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1. [DL-W] Who is the 'Lady' Here? (JP)
From: "Arlene" <wondermom@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
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Message: 1
Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2005 23:13:47 -0500
From: "Arlene" <wondermom@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
Subject: [DL-W] Who is the 'Lady' Here? (JP)
Day 15
Early Evening
----
Lord Fowler himself opened the door as Reginald waited to escort the
older man and his daughter to dine at the dining hall. "Please, come
in. Jennifer is not quite... ready. You know, young ladies." Hamn
chuckled.
Reginald nodded and stepped inside the cramped hallway.
"I would be honored my Lord." Reginald stated.
Reginald perused the room with his calculating eye, and wondered just
where Miss Jennifer had gotten her expensive tastes. It was a simple
room, and one that showed the lower base side of his host.
But, he was not about to ruin such a rich op****tunity as this. To sit
and work through the beginning levels of an acquaintance, so that in
the
end he would receive what was his due.
As they waited for the young Miss Fowler, Reginald and Hamn bantered
back and forth about the running of estates and the like. But Hamn
quickly tired of this and went to fetch his daughter.
"I hope you will do me the honor of riding in my carriage?" Reginald
happened to have the carriage available since he'd planned on using it
to bring back his bride-to-be to his estates.
"It will certainly be quicker than walking all the way across the
warren..." Jennifer smiled, quite impressed.
Reginald's haughty smile only irritated Hamn Fowler, but he had to
agree
with Jennifer. He wished his son and his dragon were available to give
them a lift over, but since they were dining with Ari and the Prince,
he
knew that this offer was better than the alternative.
---
The carriage rumbled to a stop outside the dining hall. The ruts in
the
cart path had jostled the occupants quite considerably, but Jennifer
wouldn't let on how much she might have preferred to have walked
considering the condition of the inner roads of the warren.
Lord Fowler, however, merely commented that he'd need to speak to the
warrenlady about road maintenance.
Reginald tried to keep his composure but couldn't help the disdainful
glance that he gave this simple country Lord. "The roads on my estate
are all kept in top condition."
"Well, that's because you don't have dragons to take you from place to
place," Hamn replied as he descended from the carriage.
Faylen, dressed comfortably in trousers, ran up to the carriage
squealing with glee as she heard the voice of the man who was like a
second father to her. "Lord Fowler!" she cried out. "How are you doing?
Are you busy? Come eat with me!"
The Earl was about to say something about Lord Fowler was dining with
him, but Hamn Fowler embraced the young woman and replied, "We would be
delighted to join the Junior Queenrider, for dinner." He gave the Earl
and Jennifer a sharp glance before following the young woman inside.
They made their way into the dining hall and to the tables that had
been
set aside for the im****tant guests of the warren who had been steadily
arriving for the ball that was to take place the following evening.
Room was made for them at what appeared to be the head table. Servers
immediately brought them the first course and poured wine for their
drinks.
After they had sat, Lord Fowler made the introductions "Faylen, this is
Reginald, Earl of Ravencroft. Reginald, this is Faylen, Rider of the
Junior Queen Shyla, daughter of my dear stable master Faris Walker, and
our wonderful cook, Selene Walker." It gave Hamn distinct pleasure to
watch Reginald digest that information and try to place how best to
address the young woman.
Faylen smiled broadly as she reached over and gave Reginald a firm
handshake just like her father taught her, "Pleased to meet you
Reginald. How do you find the warren? I hope you're visit's pleasant."
Faylen then looked over at Jennifer and smiled, "And Jen! How are you
doing, little one? It's been a long time!"
Reginald blinked in surprise and opened and shut his mouth a few times
but found nothing came out.
Jennifer, however, bristled, "I guess it has been a long time, and you
might notice I'm not 'little' anymore!"
Lord Fowler's laughter rumbled out, "No, no, and she won't let me
forget
that she's a young 'lady'... reminds me every day, in fact."
Jennifer stiffened, knowing that her father was simply pointing out
that
she was not acting the part of the lady at all. "Yes, of course,
father. Very nice to see you again, Faylen." Jennifer amended.
Faylen, remembering that she was now a representative of the warren,
tried to smooth the smile on her face and attain a serious demeanor,
though her amber eyes sparkled gaily "Well, no, you're not little
anymore are you. I apologize. Truly."
Jennifer softened slightly and managed a smile, but her eyes were
scanning the assembled crowd, looking to see if anyone noticed that
she,
Lady Jennifer Fowler, was sitting at the head table with an Earl... and
a junior queenrider.
"So, my dear, how are you getting on with your young queen?" Hamn
asked
Faylen. "She is quite a beauty!"
