|
Joane chuckled at the look. She had to get him back for the quip about the gown going great with her eyes somehow. She had heard his story, or some variation minus the cat part, too many times to count. Unlike the queen, she was used to the pain and suffering that came from poverty.
Elizaveta's frown grew as he spoke. "Ah... yes, how unfortunate that we didn't know of your existence before now. Is this kind of life normal for young children where you grew up?" She seemed horrified at the prospect. |
"Well children are usually put to work as soon as they're able. Mostly as errand boys/girls for various businesses. Boys get put into harder labor when they become adults, the girls...well most of them go into brothels and pleasure houses, for reasons I'm sure you're aware of. If the family of the children are poor, they'll be put to work to help pay for things.
I didn't have a family or anywhere to be shipped to, to work. I tried though. I went to a few places that needed work, and for a while, I was able to stay there. Once they found out about the cat parts, however, they turned me out. If they can't explain away the reason for the ears and tail, they rather just kick me out to save them the trouble." He heaved a sigh. "I'm grateful that you and your husband took me in though. Joane has been a great mentor." he said softly. |
Elizaveta's faded a bit when he thanked her for taking him in. "Well, I may disagree with my husband on his tactics and don't exactly agree that we need an assassin at all, it is... well it is a helpful thing in times of war. Wars can begin or end with a single knife in the right back, you know." She furrowed her brow as she spoke. "However, I hope your time here is comfortable. I know that Joane is working hard to train you, just as she worked hard when she first came here herself."
The final course, a tray of sugared fruits and flower shaped pastries filled with jam, arrived Joane looked relieved. "I was beginning to wonder if this veritable feast would ever end. I'm positively stuffed. I shall have to work double time these next few days or risk no longer fitting into my armor for your birthday tournament." |
Trevor wasn't too overly fond of sweets, but he ate a few of the pastries which were nice and buttery and were a good balance of sweet and savory. "I still need to gain some weight. I was way too thin, given my circumstances. Regular meals and training is helping to add more weight. I can finally be the correct weight for my height." he said with a chuckle.
When the dinner came to an end, he waited for the Queen to stand first before he stood. He stood by with his hands behind his back like a soldier. "Is there anything else I should do Your Majesty? I would like to see this lady you speak of. Should I return here tomorrow?" he asked. |
Joane chuckled as he mentioned his weight. "There should be no worry of that. Between the training I will be putting you through and the food the castle has to offer, you'll certainly not be mistaken for a broom stick ever again." She picked at her own dessert slowly, not being hugely fond of sweets either. This problem clearly did not plague the queen, who enjoyed her plate to the fullest.
Elizaveta shook her head when he asked if there was anything else he needed to do. "No, don't come too early in the morning. It wouldn't be proper. After breakfast, but before morning court would be good. I'll introduce you properly. She held her hand out for him and Joane mimed a kissing action with a chuckle. "You won't flirt with her to much at first, right? She wouldn't approve." The servants were clearing the plates away and left the table clean and tidy. One of them raised a brow at his ears a tail, and managed to hide an amused chuckle. |
Trevor kissed the Queen's hand again and then gave a worried smile "Well I don't really know how to flirt, so I don't think there will be much of a problem of me doing it too soon." he said scratching the back of his head. "But I'll just ask Joane what time it would be before morning court so I can make it here before then," he said. He looked over to Joane to see what her response would be to all this.
|
Joane bowed her head to the queen. "I will get him there at an appropriate time so he won't make a bad first impression. I will even make sure he is bathed." She chuckled and bowed again, lowering her whole body this time. "With yoru leave, your majesty. We have much training to do tonight if we are to burn off all this lavish food you've so graciously shared with us. Thank you so very much for the invitation to the meal.It was lovely."
Elizaveta nodded her goodbye and embraced Trevor briefly. "Don't hurt yourself while training." |
Trevor was surprised at the hug and patted her back in return awkwardly. Slowly they left the dining room and Trevor followed Joane out of the castle. "She seems nice," he said as an afterthought." Much more relatable than her husband. But I guess one has to be impartial to run a country." he mused mostly to himself. He looked up at Joane as they made it back to her quarters to change. "She really cares about me. The Queen. I have never been hugged before."
|
"Elizaveta doesn't have a lot of family. She was an only child, most of her aunts and uncles detested her for her early marriage to the crown prince. She's done well for herself politically, but she's been lonely. I think that's why she jumped at the idea of having a "cousin." Perhaps she thinks that she will have a friend in you." Joane smiled and then stopped in the hallway to look at him. "I would be careful about appearing to get too close to her though. You don't want the king thinking there is anything going on between the two of you."
