Another start (Isabella, Gisborne, Roe, Morgan)

[Isabella]

Isabella felt a stab of annoyance at Lady Gosford's words. The woman did not even know Roe, but that wasn't stopping her from flirting with him. It was partly the forwardness that irritated Isabella, but mostly the fact that it was Roe who was on the recieving end. It made her uncomfortable. Still, for all Lady Gosford knew, he could be married with seven children! But even if that was the case, Isabella doubted that its impropriety would even cross Lady Gosford's mind. Isabella had heard about life at court. It was fashionable, desirable, but riddled with corruption. No-one was shy to use any tactics necessary in order to get what they wanted, and this noblewoman would be no exception. Isabella determined to keep a close eye on her.
Unwilling to let Lady Gosford's conversation with Roe continue, and also realising that her last sentence had been a hint, Isabella spoke.
"Of course, you must be hungry," she said, "The prince has had some refreshment provided for you in the dining hall."
She gestured towards the entrance to the castle as a means of offering to take her there.

[Morgan]

Being in Nottingham, Morgan decided it was time to kill two birds with one stone, as the proverb went. He'd already received a scathing note from Prince John for missing his non-wedding, even though Morgan had pleaded weariness after his long journey. However, he couldn't put it off forever and so, reluctantly, Morgan steered his horse, Pilgrim, towards the Castle and, reaching the bustling courtyard, had dismounted and led his horse into the stables. He surprised the ostler but had charged the man with watering Pilgrim and making the old horse comfortable until they were ready to leave. Pausing in the stable doorway, Morgan looked across the courtyard. Wagons were being unpacked and guards were being employed with the menial work of getting the contents into the castle.

Taking a deep, fortifying breath, Morgan marched across the courtyard before his nerve could fail him and up the stone steps to the great door of the Castle. There, he found his way blocked by two Noble ladies and a Knight. "Hmmm," he humpfed impatient to find his way slightly impeded, glaring at the trio before he slipped past them and continued into the Great Hall. Here he struck gold! The table was set for a meal. Wandering down the table, Morgan helped himself to a corner of bread and then tore the leg off a cooked chicken. Eating as he walked, the former Knight slopped some red wine into a pewter goblet then sat down. Putting his feet on the table, Morgan sat back and relaxed, savouring his food and wine. In time, when they were ready, someone would come and find him.

[Eveline Gosford]

Eveline smiled warmly, in a slightly knowing way, at the other lady and followed her into the castle.
Lord, I love playing with people's heads, she laughed to herself. This woman must think me the worst sort of slut available.
"You said, the prince is lacking excitement. Who has been keeping him entertained?"

Just as she finished speaking, Eveline reached the doorway of the hall.
"And who precisely, may I ask, are you?" she enquired with raised brows, settling in the chair opposite the man.

[Roe]

"My, my. What would the prince say? I handsome knight leading me to my bedchamber..." She smirked at him. "I will take your proffered escort, sir. But first I really feel the need to eat."

Roe flushed slightly at the off-hand compliment, but quickly recovered, as he thought, did Isabella. “I am sure that the Prince will not be surprised milady. It is one thing to be led, it is quite another to cross the threshold. I am sure that a noble of your beauty does attract much interest. In fact, I would not be surprised that you run across some in the Great Hall, where I expect Lady Thornton will take you now so that your hunger can be satisfied.”

“However, I’m afraid I am on duty for some time, so while you are entertaining yourself in the Great Hall, my men and myself, will assist and supervise the movement of your servants and your belongings, unless you have further need of my presence. If, when you are finished in the Great Hall, that you still desire an escort, all you need to do is have Sir Rober’ summoned.” With a respectful nod Roe began to depart, giving Bella the slightest of winks.

