Disclaimer: Welcome to the realm of FanFiction! (stick a couple funky fanfares in there too...)
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9.
Selena sat in the cemetery, her gown of black silk billowing around her. "Oh Papa, why did you and Mirian have to leave me all at once? Why couldn't you have stayed for me?" She sniffed. "I love you, Papa."
"Princess Selena, come inside; it's cold out." Selena ignored her maidservant. She was in mourning, and would remain that way until she chose to do otherwise.
"Princess! Come inside at once!" The woman that called her this time marched out into the cold and grabbed the Princess's elbow. "You will catch a cold and I don't want have to listen to your sniveling anymore than I have to. Now come inside!"
Selena followed her old governess meekly. "But Maude…" She protested weakly.
"No buts!" Maude snapped irritably. "You are going to bed this instant and you will stay there until I say so." Maude continued to drag Selena through the hallways until they arrived at Selena's suite of rooms.
"Now get in bed!" Maude barked. Selena took off her outer layer of puffy skirts and slipped under the covers.
"Thanks, Maude." Selena's eye closed sleepily.
"You're welcome, princess," Maude said fondly. She tucked the covers tightly around Selena and lightly kissed her forehead. As the princess's breathing set into a steady rhythm, Maude closed the drapes and snuffed out all but one candle. "Sleep tight," She whispered.
If Selena heard through her dreams, she didn't let on but for a small smile.
---
Maude quietly left the Selena's room for the Queen's. Shari had been sick ever since her husband had died, and Maude knew it was not an illness of the body.
No- Shari's illness was of the heart. She had not been well since they had covered his body with the frozen dirt. She had loved him so much, and to lose him so quickly had been a hard blow for the Queen.
She was holding up well, in Maude's opinion.
The door to the Queen's room was guarded by to men-at-arms who looked constantly worried. As well they should, thought Maude.
"I am here to see the Queen," Maude stated softly.
"Enter then, and help her," one of the soldiers replied with a pleading note in his voice.
"I will do my best," Maude patted his shoulder. She pushed open the ornately carved door and walked inside the dark room. "My Queen, I am here."
"Maude?" Shari's thin voice called out.
"Yes, child."
"Is my daughter," Shari's voice cracked, "is she well?"
"Selena sleeps like the child that once she was. She is fine." Maude walked over to the nearest candle, and lit it quickly from the few candles burning. "Shari, dear, you must eat something!" She looked around at the tray of food on the floor. It was only picked at.
"I'm not hungry," Shari whispered. "I don't want to eat anything. I'll just throw it up again anyway." Maude looked at Shari's slender form lying on the huge bed.
"Shari, love, please, for Selena's sake, live! Eat something, my dear, you must!" Maude walked softly over to the bedside. "Can you make her lose another loved one now? Could you bear to do that to her?" Maude stroked the Queen's hair as she had done to Selena.
"I almost wish I could," Shari said, a note of guilt in her voice. "Everything would be so simple then," she sighed
"But it would not be right," Maude said firmly.
"No," Shari agreed.
"Eat something, my Queen." Maude held up a slice of fine bread. "Here," She handed to the Queen.
"No, I will dine in the hall," Shari said determinedly. "Help me dress." Maude smiled and complied.
---
When the Queen walked out of her chamber for the first time in a month, the soldiers could not believe their eyes. She was real, however, and not just an apparition of their hopes.
Her hands shook as she clung to Maude for support, and her cheeks were gaunt, but she was real!
The two soldiers bowed deeply, smiling broadly. They watched their Queen take small, dogged steps out into the palace. The hem of her midnight blue gown inched slowly past, but soon it was gone.
Wherever Queen Shari walked, courtiers and servant alike stopped and stared, suddenly remembered their manners, and then bowed low to their monarch.
Shari herself made an effort to smile at every single person as she passed them. Her steps became less shaky, and she stood straighter.
Maude smiled serenely; seemingly oblivious to the stares that she was getting from the people they passed.
