Two Little Girls Exploring (closed)

[Anonymous]

Mairwen was bored as she lay there in bed the first morning after they arrived at the castle. Caspian was away so often with his knightly duties and it seemed like there should be more for her and Priscilla to do rather than remain cooped up here in the room they shared. A whole huge castle and all they got was one room? It wasn't fair, or so Mairwen thought.

Then again, she supposed it was better than sitting by herself in the house where her parents no longer lived. Caspian would have sent for them sooner, but he was so busy when their parents died that he hadn't even gotten to read the message until two weeks later. Mairwen shivered. What if he'd just left them there forever? Of course, she knew her brother better than to think that... but it was still a scary thought.

"Priscilla? Do you want to go exploring?" she whispered.

"Huh?" moaned a sleepy Priscilla, raising her head from the pillow. "No, it's just after eight-o'-clock. Can't we sleep until...ten, at least? We just got here last evening. Quest-ce que c'est?"

The last part was a remnant of one of the older Earth languages, called French, that had stuck around. In its old sense, it meant 'What is this?' but to some of the new inhabitants, it was an expression of disgust, akin to 'Are you insane?'

"I'm not crazy, just bored. You can sleep later. You'd sleep the whole day away if I let you. Please?"

"Okay, okay," she muttered, getting out of bed. "Where do you want to go first?"

"Let's just pick a door," Mairwen suggested. When both girls had dressed, they went down the hall and to the first door on the right, where they found...

(OOC: here's someone's cue!)

Joelle, if you don't want people jumping into your threads, don't leave them open. - Draconian

[Anonymous]

It felt strange being back in Arca but the castle had been a place she'd always wanted to visit. She hoped word wouldn't get out that she was around if anyone recognized her, that certainly would be tough explaining to her family. She'd been given a room in the castle for her visit, though, and that was what mattered to her more than anything at the moment. Exploring within the walls and among the grounds of such a place had been something Lena had always wanted to do, her previous life restricting her view of such a majestic place to a few brief glances despite that she'd grown up near it.

Arriving the previous evening had not afforded her with much time to look around but she was determined to take in as much as she could during her stay. Excitement had kept her up almost the entire night, her body only allowing a few hours of sleep for the weary traveler, but she didn't mind it because she was now living one of her dreams. Anticipation itched at her even still as she dressed for the day and began brushing her hair so she would look at least presentable if she happened to pass by people today, which she knew she must expect in such a large place. When she was finished she began unloading her belongings from the bag she'd been carrying all along her journey. She hid everything beneath the bed and left only a few apples for snacks and her water skin to be closed back up within the bag.

Lifting the bag to rest on one shoulder she turned and walked briskly to the door, ready to face the day. Right when she opened it, though, she found herself facing two girls that were visibly younger than herself. Lena couldn't help but notice that they'd been about to come into her room and a slight glint of puzzlement shone in her eyes. "Ah, good morning girls, can I help you with something?" she asked, wanting to be as polite as she could be because she did not know who they were.

[Anonymous]

"We're just exploring," said Mairwen happily. "I'm Mairwen Brendan and this is my sister, Priscilla Brendan. Our brother is a knight. His name is Sir Caspian Brendan. We live with him now because our parents died. I'm ten and my sister is fifteen. Our brother is twenty-four."

"Mairwen, we don't even know who she is," Priscilla whispered nervously. But she was well aware that really, they didn't know anyone but Caspian, and besides, she seemed nice. "What is your name?" Priscilla asked.

[Anonymous]

Lena had been smiling at the girls, happy to see innocence for a change, but her expression turned to concern when Mairwen mentioned the death of their parents. "I'm sorry to hear about your parents, that must be difficult to deal with." Even though she resented her father and had never known her mother she felt that she truly would be sad to hear that he had passed on. To lose their parents while still so young, though, was a matter of concern to her as she wondered why they were not more reserved and disconnected from things.  She didn't want to dwell or make them uncomfortable so she put on a smile for them when the older girl addressed her.

