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31_days2007-04-23 05:03 pm
seta-suzume.livejournal.com) wrote in 31_days2007-04-23 05:03 pm
[April 23, 2007][Original] The Young Lord
Title: The Young Lord
Day/Theme: April 23, 2007 real happiness within reach
Series: Original, picking back up from where I left off on 4/18/07
Character/Pairing: Thomas, Cara, Hans
Rating: PG
The young man stepped into the room carefully. He limped painfully on his left leg. Cara felt like wincing, but could not bear to look away. He slouched somewhat, but seemed to be of average height and was cloth in many layers of loose, white clothing. The left side of his face was marked by an old scar of indeterminate origin, running from below his cheek to his lower forehead. His left eyelid was closed tight. His lips were very pink, but his face had an unhealthy pallor. His right eye was a pale sea-green tone.
He was definitely Thomas Valdir. His lively, deep red hair confirmed it. "Excuse my butting in, Sir Hans. I seldom hear a good song and I just couldn't help myself."
He achingly came forward a few more steps. Cara felt uncertain of how to behave in his presence, but by the time he had reached the table she could no longer help herself. She sprang from her seat, whisked the chair around to the other side of the table, and pressed Thomas onto it. "Oh, thank you," he sighed.
"No, thank you, sir," she insisted, shuffling back to stand beside Hans' seat.
"Long time, yeah?" smiled Hans. "You've gotten much older since the last time. And now you can walk."
It looked and sounded as though Hans was going to continue talking, but Thomas was not going to be stopped from giving his answer. "Ha! Walk? Just barely! I'm already worn out and I've been working at this for years."
"Why did you come here?" the duke's son changed the subject. He smiled and the smile reached much further along the right side of his face than on his left where it halted suddenly at his scar. He reminded Cara of a scarecrow.
"I have a message from the king to Captain Lestari, but Cara here tells me he's out, as is your father. I'd like to await their return, but if that's not possible, I'm willing to pass the message to you."
"From what I overheard, they're going to be gone for at least the rest of the month," Thomas replied. His awkward grin melted down his cheeks into a subtle smile. "You work at the castle, don't you, Cara?"
The dark-haired woman felt the color fade in her face. What exactly did Lord Thomas know about her? "Y-yes, I do. I'm a wood cutter."
"Excellent," he said approvingly. That was it. Perhaps he knew nothing. He looked back to Hans. "His Highness is probably missing you as we speak. Just tell me about it and you can head back north. I'll have Cara here mark up a map for you with the best path back to Castle Kotiyan."
"No, I came from the Qeymure," Hans corrected him. "There have been troubles there," he added in a softer voice. "And I would like to wait. At least a few days, Thomas. Don't be so quick to rush me out of here."
"So be it," the young lord agreed, "Tell the chamberlain, Sir Dosar, to set you up in the Opal Room."
Hans tittered excitedly. "'Opal Room?!' You're going all out for me, Thomas. Your father doesn't even put all his dukely visitors in that guest room!"
"It's worth it just to see your maniac surprise," Thomas smirked, "And I'm not my father." He nodded to Cara, "Thanks for seeing this dolt safely to my quarters. You are excused."
Cara did not really want to leave unless Hans was going with her. She back-stepped toward the staircase very slowly and just as she turned to head reluctantly down, Hans arose, pushed in his chair, and followed her. "Let's speak again at a later time, Thomas. Perhaps tomorrow."
"So you can keep quiet when you want to, Sir Hans. I suppose that is how you've changed since our last encounter. Tomorrow will be fine."
Hans hurried Cara down the steps, causing her to almost trip more than once. "Geez, Hans, what's the rush?" she complained.
"If I stayed much longer he'd try and force it out of me and I don't think he'd like it!" the blond musician hurried out.
"Tell me about how you know Lord Thomas," she said, in hopes he would oblige.
"Certainly, I'd just like to be seen to my room first," he agreed, "I'll be able to take off my cloak and my shoes."
The chamberlain was not too far away. Actually, he was staring at the pair as they fussed at one another.
"Sir Dosar!" waved Hans, pulling the chamberlain over with a simple swish of his hand. "Lord Thomas says I'm to be put up in the Opal Room!"
