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 Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2013 2:18 pm
Though Eliza had meet a Guardian or two before, none had ever had Dardanos's presence. He was...well. She hardly had the words to describe him. Edgar had been truly blessed to have been graced by such a buck as this. It was not often that she was given to envy, but at this moment, she was truly jealous of his good fortune. Oh, she did not begrudge Edgar his Guardian, but she longed for such a partner of her own. There was Heather, of course, but even a rabbit from the Wood was only so intelligent. Eliza had no one with which to truly share her life.
"Yes," she agreed, for she could imagine how grateful he must be to have such a person in his life. "You have been blessed, indeed."
"Would..." she hesitated, suddenly remembering her shyness and casting her eyes down once again. Was it alright? Surely this was the purpose of their tea - getting to know one another. Besides, he had been the one who had brought up Dardanos in the first place. Surely he would not have done so if he were objectionable to the subject. "...would you tell me about him?"
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Posted: Sat Dec 28, 2013 2:54 am
Edgar and Dardanos noticed her return to her more shy state together. Through the window, the buck grunted and gave his Chosen an indignant look, as if demanding to know what Edgar had done. Edgar wanted to protest, but on his part, he wanted Miss Winfield to relax as well. His future wife, he thought, ought not be afraid of him or timid or afraid to speak her thoughts.
"Certainly," he answered. "He is... Well, he is everything you could want him to be. Or anything, rather. He seems to know, without ever having been told." His presence had become a familiar sense of security by now, and his absence a slightly terrifying risk, as if any harm that could befall him would if Dardanos was not near.
"One day, he will be like the Wardens of old," he added and there was not a doubt in his mind that it would be so. If anyone deserved it, it was Dardanos. "Awakened, stronger, he will speak..." The thought of having a real, spoken conversation with his beloved friend brought a real smile brimming to the surface.
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Posted: Sun Dec 29, 2013 11:15 pm
That certainly rang true enough to her ears. Dardanos was special. Even for a Guardian, she was certain that there was something unique about him. Something that made him more than so many of the others. Of course, that begged the question of what had drawn the buck to Mister Ashworth. Curious, Eliza chanced another glance at his face only to be met with perhaps the most genuine expression she had ever seen on his face.
...oh.
Face now scarlet, she quickly ducked her head back down. "Y-yes. I imagine so," she stammered.
Oh, but she hardly knew what to think of the man! Why could he not settle on one thing and stay there? Was it too much to ask that he be frustrated, or charming, or angry, or radiant and simply remain that way? Why did he have to be everything in the span of a few minutes? Given the choice, she would certainly hope for charming. Though she might blush, at least it would not overwhelm her so entirely as anything else.
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Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2013 8:27 am
He didn't notice the abrupt changes in his outward manner, nor did it occur to him it must be confusing for poor Miss Winfield, who had never met him before. The need to make at least a decent impression on the woman with whom he might very well spend his life was daunting, and he wasn't sure if his real self, the one that was unafraid to speak his mind against authority and that felt as much at home with gypsies and blacksmiths and female warriors (this last, somewhat debatable) as with barons and dukes and earls, would impress a genteel lady like Miss Winfield. So he had put on something of a mask for her, one that he needed so rarely even in the presence of nobility, trying to assuage the fears he knew she must have about her future husband. But Edgar was not particularly adept at masking himself - and never had been - so his facade could only be a shaky one.
Outside, Dardanos' glowing eyes tracked Miss Winfield's face as she ducked her head. The buck shared with Edgar his view, an image of her face flushed bright, and a mental poke that Edgar knew was supposed to mean, Stop that!
But I haven't done anything! He protested weakly to the buck, as unsure of how to act as she was. This was an unprecedented situation. He had known all his life the proper mannerisms to adopt around good company, the right manners, the etiquette. But all of those lessons seemed ineffectual now that he was confronted with his - he hated to think it - fiancée. Surely there was a better, unscripted way to act around the woman who would one day see through the act of propriety?
