Status: In progress but looking for feedback. The Prologue has been trimmed! More chapters coming soon :)
Always Anyways...
A Feast
Tonight, I faced my new Lord in all his vigor and vim as well as the vile harshness he carries inside of him. We were feasting and celebrating my Lord's great catch of a large 12 point elk. It had clearly been a magnificent creature, but I have never had the taste for hunting. The feast was full of wine, fruit, and meat, as well as music, dancing, nobles and knights. My Lady Ruth, was still harbouring tender bruises but was in every way the Lady, smiling and cheerful at her Lord's accomplishment as she circled the room. I was her constant shadow, always at her side, seeing to her ever need, for even dressing her in a formal gown was painful for her. But ever on her face was a bright smile, and her eyes glittered in the direction of her Lord. Inside, I wondered how she could muster such lies, but then I remembered that not so long ago I once did the same. I played the part of a dutiful and loyal Queen to my King, wearing his colours with pride and speaking all the words that were expected of me.
There came a time, that the Lord Tiernan came over to his Lady, and sweetly kissed her cheek. The act of kindness struck me a little in surprise, until his eyes turned toward me. "My dearest, and who is this at your side?" Lady Ruth smiled proudly, "Why this is Lady Snow Fox, my newest Lady-in-waiting." He sipped his cup and eyed me over with quite direct displeasure, "Aye, yes....the youngest daughter of the King." I bowed respectfully before him, "My Lord, it is an honour to serve your Lady." I answered quietly. He snorted, "And what have I done to be sent such a disgrace?" My Lady Ruth was stunned, and I just stood solid under his criticism. I knew this would be only one of many. "First a queen, who betrayed her King for a mere Lord, who ruined a trade alliance and worthy ally for your father. Then when your new Lord was done with you, and saw you tossed from his castle, he found himself without a title. Thanks to your Father, he is now nothing more then a lost nobleman with land." The room quieted, but I dared not speak. His words were not untrue, and I prayed that my Lady Ruth did not attempt to come to my aid.
"Look at you now...this gown, as black as your honour, for you my girl have none. You barely deserve the title of Lady." I simply lowered my head to him, "As you wish my Lord." I could see my Lady's eyes flash with displeasure, but when I relented to his whims, she remained quiet. "What curse will befall my great halls with you here? With your preference for black, perhaps your father would have have been best suited to place you in a nunnery and see if God himself is capable of cleansing your tainted soul." I kept my eyes to the ground and refused any mounting tears, "As you wish my Lord." He snorted to see me submit to his power, "No no....I made a promise to my King and I will see it withheld. But know that there is not a man under my banner that will come within 10 feet of you. For all know you as the dark temptress you are, and they will be whipped for even the thought of enjoying your easily gotten pleasures. So indeed, remain in black, for it will be a symbol to all of who you really are. A Lady without honour." I nodded my head, eyes still on the ground, "As you wish my Lord." I repeated a third time. "Good girl....remember those words well." He said one final time before he walked off into the crowd.
Lady Ruth looked back at me, and tried to catch my eye, but I would not let her. "Do you need anything my Lady?" I asked her with the meekest of voices. Lady Ruth just blinked, "No my dear Lady....I do not. I wish you to remain here at my side tonight. But with your chin lifted high enough that the candles can reflect against your beautiful blue eyes." I did as my Lady instructed, and showed no emotion as I watch knights and Lords snicker when near my presence.
It was not until I was in my chamber alone that night, my Lady Ruth safely tucked in her bed and alone, that I allowed tears to finally flow down my cheeks. The only problem was, the Lord Tiernan was not wrong. Not one word...I am a girl without honour, and it is only I who can recapture it. I pray that through time, dutiful service and learning from my mistakes, that I may once again be thought of as a Lady.
I was once a noble Queen.....I was once a chosen Lady. Now I am a mere faithful servant. How I have been a child, letting dreams and sweet words corrupt what I once held so dear? How could I have let my honour be tainted so easily? It is now I who am stuck to suffer this error alone, and pray that I can once again regain what I have lost, and what has been so easily stolen from me.
There came a time, that the Lord Tiernan came over to his Lady, and sweetly kissed her cheek. The act of kindness struck me a little in surprise, until his eyes turned toward me. "My dearest, and who is this at your side?" Lady Ruth smiled proudly, "Why this is Lady Snow Fox, my newest Lady-in-waiting." He sipped his cup and eyed me over with quite direct displeasure, "Aye, yes....the youngest daughter of the King." I bowed respectfully before him, "My Lord, it is an honour to serve your Lady." I answered quietly. He snorted, "And what have I done to be sent such a disgrace?" My Lady Ruth was stunned, and I just stood solid under his criticism. I knew this would be only one of many. "First a queen, who betrayed her King for a mere Lord, who ruined a trade alliance and worthy ally for your father. Then when your new Lord was done with you, and saw you tossed from his castle, he found himself without a title. Thanks to your Father, he is now nothing more then a lost nobleman with land." The room quieted, but I dared not speak. His words were not untrue, and I prayed that my Lady Ruth did not attempt to come to my aid.
"Look at you now...this gown, as black as your honour, for you my girl have none. You barely deserve the title of Lady." I simply lowered my head to him, "As you wish my Lord." I could see my Lady's eyes flash with displeasure, but when I relented to his whims, she remained quiet. "What curse will befall my great halls with you here? With your preference for black, perhaps your father would have have been best suited to place you in a nunnery and see if God himself is capable of cleansing your tainted soul." I kept my eyes to the ground and refused any mounting tears, "As you wish my Lord." He snorted to see me submit to his power, "No no....I made a promise to my King and I will see it withheld. But know that there is not a man under my banner that will come within 10 feet of you. For all know you as the dark temptress you are, and they will be whipped for even the thought of enjoying your easily gotten pleasures. So indeed, remain in black, for it will be a symbol to all of who you really are. A Lady without honour." I nodded my head, eyes still on the ground, "As you wish my Lord." I repeated a third time. "Good girl....remember those words well." He said one final time before he walked off into the crowd.
Lady Ruth looked back at me, and tried to catch my eye, but I would not let her. "Do you need anything my Lady?" I asked her with the meekest of voices. Lady Ruth just blinked, "No my dear Lady....I do not. I wish you to remain here at my side tonight. But with your chin lifted high enough that the candles can reflect against your beautiful blue eyes." I did as my Lady instructed, and showed no emotion as I watch knights and Lords snicker when near my presence.
It was not until I was in my chamber alone that night, my Lady Ruth safely tucked in her bed and alone, that I allowed tears to finally flow down my cheeks. The only problem was, the Lord Tiernan was not wrong. Not one word...I am a girl without honour, and it is only I who can recapture it. I pray that through time, dutiful service and learning from my mistakes, that I may once again be thought of as a Lady.
I was once a noble Queen.....I was once a chosen Lady. Now I am a mere faithful servant. How I have been a child, letting dreams and sweet words corrupt what I once held so dear? How could I have let my honour be tainted so easily? It is now I who am stuck to suffer this error alone, and pray that I can once again regain what I have lost, and what has been so easily stolen from me.