"Mother!" Shari looked back and smiled at her son. "Mother! You're well!"
"Yes, Michel, I am. Come, now, escort me to supper, I am famished," Shari said quietly. She let go of Maude's arm and took Michel's instead.
Maude watched them walk off in the stately, dignified manner that all members of the nobility seemed to have.
---
Marisa looked up when the cry of delight swept through the hall. There, in the archway, stood the Queen. She and the Prince were resplendent in their fine outfits, and Risa smiled happily when she saw that both were alive and well.
"Oh look at him!" Risa smiled at Petra, who was sitting beside her. "He looks so…so handsome!" Petra giggled.
"Petra!" Risa said, pretending to be scandalized. "You know you must not speak of our Prince so," Then, she too burst out with muted titters. The glares that they got were enough to silence their laughter for the moment.
Risa kept a straight face the minimum amount of time that she had too. The second it was polite to laugh and talk amongst her fellows, she did so.
"Oh Petra, I'm so happy for you!" She squealed.
"I know!" Petra giggled and clutched at Risa's hand. "I was so worried!"
Risa sighed and felt self-pity rising up in her. Everyone around her seemed to have someone that they love. She had loved Haran, but he was dead and buried now. She loved Johan too, but he could never, ever fill the place that Haran had had in her heart.
"Risa! Risa, are you alright?" Risa snapped back and saw Petra, a worried look on her face.
"I'm fine," she said, albeit with a hint of sadness. Feeling slightly depressed, she turned to the meal that was being served.
Through out the rest of the rather large, impromptu meal, Risa made and commented on superficial statements floating around.
Petra seemed as happy as any young woman of the court could become without breaching the longstanding bonds of etiquette that tied them all. She burbled on happily about frivolous things such as dresses and embroidery occasionally, but most of her conversational time was spent on the subject of Crown Prince Michel.
Within their circle of five close friends, only three ladies knew of Petra's love for Michel. Out of those three, only Risa knew that Petra's love was returned.
Risa sighed, almost determined to stay within her melancholy mood.
"Milady," she looked up and smiled at her brother. "May I have this dance?" Johan's eyes were full of laughter suppressed behind a mask of formality.
She delicately extended her hand. "Why of course," she murmured demurely, trying not to laugh herself, "For I would dance with no one else."
Johan took her hand and whirled her out onto the floor of the great hall. They had danced like this when they were younger and not willing to dance with any of the other children their age.
Johan had chosen a spirited gavotte for them to dance to, which was appropriate.
"Come Risa, smile for me!" Johan said as they broke out of their circle formation for a few moments. She mustered a small smile, but nothing more. Soon they were back in the circle, spinning and flying around with the gaiety of the dance.
"That's more like it!" Johan said from across the circle. Risa's face hurt she was smiling so hard.
There was nothing about that dance that inspired sadness; in truth, one could not help but smile.
"Thank you, Johan," Risa giggled at the end of the dance.
"It was my duty," he replied solemnly. Then, in complete contrast, he swept her into a great hug. "Glad to see you're back, Risa," he said.
---
-A/N- ::Sigh:: A long chapter at last! As some of you counted, that ;ast one was a grand total of 5 sentences. much too short.
1. Shattered Decorum.
2. A King's Promise
3. Broken Promise
4. A Deadly Promise
We have narrowed the titles down to four...take your pick! As for my reviewers...how you can tell that the chapters are up so fast, i don't know....Anyway:
Ko-Shani: Yeah, any chapter entitled Fiacha is "Her".
Maplerose: yeah, you can bug me, cause at least when you update, the chapters are more than a couple of sentences, lol. Fiacha means Raven (i think...maybe in iriah or gaelic, don't really know) Haven't truly figured out if the villian is Hate or not. I think Liana and Cedric will have a cameo in here somewhere. heehee...
Kates: thanks for your long reviews! Yeah, Thayer is ubercool!! You liked the hiccups too? :o)
EvenSong
---
9.
