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DerynifanK

March 17, 2024, 03:48:44 PM
Happy St Patrick's Day. Enjoy the one day of the year when the whole world is Irish.

Maidens of Mayhem Chapter 2

Started by Evie, June 28, 2010, 09:37:45 AM

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Evie

Chapter Two


   Sophie touched Celsie's hand briefly as she reached for a morsel of food on their shared trencher.  He's taller than I realized, she mind-sent.

   Who is?
 Celsie returned.  "His Grace?"

   Sophie stole another glance at the Duke of Corwyn, a few places down the table, then hastily  looked back down at her food.  Yes.  And I never in my wildest dreams thought I'd ever be sitting at a table with him either.  Father would have apoplexy!

   Celsie hid a smile behind her goblet. He's nice.  A bit scary at first, but really, it's mostly just his reputation.  Once you see him around his family, it's hard to be scared of him. She looked thoughtful.  Well, I suppose if one were up to no good, he could still be very scary.  He is quite powerful.  But you needn't be scared of him!

   Oh, I'm not!  Well, not of him, anyway.  More for him, sometimes.  I know it's less dangerous to be openly Deryni than it used to be, but what if things ever change back again?

   You can take the Deryni out of Nyford, but you can't take growing up near Nyford out of the secret Deryni, is that it? Celsie riposted.

   Sophie sighed audibly.  Pretty much, yes.  But I'm trying to get over that. Her eyes drifted further down the table, landing on Bishop Duncan McLain, who was smiling at something Richenda had just said.  He had arrived at dinner slightly late, straight from an evening Mass, and was back to wearing episcopal purple again, much to Sophie's relief.   For a while after that Ash Wednesday service when she'd gathered up her shaky courage to go forward to receive the ashes from a known Deryni bishop's hands—her own symbolic gesture of seeking freedom from the chains of silence which had long bound her—he had been inexplicably absent from public life for a while.  She'd gone to Mass at various times in hopes of seeing him again, but he'd not been at any.  She heard later that he had taken ill, but given the timing of his sudden illness, she hoped the rumor was actually true and that he was not in some grave danger from his act of courage in revealing his Deryni heritage at his son's knighting ceremony the day before.  Her Lenten prayers had been filled with intercessions for the Deryni bishop's safety, and when she'd later learned of the tragedy that had befallen his son as well as the King—or so the entire Kingdom had believed at the time—she'd wept for both.  Alienora, of course, had thought their deaths were due to divine retribution.  Their apparent resurrection a few weeks later was much harder for her to explain, so as with other truths too unpalatable for her to swallow, she chose to ignore it instead.  But Sophie had privately rejoiced.

   And now she sat at the same table with them,  these two heroic Deryni she'd admired so long from afar.  It seemed scarcely believable.  

   Celsie, for her part, had hardly touched the food on her end of the trencher.  She was trying to look attentive to the conversation between Duchess Richenda and her husband's cousin the bishop, but her gaze kept drifting down the table from them to Sean Earl Derry.  Derry was carrying on a quiet but animated conversation with the Contessa about something Celsie couldn't quite hear, but it was evidently extremely amusing, given the Contessa's occasional outburst of laughter.  As he spoke, the Earl was carving the meat on the trencher they shared, gallantly serving the best morsels on his dinner partner's side of their shared meal.  She dropped her eyes back to her own plate.  It's none of my business, she told herself sternly.

   Are you all right? Ailidh mind-spoke to Celsie.  You've hardly touched your meal.

   Celsie shrugged, surreptitiously pushing some of her food to Sophie's side of their trencher while Sophie was distracted.  I'm just not all that hungry tonight, I suppose.  I haven't eaten this richly in years. Not at Chervignon, anyway.

   Ailidh couldn't help but agree.  This wasn't even a formal feast, but there was no question that even the private dining here in Rhemuth Castle was much better than she'd been accustomed to before coming to Court.  Oh, there had been the occasional feast in Transha at old Cauley's keep, back in the day, or in later years the occasional feast in Marlor that had been quite fine, but as for her day-to-day fare, she was used to far simpler dining.  Not that she had any complaints about the food and the service available here at the King's Court.  Far from it!  She reminded herself not to shovel down her food as if drought and famine were just around the next corner.  The Contessa would hardly thank her from wallowing in her trencher like a sow.  She suppressed  a grin at the thought, though.

   The meal was winding down, though.  A final remove was served, pastries made of thin, flaky layers of dough stuffed with a creamy filling and drizzled with rose syrup.  Ailidh nibbled delicately on hers, closing her eyes to better concentrate on the flavor, barely resisting the urge to lick the sticky syrup off her fingertips when she was done.  I wish Dhugal were here.  The thought came at her out of nowhere.  She dipped her sticky fingertips in the finger bowl offered to her after the meal, wiping off the remaining scented water and residue with a clean towel.

   The Contessa stood.  "Thank you for the wonderful meal and the equally delightful company," she said to her cousin the Duchess, "but I'm afraid I need to get my young ladies back to our apartment.  It's growing late, and they've a few duties to attend to before we retire for the night."

   "We've truly enjoyed having them dine with us tonight," Duchess Richenda answered.  "And you, of course, Stanzi!"

   "Indeed," Duke Alaric agreed.  "Hopefully we can do this again soon.  In the meantime, though, may I offer to escort you and yours back to your chambers?"

   "Actually, my apartment is just a short distance beyond theirs," Earl Derry interjected, with a smile directed at the visiting ladies.  "I'd be glad to escort them back, unless you just happen to be headed that way as well."

   "In that case, I'll entrust them to your care.  Assuming you have no objection, Contessa?"

   "None at all."  Her dark blue-violet eyes smiled up at Derry briefly before she left his side to take her leave of her cousin with an affectionate embrace.  "Good night, mi cara."

