Post by wildfire on Sept 30, 2005 14:57:50 GMT -5
Lady Alanna of Trebond sat in her embroidery class, attempting to cross-stitch a horse (it looked more like a sick dog) and waiting tensely for the tower bell to signal the end of the class. Sister Mirabelle glared at her. "Lady Alanna! This class is not over yet!" She bent over to examine Alanna's work. "And those stitches are atrocious! What kind of man do you think will want a wife that can't sew?"
Alanna sighed. This was the kind of thing that she had heard day in and day out for the past 6 years, ever since she first arrived at the convent. Especially in stitching class. Then the bell rang, and she was off. Classes were over for the rest of the day, so she headed to her quarters to change into riding clothes. Horseback riding was the only knightly activity that she was allowed to do at the convent.
Unfortunately, a servant was waiting at her door. The girl gave Alanna a little curtsy and said meekly, "The Mother Superior would like to see you now, my lady." Alanna fought the urge to roll her eyes, thanked the girl, and headed towards the Mother Superior's study at a most unladylike pace. Seeing the Mother Superior was never, ever a good thing for Alanna, although she couldn't help but like this motherly old woman. When she reached the sturdy oaken door of the study, she knocked softly and entered.
The elderly Mother Superior was sitting in a comfy armchair in front of a fire, a thin blanket draped around her wizened form. "Ah, Lady Alanna, I was hoping the servant would find you quickly." Her voice was surprisingly youthful and warm. "I have just received a letter from your brother, Lord Thom. Come, sit down," she told Alanna kindly, gesturing toward the chair next to hers. Alanna obeyed, excited. She hadn't had a letter from Thom in a long, long time. His knight-master kept him very busy.
The Mother continued. "Lord Thom has informed me that Lord Curtis of Goldenlake would like to form an alliance with Trebond. He has requested that you marry his son, Sir Raoul. Lord Thom has agreed, and asks that you come to the palace at once to meet your betrothed and his family. I have decided that you should leave in four days' time. You may, of course, take a friend with you. Will you please inform me of who will accompany you in three hours?"
Alanna nodded numbly and stood.
"That will be all. You should start deciding what to pack; the next couple of days will be very busy. It will all be fine, my lady," she added reassuringly, but Alanna had already left.
Alanna was in shock. That her beloved brother would do this to her! He knew how much she detested arranged marriages! How dare he! She was angry, and hurt, and somehow cold inside, but she knew that this would have happened sooner or later, and she knew why it was now. Trebond had been very poor since her father's death, and Goldenlake was very rich. By marrying this Sir Raoul, they would gain enough money to keep Trebond afloat. Thom must have jumped at the offer, and Alanna honestly couldn't blame him. She would do her duty to her fief, and that was that. But she wouldn't enjoy it, and Thom would be the first to hear it.
She went to her rooms and flung herself on the bed. Not knowing what to do, she punched the pillow as hard as she could. Knowing that Clarine, her roommate and best friend, would be back at any minute, Alanna busied herself with looking through her wardrobe, finding the dress that she would wear upon her arrival at the castle. Just as she had thought, a minute later, Clarine came bursting through the door. "Are you all right, Aly?" she asked Alanna. "I heard that you were called down to see the Mother Superior. It wasn't about the rabbit, was it? Because that was Angharad's fault, not yours..." She trailed off, disturbed by the look in Alanna's violet eyes. "What's wrong?"
"I'm betrothed," Alanna said hoarsely. "To Sir Raoul of Goldenlake.
Clarine's cough sounded suspiciously like a giggle to Alanna. "What?" she asked crossly.
"Nothing," Clarine replied, innocent as a lamb. "It's just... Raoul is the shyest man in court! You'll scare him to death!"
Alanna scowled. "So much for sympathy," she muttered. "Will you come with me to the palace, Clare? The Mother Superior said I could take someone with me."
Clarine's striking green eyes lit up. "Oh, of course, Aly! I'll pack my green silk gown and that gold riding dress and..." Her voice faded as she turned the corner to her own bedroom. Alanna rolled her eyes. Clarine was a perfect lady, but still had enough energy to build a castle in two days. She was beautiful, on the thin side of plump, with long chocolate hair and emerald eyes. She was the first child of the duke of Queenscove, and had a lot of potential in court. It was really quite shocking that she wasn't already betrothed, but then her father wasn't your average duke.
