Slowly, Eadlin's eyes re adjusted to the spring light and she was able to focus on the elderly woman sitting in front of her. She was not, in fact, as old as Eadlin's imagination had made her. She stood from her stool on the hearth in a sprightly fashion, and did not hold her hand to her hips or her back as Eadlin may have expected older people to do. Her spinning remained in her hand and she carefully placed it on the low wooden stool.
"Are you ready to start your lessons little one?" she said after a moment, tilting her head in order to gaze at the young princess.
Eadlin nodded enthusiastically, more out of politeness than any real understanding. The woman had a smiling face, giving her the air of someone who was always slightly amused by any situation, as if she had seen it all before.
"What do you think you need to learn?" she asked, gesturing with her hand to a worn, smooth table and a low bench alongside.
Eadlin paused before taking her place on the bench. "Well...everything, really." she told the top corner of the window.
The old woman smiled and sat herself opposite the girl, placing a large, shallow book on the table between them. Then she reached out for a tin plate at the far end of the table and poured flour onto it from a small sack. Upside down, her fingers traced a capital E" in the flour.
"E!" shouted Eadlin immediately. "I know that, I'm E for Eadlin!"
"You are!" Julienne praised quietly. "But you can learn your letters any time. We need to practise some important things. Things that are just for you."
"Like what?" Eadlin frowned, "The things I will have to do when I am Queen?"
"Yes... if you are Queen." Julienne said and placed both hands on the old book in front of her. It had a green cover and was embossed with a shield, or a crown on the front. The writing looked as if it may once have been gold. Eadlin longed for Julienne to open the book and let her see inside. She knew she couldn't read it all yet, she knew he could only pick out a few letters but it may have some pictures or some of the beautiful illuminated first letters that she had seen on some of her father's books and important documents, or some of the pictures she had dared to touch on her mother's desk.
"We're going to use the book." Julienne smiled brightly and stood up, beckoning to the girl to follow. In a swift movement she had lifted the book and placed it carefully on to her head. Gracefully, she moved around the room, turning her head this was and that, greeting imaginary guests at a party, sweeping low with her arm while the book remained perfectly steady on her head, she took the child's arm and dragged her around, giggling to say hello to Lord and Lady Firefly and Mr and Mrs Earthworm. "Can you do it?" she asked and handed Eadlin the book.
Still laughing, Eadlin shook her head and backed away."Why?" she giggled, "When will I need to carry a book on my head when I am Queen?"
Julienne gently placed the book on her fair head and stepped back, bending her knees slightly to lower herself to the girl's eye level. "You won't," she agreed, "But you may have to wear a crown, and when have you ever seen your mother slouching? She stands up tall and she is proud, she can do that by walking beautifully."
Eadlin started to walk slowly around the room. After 2 or 3 paces the book slid, then tumbled, then bounced to the floor. The lovely pages opened and Eadlin stared at some of the words on the page. There were no beautiful letters, but there were sketches and diagrams. The old woman quickly snatched up the book and placed it back on Eadlin's head. They continued to walk, but each of Eadlin's attempts were short lived. She sighed every time and reluctantly picked up the book again.
After what seemed like a few minutes, she felt the light in the room change and her father was standing in the doorway, watching and laughing. "Well?" he said after a while, "How's my Princess doing?"
"She is working hard Aubrey, very hard." Julienne regained the book and stroked Eadlin's hair flat with bony fingers and a firm touch.
"Well in that case, I think it may be time for the next part of your birthday." Her father smiled and took her by the hand. Waving as she went, she left the cottage and re joined the world of the castle.
Thursday, 12 November 2015
Wednesday, 11 November 2015
The Perfect Princess Chapter 1
It was the day of Eadlin's eighth birthday. It was April and the sun streamed through the window of her bedchamber, the curtains on her four poster bed dispersing the light.
She was excited. Her mother had told her that today was the day that she would start her education. Her father had told her that today was the day she could leave the castle, all by herself. (well, not quite all by herself, her mother had arranged a chaperone, and she would have her pony. Chap-er-own. It sounded like a man, she thought. A chap. But it was a girl, her mother had told her. A girl just like her, but a bit bigger.)
She bounded out of bed and opened the heavy wooden door. She hated the narrow stone stairs, there were no windows here, just narrow slits in the stone walls and in winter the wind blew in, the snow swirled, following the spiral of the stairs. But today, although it was cold, the dust motes swirled in the early sunshine, too early to bring warmth, but carrying the prospect of summer and hope.
