Julianna was able to curb her reaction to his playful nudge. His earlier greeting was more than enough to imply that Eskrans were more comfortable with touching. Or at least, the emperor was. She smiled crookedly recalling to herself exactly what she had said the previous evening. It had not occurred to her at the time that he was indeed a notorious conqueror, as he put it. She had just known she was mad and sometimes her mouth worked more quickly than her brain.
As she went to apologize, his hand skirted down her arm. Her mouth shut so quickly her teeth snapped together, and she jumped in surprise. Just barely able to keep herself from pulling her arm away from him. Goosebumps rose down her arm, following the trail his rough fingertips drew over her spots. Julianna was left blinking up at him as he kissed her hand. A flush crept upwards from her collar, and settled in her cheeks in an obvious rosy blush. “How noble,” she replied, quieter than she would have preferred. The usual authority in her tone lost to her surprise.
She cleared her throat, and was ready to reclaim her hand, but he seemed keen on keeping it for himself. She allowed him to do so, even though the idea admittedly made her nervous. The rumors that could quickly spread from something as innocent as letting him escort her through the gardens. Walking so closely to another person felt strange, but not unpleasant. She was at the mercy of his pace and his direction, also not unpleasant. Still strange.
“Displaced,” she parroted the word with a tone of shock, tail swaying quickly near the ground. “Of course not.” A lie. He had done just that, but she wouldn’t admit it to him even if he had correctly assumed. “There is plenty of room in the castle for all the guests I would choose to entertain. Even the surprise ones.”
Her fingers tapped once, idly and in thought where they rested against his arm. Her ears twitched like something had bothered them before they swiveled to attention and remained still. “A prince from Delenveaux will also be joining us at the castle,” she explained, stopping to admire a clutch of dahlias as they came upon them. She reached out to poke layers of petals with her free hand. “He should have arrived nearly the same time as your company, but was unfortunately delayed.” Her tone, though pleasant, managed to convey the accusation she wasn’t voicing. She sighed once, and turned away from the flowers to smile at him once more and resume their walk.
“No matter. The more the merrier as I am apparently known to say.” Maeve had informed her of that little tidbit as she’d recounted the tale of the emperor’s entrance. “The castle will be bustling with company just in time for the Harvest Faire.”
Maeve looked as if she were on a warpath. There was a hard set to her expression that gave the appearance that she shouldn’t be bothered. She went about her chores with the same care and efficiency as any other day, but that did not stop her from looking mad about it. Other servants skirted around her, exchanging glances as they tried to figure what had gotten the Queen’s Handmaiden in such a mood.
After she'd relieved herself of the laundry, she changed into a lavender gown and pinned her seal to her bodice.
The focus of her ire could easily be attributed to the emperor and his entourage. Maeve signed her name to a kitchen receipt with more force than entirely necessary leaving a blotch of dark ink at the end of her ‘e’ and staining her fingers. She scoffed and rubbed her fingers together which only made the mess worse. She snapped the staff back into attention in the easy way she did. Pointed glares and sharp orders. Snatching a stray rag from the counter she worked at the ink on her fingers as she made her way to the southern wing.
She deposited the rag with a passing maid and interrogated and Eskran guard about which chambers Master Rivers had taken residence in. She rapped twice on the door, unsure of whether he was still inside. She frowned at her bluish fingertips as she waited.
As she went to apologize, his hand skirted down her arm. Her mouth shut so quickly her teeth snapped together, and she jumped in surprise. Just barely able to keep herself from pulling her arm away from him. Goosebumps rose down her arm, following the trail his rough fingertips drew over her spots. Julianna was left blinking up at him as he kissed her hand. A flush crept upwards from her collar, and settled in her cheeks in an obvious rosy blush. “How noble,” she replied, quieter than she would have preferred. The usual authority in her tone lost to her surprise.
She cleared her throat, and was ready to reclaim her hand, but he seemed keen on keeping it for himself. She allowed him to do so, even though the idea admittedly made her nervous. The rumors that could quickly spread from something as innocent as letting him escort her through the gardens. Walking so closely to another person felt strange, but not unpleasant. She was at the mercy of his pace and his direction, also not unpleasant. Still strange.
“Displaced,” she parroted the word with a tone of shock, tail swaying quickly near the ground. “Of course not.” A lie. He had done just that, but she wouldn’t admit it to him even if he had correctly assumed. “There is plenty of room in the castle for all the guests I would choose to entertain. Even the surprise ones.”
Her fingers tapped once, idly and in thought where they rested against his arm. Her ears twitched like something had bothered them before they swiveled to attention and remained still. “A prince from Delenveaux will also be joining us at the castle,” she explained, stopping to admire a clutch of dahlias as they came upon them. She reached out to poke layers of petals with her free hand. “He should have arrived nearly the same time as your company, but was unfortunately delayed.” Her tone, though pleasant, managed to convey the accusation she wasn’t voicing. She sighed once, and turned away from the flowers to smile at him once more and resume their walk.
“No matter. The more the merrier as I am apparently known to say.” Maeve had informed her of that little tidbit as she’d recounted the tale of the emperor’s entrance. “The castle will be bustling with company just in time for the Harvest Faire.”
Maeve looked as if she were on a warpath. There was a hard set to her expression that gave the appearance that she shouldn’t be bothered. She went about her chores with the same care and efficiency as any other day, but that did not stop her from looking mad about it. Other servants skirted around her, exchanging glances as they tried to figure what had gotten the Queen’s Handmaiden in such a mood.
After she'd relieved herself of the laundry, she changed into a lavender gown and pinned her seal to her bodice.
The focus of her ire could easily be attributed to the emperor and his entourage. Maeve signed her name to a kitchen receipt with more force than entirely necessary leaving a blotch of dark ink at the end of her ‘e’ and staining her fingers. She scoffed and rubbed her fingers together which only made the mess worse. She snapped the staff back into attention in the easy way she did. Pointed glares and sharp orders. Snatching a stray rag from the counter she worked at the ink on her fingers as she made her way to the southern wing.
She deposited the rag with a passing maid and interrogated and Eskran guard about which chambers Master Rivers had taken residence in. She rapped twice on the door, unsure of whether he was still inside. She frowned at her bluish fingertips as she waited.
I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) I want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true) and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you.
The following 1 user Likes megs's post: saronym
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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
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 06-12-2017, 08:55 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 06-20-2017, 07:46 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 06-22-2017, 09:00 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 06-22-2017, 10:08 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 06-22-2017, 10:37 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 06-24-2017, 05:36 AM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 06-24-2017, 07:29 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 06-25-2017, 09:11 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 06-25-2017, 09:57 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 06-25-2017, 10:18 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 06-26-2017, 10:29 AM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 06-26-2017, 08:02 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 06-27-2017, 11:32 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 06-29-2017, 12:12 AM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 06-30-2017, 06:01 PM
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
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 09-14-2017, 11:42 AM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 10-17-2017, 04:18 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 11-02-2017, 06:36 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 11-29-2017, 02:14 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 11-30-2017, 04:02 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 02-03-2018, 09:47 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 10-14-2018, 04:46 AM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 11-13-2018, 01:11 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 08-24-2019, 10:57 AM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by saronym - 08-26-2019, 12:19 PM
RE: Love & War [Closed] - by megs - 08-26-2019, 03:55 PM
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