Alanna fought the urge to sigh and turned back to her cluttered wardrobe.
Alanna sighed. This was the kind of thing that she had heard day in and day out for the past 6 years, ever since she first arrived at the convent. Especially in stitching class. Then the bell rang, and she was off. Classes were over for the rest of the day, so she headed to her quarters to change into riding clothes. Horseback riding was the only knightly activity that she was allowed to do at the convent.
Unfortunately, a servant was waiting at her door. The girl gave Alanna a little curtsy and said meekly, "The Mother Superior would like to see you now, my lady." Alanna fought the urge to roll her eyes, thanked the girl, and headed towards the Mother Superior's study at a most unladylike pace. Seeing the Mother Superior was never, ever a good thing for Alanna, although she couldn't help but like this motherly old woman. When she reached the sturdy oaken door of the study, she knocked softly and entered.
The elderly Mother Superior was sitting in a comfy armchair in front of a fire, a thin blanket draped around her wizened form. "Ah, Lady Alanna, I was hoping the servant would find you quickly." Her voice was surprisingly youthful and warm. "I have just received a letter from your brother, Lord Thom. Come, sit down," she told Alanna kindly, gesturing toward the chair next to hers. Alanna obeyed, excited. She hadn't had a letter from Thom in a long, long time. His knight-master kept him very busy.
The Mother continued. "Lord Thom has informed me that Lord Curtis of Goldenlake would like to form an alliance with Trebond. He has requested that you marry his son, Sir Raoul. Lord Thom has agreed, and asks that you come to the palace at once to meet your betrothed and his family. I have decided that you should leave in four days' time. You may, of course, take a friend with you. Will you please inform me of who will accompany you in three hours?"
Alanna nodded numbly and stood.
"That will be all. You should start deciding what to pack; the next couple of days will be very busy. It will all be fine, my lady," she added reassuringly, but Alanna had already left.
Alanna was in shock. That her beloved brother would do this to her! He knew how much she detested arranged marriages! How dare he! She was angry, and hurt, and somehow cold inside, but she knew that this would have happened sooner or later, and she knew why it was now. Trebond had been very poor since her father's death, and Goldenlake was very rich. By marrying this Sir Raoul, they would gain enough money to keep Trebond afloat. Thom must have jumped at the offer, and Alanna honestly couldn't blame him. She would do her duty to her fief, and that was that. But she wouldn't enjoy it, and Thom would be the first to hear it.
She went to her rooms and flung herself on the bed. Not knowing what to do, she punched the pillow as hard as she could. Knowing that Clarine, her roommate and best friend, would be back at any minute, Alanna busied herself with looking through her wardrobe, finding the dress that she would wear upon her arrival at the castle. Just as she had thought, a minute later, Clarine came bursting through the door. "Are you all right, Aly?" she asked Alanna. "I heard that you were called down to see the Mother Superior. It wasn't about the rabbit, was it? Because that was Angharad's fault, not yours..." She trailed off, disturbed by the look in Alanna's violet eyes. "What's wrong?"
"I'm betrothed," Alanna said hoarsely. "To Sir Raoul of Goldenlake.
Clarine's cough sounded suspiciously like a giggle to Alanna. "What?" she asked crossly.
"Nothing," Clarine replied, innocent as a lamb. "It's just... Raoul is the shyest man in court! You'll scare him to death!"
Alanna scowled. "So much for sympathy," she muttered. "Will you come with me to the palace, Clare? The Mother Superior said I could take someone with me."
Clarine's striking green eyes lit up. "Oh, of course, Aly! I'll pack my green silk gown and that gold riding dress and..." Her voice faded as she turned the corner to her own bedroom. Alanna rolled her eyes. Clarine was a perfect lady, but still had enough energy to build a castle in two days. She was beautiful, on the thin side of plump, with long chocolate hair and emerald eyes. She was the first child of the duke of Queenscove, and had a lot of potential in court. It was really quite shocking that she wasn't already betrothed, but then her father wasn't your average duke.
Alanna fought the urge to sigh and turned back to her cluttered wardrobe.