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| Topic Started: Jul 12 2008, 09:31 PM (104 Views) | |
| Lord Rupert | Jul 12 2008, 09:31 PM Post #1 |
 
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Lord Rupert had been ordering the gardeners around to trim the hedges and make sure that the lilacs matched the posies for summer when the carriage arrived. He was ready to get in and do it himself because he was absolutely certain he could do a better job, but the fear of actually muddying his cornflower blue tunic was too much of a risk for him to actually do it. So he took to stomping his foot and getting flustered with the people unable to take direction. However the carriage arrival surprised him and he was very thankful he hadn't gotten angry enough to do it himself. The large golden G crest on the side would suggest who was inside. He stepped back to give them room. He was standing tight and tall, well - as tall as he could, prim and proper waiting for the occupants to exit. He put on his best noble front, should whoever exit behave like the other girls of the 2nd Kingdom under Gretel's rule he hardly wanted to be the one to welcome them. The lady who exited was crisp and stony faced; a handsome woman who's decoration lacked. She was utilitarian in appearance and dress. It was difficult to guage her age but she merely handed him a thick papered letter and gave him a curt nod. "For your king." Was the only thing she said before getting back in the carriage and commanding it move on. Rupert was first shocked as he watched the carriage diappear; then he was appauled that she didn't even stay for tea. He had to force himself to shake his head to snap out of the horror; nobles didn't act like that. "Kept it up - I'll be back to check on your progress in five minutes time." He commanded calmly and turned to enter the castle. He walked the corridors replaying the event over and over only getting more disgusted as he went. "She could have had the decency to give her name." He mumbled as he entered the throne room. He spotted Wendell and Tony across the way. He was still adapting to the oafish man, but thus far he was making ground and learning to like the king's new friend. "You're highness." Rupert bowed formally to the king, he offered Tony a passing bow. "I have a letter for you." |
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| Wendell White | Jul 12 2008, 10:17 PM Post #2 |
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"But is it not my responsibility as king to test the boundaries of my political adversaries--it's merely a performance of service, an indication of perfection even...how does that constitute as egotism?" Wendell had long ago beaten the subject into the ground, his cheeks growing flush as he sighed heavily and brought his hand to rest against his cheek. He didn't wait for Tony's answer as he shook his head. "Is it egotistic to expect the very best, even from those that do not live within my kingdom? Or even except respect and perfection when they are visiting--the crown is mine to bare and if I expect kind behavior and noble actions of my visitors, does that make me arrogant? I think not." Wendell said as if Tony had questioned him at all. "I think it's more understanding of royal and political customs than arrogance--I am not arrogant." Wendell paused for a second before his face fell slightly and he let out a huff of a breath. "Am I? Oh no, no of course not. I'm not. No." "If one simply chooses not to follow my expectations, I can hardly be reprimanded for disregarding them too. Those who do not respect do not deserve it in return, right?" Wendell asked, this time actually pausing to hear a response from Tony. It didn't necessarily mean he would accept his friend's answer--he would consider it and maybe, just maybe, he'd actually apply whatever the man said to his own thoughts. However they were interrupted a moment later by Lord Rupert--Wendell turned towards him and offered the smallest smile as he sat up straight in his seat and dropped his hand to rest on the arm rest. "Oh? Please hand it here--who sent it?" Wendell asked absentmindedly as he took the thick paper and flipped it over in his hand before breaking the wax seal (baring an extravagant 'G' in brown wax). A small snort escaped him once he was through with the letter, his eyes trailing up to meet Tony's. There was a disbelief on his face. He didn't go on to read the letter out loud nor did he intend to explain it unless questioned. "It seems as if respect is only given from the queen herself, not her royal subjects--see for yourself, Anthony. It is not pompous of me to ask for respect when others seemed to easily understand the importance of such." Wendell said proudly as he held out the letter for his friend to take, a grin spreading across his previously troubled face. |
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| Anthony Lewis | Jul 12 2008, 10:57 PM Post #3 |
 
