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Post by Aislin of Port Legann on Sept 30, 2007 14:46:19 GMT -5
It was a pleasantly warm afternoon, with a bit of a breeze that stirred the air and prevented the heat from feeling muggy or oppressive. The gardens were filled with the rich smell of damp earth, as the flowerbeds were still wet from a morning drizzle, and the gentle tinkling of falling water continued despite the cloudless sky as the last few, stubborn raindrops released their holds on petals and leaves.
Seated comfortably on a stone bench in a secluded corner of the gardens, Aislin of Port Legann whittled away at a bit of a fallen tree limb with her boot knife. Her frowning expression of concentration was shadowed by her battered, black leather tricorn, and she paid no heed to the wood shavings that had fallen onto her clothing. She was dressed in male clothing, as usual, her attire consisting of black trousers tucked into tall leather boots, a long open black vest, and a grey shirt completely devoid of ruffles or embroidery. With her hair tied back in a low horsetail, she looked rather like a pretty young man. In fact, the only signs that she was someone of means and not an errant gardener’s assistant were the silver trim and buttons on her vest and the gold hoop through her ear.
The young captain of the Lioness Rampant gave a small growl of frustration as her blade sunk deeper into the wood she was carving than she intended. Pushing her tricorn back on her head, she glared at the carving, as though that would reverse the mistake. After a few moments and no such luck, she returned to carving. The steady rhythm of scraping wood and the small knife in her hand were poor substitues for the the sound of waves hitting the hull of her ship and a firm grip on a good, sturdy cutlass, but they were the best she could do at the moment.
Shifting her position so she was lying on her back on the bench with her head propped against one of the arms, she squinted at her carving, the brim of her hat falling humorously over her brow. Hearing someone approach, she lifted her head slightly and pushed her tricorn back once again to see who it was.
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Post by princessselene on Oct 2, 2007 23:00:28 GMT -5
Selene had decided to take a break outside for a change in the courtyard and sought out her favorite spot under the shade of a large tree. As she made her way to the spot she had unoffically dubbed as hers, she noticed a female laying on the bench near the tree and curtised politely. " Hello to you. Lovely weather we are having, yes?" The royal said, fingering a strand of her hair thoughtfully.
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Post by Aislin of Port Legann on Oct 3, 2007 10:46:07 GMT -5
Aislin tucked her knife back into her boot and stood before removing her hat and bowing deeply to the royal. There was no haste or startled jerkiness to her movements; where some might have shot to their feet like startled deer, she moved gracefully and deliberately.
“If Her Highness thinks so, than I am inclined to agree,” the woman replied as she straightened and set her tricorn back on her head. She spoke with a courtier’s drawl, her tone and expression one of polite indifference. Despite her unbuttoned vest and the wood shavings clinging to her clothes here and there, she had a composed, almost commanding look to her. She held herself in such a way that her posture was perfect, but she seemed completely at ease with the situation she was in. The tilt of her head was almost regal, but without an arrogant smirk or sneer, she simply seemed confident.
Gesturing to the bench, Aislin stepped to the side a bit. “Would Her Highness like to sit?” she asked.
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Post by princessselene on Oct 21, 2007 21:18:53 GMT -5
Selene smiled and took the seat offered to her." I would, thank you very much. I call a nice weather day when its just the right temperature and no storms." She replied, looking over at her coversation partner and trying to remember if she had met her before. Everything was so messed up in Selene's mind, nothing much was ever a certainty except if she slept alone some nights.
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Post by Aislin of Port Legann on Oct 21, 2007 21:29:13 GMT -5
Aislin moved to the side of the bench, resting one hand on the back and leaning against it casually. "Sounds an apt enough definition to me, Your Highness," she replied easily, making a slight gesture with her palm turned up, much like a duelist conceding a point.
Straightening her tricorn a bit, the young captain tucked a few escaping strands of hair back behind her ear, causing her single gold hoop to wink in the sun. "But if Her Highness will allow me to say so, the air always seems much clearer after a storm," she added in her courtier's drawl, as though she were remarking on something as trivial as, well, the weather.
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Post by princessselene on Oct 21, 2007 21:43:29 GMT -5
Selene paused to ponder the statement for a moment and nodded her head. " I can't say that is not true. It smells cleaner as well." She replied as she fiddled with her gown sleeves. She was reaching for a topic that was not as dull as the weather but it would seem she did not have much in common with the Captain.
But she did think of something finally as she looked over to Aislin. " I would like to travel myself someday.. see new places, try new things. The same day in and day out is rather dull. But I do know that there are many whom would say I have an ideal life.. no responsiblities, no cares... boy they really know nothing of it."
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Post by Aislin of Port Legann on Oct 21, 2007 21:54:26 GMT -5
Aislin quirked an eyebrow at the Archduchess's remark. "There is no one on earth who does not have some form of responsibility," she replied, her tone still one of polite disinterest. "There are simply those who shirk their duties for a illusion of freedom and self-satisfaction, and those who do, if you will forgive my saying so, Your Highness, are fools."
Shaking her head, the captain's face grew serious. "There is no greater joy or satisfaction than knowing that one has done one's duty, and done it well," she declared, sounding emphatic despite her uncaring tone.
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Post by princessselene on Oct 21, 2007 22:00:58 GMT -5
" Yes you are right. But what if you are uncertain what it is that you are supposed to do and in turn make an ass of yourself?" Selene replied, using a rather crude word that she often did not do. It was just she was becoming frustrated at herself mostly and why she always seemed to be messing up. She was really looking for someone to give her some sound guidance, ever the follower.
Her eyes darted to the ground for a moment as she picked imaginary dust off her gown. " I just seem to keep upsetting my sister lately and I often feel like I am not really part of the family. I mean Sara is married and Amedessa always seems to have it together.. then there is me.. the one who is just.. well.. there."
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Post by Aislin of Port Legann on Oct 21, 2007 22:17:44 GMT -5
"I must admit, Your Majesty, that I make a very poor confidante," Aislin remarked mildly with a slight tip of her head. "However, if it is advice that you desire, mine would only be to say that one is never helpless to change one's fate, especially if one has the resources Her Highness does. As a sailor, I believe that everyone is captain of his or her own fate."
Not turning to look at Selenity, the young woman continued. "My husband died when I was twenty-one, only three years after our wedding. As I had produced no heir, his parents did not allow me to inherit; rather, they gave all my husband's property to his younger brother and entrusted me into his care. He was not necessarily a cruel man, but he made a muddle of my late husband's shipping business and had a tendency to take out his frustrations on me with his words. Granted, I provoked the tongue-lashings I recieved on occassion, but many were uncalled for. After a while of such treatment, I went to my brother-in-law and asked for a ship, with the promise that he would never need think of me again if he granted my request. He did, and I hired a crew and have been successful and happy every since."
Glancing at Selenity, Aislin raised her eyebrows. "Surely if a landless widow could take her life into her own hands, the queen's sister should be able to mange it, no?"
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Post by princessselene on Oct 21, 2007 22:38:59 GMT -5
Selene listening intently as a child would listen to their parent saying something of interest. This was part of the Archduchess' problem, she had not fully grown up right and tended to only measure her worth and purpose in how many suiters she could keep at bay for her elder sister. What Ailin had said was something that profoundly got Selene's mind going.
She began to wonder if perhaps she was making poor choices and needed to step back and think things through and after the snapping she did at Amedessa a bit back, she felt horrid. Despite things, she knew Amedessa cared and just wanted the best for her. Smilign fully and seriously for the first time in a long time she bowed her head respectfully. " You are completly right. I really made poor choices and put stress and worry into my sister's hearts. Your story is sad but yet inspiring at the same time. I think perhaps I need to stop wallowing in self doubt and pity and get out there and make something of myself. Thank you Aislin, that is some of the best advice, if not meant to be so, that I have heard."
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Post by Aislin of Port Legann on Oct 21, 2007 22:53:33 GMT -5
Aislin gave a slight shrug of her shoulders. "I was simply recounting the last five years of my life," she remarked lightly. "However, if Her Majesty wishes to see that as advice, than who am I to say it should be otherwise?" In her own mind, she had simply done what she saw necessary, and did not feel as though she should be praised or applauded for it. If she was to be completely honest with herself, she would admit that she would have much preferred that her husband had not died and she had not had to start her life over.
As an afterthought, the captain tipped her tricorn respectfully. "Always at your service, Your Highness."
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Post by princessselene on Oct 25, 2007 14:38:32 GMT -5
Selene's mind was a buzz with thoughts, of the future, and what to do at present. She wondered if she could actually change what people thought of her and try not to slip back to the walloying and self doubt mood she had often found herself falling prey to. She knew her greatest adversary was her own mind and it would be an uphill struggle to defeat her own inner demons but she was going to try her best. " So.. what is life like out on the sea... is it as refreshing and full of adventure as the tales of it make it sound?"
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Post by Aislin of Port Legann on Oct 25, 2007 15:00:46 GMT -5
Aislin shook her head slightly, frowning a bit. “It’s actually rather monotonous much of the time, your Highness,” she replied honestly. “However, when it comes to the sea, monotony is far safer than the alternative. Storms, pirates, shallows waters, to name a few of the dangers; all waiting to swallow up a crew. Poets and bards have romanticized the life of a sailor for centuries, but I sincerely believe that very few of them have ever spent any length of time aboard a ship.”
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Post by princessselene on Oct 26, 2007 13:28:22 GMT -5
Selene brushed a ruby tress from her cheek as she listened. Count on those yarns of romanticising sea life to be just that.. far fetched yarns. Darn.. oh well. " I often wanted to travel on a vessal.. to where I don't know.. mayhaps to Carthak, as it is always warm and I am not one for winter cold. But I can see how you'd like the uneventful aspect, being Captain that you are." The Archduchess replied, resting an arm on the back of the bench and her chin on her arm.
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Post by Aislin of Port Legann on Oct 27, 2007 15:34:54 GMT -5
Aislin allowed herself a small smile. "Yes, I am afraid I do much prefer the mundane," she admitted. "I hope her Highness will not be too disappointed if I admit to being a dreadful bore. I fall rather short of the expectation many have that captains are wonderful story tellers. I fear a cannot weave a yarn much better than I can do any other sort of weaving, much to my crew's disappointment."
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