily. She moved across the spacious room and flung open the door. Two slaves, there in case the occupents of the room needed something, jumped to attention, heads bowed.
"Get us something to drink," she said, her tone harsh and commanding. "Two lemonades." Her eyes were glinting angrily. She liked having everything, when she could, when she wanted. One slave actually jumped to run and fufill her demand.
Pleased, Ani returned to her seat with her sister.
"What was that?" she asked, thinking her sister had said something beforehand.
"Have you had breakfast yet? I don't think I have. I don't remember."
"Hmm. I don't believe I have." Slower this time, she made her way back to the slaves, and said, not as harsh this time, "Breakfast for the Queen and I."
She then turned, shut the door, and once again, moved almost lazily to the side of the red velvet room, and sat again. "That's why I don't bother with pins," she said. "My hair looks much better pulled down, with braids or curls and the like."
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Post by Cassandra on Mar 3, 2007 21:43:23 GMT -5
"My hair looks much better pulled down, with braids or curls and the like."
"You also don't have ladies in waiting who get extremely offended if you dismiss them. You just have commoner servants. And that's why you're the lucky one."
Emeli shrugged her shoulders.
"About the Beltane fertility thing- your idea does make sense. I can't satisfy either group, you know. Ani, I can satisfy all of the people some of the time and I can satisfy of the people all of the time. But I can't satisfy all of the people all of the time. That's just the way it is."
She noticed that Ani had asked for lemonades and breakfast.
"Thank you. But really don't you think that you could be a little nicer to them? I mean they are slaves but they are people, Ani."
She pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes.
"I don't know, it's just my opinion. I have to be in the middle on issues like this, you know."
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Post by alannatheknightess on Mar 3, 2007 22:23:23 GMT -5
"I still have ladies in waiting," she said, slightly offended. "I just don't let them fuss and pick over me in the morning. I don't like my hair being pulled out, thank you. If you would just yell at them-- or, if that's too rude, just tell them-- to leave you alone, they'd go."
She pushed her hair over her shoulder, then said impatiently, "Where's our lemonade?"
"About the Beltane fertility thing- your idea does make sense. I can't satisfy either group, you know. Ani, I can satisfy all of the people some of the time and I can satisfy of the people all of the time. But I can't satisfy all of the people all of the time. That's just the way it is."
"Then satisfy the important people," she suggested, as if this was obvious. "For example, there's no point in marrying to satisfy mother, because she's old and her opinion won't matter soon. However, doing something between a choice, and chosing to please the people who can do things for the Crown; now that's smart. And beinficial."
"Thank you. But really don't you think that you could be a little nicer to them? I mean they are slaves but they are people, Ani."
Ani sighed at her sister fondly, as if she had missed something obvious. "But they are slaves. Most of them were born into servitude. And I wanted lemonade. We should of had it already; a meeting without refreshemnts? We should of had breakfast as well; they need to take everything into consideration.
Emeli pushed a lock of hair out of her face as she said, "I don't know, it's just my opinion. I have to be in the middle on issues like this, you know."
Ani got up and walked behind her sister, hands pushing Emeli's hair out of her face as she spoke. "Ah, but no you don't. If you say something, it becomes law. Or it should be. You're Queen, Emeli, if you haven't noticed."
She twisted the locks of hair on the side of her sisters face so it wouldn't be in her face. Over, outward, under. Over, outward, under. Over, outward, under. Soon she had braided the smaller locks near her ears and started on working them into the side of Emeli's head. Her hands were gentle as she worked, used to doing it on herself.
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Post by Cassandra on Mar 3, 2007 22:56:02 GMT -5
"I just don't let them fuss and pick over me in the morning. I don't like my hair being pulled out, thank you. If you would just yell at them-- or, if that's too rude, just tell them-- to leave you alone, they'd go."
"I wish. It's more at the risk of offending their families- they seem to take it as a personal affront that they're not good enough and so on and so forth."
"For example, there's no point in marrying to satisfy mother, because she's old and her opinion won't matter soon. However, doing something between a choice, and chosing to please the people who can do things for the Crown; now that's smart. And beinficial."
Emeli half smirked. "If I wanted to marry to satisfy mother I'd have been married for eight years and she'd have grandchildren running around. I feel sorryt for Coralen- when do you think mother will focus her grandchildren intentions on her?"
She shrugged. "Although- people can revolt. I can't just please those loyal to me. I do, but the ones who challenge my rule, those are the ones who I really have to win over and control."
"Ah, but no you don't. If you say something, it becomes law. Or it should be. You're Queen, Emeli, if you haven't noticed."
"I have noticed. The never ending stream of banquets and balls has alerted me to that. Is that all that they think I'm useful for, looking pretty?" Emeli sighed. "And there are still the always deliberating, always undecided councils. I must amswer to them."
