RP post: Taking Tiwa to Castle Urquhart, ca. 1245 (via Mixed Muses)

[scots_wolf]

[[from here]]

He holds the door open for the pretty fae in the dress from his time.

She's a bold girl, very bold, that she'll actually go and meet his mother. Even though she doesn't like him that way -- more's the pity.

The courtyard of the castle is empty under the fast grey clouds of an autumn evening, except for a few chickens, a sleeping red cat, and a big old dog who gets up stiffly to sniff Angus Urquhart's hands and wag his tail.

"I think they're all inside, in the hall," he says.

Comments

[piwakawaka]

Its a rather pretty and Tiwa first looks up and smiles, this is a land that remembers and knows the Fae,

"This is pretty."

[scots_wolf]

"It's home," Urquhart allows. "I wouldn't mind being here if I were allowed to leave. There are wonderful fish in the lake."

[piwakawaka]

"Get yourself a steward and then you can maybe leave,"

The cat glances up at them and gives Tiwa a look, she's not what she looks like.

[scots_wolf]

"I'll have to get myself a wife and kids first," Urquhart says, pouting a little. "But yes, much as I love it, I can't stay here forever. They idea is too dysmal for words. Is that cat looking at you?"

[piwakawaka]

"Yes, cats tend to,"

They usually wonder why they can't eat her.

[scots_wolf]

"My mother has odd cats," Urquhart says. "The hall is that way."

He points, and leads her there, slowly, so the old dog can keep up.

[piwakawaka]

"Cats just see things that people don't always,"

She follows along, looking around at everything.

[scots_wolf]

There are a few columns by the stairs that he leads her up, and a pair of quite impressive doors at the end. One of them is standing open, and cheerful voices are coming out.

[piwakawaka]

It sounds nice and Tiwa's never been in this kind of castle before.

[scots_wolf]

Urquhart leads her inside, pretty much unheeded.

The hall is full of people, the women mostly dressed similarly to Tiwa, but many of them wear scarves or caps or bonnets on their heads. The men wear plaid, different patterns, wrapped around their bodies in big swathes.

There are food and drink on the table, needlework and papers, and everybody is talking at once, chatting to their neighbours, holding forth about their opinions, showing someone else how to do what they are doing, or telling stories to the kids.

[piwakawaka]

Tiwa snags a few things from the food table and follows Urquhart, she's not sure exactly she he wants her to do.

[scots_wolf]

Urquhart takes a tankard of ale for himself as he makes his way among the tables, and heads start to turn, conversations fall silent.

At the head table, there are some women who wear dresses much like everybody else, but their caps and bonnets and veils are of a better quality, fine and almost white.

"Angus," the oldest one of them says, the first to speak to them directly, "where have you been?"

[piwakawaka]

Tiwa smiles and drops a curtsy,

"He was just greeting me, my poor horse got rather lost."

[scots_wolf]

The woman laughs, and gestures to a chair next to her. "Sit down, my dear, so you can put your food on the table and get some respite. Where were you going?"

[piwakawaka]

"Just beyond, I'm meeting my betrothed but lost my escort in a storm that swept out of nowhere,"

Tiwa sits down and starts eating and looking properly shy.

[scots_wolf]

"Oh, poor dear!" the woman says. "Good thing you didn't get wet through! I hope my son hung up your cloak in a good sunny spot? Of course, I can lend you one of mine if you want to go on before it's dry. Angus, could you please fetch the young lady a cup of the good ale? Or would you rather have cider, my dear?"

[piwakawaka]

"Is the cider warm, ma'am? It should be dry enough and he's been taking good care of me,"

Tiwa likes her, Urquhart's mother reminds her a lot of her own.

[scots_wolf]

"Warm mulled cider, of course, go make her some, Angus, and don't spare the spices and the honey, I know you do a wonderful mix, there's a good boy," the woman says, and Urquhart retreats, smiling and shrugging.

"I'm so terribly rude just saying 'she' all the time," she goes on. "What is your name again, my dear?"

[piwakawaka]

"I'm Tiwa Davies and its a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

[scots_wolf]

"What a nice name," Lady Urquhart says. "You're very far from your home. Your betrothed is a lucky man that you're wiling to live so far away from Wales."

Not very likely to ever return there, even. Or see her family again.

[piwakawaka]

"Yes, he is, James is worth moving for since he makes me feel rather fluttery. We met when he was doing some traveling,"

Talking about James as her betrothed makes Tiwa blush, she's not sure what he would think of her spinning this lie.

[scots_wolf]

"Oh my dear, I am glad to hear that!" Lady Urquhart says, leaning back and smiling at Tiwa. "Perhaps I should send Angus on an errand to Wales as well. All the local girls are falling through with him at the moment. Oh, he was used so much better in Paris, which is of course the navel of the world and the epitome of style, while we are a regrettable backwater not worth his notice. As if his brother had died just to spite him and ruin his comfortable life there."

She shakes her head. "Sorry, my dear, I do keep rambling. You didn't want to hear that. More oatcakes?"

[piwakawaka]

"He'll grow up in time, but traveling would probably be good for him. Home's always best to come home to. Thank you, these are wonderful."

[scots_wolf]

"Some men never grow up," Lady Urquhart says, accepting the basket with the oatcakes from one of the other women, and offering it to Tiwa. "But I have high hopes for Angus. He studied in Paris for seven years!"

She seems proud of it despite herself.

"Let's just hope he'll find a practical use for all that learning around here."

[piwakawaka]

"No, they don't. The question is always how they don't grow up,"

She grabs a few oatcakes and nods at Lady Urquhart.