Maeve would never admit it aloud, but sometimes she preferred when the Queen decided to take some away from the castle. Even when it was outside of her best interests. It was not that Maeve bore any ill will towards her majesty, it was just a simple fact that she got more work done when the queen was away.
Which is exactly what she did. In the queen’s chambers, Maeve stripped the bed of its dressings, and fitted it with new ones in a deep purple color. She opened the balcony doors and let the ocean breeze carry away the stale air that had settled in the room overnight. Maeve moved through the castle, silently and expertly attending to the chores assigned to her. Other servants bustled to and fro in much the same manner. The staff of the Darkwillow Estate moved like a well-oiled machine, because nothing ever really changed in the day to day.
As the sun rose, a stifling heat rose with it. Despite the openness of the castle and the wind from the ocean, the feeling was noticeable. Or perhaps it was just noticeable to Maeve. Despite her having spent many years in Veridian, she was simply built for the colder Eskran weather. Sweat clung to her skin and caused tight ringlets to stick to her forehead and the back of her neck. She huffed as she carried an armload of linens down to the laundry. If nothing else, Maeve could be thankful that it was a dry sort of heat.
She handed her load off to the cleaning staff and took a moment to breathe. With her hands she pushed her hair away from her neck, piling it on top of her head and stretched out her back. Maeve had just closed her eyes for a moment of peace when an agitated foot messenger burst forth into the room. His eyes scanned to and fro quickly, until he spotted her on the opposite end of it.
“Lady Maeve!”
She dropped her hair as he approached, and she perked a curious eyebrow as he stood in front of her and took a moment to catch his breath. “Soldiers approach the outskirts of town,” he informed her. “At least nine companies of men. Maybe more.”
Maeve was unmoved. She resisted the urge to sarcastically shrug her shoulders. “We’re expecting the Prince from Delanveaux,” she replied. “Though, I don’t understand why he would need-”
“Their banners don’t fly the Delanveaux lilies,” he informed her.
Her brow furrowed. “What do they fly?”
“The Eskran wolverine.”
Her breath caught. She took pause with the feeling of a chill down her spine. Not this, she pleaded to no one. Not now. She crossed her arms to hide the tremble in her hands. “Has anyone spoken to them? Who is leading them? What do they want?”
“They accompany the High Emperor. He comes bearing an invitation from the queen.”
Violet eyes widened, mouth parted but closed again without saying anything. The High Emperor of Eskra? In Veridian? How absurd. An invitation from the queen? Unlikely, as she had not been told anything of it. Maeve hummed, both curious and distraught.
Pulling a gold coin from the satchel at her waist, she pressed it into the palm of the messenger. “Find the queen,” she demanded. He pocketed his earnings and took off with an eager nod.
Maeve all but ran from the laundry, barking orders to the staff as she made her way to her own chambers. She rallied guards and servants to their places to receive the emperor, who would no doubt make his way directly to the castle. In her rooms, she quickly changed out of the simple white robes she wore for work. She wiped sweat and grime from her skin with a wet cloth, before adorning an elaborate dress in a vibrant green that was more befitting of the queen’s right hand. An empire waist and a sweetheart neckline did wonders for her figure, not that she was concerned with that. The longer sleeves, though gauzy, did better to hide the brands on her left arm. She pushed curls away from her face and pinned them with a matching comb that dazzled with emeralds. She stepped into green slippers and left the room just as quickly as she had come into it.
She could hear the excited murmurs of the staff that was caused by the emperors approach. Maeve worked on fastening an intricate brooch to her bodice. It depicted a sunburst behind a single open eye and signified her place at the queen’s side, and her authority of the household.
“Back to work all of you!” she snapped, before she moved towards the castle’s courtyard, motioning to two guards to follow her. With a deep, solidifying breath she made it to the front gates just in time to watch the emperor and his entourage approach. She stood, steadfast with her chin high and her eyes locked on the foreign company. Her mouth felt dry, and she ran her tongue across her bottom lip. Nervously, she eyed the tall black stallion at the head of the pack. And the taller man that rode in on it. She took the time to glance over him while she did not have to be subtle about it. He did not look as if he was hostile.
But looks meant nothing.
And his reputation preceded him.
For better or worse.
Maeve waited for the emperor to dismount before she approached them. When he did, she stopped short and bowed politely in the Veridian manner. Really more of a dip than a full bow, one foot tucked behind the other. She lowered both her chin and her eyes with the movement, but only briefly. When her gaze returned to his, she immediately found his height to be overwhelming. “Your majesty,” she greeted in the common tongue. It would have been better of her to use Eskran, since she knew the language, but she chose not to for, admittedly selfish, reasons. “A pleasure to receive your presence in Veridian.”
