The Appalling Strangeness of the Mercy of God [M - Hannelorian x DuchessLivilla]

[Hannelorian]

Arabella by virtue of rank sat centrally at the top table, with the Prince of Wales on one side and an empty space on the other, the King's place setting still perfectly intact. It was something of an oddity, but his place could not be cleared as it was possible he would arrive sometime during the meal. It was also the first time that Arthur and Arabella really spoke to one another without the situation being so dire. Normally their conversations were quick, secret, and pertaining to matters that would end their lives if it was found out. Secrets, and not the kind most would love to speculate on, tawdry affairs and all that, simply exchanging information to keep their family unit intact.

But for now, they had little choice but to sit in silence, which would send the wrong message, or to make conversation. "You look like the reading type." Arabella commented off hand, her attention entirely focused on her brother-in-law who was also her step-son, what a fun family tree. "I mean, for fun that is... when you're not going about the business of preparing to rule." Arabella did not say this out of cruelty, or judgment, but out of genuine interest.

"Yes, I do." Arthur sort of smiled and looked down, having very much the same revelation as Arabella. The two knew precious little about each other, but so much was dependent on their cooperation. "I just finished a collection of Byron." The two felt somewhat awkward at first, at least it felt that way. "Banned books?" Arabella asked, at least demonstrating she knew more than she often let on. The Queen tutted her lips and wagged her finger gently, but low enough as not to draw attention to the act. "I won't tell. Besides, I quite like him too." Richard never really questioned how Arabella spent her time. Nor did he question the fact that she read items other an authorized religious text for women. In fact, though Arabella would never know, Richard always hoped she broke the rules just a little bit.

"When Alexandra and I were girls... she used to sneak into Father's study and read." Arabella smiled at the memory. "One afternoon, Father came back unexpectedly, and Alexandra actually though she could hide under his desk and he wouldn't notice." The memory was once a fond one, but viewing her sister as she did now, it brought her no joy. "She got in so much trouble... but, I think that's why you work together. Well one of many reasons." Alexandra's tenacity, her willingness to throw caution to the wind and break the rules, and of course... because all she wanted to do was better herself with a good book.

"You might be on to something there, mother." Arthur said and they both laughed quietly, there was a limit to how loud one should be at a dinner such as this. "She is still quite voracious, she'll read anything she can get her hands on." At least this hadn't changed, her sister, despite the years of abuse, was still herself, especially in private. "But what about you? I never pictured you as much of a reader. Kindly." Arthur asked, figuring at the very least he would know something about his beloved's family. "Were you always so prim and proper?"

Arabella nodded her head and sighed. "Of course. I had to be the best, I had to be the favorite. Our father never had sons, so he wanted to make sure he at least had a useful daughter." It was clear from her words that her parents very much viewed Alexandra as a daughter without a use. "I was... how would you say politely... competitive." Cruel, was a more appropriate word.

The two went on until the change of course, when Arthur turned his attention to his father's chief minister. A rather boring man, middle aged, completely by the book and so full of his father that he might as well live inside his father's throat.

--

Alice, having turned first to Lord Mordecai would do her best to calm his nerves, at the very least it would distract from her own. But the entire time she chatted with him, she could feel a set of eyes upon her, and coming from across, sure enough it was a man whose place card simply read "Duke of Kent." So that was him then, the man Arabella and Alexandra wanted her to meet. Had they done this on purpose?

When she could feel him watching her, or looking at her, or should she catch him out of the corner of her eye, her cheeks would flush red with blush. Though some might think it was the nervous Mordecai she found charming, but in reality she wouldn't care if she never saw him again. He. The Duke. Had been looking at her. Watching her in between moments of eating and chatter with his neighbors.

Surely it could not be her that drew his eye, but rather something behind her. Of course, that had to be it. When she could, she would attempt to catch a glimpse of him, without being noticed, something she was not entirely successful at. Those further up the table would turn up their nose at the mystery woman lusting so openly (she was not) over a brand new Duke. The nerve, they might think.

