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For long you live and high you fly; tag: mary howard
Topic Started: Nov 16 2010, 01:38 PM (184 Views)
Eleanor Berkeley
Unregistered

December 1511

Today was just one of those days. Her hair could just not be placed right, every leg of a table and chair in her chambers had been kicked -by accident, of course,- her skirts just seemed a bit too long and her balance just seemed a bit too off. Just one of those days. Eleanor had slept restlessly the night before; perhaps she expected this coming. Her maids had left earlier in the morning, having been dismissed by their "under the weather" Countess so that they could attend breakfast. Eleanor, on the other hand, had decided to remain in her chambers after they'd dressed her, already battling the hours with her pesky corset and mahogany curls. Meredith and Alice had obliged with reluctant curtsies, but they had left nonetheless.

And that had been hours ago. There was no telling where they'd gallivanted off to, quite the unseemly behavior for women their age. Usually the Countess would have welcomed this time alone, time to perhaps pick up her neglected book or finish her cross-stitching piece. But for some reason, solidarity was the last thing Eleanor wanted. She fiddled impatiently with her needle and thread, having earlier decided to sew but now long since distracted by the passing moments. It only took a single prick to her finger for her to let out a frustrated groan and toss down her things, standing angrily from her chair and moving to the pitcher of wine she had delivered earlier.

Bored, Eleanor sipped at her cup of wine, perhaps even gulped it for it was soon empty. It was bland, though, watered down and far from appetizing. She sighed, staring out the rain-pelted window and out into the icy storm that was keeping her so confined. Her ritual morning ride with Lord Cecil had, obviously, been dismissed with every drop of rain that fell from the Heavens, the cursed Heavens that seemed to have something against the Countess. Eleanor, to say the least, was irritated. Her exhaustion was simmering with impatience, and in her mindless wake through her chambers, somehow the glass pitcher of wine had been toppled from its perch and was sent crashing into a dozen pieces to the floor.

Just her rotten luck. Even more so that her maids were not here to clean it up. Stepping precariously around the broken shards, Eleanor moved to her chamber door and opened it quickly for her passage. The larger ceilings of the hallways and corridors seemed to offer her a quiet breath of relief, but only for a moment. The mess had been Eleanor's last straw; she was about to start breaking things intentionally if she didn't find some sort of calm. Tired and frustrated, Eleanor's eyes searched for any possible servant, maid, of honor or not, it did not matter. The Countess needed her service. "My Lady," she called out, finding first a tall, thin girl with striking dark hair and young, womanly features. "Do you have a moment?" Eleanor recognized the girl's gown, made and worn strictly from the hand of the new Queen's influence. "I've made a horrible mess," she went on, extending a slender arm to her open chambers. "My ladies.. they've seemed to have gotten lost, or else I would gladly leave you to your business.."
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Mary Howard
Unregistered

Mary walked, with a quickened pace and hunched posture, a very different image to the one that she usually portrayed, one of elegance through the weaving corridors of Hampton Court palace. It was typical, simply typical that the girl should have lost her way, immediately after she had been presented to her new mistress, Her Majesty, the Queen.

Mary had arrived at Hampton only two days hence and that morning she had been presented to the Queen as her newest Lady-in-waiting. Mary had been, quite honestly overwhelmed by the entire experience, the grandeur and beauty of the palace and grounds unlike anything she had ever seen before, the splendour of the Queen's rooms a level of opulence that Mary, in her young and sheltered life, had never known could exist. Just when Mary had believed that surely no woman on Earth could match the magnificence of her new surroundings, in her countenance alone, the Queen had entered, followed by some of her other Ladies. The lady was young, not so much older than Mary herself but she carried herself with an indefinable dignity, and walked with a grace which embodied everything about the quarters but in one living person. To Mary the Queen had seemed intelligent and kind, and Mary was sure that she could not possibly serve a worthier mistress.

For all her wonder and awe at the occasion, the introduction had been short lived and before long the Queen had left the room, Mary was given her uniform by a more senior lady and told that she must change and report back to the Queen’s chambers. Mary had followed her orders almost blindly and it was when she set out to begin her duties that she found herself in her current predicament. The corridors of the palace seemed to stretch before her like an unfamiliar and extremely complex maze, and Mary had found herself lost within the first few minutes of her journey. She looked about her, crossing her head this way and that in search of some object or another that would give a clue to her position.