   "Good night, Stanzi."  Richenda returned the hug.  "Shall I call on you after breakfast tomorrow?"

   "Do!"  The Contessa glanced at her ladies-in-waiting.  "I've some ideas I wish to discuss with you regarding certain ....educational matters, especially if I can sweet-talk you into assisting me with some of them."   She grinned.

   "Oh?  In that case, I quite look forward to hearing your ideas."  

   Derry opened the apartment door for Constanza and her ladies-in-waiting, favoring each with a smile that was now both equally impartial yet equally charming.  As they walked back to their own quarters, he entertained them all with a brief tale about one of his misadventures as a young squire, leaving them nearly breathless with laughter by the time they reached the door to their own chambers.  Taking their hands to bid them each goodnight with a courtly kiss above each, he took his leave of them.

   "You look to be in better spirits now," Ailidh teased Celsie once they had finished their few evening chores and bid the Contessa a final goodnight for the evening.  Ailidh sat on the edge of Celsie's bed, helping her braid her long tresses in preparation for sleep.

   Celsie sighed, dimpling at Ailidh and Sophie as she held up the hand Derry had kissed.  "I may never wash this hand again," she joked.  

   Sophie, washing her face at the basin, laughed.  "Remind me never to share a trencher with you again, then!"  She returned to her bed, throwing herself backwards onto it with a satisfied sigh.  "Is it a sin to be just a little bit in love with both a married Duke and a Bishop?"

   Ailidh rolled her eyes at both of them.  "You two are impossible!  I'm so glad I'm over men."

   "Umhmm. Sure you are," Sophie agreed.  "And your eyes never light up when a certain Duke from the borders walks by."

   Ailidh shook her head, starting to braid her own hair.  "We're just friends.  He's a Duke now, and I'm...."

   "You're what?" Sophie asked, when Ailidh didn't complete the sentence.

   "Not exactly duchess material."  She met Sophie's eyes with a smile and casual shrug.  "So...if you're half in love with a Bishop, I guess he can't also be your confessor.  Wouldn't that be awkward?"  She grinned.

   Sophie noticed the redirection, but laughed anyway.  "I suppose it would be!"   I wonder what Ailidh's trying to hide?  she wondered.  Do you know? she mentally asked Celsie later, once Ailidh stepped out briefly to visit the garderobe.

   I'm not really sure, Celsie had replied, but I think she had a romance once that went sour.

   Ah.  Yes, that would explain it, she thought, feeling sympathy for her borderer friend.

   Ailidh returned.  The three girls settled into their beds, the exhaustion of the long day beckoning them  into the arms of sweet slumber.


Chapter Three: http://www.rhemuthcastle.com/index.php?topic=547.0
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

Alkari

Quote"Actually, my apartment is just a short distance beyond theirs," Earl Derry interjected, with a smile directed at the visiting ladies.  "I'd be glad to escort them back, unless you just happen to be headed that way as well."

   "In that case, I'll entrust them to your care.  Assuming you have no objection, Contessa?"

Riiiiight - Derry's apartment is just beyond theirs and her will 'conveniently' escort them back to theirs ...  Duncan may need that well-worn confessional stole  ;)

QuoteAlienora, of course, had thought their deaths were due to divine retribution.  Their apparent resurrection a few weeks later was much harder for her to explain, so as with other truths too unpalatable for her to swallow, she chose to ignore it instead.
Ah yes, the power of wilful self-delusion and denial.  She and Jehana should perhaps have a little chat  :)

Evie

#2
Quote from: Alkari on June 28, 2010, 03:35:10 PM
Quote"Actually, my apartment is just a short distance beyond theirs," Earl Derry interjected, with a smile directed at the visiting ladies.  "I'd be glad to escort them back, unless you just happen to be headed that way as well."

  "In that case, I'll entrust them to your care.  Assuming you have no objection, Contessa?"

Riiiiight - Derry's apartment is just beyond theirs and her will 'conveniently' escort them back to theirs ...  Duncan may need that well-worn confessional stole  ;)


Hm.  Interesting you should be thinking that....  *Mona Lisa smile*  There's a very strong possibility something of that sort might end up being implied in my next chapter, once I get around to posting it....  

Quote
QuoteAlienora, of course, had thought their deaths were due to divine retribution.  Their apparent resurrection a few weeks later was much harder for her to explain, so as with other truths too unpalatable for her to swallow, she chose to ignore it instead.

Ah yes, the power of wilful self-delusion and denial.  She and Jehana should perhaps have a little chat  :)


Except that Jehana is Deryni, so if Alienora heard any of the gossip about what happened at Coronation (or, worse, was there herself), she wouldn't be caught dead in the same room with her, never mind that Jehana is technically on the "right" side otherwise.  (We're still three years ahead of Jehana coming to her senses as well.)
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

AnnieUK

I think I'd lose my appetite if the luscious Duke of Corwyn were anywhere near.

This story just gets more rampaging hormones every instalment!

Evie

You ever live in a dormitory with three seventeen-year-olds?   :D
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!

AnnieUK


kirienne (RIP)

Oh my, I certainly can understand those young girls being distracted by the handsome men at table. I think it got extra warm in my room here --the more I read.
With Derry around, I agree that Duncan needs to keep that confessinal stole handy ---but perhaps as much for these three young ladies as for Derry. I do love this story, more please?

Evie

I have the next chapter ready. Unfortunately I'm not at a computer right now. (Reading & posting via cell phone. )  Otherwise your wish would be my command. :-)
"In necessariis unitas, in non-necessariis libertas, in utrisque caritas."

--WARNING!!!--
I have a vocabulary in excess of 75,000 words, and I'm not afraid to use it!