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Tweak says, "See my eyes look like eggs"

Rosalie Belvedere (beaute_endormie) wrote in bellumlogs,
@ 2010-06-20 15:41:00

Entry tags:

beauty, black forest witch, plot: tempus, plot: xi, sleeping beauty

Who: Rosalie, Ella, and Jane!Vaughn
What: Fun times as ladies-in-waiting
Where: Alexander Palace
When: Day 2
Warnings: Will update as needed

It was entirely Rosalie's fault that she had been hauled off to the palace. Joanie had made clothing before they had gone to bed and in the morning, Rosalie had found herself with a long, very proper dress and several layers of skirts with which to walk around and search for help in. She had done her best to look presentable with what she had, picking all of the hay off her body, neatly retwisting her hair back up, and washing her face with snow. Rather thankful that she did not have a mirror, she headed into the village, hoping to find someone who spoke either English, French, or German.

It was the German that was the problem apparently. Barely two minutes after turning away disappointed from the first man she had tried, she found herself face to face with a broad-shouldered man in a uniform whose face seemed to be set in a permanent sort of scowl. He looked her over for a few moments, evaluating something before the scowl grew more pronounced and he grabbed her arm hard enough to bruise it. She pressed her lips tightly to keep from screaming as he pulled her along. They finally stopped, not at a jail as she had expected, but at the palace gates. He spoke to the guard in Russian, then as they were allowed in, said something in very broken French about the German bitch and shouldn't have been let out.

He shoved her off to another guard, who passed her along to a middle aged woman dressed all in black with a stern looking nose and lips that pressed tightly together in a displeased expression whenever she wasn't speaking. She gave Rosalie a very critical once-over that reminded her very powerfully of her grandmother and marched her through a set of rooms, pausing briefly to grab another set of skirts and a very restrictive looking dress that was more European than anything she'd seen so far. She left Rosalie in what looked like a dressing room with the clothes and a neat pair of black boots and very specific orders, delivered in heavily accented French, to stay here this time and make sure to look presentable for the Empress.

Thoroughly bewildered and still slightly shaken, Rosalie did her best to do as she had been told, changing into the clothes and trying not to touch anything. When she had finished, she sat neatly on the couch with her ankles crossed and tried to stay awake.

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bookshelved
2010-06-21 07:35 pm UTC (link)

Ella watched Rosalie carefully, and when she didn't see the telltale signs of her headache dissipate, she leaned forward (elbows on the table, all 23-year-old whispering). "You are immune," she said when the tea had no effect. "Vlad was saying we'd find Daniel, and her reply that we would find him was threatening somehow," she said, sitting back and waving a hand in confusion. "I know it doesn't make any sense, but there's something in her eyes when she looks at me." Almost familiar?

"Home for me is Bellum," she said, because really, it was. "My mother lives in Texas, and my father is staying there now, for a time at least." She went quiet for a minute, trying to decide whether to pry, and in the end she did. "You didn't answer about your family. You aren't close?" she asked.

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beaute_endormie
2010-06-21 08:30 pm UTC (link)

When Ella leaned forward, Rosalie bit her lip and shrugged. "I suppose? It's still good tea though." Just not good for headaches. She thought about language and inflections for a few moments before asking, "As in if we don't find him there will be some sort of trouble?" Not for the first time, she wondered if Jane had come back purely for Daniel.

She nodded at Ella's answer but took longer coming up with her own. "It's not that, exactly. We don't- don't fight or anything. It's just-" she was struck by the need to defend her parents because they loved her, they did "-they were busy people before I was born and they couldn't really be expected to stop just for that."

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shebringscurses
2010-06-21 11:14 pm UTC (link)

Vaughn arrived amongst Ella and Rosalie in much the same way that they'd been brought together. Through confusion with the local guards and seeming genuinely out of place while wandering outside the Palace. The pieces fell together in a way that Vaughn did not question, and even the Witch was silent in observation as her clothing was traded out by a maid for stricter garments of black and white, long of sleeve and pearl of button. Vaughn did not understand Russian, but she followed body language admirably, and kept her eyes downcast in respect when she was shown toward the kitchen.

Before turning the corner, she was struck by the familiarity of Ella's voice so near, and she paused. Vaughn listened for a moment, then heard the second voice. It was one that was familiar, but she almost couldn't place it for a moment until the Witch finally rose her voice in a cool, and amused answer.

