Brood: [hides from onslaught of angry reviewers who've been waiting]
SSOOOOOOORRRRRYYY!!!! I can make all the excuses I want, but the truth is
I'm lazy, okay?
Now, some things have changed since the last posting here. First, we found
out recently that ZUTSO-KUN NEEDS GLASSES!!!! [cackles]
Zutsokaki: Shut up. They make me look smart AND cool!
Brood: Yeah, and we all know he needs all the help he can get there.
Zutsokaki: ................die.
Brood: NOPE!!!!!!! Oh yeah, and in an effort to make himself look cool, he got a new haircut! It's less mullet-y now. I'll get a picture of it soon. Ooh! And the picture will come as part of a NEW SITE! It looks alot like the old one, for lack of creativity, but there are new buttons!!!! :P I'll put the link in my bio once it's pretty much done.
Now enjoy the story!!!!!!!!!
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
()()The Royal Palace, France()()
"PAPA!!!!!!!!!" Princess Rebeccque threw herself at her father, the King of France, and he hugged her tightly.
The Princesses' father came back only a few moments ago, and the moment he handed off his horse to a stable boy and stood to his full height, Tearesse-Marie remembered, quite unbidden, his rage and angers. She stiffened, standing back about ten feet, and hoped for the thousandth time that day that he wouldn't blame the state things were in on her.
The King Armand was a tall, lean figure, with a prominent straight mustache, kept neatly trimmed. All of his hair was grey, and his smile was kind. But when things didn't go his way, he could fly into a temper that Rebeqque could only seem to be able to calm.
The maids and servants in the palace whispered that he had a thin temper because his wife never gave him a son before she became barren, but his daughters knew it was because of this war going on. It had been going on for such a long time that most maids or servants only regarded it with a passing "Humph!" and no thought as to why such a trivial thing like the English could ever bother their king.
And Tearesse-Marie REALLY hoped not to trigger that temper right now.
As her father coddled Rebeccque, he looked over her and saw Tearesse.
"Fille...venez à votre père." ("Daughter....come to your father.")
He was being formal, speaking using the formal "vous" form of "you" instead of the more familiar "tu." He was addressing her as a leader of France obviously. She blinked quietly and stepped forward.
"Je suis heureux que vous soyez retourné sans risque, père."
("I am glad that you have returned safely, father.") If he was going to be formal, then she could be to. No reason she should extend affection to him right now. She didn't even know if she was safe from his rage yet.
After the necessary greetings and formalities were exchanged (And Rebeccque feeling the tension radiating off of her sister), they all went to prepare for the banquet, which was being held in honor of the King's safe return.
As Tearesse-Marie was being strung into her corset by a handmaiden, she couldn't help thinking the conversation topics that would come up. Her uncle, the Grand Duke, would be there certainly, and when her father brought up how France was doing....she knew that her uncle would pin the stricken condition of the people on her.
She sighed deeply, her lady maid confusing it for a sigh of discomfort at the corset's tightening.
"I am sorry, madame. Shall I loosen the strings?"
"No, no. They are fine. Don't worry. Just get me my dress, Isabelle."
"Yes, madame. Right away."
With that, the girl scurried off to get the deep plum-colored floor length gown that Tearesse would be wearing. It was ruffled at the shoulders with ivory lace and poufs, and the neckline was round and scooped a bit to show off what the corset did to her bosom. She had the seamstress add a bit of lace to trim the neckline to give herself a bit more modesty though, even though she was told that the neckline was very fashionable. The skirt was flounced, and the bottom trimmed in lace as well. Her slippers had been dyed a few days before and been left to dry by a terrace, and now matched the purple hue of her dress.
Her dark brown hair, after dressing, was piled up high on her head in twists and curls, helping to assert her looks to match her status as the "Princesse-heritere," and a delicate diamond tiara was settled on top. She looked in the mirror while the maiden in charge of her jewelry clasped an intricate necklace around her neck.
"Why can't all of my people enjoy this kind of prosperity......" she thought bitterly, looking at her admittedly lovely image. She stood quietly and thanked her hand maidens, walking out of her room and down the ornate hallways towards the banquet hall.
()()Guest Chambers, King Solomon's Castle, England()()
"AAAAAAAIIIIIYYYYYEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Please, Master Joseph, sit still!!!!! We need to wash you!!"
"I'm good washin' myself, thanks!!! Just.....you're girls!!!! Go on!!!!!! Get out of here!!!!!"
"But Master Joseph, we're modest women, we won't say anything, please, just let us get this travel soot off of you...."
"AAAAAAIIIEEEE!!!!!"
The girls scurried out of his bathing room, and looked at each other, confused. The one in charge just looked at the younger girls.
"........What did we do wrong?," the girls asked their overseer.
".....Nothing girls. Nothing. I suspect he just didn't have female handlers while he was in the Byzantine lands....you've all heard about those foreign nobles. Strange ways. He must have been raised with all male handlers."
