The Noble
Tabitha Werder-Bigham
Aiwa smiled. Her mother had been right. Court was rather amusing.
Another young noble walked past and she could see him blushing. She giggled.
Elfea smiled. "Lady Aiwa, I believe the Lord Xanthem's trying to get your attention."
Another empty headed giggle escaped from Aiwa. "Elfea, he is just that, a Lord. Mother always said that a Lord was just a noble, the Prince on the other hand is the King's brother and right hand man. An almost direct chance for your children to grow up with those of his Majesty's."
"Beside, the Prince is much more handsome than Lord Xanthem," Elfea said with a smirk.
Aiwa looked at her friend in disdain. Unlike Elfea, Aiwa had been going to court since she was old enough to smile seductivly. She was still amongst the younger members of court although she had long since left there simple games to play with the older courtiers. She found it much more challenging and she had often given up a winning move just to maintain the game. Elfea on the other hand had been there for just over four months. She knew the glances, the smiles and the movements. All she needed now was to be out from Aiwa's shadow.
"Lady Aiwa, look the Prince just entered. What do we do? Do we go talk to him or does he come and talk to us and.... oh my!" Elfea muttered looking around the room fearfully.
Aiwa stiffled a laugh that was at her friends expense. "Elfea, if he wishes to speak to us he will. You are relatively new to court and he knows it is expected of him to greet you."
Elfea looked at her friend and nodded her head in confusion. It all made very little sense to her. She had grown up the middle daughter of a poor baron. Her father had done little to improve his lack of funds and relied heavily on her ability to marry a rich noble. She stood next to Aiwa and felt like a peasent. Aiwa looked like she was more than a year younger than her but she managed to look regal and seemed to belong. Elfea was surprised that one who was so good at this game was prepared to bother with her.
"Elfea, stop slouching, stand up straight and smile as if you belong. Act as if it is the Prince's luck that we bother to talk to him not the other way around," Aiwa mumbled breaking Elfea out of her gloomy thoughts, "He is walking over here if you did not notice." Elfea had come ot court in no way prepared. Aiwa had been forced to buy her new gowns and make-up and jewelery. Thankfully Elfea knew nothing of Aiwa's arrangement with her father.
Elfea immediately fixed her posture. She smiled the grim smile of one who was walking to the executioner.
"Elfea, batt your eye lids and do not giggle at all when he is talking to you. You are not here to play the game. You are here to win." Aiwa shook her head. She wished she could win. Finally stop playing the game and take what she had worked so hard for. She knew she couldn't stop. It was in her now. A part of her as much as anything else. The game was in her very blood.
Elfea was confused. Aiwa never said that about herself. For her it was all about the game. She never spoke of winning when she was talking about herself. Elfea had heard palace gossip that she had turned down the chance to be betrothed to the King's youngest brother. She didn't need to ask Aiwa to know it was truth. Aiwa would only win when there was nothing else to do.
Aiwa curtsied and Elfea followed not knowing what to say and how to act.
"Your Majesty," Aiwa extended her hand in greeting.
The Prince lifted his hand to his lips and kissed it softly. "It is a pleasure to talk to you again, my lady."
Aiwa smiled softly. "My Prince, this is my companion, Lady Elfea. She is the Baron Eamonn's daughter."
The Prince rather briskly nodded his in Elfea direction before turning back to Aiwa, "Well, Lady, I believe we were discussing the truth behind Hugh's statement that past is false as it is told from one persons perspective and not that of life."
Aiwa made mute conversation as she assessed the Prince's unusual behaviour. He was usually well mannered to all new members to court. He had brushed Elfea off very briskly. It was sad. Elfea didn't need this she needed something to build her confidence.
Elfea looked at the Prince and scowled. Aiwa had said he was coming to greet her and he had rather rudely brushed her off. Obviousely Aiwa was better at this than anyone knew. Even the Prince was enthrawled with her.
"Your Majesty, I have a slight headache. I will retire with your permission," Aiwa said suddenly. The only way Elfea would feel like she was a part of the group was if she had her own conversation with the Prince.
The Prince looked at her and for a moment Aiwa saw a flicker of anger before he smiled happily. "Of course, my Lady. You need never ask for my permission. To you it is always free. As it would continue to be as my wife."
Aiwa looked at the Prince darkly for a moment before her usual smile was again plastered on her face. "My Prince we have already discussed this. I am not yet ready or willing to give up the game, yet. You are free to take another as your wife." He still hadn't recognised that she loved him above all else. If he could just be happy with that. She would marry no other but the game was still to enthralling for her to stop
"Aiwa, you know you are the only one I would choose for my wife."
Elfea stood and watched the interchange mutely. She feared to say anything and remind them that she was there.
Aiwa looked at the Prince and leant over and whispered something into his ear. His eyes light up. Aiwa pulled back and looked at the Prince for a moment. He smiled and she turned and left the room, leaving Elfea to deal with the Prince and Courtiers by herself.
Elfea looked at the Prince and smiled tightly. "My Prince, is it true that they are fighting in Insta again?" she asked conversationally.
