Post by Tamari on Dec 27, 2012 8:00:05 GMT 10
Title: Nobility
Rating: G
Prompt: #3, unlikely companions
Summary: Baroness Rispah makes friends at the Midwinter ball.
Notes: I’ve been working on this fic since the day this prompt came out. Finally, here it is.
“I don’t think we’ve been introduced.”
Rispah stops searching the room for the familiar figure of Coram to look over at the newcomer.
“I’m Rispah... Baroness Rispah of Trebond.”
It still sounds strange to her tongue, just as strange as meeting all these nobles, but she shakes it off to smile at the rake-thin man with the brown hair. Something in his face is kind, if stern.
“It’s wonderful to meet you,” he says, and his voice is sincere. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
She stares.
“Duke Gareth of Naxen,” he says for an explanation. “Is this your first Midwinter at court?”
“Yes,” she says, a bit dazedly because this is a Duke, and of Naxen no less, and she’s just Rispah. “It’s so beautiful.”
He smiles. “I’ll tell my daughter-in-law you said so.”
“Huh?” she says. Then she corrects herself. “I mean, pardon?”
The Duke laughs. “My daughter-in-law, Cythera. She’s been organizing the decorating of the palace for a few years now. Every year, someone tells her that she doesn’t have to, but she just loves Midwinter and all the decorations.”
“Oh,” Rispah says. Why does that name sound familiar to her? She frowns in thought. “Cythera?”
“You might know her,” the Duke says. “She and Gary socialize quite often.”
Rispah thinks. She doesn’t know a noble Cythera... but wasn’t there a young, pretty blonde who came down to the Dove once? That girl was with a Gary.
She almost smacks her hand into her forehead. Of course that would be the girl. She’s just starting to put together all the things she remembers from years ago, like Johnny’s true identity. She can’t ask Coram about most of it, because he just laughs and shakes his head.
“Right,” Rispah says to Duke Gareth. “I believe I do. She’s a very sweet girl. So is your son. Not a sweet girl, I mean, but--”
The dignified older man snorts with laughter.
“With that attitude,” Duke Gareth says, “you will enjoy court, and noble life, very much. Or, at the least, you’ll find it entertaining.”
Rispah spies Coram across the room, chatting with handsome Johnny -- the king, she corrects herself -- and big, jovial Raoul. Coram waves, and she smiles back widely.
“I hope so,” she says. “I hope so.”
Rating: G
Prompt: #3, unlikely companions
Summary: Baroness Rispah makes friends at the Midwinter ball.
Notes: I’ve been working on this fic since the day this prompt came out. Finally, here it is.
“I don’t think we’ve been introduced.”
Rispah stops searching the room for the familiar figure of Coram to look over at the newcomer.
“I’m Rispah... Baroness Rispah of Trebond.”
It still sounds strange to her tongue, just as strange as meeting all these nobles, but she shakes it off to smile at the rake-thin man with the brown hair. Something in his face is kind, if stern.
“It’s wonderful to meet you,” he says, and his voice is sincere. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
She stares.
“Duke Gareth of Naxen,” he says for an explanation. “Is this your first Midwinter at court?”
“Yes,” she says, a bit dazedly because this is a Duke, and of Naxen no less, and she’s just Rispah. “It’s so beautiful.”
He smiles. “I’ll tell my daughter-in-law you said so.”
“Huh?” she says. Then she corrects herself. “I mean, pardon?”
The Duke laughs. “My daughter-in-law, Cythera. She’s been organizing the decorating of the palace for a few years now. Every year, someone tells her that she doesn’t have to, but she just loves Midwinter and all the decorations.”
“Oh,” Rispah says. Why does that name sound familiar to her? She frowns in thought. “Cythera?”
“You might know her,” the Duke says. “She and Gary socialize quite often.”
Rispah thinks. She doesn’t know a noble Cythera... but wasn’t there a young, pretty blonde who came down to the Dove once? That girl was with a Gary.
She almost smacks her hand into her forehead. Of course that would be the girl. She’s just starting to put together all the things she remembers from years ago, like Johnny’s true identity. She can’t ask Coram about most of it, because he just laughs and shakes his head.
“Right,” Rispah says to Duke Gareth. “I believe I do. She’s a very sweet girl. So is your son. Not a sweet girl, I mean, but--”
The dignified older man snorts with laughter.
“With that attitude,” Duke Gareth says, “you will enjoy court, and noble life, very much. Or, at the least, you’ll find it entertaining.”
Rispah spies Coram across the room, chatting with handsome Johnny -- the king, she corrects herself -- and big, jovial Raoul. Coram waves, and she smiles back widely.
“I hope so,” she says. “I hope so.”