Dosar's face showed no sign of questioning the young lord's will, but he did not seem particularly pleased with this development. "Right this way, sir," he directed the castle's guest.
This path was familiar to Cara, unlike the hidden stairs. Dosar brought them around the floor, up the main stairs a level, and around a twisting hallway to a well-polished door which he unlocked with a fat key. "Please do no hesitate to ask any of the servants for whatever you need. And if you must, come speak with me," the chamberlain sighed.
"Many, many thanks," Hans bowed deeply. "I am sure that with the conclusion of my mission, His Highness will reimburse you for any expenses I might incur."
Dosar seemed rather taken aback by this show of courtly grandeur. He nodded thoughtfully and left Hans and Cara outside the open door. Hans' eyes darted mischievously into the doorway. "Let's go have a look-see, eh?"
Cara needed no urging. They scrambled into the room with the musician giggling like an excited child. The wood cutter was more subdued, but still interested in having a peek.
There was a large bed with green and purple sheets, a balcony looking out onto the forest and river, a carved wooden table with legs like miniature trees, and a hundred other small touches that set this room above all the others in the castle Cara had ever entered. "I feel like a king!" declared Hans, unfastening his cloak and tossing it over a chair. He set down his harp much more carefully and flopped onto the bed.
Cara sat down on a chair. "Now about Lord Thomas..."
"Yes, Thomas. I first met him six years ago. He was ten. At that time, he couldn't walk at all. It was a visit with His Highness. I think I had just been appointed. The young lord had a big bandage over his head covering most of the left side of his face. He'd recently had a mild case of the pox, was what Captain Lestari told us. Thomas barely said a word, but his father asked me to play him a song and that made him smile. He was very cute."
Cara smiled dreamily trying to picture the scene. Poor little Thomas. Health-wise he had had it rather hard. And he was only sixteen! She could tell he was young when she met him, but this was more than expected. She was eight years older than the duke's son. Ah, here she was daydreaming about a younger man!
Hans didn't seem to notice. He was lying back on the bed humming to himself. The way he had talked earlier had suggested a greater knowledge of the young lord, but this tidbit was so good it was no let down to hear so little. And with Hans still hanging around, maybe, just maybe, there was a chance of further meetings and greater knowledge of Lord Thomas.
Day/Theme: April 23, 2007 real happiness within reach
Series: Original, picking back up from where I left off on 4/18/07
Character/Pairing: Thomas, Cara, Hans
Rating: PG
The young man stepped into the room carefully. He limped painfully on his left leg. Cara felt like wincing, but could not bear to look away. He slouched somewhat, but seemed to be of average height and was cloth in many layers of loose, white clothing. The left side of his face was marked by an old scar of indeterminate origin, running from below his cheek to his lower forehead. His left eyelid was closed tight. His lips were very pink, but his face had an unhealthy pallor. His right eye was a pale sea-green tone.
He was definitely Thomas Valdir. His lively, deep red hair confirmed it. "Excuse my butting in, Sir Hans. I seldom hear a good song and I just couldn't help myself."
He achingly came forward a few more steps. Cara felt uncertain of how to behave in his presence, but by the time he had reached the table she could no longer help herself. She sprang from her seat, whisked the chair around to the other side of the table, and pressed Thomas onto it. "Oh, thank you," he sighed.
"No, thank you, sir," she insisted, shuffling back to stand beside Hans' seat.
"Long time, yeah?" smiled Hans. "You've gotten much older since the last time. And now you can walk."
It looked and sounded as though Hans was going to continue talking, but Thomas was not going to be stopped from giving his answer. "Ha! Walk? Just barely! I'm already worn out and I've been working at this for years."
"Why did you come here?" the duke's son changed the subject. He smiled and the smile reached much further along the right side of his face than on his left where it halted suddenly at his scar. He reminded Cara of a scarecrow.
"I have a message from the king to Captain Lestari, but Cara here tells me he's out, as is your father. I'd like to await their return, but if that's not possible, I'm willing to pass the message to you."
"From what I overheard, they're going to be gone for at least the rest of the month," Thomas replied. His awkward grin melted down his cheeks into a subtle smile. "You work at the castle, don't you, Cara?"
The dark-haired woman felt the color fade in her face. What exactly did Lord Thomas know about her? "Y-yes, I do. I'm a wood cutter."