"She flew today for the first time! Well, she and the others from that
wilder clutch. Did J'red tell you about that? Gob, Merissa's boy
Oberon,
and I found them in a cave, the mother had been killed." She shuddered
at the memory of the slain female. "Of course, we couldn't let the eggs
perish, so we got a wheel barrow and fetched them back to the warren."
Hamn sat forward, enthralled as Faylen told the tale, Jennifer rolled
her eyes at what she perceived as melodrama, though she was the queen
of
melodrama, herself.
"That is amazing!" Hamn Fowler's rumbling laugh echoed off the cave
walls, making Jennifer wince inwardly. "In a wheel barrow? And no,
Jared neglected to tell me of that detail. Last time we talked, the
boy
was rather distracted by the wing's training maneuvers for the Prince's
review...."
"Hmph, that wasn't the only thing distracting him," Jennifer snickered,
"He was more interested in fixing that dress for Ari, if I recall."
Reginald's ears picked up as he heard his bride's name mentioned, "Ari?
The Lady Arideregh? He was having a dress fixed for her?"
"We have the best seamstress in all the White River Domain," Jennifer
stated proudly.
"So, what brought you all the way from Rallengarde? Certainly it
couldn't be merely a young girl's coming out ball?" Lord Fowler
attempted to redirect the conversation, as he saw Faylen's reaction to
Jennifer's comments on the dress. It was obvious to him that Faylen
still carried a torch for his son.
Reginald sat back and smiled with an ease of many years of learning.
"Why I am here at the King's behalf." Reginald replied evenly. It was
always better to speak the truth when all else fails, for the truth
always managed to escape sooner or later. And for now, there was no
one
else here that really mattered.
"I have come to escort the Lady Arideregh back to court, where she is
to
make her home." he replied evenly. "She has been sorely missed these
many long years."
Faylen's brow furrowed. What was this, she wondered, leaning forward
with interest. Something sounded amiss here, and she wasn't sure she
trusted Lord Reggie.
Lord Fowler smiled back. He could sense he was being baited, but for
what? He decided to play along, "Missed? I never knew that she had
been at court. And certainly, isn't that why her cousin, the Prince,
is
here? Why would the King need to send anyone else?" He feigned
disinterest, but watched the Earl's reactions closely. He seemed to
have struck a nerve.
Reginald hid his displeasure well, and it was good to know the old man
was up on the rumors and tales of the court.
"I only go where my King asks me My Lord." Reginald replied keeping an
edge of awe to his voice. "I am not privy to the Prince's schedule or
itinerary, but perhaps there is a conflict and he can not give his
cousin the desired and needed attention upon her return to the court."
Reginald finished.
"As for her never having been there, that, too, is true." He smiled
and
slipped a glance at Jennifer noticing her sulky appearance at being
ignored. "I do not profess to know the inner workings of the Royal
Family. I do know that the King expressed a desire for Lady Arideregh
to return and begin her Royal duties."
He smiled as he glanced at Jennifer and turned back to face her father.
"I am sure that once Lady Arideregh is settled in at court, that many
of
the eligible young ladies will fancy an invitation to join her there
for
a season."
At that Jennifer suddenly perked up. She turned toward her father and
carefully commented, "Yes, wouldn't that be delightful? And I'm
certain
that it would be such a comfort for her to see a familiar face. Do you
think I might be able to go, father?"
Lord Fowler chuckled. So, this is what she'd been up to. She
certainly
had her mother's high spirits, too bad Jennifer didn't inherit her kind
heart, as well. Perhaps that would come in time, he thought. "We shall
see, Jennifer. We shall see." Jennifer could think that meant that he
would consider her going to court for a season, but in reality he
wondered whether Ari would even be going at all. Reginald believed Ari
belonged in court, but Lord Fowler certainly didn't; and if he were
reading this correctly, Reginald also seemed to think she belonged with
him, and on that count, he was also mistaken.
Jennifer smiled her most winning smile. She could look quite lovely
when she smiled and it was certainly much preferable to her sullen
attitude she'd been displaying since her arrival.
"So... The ball." Faylen said, taking a bite out of her dinner roll,
"I'm sure that you are excited about that, aren't you Jennifer?" Faylen
asked. "Of course, a lady such as yourself, you know how to wear such
fine gowns as what the royal seamstress made for Ari, Xanthia, and us
queenriders, better than I do. I'm sure I'll look the fool, even as
beautiful as it is."
Jennifer's face flushed with jealousy. Was she the only one there who
was wearing the old back-water style that her dressmaker had fa****oned
for her? She had begged for her dress to be made over similar to the
fa****on of Ari's dress, but her father's seamstress had only laughed
and
said a young lady of her age should be wearing something more
appropriate to her years. "I am very much looking forward to the
ball...
but why... if the royal seamstress is here, did Jared bring Ari's dress
to ours?"
