A.N- Okay, so I'm not going to reply to reviews anymore on the chapter page. From now on, I'll just make a list of the people who reviewed the last chapter, and the reviews will go through the review reply. Anonymous reviews will still go through this chapter, unless you give an email address. And the result of the poll is… YOU'LL FIND OUT WHEN IT HAPPENS! (smiles evilly) Also, see bottom author's note for an important message.
Shout-outs to flip chick, SingForTheMoment, curlyque and Casey!
Chapter Six – Luncheon Agreements
"My lady! The Queen comes to your rooms!" exclaimed Lady Jane.
At that second, the door opened to reveal the Queen. She had on a red velvet dress with slashing in the sleeves, and there were many different colored jewels embedded in the linen. A jeweled cross was at the top of the dress, pearl necklaces stung around her neck. She wore a red velvet French hood with jewels. Lady Jane gave her a nod in a way of saying that she should curtsy or kneel. Hermione immediately curtsied, her head facing down. "Rise," said the Queen impatiently. "I will be here briefly, and I do not want to waste time. There is to be a ball celebrating the official engagement with Prince Stephen. A French dressmaker shall be coming to create a dress for you. That is all." And then she left.
"She is not very affectionate, is she?" asked Hermione.
"Your mother has been quite testy and impatient as of late. They say your father has found yet another mistress. Her name is Virginia Mason – a Maid-In-Waiting for the Queen. The queen cannot stand mistresses, but I cannot blame her. They show that a man is unhappy with his wife. But I shouldn't tell you any of this. You are to be a bride soon, and then a Queen is god should see it fit for King Louis to die." Lady Jane then crossed herself. "Not that I am wishing, my lady."
"Did you know of the ball or the dressmaker earlier?" asked Hermione inquisitively.
"Of the ball only rumors in which other ladies have spoken of, but for the dress, I knew naught."
"When do you think the ball will be?" asked Hermione anxiously. The farther away in time is bloody ball is, the more time I have to plan either breaking the engagement or getting back home. I prefer the latter. It involves me keeping my head.
"I can honestly say that I do not know, my lady. Though I assume that it shant be far away, for the Royals can't stay for too long."
"But the dressmaker has to come, and then make the dress and all of that nonsense!"
"Oh I doubt that! The dressmaker is most likely within a day away. She was probably sent for weeks ago. And of making a new dress, that is not a big deal! I presume that approximately 10 or more seamstresses come with the Dressmaker. She doesn't actually sew the dress; just design it so that it looks just so. The dress would not take more than 3 weeks. Four at the most, if the jewel work requires extra attention."
"And the how far until the wedding?" asked Hermione nervously.
"That I do not know, Princess. It all depends on how well the kings are getting along with profits and whatnot. But it is no place for a lady to think of such things like money and dowry. That 'tis the job of the men."
Out of all the times in history, I had to come here! All these ladies do is cross themselves, gossip, and act stupid. Except for Sabine, but she's so reckless!
"Do not fret, Princess. You will marry Prince Stephen, that much is sure."
But that's exactly what I'm afraid of.
"Now come. You have luncheon with Prince Stephen, Princess Sabine and Princess Margaret; down in the gardens, by the lake. You should not be late, and of course you must look beautiful," said Lady Jane, causing Hermione to groan. "What do you say to the green dress? It looks lovely with your hair and eyes. Naw, it would look much too gaudy what with the grass and all. Perhaps a blue dress; you have quite a lot of those?"
"Whatever you like."
"Come now, Princess! You want to look wonderful, do you not?"
"I don't really mind what color the dress is," said Hermione bored. "Just pick something, please."
"Well then I think the blue dress with the gold weave kirtle and the matching slashed gold-weave sleeves. It has but a few jewels, which makes it look all the more appropriate. How about a French hood, god knows how in style those are nowadays?"
"Whatever you would like," repeated Hermione.
"Well that's a hard decision! It would be much easier if you could tell me what you would like."
"If you are going to be so obstinate you can just wear it loose and look like a fool!"
"I wouldn't mind that."
"I was only jesting!"
"Well I'm not."
"Fine, fine, Princess. But if you are to wear it out and about as if you haven't a penny to your name – for shame for shame – it will at least be dressed."
Hermione groaned. At least back home I could dress and wear my hair as I liked it.
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Draco/Stephen and Sabine sat in chairs, waiting for the two Princesses – Margaret and Artemis. "Ah, Stephen," said Sabine. "I pity you. Three girls and not a man in sight! 'Tis enough to make any man go insane. Shame Prince Henry couldn't join us, though I wonder what he must be doing that is so important." Sabine laughed to herself.
Draco didn't answer.
"You've been acting odd these past few days, and I know that it is not because you hit your head. What is going on? I'm no simpleton."
Oh Merlin! She notices that I'm not really talking to anyone here. Maybe her and this Prince guy were close. I should talk so that it looks as if nothing's wrong.
"Nothing is going on, Sabine. I'm just tired."