"My name is Lena...Lena Kendrick. Nice to meet you Mairwen, Priscilla. Your brother must be very busy what with his knighthood, but it just so happens that I was going to do a bit of exploring myself," she said, winking to the girls. "Would you care to join me?" I've never been in a castle before and I have to admit that I'm very excited about seeing everything."

She hadn't imagined when she'd set out to make a new life for herself that she might ever befriend two girls while visiting a castle, but the idea of seeing a friendly face or two during her stay set in her mind the notion that being kind and considerate of these young girls, who were not all that much younger than herself, would not be such a terrible thing. Besides, they seemed nice enough and just as eager to make friends with her since they were at least talking, but Lena had never been good at reading emotions unless they were particularly obvious.

[Anonymous]

"Sure!" said Mairwen. "We're going to live here now, so we might as well learn our way around."

Priscilla shrugged, smiled, and looked at Lena. "Please excuse Mairwen. She's very... um... exuberant. A fireball, one might say."

It was true. Mairwen could talk someone's leg off if they let her. She'd always been the leader of the two girls, while Priscilla was more prudent and reserved, but since their parents died, Mairwen's talkativeness had only grown worse.

Mairwen blushed. "Well what do you expect me to do, Priscilla? I'm just trying to make friends because with Caspian gone guarding the castle most days, we have to have someone to talk to and we don't know anyone...and...Mama and Papa used to talk to us, but what now?" For the first time since they'd met Lena, Mairwen looked about to cry.

Priscilla immediately felt horrible. "I know, Mairwen...but one must be careful who they tell things to. The walls have ears."

"Huh?"

"It means that anyone could be hearing this conversation right now and that could include someone dangerous that could hurt us." At least, that was what Priscilla thought it meant.

"Oh. I'm sorry." A tear she hadn't counted on slipped down Mairwen's cheek. Priscilla gave her sister a hug, trying to hide tears of her own.

"It's okay... I know it looks bad right now, but...I miss Mama and Papa too."

She had been about to say that things would get better, but Priscilla didn't know that they would. So she told Mairwen the only thing she knew was true. Priscilla looked at Lena helplessly. "I want to tell her that things will get better and that we'll be okay but I can't promise her that," she whispered, crying.

[Anonymous]

Lena waited patiently as she listened to the girls talk, a gentle smile on her face until Mairwen started looking like she was going to cry. Concern entered her expression, suddenly worried again about two young girls that had just lost their parents. She stepped a little closer to them, resting a hand on the shoulder of each girl and crouched down a bit to be more on their level. Never having younger siblings to watch over left her with a bit of a loss as to what to do with them but she felt that simply being nice might be enough for now.

Giving a sensitive smile for their benefit, she nodded to what Priscilla told her. "Well, you girls are very strong to do what you've done, you should at least be a little proud for that...and your brother will take care of you, won't he?" Lena wanted to cheer them up, they seemed like nice enough girls that were just a bit lonely. "I'll be here for a while too, I can be your first new friend," she assured them, patting each on the shoulder before straightening up.

When she had set out to return to Arca, Lena hadn't planned on a set amount of time to stay, though her hopes were high for her life to be a bit stable if she remained in the castle. Of course she knew she couldn't be a moocher for the rest of her life and would have to move on eventually, but she wanted to spend enough time to properly become acquainted with everything it had to offer. Perhaps Mairwen and Priscilla would see most of it with her; it would be nice to have a few friends if she was going to stay a while. Still, she was a bit wary of her situation because of the proximity to her father's estate.  

Shaking her head to clear the worrisome thoughts from her mind before the turned her attention to the girls again, she offered a hand to each. "Now, how about we go for a walk? Maybe we'll find something interesting!" Lena put on her best face for enthusiasm, wanting to help the girls keep their thoughts from their parents and on lighter things.