"You're seamstress? Why, whatever for? Mine was perfect. Was it too
snug?" Faylen took a quick drink of wine, hoping her little barb went
unnoticed. She really didn't mean to be catty, but the whole situation
with Ari and J'red was just wrong.
Jennifer's father smiled at his daughter and replied evenly, while
watching Reginald's reaction, "Why Jared brought it to fix a tear Ari
made in it when trying it on for him."
"Ah, that was nice of him," Faylen said, smiling politely, "J'red
always
knows the right thing to do. He's so considerate. Too bad about the
dress. I hope I have better luck. I trust it was fixed adequately?"
"I guess we'll find that out tomorrow night," Jennifer quipped. She
hoped that the tear was quite visible.
Reginald choked slightly, and looked around for the young woman who was
promised to be his bride. She had been trying on her dress for...
J'red
Fowler? "And just where are they...? I would have thought they'd have
been here by now."
"Oh, Ari and Jared? They aren't coming here for dinner," Jennifer
could
hardly contain her glee, as she saw Faylen wince as she continued,
"They're dining together... with the Prince."
Hamn frowned, "Yes, I am sorry, Reginald. He came by earlier to offer
his apologies that he could not join us for dinner as he already had a
prior engagement."
Reginald paled, "Oh, yes. I completely understand." Which he didn't.
He was furious. Was the Prince deliberately making a fool out of him?
Had he really paired the Lady Arideregh with ... that lordling... in a
private dinner party?
"I'm sure that J'red's there representing the warren. It's a part of a
Wingleader's job much as it is a queenrider's," Faylen explained,
though
she was more trying to quell her own fears.
Jennifer sneered, "Yes, I can see that. Jared servicing the Lady
Arideregh, while Merissa is doing the same for the Prince... all for
the
warren."
Faylen flushed bright red, unable to contain her outrage. Tears stung
her eyes as she flew to her feet. Not only had Jennifer ripped into
Faylen's heart, but she'd insulted her own brother and the warrenlady
in
one fell swoop. Worse yet, the young Lady Fowler seemed to be reli****ng
in watching the pain she'd just inflicted. It was too much: Faylen
could
contain herself no longer.
"That was mean! You take that back, Jennifer Fowler! Take it back, now!
How could you?" The young queenrider screamed through her tears.
"I won't. It's true!" Jennifer shouted back.
"Jennifer!" Lord Fowler's face reddened, "You don't know what you're
saying. Faylen, please, my apologies...."
Reginald choked as he watched this display. So, the little queenrider
had feelings for Jared Fowler, and that upstart of a boy was running
around with his bride-to-be! "Miss Fowler, you must be mistaken?"
Jennifer saw that everyone was looking at her and turned a bright shade
of pink, "I... but..." She saw the look of outrage on her father's
face, and she recalled the invitation to court from Earl Reginald...
had
she just ruined her chances? "Yes, I am sorry... I..." She ducked her
head and stared at her uneaten dinner.
"Please, Faylen. Won't you sit back down?" Lord Fowler's voice was
reassuring and calming. He smiled benevolently at the junior
queenrider.
Faylen looked at the faces staring at her, and at Lord Fowler and drew
in a deep breath, calming herself for both the sake of the dear man
before her and the best interest of the warren.
"I accept your apology, Jennifer. I apologize myself. Let's not let
this
ruin our dinner." Faylen said shakily, taking her seat.
Reginald chewed over this bit of information, however, and let the
conversation flow around him.
Lord Fowler managed to remind the girls of some happier times back on
the estates, and then encouraged Faylen to speak more about her young
queen. "I suppose you weren't surprised when you were chosen. Always
thought you had it in you, my dear. But a queen... why, that is quit a
responsibility."
"Ah yes, it is. Though I was most surprised. To be honest, I'd about
given up hope after all this time. Though this did teach me that one
should never give up hoping for anything worth waiting for. Destiny
always prevails," Faylen said, with a pointed look at Jennifer.
[OPEN TAG: Anyone at dinner care to react to the display? What's a
warren with out some good rumors?]
----
Summary:
Day 15
Dinner.
Reginald arrives with a carriage to take Lord Fowler and Jennifer to
dinner at the dining hall. They are met at the entrance by a delighted
Faylen. Faylen invites them to dine with her, and before Reginald can
make a comment, Lord Fowler accepts the junior queenrider's invitation.
Jennifer and Faylen exchange some cross words over J'red, and Jennifer
more than hints that J'red and Ari are sleeping together, much to
Reginald's dismay. Faylen rises to the barb, drawing looks from all
around them.
---
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED BY:
Morgan Allgood
AKA
Junior Queenrider Faylen and Shyla
Carys Murray
AKA
Reginald, Earl of Ravencroft
and
Arlene Jacobs
AKA
Lord Hamn Fowler
Jennifer Fowler
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