Alex made this all seem so easy.

[DuchessLivilla]

Alexandra, in between conversations, glanced over the empty space between them to the other table and smiled at Alice; her maid was not always looking to catch the smiles, but sometimes the stars aligned and they were able to share a moment across the divide, as it were.

From her position, the Princess could not, without being very obvious, glance down the length of people to see the Duke, as he was on her side of the table but by watching Alice, she could tell both had noticed each other, which made her smile even more. The two men beside her, and a few opposite too, could not help but notice that, when she smiled -genuinely, not the courtly smiles everyone did to cover their real feelings- the Princess of Wales was very beautiful; her round face, with it's dimples that became her very well, her dark curls and lively eyes.

The court had always known that Arabella was beautiful, hell, a single glance told them that; the new Queen prescribed perfectly to the accepted societal beauty standards, as such she had, from her debut onwards, been held up as an example of what a woman should look like to please her husband, and more importantly, God. Her sister had never been held in much regard, even after her debut at court. When compared with -as everyone thought- perfection, it was hard for anyone to come out being thought of as anything other than 'less'.

Now, several men were starting to re-think. The Queen was, of course, still more beautiful, but...well, the Princess of Wales was perhaps not as hideous as they had thought! She certainly looked very pretty tonight, in the candlelight. The fact too was that, as Queen, not a Duchess, Arabella had, subtly, changed in the view of the court. It was not just that the King was a known jealous man -though that certainly helped dissuade any suitors!- but also that as Queen, Bella was the example for all women and she was no longer 'in play' as it were as an object of lust.

The tradition of courtly love helped too; the ancient idea of Knights errant plying their troth to the Queen with flirtations and devotions that everyone knew meant nothing, while they pursued other ladies.

For now, the male courtiers were not sure where the Princess stood on this scale; was she, like her sister, to be held up as an example and not in play...or was she, like rumours suggested, a harlot who could be seduced and discarded? It was all very exciting...if, to decent men and women, rather a disgusting way to view another person.

All this aside, if anyone had actually asked the Princess what she thought of it all, she would have, entirely genuinely, replied that she had only eyes for her husband and had no desire to break her marriage vows for anyone else. To this end, she did, a few times, like with Alice, glance up at the top table to smile at her husband and sister. There was no -outward anyway- sign that she regretted where she had been place, though naturally she would have rather been seated beside her family.

-

Thomas, Duke of Kent, sat rather stiffly between two notable ladies, one of whom he had been charged to 'escort' as was the custom of such events. To stop anything inappropriate from happening, or even being rumoured to have happened -rumours being enough to destroy reputations- the lady in question was older and married. Then again, even if she had been his age and unwed, Thomas would have likely been uninterested.

He hated the court, finding it full of smoke and mirrors. No one had anything new or interesting to say. Everyone, to him it seemed anyway, lived their lives within the tiny world of the court and their country houses, all scheming and plotting to get one up on another. If they had travelled, it was for something equally vacuous, such as shopping trips to Paris or some such. Hating this environment, he had relished his 'Grand Tour' and after he returned home, he had quickly fled on another, and another, and another, ensuring he was rarely in England.

And now he was back, suddenly with a title and new responsibilities that he had never wished for nor wanted, and stuck in a court he hated and did not understand, if he was honest.

The young man sighed and, forcing himself, made as brief a comments as he could get away with to the ladies either side of him as the dinner went on. Every second he wished it would end so he could escape. That was until, by accident, he happened to glance over at the other table opposite him and he saw a woman he knew, at a single glance, did not belong here. Much like himself, he thought.

Unlike many however, he did not feel annoyance at this, he was intrigued. Who was she? Why was she here?

