"Every Tortallan girl dreamed of descending the Great Stair in the Queen's
ballroom with all eyes fixed on her, the knight of her dreams singling her
out and bearing her away to a life of bliss. Minstrels made their living
off common-born girls presented at court by mysterious-wealthy - guardians
just for that fate."-Lioness Rampant
Once upon a time. . .
A girl stood in the courtyard of the castle, sweeping the cobblestone path. It was littered with debris after the storm of last night, which had proceeded to rip apart the land. Every so often she would lift a large branch and load it onto the cart that followed her. A donkey pulled the cart, braying incessantly as the girl worked. Her face knitted up in concentration, but broke to a look of frustration every time the donkey let out another noise. Her eyes shot daggers at the donkey, who stared vacantly back at her as she worked.
The sky overhead welled up in fury as it had the previous night. Angry black thunderclouds filled the sky. The girl glanced up as lightning flashed across the sky, biting her lip from screaming out in irritation that the sky would dare to begin it incessant storm. The thunderclouds burst, showering her and the donkey with splashes of cold water. It rained in buckets, and threatened to rain in ponds as she loaded her broom into the cart. She sat amidst the rubble, and gathered the reins of the cart. She yanked on the reins, trying to get the donkey to move.
The donkey defied her, and stood on the path lazily; the only acknowledgement that he had noticed the tug was him turning his head to look at her, giving another blank stair. She reached for a particularly long stick from the cart and impatiently prodded the donkey with it. He brayed again, but started to amble slowly down the path. She poked him again, and he picked up his pace to a slow trot. She steered him toward the stables, her teeth chattering as she attempted to bury her arms in the folds of her skirts.
A young stable boy ran to her as she stumbled down from the cart. He grabbed her arm to balance her, and then took the reins from her hands. She gave him a small smile, and helped him unhitch the donkey from the cart. She dragged it inside of the stable where it wouldn't be subject to the harsh winds and rains, while he tended to the donkey. She watched him pat the donkey on the nose while she wrung the water from the skirt, allowing the water to drip all over the dirt floor. She realized it had begun to turn the floor to mud, so she flung a handful of hay over the mess to hide it.
She waved a small goodbye to the stable boy and hurried out back into the rain. She sprinted to the castle to get out of the rain. Slipping in a puddle, she fell flat on her face. She sat up on the ground, and touched her face. It stung as her muddy fingers chafed the raw skin. She tried to stand, but as soon as she stood she tottered to the ground again. She winced: her ankle was twisted.
She heard a carriage bouncing up to the castle's front gates, and tried to stand to get out of the way. The carriage came to a halt a few feet behind her, and a man stepped out into the pouring rain. He walked over to the girl, and offered her his arm. She looked up to his face, but it was shrouded in the shadow of his cloak. He helped her to stand, and led her to his carriage. Surprised, she allowed him to help her into the carriage, and watched as he climbed in after her.
The man didn't speak as the carriage started to roll once more. He watched her, and she shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. Finally, he broke the silence: "What's your name, girl?"
She relaxed as she answered, "Linette my lord, just Linette." He questioned her no further, just watched her from under the shadows of his cloak. She sensed he was smiling, but was still curious to who this was. She was about to ask when the carriage came to a halt in front of the main entrance to the castle. The man stepped from the carriage and again offered his arm to Linette. She timidly took his arm, feeling more self conscious of her rank by the second.
He led her to the castle doors, and they swung open as the footman from the carriage pulled them. The man pulled Linette inside and called out for a healer to come. A healer appeared moments later, carrying a small bag. The lord asked him to tend to her ankle, and strode off. Linette watched him walk away, observing the confident swagger of a rich noble man. She was pulled back into the moment as the healer attempted to readjust her ankle with his gift.
Her ankle relaxed, but still appeared to be swollen. The healer wrapped her ankle in a bit of cloth, telling her to change the bandaging every night for three days. Linette hobbled to her feet, and hurried off to the servant's quarters. Her head spun as she wondered who this kind stranger was, so she didn't notice when she turned the corner and crashed right into somebody.