Emeli felt her sister braiding her hair and smiled.
"Thank you, Ani. That's much better."
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Post by alannatheknightess on Mar 3, 2007 23:13:29 GMT -5
Ani rolled her eyes as she continued moving her sisters hair, coiling it into gentle braids around her head, while the rest hung free. "Personal offence? You chose them as your ladies in waiting; how is making them away an offence? And if they are ladies-in-waiting, I doubt their family is incrediably influental in Court."
"If I wanted to marry to satisfy mother I'd have been married for eight years and she'd have grandchildren running around. I feel sorryt for Coralen- when do you think mother will focus her grandchildren intentions on her?"
Ani smiled, pursing her lips as if she didn't know. "Well, I do believe I was thirteen. So in a few years. She's already being bomabarded with marriage. Royals are supposed to marry at a younger age. But if you were married off, as Mother wanted, you'd be Queen of some faraway country, and I'd be the one focusing on trivolities such as balls verses fesitvals.
Emeli shrugged, and Ani accidently tugged on her hair. Emeli then said, "Although- people can revolt. I can't just please those loyal to me. I do, but the ones who challenge my rule, those are the ones who I really have to win over and control."
"You weren't listening to me," she reproved. "I said those who were important; those with influence. It doesn't matter how many dirt-poor commoners are loyal to you if all the merchants aren't. Please those who are important and make them loyal, not please those who are already loyal. Unless the already loyal are the already important. Priorities, Emeli."
Ani finished twirling the last braid, then patted her sisters hair. Half of it had been braided, then twisted around her head, resting on the others so not to fall out, while the rest hung downwards. "Threre. Not too tight?"
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Post by Rainstorm Aria on Mar 6, 2007 15:34:25 GMT -5
Annikka walked quickly down the corridor in search of breakfast. She was one of those people who find it difficult to operate in the morning without having eaten something first, preferably not so fast as to cause indigestion.
She weaved and jinked around the maidservants and pages in the corridor, mind mostly on her breakfast, so that she wasn't looking where she was going.
As a direct result, she did not see the lady-in-waiting proceeding at a dignified trot directly towards her with a piled tray of breakfast for some lucky person. The lady-in-waiting did not recognise Annikka freckled, in plain breeches, tunic and shirt as opposed to some Court monstrosity and without makeup, and expected her to move out of the way sharpish. She did not.
The resulting collision was loud, accompanied by the sound of china and glass smashing, lady-like cusses from the offended lady-in-waiting and a sharp yelp of a word only to be used when fingers were sliced by scalpels from Annikka.
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Post by Cassandra on Mar 6, 2007 16:48:53 GMT -5
Emeli heard the yelp and crash outside of the room and jumped up.
"What was that?" she said worriedly to Ani, and then rushed out of the room. Her newly braided hair swung about her face and she almost tripped over the long hem of her dress again. She knew she must look horribly un-royal at that moment.
When she got back out into the hall, she saw two people tangled up amongst wwhat must have been the remains of her and Ani's breakfast. She recognized one, the woman with freckles and breeches, as her Head Healer, Annikka haMinch. The other, gowned in worn silks and glass jewels was one of her more odious ladies-in-waiting, Lurenna of Gonough.
"What happened?" Emeli asked, viewing the annoyed Healer and the frantic, simpering Lurenna. "Are you alright, Lady Annikka, Lady Lurenna?"
She turned around to see if her sister had followed. "Ani, come out here please!"
(OOC: Wanted to name the lady in waiting *sheepish*. So yeah, Lurenna of Gonough. I guess I'll post her name in the Suggestions thread or whatnot)
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Post by Rainstorm Aria on Mar 7, 2007 14:15:19 GMT -5
(OOC: Apologies for putting words into Lady Lurenna's mouth.)
"What happened?" a voice said from behind Annikka. A very recognisable voice, with all the consonants carefully pronounced. "Are you alright, Lady Annikka, Lady Lurenna?"
Annikka sat up from where she had fallen and put her hand down on a shard of glass, occasioning another pained yelp as she clutched the hand to her, thus allowing Lady Lurenna to get her two penn'orth in first in that detestably shrill and refined voice. "Your Majesty, I am so sorry, I shall send one of the maids for some more breakfast directly, I do apologise for this unseemly scene but Lady Annikka would appear to be half-bli-"
"I am not half-blind, Lady Lurenna," Annikka snapped back without stopping to think, "Good sight is one of the many requirements a Healer must meet. Like manners."
It was, of course, at that point that Annikka identified the voice, and she scrambled up from the floor, still cradling her injured hand, and bowed as deeply and gracefully as she could manage at this time in the morning to her Queen and First Princess.
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