"I can tell that you're lying, but I'll just let it slip. I'm in no mood today to deal with your stupidity."
"Stupidity!" Draco exclaimed, his ego hurt.
"HA! Got you talking!"
Draco couldn't help but smile a little. She's funny, even if she is a funny, disgusting muggle. Although it looks as if I'm one too.
"Ah, here comes Princess Margaret. Quite a disagreeable person. I much prefer Artemis."
"Princess Sabine, Crown Prince Stephan," regarded the beauty.
Oh. My. God. She's beautiful.
Her ebony hair gathered in the back of her head in a cowl made of silver and pearls. Her mysterious eyes, though deep and dangerous, seemed to sparkle with mirth. "It looks as if it 'tis a nice day!" exclaimed Margaret, as if she hadn't a care in the world.
She's an idiot.
"Ah, he she is now," said Sabine.
Draco lifted his head to see the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, even with Margaret standing right in front of him. Her chocolate hair flowed loose, and was threaded was various gems and metallics. A circlet of gold and amethysts sat atop her head.
(A.N- Sorry for putting one of these in the middle now, but I want everyone to get a proper visual. There was the dress w/matching bodice aka the "skirt". The dress then came down to the floor, as we all know. From the hips down, a triangle-like area was exposed. This was kind of like the underskirt. Oh screw it. This is what the dresses looked dress was a marvelous shade of blue; light, yet deep at the same time. The beautiful gold weave underneath seemed to sparkle, which in turn made Hermione herself sparkle. An assortment of jewels were embedded in the sleeves, and an amethyst brooch in the shape of a lily lay above her bust. A sapphire and amethyst girdle lay on her hips and fell like a pendant down the middle of the dress and down the gold weave. On anyone else, this dress would have been blinding and tacky, but Hermione's simple elegance pulled it off right away. It took Draco a while for him to realize that it was indeed Hermione and not an angel.
"Ah, the Princess Artemis. How she shines with grace and beauty. Wave to your populace, my dear," joked Sabine, smiling.
"I told that woman that all of this," she gestured to the dress and its embellishments, "was unnecessary. Of course, no one listened. So here I am; blinding you all." She and Sabine laughed at the same time.
Well now she hasn't wasted time on befriending my "sister".
"Good has created a most lovely meal, which shall be set up for us outdoors!" exclaimed the dimwitted Margaret.
Sabine rolled her eyes. "Your sister must have picked that up from her mother," she whispered to Hermione. "Quite the witless girl, I must admit." You see, Sabine had no problem saying things that could be considered offensive or obnoxious.
Apparently she also knows about the whole bastard princess thing.
The foursome made their way outside, walking along the beautiful garden path adorned with blooming rosebushes and other divine flowers, grand trees both big and small, and greatly kempt landscape. A large cloth was laid upon the ground, and a maid prepared the foods on top of it. Looking closer, Hermione noticed a sort of tabletop keeping support of the cloth and objects on top. It was almost as if they were sitting at a table without chairs.
Sitting on their own individual cloths, the four began to eat. There was a sort of pie, pickled herring in a cream sauce, some bread, butter and cheese. "So, Stephen, you haven't said a word to Artemis today," noted Sabine, jabbing her brother in the ribs.
Draco rubbed the spot where he had been prodded. "Ow," he said. "Bloody woman!"
Margaret covered her mouth, gasping. "You…you…you swore the bloody oath!" she exclaimed, flustered and astonished.
"I think that Stephan would like to talk to you Princess Artemis…er…over there," she said quickly pointing to a spot beneath a large Apple Tree's limbs.
"No I-" started Draco, but Sabine pinched him in the arm with her nails. "Yeah, sure, fine." Bloody muggle woman.
He met Hermione beneath the apple tree. "What are we going to do?" asked Hermione quietly.
"These bloody muggles," said Draco, rubbing the spot where Sabine had pinched him hardly. "Please tell me you've found a way home, Granger."
"Okay. Here's the thing. I have no idea how we're going to get home, so it seems as if you're a bloody muggle too."
"Shut it, mudblood! You're a know it all! So therefore you know how to get home! Tell me!"
"Are you aware that unlike back at Hogwarts, I have power over your life. If I say one word, my father – the King of England, so it seems – will wage war against you. Your head will be swinging after no time."
"May I remind you, Granger, that he is not your father. Your real father is back in the normal world, I assume," said Draco, knowing that he had hit the spot. Tears started to well up in Hermione's eyes at the thought of the people she had back at home. Hermione wiped them away.
"Well whether we like it or not, we are stuck here until back home can find a way to bring us back. So Malfoy – er – whatever they call you nowadays, I propose that we call it quits."
"Say what?"
"Erm…seeing that we are in this current predicament-"
"Spit it out!"
"Why don't we just call a kind of ceasefire or something? Maybe try to become friends?"
Draco just started laughing hysterically.
"What may I ask is so bloody funny?"
"Oh ha! Us? Friends? Who do you think you're kidding? Is this some kind of joke, because if it is, it's hysterical."
