I know I'm starting a lot of stories, but I'm grounded for a month, haha, so, I have pretty much nothing else to do but write and wait for the month to be over. I have fallen in love with Merlin. And... a certain dashing knight in shining armor who's name starts with "P" and ends with "ercival". I can't imagine who. I'm going to try giving you guys a song to listen to that kind of represents the character. Please read and review, it helps! Also, I might not have very regular posting chapters schedule, sorry. :/ So, talking about representing, here's the song.
Represent by The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus (it's a really good song and kind of sets up Lady Ebony and all the obligations she feels that she has. Hope you love the story and the song :)
I am standing in my room with my maid, May, standing by my side. My window is open so that I can see all the commotion. There is a man being pushed into the courtyard where a crowd is gathered. My Father, Uther Pendragon, King of Camelot, is standing on the balcony, perched over the courtyard. I already know what's going to happen, this man is going to be executed because he practiced magic. I don't like the idea. It doesn't seem right to me.
I see my friend, Morgana, in the window across the courtyard. I catch her eye and she waves slightly. I wave back quickly and give her a small smile. Both of us are very on edge about anyone getting executed. She is wearing a gorgeous blue gown. I see her beautiful face covered with worry, her gray eyes wide with fear, her black hair falling over her face. She is absolutely beautiful, and it's no wonder that men fawn over her all the time, even though she can't see it.
My father starts speaking so I turn to him. His gray hair glistening in the sunlight, but his harsh, brown eyes tell me something different. However royal he is, there is a hatred that rolls around him that scares me. It has since I was a child, and it still does today. His voice is loud and proper, though, like a true king's speech.
"Let this serve as a lesson to all," Father says, "this man, Thomas James Collins, is adjudged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic. And pursuant to the Laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on the penalty of death. I pride myself as a fair and just King," I roll my eyes at this. He has never been fair and just, even to his own children, "but for the crime of sorcery, there is but one sentence I can pass." The man is placed, kneeling on the platform, waiting for his imminent doom. The executioner raises his axe, ready to behead the man. The drums play. I grip the windowsill, hating every bit of this but not being able to look away. Father raises his hand and then lowers it, quickly and swiftly. I stifle a cry as I turn away. I feel May's arms circle around me lovingly. She is a sweet, but very thin older lady. She has taken care of me since birth. Uther continues, but I don't dare look. "When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos. But with the people's help magic was driven from the realm. So I declare a festival to celebrate 20 years since the Great Dragon was captured and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery! Let the celebrations begin!" I hug May even harder. I don't want t go to anything that involves a celebration of an innocent mans death.
I turn around in the window to hear a woman wailing and crying. I can't find the source at first but soon enough, I can see the crowd backing away from a very old, hunched over lady covered in rags. She speaks in a high, mournful voice. "There is only one evil in this land and it is not magic. It is you! With your hatred and your ignorance. You took my son," I gasp and I feel May squeeze my arm a bit tighter in comfort, "and I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a son for a son!" Oh God, she is talking about my brother, Arthur. Technically, he is my half brother but I have known him my whole life. He was there for my birth. He is exactly like a brother to me and the thought of loosing his is petrifying.
"Seize her," Father shouts. The woman takes out a necklace and starts chanting. Everyone steps back. All of a sudden, there is a great whirl of wind and she is thrown into the air, in just rags and before we know it, she has disappeared. May closes the window and leads me to my bed, where I sit down and I lay my head in my hands.
"It must be horrible," I sigh.
"What's that, deary," May asks.
"To loose a son like that," I look up, "to know that the person that you've loved for and taken care of their whole life is now gone forever. It must be horrible."
"I imagine so," May says. She gives a little sigh and then walks over to me, pulling on my hand before taking me over to dressing screen so that I could put on a new dress, "now, sweetie, you need to try on a dress for the feast."
"Why do I have to," I moan.
"It's only proper," May says in a matter-of-factly tone, "I'm sorry, Ebony, but you have to go to this. Your father will be furious if you don't go. You know how important these things are to him."
"Oh, yes. I forgot," I growl, "Father would probably throw a right royal fit if he didn't get his way."
"My Lady," May gasps, "you shouldn't talk that way about the King."
"Yes, but he is my father also," I snarl at myself, "he needs to here these things once in a while. Maybe it would give him more sense! I mean, really! He just killed an innocent man."
"Ebony," May scolds, "you know Uther's laws. Magic is not allowed. It's against everything he stands for."
"Yes, I understand," I sigh, "I just wish he wasn't so horrible about it. I wish that he would just care about something other then getting rid of magic. I wish that maybe he could spend some time with me, just him being a father and I being his daughter."