Not subscribing to the rules of society -he did not care for them and felt they had no real meaning- Thomas kept looking over every few minutes, watching this strange woman and taking in all he could about her. She was not 'well-born' for all that mattered, he could tell that; he movements were less stayed and practiced, she glanced sideways at her companions, checking what knife or fork they used before she followed suit. There was an air of nervousness about her; he caught her, a few times, glancing over to someone on this side and, with a little shift, he noticed it was the Princess of Wales.

"Curiouser and curiouser," he thought as he flicked his gaze back to the young woman. Suddenly he was rather looking forward to the party afterwards. This was something new, that was for sure! No one had caught his interest before at court, but this young lady, he could tell, did not belong here...and therefore, he wanted to know more about her.

[Hannelorian]

As the courses progressed, there was still no sign of the King. Something which did, though she still hated admitting it, brought Arabella a great sense of relief. For a few moments, Arabella actually thought she was enjoying herself. Perhaps she was. There was little pressure, just conversation. Though notably, she did eat rather little, but at least had enough to sustain her. Perhaps it was related to her looks, or perhaps against her desire to become pregnant, which for all she knew, she might already be. The last time, well, that only took once. Once was enough. It was possible that Arabella was indeed, quite fertile.

The joy of not having the King present, was that as Queen, Arabella now controlled the events of the evening. When she had enough, all she had to do was rise, and the meal would end in spectacular fashion. Though for the sake her guests, she had waited until dessert had been served and largely consumed. So, when the time came Arabella simply stood up, and the sound of flatware dropping to the table were manifest, all assembled rising in short order. "Ladies and Gentlemen of the court. I think we can all agree, our compliments to the Chefs." Arabella raised her gloved hands and began a standard round of applause.

"We need not delay, I do think it is time to celebrate in a more lively manner. If you all would be so kind as to withdraw to the ball room." Arabella motioned toward the doors to the next room, the ball room had been spectacularly decorated, and as if by magic the doors had opened and the company began to clear. The Queen herself held back, making brief small talk and nods, smiling to those who stopped for a moment. In reality she was waiting for her sister, and of course, Alice.

Alice, who took her queues from those of others stood when they did, and moved when they did. The Duke had watched her, and she had watched him. What had he gleaned about her? Certainly the obvious, that did not belong. No matter, Alice once free to the chains of the table rather quietly made her way to the Princess of Wales for a bit of refuge. The Princess, she assumed would be looking forward to her husband.

[DuchessLivilla]

Alexandra, like the others, rose to her feet when the Queen gave the signal. She smiled courteously as the general offered her his arm, to escort her into the ball. A lady should not, after all, be unescorted in such matters, and the Prince, her beloved husband, was escorting the Queen.

"I am," he said softly as the crowds began to pair off and move, "A poor substitute for His Highness but I would be honoured to see you into the ball, Your Highness," he replied, the very essence of the old guard of courtier, chivalry personified.

"And I would be most honoured to accept then, Sir," Alexandra replied, taking his arm. Naturally, she wore long gloves to her upper arms and he wore his tunic, so there was no skin touching anywhere. As they started to walk, Alice, looking a little at sea, as it were, came up to them. The Princess smiled, "Ah, general, forgive me, this is Miss Alice, my very dear friend. It is her first ball and she has no one to escort her, perhaps we might be daring..." she chuckled. "Or are two ladies on your arm a little too much?"

The General, puffed up with pride and feeling, after so long, useful, beamed, "Not at all, Your Highness. If Miss Alice consents, of course, I would be most honoured," he offered his other arm, brilliant in it's red tunic, to her. It was, after all, something for an old general, viewed by most now as a has-been who had served his country well but was now fit for nothing else, to have two pretty young things on his arms!

-

While this was going on, the young Duke linked arms with his own escorted lady and set off towards the ballroom, keeping an eye as he did for the young lady he had seen before. He was desperate to learn her name; he had been unable to see her place-setting due to the table decorations but he felt, for some reason he could not explain, that he had to learn it!