Her eyes and her attention switched to the man, still mounted, who had spoken. She skirted around the emperor with another polite nod of her head and moved close enough to take the letter from the dark haired man with her outstretched hand. She pretended to read the words while inspecting other parts of the invitation. The green wax of the seal was off; very close, but not quite perfect. She fingered the parchment, which was the correct quality, but Julianna’s ‘O’s were typically much softer. Overall, an impressive forgery, but a forgery nonetheless.
Maeve forced a smile. “A guest of the queen,” she mused. “Wonderful.” Despite her position she did not have the authority to send them away, and she wouldn’t risk an altercation before they’d been given the chance to explain their intentions.
“The queen is off the castle grounds at the moment,” she informed them, folding up the letter and tucking it away in her sash. “I, of course, welcome you and extend the castle's hospitality on her behalf. My name is Maeve; I am Queen Julianna's handmaiden. Chambers have been prepared for your arrival.” A half-truth, suites had been prepared, but for a very different guest. “Our stable hands will attend to your mounts, and our stewards will have your belongings delivered to your rooms.”
With a simple wave of her hand she directed the guards that had accompanied her to see that these promises she made were quickly fulfilled.
“You must be famished from your journey,” she lilted pleasantly, returning to her position before the emperor. “Allow me the delight of inviting you to the banquet hall, your majesty. Food and wine have been prepared in light of your arrival.”
Which is exactly what she did. In the queen’s chambers, Maeve stripped the bed of its dressings, and fitted it with new ones in a deep purple color. She opened the balcony doors and let the ocean breeze carry away the stale air that had settled in the room overnight. Maeve moved through the castle, silently and expertly attending to the chores assigned to her. Other servants bustled to and fro in much the same manner. The staff of the Darkwillow Estate moved like a well-oiled machine, because nothing ever really changed in the day to day.
As the sun rose, a stifling heat rose with it. Despite the openness of the castle and the wind from the ocean, the feeling was noticeable. Or perhaps it was just noticeable to Maeve. Despite her having spent many years in Veridian, she was simply built for the colder Eskran weather. Sweat clung to her skin and caused tight ringlets to stick to her forehead and the back of her neck. She huffed as she carried an armload of linens down to the laundry. If nothing else, Maeve could be thankful that it was a dry sort of heat.
She handed her load off to the cleaning staff and took a moment to breathe. With her hands she pushed her hair away from her neck, piling it on top of her head and stretched out her back. Maeve had just closed her eyes for a moment of peace when an agitated foot messenger burst forth into the room. His eyes scanned to and fro quickly, until he spotted her on the opposite end of it.
“Lady Maeve!”
She dropped her hair as he approached, and she perked a curious eyebrow as he stood in front of her and took a moment to catch his breath. “Soldiers approach the outskirts of town,” he informed her. “At least nine companies of men. Maybe more.”
Maeve was unmoved. She resisted the urge to sarcastically shrug her shoulders. “We’re expecting the Prince from Delanveaux,” she replied. “Though, I don’t understand why he would need-”
“Their banners don’t fly the Delanveaux lilies,” he informed her.
Her brow furrowed. “What do they fly?”
“The Eskran wolverine.”
Her breath caught. She took pause with the feeling of a chill down her spine. Not this, she pleaded to no one. Not now. She crossed her arms to hide the tremble in her hands. “Has anyone spoken to them? Who is leading them? What do they want?”
“They accompany the High Emperor. He comes bearing an invitation from the queen.”
Violet eyes widened, mouth parted but closed again without saying anything. The High Emperor of Eskra? In Veridian? How absurd. An invitation from the queen? Unlikely, as she had not been told anything of it. Maeve hummed, both curious and distraught.
Pulling a gold coin from the satchel at her waist, she pressed it into the palm of the messenger. “Find the queen,” she demanded. He pocketed his earnings and took off with an eager nod.
Maeve all but ran from the laundry, barking orders to the staff as she made her way to her own chambers. She rallied guards and servants to their places to receive the emperor, who would no doubt make his way directly to the castle. In her rooms, she quickly changed out of the simple white robes she wore for work. She wiped sweat and grime from her skin with a wet cloth, before adorning an elaborate dress in a vibrant green that was more befitting of the queen’s right hand. An empire waist and a sweetheart neckline did wonders for her figure, not that she was concerned with that. The longer sleeves, though gauzy, did better to hide the brands on her left arm. She pushed curls away from her face and pinned them with a matching comb that dazzled with emeralds. She stepped into green slippers and left the room just as quickly as she had come into it.
She could hear the excited murmurs of the staff that was caused by the emperors approach. Maeve worked on fastening an intricate brooch to her bodice. It depicted a sunburst behind a single open eye and signified her place at the queen’s side, and her authority of the household.
“Back to work all of you!” she snapped, before she moved towards the castle’s courtyard, motioning to two guards to follow her. With a deep, solidifying breath she made it to the front gates just in time to watch the emperor and his entourage approach. She stood, steadfast with her chin high and her eyes locked on the foreign company. Her mouth felt dry, and she ran her tongue across her bottom lip. Nervously, she eyed the tall black stallion at the head of the pack. And the taller man that rode in on it. She took the time to glance over him while she did not have to be subtle about it. He did not look as if he was hostile.