Author's Note: *Sigh* Please, please, please don't tell me that I've created a Mary Sue. I'm trying to give her a personality, but I haven't written very much yet so you haven't really seen any of it. Flames are welcome, but only if you explain why you're flaming me.
Once upon a time. . .
A girl stood in the courtyard of the castle, sweeping the cobblestone path. It was littered with debris after the storm of last night, which had proceeded to rip apart the land. Every so often she would lift a large branch and load it onto the cart that followed her. A donkey pulled the cart, braying incessantly as the girl worked. Her face knitted up in concentration, but broke to a look of frustration every time the donkey let out another noise. Her eyes shot daggers at the donkey, who stared vacantly back at her as she worked.
The sky overhead welled up in fury as it had the previous night. Angry black thunderclouds filled the sky. The girl glanced up as lightning flashed across the sky, biting her lip from screaming out in irritation that the sky would dare to begin it incessant storm. The thunderclouds burst, showering her and the donkey with splashes of cold water. It rained in buckets, and threatened to rain in ponds as she loaded her broom into the cart. She sat amidst the rubble, and gathered the reins of the cart. She yanked on the reins, trying to get the donkey to move.
The donkey defied her, and stood on the path lazily; the only acknowledgement that he had noticed the tug was him turning his head to look at her, giving another blank stair. She reached for a particularly long stick from the cart and impatiently prodded the donkey with it. He brayed again, but started to amble slowly down the path. She poked him again, and he picked up his pace to a slow trot. She steered him toward the stables, her teeth chattering as she attempted to bury her arms in the folds of her skirts.
A young stable boy ran to her as she stumbled down from the cart. He grabbed her arm to balance her, and then took the reins from her hands. She gave him a small smile, and helped him unhitch the donkey from the cart. She dragged it inside of the stable where it wouldn't be subject to the harsh winds and rains, while he tended to the donkey. She watched him pat the donkey on the nose while she wrung the water from the skirt, allowing the water to drip all over the dirt floor. She realized it had begun to turn the floor to mud, so she flung a handful of hay over the mess to hide it.
She waved a small goodbye to the stable boy and hurried out back into the rain. She sprinted to the castle to get out of the rain. Slipping in a puddle, she fell flat on her face. She sat up on the ground, and touched her face. It stung as her muddy fingers chafed the raw skin. She tried to stand, but as soon as she stood she tottered to the ground again. She winced: her ankle was twisted.
She heard a carriage bouncing up to the castle's front gates, and tried to stand to get out of the way. The carriage came to a halt a few feet behind her, and a man stepped out into the pouring rain. He walked over to the girl, and offered her his arm. She looked up to his face, but it was shrouded in the shadow of his cloak. He helped her to stand, and led her to his carriage. Surprised, she allowed him to help her into the carriage, and watched as he climbed in after her.
The man didn't speak as the carriage started to roll once more. He watched her, and she shifted uncomfortably under his gaze. Finally, he broke the silence: "What's your name, girl?"
She relaxed as she answered, "Linette my lord, just Linette." He questioned her no further, just watched her from under the shadows of his cloak. She sensed he was smiling, but was still curious to who this was. She was about to ask when the carriage came to a halt in front of the main entrance to the castle. The man stepped from the carriage and again offered his arm to Linette. She timidly took his arm, feeling more self conscious of her rank by the second.
He led her to the castle doors, and they swung open as the footman from the carriage pulled them. The man pulled Linette inside and called out for a healer to come. A healer appeared moments later, carrying a small bag. The lord asked him to tend to her ankle, and strode off. Linette watched him walk away, observing the confident swagger of a rich noble man. She was pulled back into the moment as the healer attempted to readjust her ankle with his gift.
Her ankle relaxed, but still appeared to be swollen. The healer wrapped her ankle in a bit of cloth, telling her to change the bandaging every night for three days. Linette hobbled to her feet, and hurried off to the servant's quarters. Her head spun as she wondered who this kind stranger was, so she didn't notice when she turned the corner and crashed right into somebody.
Author's Note: *Sigh* Please, please, please don't tell me that I've created a Mary Sue. I'm trying to give her a personality, but I haven't written very much yet so you haven't really seen any of it. Flames are welcome, but only if you explain why you're flaming me.