The girls looked at the high ranking maid and nodded. She must be right. Foreigners did have strange ways, after all. They all moved to the girl, Serenity's, room, to see if the girls in there needed any help.
Serenity had never felt more pampered in her life. She was washed with firm, but gentle hands in warm waters, perfumed with oils that smelled like flowers, and her hair brushed and brushed again until it glistened. She got to wear a lovely dress, a dark green that offset her auburn hair nicely. In her hair, an emerald clasp was placed to hold her locks away from her face in an elegant manner. Dainty slippers, soft as feathers, were put on her feet, and she wore pretty jewels around her neck. She looked at herself in a mirror as the girls finished on her.
"Surely.......this can't be the same Serenity who left the ravaged and beseiged city of Constantinople!! I just....can't believe it," she thought as she twirled around. She thanked the girls profusely until they were red in the face to the collars of their immaculate maids dresses. Being a guest of the prince was fun!
A young servant boy was fetched to help Joseph dress, and soon he stood outside of his room in a white long-sleeved top, poufy in the shoulders and arms, and firm around the waist. He wore forest green trousers with a matching vest, to match his sister's colors. The long ends of his hair were pulled into a thin ribbon, and his black boots went up to mid-calf, and a leather belt finished off the look nicely.
He thought he was quite the handsome man, and had spent a good ten minutes posing in front of the mirror when he had done. Finally the boy who'd helped him dress pushed him out of the door to wait on his sister. He didn't have to wait long. When the door opened and his sister stepped out, his jaw dropped.
She looked so different from the dirty, yet glowing girl he had seen to her room earlier. She even held herself differently, from the confidence that the clothes and pampering had given her. She smiled as she looked at her brother.
"Joseph, you look very handsome." She smiled, her dark eyes sparkling.
".........Amazing, Sere....you've never looked better!" Joseph held out his arm jauntily, and the red-faced Serenity took it. She looked at the servants milling about, and she asked innocently, "Where might we find the banquet hall...?"
They recieved a flurry of directions from various servants at once, and when Serenity assured Joseph that she got the gist of what they were all saying, they set off.
Joseph held his head high and somewhat pompously as he led his sister through the hallways, and walked with something nearly of a swagger. He was feeling very good indeed. Serenity looked over at her brother and patted his arm playfully, smiling at his antics.
Just before they reached the chamber leading to the banquet hall (both of their stomachs suddenly in their throats), Tristan ran out, obviously having been watching for them. He looked fairly good with brown trousers and a vest, and an ivory shirt. He motioned for them to stop.
"Hey you two.....wow you look GREAT!" His eyes lingered on Serenity for a moment, and Joseph colored, a scowl coming across his face. Tristan didn't miss it, and stopped with a sheepish smile, getting to his point.
"Okay guys......best behavior okay? Try to eat neatly, make VERY polite smalltalk when spoken too, and um.......don't mind if the Prince and Advisor start snipping at each other...it happens alot....." Tristan grinned at him, and Joseph smiled back.
"Hey, as long as someone gets a crack at that Seton, I'm fine!" Joseph smirked and prepared to walk past Tristan, Serenity snickering at his arm. "Hey, it's in here, right?"
"Uhh, yeah. It's in there. Oh, and by the way you two...if someone questions you about your.....um......lineage....just go with whatever sounds good, okay?"
Joseph paused. "What....do you mean by that, Tristan?" He stared at his friend intently, and Tristan smiled innocently.
"No time time to explain right now! They're waiting for you two!!!" Tristan shoved them at the door, and the doormen opened the huge entrance as they stumbled closer.
The man at the door motioned to two trumpeters, and they blared the welcome.
"ANNOUNCING TRISTAN STORYTELLER, AND HIS GUESTS, LORD AND LADY WHITTING OF CONSTANTINOPLE!!!!!"
Joseph's eyes bugged and he nearly tripped. Serenity let out a small, "eep." Tristan merely shrugged sheepishly and gave them a gentle push. The king, seeing this behavior, stood and smiled at them.
"Do not be afraid. My table is open to you, siblings of Constantinople. Make yourself welcome, and give us more news of your homeland while you enjoy the food and drink of England!" The king had already seemed to be enjoying some of that food and drink, as the demolished turkey leg on his plate and the half empty wine goblet indicated.
The others around the table turned and looked at the two, who were extremely red in the face by now. The Prince Yugi was smiling as well, and the Duke Devlin mirrored that smile, while adding some kind of seductive glint into his eyes. The Advisor Seton was scowling, of course, and some other nobles had looks of pure curiosity. There were only a few women at the table, being the wives of the higher up nobles.
Across from the Prince Yugi, who was seated at the right side of the rectangular table, close to his father, was a young woman with long blonde hair with very dark purple eyes. She was the only woman at the table who seemed disintrested at the visitors, and in fact, the only one hardly paying any attention. She obviously seemed like she didn't care about the visitors.
(And......) Joseph noted, (the only one here without an obvious husband.....)