On the next landing she hefted the next door. There was no sneaking around in this castle, unless you knew the secret stairs and you could creep like the servants used to creep around when there were servants. Her mother was already sitting at her desk in the curved wall of where the large window captured the early light. She was drinking coffee and talking to the castle manager who beamed at Eadlin as she entered the room.
"Good morning my big eight year old girl!" Queen Althea swept her daughter up in her arms even though she was far too tall and kissed her.
"Happy birthday, Eadlin." The manager, Gregory, shook her hand in mock seriousness before he too was hugged.
"So... what is it you most want to do today?" Althea asked her daughter.
"Have my lessons!" Eadlin could barely stand still with excitement. "And go outside...on my own." She breathed.
"Yes..." her mother said and seemed to sigh for a moment. "Yes, that's what I want too."
Breakfast was at the long dining table with the whole household wishing her happy birthday as they went past. Nobody usually sat down for breakfast, all the people who worked in the castle helped themselves from the long tables and stood around chatting as they started work, but today everyone was waiting for her when she arrived downstairs and she was allowed whatever she wanted to eat. Tonight might be dinner with just the three of them, but this morning it was nice to be surrounded by all the people she knew.
It was her father who walked her across the courtyard to an old cottage that had been changed into a classroom. It was he who had insisted on this. Other children in the castle had lessons, but they were all older than her and her father didn't think it was right that she should join in with their lessons just yet. Anyway he told her, "One day you will be Queen. These are special lessons, that only you need."
He opened the door of the cottage and instantly the room was flooded with sunshine. Eadlin could barely see across the room to the old woman sitting by the fireplace. She was sitting by a spinning wheel and her foot gently moved as the wool passed through her fingers. She smiled broadly at the King.
"Good morning Aubrey." she said "And welcome young Eadlin. It's a very special day today."
"It certainly is, "said the King. "Well, Eadlin. Don't be shy. Go and join Julienne and have a wonderful time. Listen well and learn. Julienne taught my sister everything she knows." He bent down and kissed her on the cheek. He held her for a few minutes too long and then swept back out into the sunshine, shutting the door behind him and Eadlin was left alone.
She was excited. Her mother had told her that today was the day that she would start her education. Her father had told her that today was the day she could leave the castle, all by herself. (well, not quite all by herself, her mother had arranged a chaperone, and she would have her pony. Chap-er-own. It sounded like a man, she thought. A chap. But it was a girl, her mother had told her. A girl just like her, but a bit bigger.)
She bounded out of bed and opened the heavy wooden door. She hated the narrow stone stairs, there were no windows here, just narrow slits in the stone walls and in winter the wind blew in, the snow swirled, following the spiral of the stairs. But today, although it was cold, the dust motes swirled in the early sunshine, too early to bring warmth, but carrying the prospect of summer and hope.
On the next landing she hefted the next door. There was no sneaking around in this castle, unless you knew the secret stairs and you could creep like the servants used to creep around when there were servants. Her mother was already sitting at her desk in the curved wall of where the large window captured the early light. She was drinking coffee and talking to the castle manager who beamed at Eadlin as she entered the room.
"Good morning my big eight year old girl!" Queen Althea swept her daughter up in her arms even though she was far too tall and kissed her.
"Happy birthday, Eadlin." The manager, Gregory, shook her hand in mock seriousness before he too was hugged.
"So... what is it you most want to do today?" Althea asked her daughter.
"Have my lessons!" Eadlin could barely stand still with excitement. "And go outside...on my own." She breathed.
"Yes..." her mother said and seemed to sigh for a moment. "Yes, that's what I want too."
Breakfast was at the long dining table with the whole household wishing her happy birthday as they went past. Nobody usually sat down for breakfast, all the people who worked in the castle helped themselves from the long tables and stood around chatting as they started work, but today everyone was waiting for her when she arrived downstairs and she was allowed whatever she wanted to eat. Tonight might be dinner with just the three of them, but this morning it was nice to be surrounded by all the people she knew.
It was her father who walked her across the courtyard to an old cottage that had been changed into a classroom. It was he who had insisted on this. Other children in the castle had lessons, but they were all older than her and her father didn't think it was right that she should join in with their lessons just yet. Anyway he told her, "One day you will be Queen. These are special lessons, that only you need."
He opened the door of the cottage and instantly the room was flooded with sunshine. Eadlin could barely see across the room to the old woman sitting by the fireplace. She was sitting by a spinning wheel and her foot gently moved as the wool passed through her fingers. She smiled broadly at the King.
"Good morning Aubrey." she said "And welcome young Eadlin. It's a very special day today."