Selena sat in the cemetery, her gown of black silk billowing around her. "Oh Papa, why did you and Mirian have to leave me all at once? Why couldn't you have stayed for me?" She sniffed. "I love you, Papa."
"Princess Selena, come inside; it's cold out." Selena ignored her maidservant. She was in mourning, and would remain that way until she chose to do otherwise.
"Princess! Come inside at once!" The woman that called her this time marched out into the cold and grabbed the Princess's elbow. "You will catch a cold and I don't want have to listen to your sniveling anymore than I have to. Now come inside!"
Selena followed her old governess meekly. "But Maude…" She protested weakly.
"No buts!" Maude snapped irritably. "You are going to bed this instant and you will stay there until I say so." Maude continued to drag Selena through the hallways until they arrived at Selena's suite of rooms.
"Now get in bed!" Maude barked. Selena took off her outer layer of puffy skirts and slipped under the covers.
"Thanks, Maude." Selena's eye closed sleepily.
"You're welcome, princess," Maude said fondly. She tucked the covers tightly around Selena and lightly kissed her forehead. As the princess's breathing set into a steady rhythm, Maude closed the drapes and snuffed out all but one candle. "Sleep tight," She whispered.
If Selena heard through her dreams, she didn't let on but for a small smile.
---
Maude quietly left the Selena's room for the Queen's. Shari had been sick ever since her husband had died, and Maude knew it was not an illness of the body.
No- Shari's illness was of the heart. She had not been well since they had covered his body with the frozen dirt. She had loved him so much, and to lose him so quickly had been a hard blow for the Queen.
She was holding up well, in Maude's opinion.
The door to the Queen's room was guarded by to men-at-arms who looked constantly worried. As well they should, thought Maude.
"I am here to see the Queen," Maude stated softly.
"Enter then, and help her," one of the soldiers replied with a pleading note in his voice.
"I will do my best," Maude patted his shoulder. She pushed open the ornately carved door and walked inside the dark room. "My Queen, I am here."
"Maude?" Shari's thin voice called out.
"Yes, child."
"Is my daughter," Shari's voice cracked, "is she well?"
"Selena sleeps like the child that once she was. She is fine." Maude walked over to the nearest candle, and lit it quickly from the few candles burning. "Shari, dear, you must eat something!" She looked around at the tray of food on the floor. It was only picked at.
"I'm not hungry," Shari whispered. "I don't want to eat anything. I'll just throw it up again anyway." Maude looked at Shari's slender form lying on the huge bed.
"Shari, love, please, for Selena's sake, live! Eat something, my dear, you must!" Maude walked softly over to the bedside. "Can you make her lose another loved one now? Could you bear to do that to her?" Maude stroked the Queen's hair as she had done to Selena.
"I almost wish I could," Shari said, a note of guilt in her voice. "Everything would be so simple then," she sighed
"But it would not be right," Maude said firmly.
"No," Shari agreed.
"Eat something, my Queen." Maude held up a slice of fine bread. "Here," She handed to the Queen.
"No, I will dine in the hall," Shari said determinedly. "Help me dress." Maude smiled and complied.
---
When the Queen walked out of her chamber for the first time in a month, the soldiers could not believe their eyes. She was real, however, and not just an apparition of their hopes.
Her hands shook as she clung to Maude for support, and her cheeks were gaunt, but she was real!
The two soldiers bowed deeply, smiling broadly. They watched their Queen take small, dogged steps out into the palace. The hem of her midnight blue gown inched slowly past, but soon it was gone.
Wherever Queen Shari walked, courtiers and servant alike stopped and stared, suddenly remembered their manners, and then bowed low to their monarch.
Shari herself made an effort to smile at every single person as she passed them. Her steps became less shaky, and she stood straighter.
Maude smiled serenely; seemingly oblivious to the stares that she was getting from the people they passed.
