"Grace might be a touch surly at first," Alanna warns Ingress as they walk down the long hallway toward her rooms. "I suspect that will change quickly enough
( Read more... )
"This is a little like Haven. I mean, it's different, but it feels the same."
Ingress looks around as they walk, wide-eyed and excited. She loves visiting new places and learning new things. Since she loves Alanna, she's sure she'll love Grace and the other triplets, too.
(Ingress is used to, and undaunted by, surly; her best friend is Mary Lennox.)
Mary Lennox is precisely why Alanna hadn't bothered mentioning it until now or given Grace advance notice and a firm talking to about being nice. If Ingress can handle Mary, Alanna is confident she'll deal well with Grace
( ... )
She leans in and whispers, "That's fine. In Haven, I don't talk about it at all. I pretend to be from a far away place called Rethwellan. It's easier for people to understand."
Ingress laughs. "It still doesn't explain my blue hair, but people just think I have a magical family."
"Noted," Alanna grins, seeing and appreciating that pride.
Eventually she leaves off smiling at Ingress to open the door to the rooms she shares with the rest of her family. She sweeps an arm forward, allowing Ingress to enter, and calls out for her daughter.
"Grace? Where are you?" Silence. "I've someone I want you to meet."
The room, a central living area, is lit up by afternoon sunshine and a low fire in the grate. The furnishings are more comfortable than grand, but still suited to the palace they are in, and tapestries hang on either side of the fireplace. In one corner is a desk covered in papers. In another, a table holding a tray of tea and tarts.
Grace must be here somewhere. Alanna narrows her eyes at one of the windows, the only one with the curtains drawn shut.
"You needn't shout," comes a young girl's voice from behind that curtain, as a small hand reaches out and slowly pushes it back.
She's perched on the window seat, feet hidden under her green velvet skirt. Grace moves the curtain a little more and peers out at the room, the sun behind her making it hard to see her expression and setting off her red hair. All the better to give the other girl a once over.
"Hi," Ingress says, looking round the room, her eyes sparkling blue and green with tiny flecks of gold. She turns her attention to Grace, squinting a little in the sunlight. She smiles hugely and waves. "I'm Ingress."
It will be said one day in Valdemar that the Herald Ingress can get along with even the stoniest of souls. We'll see how she does today in Tortall.
Grace's eyes move from Ingress to her mother's hand, lightly touching the other girl's shoulder and telling Grace, quite clearly, that she is a friend and under their protection. Which raises the question why her mother feels it necessary to silently proclaim the fact.
It could, she supposes, be an unconscious gesture of affection, but this is court and she's gotten back in the habit of reading more into each word, each motion. Furthermore, she rather likes it.
Nothing is always what it seems, after all. Not even family.
"Hullo," she says to the girl -- Ingress -- with a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. Swinging her legs out, Grace straightens her skirt and continues studying her. There are questions already forming a lengthy list in her head, but she, unlike her brother, is careful to ask them in order of importance. "Is this your first time at court?"
Ingress nods. "It's my first time at this court. I quite like it. I'm happy Sir Alanna invited me. The House of Arch, where I live, hasn't a proper court."
For this, Ingress is thankful. Since the summer the noble girls from Haven's palace court picked on her, she's known that every court - even nice ones like Queen Amy's in Ambergelder - has its unsavory or vexing sides. Ingress figures it's no different here. Maybe Grace has discovered that kind of thing, too. It would make Ingress surly, too.
"I like your window seat. That must be a perfect place for reading."
Glancing behind her, Grace nods. A moment later she lets the curtain fall into place, hiding the window seat -- and the book, which had been her true aim -- from view.
"The sun," she says by way of an explanation, blinking appropriately. Then, "I like your hair."
It's honest. Grace might not dislike the unsavory and vexing sides of court life, certainly not the way her mother does, but she rarely gives a compliment that isn't meant or quite obviously issued in jest.
"Different means you stand out from the rest," she nods approvingly.
House of Arch.
Realization arrives like the slow, warm spring breezes at Olau that set the new leaves to rustling high in the trees until the sound seems to fill the forest. Grace turns a long look on her mother and then smiles at Ingress. It's genuine and bright with renewed interest, her chin lifted in a way that sometimes makes Thom sigh with apprehension.
"Horses aren't so bad, but I like games better." Beat. "Especially when I beat my brothers. What's your favorite?"
Something many people don't realize is that Ingress doesn't have many playmates. Not for games or running about on a regular basis. It's not that she's lonely; she lives in a physical place that makes that kind of thing challenging. The House of Arch is not exactly in the middle of a neighborhood with a doorbell that can be rung.
Even when her brother was still alive, he was much older than she. Ingress has nearly always played by herself, except for the brief time Gavroche was young enough for games. Unless, that is, she sought out friends at Milliways, or children from Marble Arch families visited.