"Let me bring you back to Earth. They want us to get married, and soon! In fact, we probably will get married! By the way, Malfoy, that is among one of my greatest nightmares, and I don't think that you're too eager to marry me either."
"So what will your so called 'peace offering' do? Do you think that it can accomplish anything? I thought you were smart, Granger. I really did. Do you mean to tell me that you honestly think that us not being hostile or us being friends or whatever stupid idea you have cooking underneath that great bush of hair you've got will stop us from getting married?"
"Well…no. But it will make the whole affair more tolerable."
"Are you saying that you're going to sit back at let them marry us? Do you really think that I'll marry you?"
"Do you really think that you have a choice?"
"And why wouldn't I have a choice in whom I marry?"
"Are you that oblivious. This is an arranged marriage, you idiot! The whole thing has nothing to do with us, aside from the fact that we're the ones getting married. They don't care whether we want to or not. And if you or I complain, I have a strong feeling that you or I – or you and I for that matter – will be faced with some not-so-nice results."
"You were saying something about complaining to your father who would kill me."
"Are you seriously considering dying?"
"That's not what I mean!"
"Then no. He would wage war because you insulted the purity and royal-ness of my blood. That's treason and some other junk. So yeah, war is a definite yes for you doing that. But my father would never break off the marriage, or so I've heard."
"So we're stuck, Granger?"
"Didn't I just say that!"
"And it's either marry and be at each other's throats or marry and be friends, or at least not enemies?"
"Looks like it."
"Then I'll take it."
"WHAT!" exclaimed Hermione, dumbfounded. I would have never expected him to say that in a million years.
"You heard me. I'm not stupid. It's better to marry and not fight than marry and fight. Trust me. My parents hated each other, and my childhood was just horrible because of it."
I can't believe I just told her that! I'm already turning into a bloody Hufflepuff.
"So we're actually going to go through with this," murmured Hermione softly.
"Sadly," answered Draco.
"We should be getting back. They'll be wondering where we got to, and you know the people here. They're insane."
"Artemis, come. Let us talk," said Sabine once Hermione and Draco returned, dragging Hermione off. Once they were at a reasonable distance, Sabine said, "Oh god! She was driving me insane! I do not see how you two are related, even if it is just through fathers."
Hermione laughed. If I'm to be stuck here, at least there's someone who's somewhat normal.
"Quite the comical sister you have," responded Sabine to Hermione's laugh.
"And what about your sisters?" inquired Hermione. "If I remember correctly, they are three."
"Christine is the oldest out of the three. She's twelve, and all she does is sit around and read or study. She is so incredibly boring! She has the blonde hair Stephen and I share, as well as the youngest Emilie. And then there's Joan, who is almost ten and quite the snob. She looks identical to my mother, what with the brown hair and whatnot. She thinks that she is so important! Ha! The way she acts, you would think that she was next in line for the throne!"
"And what of the last one?"
"She's Emilie. She is quite adorable actually. She is the baby of the court, and as such, she is babied. She's five years old, which is quite a distance from Joan. Though who would want to be close to her? So is that all you wanted to know or is there something else?"
"Well I don't know!"
"They all have they're separate nurses. Well except for Christine, but she isn't free to do as she pleases either. Christine has her tutors, which sadly aren't here. I do enjoy Master Simon so much. And Joan will start to share tutors with Christine, though everyone knows that she will never be as good. So tell me about your brothers and sisters. Well, I know enough about Margaret, so you can forget about her."
Oh bloody hell! What am I supposed to tell her! Let's start with ages. I think I remembered those.
"Well Alys is the youngest, and seems to be around the age of Emilie. She has –erm – dirty blonde hair. Then there's John, who seems to look a lot like me. Then there's Edmund. Then there's Margaret, and after that is me. Lastly is Henry, would is the oldest."
"Well that's awfully dry. It seems as if you know naught about your siblings. Is there some horrible secret about them or something?" Sabine laughed. "Or perhaps you just don't like them. You don't seem to like Princess Margaret much, although I can't say that I like her either."
"I'm – erm – just not in the mood to talk about them. They're extremely boring," lied Hermione.
"Mm'hmm," said Sabine, looking at her with suspicion. "We should get back. It seems so horrid to leave poor Stephen there with her."
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Okay. Here's the deal with Sabine. Though Hermione sees the similarities between Sabine and Draco, she does NOT hate Sabine. No one hates Sabine, though I can't say the same for the person she's based off of. (JUST KIDDING!) The time period they are in is the WAY early 1500's. Maybe the LATE 1400's. NOT during the Middle Ages. NOT during the Dark Ages. And though I may have accidentally said this word a bunch of times, NOT during the Medieval period.
SingForTheMoment: Kay dude. If you don't be nice, I'll kill of Sabine. Wait…no…I can't do that. She's important to the plot. DAMN YOU! And I tried to use minimal titles here, JUST FOR YOU. Even though people SPOKE WITH TITLES! See how aggravated you make me!
ANOTHER FRIGGIN AUTHOR'S NOTE:
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