Hustle and bustle

[Lady Edfeil]

There were things happening. Secret things. Giggly things. Fun things. The queen was seen carting around bolts of fabric and there was a rumour, just a rumour mind you, that she had asked for a key to be stolen. theft? The Queen? Surely not. the fabric... well.. how many dresses could one woman need? Besides, these were not her colours. Definitely not her colours. And too large to embroider as well.
Aside from that, there were orders for kegs, requests for extra venison, and especially that delectable ham to be smoked. And then there was the cider that was definitely being prepared in much larger batches than was usual for the first apples of the year. Something was up in the air.

[Dream Loxley]

Could it be there was news of the suitable suitor that she had not heard about as yet......surely that could not be the case for Edfeil would have confided in her.......or.....well.....perhaps not. Surely she would have......or was the poor man unsavoury to look upon that the Queen kept him a secret??

Dream went about her daily chores but was clearly aware of the servants constant chatter, even more than was normal.....Millie and Mollie looked near to burst with enthusiasm but did not speak of anything in particular when questioned. It must be a suitor, or even a gaggle of suitors! More guests would be arriving or else why would so many rooms be prepared and all the food! An Army perhaps.......or even a Wedding!

Dream watched as the servants went to and fro, back and forth, giggling, little looks of knowing exchanged between them, it was almost like Christmas had come to Windstorm several months early!

The one thing that was bothering her most of all was her keys, the Chatelaine belt that had been gifted to her by Archie, her beloved Father, always worn around her waist, every key imaginable safely attached to it......misplaced, never lost for that would be a tragedy, mislaid, left somewhere for a short while.....she must find it.....and soon before she would have to admit defeat and of course such a loss would have far reaching consequences for them all!

(( Assuming Dream knows nothing as yet of this embarrassing, forthcoming celebration ;D))

[Sir Kyle Draven]

He was walking about the castle one day as He was cominng back from the smithy, He had orders to fill and pick up, while moving thru the halls He looked about as it eemed things were.....busier, more than normal and as He walked He raised a brow and only know one, maybe two people He could speak to, chuckling softly and now was going to seek out Mollie or Milllie, nothing would get by them.....seemed though as all the servants about could have a little information, but His source was always the twins.....He would find something out soon...

[Lady Edfeil]

She grinned as the twins cornered her in the stillroom, with the keys. Oh my.. they were more talented than she had hoped. Or feared. Her eyes twinkled. If they were any other than whom they were, she would have pressed a coin in their hands, but in this instance, they would surely take it as an insult. Grinning she pulled them with her into the small linnen room. At that moment, they were just giddy as three girls hatching a plot together.

"When is it to be, Yr' Highness?" "Will there be dancing? Are ye sure she will nae find it? And what about the carts?"

Sssssshhhhh![/i] *A sound nearby made the queen, like an anxious girl almost found in the hayloft by her father still and listen. Her eyes wide, she held up her hand, beckoning the twins to silence as she waited to hear footsteps. Nothing. Was she sure? Absolutely nothing. She waited for a moment longer before exhaling and talking urgently*

Ye be right, now we need to find something about the carts. She will become suspicious if there be too many deliveries. What we need is a... diversion. Something to keep her attention. Something to keep her mind away from the keys at least until we have ah.. stashed everything away. We need .....
*Her voice broke off into focussed stillness as she thought about what would be the right idea. But there was naught that came to her. They would need help with that one! Now what would distract the chatelaine. They could hardly put something on fire! Maybe if they used vermillion and painted some red spots on Elisia? But that would be a cause for worry and besides.. she would tattle! Something breaking? But what would need enough of Dream's attention that she would nae notice the carts and deliveries and the letters that would soon be streaming in? A diversion... well, they needed to find something, and soon.

((Kyle, feel free to use your superior skills and catch us in the act. And Dream... ;D No, you do not get to know anything. Yet.))

