The Maying Queen

[queenofthemay]

If one looks into the gardens this time of day, one may see a woman there. She's only just a woman, come twenty years, and has a loveliness that is granted her by her youth: when she becomes older, she will no longer be so fair to look at. Someday she may not be fair at all

Comments

[inmywardrobe]

The Professor, out for an exploratory walk, is drawn (understandably) to her voice and stops short at the garden. "Good morning," he says pleasantly.

[queenofthemay]

She turns around to him, graceful in her motions. "Good morrow."

[inmywardrobe]

"I'm Professor Kirke." He extends a hand.

[queenofthemay]

"A scholar? Welcome to my husband's court, sir." She hesitates over the hand, unsure of the proper response (and doesn't introduce herself because she assumes he knows who she is. who doesn't?).

[inmywardrobe]

The hand returns to his pocket. "Your husband? Does he own the hotel?"

[queenofthemay]

"The castle, sir." And here she turns to gesture, and finds that what is behind her is not the castle at all, and she falls back a step with an 'Oh!'.

[inmywardrobe]

"Oh, indeed. Who's your husband, my dear?'"

[queenofthemay]

"Arthur--Arthur Pendragon. Are we enchanted?"

[inmywardrobe]

"King Arthur?" He's about as astonished as she was a moment ago. "We may be enchanted for all I know, but if there is such a thing, it's a benign enchantment."

[queenofthemay]

"Yes," a little shyly. They've only been married for a few years. "King Arthur of Britain. --There is no danger?"

[inmywardrobe]

"I don't think there is any, at least, not from the place. I've heard there are some unsavory folk about but I haven't met any yet."

[queenofthemay]

"Is my husband here?"

[inmywardrobe]

"I'm not sure. There are a lot of people here, from all sorts of places and times. I'm sure it's some sort of magic, though I haven't studied it very thoroughly."

[queenofthemay]

"Any of his knights? Sir Lancelot?" Sir Lancelot.

[inmywardrobe]

"Yes, actually, I believe I did see Sir Lancelot recently, though I haven't met him. You are Guenever, are you not? Queen Guenever?"

[queenofthemay]

She nods, and she shines at the mention of Lancelot, positively shines, a young woman come to light at the mention of the person she'd wait up by the window for. "Yes."