He watched, smiling a little, as he saw old General Dobson with the Princess on one arm and the mystery lady taking his other. It was something anyway, for her first -he could clearly tell she'd never been to an event like this before!- to be escorted by the same man who was escorting the Princess of Wales; a good connection to have, even if said Princess was not, it seemed, well thought of by most. Nearness to any royalty was a boon to social standing, even a little, which was what everyone here was desperate for.

Aside from himself. He could not care less about any of it and, until he saw this mystery lady, had been quite willing to slip out of the party and go home, and from there, as soon as all was sorted with his father's -or rather now, his- estate and Duchy, escape back to the continent.

He was eager, very eager, to get back to Russia to continue his research. India too, he had missed greatly since his tour.

The throng of courtiers, led by the Queen, on the arm of the Prince, spilled into the ballroom which was decorated as only the greats could; candles everywhere, causing the golden decor to sparkle, and for those ladies who wore many -too many- diamonds to almost glow in the light, flowers on every surface, long tables with white cloths, all bearing the new Royal Cipher of C and A intertwined embroidered in gold thread. The tables themselves were brimming with sweet-treats, glasses of port, madeira, champagne and so on for guests to help themselves too...if anyone had any room left after the numerous courses of food they had just eaten.

Thomas, along with the lady on his arm, took their places about the edges of the ballroom to wait for the Queen and Prince to begin the dancing. He glanced about until he spotted the mystery lady, talking quietly with the Princess across the room; she and Her Highness were clearly well acquainted and seemed at ease with each other.

Old friends, perhaps?

Then again, it would not be unheard of for Duke's to have bastard children...Was this mystery lady a younger sister? Now introduced to society quietly without any fuss? Certainly a mystery!

One he was eager to solve, for it's own sake, if nothing else.

[Hannelorian]

Everyone had assembled in the ballroom, the Prince hand-in-hand with the Queen had taken center stage, quite literally. For a few minutes, all eyes would be on the two, and both knowing their part and what the moment called for, Queen and Prince stared intently at one another. It was a funny thing, family dynamics are ever so complex. At first look, without any context one might think the pair were a rather attractive couple. They were, as mentioned, intent upon one another, both clearly bred for their positions. The couple seemed close in age, and at least on the surface that they enjoyed one another's company.

Though all those inside knew the truth, and perhaps in that, they saw something different. A new Queen, already having dominated court society now seeks to cement her claim and dominance. A Prince of Wales, beloved by many. the natural heir to the throne. A son who went against his father, marrying for love, but marrying a woman society had turned their back to. Many had wondered how a Duchess such as Arabella had such a wayward sister. For decades, three generations of King had hard pressed harsh Catholic morality. The King's justice was their only law, their own belief. Their ignorance turned the majority against Alexandra, but there were those who did not see it that way.

But here, right now, a Queen and a Prince were to dance, and dance they did. The Prince taking the Queen into his arms, the two moved across the floor as one. One might say they glided, effortlessly from one side to the other in a traditional waltz. It was abundantly clear that even though they had no rehearsed this, the pair of them had done this many, many times before. It was a court ritual so repeated that it became second nature, no thought was necessary. Save for the smile that both forced upon their faces. It would be possible, for the pair to smile genuinely, enjoying their familial bonds, but no... both would rather be with someone else. Arthur imagined his beloved wife in his arms. Arabella imagined Richard, on the day of their wedding. Or in another moment, her father. The men she had loved more than life itself, and the men she had lost.

"I am sorry, you know." Arabella whispered as the music played and the two moved.

"I know." Arthur replied quietly and quickly. He knew Arabella was sorry that it was her he was dancing with and not Alexandra. He knew that she was sorry that both he and his wife were treated so poorly. She was sorry that she was brought into this position and created a wedge between father and son, between King and heir.

"Promise me something." Arabella stated, rather than requested.

"If it is within my power." Arthur replied, rather genuinely, kindly.

"When you are as your father..." By that she meant, without actually saying it, when Arthur is King. "Be kind to a Dowager."