When he saw this woman, his jaw had dropped. He'd get the story of WHY he and Serenity were suddenly nobles from Tristan later. First, he had to go and meet this person. He tugged at her arm lightly.
"Sere.......c'mon. They're waiting for us."
"But......Joseph.." she whispered at him. "They think that we're nobles....."
"Don't worry about that Sere...I'm sure Tristan's got a great reason for this...."
Serenity looked ahead, where all the guests of the king were seated. She looked around, and saw the Duke, Seton, and the Prince Yugi.
(............Okay. Maybe just one meal as a noble.)
She smiled and started walking as well. The king smiled and had the servants pull out two chairs, one beside Prince Yugi, and one beside the young blonde woman. Serenity was directed beside her, and Joseph sat down beside Yugi, who gave him a quick smile.
The torch lighting of the banquet all gave off all the flickering light they needed to find the food by, and the long wooden table held plenty of it. Joseph had to contain himself from eating too fast or too messily, as Tristan had warned him against. If he were a noble, he had to act like it.
Tristan had been seated a few more places down, below the Duke's level, and was watching to two carefully. "So far so good......" he muttered quietly over his pheasant.
When they had mostly finished eating, the king looked pleasantly at all of them.
"Now my friends.....let's hear stories of Constantinople! My son and daughter would love to hear how things are in the Byzantine lands!"
Joseph and Serenity looked at each other. Joseph's eyes flickered to the woman beside his sister quickly.
(Daughter....?) He thought. (Could she be a princess?)
The thoughts were jolted from him quickly, as the king looked at him expectantly.
"Ahh......well.......Your Highness....Constantinople...was..............." Joseph stammered, and the Princess looked at him oddly.
Serenity saw her brother starting to falter, and jumped in immediately. "Constantinople used to be a thriving city that was the center of trade to the Eastern lands of silk and oddities. But the Turks started invading long ago, and right now, all that's left of the Byzantine Empire is the city of Constantinople. It's currently under seige, and your minstrel, Tristan, bravely took us from there at our grandmother's bidding. It was very dangerous....."
Joseph shot his sister a grateful look, and the king spoke.
"Yes, Tristan told us all about your daring escape.........just how many of the Turkish archers were firing at you as you ran in between their camps?"
Both Serenity and Joseph sweatdropped. Prince Yugi leaned forward, his eyes wide open with interest. The princess looked at them incredulously.
Tristan dared to speak at this moment. "At least thirty, Your Highness! Joseph fended off fifteen by himself with a sword, and Serenity shot at them with arrows! It was very harrowing, Highness!"
The king let out a huge guffaw of approval, clapping Yugi on the back. "Daughter! Fill my goblet for me, will you! I need a drink after thinking of these nice clean creatures, a Lord and Lady of Constantinople, fighting off so many Turk invaders!"
His daughter, the Princess, stood quietly, her face expressionless. She reached for the large pitcher of wine when her father added, "And fill the glass of the lad and lass by us, they must be thirsty for simply thinking of their daring escape!"
The Princess's hands slipped a bit at this. She glared at her father, and it was obvious that she didn't believe a word Tristan and her father had thrown them about the two.
"My dear Princess Marian, please! I know you have the softest hands in all the land, but I'm sure your grip is firmer than that!," her father exclaimed. The rosy color of his cheeks was really starting to stand out, and it was plain that he'd already had a bit too much to drink. Yugi put his hand on his father's shoulder, and the Duke Devlin chuckled while Seton scowled.
The Duke, moved by the playfull nature of the king, stood to address the congregated nobles, his glass raised as Princess Marian filled the goblets (Joseph practically needed his whole glass filled, and Serenity only needed a few droplets herself).
"Good King Solomon, I , Duke Otto Devlin, thank you for the hospitality of your table and your fine and glorious home! Let us have a wonderful time together, and, most importantly, here's to a quick and decisive victory over the French!"
There was a chorus of "Hear hear!" from around the table, and many drank to the Duke's toast. Seton glared at various people over the rim of his goblet as he drank, but his eyes lingered on Joseph and Yugi the most. Yugi didn't miss this, and stared back with equal coldness, something amazing from those warm purple eyes of his.
Seton mouthed "North Courtyard, midnight," and Yugi mouthed back, "I will be there." Then they turned back to the festivities without so much as a single hint to anyone else that anything was amiss.
As Otto Devlin drank, his eyes kept lingering to both the Princess Marian and the "Lady" Serenity. He had come to this castle with every intention of sweeping the Princess off her feet and taking her as his bride and Duchess. From there, he could convince that he and Marian were better monach material than Prince Yugi, therefore handing the heredity down to them. Technically, even though Marian was two years older (And dangerously close to Old Maid-hood) than her brother Yugi, he as the sole male was the true heir to the throne of England.
It was said that the purple eyed siblings of England would never marry. Princess Marian was cold and callous to all except her father and brother, and payed only minute attention to any suitors. The Prince Yugi didn't seem interested in girls at all, only concentrating on keeping his sword sharp and focusing his wary eye on the doings of the Advisor Seton. But only a few knew of Yugi and Seton's thin tolerance of each other, so it was mostly said that the Prince simply had not met his womanly match yet.