[Anonymous]

"We can show you where Caspian is!" said Priscilla, wiping her eyes and looking conspiratorially at her sister.  "He'd love to meet you, Lena. He wants to know all our friends." That was true, but the reason for the conspiratorial wink in Mairwen's direction had been more than that. Caspian hadn't looked much better than they had a minute ago the last time the girls had seen him. Priscilla suspected that it was due to his lack of female companionship. She and Mairwen didn't count of course. They were his sisters. What Caspian needed was...a friend. It had to get lonely guarding the castle when every young lady he met was either married or engaged. At 24, Caspian still had no prospects of marriage, though he loved children. His love of children was part of the reason he'd allowed them to come here, and the girls knew it.

Priscilla did not explain herself, however. "Let's go see him. He'll want to know that we're safe, especially since we didn't know anyone before." Leading the way out of Lena's room, Priscilla shut the door and opened the door to her and Mairwen's room. When the girls had gotten their wraps, they started to make their way to the front of the castle and outside.

"Hello, girls, who's your friend?" called Caspian from his post. He removed his helmet and smiled at them, his short dark hair coming into view and his dark eyes sparkling. "Hello, milady," he greeted Lena. "Sir Caspian Brendan at your service."

[Anonymous]

Lena was a bit hesitant but she followed the girls around, deciding that no harm could come of going along with them; they seemed eager to get out now and obviously knew how to get there. When they got outside she adjusted the pack on her shoulder as she wondered how far they would take her to find their brother. Once they'd reached his post, however, he immediately introduced himself and she flushed slightly, unaccustomed to the company of formal knights. Caspian seemed friendly, though, like his sisters, and Lena smiled at him when he announced himself to her. "Hello, Sir Brenden," she replied. "I'm Lena Kendrick. I happened upon your sisters this morning and I have to admit that they're very charming young ladies."

Glancing at the two girls that had led her here, she narrowed an eye and gave a sly grin, acknowledging that she understood their reasoning after seeing their brother for herself. "I'm fairly...new here," she continued, bringing her attention back to Caspian. "Perhaps it's a good thing to meet a knight and his family first."

She hadn't expected to meet anyone today or anytime soon and she truly was happy that she at least knew a few people now. Admitting to herself that she wasn't as nervous now was quite simple and a smile crept onto her lips at the thought that trips around the castle might be easier with eyes more than her own along for the sights.

[Anonymous]

Caspian smiled at Lena. "Wonderful to meet you, and yes, my sisters are quite charming. "
Both girls giggled at being referred to as "charming," even though they knew it was probably true. As they recovered themselves, they grinned at Lena as if to say, 'See, we told you he was handsome,' although they didn't say it aloud.

"Are you staying for awhile?" Caspian continued. "You see, you're the first person my sisters have met. They just arrived last night, and they're quite lonely."

He was lonely too, but that was beside the point. He noted that the young lady seemed comfortable enough with him though, so if she was staying awhile he might get a chance to become her friend...or more.

[Anonymous]

She could tell that the girls were entertained by this encounter, which was a good thing, she thought. If anyone needed a distraction it was the siblings she met today and she hoped, because they all seemed agreeable enough, that she might become better acquainted with them. Caspian addressed her again and Lena gave her full attention to him, nodding as he spoke. "I got here last night too and I hope to stay for a little while at least. You see, I've always wanted to see the castle and this is my first time coming here so I figured I'd relax a little and see everything while I have the chance." Inwardly, she wanted to stay as long as she could for the sake of the new friends she'd made. She didn't like to see people troubled by things out of their power. She wasn't the type to bring up unnecessary matters, though, and decided that even dwelling on it in her thoughts wouldn't be good either.

Along her travels Lena had been able to make a fair amount of acquaintances, some nicer than others, but she'd never stayed in one place for so long to actually hold lasting friendships with anyone. This left her a bit lonely, in her own way, so she was glad for the chance to perhaps get to know this trio of siblings.