"Mother!" Shari looked back and smiled at her son. "Mother! You're well!"
"Yes, Michel, I am. Come, now, escort me to supper, I am famished," Shari said quietly. She let go of Maude's arm and took Michel's instead.
Maude watched them walk off in the stately, dignified manner that all members of the nobility seemed to have.
---
Marisa looked up when the cry of delight swept through the hall. There, in the archway, stood the Queen. She and the Prince were resplendent in their fine outfits, and Risa smiled happily when she saw that both were alive and well.
"Oh look at him!" Risa smiled at Petra, who was sitting beside her. "He looks so…so handsome!" Petra giggled.
"Petra!" Risa said, pretending to be scandalized. "You know you must not speak of our Prince so," Then, she too burst out with muted titters. The glares that they got were enough to silence their laughter for the moment.
Risa kept a straight face the minimum amount of time that she had too. The second it was polite to laugh and talk amongst her fellows, she did so.
"Oh Petra, I'm so happy for you!" She squealed.
"I know!" Petra giggled and clutched at Risa's hand. "I was so worried!"
Risa sighed and felt self-pity rising up in her. Everyone around her seemed to have someone that they love. She had loved Haran, but he was dead and buried now. She loved Johan too, but he could never, ever fill the place that Haran had had in her heart.
"Risa! Risa, are you alright?" Risa snapped back and saw Petra, a worried look on her face.
"I'm fine," she said, albeit with a hint of sadness. Feeling slightly depressed, she turned to the meal that was being served.
Through out the rest of the rather large, impromptu meal, Risa made and commented on superficial statements floating around.
Petra seemed as happy as any young woman of the court could become without breaching the longstanding bonds of etiquette that tied them all. She burbled on happily about frivolous things such as dresses and embroidery occasionally, but most of her conversational time was spent on the subject of Crown Prince Michel.
Within their circle of five close friends, only three ladies knew of Petra's love for Michel. Out of those three, only Risa knew that Petra's love was returned.
Risa sighed, almost determined to stay within her melancholy mood.
"Milady," she looked up and smiled at her brother. "May I have this dance?" Johan's eyes were full of laughter suppressed behind a mask of formality.
She delicately extended her hand. "Why of course," she murmured demurely, trying not to laugh herself, "For I would dance with no one else."
Johan took her hand and whirled her out onto the floor of the great hall. They had danced like this when they were younger and not willing to dance with any of the other children their age.
Johan had chosen a spirited gavotte for them to dance to, which was appropriate.
"Come Risa, smile for me!" Johan said as they broke out of their circle formation for a few moments. She mustered a small smile, but nothing more. Soon they were back in the circle, spinning and flying around with the gaiety of the dance.
"That's more like it!" Johan said from across the circle. Risa's face hurt she was smiling so hard.
There was nothing about that dance that inspired sadness; in truth, one could not help but smile.
"Thank you, Johan," Risa giggled at the end of the dance.
"It was my duty," he replied solemnly. Then, in complete contrast, he swept her into a great hug. "Glad to see you're back, Risa," he said.
---
-A/N- ::Sigh:: A long chapter at last! As some of you counted, that ;ast one was a grand total of 5 sentences. much too short.
1. Shattered Decorum.
2. A King's Promise
3. Broken Promise
4. A Deadly Promise
We have narrowed the titles down to four...take your pick! As for my reviewers...how you can tell that the chapters are up so fast, i don't know....Anyway:
Ko-Shani: Yeah, any chapter entitled Fiacha is "Her".
Maplerose: yeah, you can bug me, cause at least when you update, the chapters are more than a couple of sentences, lol. Fiacha means Raven (i think...maybe in iriah or gaelic, don't really know) Haven't truly figured out if the villian is Hate or not. I think Liana and Cedric will have a cameo in here somewhere. heehee...
Kates: thanks for your long reviews! Yeah, Thayer is ubercool!! You liked the hiccups too? :o)
EvenSong