[Isabella]

Isabella looked down at her feet at Roe's words.
"It is one thing to be led, it is quite another to cross the threshold."
She could see the truth in that, remembering their last meeting. She looked up just in time to see him departing their company.
Isabella prepared herself for a hard time with Lady Gosford when Roe left. Now, she would be on her own with that domineering lady of court, and she had to think very carefully of what she said before she said it. Slightly buoyed by Roe's wink, she walked with Lady Gosford into the Great Hall. It was more like she was being led by her, even though the woman had only just arrived. Her adaptability was slightly unsettling. She'd walked into the castle as if she owned the place, and she certainly seemed to know what she wanted.
Isabella's thoughts on the new visitor were swiftly interrupted when she noticed the man sitting lazily at the table, gorging himself on the food that was meant to be for Lady Gosford. How had he got in without anyone noticing? Isabella realised that he must have slipped past them when she and Roe had been distracted by the newcomer. Still, she, like Lady Gosford, had no idea who he was, or why he was taking liberties with other peoples' food. Insolent man, he even had his feet on the table.
She was going to demand to know what his purpose was there when Lady Gosford spoke. Isabella rolled her eyes. Why had Prince John arranged for her to greet that woman when she did everything by herself anyway? She found herself wondering how long she was going to stay. If it was any great length of time, she just might drive her insane, and thoroughly enjoy the sport.
Isabella frowned at the man at the table, expecting an answer, and a good one for that matter.

[Morgan]

"And who precisely, may I ask, are you?"

Morgan continued eating, stripping the flesh from the chicken leg with his strong white teeth. He took the opportunity, as he chewed, to glance over the two women. Both were dark haired, and beautiful. Pretty ornaments to grace the Castle for sure. There was something about the haughty one's manner that struck a chord with him. She seemed familiar and then he remembered, those long ago days he suffered at the Royal Court.

Finishing his chicken, Morgan threw the bone into the fire and slowly licked his fingers clean. The hunger knawing the pit of his stomach appeased, the retired Knight put his arms behind his head and stretched back into a relaxing position. "Have I changed so much since I went to the Holy Land, my Lady?" He finally deigned to reply, a smile curling the corner of his mouth. "Although you were only a young flibberty gibbert when I left the Court, and I don't expect you noticed me that much when I was there."

With one swift movement, Morgan swung his feet off the table and stood up. "Morgan Fitzroy, formally of Durham, formally a Knight in the army of our beloved King Richard, now a simple gentleman farmer of Clun." He gave a deep mocking bow, "At your service."

[Eveline Gosford]

"Morgan Fitzroy?" she said in a wondering tone, a warm smile spreading over her face. "My, you have changed." She got up, walked to within arm's reach and curtsied. "And would ask how you are doing, but the answer is evidently very well."
It showed just how much Eveline was feeling the strain of being somewhere no-one knew who she was that she was delighted to see the prince's uncouth half-brother.
"Now, I do believe you have just availed yourself of my dinner. Would you care to join us to finish it?"

[Morgan]

Morgan returned Eveline's curtsey with a short bow. "My Lady, may I say that you have grown even lovelier in the years that I've been away." He looked across at Isabella. "And who is this beautiful Lady? May I have the pleasure of your name, my Lady? For it is my honour to make your acquaintence."

As he waited for their hostess to speak, Morgan turned back to Eve. "You are right, my Lady, I have come to pay my respects to his Grace, Prince John. It only seemed right as I wasn't able to attend for his recent wedding." Looking at the food on the table, Morgan flushed. "My apologies, I didn't realise it was your meal that I interupted. Please sit and eat. I will be fine with my goblet of wine." Morgan moved around Eveline and held out a chair for her to sit in. Looking around at Isabella, he tilted his head to one side. "My Lady?" He asked Isabella, "Will you sit with us?"

[Eveline Gosford]

Jul 9, 2009 19:35:26 GMT Morgan said:

"My Lady, may I say that you have grown even lovelier in the years that I've been away."

Eveline blushed slightly at his kind words.
"Just don't let the prince hear you, he seems to think I'm his exclusive property."

As he waited for their hostess to speak, Morgan turned back to Eve. "You are right, my Lady, I have come to pay my respects to his Grace, Prince John. It only seemed right as I wasn't able to attend for his recent wedding."

"What?!" exclaimed Eveline, losing all traces of light flirtation. Her shock and anger at this crucial piece of information not having been passed to her erased all else. She rounded on Isabella.
"Why was I not told?" she asked, her voice quivering with rage. "So, the prince is married and no-one thought it sensible or right to tell me."