The Prince muttered something.
Elfea could feel herself getting angrier and angrier. He wasn't even looking at her. He was watching the door that Aiwa had left out of. "Pardon, your majesty."
"Yes, Lady Elfea," He said in a tone that let Elfea know that he was not talking to her of his own free will. Aiwa had probably put him up to it.
"My Prince, I fear I am coming down with whatever Aiwa has. With your permission."
The Prince nodded and waved his hand vaguely in the Elfea's general direction. His eyes never left the door. Elfea shook her head. If she could do this to a man she would not leave him dangling. Aiwa was much to careless with those she left behind.
She walked towards her room
Aiwa was on the bed with a small parchment and quill. She hadn't heard the door opening. Her feet were up in the air and she was chewing on the end of the quill.
"Aiwa?" Elfea asked hesitantly.
Aiwa jumped off the bed and quickly arranged her hair into a neat braid. "What, Elfea?" she asked without missing a beat.
"You know the Prince loves you?" Elfea didn't know how to do this. Aiwa never stopped playing the game. She would have to eventually. Someone needed to bring her back down to earth.
Aiwa nodded and sat back down on the bed.
"Well... I... I think you should marry him. He would wait for you forever if you let him."
Aiwa looked at the parchment and giggled. "Of course we are getting married. You see that's why you are here. You are going to take over from me. You see how much he is in love with me?"
Elfea nodded.
"You must be able to make anyone you need to fall for you. I guess that's the easy part. The hard part is going to be working out if it true love or not," Aiwa looked out the window wistfully.
"Oh. I don't understand."
"Well, you see court is all about appearance. If the Prince and I looked as if we were quite happy to be together people would think less of both of us. So we act. Just for long enough for you to learn all that I know. It is always good to have one like us at court. It keeps others in their place."
Elfea looked at Aiwa and laughed. "You mean... I am?"
Aiwa turned to face Elfea. "Elfea, your father is now a very rich man. You were the only person that had an apptitude for this. He was reluctant for you to become a court butterfly. He doesn't grasp the concepts. Show him what you can do. It's all there," Aiwa said pointing to Elfea's head.
Elfea smiled and giggled.
"No, Elfea. Slightly higher pitched, arch the eyebrows and smile." Aiwa giggled. "You know most of it by now. You'll learn as you go along. Happy hunting." Aiwa practically floated out of the door.
Elfea smiled. If Aiwa believed she could do this than she must be capable.
She walked out of the room and down to greet the courtiers. She felt like breaking some hearts with her new found courage and knowledge.
Tabitha Werder-Bigham
Aiwa smiled. Her mother had been right. Court was rather amusing.
Another young noble walked past and she could see him blushing. She giggled.
Elfea smiled. "Lady Aiwa, I believe the Lord Xanthem's trying to get your attention."
Another empty headed giggle escaped from Aiwa. "Elfea, he is just that, a Lord. Mother always said that a Lord was just a noble, the Prince on the other hand is the King's brother and right hand man. An almost direct chance for your children to grow up with those of his Majesty's."
"Beside, the Prince is much more handsome than Lord Xanthem," Elfea said with a smirk.
Aiwa looked at her friend in disdain. Unlike Elfea, Aiwa had been going to court since she was old enough to smile seductivly. She was still amongst the younger members of court although she had long since left there simple games to play with the older courtiers. She found it much more challenging and she had often given up a winning move just to maintain the game. Elfea on the other hand had been there for just over four months. She knew the glances, the smiles and the movements. All she needed now was to be out from Aiwa's shadow.
"Lady Aiwa, look the Prince just entered. What do we do? Do we go talk to him or does he come and talk to us and.... oh my!" Elfea muttered looking around the room fearfully.
Aiwa stiffled a laugh that was at her friends expense. "Elfea, if he wishes to speak to us he will. You are relatively new to court and he knows it is expected of him to greet you."
Elfea looked at her friend and nodded her head in confusion. It all made very little sense to her. She had grown up the middle daughter of a poor baron. Her father had done little to improve his lack of funds and relied heavily on her ability to marry a rich noble. She stood next to Aiwa and felt like a peasent. Aiwa looked like she was more than a year younger than her but she managed to look regal and seemed to belong. Elfea was surprised that one who was so good at this game was prepared to bother with her.
"Elfea, stop slouching, stand up straight and smile as if you belong. Act as if it is the Prince's luck that we bother to talk to him not the other way around," Aiwa mumbled breaking Elfea out of her gloomy thoughts, "He is walking over here if you did not notice." Elfea had come ot court in no way prepared. Aiwa had been forced to buy her new gowns and make-up and jewelery. Thankfully Elfea knew nothing of Aiwa's arrangement with her father.
Elfea immediately fixed her posture. She smiled the grim smile of one who was walking to the executioner.
"Elfea, batt your eye lids and do not giggle at all when he is talking to you. You are not here to play the game. You are here to win." Aiwa shook her head. She wished she could win. Finally stop playing the game and take what she had worked so hard for. She knew she couldn't stop. It was in her now. A part of her as much as anything else. The game was in her very blood.