But looks meant nothing.
And his reputation preceded him.
For better or worse.
Maeve waited for the emperor to dismount before she approached them. When he did, she stopped short and bowed politely in the Veridian manner. Really more of a dip than a full bow, one foot tucked behind the other. She lowered both her chin and her eyes with the movement, but only briefly. When her gaze returned to his, she immediately found his height to be overwhelming. “Your majesty,” she greeted in the common tongue. It would have been better of her to use Eskran, since she knew the language, but she chose not to for, admittedly selfish, reasons. “A pleasure to receive your presence in Veridian.”
Her eyes and her attention switched to the man, still mounted, who had spoken. She skirted around the emperor with another polite nod of her head and moved close enough to take the letter from the dark haired man with her outstretched hand. She pretended to read the words while inspecting other parts of the invitation. The green wax of the seal was off; very close, but not quite perfect. She fingered the parchment, which was the correct quality, but Julianna’s ‘O’s were typically much softer. Overall, an impressive forgery, but a forgery nonetheless.
Maeve forced a smile. “A guest of the queen,” she mused. “Wonderful.” Despite her position she did not have the authority to send them away, and she wouldn’t risk an altercation before they’d been given the chance to explain their intentions.
“The queen is off the castle grounds at the moment,” she informed them, folding up the letter and tucking it away in her sash. “I, of course, welcome you and extend the castle's hospitality on her behalf. My name is Maeve; I am Queen Julianna's handmaiden. Chambers have been prepared for your arrival.” A half-truth, suites had been prepared, but for a very different guest. “Our stable hands will attend to your mounts, and our stewards will have your belongings delivered to your rooms.”
With a simple wave of her hand she directed the guards that had accompanied her to see that these promises she made were quickly fulfilled.
“You must be famished from your journey,” she lilted pleasantly, returning to her position before the emperor. “Allow me the delight of inviting you to the banquet hall, your majesty. Food and wine have been prepared in light of your arrival.”
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Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 12-16-2016, 02:18 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 12-18-2016, 04:25 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 12-23-2016, 08:42 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 12-24-2016, 06:58 AM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 12-24-2016, 03:04 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 12-24-2016, 04:01 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 12-24-2016, 05:11 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 12-24-2016, 05:57 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 12-26-2016, 01:17 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 12-26-2016, 03:15 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 12-27-2016, 02:41 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 12-27-2016, 04:15 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 12-27-2016, 07:49 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 12-27-2016, 08:40 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 12-28-2016, 08:29 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 12-28-2016, 08:51 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 01-01-2017, 05:23 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 01-02-2017, 11:48 AM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 01-05-2017, 10:16 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 01-07-2017, 02:21 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 01-11-2017, 03:46 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 01-12-2017, 11:36 AM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 01-16-2017, 09:41 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 01-17-2017, 11:16 AM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 01-17-2017, 10:39 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 01-18-2017, 10:06 AM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 01-19-2017, 09:08 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 01-20-2017, 02:11 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 02-14-2017, 09:10 AM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 02-18-2017, 11:30 AM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 04-12-2017, 08:40 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 05-01-2017, 05:59 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 05-07-2017, 01:59 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 05-07-2017, 09:28 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 05-10-2017, 11:49 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 05-15-2017, 06:25 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 05-30-2017, 08:25 PM
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RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 07-17-2017, 07:45 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 09-07-2017, 07:37 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 09-10-2017, 11:21 PM
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RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 10-17-2017, 04:18 PM
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RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 02-03-2018, 09:47 PM
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RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 08-24-2019, 10:57 AM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 08-26-2019, 12:19 PM
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RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 08-27-2019, 01:28 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 08-27-2019, 02:34 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 09-04-2019, 05:21 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 09-05-2019, 04:40 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 12-17-2019, 01:33 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 12-17-2019, 05:29 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 12-28-2019, 08:44 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 01-12-2020, 07:10 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 01-14-2020, 07:14 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 12-29-2019, 02:17 AM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 01-14-2020, 06:11 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 01-17-2020, 02:35 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 01-17-2020, 05:02 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 01-31-2020, 06:36 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 02-06-2020, 06:24 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 02-21-2020, 05:59 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 01-20-2020, 04:42 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 02-01-2020, 02:51 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 02-07-2020, 02:26 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 02-21-2020, 09:46 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 03-01-2020, 05:47 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 03-10-2020, 07:28 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 07-04-2020, 12:48 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 07-25-2020, 12:57 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 03-02-2020, 11:19 AM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 03-14-2020, 12:34 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 07-23-2020, 09:57 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 08-25-2020, 11:02 AM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 09-12-2020, 01:02 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 09-25-2020, 01:11 PM