|
He agreed. "I'll do my best not to get too close to her," he said. "I just never been cared about by anyone, so it's a new feeling," he admitted. "I have a weird feeling in my chest. Like...it feels fuzzy, that's the best way to describe it." he explained. "Is that normal?" he asked.
|
Joane kinda chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, I admit it's pretty normal when you find people that care about you for the first time." She leaned against the wall and looked up at the sky through a window. "You see that really bright star out there toward the East? That's Kiyada... it's how I used to find my way back home."
|
He followed her gaze and looked at the stars. "The vast sky can really give you the feeling of insignificance. You see all those tiny dots of light in the sky and you can't even attempt to count them, there's too many. It makes me feel small." he told her. "I can't imagine how far up they are, it seems like they're so far away, but also close at the same time."
|
"Well, it makes me feel a lot more comfortable to be honest. No matter where I go, it always seems like the stars are the same. They're how I can always find my way home." She started back down the hallways. "Then again, I suspect that you haven't traveled much yet, eh?"
She led him back to the training yard and started him through that night's drills. "At dawn you'll go take a bath, get dressed, then we can have something to eat." |
He followed her to the training yard and as he trained with her, he had gone over their sparring in his head after they finished and he devised a brilliant move in his head that he sprung on her, hoping to catch her by surprise. After their brief exchange before the sparring, with the talk of waking up in the morning and getting bathed and dressed, they were quiet for the most part.
|
Joane was both delighted and furious that he managed to catch her by surprise. It delighted her as a trainer, but infuriated her at herself. She told herself that he was a novice and she shouldn't be able to be put on the ground so easily, but she had to temper it with the fact that he was learning quickly and fighting very hard.
When it came time in the morning she led him to a solarium in the queen's wing and knocked politely. One of the ladies in waiting answered the door and giggled when she saw the two of them. "Your majesty, your cousin is here." New apparently traveled fast around the castle. Elizaveta called for them to be admitted and stood to embrace Trevor again, though it felt much more stiff and formal this time. She waved her hand and called over a thing young woman with long black hair in tightly curled ringlets. She approached and lowered her eyes. "This is Trevor, my cousin. Trevor, the Lady Leandrea, daughter of Duke Edmond." The woman looked up at him and smiled faintly. "A pleasure to meet you, Lord Trevor." She held her hand out to him. "I hope this morning is finding you well." |
Seeing the fact his tactic worked pleased him immensely but he didn't falter to celebrate the fact that he got her on her back. He just stepped back, so she could get up so they could continue.
The next morning, after a bath and grooming and dressing, he was led to the solarium to meet the Queen and the lady she had mentioned the night before. When introduced to Lady Leandrea, he bowed and kissed her hand. "The pleasure is all mine M'lady. I am quite well this morning, though it has gotten better upon meeting you." he gave her a gentle smile. He was taught all the sugary sweet ways of how to speak to women and to others of the court after sparring with Joane. During their cooldowns, she would instruct him on how to be gentlemanly. "And I hope your morning is finding you well in return." he continued, slowly releasing her hand. It all seemed a bit silly to talk in such manner but he was doing his best. |
"Perhaps a walk in the garden?" Elizaveta suggested to the two of them. "Return before morning court, dears."
Leandrea held her arm out to him. "You don't have to speak so formally, m'lord. Such stiffness doesn't suit you." She was relieved at the chance to get out of the watchful eyes of the other ladies in the room. "Have you ever gotten a chance to walk the gardens? They're beautiful this time of year." |
He nodded at the Queen's suggestion. He took her arm and he let her lead him to the gardens. "I have not, I'm sorry." he said. He felt relieved that he didn't have to keep up the charade of such an odd way of talking. "I'm glad I don't have to talk that way anymore. It's hard to remember how to talk that way when you're not used to it." he smiled. "But please, show me the garden, I'd love to see it." he said as they walked.