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Tony opened his mouth to speak, however Wendell went right into his next series of thoughts. He issued him another question and once more Tony opened his mouth. When the king went on again before he was able to respond Tony dropped his chin into his hand and tapped his fingers against his cheek while Wendell continued to go on. He didn't entirely get the king and what he was saying, he understood the gist of it - but certainly not all aspects of it. He knew he didn't want to be on the receiving end of what either of those girls could likely dish out but he had been impressed with his friend and his ability to hold his own against the fiery one. He did snicker sometimes in private, or even at Wendell, when he thought of the way it made his cheeks turn red with aggravation. Tony had never seen the king so put off by anyone. There was no doubt his mind that the two were learning a different type of respect for each other - it was something Wendell didn't see because he was raised in a world where etiquette and ritual were key. Girls like them would be scooped up so fast in the place he grew up that it would make one's head spin. Tony looked back up to Wendell and drew his head off his hand as he realized now he was actually supposed to speak. "Well...no." Tony's brow furrowed. "Wait, I mean yes." He nodded with his eyebrows raised. "Look, you were completely in your right to do what you did. But I didn't find any of it really offensive. She's a feisty one, tough to wrangle." He nodded; it never occurred to him that it sounded perhaps as if he were telling his friend that he possibly couldn't handle her - he simply meant that she was like an unbroken horse. He was thankful, once more, that he wasn't on the receiving end of it. His own wife Christine had been of the same breed, but certainly not the same caliber - women like that were a handful under any circumstances. Tony at first was very pleased with this, particularly at Wendell's reaction. He read the letter twice. However it suddenly dawned upon him, "Your majesty..." Tony cringed a little as he rolled his eyes up to the ceiling in thought. "This," he looked over to Rupert as he pointed down to the pretty written letter signed by the queen herself, "you sent the troops yesterday - they can't have won already." He drew his head back on his neck. "She invited you to a victory ball, with an army that's still in battle, where there's been no victory yet...?" He questioned, wondered if the king could explain it - because Tony certainly couldn't brain it out. |
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| Wendell White | Jul 13 2008, 12:00 AM Post #4 |
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"She is..." Wendell was too caught up in his own mulling to even consider the possible insult behind the comment. He simply nodded, a moment of disgusting passing over his face before he shook his head. "It's not as if it's my problem, though. I have no need to speak with her after this and I no intention to--therefore that's it, no? You're right...I was right and she was wrong and that's it. We'll move on." Wendell said with a nod again, a little brighter now that he had managed to justify forgetting about the troubling experience for forever. "Of course she has." Wendell said, taking back the letter and peering over the curly, elegant words. He ran a finger tip across the surface of the words and looked up a moment later. "Is it not clear, Anthony? Our army is a powerful--we can surely defeat the trolls. Gretel and her warriors alone, perhaps not...but with the 4th Kingdoms regime beside her, there is no doubt. No need, in fact, to even consider failure." Wendell thought it was quite obvious--it never occurred to him that such a celebration would be planned after the fight was over and won. That one couldn't be sure that it would pan out as it was expected. He hadn't much experience with failure and had enough faith in his army and their ability to fight. "You see, it's a matter of her understand it as well. Our men will not fail and the fact that Gretel sees it too is brilliant. Absolutely brilliant." Wendell repeated again, a pleased look across his face as he carefully folded the thick paper along is creases. He looked up to Tony and a frown immediately fell across his face. "Is that not how it would work in your kingdom, Anthony? Is your kingdom not equipped with such a military force?" Wendell asked with true curiosity. |
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| Anthony Lewis | Jul 13 2008, 12:47 AM Post #5 |
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Tony snickered, fully snickered at Wendell. He didn't at first try to hide it - but after a second thought he hid his lips behind his hand as he continued to raise his eyebrows up further on his forehead at the king. Finally he dropped his hand and plastered on his best serious face. As he was trying desperately to seem stoic it came out more amusing than if he had simply let the under the breath snickering continue on. "Forgotten." Tony nodded again puckering his lips to keep from smiling at the king. He'd never seen Wendell so hung up on behavior before. True the king had acted out of context and normal manners, but it never cross Tony's mind that it would trouble the king so much. It was all very humorous to the much more laid back mindset of his humble upbringing. "We'll never speak of it again." He mimicked the king's words. "You aren't going are you?" He asked abruptly with a slight scowl on his face. Tony didn't realize that denying such a request would be disrespectful, he just thought of it as a dismissive 'no I don't want to come over for dinner' mindset. It also didn't cross his mind that Wendell might actually want to go. "And if you are...I don't have to right?" He said quickly after, his true concern becoming apparent. He knew for a fact he couldn't handle all those women. "Oh - I see." Tony frowned looking down at the corner of the arm of his chair. He started picking at the gold painted wood. It must be nice to have that sort of certainty. He let one side of his mouth turn further down. "No, it's not how it works. It's...bigger over there. And you know how we have plastic?" He looked back up to the king. "Well we have bigger meaner weapons too. Some you don't even have to see to destroy miles of terrain, you never see your enemy...it's different back there." He admitted. Though Tony didn't really like war either way, this was a clear indicator of why it was better in the 9 Kingdoms. Here battle was done with dignity. |
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