He felt Dardanos poke him again. Well... I can't very well be myself! The poor lady would flee, screaming, from the parlor! ... Well, perhaps not... screaming. He stared thoughtfully at the buck, thinking of all the times he had acted in a manner quite unfitting for a man of his station. Training at The Swan - indeed, being anywhere near The Swan - with an underground army, riding days without sleep to Oldcastle only to find himself in the home of a hedge witch... I suppose I could... relax a little, he thought grudgingly, earning himself a nod of approval.
"The next time we meet, perhaps you can meet him in person and not through a window," he said to Miss Winfield, doing his best to rid himself of tension. It was easier said than done.
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Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2013 1:24 pm
"I should like that," she said, for Eliza was always more comfortable with animals than people; and though Dardanos was certainly more clever than the average animal, his form was still that of a buck. Besides, unlike his human counterpart, the Guardian's presence was comforting.
"I should like that very much," she added.
The thought of another meeting had not yet crossed her mind. The present meeting was more than enough to occupy her. However, she found that the prospect was not quite as terrifying as this first one had been. Though she did not understand his character at all, Mister Ashworth was not quite as frightening as he could have been. At the least, she felt as certain as she could be that he would not treat her unkindly.
Perhaps, if she was to meet Dardanos properly next time, she could introduce him to Heather. The rabbit seemed to get on well enough with Dante, and that young Guardian was more of a spitfire than the older buck.
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Posted: Sun Jan 05, 2014 3:14 am
Edgar nodded, watching her with care. He wasn't sure how much she trusted her yet. It was unfair of him for she had done nothing to deserve his distrust, but neither did he know her well enough to gauge what her reaction would be if she were to find out more about him - the one he didn't hide behind a mask of smiles and overly polite chatter. But it was an issue that required some attention, he realized. If he was, in fact, to spend the rest of his life married to Miss Winfield, he would eventually need to know how much he ought to hide from her. That these thoughts were already running through his head didn't necessarily bode well for an honest and open marriage, but there were also parts of his life he wasn't sure he could stand to give up.
But perhaps she will not be so like the others in our society, he thought, perhaps more optimistically than he usually would have been. She seemed like she could be. Or perhaps his judgment had simply been clouded by the fact that their brief conversation had yielded several interests they held in common.
"It would be his pleasure as well," Edgar translated as the buck knocked his antlers against the glass. The light thunk seemed to reverberate down the window pane, and Edgar found himself wishing that Dardanos was on the near side of the glass. Simply by existing, the Guardian was a better conversation starter than he was, and Edgar was beginning to wonder what else he could ask. The strangeness he had felt before that Dardanos had so easily dispelled was slowly returning.
"Have you a favorite book, Miss Winfield?" he decided to say, thinking perhaps that an answer would provide more insight into her character.
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Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2014 4:17 pm
Eliza blinked, startled at the sudden change of topic. Or perhaps it was more of a return to their previous topic, before Dardanos had come up. Still, picking up where they had left off as though their conversation had never been interrupted was a little jarring. So, she reluctantly walked away from the window and back to the little table.
Her tea was cold. Busying herself with preparing another for both herself and Mister Ashworth, Eliza thought about his question. Really, there were so many beautiful stories and histories to be read. It should be difficult to choose one among so many. However, there was one that had captured her attention, imagination, and above all, he heart from the very first sentence.
"Yes," she replied. "History of a Rose by Aubrey St. James." If he was familiar with the title, Edgar would know that it concerned the life of Her Majesty Queen Emelia. More to the point, it expounded more thoroughly on her romance with Lord Basil Saye than any other historian had bothered. Of course, their romance wasn't the only thing that the book spoke of. It was actually a very insightful, well-rounded look at Queen Emilia's life as a whole. Her romance was simply Eliza's favorite part.