The princess that sleeps..

Ah. She turned the corner, and gave thanks to the Witch in silence before stepping toward Ella and Rosalie. Fingers drawn in nervous knots, caught on the fabric of her skirt, as she regarded the room warily.

"This can't be a coincidence.."

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bookshelved
2010-06-22 12:37 am UTC (link)

Ella had been about to ask what Rosalie's relationship was with her parents now - or, rather, then, back in Bellum - she saw someone round the corner the way she and Rosalie had come. The servants in the kitchen were mostly quiet behind Rosalie and Ella (after all, above level servants never came to the kitchens, and ladies-in-waiting to the Empress even less often than that). To see a third such woman enter the kitchens was enough to cause whispers, and Ella realized that greeting Jane with anything less than a warm welcome would make that whispering even louder.

She stood, and she inclined her head respectfully. "Jane, join us. Rosalie and I were just discussing our families," she said softly, with a motion of her hand. She spoke English, because it was all she had at her disposal, and she really wished she knew the protocol for greetings here (curtsies, not-curtsies). "We were having tea, before setting off to find the servant's chambers."

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	beaute_endormie 2010-06-22 02:40 am UTC (link)
	Rosalie was glad for the interruption, but this was close to the last thing she had expected. Her eyes widened a little at Ella's introduction. Jane. She was rather practiced at keeping herself from actually staring though and she inclined her head as well, smiling politely. "Hello, Jane," as if she knew the woman. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

shebringscurses
2010-06-22 03:32 am UTC (link)

Oh, wasn't Ella such a wonderful actress? The Witch beamed and cackled, and the sound left Vaughn with a lovely sense of comfort rather than any chill.

You know she does not like this new face of your's, either. Women always know what one another are really after.. but.. I do think she suffers away from him, congratulations.

The trusting chocolate of her eyes flitted between the two women, and she smiled at Ella's offer that she join them before dropping her chin toward the blond. "Thank you, Ella, I will. And Hello, Rosalie."

So polite, all of them. They deserved medals.

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bookshelved
2010-06-22 03:40 am UTC (link)

Ella stood up and busied herself with making another tea for the newcomer, and Beauty in her mind tried to coax her into making it a truth tea. Ella, who had never considered making something like that, frowned at the tea kettle. No, if Daniel chose her, she wouldn't use teas or flowers to stop it. She wanted to be wanted; she didn't want to coerce him into it. Beauty had some choice words to say about the difference between coercion and convincing, and Ella hushed her before turning around and handing Jane the new cup of tea (harmless tea).

"We can all head up once you've had yours," she said with a feign-warm smile. The attire Jane had on made her realize she'd probably be rooming with them, and that made her less than thrilled. "Have you seen anyone from our group today?" she asked; a harmless and casual question entirely.

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	beaute_endormie 2010-06-22 03:53 am UTC (link)
	Rosalie stayed quiet as Ella made more tea, drinking some of her own and trying to deal with her headache. Not for the first time, she thought rather strongly that being in love with Daniel seemed to be much more trouble than it was worth. At Ella's question, she looked up, waiting for the answer and wanting to know that Vlad and Will were safe at least. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

shebringscurses
2010-06-22 04:08 am UTC (link)

She took the cup of tea and warmed her hands on it's porcelain, but did not drink it. She blew some breath onto it's herbal tint surface, cooling it, but raised her attention when Ella spoke. "Only when I woke, we were together until I headed out to find food." She blew on the tea again, and hesitated before adding, "I think we were all worried about where you'd gone, though.." She was gentle in her disapproval.

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bookshelved
2010-06-22 04:14 am UTC (link)

"Are you chastising me?" asked with a stubborn tilt of her chin. "I can defend myself out in those woods, Jane. It's in here that might be a problem," she admitted. She sighed, and she pushed the teacup away. "I know you and I are strained and at odds, but if we're going to be here together, we might as well help one another and not waste breath being reproachful. Have you seen Daniel? Is he well if you have?" She looked over at Rosalie, who obviously had more of a headache than before, and she stood. "Let's find our rooms, so Rosalie can lie down. You can bring you tea, Jane, I'm sure."

She isn't going to drink that, Beauty cautioned. Her tale is smarter than you are, and she actually listens to hers. It was a kind chastisement, as Beauty's always were; Ella was not in the mood for it.