"Excellent," he said approvingly. That was it. Perhaps he knew nothing. He looked back to Hans. "His Highness is probably missing you as we speak. Just tell me about it and you can head back north. I'll have Cara here mark up a map for you with the best path back to Castle Kotiyan."
"No, I came from the Qeymure," Hans corrected him. "There have been troubles there," he added in a softer voice. "And I would like to wait. At least a few days, Thomas. Don't be so quick to rush me out of here."
"So be it," the young lord agreed, "Tell the chamberlain, Sir Dosar, to set you up in the Opal Room."
Hans tittered excitedly. "'Opal Room?!' You're going all out for me, Thomas. Your father doesn't even put all his dukely visitors in that guest room!"
"It's worth it just to see your maniac surprise," Thomas smirked, "And I'm not my father." He nodded to Cara, "Thanks for seeing this dolt safely to my quarters. You are excused."
Cara did not really want to leave unless Hans was going with her. She back-stepped toward the staircase very slowly and just as she turned to head reluctantly down, Hans arose, pushed in his chair, and followed her. "Let's speak again at a later time, Thomas. Perhaps tomorrow."
"So you can keep quiet when you want to, Sir Hans. I suppose that is how you've changed since our last encounter. Tomorrow will be fine."
Hans hurried Cara down the steps, causing her to almost trip more than once. "Geez, Hans, what's the rush?" she complained.
"If I stayed much longer he'd try and force it out of me and I don't think he'd like it!" the blond musician hurried out.
"Tell me about how you know Lord Thomas," she said, in hopes he would oblige.
"Certainly, I'd just like to be seen to my room first," he agreed, "I'll be able to take off my cloak and my shoes."
The chamberlain was not too far away. Actually, he was staring at the pair as they fussed at one another.
"Sir Dosar!" waved Hans, pulling the chamberlain over with a simple swish of his hand. "Lord Thomas says I'm to be put up in the Opal Room!"
Dosar's face showed no sign of questioning the young lord's will, but he did not seem particularly pleased with this development. "Right this way, sir," he directed the castle's guest.
This path was familiar to Cara, unlike the hidden stairs. Dosar brought them around the floor, up the main stairs a level, and around a twisting hallway to a well-polished door which he unlocked with a fat key. "Please do no hesitate to ask any of the servants for whatever you need. And if you must, come speak with me," the chamberlain sighed.
"Many, many thanks," Hans bowed deeply. "I am sure that with the conclusion of my mission, His Highness will reimburse you for any expenses I might incur."
Dosar seemed rather taken aback by this show of courtly grandeur. He nodded thoughtfully and left Hans and Cara outside the open door. Hans' eyes darted mischievously into the doorway. "Let's go have a look-see, eh?"
Cara needed no urging. They scrambled into the room with the musician giggling like an excited child. The wood cutter was more subdued, but still interested in having a peek.
There was a large bed with green and purple sheets, a balcony looking out onto the forest and river, a carved wooden table with legs like miniature trees, and a hundred other small touches that set this room above all the others in the castle Cara had ever entered. "I feel like a king!" declared Hans, unfastening his cloak and tossing it over a chair. He set down his harp much more carefully and flopped onto the bed.
Cara sat down on a chair. "Now about Lord Thomas..."
"Yes, Thomas. I first met him six years ago. He was ten. At that time, he couldn't walk at all. It was a visit with His Highness. I think I had just been appointed. The young lord had a big bandage over his head covering most of the left side of his face. He'd recently had a mild case of the pox, was what Captain Lestari told us. Thomas barely said a word, but his father asked me to play him a song and that made him smile. He was very cute."
Cara smiled dreamily trying to picture the scene. Poor little Thomas. Health-wise he had had it rather hard. And he was only sixteen! She could tell he was young when she met him, but this was more than expected. She was eight years older than the duke's son. Ah, here she was daydreaming about a younger man!
Hans didn't seem to notice. He was lying back on the bed humming to himself. The way he had talked earlier had suggested a greater knowledge of the young lord, but this tidbit was so good it was no let down to hear so little. And with Hans still hanging around, maybe, just maybe, there was a chance of further meetings and greater knowledge of Lord Thomas.