Kingsley Family/Alyssa/Important Things

Critically important, even.

Everlight

Dressed simply in her training tunic and pants, Isana tidied her long dark hair into a single braid in the mirror. Her pulse was high in her throat, anxious chills of heat ran along her skin and collected in a nervous swirling in her belly. She let her eyes drift closed and took a long, deep breath, then sighed it out slowly. Somewhere outside bells tolled the hour.

Aly will be home soon.

Am I ready?

Her eyes flicked open and glanced down to the wooden desk and the few items gathered there. Her long hands sorted through and green-blue eyes scanned for the fourth time to be certain she had everything. Carefully each item was slid into the satchel at her hip, and she flipped and secured its latch closed, then scanned the room and gave a nod before departing with swift steps.

Here goes.

A sheet of parchment lay behind on the bed in the chamber she shared with Alyssa in the Royal Suites. Edged in shining gold leaf, it held a lifelike drawing of the black cane corso Shadow with a peony in his mouth leaping over a short message. The words in elegant script read:

  My Darling Sky,
  Come meet me in the Royal garden? I have a surprise for you.
  -Your Dawnstar

Kingsley

Light poured into the throne room of the Ducal Palace, the large stained windows depicting important figures of Perdan's past looming over her expectantly as the waning afternoon sun lit them from behind.  The queens and kings of the past watched her and wondered what the new Queen would make of herself and the realm they had each presided over.

"I think that concludes things." Lord Davenport, the Palace's castellan said with a mischievous smile and a bow.  Sir Graham Goldenfields, commander of the city watch scrutinized his counterpart but said nothing as the other turned and departed.  Graham had been senior when they met upon her knighting so long ago, but now his face, torn and ripped from the Butchery in Brive and aged and weary from so many battles, looked worn and tired, though his eyes still held the spark of dedication they always had.  Alyssa worried for him, but she knew the very suggestion of retirement would offend the old knight, so she held her tongue.  He had earned his place after all, with faithful service to her and to the realm.

"I shall escort you my lady." He said respectfully to the Queen.

"No." She replied firmly, her hand resting lightly on the pommel of the sword at her hip.

"I shall escort her!"  The bard known as Maron called out from across the great hall as he entered dramatically.  Graham rolled his eyes as Alyssa turned to see the impeccably fashionable singer prance into the room and striding over towards where Alyssa was standing.  "A woman so beautiful as our beloved Queen should be accompanied by someone equally as lovely.  Not her grim elder."

"No."  Alyssa said dispassionately.  She was tired, and had not been sleeping much over the past week since her confirmation.  It was far after nightfall before she returned to her Royal Suites, and early in the morning that she woke. There was far to much to do, new rulers were popping up all over The Continent, and reforming a government was especially difficult.  But she had set to her task, and sleep could wait until the kingdom had stabilized.  "Soon my dear..." she muttered softly to herself.  Her two companions apparently did not hear her as they had devolved themselves into a heated discussion about the worthiness of escorting the queen.  Alyssa closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  She was tired, and rather than indulge the two proud servants before her she stepped away across the great hall on her own, to return to her chamber a little early for once.

Her faithful dog Shadow greeted her excitedly when she entered the bedchamber.  She had half a mind to simply lay down and fall asleep immediately, but the parchment at the edge of the bed caught her eye.  She smiled at the crest displayed proudly upon the sheet and at the little message.  Sleep can wait a little longer then. She decided.

"Come my noble escort."  She commanded to Shadow who heeled obediately as she signalled him.  Together they took their leave towards the destiny that awaited them in the Palace's Garden.

Everlight

Isana peered cautiously out a side door from the Royal Suites. To either side stretched a paved walk, and ahead a curving pathway into the gardens. The last rays of sunset were lighting the garden’s well-tended trees from beneath with gold. Grateful for the green expanses between the many residences of the City, she slipped quietly out into the verdure.

This garden was the first place she had ever conversed personally with Alyssa. Back just after King Kay had died… the first time... She and her captain had gone walking in the City and run into Alyssa alone in the Ducal Palace garden. She smiled to herself, remembering how stiffly formal they had been, and so awkward... yet caring, both with words of support for the other.

In the copse of trees ahead branches overhung the paths with whimsical shapes. At the corner where two paths met an elaborate lantern hung above, its flame beginning to shine through as the evening approached. The lantern light lit on the peonies newly planted below and made them seem to glow.

“Lady Isana-”

A voice pitched low came from one side. Isana started and turned to see a figure approach in the twilight, rushing quietly toward her on another path. She beckoned to him and replied quietly.

“Maron! She has gone home then?”

The singer arrived swiftly to the copse of trees and pulled a short flourishing bow.

“The performance was splendid, truly splendid, dear Lady! Our Majesty looked to be ready to serve long hours once again, but with our encouragement she left quickly as she was irritated utterly, and I am sure suspects naught.” At Isana’s small frown here he waved one casual hand. “Effective and all for a good cause. I will admit I had my reservations about our man Graham but it seems he can turn on the drama when the time is right! Aha, yes. She was quite wearied beforehand however, so I know not with what speed she may follow, and hope she does so at all. But you, dear Lady, have proven to be utterly magnetic to her royalness…”

He left off the statement with a coy tilt of his head and a little bat of his lashes.

“Sometimes, Maron, you are too much for me,” Isana levelled at him, though the corner of her lip quirked. It was not in Isana’s nature to be solemn. She carefully opened the satchel and drew out a folded sheet of parchment and one of her soft riding gloves. The niggling thought that it was late, and poor Aly would be tired and maybe this was bad timing for all this rolled itself into a lump in her throat. She furrowed her brows and swallowed.