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beaute_endormie
2010-06-22 04:25 am UTC (link)

Rosalie's head shot up rather quickly for the amount of food she had eaten in the last several hours and she had to pause a second before talking. "I really don't need to lie down. We should probably be helping the emp- Alexandra. Lady Alexandra?" Rosalie distracted herself for several seconds on this tangent before her head, which actually was pounding rather severely, brought her back. "It's fine."

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shebringscurses
2010-06-22 04:52 am UTC (link)

"I'm not," she answered carefully, as if to talk the stubborn Ella down from the ledge of an argument that she did not want to begin. "I am just pointing out that both Vlad and William would have likely known that you were alright, or where you'd gone.."

But she dropped the subject with a nod when Ella mentioned finding the servant's quarters. She abandoned her tea on the counter because of course, she wasn't going to drink it. She knew Ella's talent for teas, and too vividly recalled the incident of her poisoning that fortune teller in Bellum.

"Alexandra?" Confused, she turned to Rosalie for clarification. "What are we to be doing here?"

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bookshelved
2010-06-22 04:58 am UTC (link)

"We should find our rooms at least," Ella said, already moving toward the tunnel. She didn't know the Empress had told them to wait there, but it seemed like a good idea to know where they might need to sleep.

"I told Vlad," she finally told Jane. "I'm sorry if he didn't inform you and William." She wasn't worried about Vlad or about William. It was a lucky thing, but the men in her life didn't concern her here, in this strange place. Vlad spoke the language, William had a talent for ending up in warm, accommodating beds, and she knew the Beast would take care of Daniel. "We're supposed to be ladies-in-waiting to the former Empress, it seems, though we don't have the slightest idea why. Rosalie spent the night with others from Bellum, though," she explained. "So we aren't alone here. It stands to reason there might be others in the palace."

She was quiet a moment. "I'm sorry for being terse, Jane. I don't mean to be," she said truthfully.

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beaute_endormie
2010-06-22 05:18 am UTC (link)

"There's a formal dinner the evening after tomorrow that she needs help with," Rosalie supplied helpfully as they descended back into the chilly must of the tunnel. "And we must be presentable and she wants Alexsei- the Tsarevitch- to be healthy." That reminded her of what she had meant to ask Ella earlier and she turned to her now, hopeful. "Do you suppose your tea would be able to do something about that?" In Rosalie's mind, the boy resembled something like an animated seven year old and she very much wanted to help him however she could, even not having met him.

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	shebringscurses 2010-06-22 05:38 am UTC (link)
	Her response to Ella's apology was nothing but silence. She tucked her cooling hands into the warmth of her skirt as they descended into the tunnel. Her attention was pinched on the thought of others from Bellum being here, but she did not address it with any questions. The Witch was bored, but patient, and willing to accept Vaughn's interaction with these women. (Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

bookshelved
2010-06-22 05:56 am UTC (link)

The servants' rooms were nicer than Ella expected them to be, and the one empty room in the ladies-in-waiting's chamber (which had bell-rings for Alexandra and a small door that led to a stair and up to the Empress' room) was sparse, but clean. It was also small, and they were expected to share the large bed in the center, and Ella hesitated in the doorway a moment before going inside. "You two settle in. I'm going to wander around and see if I can catch a glimpse of anyone else from Bellum," she said.

She gave them both a small smile, and she left the rooms in search of Helena. And my Beast.

"Oh, hush already."

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beaute_endormie
2010-06-22 06:06 am UTC (link)

There wasn't much settling to do. Not having any possessions here, Rosalie ended up walking around the room a couple times and then sitting down on the couch and leaning back. She was tired and her head hurt and she found herself not really wanting to be caught up between Ella and Jane, although Ella had her loyalty. Rubbing the side of her face absentmindedly, she glanced at Jane through her rapidly lowering eyelids to see if she had any other questions about who they were supposed to be and what they were supposed to be doing.

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	shebringscurses 2010-06-22 06:30 am UTC (link)
	There were no questions. She retired to the large bed while watching Ella vacate the room. She made no move to intercept the other woman, or to speak to her again. She wants to find him.. Vaughn shrugged silently, carelessly in response to the Witch and gave a comforting smile to Rosalie before drawing her attention out the window. (Reply to this) (Parent)

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