Looking at the food on the table, Morgan flushed. "My apologies, I didn't realise it was your meal that I interupted. Please sit and eat. I will be fine with my goblet of wine." Morgan moved around Eveline and held out a chair for her to sit in.

"Thank you, at least manners have not abandon Nottingham entirely." She sat down and tried to bring back her warm smile, but it was still a bit forced. "So tell me, Lord Fitzroy, how has life treated you since we last saw one another?"

[Isabella]

Isabella continued to look sternly at the man. Morgan Fitzroy. Now there was a name she was not going to forget easily. Her eyes flicked from Fitzroy to Lady Gosford as they talked. So they knew one another, evidently from a long time ago, though. Old friends had a habit of turning up in Nottingham, she supposed. Despite his sudden gallantness, Isabella continued to frown at him.
"Lady Isabella Thornton," she introduced herself, forcing her feet to curtsey respectfully.
She ground her teeth when Fitzroy asked her to join him and Lady Gosford. Who was he to ask her to join him? She was meant to be the hostess, but that was a role which these two seemed to take for themselves. There was little which she would enjoy less than sharing a meal with them. But, manners first.
Isabella forced a smile.
"It would be my pleasure," she said, taking a seat.
Her reservations about Lady Gosford suddenly multiplied when she shouted at her angrily. So she hadn't been told about the prince's wedding, then. She must be one of the few people who didn't know about that eventful day. She had certainly missed out on a lot. It brought the ghost of a smile to Isabella's face as she thought of it. Allan as a bride was something which she had never expected to see in her life... and never really wanted to see again, for that matter. Still, it had done wonders for Prince John's confidence, by knocking it down a peg or two, and the outlaws had obtained a good deal of swag for the poor of Locksley.
She turned to Lady Gosford seriously.
"I am sorry, Lady, but it was my mistake to think that you had already heard this news," she said politely, "Had I known that you did not, I would have given you a report on the prince's state of mind, but assuming otherwise, I did not think to tell you. The prince was to be married to a noblewoman, a Lady Rosetta Court. But on the wedding day, wicked outlaws kidnapped her and one of their number posed as the bride. Robin Hood, one of the outlaws in question, called the wedding to a halt and stole from the wedding guests. He attacked the prince, who was luckily not wounded, and escaped with his men. It is my belief that the arrangement between the prince and Lady Court is now over.”
Isabella prepared herself for an explosion of fury on the behalf of Lady Gosford.

[Eveline Gosford]

Eveline just shook her head and sat back down in her chair.
"Well, well, well. Just my luck!" she sighed. How is it that I come so close to freedom and then have it taken from within my grasp without even knowing it? Still, it is little wonder he wanted to rage in person not by letter.

"Shall we?" she said, reaching for the chicken and some bread to put on her wooden platter. "So, where is the prince, now?" she asked in a fairly pleasant tone. She then took a sip of the wine she had just poured into her goblet

[Isabella]

Isabella sighed internally. The expected outburst of rage had not come, and was replaced by little more than an annoyed remark. Well, that was one thing to be grateful for. She watched as Lady Gosford began to put some food onto her trencher, and began the meal. That was another thing to be grateful for. Isabella had hardly eaten that day, and just looking at that food made her feel ravenous. She was tempted to wolf down a hunk of chicken as Fitzroy had done earlier, but, manners first. Those two words were fast becoming a mantra to her. She proceeded to pick a few grapes off the bunch nearest to her and eat them as daintily as humanly possible.
“The prince is in his chamber,” she informed Lady Gosford, holding off on the grapes to speak, “He spends most of his time there recently, given the current state of affairs.”

[Morgan]

Morgan recoiled at Eveline's backlash. It seemed, for all her pretty looks, she had a devil of a temper on her. He narrowed his eyes, disliking this sort of coarseness in a woman. Then Morgan turned to Lady Isabella. Now here was a woman to be admired. For all her courtesy and manners, there must surely be a strong woman inside. Morgan gave a small smile to himself as he drank his wine. He wondered how it would be to covet this Lady. "I must admit, Lady Eveline, I didn't mention the wedding as a non-event because, like the good Lady Isabella here," He bowed his head to Isabella, "I thought it was already common knowledge."