Arabella knew not when that future would come, or how, or what happened if she birthed a boy, but something deep and unsettling was coming. Something neither of them could stop.

"Always." Arthur replied, for Alexandra - his beloved - he would be kind to her sister, his mother, his sister, however one chose to phrase it.

When the two stopped moving, exactly where they had started, the ballroom erupted into applause, leading Queen and Prince to take a comedic bow, Arabella outstretching her arms now, inviting the others to join in the festivities.

"I hope your companions were less uncomfortable than mine." Alice did not whisper, but rather spoke in a hushed tone as she stood next the Princess of Wales, who by now was just one of many along the edges of the room. "The General seemed quite endearing." Alice was full of smiles, not only had she been an actual guest, but escorted to the ball alongside the Princess. What a night!

"Lord Mordecai was just as nervous as I was, I dare say it made for a frightful scene."

Admittedly, when Alice was nervous she did tend to talk more so than usual. "Do you think the Queen sat me across from him on purpose?" Him being the Duke, though she dare not say she was rather taken with him, and his apparent interest in her.

[DuchessLivilla]

Alexandra smiled, "Ah yes, poor General Dobson; the man fought bravely in numerous campaigns and now has been left out in the cold due to age. It's cruelty itself...He has a wealth of knowledge that could be used, even if times have changed but young men do not care to listen to old men's advice. Much like young ladies turn their noses up at old ones." She sighed then smiled again, banishing her thoughts elsewhere. Now was not the time.

"Oh bless, poor lad. It's his first ball, and," she lowered her tone, "The first time he has been allowed an inch from his mother's skirts. The poor boy was probably petrified of making any mistake and having her see him. That's her," she pointed with her gaze discreetly at a sour-faced, bird like woman who was so tightly laced into a peach coloured gown it was a wonder she had any breath to move. "I pity the woman who marries him. She had best know she is marrying the mother as well!"

The Princess chuckled and said softly to Alice, pulling out her fan from the concealed pocket in her dress as she did so, to better speak without being looked over, "My sister does nothing by accident. I imagine there was a last minute change to the seating plan on some very important reasoning...So..." she fanned herself, her gaze flicking from one guest to another until she spotted the Duke across the floor. "What did you make of him? I could not see if he noticed you from where I was without making it clear I was spying."

[Hannelorian]

Alice noted that the Princess withdrew her fan. Even she didn't know that hidden away thing was there! This were the kinds of social graces that she simply did not truly know about. Then again, she was seldom involved in any conversation with the ladies of court. How could she have known?

"Ah, her..." The woman was familiar, but it took several moments for it to click within her mind. "The Finch." Alice whispered, facing no particular direction save for the Princess', her own attempt at concealing herself. "Or that's what the servants call her anyway." While the nobility likely never cared if they knew, but if they didn't, most assuredly everyone had a nickname. Those nicknames did not stay to one house, oh no. If you were a lady at court, every servant throughout every noble home you'd ever visited would know that name. It was how the servants preferred to communicate, at least when left to their own devices.

"Last year she laced tightly she threw up all over Lady Braybrook... like a bird. Though I can't imagine Lady Braybrook was particularly hungry." Alice, for all of her prim and proper behavior did have quite the sense of humour. She would often rather tell a joke than admit to any of her own actual feelings. It seemed easier that way.

"Besides, I thought as the Princess of Wales you can spy on who you'd like, save for the Queen." The truth was, Alice was a bit embarrassed, though she could not truly comprehend way. It felt like being a little girl again. "I think he noticed..." Alice seemed to stumble ever so slightly on her words, her mind lost in thought. "At least it felt like that. All of the sudden you could just feel his eyes... right on you... but I think he must have been looking at something just beyond me."

To give herself credit would be too much, even if she did look beautiful thanks to Alex and Bella. "That... right now... he's looking again."

