[010]; some gentler love

[onemistress]

[ dictation; open; ]

[There is a very soft humming as Elizabeth flicks through the pages.]

It is Easter, and the air is getting warmer. It is such a grand metaphor the change of seasons, I think. So Christ is revived, so the earth is. I cannot wait for the flowers...

[She thinks herself very clever for that, and the humming starts up again.]

It so grand that I do think I will keep myself indoors today. My room is too small for my mind at the present. You're welcome to join me, and we can see if spring is sprung, nay?

[And she laughs, softly again, and so much earnestly than usual. It's not clipped with dark humour, or some sarcastic dry words hiding her amusement. It is almost giggling, for just how lighter her voice is. It doesn't completely stop either, even with the sound of rustling of material and heavy fabrics. ] -- I really ought to find some kind of lady to attend me of a morning, I swear these laces were not made for a woman alone. No wonder the servants think us strange to be dressed up like all this all the time. Though I don't think I could stand dressing so plainly...

[There's a thump and the sound of something rolling on the ground, Elizabeth curses, in something very much not English.] And there goes my ink pot, blast it all. [ s i g h ] Well, I think I shall go for my walk, if another would like to join me, I would be so happy for company, if the company be true.

[ filter to; Merlin, Galadriel, Morgana Pendragon, Zelos Wilder, Arya Stark, Catelyn Stark, Anne Boleyn, Lucrezia Borgia & any other friendly CR that wants in. ]

I could never be so rude as to not issue the invitation to you all personally in particular. After my walk I was thinking of going riding, or perhaps a picnic, if you'd like to join me so much -- it would please me very much.

[ filter; Anne Boleyn ]

My Lady Mother, I am very sorry, I was working on translating some poems from Italian into French for you as a present, but I am afraid my ink pot had other plans. It is still done, but I think I may have to start it again for the terrible ink stain now in the corner of the page.

[ action; open ]

[And for anyone looking for Elizabeth, she's just where she said she was: out in the gardens. The horse she'd taken from the stables tied to a tree and grazing nearby as she laid there in the pool of her long green skirts. Book in hand, utterly immersed in it as she laid on her side reading it. Alone and being immodest for it, her shoes had been kicked off, white stockings slowly getting ruined by the dirt where she curled her toes in the grass. The long red hair -- her long red hair, all of it -- laying out behind her completely unbound. Even for her talk of being dressed grandly, she is not as well dressed as her sister at the least. She is a bastard daughter, and not so bedecked in jewels as she would grow to be. But it is still brightly coloured brocades against the chill that might linger. Not that it bothers her much, her status or the weather. 

Eventually she juts dozed off like that, the book over her eyes. and her cloak bunched up as a pillow under her head.]

Comments

Queen Elizabeth

[wolfchild]

You sound…different, Your Grace.

Little Knight

[onemistress]

[She sounds a little abashed at being called that.] I am no one's grace, that is my sister. I am only the Lady Elizabeth, and occasionally when someone wishes to be kind, Princess.

Are you going to come riding today? We have not gone riding for such a time. Winter is too long I fear.

Queen Elizabeth

[wolfchild]

[ what. ]

No, Your Grace. Not today.

Little Knight

[onemistress]

Please you musn't call me that, such things are treasonous, simply my lady will do if you must.

But I suppose you are still tending to your brother, you must be very happy to have him with you again in a happier place such as here.

Filter

[wilder]

[Wait. What is he doing on a filter with her friends? Oh no what if they ask how they know each other? Oh goddess that could be-]

[Oh and why does she sound younger? That's weird]

[Eh, he'll just play along]

You're in high spirits today.

Filter

[onemistress]

Very much. But what on earth is there to be sad about? Even though I miss England... well, it a little more peaceable here.

[Wyatts rebellions and all that, though she seems largely unconcerned with it.] Will you be joining me today, Master Wilder? I know you enjoy the better weather.

Filter

[wilder]

Heh, I guess you got a point there. And it's hard to be in a bad mood with the weather finally nice.