"It certainly is, "said the King. "Well, Eadlin. Don't be shy. Go and join Julienne and have a wonderful time. Listen well and learn. Julienne taught my sister everything she knows." He bent down and kissed her on the cheek. He held her for a few minutes too long and then swept back out into the sunshine, shutting the door behind him and Eadlin was left alone.
Siren
Well, once upon a time
There lived this girl upon a rock
And she was happy
She'd lived for oh so many years
That rock was a model
Of self sufficiency
And many a passing merman
Tried to tempt her in
For just a quick swim
But she was happy on that rock
Because she knew
That no man is an island
Siren, siren, siren song.
There lived this girl upon a rock
And she was happy
She'd lived for oh so many years
That rock was a model
Of self sufficiency
And many a passing merman
Tried to tempt her in
For just a quick swim
But she was happy on that rock
Because she knew
That no man is an island
Siren, siren, siren song.
Saturday, 7 November 2015
The Perfect Princess Prologue
Once upon a time, a very long time ago there was a Queen. She was a very brave queen and when her husband was killed by an invading army from a nearby kingdom she did not panic. She had heard terrible stories about the king of the neighbouring kingdom. Everyone said he never stayed long in any kingdom, he stripped the kingdom of what it was worth and moved on, quickly.
The Queen moved very quickly. She hid her daughter in the walls of the castle and at the first opportunity her daughter stole away into the forest and made a life for herself in the woods. She was very young, but she had inherited her bravery from her mother and knew how to survive when things got tough.
When the King arrived, the Queen, whose name was Althea, threw herself at his mercy.
"My Lord," she cried, "I cannot face the same fate as my husband. I can be a good queen. I am strong and I am loyal and the people love me. If you were to show your great mercy and take me as your wife I could help you win the hearts and minds of our people. Together we could be unstoppable."
And the King, who was not a monster after all, and whose name was Aubrey, agreed. He was grateful for her strong leadership and happy to be merciful to her plight. After all, he hadn't planned to have her husband killed, it had been in the heat of battle, he had been further back in the fighting line and had not anticipated that a King in those days would have been so brave as to fight in his own battle.
Althea was clever, and made sure that within the year she had produced a new daughter for the King. This secured her place in the castle and made sure that her line would continue. But in all that time she never forgot her own daughter, once she knew she was safe, she sent her messages every day she could and invited her to the palace.
Her daughter Sarah declined. She was happy in the forest and although she wanted to see her mother, she didn't want to have to pretend and didn't want to put her mother's safety in danger. She had no ambitions to be queen and wanted to carry on living her simple life, free from the judgements and pressures of those around her. She wanted to meet her new sister though, so when her sister reached her eighth birthday, she was allowed to start leaving the walls of the palace and travelling around her kingdom on her own. Althea and Sarah realised that this was their chance and Eadlin, the young princess was introduced to her sister as the girl who would accompany her on her short journeys. She would never know that this strong, independent, clever girl was her family.
The Queen moved very quickly. She hid her daughter in the walls of the castle and at the first opportunity her daughter stole away into the forest and made a life for herself in the woods. She was very young, but she had inherited her bravery from her mother and knew how to survive when things got tough.
When the King arrived, the Queen, whose name was Althea, threw herself at his mercy.
"My Lord," she cried, "I cannot face the same fate as my husband. I can be a good queen. I am strong and I am loyal and the people love me. If you were to show your great mercy and take me as your wife I could help you win the hearts and minds of our people. Together we could be unstoppable."
And the King, who was not a monster after all, and whose name was Aubrey, agreed. He was grateful for her strong leadership and happy to be merciful to her plight. After all, he hadn't planned to have her husband killed, it had been in the heat of battle, he had been further back in the fighting line and had not anticipated that a King in those days would have been so brave as to fight in his own battle.
Althea was clever, and made sure that within the year she had produced a new daughter for the King. This secured her place in the castle and made sure that her line would continue. But in all that time she never forgot her own daughter, once she knew she was safe, she sent her messages every day she could and invited her to the palace.
Her daughter Sarah declined. She was happy in the forest and although she wanted to see her mother, she didn't want to have to pretend and didn't want to put her mother's safety in danger. She had no ambitions to be queen and wanted to carry on living her simple life, free from the judgements and pressures of those around her. She wanted to meet her new sister though, so when her sister reached her eighth birthday, she was allowed to start leaving the walls of the palace and travelling around her kingdom on her own. Althea and Sarah realised that this was their chance and Eadlin, the young princess was introduced to her sister as the girl who would accompany her on her short journeys. She would never know that this strong, independent, clever girl was her family.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)