Turning to Mairwen and Priscilla, Lena snickered. "You never told me he was this handsome, girls," she whispered, smiling as she snuck a glance to their brother. "Sir Brenden, it was nice meeting you...maybe we'll see each other again?" she asked, determined to get one more smile out of him.

[Anonymous]

"Most definitely," he said with a grin which showed his perfect teeth. He rather liked the idea of seeing Lena again. "In fact, maybe we could have dinner...the four of us...after you're settled, to become even better acquainted."

He had a horrible urge to add, "Lady Lena," but didn't. But every time he met a young lady, he added "Lady Brendan" to her name in his thoughts to see how it sounded.

Lady Lena Brendan. It did have a nice ring to it.

What was more, she seemed to like his sisters as well. Caspian knew that finding a woman who was willing to take on two extra children before she had her own would be difficult.

Mairwen and Priscilla's grins became wider at Caspian's suggestion of having dinner together. It seemed he liked Lena as much as she seemed to like him.

[Anonymous]

She couldn't help but smile, a healthy blush coming to her cheeks. Nobody had asked her to dinner, or anything else for that matter, since she'd left home. "I'd like that, that's very kind of you to offer," she said, nodding. Reaching out a hand and tapping Priscilla on the shoulder, she took a step back and began to turn around. "Well, let's get going. We still have a lot to see today."

Walking away felt a bit awkward for Lena, her cheeks still hot from a few moments prior. Looking over her shoulder, she smiled to Caspian one more time before calling, "I'll see you around!" Then she kept walking, wanting to get out of earshot before she said anything to the girls.

"I think that went well...or as well as it could have, what do you think?" she asked teasingly, opening a door that led back inside. Climbing a flight of stairs, Lena smiled to herself as she wondered how long she might get to spend living in the castle, how long she would have to take in everything. "What should we look for first? Or should we just wander?"

[Anonymous]

"Let's just wander," said Mairwen. "I have no idea where anything is anyway."

"You're right Lena," said Priscilla. "It did go very well. He seemed to like you, and I couldn't help but notice that you seemed to like him too."

When they re-entered the castle, the girls immediately stopped before the first door on the left. What they would find there, neither one knew, but it was time to find out.

[Anonymous]

Lena followed the girls, curious about what they might find this day. When they stopped in front of a door she looked at it for a moment, wondering if they were allowed to go inside. She figured, though, that nobody would ever find out if it were forbidden and that it should be locked if it truly was so. Reaching for the handle, however, she was easily able to open it and she stepped past the girls and inside. The room seemed to be a sort of study from what she could see with the sunlight coming in through the windows. Walking further inside, she was able to clearly see all of the furniture and shelving as well as another door that she thought might connect to some sort of bedroom.

The walls supported a few paintings as well as the shelves of books, most old-looking, and Lena moved to sit in one of the chairs the room contained. Taking in all that was within the room brought a smile to her face as well as the release of a contented sigh. "I've always wanted to see a room like this, doesn't it seem cozy?" she asked the girls, motioning for them to come join her.

ooc: Apologies for the amount of time it took me to get to this, I haven't been feeling well lately. >_<

[Anonymous]

(OOC: That's OK, I have been kind of busy myself. Just finished a killer midterm.)

"Wow!" said Mairwen. "It's ... it's...."

"Amazing," finished Priscilla. "We've never seen anything like it."

The girls walked into the room and both sat on the chairs in it, sighing as they relaxed.

"We didn't live very far from here," said Mairwen. "Where did you come from, Lena?"

[Anonymous]

Seeing that the girls seemed to agree that the room was nice pleased Lena, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She didn't know what it might ever have been like if she'd lost her parents like these young girls had, if her own brother would have taken care of her like their brother was trying to do. Of course he would have, she convinced herself. He is the one that helped you escape after all.