A crash originating from one of the rooms to her left, which Mary supposed to be the private quarters of some noble family or another, momentarily distracted Mary from her plight. A lady of some quite obvious social standing, judging by her elegant dress and movements, exited into the corridor and addressed Mary.

"Of course, my lady." Mary was surpised and more than a little irritated by the fact that the voice that escaped her was timid and wavering. She took in a deep breath, calming herself and reminding herself to act with the dignity that she prided herself upon. She was not merely a simpering girl.

"It is no trouble, my lady. What can I help you with?"
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Eleanor Berkeley
Unregistered

Though Eleanor had, essentially, expected the young Lady's obligatory acceptance, she was still mightily thankful for it. She smiled warmly, reaching out a brief hand to grasp lightly at the girl's forearm, a subtle gesture of open comfort. "It's the wine pitcher," Eleanor turned then and whisked briskly back into her chambers, her eyes motioning to the shattered mess and purple puddle on the floor. "I must have knocked it." A quiet sigh slipped past her nostrils as she surveyed the broken pieces, now suddenly questioning why she had ordered for a glass pitcher and not a silver one. Aesthetics, but Eleanor was surely regretting that now.

"Do be careful, love," she mused, clearing the way for the dark-haired Lady. "So easily could you cut your fingers." Turning her head, the Countess moved off to the other side of the chamber, receiving a small towel from the back of her chair and returning to the young girl's side. "Use this," she said with a small, apologetic smile. Giving the towel to her, Eleanor moved over to settle herself in the nearest chair, watching with an inquisitive eye. "You have a very pretty face, my Lady.. though very unfamiliar." The aquamarine hues of her eyes narrowed, if only by the slightest, as she observed the thin sparrow of a girl. "Have you just come to Court?"

A part of Eleanor was hoping that wasn't the case. That she had just taken the girl, upon her first few moments at such a bustling palace, to clean her very own mess. But, studying by her gown, the Countess convinced herself it was only in preparation for what this youthful girl was in store for. Being a lady-in-waiting to the Italian Queen, Eleanor could only imagine what sort of endless duties ensued with such a position. "Either way, welcome." She smiled brightly, admittedly enjoying this fit of company from such a boring, obsolete day.

"What is your name?"
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Mary Howard
Unregistered

Mary followed the older lady into her quarters and immedaitely saw the borken glass and small, spreading puddle of red liquid on the ground. A sense of relief seeped through her - Mary was gald that the problem was something so simple and that she would be able to deal with it easily.

Mary bent down presently to the mess, carefully picking up the broken pieces of glass and disposing of them. She looked up in search of some kind of cloth to wipe up the wine and smiled when the lady offered her a small towel.

"Thank you, my lady." Mary continued with her work industriously, glancing up to see that the lady had taken a seat in the nearest chair. It was strange but Mary still felt a little nervous, despite the fact that the lady seemed to be kind, and this meant that she was unusually quiet.

When the lady began to address her however Mary felt that she need not be so nervous, and tried to relax.

"Thank you, and yes I am new to the court. I am a Lady-in-waiting to Her Majesty." She seemed so genuinely interested, and without guile that Mary felt the ease she had craved come easily. She finished her task and stood up straight.

"I am afraid that I do not deserve such an honourable position though, my lady. For you see, before you asked me for assitance, I was on my way to the Queen's rooms but found myself lost in the many corridors of this great palace." Mary giggled slightly, despite the seriousness of the situation - it would not bode well for her to make a bad impression on her new mistress.

"My name is Lady Mary Howard, my lady. May I have the pleasure of asking yours?"
Mary liked being around this lady, she set her at ease and reminded her a little of her sweet mother and so she thought it wise to cultivate her friendship. Even having been here only a short time, Mary had seen that the court could be a harsh world to live in and so having a friend of some obvious experience could do her no harm.
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Eleanor Berkeley
Unregistered

Eleanor's eyes were soft, but keen, on the girl as she cleaned. At first she surveyed the young Lady's hair, how thick and lustrous it was in its darker color. And then her gaze flickered to her thin, elegant hands that seemed to have been experienced with cleaning up such a mess.. whatever sort of skill that took. There was no denying it; this honorable maid was very pretty, what with her bright blue eyes and full lips. Yes, whatever family this girl came from, her family must be proud. She knew she would if this was her daughter. "What is it like, serving our new Queen?" She asked lightly, smiling. "Her wedding was impossibly grand.. she seems very fun." The Countess had yet to speak, at all, to her new Queen. Though this dealt her a little bit of guilt, Eleanor was content enough from admiring His and Her Majesty from afar.