At the gardens, he looked at all the flowers and the fragrant aromas from them all seemed to circle around them. It wasn't overpowering at all, instead, it filled him with energy. "It is very nice here," he said giving it a once-over. "Very bright and sunny." He then looked over and he suggested they both sit on some benches that were nearby. "So, I admit I'm new to being around...erm...women such as yourself. I have no idea what I'm doing," he admitted to Leandrea. |
Leandrea stayed quiet for most of their walk, seemingly content to just observe and delight in their surroundings. Her blue gown swished slightly with each movement. "There isn't much you have to do to entertain me. Most noble women we raised to be seen more than heard. We're trained in the art of conversation, but most knights and lords aren't really as interested in that as they could be." She found a little bench to sit on near several rosebushes. She patted the space next to her. "This is lovely, truely. One of my favorite places. You can see all the fountains from here."
|
He sat next to her and then looked around. "Well I wasn't really raised by anyone, but I learned fast, to be seen and not heard. I'm not sure how much you have heard about me from the gossip around the castle," he said slowly. "But I wasn't raised a royal. The streets raised me I guess you can say. A very harsh 'parent' indeed." he said a bit more bitter then he intended.
He heaved a sigh "I apologize, I didn't mean to sound so brash there." he said. "Things have gotten better since the discovery of being related to Her Majesty, I just wish that was found out years ago," he said softly. "But please, enough about me, tell me about yourself." |
Unlike the queen she didn't look horrified, or even surprised by his upbringing. "It's sadly all too common a story, isn't it? Children in the slums grow up...or don't make it that far, every day without someone to look after them. It's awful. I wish there was more being done for them, but most nobles believe that the poor are lazy. Some of them are, it's true, but not the children for sure. It isn't their fault they're not cared for." She looked down at the ground and sighed. "I have spoken several times to my father about donating more money to the church for the orphanage, but he says it's better spent on our defenses."
|
"I never got to stay in the orphanage. With my erm...nightly predicament, I guess I weirded out the other kids, so I was told to go elsewhere. They practically treated me like the stray cat my ears and tail emulate. I guess they refused to admit I was human like them. But I didn't ask to be cursed with Cat parts at sundown!" he said angrily. Again he had to calm down since he was with Leandrea. "Again, sorry," he muttered. "I don't know how many out there are like me. Probably none. I don't even know who cursed me, but it would be nice to not have a tail grow out of my back end every time the sun went down..." He turned to her for a moment. "If I ever get my own money, for the work I do, I'm going to be sure that it goes to the care of children that are either orphans or ones that are working at a young age to support their families. Like a place to learn as well as being cared for."
|
Leandrea cocked her head to the side at his mention of "if" he ever got money. "You will probably be granted a title and land, you know. The queen will want to keep you close, but you'll have to have an estate as well." She caught herself glancing behind him, despite the fact that it was daytime, to see if he had his tail. "Do you have other cat-like behaviours, or is it just the ears and tail?" She questioned curiously. "You don't have to tell me, if you're embarrassed or uncomfortable talking about it."
|
He shook his head at the notion. "I honestly didn't expect much besides like wages for doing work, not all that. I wouldn't know what to do with a title, and an estate." he scratched his head absently. "I'm just a poor cat boy from the slums, not a Lord of any kind of land." he heaved a sigh and then saw she was looking behind him where his tail would be. "I tend to be more stealthy when at night. I am much more flexible and I have really good balance," he explained. "When the sun comes up, I feel almost like a totally different person."
|
"You can be trained to be lord of an estate. So long as you have a good house steward and strong willed wife you wouldn't have to do much anyway." She waved off his concern with a little giggle. "Most men know next to nothing about running a household to be honest. They're always off fighting each other over stupid squabbles or here at court anyway. My father hasn't even been home over half the year. An estate is important to a titled noble because it gives them land to have serfs. They will pay taxes to you for use of your land, and in that way you are sustained financially."
She cocked her head to the side curiously again as he explained the differences. "It reminds me of that old faerie story where the girl turns into a beast at night and tries to hide it from her husband... it has a really sad ending though where he accidentally kills her in the hunt..." |
He mused over what she said and then chuckled "I guess I need to find me a wife, so she can take care of most things." he laughed nervously. "I never imagined I'd ever have a wife either. My life has taken a complete turn around, and I"ll be honest, my head hasn't reeled so much in these last couple of weeks, then it has ever in my lifetime. So much to learn and process, and sometimes I need to pinch myself to make sure I'm not in some dream I fathomed up just make myself feel better." he laughed again.
|
Leandrea laughed at his hesitance to find a wife. "It's not like you have to marry for love. That's not really how it works for nobles. You'll probably want to make a politically sound marriage where you will create strong allies and possibly even have the chance at more land. Marrying for love is... not a luxury afforded to our class." She looked down, her eyes shadowed for a moment. "It's lucky though, when you are betrothed to someone that you at least can have conversation with and will hopefully produce strong heirs."