Elfea was confused. Aiwa never said that about herself. For her it was all about the game. She never spoke of winning when she was talking about herself. Elfea had heard palace gossip that she had turned down the chance to be betrothed to the King's youngest brother. She didn't need to ask Aiwa to know it was truth. Aiwa would only win when there was nothing else to do.
Aiwa curtsied and Elfea followed not knowing what to say and how to act.
"Your Majesty," Aiwa extended her hand in greeting.
The Prince lifted his hand to his lips and kissed it softly. "It is a pleasure to talk to you again, my lady."
Aiwa smiled softly. "My Prince, this is my companion, Lady Elfea. She is the Baron Eamonn's daughter."
The Prince rather briskly nodded his in Elfea direction before turning back to Aiwa, "Well, Lady, I believe we were discussing the truth behind Hugh's statement that past is false as it is told from one persons perspective and not that of life."
Aiwa made mute conversation as she assessed the Prince's unusual behaviour. He was usually well mannered to all new members to court. He had brushed Elfea off very briskly. It was sad. Elfea didn't need this she needed something to build her confidence.
Elfea looked at the Prince and scowled. Aiwa had said he was coming to greet her and he had rather rudely brushed her off. Obviousely Aiwa was better at this than anyone knew. Even the Prince was enthrawled with her.
"Your Majesty, I have a slight headache. I will retire with your permission," Aiwa said suddenly. The only way Elfea would feel like she was a part of the group was if she had her own conversation with the Prince.
The Prince looked at her and for a moment Aiwa saw a flicker of anger before he smiled happily. "Of course, my Lady. You need never ask for my permission. To you it is always free. As it would continue to be as my wife."
Aiwa looked at the Prince darkly for a moment before her usual smile was again plastered on her face. "My Prince we have already discussed this. I am not yet ready or willing to give up the game, yet. You are free to take another as your wife." He still hadn't recognised that she loved him above all else. If he could just be happy with that. She would marry no other but the game was still to enthralling for her to stop
"Aiwa, you know you are the only one I would choose for my wife."
Elfea stood and watched the interchange mutely. She feared to say anything and remind them that she was there.
Aiwa looked at the Prince and leant over and whispered something into his ear. His eyes light up. Aiwa pulled back and looked at the Prince for a moment. He smiled and she turned and left the room, leaving Elfea to deal with the Prince and Courtiers by herself.
Elfea looked at the Prince and smiled tightly. "My Prince, is it true that they are fighting in Insta again?" she asked conversationally.
The Prince muttered something.
Elfea could feel herself getting angrier and angrier. He wasn't even looking at her. He was watching the door that Aiwa had left out of. "Pardon, your majesty."
"Yes, Lady Elfea," He said in a tone that let Elfea know that he was not talking to her of his own free will. Aiwa had probably put him up to it.
"My Prince, I fear I am coming down with whatever Aiwa has. With your permission."
The Prince nodded and waved his hand vaguely in the Elfea's general direction. His eyes never left the door. Elfea shook her head. If she could do this to a man she would not leave him dangling. Aiwa was much to careless with those she left behind.
She walked towards her room
Aiwa was on the bed with a small parchment and quill. She hadn't heard the door opening. Her feet were up in the air and she was chewing on the end of the quill.
"Aiwa?" Elfea asked hesitantly.
Aiwa jumped off the bed and quickly arranged her hair into a neat braid. "What, Elfea?" she asked without missing a beat.
"You know the Prince loves you?" Elfea didn't know how to do this. Aiwa never stopped playing the game. She would have to eventually. Someone needed to bring her back down to earth.
Aiwa nodded and sat back down on the bed.
"Well... I... I think you should marry him. He would wait for you forever if you let him."
Aiwa looked at the parchment and giggled. "Of course we are getting married. You see that's why you are here. You are going to take over from me. You see how much he is in love with me?"
Elfea nodded.
"You must be able to make anyone you need to fall for you. I guess that's the easy part. The hard part is going to be working out if it true love or not," Aiwa looked out the window wistfully.
"Oh. I don't understand."
"Well, you see court is all about appearance. If the Prince and I looked as if we were quite happy to be together people would think less of both of us. So we act. Just for long enough for you to learn all that I know. It is always good to have one like us at court. It keeps others in their place."
Elfea looked at Aiwa and laughed. "You mean... I am?"
Aiwa turned to face Elfea. "Elfea, your father is now a very rich man. You were the only person that had an apptitude for this. He was reluctant for you to become a court butterfly. He doesn't grasp the concepts. Show him what you can do. It's all there," Aiwa said pointing to Elfea's head.
Elfea smiled and giggled.
"No, Elfea. Slightly higher pitched, arch the eyebrows and smile." Aiwa giggled. "You know most of it by now. You'll learn as you go along. Happy hunting." Aiwa practically floated out of the door.
Elfea smiled. If Aiwa believed she could do this than she must be capable.
She walked out of the room and down to greet the courtiers. She felt like breaking some hearts with her new found courage and knowledge.