Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2015 13:18:41 GMT -5
He could scarcely recall the last time Rosedale was so crowded. It was not just the royal family, or even their entourage. Although one could barely turn a corner without seeing a lord or princeling milling about. Rather it was the enormous number of attendants and men-at-arms amongst their retenue. The guards made for an incredibly restrictive movement around the castle, for Casper at least. To get out of the overheated, stress fused environment Casper had taken to walking the grounds more than ever; although that too came with further bounds as a guardsman was posted with him, presumably to make sure he didn't abscond. Why and where they thought so, was a wonder to him.
The worst of it all was how seldom he had been permitted to see Annemarie. There was the fact that he had to go to the extraordinary lengths of sneaking to go find her after she returned to Lockewood, and since then he'd rarely gained the opportunity to spend long with her, unaccompanied by other family members, like her parents and Markus. Casper had been looking forward eagerly to the day the royal party left and things went back to normal, but even that was not now to be. Against his strong wishes to the contrary, he was to be taken to the capital. The dragon of a Lord Martial had made that clear, eliminating any and all wiggle room on that front.
Despite this, the redheaded boy had done his best to carry on as if life hadn't gotten ever more restrictive. He'd even spotted a bolline while out strolling in the Lockwood markets, the perfect gift for Annemarie - almost identical to the one she had as a girl but lost. Casper had been shot of coin, so he had traded in his newest chaperon - one with intricate embroidery gold embroidery, coloured of deep scarlet that strangely contrasted with his hair. He hadn't minded, plus it the headwear had been expensive which meant he now had gold to spare, free to spend next time he wanted new clothing, or saw a gift.
Getting the bolline to Annemarie had thus far proven to be the difficult part, and unless he planned to wait he knew he'd have to comb the Rosedale to find her. Waiting in the gardens once again seemed a logical choice, though given that was where he spent much of his free time outside studying and chores, he was aware that he might well have been waiting days before he caught her alone. the other choice was actively search her out. The opportunity had arisen that day, Casper had heard she was to entertain in one of the guestrooms. He'd wondered at first, given that the wing in question had been allocated to the royal family, he'd wandered further when discovering the room not to be a library or reception room. But it was certainly big enough to host guests in the conventional, so otherwise he supposed it made enough sense. He would catch her there, and be gone before she was compelled to get down to business.
He'd impressed even himself in getting into the heavily guarded wing of the castle. Slipping in and out of the eye line of people, evading the chink of patrolling guards. Losing his own watchman, too. And finally quietly lying in wait for the moment his sister arrived. That was the part he knew he could do best, which was fortunate. Casper had been there since mid-afternoon, and by the setting of the sun it now looked to be late evening. A maid had been through to light the lamps, but other than that he'd seen nothing of his sister, nor anyone else, and had sat silently in the corner. He was dressed almost entirely in black, save for a violet sash across his chest and the silver rim of his boots. Most distinct of which was the chaperone tied tightly upon his head, also coloured in black he'd determined it was wise that he obscured his head. This locks of red made him most distinguishable, since even with so many in resident, he wasn't aware of any others with hair of such colour.
The door was obscured from his line of sight by the four poster bed, but Casper was content with that. He liked so sit there, close to the cloakroom door - easy for him to slink onto should the maid be through again. When he finally heard the door handle push, after hours of silence, he almost sprang to his feet, recognising the softer more refined step from that of a servant or guardsman, he stepped gently from the shadows to greet his sister.
"Oh... Lunaris" Casper cursed beneath his breath as he saw who stood before him. Not his sister, rather it was the Crown Princess. Startled, he physically jumped, as he staggered backwards toward the bed the knife - Annemarie's bolline - slipped carelessly from his fingers and landed point down in the timber floor. He waited a short moment before he shuffled forward to pick it up, grasping it outward in his fight hand he crept further back, physically shaking at what had happened and the mistake he'd made.
Nicolette Deveraux / Jean-Luc Deveraux
The worst of it all was how seldom he had been permitted to see Annemarie. There was the fact that he had to go to the extraordinary lengths of sneaking to go find her after she returned to Lockewood, and since then he'd rarely gained the opportunity to spend long with her, unaccompanied by other family members, like her parents and Markus. Casper had been looking forward eagerly to the day the royal party left and things went back to normal, but even that was not now to be. Against his strong wishes to the contrary, he was to be taken to the capital. The dragon of a Lord Martial had made that clear, eliminating any and all wiggle room on that front.
Despite this, the redheaded boy had done his best to carry on as if life hadn't gotten ever more restrictive. He'd even spotted a bolline while out strolling in the Lockwood markets, the perfect gift for Annemarie - almost identical to the one she had as a girl but lost. Casper had been shot of coin, so he had traded in his newest chaperon - one with intricate embroidery gold embroidery, coloured of deep scarlet that strangely contrasted with his hair. He hadn't minded, plus it the headwear had been expensive which meant he now had gold to spare, free to spend next time he wanted new clothing, or saw a gift.
Getting the bolline to Annemarie had thus far proven to be the difficult part, and unless he planned to wait he knew he'd have to comb the Rosedale to find her. Waiting in the gardens once again seemed a logical choice, though given that was where he spent much of his free time outside studying and chores, he was aware that he might well have been waiting days before he caught her alone. the other choice was actively search her out. The opportunity had arisen that day, Casper had heard she was to entertain in one of the guestrooms. He'd wondered at first, given that the wing in question had been allocated to the royal family, he'd wandered further when discovering the room not to be a library or reception room. But it was certainly big enough to host guests in the conventional, so otherwise he supposed it made enough sense. He would catch her there, and be gone before she was compelled to get down to business.
He'd impressed even himself in getting into the heavily guarded wing of the castle. Slipping in and out of the eye line of people, evading the chink of patrolling guards. Losing his own watchman, too. And finally quietly lying in wait for the moment his sister arrived. That was the part he knew he could do best, which was fortunate. Casper had been there since mid-afternoon, and by the setting of the sun it now looked to be late evening. A maid had been through to light the lamps, but other than that he'd seen nothing of his sister, nor anyone else, and had sat silently in the corner. He was dressed almost entirely in black, save for a violet sash across his chest and the silver rim of his boots. Most distinct of which was the chaperone tied tightly upon his head, also coloured in black he'd determined it was wise that he obscured his head. This locks of red made him most distinguishable, since even with so many in resident, he wasn't aware of any others with hair of such colour.
The door was obscured from his line of sight by the four poster bed, but Casper was content with that. He liked so sit there, close to the cloakroom door - easy for him to slink onto should the maid be through again. When he finally heard the door handle push, after hours of silence, he almost sprang to his feet, recognising the softer more refined step from that of a servant or guardsman, he stepped gently from the shadows to greet his sister.
"Oh... Lunaris" Casper cursed beneath his breath as he saw who stood before him. Not his sister, rather it was the Crown Princess. Startled, he physically jumped, as he staggered backwards toward the bed the knife - Annemarie's bolline - slipped carelessly from his fingers and landed point down in the timber floor. He waited a short moment before he shuffled forward to pick it up, grasping it outward in his fight hand he crept further back, physically shaking at what had happened and the mistake he'd made.
Nicolette Deveraux / Jean-Luc Deveraux