She suddenly seemed a little uncomfortable and cleared her throat. "Do me a favor and don't go repeating any of this that I've said, okay? Don't tell anyone how cynical I am." |
"I mean I guess it'd be nice to marry for love, but yeah...I can see how marrying between two countries can strengthen the lands with the betrothal. I figure that'd be the only way I would get married. Nobody'd would do so for love." he said and then shook his head. "Don't worry, who would I tell? I don't get around much socially." he said with a weak smile. "Is there anything else I should know about you? I should think I should get to know the lady that I'm to escort to the Queen's birthday party."
|
She shrugged a bit nervously and shook her head. "I can't think of anything else you need to know. Is there anything you want to know?" She seemed relieved by his reminder that he didn't really have a lot of contacts within the court. "Nobles marry for allies within the kingdom too, by the way... there are political gains at every level."
A bell sounded in the distance and she stood. "We should be getting back, it's nearly time for morning court. Her majesty will be expecting me back. I'm sure we'll have time to talk another time." |
When he heard the bells he felt a bit sad, that their time was already over. "Oh," he said and then stood and helped her to her feet. He took her arm again and returned her back to the solarium. He returned her to the care of the Queen and the rest of the ladies and he excused himself with a bow and ready to depart the room. He turned to leave and seek out Joane.
|
Before the left the garden Leandrea pressed a small braided silk rope with a little pendant of a bird on it at the end. "A token for luck with your training. Wear it for luck." She winked at him as she took her place back with the queen.
Joane was quiet on their way back to their shared space. When they finally were back in the privacy of her room she cleared she grinned. "So, she's pleasant eh?" |
He took the item that Leandrea gave him with a slight blush. He thanked her for the gift and the luck. When he was walking back with Joane he looked up "She's nice." he agreed. "Very pretty." he said, his cheeks still pink. "Hard to believe that she hasn't a husband yet." he mused aloud.
|
Joane shrugged when he mentioned a husband. "She was meant to be married once, but the man she was intended for died in a pirate attack on his way here to get her, oddly enough." She dropped her voice down low so he would have to lean in to hear her. "I still think the queen secretly orchestrated that because she didn't approve of the union. She's dreadfully protective of her favorite lady in waiting." The knight leaned back then and shrugged. "She IS nice, and she is pretty, but she's also highly intelligent and cunning."
|
Trevor though a moment about what he heard. He leaned back to whisper in return. "Do you think that she's trying to set me and Leandrea up for marriage? I wouldn't think she'd let me escort her in that case if she thought I wasn't good for her." he told Joane. If she did get rid of this guy because she didn't approve the union, does she approve of us?"
|
Joane shrugged. "It's hard to tell with her majesty. She's not an easy woman to read. This may be her way of vetting you though. With you supposedly being her cousin, she'll certainly want to find a marriage that will work for her benefit as much as for your own. It's tricky to say what she may or may not be planning." She flopped on the bed. "Gods, I am exhausted though. Working with you at nights and then my obligations during the day has me catching myself coming and going. I don't think I've worked this hard since I was a squire."
|
Trevor wasn't quite sure he was happy with someone setting him up for marriage but he guessed it came with his new life. He watched as Joane flopped onto her bed, looking exhausted. "Sorry." he said. "you didn't ask for me to be tossed into your lap, but yet here I am. I've been doing well though I suppose, so you at least have been doing a good job." he said trying to make her feel better somewhat.
|
Joane shrugged and stared up at the ceiling. "You didn't really have much control over it. It's a lot better training you now that you take this seriously." She glanced down at him. "You never told me if you chase mice."
She sat back up on the bed and sighed. "It won't be much longer until you have a place of your own and we won't have to share a room anymore. It will be nice to have my privacy back." |
He went over to the cot that was placed in the opposite corner of Joane's bed and sat down. He finally went from sleeping on the floor to a cot after a few days of training. "Yeah well, privacy is a luxury that I didn't get growing up so I'm used to being around other people. At least you smell nice," he said with a laugh. "Most of the time."
|
Joane actually growled at him like a dog. "DO. YOU. CHASE. MICE?" She said each word slowly, but loudly. "You keep dodging my question." She tossed her boots off into another corner and flopped back again. "Your presence has put a bit of a damper on my love life, but other than that I don't mind you much anymore."
|
He jumped visibly when she repeated the question. He didn't actually know she wanted an answer to that. "No. I don't." he said. "I may have some cat-like attributes at night, but chasing mice is not one of them." he told her quietly. When she mentioned him being a damper on her love life, he deflated some. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to keep you from your nightly affairs," he said. "I can always go sleep in another place if you want to have 'company'." he said.
|
| All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:24 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin®