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Lady Ismenia Pole ([info]ontherise) wrote in [info]fairthreads,
@ 2009-10-27 21:54:00

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Entry tags:!complete, !incomplete, character: eleanore avellera, character: lady ismenia pole, location: the royal palace, player: jeanne, player: lisa

Who: Ismenia and open!
Where: the palace
When: evening
What: a character introduction... we'll see where it leads

The evening had been quite dull to Ismenia's tastes, though one would never know it to look at her. She smiled and laughed at exactly the right times, particularly when the queen made a joke, but her attention was only half on the entertainment. It wasn't that the musicians were particularly awful, exactly, but rather, Ismenia had little interest in the flowery songs of troubadours and minstrels, regardless of how talented they were. Not only did Ismenia have no real interest in love, courtly or otherwise, but, on the whole, it really left no room for any sort of action other than sitting and clapping politely, pausing only to laugh at the queen's jokes.

No, Ismenia was a young woman of action and, as such, she had little use for such idle pastimes. She had hoped the queen would call for dancing instead, something which at least gave Ismenia the opportunity to show herself to her best advantage. It was even better when she was able to dance with the male courtiers that sometimes accompanied the prince. After all, a good marriage was the ultimate goal and there was no better place to find one than at court.

But surely the men were asleep by now, Ismenia thought irritably, though she was careful to keep the irritability from her face as she glanced about the room. She was well-trained enough to keep her expression from giving away too much. Finally, unable to bear another moment, Ismenia politely asked the queen if she might be excused to use the privy, if only for a change of scenery. Fortunately, the queen, distracted as she was by the proceedings (which Ismenia could never hope to understand) nodded her consent and barely noticed when Ismenia gave a low curtsey and backed away from the dais.

Safely away from the throne, she whirled on her heel, almost barreling someone over in her hurry to escape.

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[info]neithernor
2009-11-02 04:23 am UTC (link)
Eleanore had been at the castle for some time now- she still visited Greenville often, of course, wanting to spend as much time with Abby and her family as she could- but she also knew that she had come here to visit the court and ought to fulfill those obligations as well.

She had been in the main room for the evening's entertainment, but Eleanore had begged an early reprieve, feigning a headache. In truth, the music reminder her too much of home- a homesickness that, despite every wonderful that had happened on her journey, still pained her.

Lost in her thoughts, Eleanore looked up just barely in time to step back and out of the way of Lady Ismenia- she hit the wall behind her, arms spread as if to catch herself, her heart racing with the sudden movement. "I beg your pardon," Eleanore offered a quick nod- though she couldn't help but think that it wasn't really her fault at all.

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[info]ontherise
2009-11-02 04:37 pm UTC (link)
Ismenia knew she had made a mistake as soon as she nearly collided with the Emissary's daughter from Ayorthia. She should have been more careful and she knew better but it didn't prevent her from feeling slightly annoyed at the other woman for landing in her path. It was fortunate that Ismenia had enough self-control that all that showed on her face was a slight wince at the near miss.

"My apologies," Ismenia offered, dipping a polite nod of a curtsy as a show of ritual respect, though she dipped incrementally, knowing the woman didn't stand above her at Court. She took the opportunity to note first the gown she wore and then, as she rose, her face as she offered Eleanore a polite and appropriately apologetic smile. "I should be more careful. I don't know that we've been formally introduced. I'm Lady Ismenia Pole of Coventry," she offered, having seen the other woman when she was presented to the queen but not since.

To all appearances, Ismenia's gesture was a friendly one but as things tended to be with her, there were motives behind it. First of all, a newcomer at court was a wild card and Ismenia hated unpredictability. Second of all, the woman was pretty in her exotic way, which meant she was competition. There was nothing worse than competition that one knew nothing about.

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[info]neithernor
2009-11-02 04:46 pm UTC (link)
Eleanore stood straighter, her hands moving back to her sides- she couldn't help but want to look her best in front of this lady, to want to prove that she was worthy to stand even in her presence. Eleanore was of lower ranking, yes, but that didn't change her demeanor- oh, if her father were here, he'd have the Queen's ear in a heartbeat...

"Eleanore Avellera, of Ayorthia," she introduced herself, making careful note to keep her Ayorthian accent heavy- it would make her appear less intelligent, Eleanore knew, and that could be used to her advantage.

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[info]ontherise
2009-11-02 06:01 pm UTC (link)
Well, if nothing else, this meeting could turn out to be advantageous for Ismenia, certainly more so than sitting beside the queen and listening to minstrels croon about impossible love, or whatever it was they went on about. This fact perked Ismenia right up, elevating her mood quite a bit. After all, a bit of excitement was exactly what she was looking for.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Miss Avellera," Ismenia replied smoothly. She did take note of the Ayorthian accent when she spoke but it was what she expected. She had noticed that Eleanore had come without a translator, however, so she imagined her to be proficient enough in Kyrrian. "I trust you have been settling in well since your journey? How do you find the Court here?"

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[info]neithernor
2009-11-02 06:24 pm UTC (link)
"I have, thank you," another polite nod to the question of her journey. "The Court?" Eleanore thought for a moment- or at least pretended to appear thoughtful- then replied, "It is... busy. Much louder than I am used to, at home- though I was warned to expect as much, before departing. I sometimes wonder how anyone hears anything at all, with everyone speaking at once, each trying to be louder than the one before."

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[info]ontherise
2009-11-03 10:26 pm UTC (link)
Ismenia tilted her head to observe Eleanore, who seemed to labor over her words. It wasn't so uncommon that the court have visitors from other countries; her mother's family had hailed from Bamarre, after all. All the same, Ismenia had to remind herself to be patient when listening to Eleanore. She wasn't if Eleanore's struggle was merely language or simplicity but either way, Ismenia knew that making a connection was a valuable thing.

"I imagine it does require some getting used to," Ismenia observed thoughtfully. She had always enjoyed the business and commotion of court but then, she had been born and bred to be there. She imagined that someone who hadn't had that experience might be overwhelmed, though she cataloged that information as well, knowing that people that were new to court often looked for friendly faced to guide them and Ismenia was never opposed to "guiding" people. "Is it so different than the court in Ayorthia?"

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[info]neithernor
2009-11-04 01:07 am UTC (link)
"It is much different than the court at home, yes," Eleanore replied, easily. "At home everything is very... set. Regimental, perhaps- though I do not mean to say so in a bad way. It is as if everyone plays a role in a grand production, and everyone knows where to be and when to speak." Or even if they were to speak at all!

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[info]ontherise
2009-11-04 04:38 am UTC (link)
The world that Eleanore described did indeed sound different from the world Ismenia was accustomed to but despite Eleanore's assurances that it wasn't bad, Ismenia found herself to be quite relieved that their court wasn't so regimented. After all, if everyone knew their place and had a set role, she imagined it would be very difficult to get ahead in life. She couldn't help but wonder if that didn't have a role in Eleanore's presence at this court.

"What sort of production is it?" Ismenia couldn't help but ask. Knowledge was power, after all. Of course, it didn't help that she was a little bit curious about it, too. "What is it like?"

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[info]neithernor
2009-11-05 01:46 am UTC (link)
Eleanore admittedly seemed confused at the question- legitimately this time. "An elegant play, I suppose, truly is the best way to describe it." She wasn't quite sure how else to speak of it. "They do have plays here, do they not?" There was a hint of impishness in the question- she'd described the court once before as a production, though perhaps her meaning hadn't been quite understood.

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[info]ontherise
2009-11-05 10:51 pm UTC (link)
Ismenia nodded her head, though she wasn't entirely certain she could understand how a court could be so orchestrated as that. It was an alien idea to the young noblewoman, something she attributed to the fact that the experience she had was with a court in chaos. For all while everyone fell into some role or other, the scheming and power plays, particularly since the death of the king, made the court a complicated web of conflicting interests, a place where no one could trust anyone else and it was difficult to predict what each person's next move would be.

"I sometimes feel like the rituals are like a play but it is difficult to imagine the entire court as such. I imagine it must be beautiful," she observed. Beautiful, indeed, but possibly quite boring, Ismenia thought. For all the struggle of keeping ones head above water in their court, Ismenia enjoyed the challenge of it. "Perhaps one day I will see it for myself." Traveling could have its benefits, of course, though Ismenia imagined that to leave before the dust settled in Frell would be detrimental to her position at court.

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[info]neithernor
2009-11-06 03:52 am UTC (link)
"It is very beautiful," Eleanore agreed, her voice quiet, almost wistful. She did miss it- perhaps more than she had expected to, though the harsh contrasts of the Kyrrian court brought out the best memories of Ayorthia. "I am certain you would be welcomed there," she offered after a moment, shaking her head as if to clear her reverie.

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[info]ontherise
2009-11-07 01:56 am UTC (link)
Ismenia noted the way Eleanore's inflection seemed to change slightly when she spoke of the beauty of her home court and she imagined that the other woman did indeed miss her home. Ismenia being who she was, however, the thought was stored away as potentially useful information, even if she might have felt the same thing in a similar situation. Still, she kept her expression neutral and interested.

"I am sure it would be a worthy experience," Ismenia replied, which was a true statement. After all, much influence could gained abroad. But that was another concern for another day. "What made you decide to journey to our court?" she inquired. She imagined that Eleanore might not answer truthfully; she probably wouldn't in the same situation. All the same, she was interested in what she would say.

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[info]neithernor
2009-11-08 07:44 pm UTC (link)
"My father is the ambassador," Eleanore started- she was certain that Ismenia must have known that already, of course, but it seemed necessary to point out all the same. "He began traveling to Frell when he was much younger than I am, in order to secure some knowledge of the court here and its workings. I suppose he thought it was finally necessary for me to follow in his footsteps."

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[info]ontherise
2009-11-08 11:33 pm UTC (link)
Ismenia nodded politely, having heard as much since the woman arrived but she could see how this would influence Eleanore's decision to travel abroad. "That is a bold course for a woman to take," Ismenia observed, her tone neutral though she respected the woman's decision all the same. There weren't many opportunities for women to make their way in the world and traveling alone was certainly no small thing. "Is it your intention to become an ambassador yourself, then?"

Whatever impression she had initially had, Ismenia had to take into account the Eleanore was no typical woman by the standards of this court, in any case. With the respect she had for her, though, came a measure of wariness. While Ismenia had little patience for the wilting flower variety of court Lady, she made it her business to know which had the intelligence or the drive to become major court players.

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[info]neithernor
2009-11-08 11:45 pm UTC (link)
"I have not yet decided," Eleanore replied, though there was only a small measure of truth to her words. Her father had all but offered the position to her directly- and she knew that he had inherited the spot from his own father some time ago. While it was, in theory, a position appointed by the King and Queen of Ayorthia, they of course took careful consideration to the current ambassador's opinion of their potential replacements. "It is, certainly, something that I would be honored to do."

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[info]ontherise
2009-11-09 03:27 am UTC (link)
"Well, I hope your stay here aids your decision," Ismenia replied with a nod of her head. It was a worthy position, to be sure, particularly since if she claimed it, it would be in her own right, not acquired through marriage. Of course, there was nothing wrong with acquiring status through marriage, but there was always the trouble of obtaining the marriage that had to be handled.

Ismenia glanced back toward the commotion of the court, the queen at its hub as she always seemed to be. The queen was a woman to be admired, certainly strong in her own right and bold to hold the throne that was rightfully her son's. Ismenia was honored to serve her... at least for now. All the same, it seemed as though the entertainment of the evening was not becoming any more interesting.

"The music is nice," Ismenia commented blandly, though the observation was idle and perfunctory. Really, she needed to say something to justify the backward glance. "A shame His Highness the prince is not in attendance." The comment was made in the same idle tone and truly, wasn't a terribly consequential statement. Still, it wouldn't hurt to see how the other woman responded.

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[info]neithernor
2009-11-09 04:09 am UTC (link)
"It is nice," Eleanore agreed, though the music made her think of Ayorthia- and fell short of her expectations because of that. It was silly, she knew, to compare it all this way- they were different places, of course they would have different strengths and weaknesses. She just found objectivity to be a bit difficult when she was suffering from homesickness, she supposed.

"The Prince?" she repeated, admittedly curious as to Ismenia's mentioning of him. "Yes, I suppose it is." A non-committal answer, yes, but Eleanore truly didn't want to speak ill of the Prince- she had only met him briefly, and wouldn't judge him solely on others' opinions of him.

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[info]ontherise
2009-11-11 04:37 pm UTC (link)
Ismenia nodded, knowing that any good courtier would have said the same. After all, the queen was enjoying the music and if she was enjoying it, everyone else would enjoy it by default, whether they really enjoyed it or not. Ismenia couldn't help but wonder how the tone of the court would change once the power changed hands. Charles seemed to be quite different from his mother, after all.

When Eleanore replied to her query, Ismenia was, admittedly, slightly disappointed not to get more of a reaction out of her but not entirely surprised. It did seem as though the question had caught her off-guard. It might mean she wasn't really thinking of him, it might mean nothing, but Ismenia was prone to over-analyzing. "It is quite merry when the Prince and the other gentlemen are at court," Ismenia observed mildly, her tone quite neutral so not to seem too interested in the idea.

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[info]neithernor
2009-11-13 04:56 am UTC (link)
Ismenia certainly did seem fixated on the Prince! Eleanore couldn't help but be amused- though, she thought, it was entirely predictable. A country without a king, of course every eligible young woman would be fixated on the crown Prince!

"To be quite truthful," and it was the truth, whether Ismenia believed it or not, "I have only barely been introduced to the Prince, and met his gentlemen in passing. I'm certain they are admirable company, however."

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[info]ontherise
2009-11-13 05:28 am UTC (link)
While Ismenia was rarely the type to take anything another courtier said at face value, she had no reason to disbelieve Eleanore's claim that she'd hardly met the Prince. The way the court was now, it didn't seem high on the Queen's priority list to introduce eligible young women to her son. Ismenia imagined she didn't want anyone else influencing her son, not while she still held his crown.

Now that would be an interesting opinion to get from the foreign woman. What did the other countries think of the way the Queen had decided not to relinquish her grasp on the throne after the death of her husband. Ismenia didn't doubt that everyone had an opinion on these matters but it was a delicate subject to bring up and no courtier of any merit would risk admitting his or her true feelings on that subject, particularly not to someone in the service of the Queen.

"Oh, yes," Ismenia agreed instead of pressing the subject, however much she wished to. "I am sure there will be ample opportunity. In any case, you should be more than welcome to join in should the ladies and gentlemen of the court make merry. I would be happy to introduce you." Having a foreign companion could be interesting, she reasoned, and she had deemed Eleanore worth knowing, if only because she was definitely a risk-taker and that sort of person warranted watching.

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[info]neithernor
2009-11-13 05:43 am UTC (link)
Eleanore had no doubt that Ismenia's kindness had another motive, but regardless, she was grateful for the offer. She nodded, politely, and offered a smile. "Thank you," and there was sincerity in her voice, surprisingly or not, "I would certainly appreciate the opportunity."

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[info]ontherise
2009-11-14 01:09 am UTC (link)
There were few people at court that didn't have motives other than the most obvious one and Ismenia was the rule, not the exception in that case. Still, she returned the smile, impressed by the apparent sincerity in Eleanore's tone. It could have been remarkable acting, of course, but it was interesting all the same.

"I will send word to you," Ismenia assured Eleanore. "Perhaps we will go for a hunt tomorrow. Do you enjoy riding?" Ismenia enjoyed the thrill of the hunt and with the weather was beginning to cool but there were still nice days and when they were, the court would day to the outdoors. Once winter set it, the cold weather would keep them indoors and while masquerades and balls would entertain them, Ismenia enjoyed the variety.

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[info]neithernor
2009-11-14 02:02 am UTC (link)
"I do enjoy riding, yes," Eleanore replied. She wasn't the best at it, admittedly, but she was passable enough, and she had confidence, at least, that she'd be able to keep up with the rest of the ladies on a ride. "Though I'm not certain I've been on a hunt before." She maybe shouldn't have admitted to that, but they weren't common for courtiers in Ayorthia, to Eleanore's knowledge.

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[info]ontherise
2009-11-14 03:26 am UTC (link)
"Usually it is the men that do the actual hunting," Ismenia assured the other woman, who, it seemed, had not had the opportunity to experience a hunt before. "We generally just go along for the ride. It's an opportunity to get out into the countryside and I find it to be quite enjoyable." Most of the women rode gentle palfreys and most didn't even bother trying to keep up with the men when they got into the heat of the hunt. Ismenia generally followed suit, being the proper lady that she was, but that didn't stop her from occasionally losing herself in the moment and getting caught up in the thrill of the hunt.

Ismenia was intrigued that the sport was not popular in Ayorthia but she supposed they had their own ways to make merry. "I wouldn't be overly concerned, in any case," she said with a wave of her hand.

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[info]neithernor
2009-11-14 06:06 am UTC (link)
She felt a bit naive at Ismenia's explanation- it seemed obvious, after the fact, that the women would simply follow along and enjoy the ride. "I would enjoy that," she admitted. "I have not spent much time in the country since my arrival in Frell." Not that she spent much time there at home in Ayorthia, but what she had seen of the Frell countryside was nice, at least.

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[info]ontherise
2009-11-14 07:05 pm UTC (link)
Ismenia smiled in reply, pleased that she had managed to make something of the evening. Making connections was infinitely more entertaining, not to mention more useful, than sitting and listening to the monotonous strains of the minstrel, even if her place was beside the queen. She'd have to put a bug in the queen's ear about having some sort of event at court. Lately, the court had seemed so somber! Surely the queen would come out mourning soon!

"Well, it's settled then. I'll be sure the send word to your rooms when we decide to go out. With luck, the weather will hold out a bit longer," she mused. "Have you a suitable mount for the ride? You would be well advised to ride your smoothest palfrey as it tends to be a long ride through the countryside." Ismenia liked giving advice, though the words were true enough.

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[info]neithernor
2009-11-16 02:55 am UTC (link)
"Yes, I have a suitable mount," Eleanore replied, after a moment's consideration. At least one of her carriage's horses ought to be acceptable, yes? She'd have to look into it, admittedly, but that wasn't something she had to tell Ismenia- no need to look completely hopeless. "I look forward to hearing from you, thank you."

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[info]ontherise
2009-11-20 05:16 am UTC (link)
"Excellent," Ismenia replied with a nod, noting the hesitation though she truly thought little of it; she had no reason to be overly concerned for Eleanore's mount. She had merely been being polite, figuring she would offer to lend a mount should the other woman need it. After all, it never hurt to have someone else in one's debt, did it? But since it was not going that way, she'd moved on to other things.

It seemed like as good a time as any to excuse herself and move on. She had made the connection and said her piece. Anything more that that point would be awkward and likely suspicious. "It was lovely meeting you," she offered. "I am pleased to have run into you and look forward to seeing you again soon." She dipped her head slightly in a show of courtesy.

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[info]neithernor
2009-11-20 05:31 am UTC (link)
Eleanore gave a lower curtsy as Ismenia took her leave- showing respect as was proper, at least she hoped so. "I look forward to it as well. Thank you." Another curtsy, just in case, leaving Ismenia the opportunity to leave first and continue on her way.

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[info]ontherise
2009-11-21 06:24 am UTC (link)
Ismenia nodded, smiling slightly but graciously to acknowledge Eleanore's curtsy and response. With nothing more to say, she took the appropriate cue to leave. Lifting her skirts, Ismenia continued to move in her previous direction, not quite ready to retake her place by the queen's side. All the same, she was satisfied that she'd accomplished something, at least in this slow evening.

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