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Posted: Fri Jan 17, 2014 11:04 am
He lingered a moment longer at the window, as if loathe to be parted from his Guardian again. If nothing else, Dardanos provided a sense of comfort in situations such as these - namely, situations Edgar had no desire to be in. He couldn't help but feel as though he was confusing Miss Winfield, catching her off guard with his seemingly arbitrary shifts in conversation. They all made sense to him - books, Guardians, books again - but perhaps the link was stronger in his mind than in conversation.
But at least she was still answering his questions. Edgar took that to be as good a sign as he could hope for. But what was he hoping for out of this meeting? It was difficult to say. The outcome seemed irrelevant; if both their fathers had their way, the engagement would become a marriage regardless of what either of them thought.
"Ah," he said, touching the window briefly before turning back to the table as Dardanos bumped his nose against the glass in encouragement. This was one of many historical accounts of past royalty that sat in Lord Ashworth's study. Edgar remembered reading it once at the behest of his tutor. "You enjoy romance, then?" It was more straightforward a question than he had intended. "I mean... of course, in Queen Emilia's history," he said hastily.
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Posted: Sun Jan 19, 2014 2:51 pm
Eliza most certainly did not squeak at Edgar's question. That would have been unladylike, undignified, and otherwise embarrassing. Her face absolutely did not turn its most brilliant shade of scarlet yet, either. Pressing her hands to her cheeks, Eliza did her best to bury her face in them.
Did she enjoy romance? In books or in practice? Of course he meant Queen Emelia's famous affair, but surely even he had to realize how that question had sounded on its own. Oh!
In practice, of course, Eliza would love to be romanced. Not that she had any experience in the arena, nor would she know quite what to do with herself should it happen...not that she actually expected such a thing to ever happen, anyway. She was being married off for convenience; she very much doubted that her fiance felt any particular urge to woo her. After all, he probably had as little choice in the matter as she.
"Of course," she said, her words slightly muffled by her hands. Realizing how childish she must look just then only made her face burn even hotter, but she forced herself to put her hands down...even if she would rather stay hidden there until Edgar left.
It also occurred to her how vague her answer was - an agreement with Edgar's addendum? an answer to his question? some combination thereof? "I...ah, that is...Queen Emilia was an inspiration," she managed at last. "In all aspects of her life. But she was also very lucky to have loved, it is true."
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Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 10:09 am
Edgar bit the inside of his lip at her sudden reaction and snuck a sideways glance at Dardanos, who had lifted his head from snuffling at the snow outside the window to fix him with a mildly disapproving look. That was uncalled for, he conceded, suffering more from guilt that he had caused Miss Winfield such embarrassment than feeling the embarrassment himself.
On the bright side - and it was a tenuously silver lining indeed - her reaction was enough to tell him something about her that perhaps he wouldn't have discovered otherwise. Not that Miss Winfield was alone in enjoying romance, perhaps even wanting to be romanced herself. It was useful knowledge, nonetheless.
Perhaps... you should do something with that knowledge then? he thought, putting into words what Dardano's lengthy stare could not. At that, Edgar felt himself resisting. But I hardly know Miss Winfield, do I? It is not so easy to woo a woman I met half an hour ago, and does it make a difference if we are to be wed regardless?
Well, yes, perhaps it did, came the answer. Perhaps it would make a marriage many times more tolerable. He watched as she slowly put her hands down. And perhaps he would think on it.
"Queen Emelia, I suppose, was also unlike many others in that she did love," he said carefully in agreement, wanting to avoid turning Miss Winfield bright scarlet again. "Many, I think, only ever manage to feel some affection, and never truly love." Queens were not expected to fall in love, after all, only expected to marry the right husband for her country.
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Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2014 7:46 pm
Eliza fell silent, unable to carry on with the subject. It was, by far, too embarrassing. Oh, it was bad enough when her sisters teased her. But a stranger? And a man, at that? But not just any man, her fiance!
Attempting to calm her nerves, Eliza sipped her tea.
By no means was she the type to take the initiative. It was difficult enough to form coherent answers when people took an interest in her. But to be so bold as to make inquiries of her own? It was a daunting proposition.