For all that was going well for Lena, however, it always seemed to pain her no matter how many times others inquired about her past and the like. The smile she held now was forced, not wanting the girls to know that she was nervous talking about where she'd come from. "Oh, not too far away from here, I used to live in town," she answered vaguely, wondering how much farther the subject would be delved into tonight and in the coming days. She felt she could talk about her travels in fair comfort but it was her ancestry that bothered her, hoping that none she ever discussed it with knew of her family, and especially her own father's fortune.

[Anonymous]

"Wow," said Mairwen. "Well since we lived so close, maybe it was fated that we were going to meet anyway." Inwardly, both girls were relieved that she had lived so close. It was almost like meeting a neighbor or someone that they had known much longer than they had known Lena. Although they didn't press her to reveal more, their smiles were enough to let her know that they were pleased.

"Feel these chairs," gushed Priscilla. "Aren't they wonderful? I could almost go to sleep on mine. This would be a great room to sit in during fall and winter, with a good book and a fire and a cup of tea and some cookies."

"Mmm, cookies," said Mairwen. Just then, her stomach growled, causing both girls to remember that they hadn't had anything to eat yet. "Let's go find the kitchen," Mairwen suggested. "We can explore some more later."

[Anonymous]

The enthusiasm the girls showed was a relief to Lena and she allowed herself to relax a bit as she listened to Priscilla talk. Indeed, her suggestion sounded nice, though the situation reminded her quite vividly of her home life, and she smiled at the thought of tea and cookies. Mairwen, though, seemed to be hungry at the moment and her stomach betrayed her if she'd been trying to hid the fact that her and her sister had not eaten much lately.

"Fine by me, let's go." Lena stood and opened the door for the girls, glancing back at the room before stepping out herself and following them. She felt that she could get used to living in a place like this but she was a bit worried and nervous as well because, since she'd left her home, she had never really stayed in one spot for too long. Soon, she became aware of the smells of food and followed the scents until she opened the door that contained the kitchen. Looking around, it was quite obvious that the staff were busying preparing various foods, she searched for a wandering eye. When she finally caught the eye of a man leaning near the ovens she gave a friendly smile and made her way to him.

"Excuse me, sir, do you think these girls could get something to eat? They're new arrivals and haven't eaten well, you see." Lena didn't need to say too much, the chef smiled to her, nodded at her request, and went off for a moment. When he returned he handed her a basket that, judging by the weight, had plenty to choose from within. After thanking the man she turned to the girls and walked out of the kitchens. "Come on, let's eat outside, it's such a nice day."

[Anonymous]

When the girls followed Lena outside, they found the sun shining and a soft breeze blowing. Coupled with the smells coming from the basket, everything seemed perfect.

"Now it's time for our tongues to do the exploring," joked Priscilla. The basket was filled with yummy things that the girls hadn't eaten since their parents' funeral, like jelly-filled rolls, buttered croissants, and small quiches. There were other things, too, of course, but the things their tongues had missed tasting the most were what the girls took first when they filled their plates.

"Mmm... it's all so good... what do you think, Lena?" Mairwen asked.

[Anonymous]

Watching the girls brought a gentle smile to Lena's face, liking that they were enjoying themselves on such a nice day. She herself, not accustomed to having such accessible treats like she used to, allowed herself to indulge in the food that was before them. Reflecting on the question Mairwen asked her as she ate, she wondered what exactly the girl meant by it. Assuming she was referring to the food, she quickly swallowed and smiled once again as she replied, "The food is delicious, I didn't think...common people like me would get such fresh food from a grand place like this."

It was tough for her to say even this small lie, though. Even though she'd given up her life as the daughter of a noble house, Lena had not admitted even to herself through her travels how much she missed certain aspects of her old life. She wondered how her brother was, if, by chance, he might come to the castle on some sort of business while she was there. The thought excited her and she finished what was in her hand before easing up to stand. "I could get used to this place, it's so beautiful," she said quietly, the wind carrying her words away soon after she'd spoken them.