[Dream Loxley]

*She had searched high and low, literally up on the turrets and beneath the beds, asking all she met, even to the extent of almost accusing her young Daughter of taking the keys without asking, although she knew in her heart that was never to be the case. Her frown deepened as she asked several more Servants, a feeling of bewilderment came over her as she has absolutely no idea where she had left them, nor did she believe she was so absent minded to have mislaid them. This was quickly becoming a predicament she was not happy with at all. Circumstances, situations, everyone seeming to be busy and unable to help with her search, she shook her head as she stood quite still within the Hall, her eyes taking in the scene before her, almost to the extent that something was so very different now, the place was so clean! Too clean! Dream mumbled to herself.

"It must be a Wedding, or a visit from such high ranking folks that even I have nae been told of lest the security may be breeched." Shaking her head again, she knew she would be to blame if anything untoward was to happen, especially since every one of the doors within the Castle had a key, and she had lost them!

"Oh my.....oh my......what to do, where else to look....am I becoming so old now that I have nae a mind to know such a simple thing!"

[Lady Edfeil]

Mayhap it was because she had been keeping such a close eye on the chatelaine as nae to be discovered, but she had noted the heightening discomfort of her friend. They had been secretive, but mayhap just nae enough. Or mayhap... just a wee bit too much. It might be the fact that nae one had anything of note to say just now that was a tip off. After all, Lady Dream usually was overrun near daily with household and storage questions. And now all of a sudden such had abated? Of course it should have struck a cord. But how to remedy such.

And then there were the keys of course. Though it was sneaky, she had had a copy made of the three keys she would need most and that nae normally were in her own keeping. But with Dream having searched high and low alread to find them.. the trouble would be to have her find them again without rousing even more suspicion. After all, they could hardly just show up in her chest or needlework basket. She had looked through those and all other likely and unlikely places more than once. So how could she.... And then an idea came to her. Oh aye... for once.. it might be a good thing to do....

With giggling delight she called the twins to her, finding a quiet corner in the busting kitchen to talk to them.

Now I be needing some help again...

[Dream Loxley]

Just where were they.........those delightful but mischievous twins she cared for so very much.......normally they were never far but of late, just never to be seen. Perhaps a new love......or at least a new victim by way of a serving lad or a horseman. Dream could not help but chuckle at her own thoughts and imaginings for those two had been in and out of love so often it was indeed such a difficult task keeping up with them. Surely their antics would deserve a place in the historical scrolls of this day and age.

Still, she brought her thoughts back to the present and the ever increasing predicament she found herself in, they were nowhere to be found, neither were her keys, it was time to confess her momentary lapse of concentration, her absent minded mistake......and only hope the Queen would understand.

She lifted her skirts just clear of her feet to allow ease of movement, stepping with a purpose through the corridors, almost ignoring the servants as they went about their daily chores......this time she was intent on her direction......to find the Queen, her long and trusted friend in whom she placed both her life and her heart many a year since gone and whom she would serve for the rest of her life.

[Astridur]

Well it seems to be just her night, last night. She had conspired with her Majesty about the keys! Oh, how was she going to pull this off?! She had never done such a thing bef....Well that isn't true as she had been visiting her father and taking money to hide for herself upon leaving. To her culture the money always went to the males and woman was out of luck.

She just shakes her head, sending tendrils of curls to go bouncing about her face. Light blues look down to the ground, gripping her skirts with both hands. Within her right hand are the very keys Lady Dream is looking for. She had found them in the gardens, she had to go find them herself as so not to really be lying to Lady Loxley.

She takes a deep breath and puts on her "acting" face to make sure she looks at least a bit frazzled and in a rush. She is looking about, picking up the skirts so not to trip over her own two feet, she does it often enough! She looks about, keeping the pace high and making a few huffs now and then when she can not spot Lady Dream.

'Ooooh, where is she?!' Her mind screams as she looks about and looks forward, finally spotting her. She had never personally met her yet, but she had seen her out and about. A large smile of excitement comes to her full lips, blue eyes sparkling as she is walking quickly to catch her. "My Lady Loxley! I found them!"

She holds up her hand to show what she has found, a large smile of success showing. "I heard, by rumor, you had lost them. I found them in the gardens while walking thru, smelling the flowers. There had been a break in the storms and thought it best to take that time to enjoy the garden. There I see something shining and I find these! Oh, My Lady I do hope these are yours!"