[Oh he knows how that goes. This is the longest he's ever gone with someone not trying to kill him after all]

[And wow, been awhile since people used his last name. Huh]

And spend a beautiful day with a beautiful woman like you? How could I refuse! ♥

Filter

[onemistress]

That is exactly so. How could one be so grim on such a fine day?

[Getting framed for other people's bullshit just because you're the next in line to the throne is so lame. But hey you know, not here. Here is for laying about under trees.

And she makes that almost giggle sound again, soft and she seems to be trying to hide it again.] You are too kind, I am down in the gardens if you can find me.

Elizabeth

[inafadingcrown]

[Galadriel certainly picks up on the change in tone, but she decides it's best not to mention it and just...wing it.]

It would be a pleasure, my lady. Winter has lasted far too long for my tastes.

Galadriel;

[onemistress]

[Which Elizabeth is oh so happy to accept.]

I am glad that it is over now. I'll be down in the gardens when you wish to find me, or I could meet you somewhere else if you prefer?

Elizabeth-->action

[inafadingcrown]

I will meet you in the gardens, then. I will not be long.

[She's not even going to bother with a cloak. ...or shoes for that matter; it's been too long since she's felt the grass under her feet. Once she spots Elizabeth- well, it's a good thing that she's very capable of restraining her surprise. That hair. All that lovely hair. That certainly confirms a loss.

Not that any of that shows on her face, save, perhaps, a brief flicker of surprise. Instead, she smiles warmly as she approaches.]

My lady.

( action foreva )

[misconstrues]

[ Having arrived a short time ago, only to find that the one person from home who's here doesn't remember her, she's set off to mope in peace. So, despite still fumbling around blindly (she's still without her glasses), she's able to make out a figure stretched out just ahead of her beneath a rather impressive tree.

Are they hurt? Tsukimi jogs the rest of the way to the tree and, while catching her breath, squints to take in the woman's sleeping face. Or tries to, anyway. It doesn't work out that well. At least she's able to tell that she doesn't need a hospital! ]

Sleeping, out here? I wonder if she meant to.. Ah, e-excuse me!

Re: ( action foreva )

[onemistress]

[Elizabeth was startled out of her nap by the voice. Sleepily she sat up, peering at whoever it was that was now with her.]

I was simply dozing, there is no problem at all.

[She shuffled around a little more, so that the girl wasn't leaning so closely over her.] I should be asking you if you fare quite well, you see very short of breath. Has something happened to you?

[misconstrues]

[ Instantly, she can feel the warmth in her cheeks as her face turns red. Sheepishly: ]

Well, you see! That is to say.. I thought that you might.. be hurt. I'm sorry.

[ She bows along with the apology then, after straightening up ]

I came here without my glasses! I can't see very well without them. Truthfully, I can't see at all.

[ensorceler]

[ Wow, this is... What is this? An adorable attempt to get her attention and beg her forgiveness? It is adorable (even touching), but it still comes off as too brazen for Anne to reward. She feels it would only encourage Elizabeth if she even responds with a warning, so she instead ignores it.

She doesn't expect to find Elizabeth sprawled out in the garden looking like a lesser noble's daughter. Always liking to walk in the gardens as she would with Henry, and wanting to seize the first warm day she has felt since arriving, it was only natural for her to want to be outside until dusk. Perhaps, then, she shouldn't be surprised to find her daughter having the same idea. Even the book, she muses, squashing the swell of pride at seeing her daughter enjoy them so. But why is she dressed so plainly, and how is she able to sleep so soundly out here alone when she had just recently been kidnapped? The foolishness astounds her.

The very thought causes Anne to turn and look over her shoulder, absently wondering if Spike might be nearby somewhere watching. With all the color now replacing the snow, it could be easy for her to miss someone with talent. But then, he might just be failing at his job and is sleeping somewhere. So she lingers when she probably shouldn't, and turns her back.