She spends a lot of time riding with Megwyn, and she has her studies, both academic and weapons. When she was smaller, she filled her playtime with dress up and building with blocks. When she does have friends to play with, however, she knows a few things to do.
"I like hide and seek best," she says. She's very good with it, what with being able to open into a wall to hide. "And I like card games, too. Especially Exploding Snap, but I
( ... )
Ingress looks around as they walk, wide-eyed and excited. She loves visiting new places and learning new things. Since she loves Alanna, she's sure she'll love Grace and the other triplets, too.
(Ingress is used to, and undaunted by, surly; her best friend is Mary Lennox.)
"Why might she be surly?"
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Ingress laughs. "It still doesn't explain my blue hair, but people just think I have a magical family."
Which is true enough.
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"Ingress of Rethwellan it is."
With a nod, she continues walking.
"Do you like your dress?"
It's navy with silver trim. Alanna didn't consider the blue hair, but she thinks it looks well enough.
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She's always enjoyed dressing up, whether it be in Door's dresses, dress robes from Tom's world, or
"Oh, and I can be Ingress of the House of Arch, too. They have Houses like mine in Rethwellan."
Ingress likes that connection to home. She'll always be proud of being a Lady of the House of Arch.
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Eventually she leaves off smiling at Ingress to open the door to the rooms she shares with the rest of her family. She sweeps an arm forward, allowing Ingress to enter, and calls out for her daughter.
"Grace? Where are you?" Silence. "I've someone I want you to meet."
The room, a central living area, is lit up by afternoon sunshine and a low fire in the grate. The furnishings are more comfortable than grand, but still suited to the palace they are in, and tapestries hang on either side of the fireplace. In one corner is a desk covered in papers. In another, a table holding a tray of tea and tarts.
Grace must be here somewhere. Alanna narrows her eyes at one of the windows, the only one with the curtains drawn shut.
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She's perched on the window seat, feet hidden under her green velvet skirt. Grace moves the curtain a little more and peers out at the room, the sun behind her making it hard to see her expression and setting off her red hair. All the better to give the other girl a once over.
"I'm not deaf."
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It will be said one day in Valdemar that the Herald Ingress can get along with even the stoniest of souls. We'll see how she does today in Tortall.
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Alanna, who had been about to direct another inquiry toward Grace's chamber when she spoke up, turns back around and smiles.
"Yes, this is Ingress." Beat. "Lady Ingress of Rethwellan," she adds, "and the House of Arch."
Casually, she rests a hand on Ingress' shoulder.
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It could, she supposes, be an unconscious gesture of affection, but this is court and she's gotten back in the habit of reading more into each word, each motion. Furthermore, she rather likes it.
Nothing is always what it seems, after all. Not even family.
"Hullo," she says to the girl -- Ingress -- with a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. Swinging her legs out, Grace straightens her skirt and continues studying her. There are questions already forming a lengthy list in her head, but she, unlike her brother, is careful to ask them in order of importance. "Is this your first time at court?"
Reply
For this, Ingress is thankful. Since the summer the noble girls from Haven's palace court picked on her, she's known that every court - even nice ones like Queen Amy's in Ambergelder - has its unsavory or vexing sides. Ingress figures it's no different here. Maybe Grace has discovered that kind of thing, too. It would make Ingress surly, too.
"I like your window seat. That must be a perfect place for reading."
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Glancing behind her, Grace nods. A moment later she lets the curtain fall into place, hiding the window seat -- and the book, which had been her true aim -- from view.
"The sun," she says by way of an explanation, blinking appropriately. Then, "I like your hair."
It's honest. Grace might not dislike the unsavory and vexing sides of court life, certainly not the way her mother does, but she rarely gives a compliment that isn't meant or quite obviously issued in jest.
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"I always have, too."
Meaning she has known Ingress for quite a while. She waits, watching them both closely, to see what develops from that.
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She glances around again, taking in more of the room now that the sun glare is gone.
"What do you like to do for fun? Do you like to play games? Or ride horses?"
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House of Arch.
Realization arrives like the slow, warm spring breezes at Olau that set the new leaves to rustling high in the trees until the sound seems to fill the forest. Grace turns a long look on her mother and then smiles at Ingress. It's genuine and bright with renewed interest, her chin lifted in a way that sometimes makes Thom sigh with apprehension.
"Horses aren't so bad, but I like games better." Beat. "Especially when I beat my brothers. What's your favorite?"
Reply
Even when her brother was still alive, he was much older than she. Ingress has nearly always played by herself, except for the brief time Gavroche was young enough for games. Unless, that is, she sought out friends at Milliways, or children from Marble Arch families visited.
She spends a lot of time riding with Megwyn, and she has her studies, both academic and weapons. When she was smaller, she filled her playtime with dress up and building with blocks. When she does have friends to play with, however, she knows a few things to do.
"I like hide and seek best," she says. She's very good with it, what with being able to open into a wall to hide. "And I like card games, too. Especially Exploding Snap, but I ( ... )
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