River Stark (blindwitch) wrote in supernextdoor, @ 2011-09-09 12:36:00 |
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Entry tags: | 09.03.11, elizabeth, elizabeth and river, river |
Who: Elizabeth & River
What: River is meeting her Queen
When: Early Evening on Saturday
Where: Elizabeth’s Private Chambers
Warning: None really o.o
River had been traveling the better part of the day, as she had finally been summoned. There had been no tearful goodbye, no ‘I’ll miss you’ from her parents. Hell, she didn’t even get to tell her brother or sister that she would be leaving. They’d probably forgotten about her again. Moving in the seat, trying to get comfortable, River listened to the roar of the plane, the noise lulling her to a sleep.
When she woke, she found herself departing from the plane to be picked up by a driver, thanks to the person who had lead her to the next one. The driver, holding her by the arm, then lead her to get her baggage and then to the car that would take her to meet the queen. When they arrived to their destination, the driver then helped her out of the car, and toward the building. River was counting steps, first how many steps it took to get to the door. Then how many steps it took to get to the room they headed to. The driver then knocked on the door for her, as River extended her walking stick from the folded up position it has been, the red tip at the end a stark contrast to the white of the rest of it.
Then she entered the room without waiting to be called upon, or told that it was alright. Little etiquette's such as that lost on her. Taking a few steps into the room before fumbling behind her to shut the door. And then she stood there, her eyes looking at nothing (as she refused to wear sunglasses to hide them) waiting for some sort of sign that there was someone else in the room, or if she was the only one there right at the moment.
Elizabeth was not yet in the room. It was her private sitting room where only her most trusted confidants were permitted. The new witch would be that, given time. She had a full portfolio on the girl. She was talented in magic, very adept at spell work save for the mishap as a child that left her blind. It was the mental ticks Elizabeth was concerned with. She was growing unhappy with how the starks were conditioning her witches. She was considering having the next child given to her at birth and trained by the current witch.
When one of her servants informed her the new witch had arrived, the queen closed the file she red. “Bring a tea service.” she said by way of dismissal then rose, brushing out her skirts then walking to the next room. She entered the sitting room and looked at the blind girl. She was pretty, as her predecessor had been at that age. The Stark women were a beautiful bunch. It was a shame witches could not be turned. “Welcome, River Stark.” she said in her clipped British accent, walking toward her. “I am Elizabeth, Queen of Toronto.”
While River waited, she finally started to move around the room some, taking careful strides, mainly to get away from the door. She did pause when hearing a door open, her head turning in the direction the sound came from. “Thank you, I hope that you weren’t left waiting long for my arrival.” River was nervous, even though she was trying not to show it. She also counted the steps that the other woman was taking to see how far away she had been. For the briefest of moments she tilted her head as if she was listening to something else, but then she let a faint smile cross her lips, “I’d comment on what a lovely home ..” She trailed off.
Elizabeth watched her closely as she moved to sit on one of the couches. A door to the side opened and a servant came in with the tea service she requested. “There is a chair three steps to your right.” she said. “Please, have a seat.” Elizabeth cared little that the girl was blind. The witch would become accustomed to the palace soon enough. The servant handed the queen her tea, it being made exactly how she liked it and quietly asked the witch how she took her tea.
River turned and took the three steps to her right, before she was able to touch the chair so that she could guide herself to sit in it. As long as nothing drastically changed, she would get used to the surroundings, but it was the little things, like a chair pulled out from a table, those could end up being bothersome, and leaving bruises. As she told the person who was serving the tea on how she preferred it, she was also pulling a small box out of the purse she carried, a little gift that her mother had sent along in hopes to keep the family on the Queen’s good side. Inside the box, which River placed on the table, was a choker with a cameo on it. “Will I be staying here or should I make arrangements for my own accommodations?” She asked, curious about what she hadn’t been explained already by her mother.
Elizabeth would assign a servant to her to help her learn the layout of the castle. She sipped her tea, perfect as always. “You will have your own suite here within the palace.” she told the witch, watching her closely with critical eyes. “You will also have your own staff of servants. If there is anything else you require, you may inform your chambermaid and it will be accommodated to the best of our ability.” Elizabeth preferred treating those in her service well as they would work harder for her. “Your predecessors belongings are now yours. There are many useful things by way of spell books and supplies for you.”
River listened as the Queen spoke, her brows knitted slightly at everything she was being given, not used to this kind of treatment, she hardly knew how to react or what to make of it. Was she supposed to kindly refuse all of that? Or if she did would she just upset the woman? To be on the safe side, she nodded, “Thank you, I really do not need all of that which you offer,” she fidgeted a little bit in her seat, opting to feel for the cup of tea so that she might be able to get a drink. At least to give her a moment to get over the shock that this so far was proving a vastly different life then she was accustomed to. “I will stay out of the way as much as possible.” She then vocalised, thinking that she would make sure not to make a nuisance out of herself or getting underfoot.
Elizabeth was definitely going to have to have a chat with the Starks. She didn’t need a timid, scared witch. The queen required a strong witch in not only power but mind and body as well. This broken thing was going to take time to fix which was an annoyance. “I don’t know what you were told of me or taught, but obviously it was not correct information.” she said, setting down her teacup. “I am not a tyrant. You are not my slave. You are an employee, for lack of a better term. You are compensated for your work and treated fairly. Your grandmother was one of my closest confidants and I hope you will become the same some day. A smart queen surrounds herself with not only powerful but also trustworthy people.”
River knitted her brows in a slight look of confusion. This really wasn’t like she had been taught, not that she was going to complain, just it would take a bit to get used to. At the moment ,and the first time in a long time, she wished she could see the other person. At least so she would be able to see if there was truth there to the words. But right now, to River, only time would tell. Opting to change the subject before she ended up pressing her luck too much already on her first day here, “And is there anything pressing that needs my .. skills immediately?” If the Queen ended up saying no, she had no idea on what she would do with herself in the meantime. Exploring both home, and city could be an option, at least that way she would get to know where certain places were.
Elizabeth glanced the the large clock in the room. She had a meeting soon about business matters. “No, there is nothing pressing at the moment.” she said with a smile, even though River could not see it. “Take some time to adjust, learn your surroundings. Your head servant will be in in a moment to show you to your suite. Let her know anything you may require.” Elizabeth stood then, smoothing out her dress. “I have some matters to attend to. I shall send for you when I have need of you. Until then, your time is your own. Welcome to my court, Miss Stark.” With that, Elizabeth left, leaving the blind witch alone for the moment to allow her to gather her thoughts.
River nodded at the words leaving the Queen’s mouth, even if it just reminded her slightly of her parents having to leave so quickly as well whenever they were around her for a length of time. “Thank you.” she called after the woman, even if she wasn’t sure on if she had completely gone or just seemed to have. So River then waiting until the servant showed, offering to guide her by the arm, and River asking to go slow so she may count. The corner of her mouth finally turned upward toward a semblance of a smile. “Also, when you next go shopping there are going to be some things I require.” And certainly some things were going to be much, much harder to get then the others. But even so, each little thing was important to the bigger picture.