Unwilling to risk leaving Elizabeth alone out in public while unconscious, though still not close enough to see her younger features or just how real that hair is, Anne eventually pulls out her journal, beginning to filter to Spike and Kalinda to ask them where they are. If she can't reach them immediately, she might try Micheletto, although Anne feels a bit uneasy letting someone like that alone with her daughter, and he's no doubt accompanying the Lady Borgia on a walk of her own at this hour. ]

[onemistress]

[The sound of a particularly loud bird woke Elizabeth more than anything else. Even then she was groggy for a moment, rubbing at her eyes before she bothered to take notice of the world around her. Then picking up the book where it had fallen away. Brushing the grass off it and marking her page before setting it aside.

She only caught the darkness of her mother's hair out of the corner of her eye before she turned to look, her smile wide and happy to see her -- her mother so dear to her, such a joy to her life since they both arrived here. Realizing now just how she looked, not at all becoming for a daughter of a king, she tried to vainly smooth out her skirts, tugging her hair back to some semblance of neatness.

There, as close as presentable as she could be to her mother before she rose and went to Anne herself, keeping a respectful distance and then dropping to a curtsey before speaking.]

Your Majesty. [It never did to call her mother such until invited.] I hope I find you well this day?

[ensorceler]

[ She's caught before she can finish writing the filter, hearing the rustling of skirts and movement before she hears the voice, turning in time to see her curtsy.

Anne has to take a second look, then, journal promptly shutting and her eyes squinting a bit. She looks so much younger, and...that is not a wig. Maybe she should slap Elizabeth for attempting to show herself in Anne's presence, even if she was here first, but the other thoughts pounding in her head stop her from moving at all. ]

Elizabeth?

dictated;

[songsandstories]

It is strange to not have handmaidens here, but perhaps a different style of dress. I'm used to the shawls of winter where I am from, but there is still fine fabrics with elaborate designs. I have made several, even warm winter furs for a friend here. If you wish it, I could show you.

[She used to sell them when Jo Harvelle still had her inn, but the young woman has left, and Sansa no need for so many dresses. Sometimes she goes into town to sell them, but coin is of little importance here. She mostly does it to have something to do.]

dictated;

[onemistress]

I do not very much like how they dress here. But then I have not see these dresses with elaborate design on them either. So far they dress rather plainly and far too much like men.

[and she thought it over. What could it hurt?]

I would love to see your shawls.

dictated;

[songsandstories]

I can promise that my dresses are not what most wear here, what others consider modern. [She has had that word thrown in her face enough.]

I can meet you whenever you wish it, my lady.

[assassino]

[Ezio is in the gardens too, more as a shortcut than for any intent to lounge, but he lingers when she spies the sleeping woman. He creeps closer until he is sure she is sleeping, eyes sweeping over her dress and then landing on the book over her face.

Curiousity never stops him. He crouches by her and gently lifts the book, so that he can peek under and see if she is as pretty as the rest of her.]

[onemistress]

[Elizabeth's dreams were idle quiet ones, no more than a doze. But he still took her by surprise, when she felt sunlight on her face.

Really, she was still expecting Kat's stern face to appear and yell at her for sneaking off again. But the young man suddenly above her was just as startling. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes before clearing her throat to speak.]

Sir...? [she curled her legs back up and tugged her skirts back down.] May I help you with something?

[assassino]

[He chuckles, backing off a bit to be polite.]

No, bella, I just wanted to see if you had a beautiful face to match the rest of you.

action!

[kalinda]

[whoa there's an attractive woman underneath that tree Except no, Kalinda isn't the sort to stare, and no, she isn't the sort to bother someone who is clearly taking a nap and minding their own business. She'll just walk around her, intent on letting her lay as she is.

Whoa. Is that a horse? Really?? IS SHE STRAIGHT FROM A FANTASY NOVEL???]

action!

[onemistress]

[Sadly for Kalinda's sneaking, Elizabeth's horse wasn't so impressed with it, and decided to come over and sniff at whoever was poking around said sleeping rider.

But due to Kalind lacking important horse needs ( i.e. sugar cubes), the horse was rather disgruntled, and whinnied loudly.

Loud enough to startle Elizabeth awake. Her peered out from underneath her book, lifting it up just enough to see who it was.] My lady...? May I help you?