This had upset King Solomon when he'd first heard these talkings. If neither of his children produced little ones of their own, then the nobles would have a hayday figuring out who was more legitimate for the throne, and may even spark civil war.
The attention that Yugi's eyes were giving "Lady" Serenity delighted the King to no end, and through the dinner, the King encouraged talk between the two. The Duke tried butting in now and again, because even though he was there for the Princess, he could still amuse himself with lovely ladies of foreign lands in the meantime. The Lady was kept well amused due to this, and her brother tried striking up conversation with Marian.
"So Princess Marian....ummm.....what do you guys do for fun around here?"
Her blonde head whipped around, seemingly offended that he would dare speak to her. Yugi leaned over to Joseph and chuckled in his ear, "Watch yourself with my sister. Her bite is far worse than her bark."
".......I heard that, dear little brother." This was the first time the whole night that Marian had spoken at all. Her voice was low and sensual sounding, and sent thrills in Joseph's spine. It was clear that the sensuality was not intended. It was just.....a part of her normal voice.
The King, watching this exchange, saw more opportunity for his children. "My dear Marian, since the young Lord is interested in the doings of the land, why don't you give him a tour of the grounds tomorrow?"
Marian sent her father a look that seeped and dripped of venom, but replied, "Yes, my father."
Joseph, for some reason, didn't notice the evil in her voice. He was too busy celebrating to himself. "Yesyesyesyesyesyes....." Yugi shot him a look of sympathy. Any man other than himself and his father were subject to scathing remarks and "accidents" while they were with his sister. He hoped that Joseph loved pain, both emotional and physical. Because that machosism would sure help.
()()Outside the Palace Walls, England()()
Menenox stood, staring at a vine that would take him up the grey stone walls. "Yes.......this will do...." His deep voice said quietly.
Rou watched from a distance, questioningly. "Master, what are we up to at this hour?"
"My dear Rou, we are going to spy on a Royal Banquet. I have a feeling that those Byzantines are going to lead me to something very very large.....and I want all of the up to date information I can eavesdrop."
Rou was never one to question his Master's motives in doing anything. He only asked what they were doing, and he took his answer as absolute truth.
He and his Master then scaled the wall, finding foot and handholds that no other man could have located so easily. Landing nimbly on the other side, the slid like shadows across the courtyard, and stood by the long, narrow windows that peeked into the hall. They crouched behind the nearby bushes, craning their ears close to the windows, out of sight from any passing guards.
"Rou, I want you to look in the window and tell me how many you see," his master mouthed. They both knew how to read lips exceptionally. Rou nodded and slowly craned his head so one eye could peek in, and he mouthed all he saw at the table.
"...........and then there's a black haired noble in red, probably the Duke that arrived today..."
"Otto Devlin," Menenox mouthed back. Rou nodded and continued.
"The Advisor, that Seton fellow. Then there's the two Byzantines, like you thought. Joseph and Serenity......those were their names, right?" Menenox nodded, and he continued. "And the King...Princess....and......Prince................."
Rou's eyes widened as he saw the Prince. There was a horrible, sinking feeling of deja vu, and suddenly his heart was gripped with more crushing pain than he'd ever experienced. He bit his tounge and clasped his hand over his heart, stifling the low groans that he was suddenly emitting. His master was on his belly, coming towards him under the window now, and Rou slumped over, and on the insides of his eyelids, visions came.
There was sand. So much sand. There was a village burning, and the blood running all over that sand. The village glowed, and seven items rose from it. Then, suddenly, an aged King of the Sands held them in his hands, and handed six of them to trusted priests in odd garments. The seventh was placed around the neck of a young boy with tri-colored hair and purple eyes. Then suddenly, the young boy was taller and holding the crook and flail of the king, and a white-haired theif was bearing a wrapped body before the shocked priests and new young king.
Then with a horrifying jolt, Rou was back, in his master's arms, a piece of cloth shoved in his mouth to further stifle any noise. His heart still hurt badly, and after a few deep, shuddering breaths, he looked up at his master.
"What happened?" Menenox mouthed. Rou shrugged, his confused eyes boring into his master's.
"Don't understand. I suddenly felt so much pain..." Rou mouthed back. He felt wary about telling his master that the pain came from seeing the Prince, and that he saw visions from it as well. He forced himself from his Master's arms, and bracing himself, looked inside again.
He saw the Prince, laughing at a joke told by the Duke. Rou felt nothing now. No pain or visions or anything. He leaned away, against the wall, and looked at his Master.
"That's enough for tonight. You rest for now, Rou." His master mouthed. Rou nodded, not wanting to argue. He slumped sideways with no more goading. With Menenox still watching the goings on, Rou fell asleep at his master's feet.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Brood: Ooh, visions! Next chapter, we get to see more of France! Yay!!
Zutsokaki: toying with his new hair You know, I wouldn't have had to get this haircut if Wingleader's and our chibis hadn't decided to cut off my bangs......................
Brood: snickers But they did!!!!!! Okay, that's all for now minna-san! Review please![/html]
Zutsokaki: Shut up. They make me look smart AND cool!
Brood: Yeah, and we all know he needs all the help he can get there.
Zutsokaki: ................die.
Brood: NOPE!!!!!!! Oh yeah, and in an effort to make himself look cool, he got a new haircut! It's less mullet-y now. I'll get a picture of it soon. Ooh! And the picture will come as part of a NEW SITE! It looks alot like the old one, for lack of creativity, but there are new buttons!!!! :P I'll put the link in my bio once it's pretty much done.
Now enjoy the story!!!!!!!!!
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
()()The Royal Palace, France()()
"PAPA!!!!!!!!!" Princess Rebeccque threw herself at her father, the King of France, and he hugged her tightly.
The Princesses' father came back only a few moments ago, and the moment he handed off his horse to a stable boy and stood to his full height, Tearesse-Marie remembered, quite unbidden, his rage and angers. She stiffened, standing back about ten feet, and hoped for the thousandth time that day that he wouldn't blame the state things were in on her.
The King Armand was a tall, lean figure, with a prominent straight mustache, kept neatly trimmed. All of his hair was grey, and his smile was kind. But when things didn't go his way, he could fly into a temper that Rebeqque could only seem to be able to calm.
The maids and servants in the palace whispered that he had a thin temper because his wife never gave him a son before she became barren, but his daughters knew it was because of this war going on. It had been going on for such a long time that most maids or servants only regarded it with a passing "Humph!" and no thought as to why such a trivial thing like the English could ever bother their king.
And Tearesse-Marie REALLY hoped not to trigger that temper right now.
As her father coddled Rebeccque, he looked over her and saw Tearesse.
"Fille...venez à votre père." ("Daughter....come to your father.")
He was being formal, speaking using the formal "vous" form of "you" instead of the more familiar "tu." He was addressing her as a leader of France obviously. She blinked quietly and stepped forward.
"Je suis heureux que vous soyez retourné sans risque, père."
("I am glad that you have returned safely, father.") If he was going to be formal, then she could be to. No reason she should extend affection to him right now. She didn't even know if she was safe from his rage yet.
After the necessary greetings and formalities were exchanged (And Rebeccque feeling the tension radiating off of her sister), they all went to prepare for the banquet, which was being held in honor of the King's safe return.
As Tearesse-Marie was being strung into her corset by a handmaiden, she couldn't help thinking the conversation topics that would come up. Her uncle, the Grand Duke, would be there certainly, and when her father brought up how France was doing....she knew that her uncle would pin the stricken condition of the people on her.
She sighed deeply, her lady maid confusing it for a sigh of discomfort at the corset's tightening.
"I am sorry, madame. Shall I loosen the strings?"
"No, no. They are fine. Don't worry. Just get me my dress, Isabelle."
"Yes, madame. Right away."
With that, the girl scurried off to get the deep plum-colored floor length gown that Tearesse would be wearing. It was ruffled at the shoulders with ivory lace and poufs, and the neckline was round and scooped a bit to show off what the corset did to her bosom. She had the seamstress add a bit of lace to trim the neckline to give herself a bit more modesty though, even though she was told that the neckline was very fashionable. The skirt was flounced, and the bottom trimmed in lace as well. Her slippers had been dyed a few days before and been left to dry by a terrace, and now matched the purple hue of her dress.
Her dark brown hair, after dressing, was piled up high on her head in twists and curls, helping to assert her looks to match her status as the "Princesse-heritere," and a delicate diamond tiara was settled on top. She looked in the mirror while the maiden in charge of her jewelry clasped an intricate necklace around her neck.
"Why can't all of my people enjoy this kind of prosperity......" she thought bitterly, looking at her admittedly lovely image. She stood quietly and thanked her hand maidens, walking out of her room and down the ornate hallways towards the banquet hall.
()()Guest Chambers, King Solomon's Castle, England()()
"AAAAAAAIIIIIYYYYYEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"Please, Master Joseph, sit still!!!!! We need to wash you!!"
"I'm good washin' myself, thanks!!! Just.....you're girls!!!! Go on!!!!!! Get out of here!!!!!"
"But Master Joseph, we're modest women, we won't say anything, please, just let us get this travel soot off of you...."
"AAAAAAIIIEEEE!!!!!"
The girls scurried out of his bathing room, and looked at each other, confused. The one in charge just looked at the younger girls.
"........What did we do wrong?," the girls asked their overseer.
".....Nothing girls. Nothing. I suspect he just didn't have female handlers while he was in the Byzantine lands....you've all heard about those foreign nobles. Strange ways. He must have been raised with all male handlers."
The girls looked at the high ranking maid and nodded. She must be right. Foreigners did have strange ways, after all. They all moved to the girl, Serenity's, room, to see if the girls in there needed any help.
Serenity had never felt more pampered in her life. She was washed with firm, but gentle hands in warm waters, perfumed with oils that smelled like flowers, and her hair brushed and brushed again until it glistened. She got to wear a lovely dress, a dark green that offset her auburn hair nicely. In her hair, an emerald clasp was placed to hold her locks away from her face in an elegant manner. Dainty slippers, soft as feathers, were put on her feet, and she wore pretty jewels around her neck. She looked at herself in a mirror as the girls finished on her.
"Surely.......this can't be the same Serenity who left the ravaged and beseiged city of Constantinople!! I just....can't believe it," she thought as she twirled around. She thanked the girls profusely until they were red in the face to the collars of their immaculate maids dresses. Being a guest of the prince was fun!
A young servant boy was fetched to help Joseph dress, and soon he stood outside of his room in a white long-sleeved top, poufy in the shoulders and arms, and firm around the waist. He wore forest green trousers with a matching vest, to match his sister's colors. The long ends of his hair were pulled into a thin ribbon, and his black boots went up to mid-calf, and a leather belt finished off the look nicely.
He thought he was quite the handsome man, and had spent a good ten minutes posing in front of the mirror when he had done. Finally the boy who'd helped him dress pushed him out of the door to wait on his sister. He didn't have to wait long. When the door opened and his sister stepped out, his jaw dropped.
She looked so different from the dirty, yet glowing girl he had seen to her room earlier. She even held herself differently, from the confidence that the clothes and pampering had given her. She smiled as she looked at her brother.
"Joseph, you look very handsome." She smiled, her dark eyes sparkling.
".........Amazing, Sere....you've never looked better!" Joseph held out his arm jauntily, and the red-faced Serenity took it. She looked at the servants milling about, and she asked innocently, "Where might we find the banquet hall...?"
They recieved a flurry of directions from various servants at once, and when Serenity assured Joseph that she got the gist of what they were all saying, they set off.
Joseph held his head high and somewhat pompously as he led his sister through the hallways, and walked with something nearly of a swagger. He was feeling very good indeed. Serenity looked over at her brother and patted his arm playfully, smiling at his antics.
Just before they reached the chamber leading to the banquet hall (both of their stomachs suddenly in their throats), Tristan ran out, obviously having been watching for them. He looked fairly good with brown trousers and a vest, and an ivory shirt. He motioned for them to stop.
"Hey you two.....wow you look GREAT!" His eyes lingered on Serenity for a moment, and Joseph colored, a scowl coming across his face. Tristan didn't miss it, and stopped with a sheepish smile, getting to his point.
"Okay guys......best behavior okay? Try to eat neatly, make VERY polite smalltalk when spoken too, and um.......don't mind if the Prince and Advisor start snipping at each other...it happens alot....." Tristan grinned at him, and Joseph smiled back.
"Hey, as long as someone gets a crack at that Seton, I'm fine!" Joseph smirked and prepared to walk past Tristan, Serenity snickering at his arm. "Hey, it's in here, right?"
"Uhh, yeah. It's in there. Oh, and by the way you two...if someone questions you about your.....um......lineage....just go with whatever sounds good, okay?"
Joseph paused. "What....do you mean by that, Tristan?" He stared at his friend intently, and Tristan smiled innocently.
"No time time to explain right now! They're waiting for you two!!!" Tristan shoved them at the door, and the doormen opened the huge entrance as they stumbled closer.
The man at the door motioned to two trumpeters, and they blared the welcome.
"ANNOUNCING TRISTAN STORYTELLER, AND HIS GUESTS, LORD AND LADY WHITTING OF CONSTANTINOPLE!!!!!"
Joseph's eyes bugged and he nearly tripped. Serenity let out a small, "eep." Tristan merely shrugged sheepishly and gave them a gentle push. The king, seeing this behavior, stood and smiled at them.
"Do not be afraid. My table is open to you, siblings of Constantinople. Make yourself welcome, and give us more news of your homeland while you enjoy the food and drink of England!" The king had already seemed to be enjoying some of that food and drink, as the demolished turkey leg on his plate and the half empty wine goblet indicated.
The others around the table turned and looked at the two, who were extremely red in the face by now. The Prince Yugi was smiling as well, and the Duke Devlin mirrored that smile, while adding some kind of seductive glint into his eyes. The Advisor Seton was scowling, of course, and some other nobles had looks of pure curiosity. There were only a few women at the table, being the wives of the higher up nobles.
Across from the Prince Yugi, who was seated at the right side of the rectangular table, close to his father, was a young woman with long blonde hair with very dark purple eyes. She was the only woman at the table who seemed disintrested at the visitors, and in fact, the only one hardly paying any attention. She obviously seemed like she didn't care about the visitors.
(And......) Joseph noted, (the only one here without an obvious husband.....)
When he saw this woman, his jaw had dropped. He'd get the story of WHY he and Serenity were suddenly nobles from Tristan later. First, he had to go and meet this person. He tugged at her arm lightly.
"Sere.......c'mon. They're waiting for us."
"But......Joseph.." she whispered at him. "They think that we're nobles....."
"Don't worry about that Sere...I'm sure Tristan's got a great reason for this...."
Serenity looked ahead, where all the guests of the king were seated. She looked around, and saw the Duke, Seton, and the Prince Yugi.
(............Okay. Maybe just one meal as a noble.)
She smiled and started walking as well. The king smiled and had the servants pull out two chairs, one beside Prince Yugi, and one beside the young blonde woman. Serenity was directed beside her, and Joseph sat down beside Yugi, who gave him a quick smile.
The torch lighting of the banquet all gave off all the flickering light they needed to find the food by, and the long wooden table held plenty of it. Joseph had to contain himself from eating too fast or too messily, as Tristan had warned him against. If he were a noble, he had to act like it.
Tristan had been seated a few more places down, below the Duke's level, and was watching to two carefully. "So far so good......" he muttered quietly over his pheasant.
When they had mostly finished eating, the king looked pleasantly at all of them.
"Now my friends.....let's hear stories of Constantinople! My son and daughter would love to hear how things are in the Byzantine lands!"
Joseph and Serenity looked at each other. Joseph's eyes flickered to the woman beside his sister quickly.
(Daughter....?) He thought. (Could she be a princess?)
The thoughts were jolted from him quickly, as the king looked at him expectantly.
"Ahh......well.......Your Highness....Constantinople...was..............." Joseph stammered, and the Princess looked at him oddly.
Serenity saw her brother starting to falter, and jumped in immediately. "Constantinople used to be a thriving city that was the center of trade to the Eastern lands of silk and oddities. But the Turks started invading long ago, and right now, all that's left of the Byzantine Empire is the city of Constantinople. It's currently under seige, and your minstrel, Tristan, bravely took us from there at our grandmother's bidding. It was very dangerous....."
Joseph shot his sister a grateful look, and the king spoke.
"Yes, Tristan told us all about your daring escape.........just how many of the Turkish archers were firing at you as you ran in between their camps?"
Both Serenity and Joseph sweatdropped. Prince Yugi leaned forward, his eyes wide open with interest. The princess looked at them incredulously.
Tristan dared to speak at this moment. "At least thirty, Your Highness! Joseph fended off fifteen by himself with a sword, and Serenity shot at them with arrows! It was very harrowing, Highness!"
The king let out a huge guffaw of approval, clapping Yugi on the back. "Daughter! Fill my goblet for me, will you! I need a drink after thinking of these nice clean creatures, a Lord and Lady of Constantinople, fighting off so many Turk invaders!"
His daughter, the Princess, stood quietly, her face expressionless. She reached for the large pitcher of wine when her father added, "And fill the glass of the lad and lass by us, they must be thirsty for simply thinking of their daring escape!"
The Princess's hands slipped a bit at this. She glared at her father, and it was obvious that she didn't believe a word Tristan and her father had thrown them about the two.
"My dear Princess Marian, please! I know you have the softest hands in all the land, but I'm sure your grip is firmer than that!," her father exclaimed. The rosy color of his cheeks was really starting to stand out, and it was plain that he'd already had a bit too much to drink. Yugi put his hand on his father's shoulder, and the Duke Devlin chuckled while Seton scowled.
The Duke, moved by the playfull nature of the king, stood to address the congregated nobles, his glass raised as Princess Marian filled the goblets (Joseph practically needed his whole glass filled, and Serenity only needed a few droplets herself).
"Good King Solomon, I , Duke Otto Devlin, thank you for the hospitality of your table and your fine and glorious home! Let us have a wonderful time together, and, most importantly, here's to a quick and decisive victory over the French!"
There was a chorus of "Hear hear!" from around the table, and many drank to the Duke's toast. Seton glared at various people over the rim of his goblet as he drank, but his eyes lingered on Joseph and Yugi the most. Yugi didn't miss this, and stared back with equal coldness, something amazing from those warm purple eyes of his.
Seton mouthed "North Courtyard, midnight," and Yugi mouthed back, "I will be there." Then they turned back to the festivities without so much as a single hint to anyone else that anything was amiss.
As Otto Devlin drank, his eyes kept lingering to both the Princess Marian and the "Lady" Serenity. He had come to this castle with every intention of sweeping the Princess off her feet and taking her as his bride and Duchess. From there, he could convince that he and Marian were better monach material than Prince Yugi, therefore handing the heredity down to them. Technically, even though Marian was two years older (And dangerously close to Old Maid-hood) than her brother Yugi, he as the sole male was the true heir to the throne of England.
It was said that the purple eyed siblings of England would never marry. Princess Marian was cold and callous to all except her father and brother, and payed only minute attention to any suitors. The Prince Yugi didn't seem interested in girls at all, only concentrating on keeping his sword sharp and focusing his wary eye on the doings of the Advisor Seton. But only a few knew of Yugi and Seton's thin tolerance of each other, so it was mostly said that the Prince simply had not met his womanly match yet.
This had upset King Solomon when he'd first heard these talkings. If neither of his children produced little ones of their own, then the nobles would have a hayday figuring out who was more legitimate for the throne, and may even spark civil war.
The attention that Yugi's eyes were giving "Lady" Serenity delighted the King to no end, and through the dinner, the King encouraged talk between the two. The Duke tried butting in now and again, because even though he was there for the Princess, he could still amuse himself with lovely ladies of foreign lands in the meantime. The Lady was kept well amused due to this, and her brother tried striking up conversation with Marian.
"So Princess Marian....ummm.....what do you guys do for fun around here?"
Her blonde head whipped around, seemingly offended that he would dare speak to her. Yugi leaned over to Joseph and chuckled in his ear, "Watch yourself with my sister. Her bite is far worse than her bark."
".......I heard that, dear little brother." This was the first time the whole night that Marian had spoken at all. Her voice was low and sensual sounding, and sent thrills in Joseph's spine. It was clear that the sensuality was not intended. It was just.....a part of her normal voice.
The King, watching this exchange, saw more opportunity for his children. "My dear Marian, since the young Lord is interested in the doings of the land, why don't you give him a tour of the grounds tomorrow?"
Marian sent her father a look that seeped and dripped of venom, but replied, "Yes, my father."
Joseph, for some reason, didn't notice the evil in her voice. He was too busy celebrating to himself. "Yesyesyesyesyesyes....." Yugi shot him a look of sympathy. Any man other than himself and his father were subject to scathing remarks and "accidents" while they were with his sister. He hoped that Joseph loved pain, both emotional and physical. Because that machosism would sure help.
()()Outside the Palace Walls, England()()
Menenox stood, staring at a vine that would take him up the grey stone walls. "Yes.......this will do...." His deep voice said quietly.
Rou watched from a distance, questioningly. "Master, what are we up to at this hour?"
"My dear Rou, we are going to spy on a Royal Banquet. I have a feeling that those Byzantines are going to lead me to something very very large.....and I want all of the up to date information I can eavesdrop."
Rou was never one to question his Master's motives in doing anything. He only asked what they were doing, and he took his answer as absolute truth.
He and his Master then scaled the wall, finding foot and handholds that no other man could have located so easily. Landing nimbly on the other side, the slid like shadows across the courtyard, and stood by the long, narrow windows that peeked into the hall. They crouched behind the nearby bushes, craning their ears close to the windows, out of sight from any passing guards.
"Rou, I want you to look in the window and tell me how many you see," his master mouthed. They both knew how to read lips exceptionally. Rou nodded and slowly craned his head so one eye could peek in, and he mouthed all he saw at the table.
"...........and then there's a black haired noble in red, probably the Duke that arrived today..."
"Otto Devlin," Menenox mouthed back. Rou nodded and continued.
"The Advisor, that Seton fellow. Then there's the two Byzantines, like you thought. Joseph and Serenity......those were their names, right?" Menenox nodded, and he continued. "And the King...Princess....and......Prince................."
Rou's eyes widened as he saw the Prince. There was a horrible, sinking feeling of deja vu, and suddenly his heart was gripped with more crushing pain than he'd ever experienced. He bit his tounge and clasped his hand over his heart, stifling the low groans that he was suddenly emitting. His master was on his belly, coming towards him under the window now, and Rou slumped over, and on the insides of his eyelids, visions came.
There was sand. So much sand. There was a village burning, and the blood running all over that sand. The village glowed, and seven items rose from it. Then, suddenly, an aged King of the Sands held them in his hands, and handed six of them to trusted priests in odd garments. The seventh was placed around the neck of a young boy with tri-colored hair and purple eyes. Then suddenly, the young boy was taller and holding the crook and flail of the king, and a white-haired theif was bearing a wrapped body before the shocked priests and new young king.
Then with a horrifying jolt, Rou was back, in his master's arms, a piece of cloth shoved in his mouth to further stifle any noise. His heart still hurt badly, and after a few deep, shuddering breaths, he looked up at his master.
"What happened?" Menenox mouthed. Rou shrugged, his confused eyes boring into his master's.
"Don't understand. I suddenly felt so much pain..." Rou mouthed back. He felt wary about telling his master that the pain came from seeing the Prince, and that he saw visions from it as well. He forced himself from his Master's arms, and bracing himself, looked inside again.
He saw the Prince, laughing at a joke told by the Duke. Rou felt nothing now. No pain or visions or anything. He leaned away, against the wall, and looked at his Master.
"That's enough for tonight. You rest for now, Rou." His master mouthed. Rou nodded, not wanting to argue. He slumped sideways with no more goading. With Menenox still watching the goings on, Rou fell asleep at his master's feet.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Brood: Ooh, visions! Next chapter, we get to see more of France! Yay!!
Zutsokaki: toying with his new hair You know, I wouldn't have had to get this haircut if Wingleader's and our chibis hadn't decided to cut off my bangs......................
Brood: snickers But they did!!!!!! Okay, that's all for now minna-san! Review please![/html]