She holds them out as she tells of her little tale, it actually being true that she had found them there. She was glad she did not have to fib about this, as she would more than likely be caught in it. And then where would she be?! She could get arrested first and then all would have to come to light to save her neck. She pushes these thoughts away so not bring them to light upon her face, emotions always showing there.

[Halethala]

((( oooouuu .... fun! )))

[Dream Loxley]

((Fun indeed Letha! Get yourself home my friend! xx))

*Nothing was clear....nothing seemed right.....and yet......nothing truly seemed amiss, except within her own imaginings. How could she even contemplate blaming her lost keys on any other than herself. She would find her Queen and own up to her own stupidity......there were no mistakes in life, simply actions and their consequences, something she had learned through her own experience. Perhaps the consequences in this case would not be so dreadful as she had at first thought. Indeed, perhaps Edfeil would understand, after all Dream had children to care for, along with her duties within the Castle proper, her own property to tend, and mostly alone at that......with her Robin gone. Her mind was so full, Edfeil would understand.

Gone.....mislaid.....lost.....she smiled, her pace slowing, simply allowing his image to come to her, his smile, that grin....his eyes sparkling and so full of love and promise.....lost for a while.....to return, she could only hope. Oh how she missed him.....loved him still.

"My Lady Loxley! I found them!"

Dream turned on her heel at hearing the words called to her. All other thoughts leaving for the moment as she tried to make out the lady before her, quickly coming nearer and nearer all the while, holding the Chatelaine belt in her hand, keys dangling and clinking together. How on earth......

"I heard, by rumor, you had lost them. I found them in the gardens while walking thru, smelling the flowers. There had been a break in the storms and thought it best to take that time to enjoy the garden. There I see something shining and I find these! Oh, My Lady I do hope these are yours!"

Dream shook her head in disbelief.....she took a breath inwards, exhaling quickly, the surprise taking away the words that formed in her throat for a moment before she could only beam a bright and very relieved smile at the young woman standing before her.

"Oh my.....Oh my......M'Lady.....how....aye....indeed they be mine.....the gardens ye say...oh my....oh my goodness!"

She gathered the belt and examined it, taking in each key, seeing all looked just as it had a few days since when last she had placed it around her waist, allowing the heavy silver to slip down a little so it rested just over her hips. She did such once again, fastening it tightly and absently brushing down her skirts as she felt fully clothed again.

"Oh, please do forgive me.......thank ye so very much M'Lady.....I am afraid I do nae recall yer name but I be forever in yer debt.....if I can be of service in any way ye have but to ask......now...ye are visiting....ye are comfortable....have ye taken of yer breakfast as yet....ye have met our Queen......please....oh my....how ye have completed my day M'Lady....."

Dream found herself rambling, so relieved, still unsure just how she had lost them, but that seemed so far away in the past just now.....she had a new guest to care for now. She smiled again, more relaxed and in control of her emotions once again.

[Lady Edfeil]

((will be back to posting here tomorrow. Not feeling very well today. Just a bug. No worries.))

[Lady Edfeil]

*She had nae looked on. It would have been too obvious, and she knew she nae lied well. In truth, it was near impossible for her to lie to those that knew her. Oh, she could utter the words easily enough. And as long as nae one was asking any questions, she could pretend.... But iffen she tried to lie, those that knew her could see. They could see quite plainly actually. Oh well, to be honest with herself, she was a very, very bad liar. It nae usually was a problem, since she nae saw the need for untruths, though oft she preferred to speak it with all the softness possible.
But now she has wrapped herself in a shimmering web of deceit. It was a benevolent web of course, but it was nae easy to hide something from a woman in her own home. Especially nae a woman who knew that home so well.

The twins however were easy and willing to be send out. They giggled as part of their decoy mission, but then they giggled oft and it was nae something that most paid attention to. And they were the perfect spies. And they had stood nae too far when the conversation took place, nodding avidly at the mention of the garden. That's where it was found. Oh aye.. that's were the keys were found.

