Dearest Lale,
Sister, you must come to Court! It's quite entertaining, and I long to see you again. Plus, you know I would enjoy showing you off to all my new found friends, who've heard all about you. They would adore seeing you, I'm sure. I know how you feel about court, but goodness, it's not at all bad! Just because you're used to roaming about like an elf on a field day doesn't mean that everyone here is overly prim and proper! Just give it a chance, beloved sister!
I haven't got any more time to write, because I'm off to a luncheon with Lady Nora, but PLEASE come visit, before I send the royal family's guards after you!
Love you always, Your only sister, Beryl PS- I promise I won't let anyone call you a 'hick,' as you so crudely put it.
Lale put down the letter and sighed. It was just like Beryl to ask for her to come to the place that she had been born to hate. Her mother had always spoken ill of the Court and of Court life, as she had spent her whole life there until she had met Lale's father. Once they met (for her mother had always clamed that it was 'love at first sight') she had left the Court and never returned. The result of this was that Lale and her sister Beryl had never gone to court, and in Lale's case, never desired to do so. They weren't required to go, though it was unusual as Lale and Beryl were of high status-Countesses, both of them. They had always decided when the time came for them to inherit the land and title, they would share title and duties equally.
However, when taxes became too high and someone needed to speak to the king to sort them out, Beryl had gladly offered to visit and mend the problems. She had done so quickly, but during her stay had enjoyed herself so much that she no longer wanted to come home.
Beryl was considerably older than Lale, by ten years, but the two had always been close. Lale was slightly hurt by her sister's choice, but she knew that Beryl was probably having the time of her life. She's very different from me, Lale reflected, she's more into court affairs and clothes and suitors and all that stuff-well, I'm not, and I certainly will not go to court, she decided.
Lale was truly different from her sister. Not only in looks and age-Beryl had the lighter, plainer features of her father, while Lale's looks clearly favored those of her mother, but also in their manner and behavior. Lale was brave, and usually uninhibited, whereas her sister was more demure and feminine. Beryl was also more sociable, however. Lale was content to run through the woods blissfully and listen to the birds sing and feel the aura of the wood nymphs, but Beryl very much enjoyed a good glass of wine, quality conversation, and a few hearty laughs with friends.
Lale sighed again, and stood from the stool upon which she had been standing. She stretched gracefully. It was about three weeks since she had gotten the letter, and she still hadn't written back to her sister. Lale didn't see a point in trying to convince Beryl that she was better off where she was.
"Mistress, you have a visitor," a herald said from behind her. Lale, slightly nonplussed at his sudden arrival, turned to face him.
"Very well. Send them in, if you please," She replied. The herald nodded, bowed, and took his leave. Several minutes later, he returned, leading a young man whom Lale did not know. He was good-looking, with wavy red brown hair that curled to the top of his high collared cape. His eyes were emerald green, and they sparkled with an amused light. He was not tall, being only about a hand span taller than Lale herself, but he stood with such dignity and confidence that he seemed to touch the sky.
"Ah, you must be Lale," the man said, smiling slightly. Lale gave him a puzzled look. She opened her clasped hands slightly and nodded. He was obviously of some high rank, she could now see clearly. "Yes, that I am," she said, careful to speak politely. "I am sorry that I do not know who you are, though," she added.
"Oh, please excuse my poor manners," he said hastily. "I am Terem, son of King Vidanric and Queen Meliara. I am also a good friend of your sister's," he said. "In fact it is on her behalf that I have come. I was riding past here, to Tlanth, and your sister bade me give you a message. Here is a letter from her."
He handed Lale a short letter that basically said, 'Lale, come to court' in fancy language. She sighed and inwardly cursed this attractive young- prince, she realized.
Sister, you must come to Court! It's quite entertaining, and I long to see you again. Plus, you know I would enjoy showing you off to all my new found friends, who've heard all about you. They would adore seeing you, I'm sure. I know how you feel about court, but goodness, it's not at all bad! Just because you're used to roaming about like an elf on a field day doesn't mean that everyone here is overly prim and proper! Just give it a chance, beloved sister!
I haven't got any more time to write, because I'm off to a luncheon with Lady Nora, but PLEASE come visit, before I send the royal family's guards after you!
Love you always, Your only sister, Beryl PS- I promise I won't let anyone call you a 'hick,' as you so crudely put it.
Lale put down the letter and sighed. It was just like Beryl to ask for her to come to the place that she had been born to hate. Her mother had always spoken ill of the Court and of Court life, as she had spent her whole life there until she had met Lale's father. Once they met (for her mother had always clamed that it was 'love at first sight') she had left the Court and never returned. The result of this was that Lale and her sister Beryl had never gone to court, and in Lale's case, never desired to do so. They weren't required to go, though it was unusual as Lale and Beryl were of high status-Countesses, both of them. They had always decided when the time came for them to inherit the land and title, they would share title and duties equally.
However, when taxes became too high and someone needed to speak to the king to sort them out, Beryl had gladly offered to visit and mend the problems. She had done so quickly, but during her stay had enjoyed herself so much that she no longer wanted to come home.
Beryl was considerably older than Lale, by ten years, but the two had always been close. Lale was slightly hurt by her sister's choice, but she knew that Beryl was probably having the time of her life. She's very different from me, Lale reflected, she's more into court affairs and clothes and suitors and all that stuff-well, I'm not, and I certainly will not go to court, she decided.
Lale was truly different from her sister. Not only in looks and age-Beryl had the lighter, plainer features of her father, while Lale's looks clearly favored those of her mother, but also in their manner and behavior. Lale was brave, and usually uninhibited, whereas her sister was more demure and feminine. Beryl was also more sociable, however. Lale was content to run through the woods blissfully and listen to the birds sing and feel the aura of the wood nymphs, but Beryl very much enjoyed a good glass of wine, quality conversation, and a few hearty laughs with friends.
Lale sighed again, and stood from the stool upon which she had been standing. She stretched gracefully. It was about three weeks since she had gotten the letter, and she still hadn't written back to her sister. Lale didn't see a point in trying to convince Beryl that she was better off where she was.
"Mistress, you have a visitor," a herald said from behind her. Lale, slightly nonplussed at his sudden arrival, turned to face him.
"Very well. Send them in, if you please," She replied. The herald nodded, bowed, and took his leave. Several minutes later, he returned, leading a young man whom Lale did not know. He was good-looking, with wavy red brown hair that curled to the top of his high collared cape. His eyes were emerald green, and they sparkled with an amused light. He was not tall, being only about a hand span taller than Lale herself, but he stood with such dignity and confidence that he seemed to touch the sky.
"Ah, you must be Lale," the man said, smiling slightly. Lale gave him a puzzled look. She opened her clasped hands slightly and nodded. He was obviously of some high rank, she could now see clearly. "Yes, that I am," she said, careful to speak politely. "I am sorry that I do not know who you are, though," she added.
"Oh, please excuse my poor manners," he said hastily. "I am Terem, son of King Vidanric and Queen Meliara. I am also a good friend of your sister's," he said. "In fact it is on her behalf that I have come. I was riding past here, to Tlanth, and your sister bade me give you a message. Here is a letter from her."
He handed Lale a short letter that basically said, 'Lale, come to court' in fancy language. She sighed and inwardly cursed this attractive young- prince, she realized.