there's more to life than books, you know, but not much more [OTA]

[thatboleyngirl]

Anne had settled in at the hotel after a little bit, and she was beginning to become content with her situation. She figured being here was better than being dead, and she was attempting to make the best of things

Comments

[faramir_hurin]

I am paying closer attention to those who come and go after I was told about the group of people who were here when I was not.* There is more than a little familiar about the woman, another old-fashioned one (by modern standards.) I am not surprised to see her in the history section. We do miss a lot by being from earlier times--or different worlds.

"May I help you with anything, my lady?" I ask with a light smile. "I am Faramir, head librarian here."

*Ghost research people, and he wasn't invited, so he was out when they were in.

[thatboleyngirl]

Anne looked up from her readings. "Oh! Hello," she replied, smiling a little. "I was wondering if you had any more information on--well, I'm researching myself. That's silly, I know, but I've already found information on my daughter here, and I was wondering..."

She paused a moment. "--And I've completely forgotten to introduce myself. My name is Anne Boleyn. It's a pleasure to meet you."

[faramir_hurin]

"Anne Boleyn? But that name is known to me." It takes but a moment to recall. "You have researched your daughter already?"

What has she learned? I have read more than a little about English history and that particular time period is... a busy one.

"Pardon, my lady. In truth, as I said, I know your name. It is an honour to meet you, under whatever title you prefer." I now bow formally, as she is obviously queen already or she'd not have her daughter.

"There are not so many books about you personally. Most come under histories of your husband." Which may well not be the best of subjects, depending upon when she comes from. But if she has already read about her child then she likely already knows.

[thatboleyngirl]

Anne smiled at the bow--it seemed a little silly to her, but she was pleased nonetheless that he recognized her.

"Thank you. So I should look under--my husband's name?" That disturbed her a little. She wasn't quite ready to learn what else Henry had done to his other wives, or to other people in general.

[faramir_hurin]

"Under your own is a place to start, but unfortunately you are likely to find more information in books about Henry VIII." He was quite notorious. "A lot of things will be in your future. There's often some awkwardness in reading of such things."

I don't mean to be irritating.

"Not that you do not understand that, but it has proved difficult for a number of people, myself included."

[thatboleyngirl]

She nodded, understanding. "That makes sense, yes," she said softly. Anne was well aware of her own future, having been taken from just before her death. "I know my future, or at least the immediate parts of it. I was just wondering about--what people think of me now."

She found it compelling to learn of others' opinions--she felt it was necessary, in a way. It helped her understand her fate better somehow.

[faramir_hurin]

There is a sadness--she knows. Well, her time as queen was not long at all by any standard, so it did seem likely.

"I can tell you the opinion I formed from reading history books here, if you like. I am not of your world and so the only knowledge I have comes from such things."

[thatboleyngirl]

"I would like that very much, I think." She attempted a smile, preparing herself. Anne knew that not everyone liked or even respected her, so she was making sure she was ready for anything he said.

[faramir_hurin]

I think a moment to find a place to start

[thatboleyngirl]

Her smile turned into a genuine one after he had finished.

"--Thank you," she said softly. She felt so much better now, knowing the truth about things.

"You are very kind and helpful. I appreciate that." She really did. Learning the truth made her feel more comfortable with herself somehow.

[faramir_hurin]

"Much is written, but in a number of books, those are the greatest things I have come to understand." They are largely agreed on. And the near-insanity became the real thing due to illness, not surprisingly related to the king's own infidelity. The Japanese call it 'karma', I understand.

"If I am kind then it is because I was raised so, though the truths I have read help in this instance. Being helpful is also the way I am even if it were not my job, Your Majesty." I smile. "I can help you find books if you still wish to read about yourself some more. I can only wonder what you have read about your daughter."

I think upon what I know.

"Surely you must have learned that she became the greatest queen your nation has known, and part of her greatness was due to the fact that she was a woman. No man could do what she did." Her lands needed a woman then. "In my world also there are not a lot of men who would wish to admit that. Having learned a little about modern women, there is little that they cannot do."

[thatboleyngirl]

"I have indeed read about her becoming queen, and I am very proud of her for that. She must have been very brave."

Anne liked the idea of Elizabeth getting her inner strength from herself, but she didn't want to admit that. It would seem vain and self-centered, and that was the last image of herself Anne wanted to project onto others.

[faramir_hurin]

"Indeed. She did not merely stand alone in a world of men, but above." History speaks kindly of that queen, with her greatest fault, to me, being physical vanity. Would that something so basic would be my greatest ill.

"Pardon me for asking, but it seems by what you have said that you do know your own fate. Have you spoken with anyone regarding that?" Not necessarily a counselor, as such did not work well for me. Or the counselor herself was the problem, which is more likely.

[thatboleyngirl]

"--I came here just as I was walking to the scaffold," she explained. "So I know that I was destined to die. But now that I'm here, I'm wondering if that fate was wrong. I have been told that we are all here to learn a lesson, but I am not certain of what my lesson might be."

She paused, taking a breath.

"I am hoping that I do not get sent back home for any reason."

[faramir_hurin]

It freezes my heart to know that this lady must return to the moment before her death, a death she does not merit.

"Our lessons, if that is why we are here, must surely be varied. My brother was here for a time, but he arrived after he died at home." A number have. To know that you return to... "Perhaps what you learn here will give you strength greater than that which you already possess. Another thing said of you is the endless dignity."

So very few could meet with the horror she faces without breaking, yet she has not and will not. Is that why she is here?

[thatboleyngirl]

"Endless dignity," she repeated, almost to herself. "I do hope that I have that strength within me. It would be so--helpful in the circumstances which I will face if I return."

She really didn't want to go back, but she had a feeling that it might happen, and figured it would be better to prepare herself for it now rather than later.