Given the nature of Mister Ashworth's ever-unpredictable questions, however, she though that it might be best if she...attempted to steer the conversation away from such things. "If...if I may," she began hesitantly, her eyes darting up to his face before looking back down. "What manner of books do you enjoy?"
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Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2014 7:17 pm
Perhaps we ought to have stayed by the window, Edgar thought wryly to his Guardian in the silence that followed. Both of them were just waiting for a way out of this particular topic, he knew, and he was happy to hear her put forth her own question, even though they both knew the impetus behind it was less joyous.
"Of course," he replied in earnest, hoping that this new line of conversation would steer them away from some of the awkwardness that had become quite characteristic of this meeting. And books, after all, was a topic he would never tire of. There were so many to choose from that he realized the difficulty of the question he had originally posed to Miss Winfield. A favorite book? Edgar wasn't sure he could say himself.
"I enjoy any manner of books, but I must say I prefer books that will teach me something," he said after a moment's pause. "How to snare a fox, how to shoot a pistol or craft a boat." How to... build centuries-old torture devices, he recalled, thinking back to the last book he had bought for no reason other than that he didn't yet know how to build a torture device. One day, his constant need to work with his hands, to move, to expend energy, would land him in some real trouble or some very serious judgment.
"I think that is the most beautiful thing about books," he added. "That they have the power to instruct and allow the transfer of one man's knowledge to countless others."
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Posted: Fri Jan 24, 2014 1:53 pm
Eliza nodded at his words. Yes. That made sense. Books that taught practical knowledge would be quite useful - particularly for a man, though she had certainly put a few to good use herself. After all, a good ear and some natural talent were not enough to play sheet music. One needed to at least understand the basics of the pianoforte first...and why stop there? Better to understand the entire instrument.
Of course, that was not where the power of books ended. Edgar hit closer to the mark with his final comment. Books had the power to carry on knowledge for centuries to come. "Perhaps even enough to prevent mistakes from being repeated," she said quietly, as though her thoughts were a million miles away. Then she ducked her head, blushing at her impertinence.
"Forgive me," she said hastily. "That was inappropriate." Would he think her unwomanly? Had her father heard such an opinion from her, she would have been severely scolded.
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Posted: Sat Feb 01, 2014 9:21 pm
The frown that crossed his face was contemplative more than anything and he managed to smile along with it, as if he was faced with something rather curious indeed. This comment, more than the rest she had said so far, had his attention and it was as much the content of her thoughts as the fact that she had expressed them.
"Perhaps," he said, ignoring the fact that it was inappropriate. It was, undoubtedly, but she had seemed for a moment less timid than she had all afternoon and Edgar liked that, liked a girl - or, indeed, anyone - who had thoughts and opinions that concerned more important or interesting things than the latest fashion or which countess had married which duke last month. There were more important things out there, more fascinating things, and that was a truth so many of these lords and ladies failed to grasp.
"It has the potential to, at least. Everything we need to know to avoid past mistakes is written down in the great histories of our country, but I am more inclined to think that we never really move forward as a species. History repeats itself, due more to human error than anything else. We never really learn, do we?" He paused. "Or is that too pessimistic of me?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 02, 2014 8:42 pm
Expecting censure, Eliza scarcely dared believe that Edgar was...unconcerned? Indeed, he seemed to take it for granted that she ought to express her opinion on the matter, however small an opinion it may be. Still tense, she peered up at him through her lashes.
...but it was true. He did not look at all bothered by her lapse. Quite the contrary, he was carrying on as though it were the most natural thing in the world. Baffled, she listened to his thoughts on the matter. They did indeed seem rather pessimistic to her. However, could she say that? "I..."
Certainly, he wasn't paying attention to her slip at the moment, but what if he looked back on it later with disgust. She was, after all, supposed to be a demure lady. What if her unseemly behavior offended him and he deemed her unsuitable? What if her next fiance proved to be worse than Edgar?
No. No, she simply could not risk it. Not for navigating such strange and uncharted waters as the line between proper and improper conversation with one's fiance. "...I could not say, my lord."
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