[DuchessLivilla]

"The maids know everything," Alexandra said, with a smile. "I always wondered if it was really true. How the great ladies would shudder to know that all their secrets are discussed." She did not sound nor look annoyed that any of her secrets, as much as the others, could be known and banded about below stairs as gossip. She trusted Alice, with her life in reality, as she did her closest servants at home; any she did not trust, were kept far from places where they could spy. "Remind me to tell the Queen that tale. It would make her laugh."

Alex swept the fan back and forth as if she was over-warm, though really it acted as a distraction so she could look around and speak. "You would think so," she said softly. "You and I know better; I am a prisoner in a gilded cage when at court, watched and reported on for any wrongdoing, however slight. Anyway, nevermind that. We cannot change it...You and the Duke, that is something far more worthy of talk."

She glanced over and smiled behind her fan, "Oh yes...He noticed, and I do believe you are right, he is looking now." The Princess bit her lip and considered the options they had. It would be terrible improper for her to go around the hall, towards the Duke, to introduce Alice; plus it would likely take forever, having to stop and make tedious conversations with all and sundry until they reached him.

Arthur though...He could go directly to the young man, on the ruse of welcoming him back to court, and expressing grief over his father's death; in turn, also introducing his wife and her guest at the same time.

Perfect.

She leant in and said to Alice, "We must wait for Arthur to come back, when he is finished dancing with the Queen...He can then take us to the Duke. Now," she smiled, "Do not panic, relax, be yourself. I assure you, the man, if he is anything like Bella thinks, will be bored to tears with court and all it represents. You will be a breath of fresh air to him, as long as you do not try and be what you are not. Be Alice."

[Hannelorian]

"Of course it's true." Alice said in a somewhat offhanded manner. "When people act as though you aren't there, they tend to speak freely. Consequence is an afterthought." This much was true, the servant was not meant to be heard. They were to stand at a party with a tray and glasses of champagne. No one ever thought to curb their speech simply because someone they barely deemed human was standing close by.

Alice thought about it for just a moment, what did it really mean to be Alice? For so long she was simply a maid, she still was simply a maid. She barely understood what it meant to be herself amongst this class, largely because she could only be herself before a small group. This was the constant challenge. There was a rather unmoving belief that no one from the upper echelons wanted to know who they were, in fact that was something that was in large part detested. No one cared for their servants. Alexandra and Arthur, to his credit, were exceptions to the rule.

Following the great applause, Arthur had only spoken to a small number as he made his way back to his wife and to Alice. "In a certain regard..." he began rather pensively, "one would not describe the whole event as unpleasant." Arabella only clarified that which he loved in his own wife. Arabella was not cold, but she was not warm. She was beautiful, but she lacked the depth of natural beauty that Alexandra had. She was smart, but Alexandra was intelligent. To his view, at the very least. He had gotten to know Arabella on a level he hadn't before, her humanity was beginning to show more and more as the days went on. Something he would note as refreshing.

"What are you two conspiring about?" The Prince asked, smirking all the while.

"Her Highness would like you to acquaint us with the Duke of Kent." Alice sad rather bluntly, the words sort of simply spilling out as she too had to recognize her own excitement. "Does she?" Arthur looked at this wife, extending his arm as he always did. "Well then I suppose we must go!"

[DuchessLivilla]

Alexandra, unable to help herself, started to laugh at Alice's bluntness. It reminded her of how children spoke when excited; single-minded to a t! She took her husband's arm and smiled to Alice, "And now you have a chance to be on the Prince's arm too. Which will certainly get everyone talking and looking. After all, a Lady cannot be unescorted." She winked.

The threesome set off, skirting the ballroom, nodding and making brief conversations as they went but with Arthur at the helm, they managed to make good progress and were soon approaching the Duke and his little group, all of whom were talking amongst themselves aside from the man in question.

As the Prince and Princess approached, Thomas bowed low, but did not speak; as one did not speak to the Royals unless they spoke to you, that right was reserved for family only, and even then...

He did however, look to Alice and, having not been introduced to her, assumed, as was customary, to give her a bow as well out of respect, his head inclined graciously.