"He is the King, though," May says sympathetically. She has been looking through the closet to find a dress for me when she comes across it. "Ah, how about this one, Milady?" The dress is absolutely beautiful. It starts out yellowish that darkens and deepens into a red. There are flowing sleeves made of silk and to top it all off, a corset jacket. It laces up in the front, the same yellow color as the dress underneath. I put it on, with May helping me with the fastenings that I can never seem to get. I put everything on until May hands me even more things. Head pieces. There are two bands of pearls that go along the top of my head and a red rose that rests on the right side, just above my ear. I put in dangling earrings that have an almost box shape with small designs of water and fire mixing on them. I put on my necklace, the locket that my mother gave to me when I was just born. Lastly, I have May tie on the belt that I has been in my family for generations. It is a red ribbon with a large circle of metal. The metal is made up of three pieces, then there is a blood red jewel in the very middle of the metal, which is split up into two pieces. I walk over to the mirror to see myself.
"Beautiful," May gasps, tears in her eyes, "absolutely amazing!" I stare at myself. Even I am a bit in shock. The colors make my face stand out. I have extremely pale skin, almost to the point of the whiteness of snow, and black hair, even darker then Morgana's. Arthur occasionally jokes with me and calls me 'Midnight', for my hair is just as black as the darkness of a night with no moon. My lips are naturally a darker red then most, contrasting with my other features. My eyes are a mahogany, and they even shock me at the harshness of my stare.
"Thank you, May," I say. She clasps her hands around her mouth and starts to cry. I whirl around and embrace her, "what's wrong?"
"It's just," she sobs, "I remember when you were just a baby, barely alive when you were born. And now look at you. You've grown up to be a beautiful, wonderful, caring young woman."
"Oh May," I laugh lightly, "you're being silly."
"But it's the truth," she sniffles, "tell me, Ebony, what are you planning on doing tomorrow, and the next day, right before the next feast?"
"Well, I plan on going to the children of the lower village and telling them stories and then I plan on helping the cooks prepare the feast. What of it?"
"Exactly, you plan on being with people who are supposed to be lower then you, but you treat them as equals! Ebony, you are the most generous person in all of the lands and people love you for it. Everyone knows of you. You've met nearly everyone in Camelot, and for that matter, the outlying villages! You have even been around for every birth, marriage, and funeral of the villagers since you were twelve! You are the only royal in Camelot to even think of cooking. You are willing to help everyone with even the most ridiculous tasks. No matter how small or large the task is, you will help! On top of all that, you are a beautiful young woman with an amazing talent for singing, even more so then the singer coming for the next feast. If I were to be able to choose a ruler, and pardon me for saying this, but it would be you and no one else! You are loved by everyone and you care for everyone."
"Thank you, May. But I do not think I would make that great of a ruler. I think with my heart, not with my brain. Father is a great strategical thinker. Aurthur understands what has to be done and doesn't hesitate. And what if war were to come upon us? What then? I would not know what to do with myself! I believe that one day, Arthur will become a fine, wonderful ruler and I hope that I will never have to take his place."
"I understand, Milady, but even so. I would much rather have a kind ruler like you then a bully like Arthur."
I laugh. "Yes, that is true. But in time, I think he will change."
"Well I hope so," May scoffs, "or else Camelot will be turned into just a bunch of servants running around carrying giant targets and getting knives thrown at them."
"Yes, I guess so," I chuckle. Before I know it, night has fallen upon us and only the light of the moon shines. May hurries me off to the feast, wearing my outfit. The hall is one of my least favorite places in the castle, always either too crowded or too empty, never feeling just right. I take my seat on the left of my Father and I see Arthur walk over behind me. He taps my shoulder lightly and smiles at me. I give him a small smile before returning to staring at my food, which I have no intention of eating. My Father gives me a stern but questioning look as he sees me doing nothing with my food.
"Are you alright, Ebony," Father asks, "you really shouldn't be playing with your food like that."
"I know, Father," I sigh, "I am just a bit tired."
"Ah, long day," my Father pretends to wonder, but then answers for himself, "yes, I know the feeling as well, Ebony. Well, as soon as this is over, you have nothing scheduled for tomorrow that is of any importance. You should take time to sleep."
"Oh no, Father," I say, being dazed out of my thoughts, "I have to go tell stories to the young children of the village. I promised them that I would!"
"Ah," he laughs, "yes, how could I forget. You are quite attached to them, aren't you?"
"Of course she is, Father," Arthur says, butting in, "she's always ready to go out of her way, not bothering about anyone else's plans, and just seeing the poor children of the villages."
"What plans of yours could I possibly be interfering with, Arthur," I snarl.
"Oh, well," Aurthur hesitates, trying to figure out what to say, "well... what if something unexpected comes up?"
"Like," I ask, trying not to laugh.
"Like..." Aurthur has no idea what he's saying. "What if we were to have a surprise meeting with another king?" My father looks at Arthur as if he has lost his mind but Arthur looks indifferent.
"If, my good brother," I sigh, "there were to somehow be a surprise appearance by a king from some far off land, and I was requested, all someone would have to do was find me, and I would go. I hope that answers your problems." He does not answer me, but instead looks ahead. I smile slightly and I eat, hoping to finish quickly. The rest of the night involves speedy conversations that mean nothing. I finally am allowed to leave to my room and collapse on the bed, falling asleep quickly without even changing into my nightgown.