A muscle twitched in Morgan's cheek as Eveline asked him what he'd been up to, in those long years away from the Royal Court. "My Lady," He began, looking at Eveline with blank eyes. "You give me a title I neither own nor wish. I am simply Sir Morgan, or Master Fitzroy if you prefer. I was never given a title nor even lands before I was bequeathed my small estate at Clun. It seems blood, well my blood at least, doesn't count for much." Morgan pursed his lips and looked into the depths of his goblet of wine. How easy it would be to drink, and continue drinking, until oblivion took him. And, if he had been alone, he would no doubt have drunken himself into a stupor.

"My Lady Eveline, the fates have been such that my life has not been at all easy since I left the Court, but I fear this is not the time nor the place for such a tale. The Prince has requested our presence, although I think he would be happier with yours rathern than mine in his present frame of mind. Perhaps I ought to delay my visit until another day. What say you, Lady Isabella?" He looked across the table at Isabella. "Would you entertain me with your company whilst Lady Eveline visits the Prince?"

[Eveline Gosford]

Jul 11, 2009 16:21:37 GMT Isabella said:

“The prince is in his chamber,” she informed Lady Gosford, holding off on the grapes to speak, “He spends most of his time there recently, given the current state of affairs.”

I'm sure he does! thought Eveline, bitterly. Of course, he couldn't possibly have written to tell me! No, he wants to rage and storm at me in person and then he'll expect me to fix it, even though I don't know the players! Will he never change?! Will I ever learn? She sighed, heavily, tore a strip off a hunk of bread and used it to wipe up the dregs in her goblet.

Jul 12, 2009 20:43:32 GMT Morgan said:

"I must admit, Lady Eveline, I didn't mention the wedding as a non-event because, like the good Lady Isabella here," He bowed his head to Isabella, "I thought it was already common knowledge."

"Oh, I am sure it is around here. However, I do beg you to remember that I have been looking over Kent for the past six months, so I am not currently in my usual place with the prince's affairs."

"My Lady," He began, looking at Eveline with blank eyes. "You give me a title I neither own nor wish. I am simply Sir Morgan, or Master Fitzroy if you prefer. I was never given a title nor even lands before I was bequeathed my small estate at Clun. It seems blood, well my blood at least, doesn't count for much."

"Ah," she said, uncomfortably aware that she had been granted lands by the prince only the year before. "I do beg your pardon, Sir Morgan, I meant no offence."

"My Lady Eveline, the fates have been such that my life has not been at all easy since I left the Court, but I fear this is not the time nor the place for such a tale. The Prince has requested our presence, although I think he would be happier with yours rathern than mine in his present frame of mind.

"Oh, yes," said Eveline, bitterly, before she could stop herself. "I'm sure he's bursting to see me." She said it with the sort of vehemence that let every morpheme be heard.
"Sorry," she sighed, sitting back and gently laying her hand across her face, her nose resting between the knuckles of her middle and ring fingers. "You weren't to know what will be expected of me later. I am a stranger in your land, it is quite unfair of me to expect you to act like your counterparts in my land."

[Isabella]

Isabella watched both nobles carefully. She hid her frown of disapproval at Lady Gosford’s outburst. It seemed that she was constantly treading the line between prudence and unruliness. Whenever she said something in haste, she apologised immediately afterwards, as if she had not meant to utter the words that had left her mouth.
She noticed the way Fitzroy gave Lady Gosford a look of distaste, and wondered how well they had known one another in the past. But that wasn’t the only thing she wanted to know. What did he mean about his blood not being worth much? She stayed silent as they talked, thinking it over.
Suddenly, Fitzroy spoke, and she realised that he was addressing her.
“What say you, Lady Isabella? Would you entertain me with your company whilst Lady Eveline visits the Prince?"
Isabella, albeit surprised by this request, smiled politely and nodded acquiescently.
“Of course,” she replied, “It would be my pleasure.”
That was another thing: why was he so rude when he entered the castle, but now, so civil? She couldn’t make up her mind about him.