“Now,” she continued, “as discussed, this is the piece. No elaborations, please. You may preface it as you like, and you are to give both to her quickly afterward. I am assuming Shadow will be her… shadow… as he always is, and the next stop will be an easy find for the pup.”

The singer nodded, squaring his shoulders and accepting the small items as though they were a priceless scepter.

“All shall be as you have planned, Lady Isana.” He took a half-step forward and bowed formally over her hands. “I am honoured to serve her Majesty in all ways. And if I may, though I very much doubt you need such things… Good luck to you.”

Isana nodded, tension creeping back up in her throat as she glanced back to check the paths from the Palace. Quiet and empty.

“Thank you, Maron, for your help.”

She held his gaze for a moment, gave a single nod of farewell and danced off quickly into the purple-red of the deepening sunset, evening air cool against her flushed cheeks. Maron watched her go, wearing a bemused expression with lifted brows. She is as devoted to Alyssa as my Lady is to her realm and principles. Small wonder they are drawn together with such strength of will.

The singer hmm’d to himself. He glanced through the writing on the folded parchment, tucked it in his breast pocket, and swung his lute around from behind him to practice a certain floating melody, standing just out of the lantern’s circle of light, until the expected next visitor arrived.

Everlight

The garden at first appeared empty. As Alyssa followed the formal walk toward the treed corner where she and Isana had transplanted their peonies from the Imperatrix’s Tower, a figure became visible.

It was not Isana, nor even a lady at all who sat in their garden, but Maron: the bard who had long been devoted to Alyssa’s journey. He perched elegantly on the low stone wall, playing a quiet floating tune on his lute and humming to himself, his back to Alyssa. A far cry from his argumentative and insistent self from the throne room earlier. He turned at her approach and rose to greet her formally.

“Ah, dear Lady! Welcome, welcome, and my apologies for the scene earlier.”

Alyssa eyed the bard suspiciously as she walked into the garden. "Have you seen Lady Isana?" She asked with some skepticism, ignoring the singer's typical apology. The Queen narrowed her eyes. You did not forge her note did you?"

Maron chuckled at this. "Oh heavens no, my beloved lady. I know I would never be able to fool you with regards to Lady Isana. And in any case, I would never! You would think I'm a scoundrel!"

Alyssa shook her head and sighed. "Then did you see her?"

"This night? Why of course. She is the cause for my being here in the garden, waiting for you. The Lady Isana has charged me with a solemn and most cruel duty, to perform for you a work of her own creation without any additions of my own. Surely you understand how this pains me."

This surprised Alyssa who had been serenaded over a hundred times by this Maron, usually in a wholly misplaced attempt to woo her. While the act itself was something she had little trouble imagining her partner doing, writing a poem or song was not something she recalled Isana ever mentioning. Her heart felt warmed and comforted by the romantic surprised and she nearly forgot her annoyance with the foppish singer in her service.

"Then you should do as she commands." She noted, a hint of excited curiosity escaping through her typical cool demeanor.

“As you wish, my dulcet Lady. And with my apologies for any words you may mislike, for as I say, these are written by the Lady, unaltered by myself.” He cleared his throat delicately and withdrew the folded parchment from his pocket. He took a slow step into the circle of lantern light and began.

“I loved you first: but afterwards your love Outsoaring mine, sang such a loftier song As drowned the friendly cooings of my dove. Which owes the other most? my love was long, And yours one moment seemed to wax more strong; I loved and guessed at you, you construed me And loved me for what might or might not be – Nay, weights and measures do us both a wrong. For verily love knows not ‘mine’ or ‘thine;’ With separate ‘I’ and ‘thou’ free love has done, For one is both and both are one in love: Rich love knows nought of ‘thine that is not mine;’ Both have the strength and both the length thereof, Both of us, of the love which makes us one.” (Christina Rossetti)

The words faded into the growing twilight, and Maron let them linger a moment before handing the parchment and glove to Alyssa. “She said you would interpret where to find her, from these,” he said with a pleased smirk.

Kingsley

The Queen could not help herself but smile as her bard delivered the sweet flowing words of the woman she loved. Her heart beat heavy in her chest as he sang the poetry of love from one woman to the other. Isana had never recited poetry that she knew of, but hearing the words she felt the truth of them, her own darling's voice from the mouth of the bard Maron.

Both have the strength and both the length thereof, Both of us, of the love which makes us one.”

Alyssa stood still, her hands folded in front of her and a gentle smile on her face as he finished.

"You need not apologize, master singer. For there is not a word among them I mislike."

This seemed to amuse Maron as handed her the parchment and a sturdy riding glove. Alyssa accepted them a little uncertain of the intent, feeling her partner's glove in her hand, a familiar feeling though missing notably the warmth of a lady's hand inside. She looked at Maron with a confused raise of her brow.

This also seemed to amuse him, as a knowing smirk returned. “She said you would interpret where to find her, from these,” he said with a pleased smirk.

She considered the glove in her hand for a moment before reading through the poem again trying hard to keep focus on another meeting instead of the sweetness of the words themselves. A difficult task she found, but as she scanned through the note, she felt the presence at her feet shifting around as Shadow, the black dog who had been escorting his queen investigated the glove, mainly with his nose. Suddenly he bolted off rushing several yards across the garden.

"Shadow." She commanded sternly as he dashed away. The big black dog stopped and stared at her, barking once emphatically. She glanced at Maron who shrugged with exaggerated mock ignorance. She returned his glare which only made him smile once again.

"I believe he's trying to tell us something, Your Majesty."

If he brings me to my darling then I shall follow him wherever he would lead.

Alyssa's glare lingered for only a moment, but she said nothing however as she strode off behind her dark-haired companion, following him wherever he would lead, in the hopes he would bring him to her darling.