The odd hue of her eyes followed the youthful Lady as she stood, dimples still carved in either of her cheeks from her smile. Her thin eyebrows drew slowly together as she spoke of being undeserved of such a position, then onto how she had seemed to have gotten lost amongst the maze of what was Hampton Court. A breathless chuckle escaped through her coral lips, shaking her head and dismissing the idea with a gentle flutter of her hand. "Do not be silly, my Lady." She laughed again. "Not just anyone get to be in service to Her Majesty. That is a great honor, and you have come upon it by purpose." Eleanor nodded then, almost as if to say and that's that. "And most importantly," suddenly her expression morphed into something more playful, gentle and open. "You most certainly aren't the only one that's gotten lost here." Eleanor flashed her a wink, implying that she, too, had lost herself plenty of times within Hampton Court.

"Lady Mary Howard," she spoke in response to finally having been given her name. There was recognition in Eleanor's eyes, knowing full well the Howards were not only a prominent family, but also quite large. Suppose she shouldn't of been surprised when she heard the name, but even so, the Countess imagined big things for this girl. "I'm Eleanor Berkeley," she replied lightly, smiling welcomingly as she stood from her chair and offered a shallow, brief curtsy. "And indeed, it is quite the pleasure. I'm sorry to have distracted you from your duties, but perhaps it is a good thing.. I can give you directions through Court." Eleanor smiled again, taking just a few steps closer to the girl. From such a proximity, she could truly see the shining youth beneath Mary's smooth cheeks. This girl was an absolute doll. "If I may," she began, still surveying her. "How old are you, Lady Mary?"
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Mary Howard
Unregistered

Mary felt herself frown a little as the Lady assured her that she would not have been given her position had she not deserved it. Although quite accidently, the Lady had come close to a very touchy subject for Mary, the fact that her place at court had been secured by her Uncle.

"I have yet to commence my duties fully, my lady. But I am sure that I will enjoy them as my sister has told me that the Queen is a kind and intelligent mistress." Mary covered her discomfort, her smile slowly becoming once again entirely natural as she let the moment pass and became once more at ease as she pushed the reasons why she was here out of her mind and focused on her new life.

Mary laughed a little as she heard the Lady's next words; it was reassuring to know that she was not the only person to lose their way.
"The Court is so grand and large I fear I shall never fully know my way around the place.

Mary wondered, for a moment why the Lady repeated her name after her introduction, coming to the conclusion that her family name brought with it connotation for this Lady just as it did for most at court. It seemed that Mary could not escape the pre-concieved ideas about the Howards, good or bad, whilst she was here at court. Mary wanted this kind Lady to judge her for who she truly was not for her family name. And so she vowed that she would make a good impression on this Lady, who might aid her with the ways of court, showing that she was a young Lady of intelligence and integrity, earning her friendship through her own merits and not because of her family name.

"I shall be extremely glad of the help, my lady. Eleanor came a few steps closer to Mary and once again Mary was drawn to notice the ease that she felt around this person, or rather the absense of any awkwardness that sometimes impeded Mary upon first meeting someone without having any previous introduction. At the Lady's question, Mary felt a slight surprise, wondering why the information may be of interest to her, but did not feel reluctant revealing it.

"Not at all, my lady you may ask me any question you wish. I am nineteen years of age but I am often told that I look younger." Mary rolled her eyes slightly, showing the irritation that this fact caused her. "Now I have come to court, the fact that I look younger does not aid my efforts to try to appear experienced and well-versed in the ways of the courtier. I am afraid I must look like an innocent child to most, naive and encountering for the first time the real world." Mary looked away, breaking eye contact and dropping the volume of her voice slightly; she may feel comfortable about confiding in this Lady but that did not mean she was not somewhat embarressed about what she was to say. "Perhaps that is not so very far from the truth."
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