[Astridur]

Astridur watches Lady Loxley's reaction and the very relieved smile that comes forth makes her feel better. She almost gives a relieved sigh herself, knowing that this is going so very well. She feels bad about not telling the whole truth about knowing who had them, but just finding them. Technically just finding them was true, but.....Anyways, the words that come from Lady Loxely were of kind of disbelief. Astridur didn't blame her either, she was a stranger to Lady Loxley.

She watched as Lady Loxley looked to each key, making sure all was in order before fastening it and doing what must seem familiar to her. Astridur watches the relief that stays upon that beautiful face as this is the first time she had truly seen Lady Loxley up close. She can also see the kindness upon her face, upon the actions and words that are spoken by her.

"Oh, please do forgive me.......thank ye so very much M'Lady.....I am afraid I do nae recall yer name but I be forever in yer debt.....if I can be of service in any way ye have but to ask......now...ye are visiting....ye are comfortable....have ye taken of yer breakfast as yet....ye have met our Queen......please....oh my....how ye have completed my day M'Lady....."

Astridur's eyes widen and quickly lifts both hands to shake them back and forth. Shaking her head no as well for emphasis. Then quickly nodding her head to each thing that is mentioned with a soft chuckle.

"Yes, My Lady Loxley, I am being well taken care of. I am comfortable and I enjoy my time here. Breakfast has been given and I have met her Majesty...many times," chuckles lightly. Her brows rise and cants her head as it seems Lady Loxley can be a bit excitable as well. Considering what has happened though...."But, I am Astridur Brandrsdottir....I am from the North..a...Norsewoman... But please there is no debt to pay, My Lady."

Shakes her head once more and smiles, glad to see the she has come to be of her normal self once more. It seems that things will come to be as they should. Now, the giggling of the twins had been there the entire time as well. Though she tried to pay little attention to it as she knew they might be there for the Queen's sake. She did have to know what was going on after all. This makes her smile grow even more slightly, liking this place more and more!

[Dream Loxley]

".......I am Astridur Brandrsdottir....I am from the North..a...Norsewoman... But please there is no debt to pay, My Lady."


Dream was smiling all the while, eager to know more of this lady Saviour, yet she noted the slight hesitation within the last words spoken by their visitor. From the North she had said, a Norse woman. There was no doubt she was a beauty to behold and such an interesting name. Dream bent her knees a little and bowed her head in a curtsy to show both respect and dignity towards the stranger. Perhaps the lady was unsure if she would be accepted, although she could not know Dream held a deep rooted hatred for such people from the North, she would never judge any until she knew their worth. The Lady Astridur deserved a fair and just amount of time to show them all the was no threat, nor held any grudges herself against her home and its people.

"Well met M'Lady Astridur......ye must already know of me....Loxley, Dream Loxley, Wife of Robin. Ye honour us with yer presence M'Lady and indeed I shall forever be in yer debt." Smiling warmly, she let her gaze befall the gardens, such a pleasant day and such kindly weather, they beckoned to her.

She was aware of the incessant chatter and giggling coming from behind the bushes. Dream knew the twins would never be far away, if anything happened in Windstorm, anything at all, be it trivial or rather important, then word would travel, always beginning with those two. There was something still rather amiss, but Dream could not place her finger on it.....just yet at least.

"Then mayhaps iffn ye are comfortable and indeed have eaten yer fill fer know, walk with me.......I could show ye the rest of our gardens and ye may tell me more of yerself M'Lady?" She lifted her skirts just enough to allow her feet free passage along the pathway without tripping or becoming tangled in them. Dream continued to speak in a calm and pleasant manner as she waited for the visitor to agree to her request. "I can nae instill upon ye how relieved I am M'Lady, truly, I shall do my best to make yer stay here as comfortable and pleasing as I can."

[Dream Loxley]

((ooc: Shields my eyes from the Sun, looks in every direction.......hoping to see someone....anyone.........))

*Dream shuffled her feet a little, hoping their new visitor just needed a little while longer to make up her mind. She would walk a while anyway but sincerely appreciated the company of this lovely lady.*