Fancy Meeting You Here

[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur rather enjoyed feasts. Well, not the boring part where his father --- or anyone -- gave a little speech and there were dozens of toasts made before he could have a sip of his wine. But more so, the socializing aspect. And that was what the evening had come down to now. A grand dinner had been served and all the nobles that were able to attend, were present in the grand hall as they engaged in casual conversations with one another. The occasion for the feast was something worth celebrating as well. It was to celebrate his father's victory against whoever that mysterious knight had been. Arthur felt proud of his father -- and tried to ignore the fact that he had Gaius drug him and lock him in his chambers. The cause for celebration also incorporated an extension of Arthur's crowning ceremony, as it had been so rudely interrupted by said knight.

Arthur very much enjoyed the spotlight, as being a prince he was used to it, and he took his role as crowned prince so very seriously. So tonight, he wore his crown proudly as he was dressed in his formal attire which included well polished chainmail -- thanks to Merlin -- and a large vibrant red cape that bore the Pendragon symbol. And as previously determined, this was his favorite part of the evening so he would get started by mingling amongst the crowd. He recognized most faces, perhaps not as far as remembering everyone's names but knew the faces. As he led the knights, he knew the men very well . . . it was some of the noblewomen that he had yet to engage in conversations with. And it was the lady folk that Arthur enjoyed conversing with the most. Who wouldn't? They all looked so radiant! It was any man's dream come true!

There was one familiar face that he had felt the need to speak to ever since her arrival in Camelot: Lady Luciana le Valois. She was of the royal family of one of Camelot's strongest allies and they had indeed grown to develop a rather strong friendship. To see that she had made it to his crowning ceremony, meant a great deal to the Prince. And he needed to approach her to tell her as much. He had not had the time to speak to her before, what with the interruption at his ceremony and then with all the matches against the knight. It was a shame she had to witness that, for he was certain she did not come to see such violence. But he would take advantage of the opportunity now to catch up with her. And so, excusing himself from the few men he was currently conversing with, he began to make his way over to Luciana, smiling as he came to stand in front of her. "My Lady," he greeted with a bit of a bow. There was a certain degree of formality in his tone but there was also comfort in it, for he felt rather at ease when in her company. She had managed to make him feel that way since their very first conversation . . . or little trip together rather.


_{Setting: The Castle of Camelot
Time of Day: Evening
Timeline: After Excalibur, a couple days later
Tag: Lady Luciana le Valois}

[Luciana le Valois]

Princess Luciana was more than pleased to be back in the kingdom of Camelot. The fact that she has arrived in time for Arthur’s coronation was even more of a treat, however she could have done without the horrid events that took place over the past few days. She came to Camelot to escape the war and death that was present in her kingdom, but as soon as she entered the great city she was practically greeted by it. Witnessing the deaths of Sir Owain and Sir Pellinore was the most ghastly thing she had ever seen in her life. Luciana pushed the morbid memories from her mind as she meandered through the hall, mingling with the nobles of Camelot. She would focus on the celebration dedicated to the defeated of the dreaded knight and her favorite prince’s (excluded her dear brother) crowning.

Like the other nobles, the Princess of Armorica was adorned in her finery. She was dressed in an elegant gown made from various blue fabrics. The hem of the dress glides just above the wood floor, making it seem as if she were floating. Her dark tresses cascaded in graceful waves over her shoulders. A crown did not adorn her head this night. Instead a thin, simple sapphire and pearl diadem rested on top of her hair like a headband. A matching sapphire pendent on a silver chain graced her neck, and small sapphire earrings hung from her ears. Princess Luciana looked like a Nereids from ancient myths in all of the shades of blue.

As she was greeted by the courtiers of King Uther’s court, the Princess of Armorica slowly and discreetly tried to make her way over to Prince Arthur. She had yet to speak a word to him since she arrived much to her dismay. She had a present for him, a brilliant red cape with the Pendragon woven into the fabric with iridescent red thread. The dragon would shine forth with every movement of the light weight fabric. Luciana had fashioned the cape herself and was quite proud of it, and at the moment it was safely tucked away in her room. It was quite frankly killing her that it had not been shown off yet.

Luciana caught a glimpse of the golden haired prince as he conversed with his knights. She paused for a moment, debating whether she could tolerate listening to military tactics. Before she made up her mind, Luciana saw that Arthur was making his way to her.

“My Lady.” He said with a slight bow.

“Your Highness,” remarked the Princess of Armorica with a subtle curtsey and a clever smile dancing on her lips. A bit of playfulness laced her charming voice, but it still held its regal tone. Rising from her curtsey, Luciana commented, “You were missed at the duel, although your father did an excellent job. But I’m sure there was a good reason for absence. I simply can’t imagine you missing a duel for anything unless it was of the utmost importance.”

Luciana circumvented the obvious question, although the inquiry rang clear in her voice. The question was simple: why wasn’t he at the duel? Several possible answers floated into her mind. He overslept. He fell down the stairs. Things like that. The possibility that he was afraid to fight the knight did not even occur to her. Princess Luciana knew Arthur well enough to know that he would never back down from a challenge. At least she hoped she did.

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Tags:[/color] Arthur Pendragon
Words:[/color] 573
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Notes:[/color] None

[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur's smile remained on his lips as the other few people surrounding them slowly began to disperse. This was something that the young prince was grateful for, for now he would be able to talk to her in privacy . . . or somewhat, as the location was a public one filled with guests. "You are looking more radiant then ever," he complimented as he took her hand and gently kissed the top of it. It was true; she was an extremely beautiful woman. One that often held the attention of men when entering a room. She reminded him of Morgana in some ways . . . the way she held so much confidence in how she carried herself. Her strong sense of style which only made her look more radiant. Her natural poise which almost made it appear as if she was gliding whenever she walked. And of course, then there were the smaller details such as the unique color of her eyes, her fair skin, and darkened hair.

For Arthur to say that he was not at least attracted to her, would be a lie. But of course, there were many beautiful women in court. Perhaps because he knew her, he knew of her personality . . . made him feel closer to her. Of course, all this did not mean he was going to romantically pursue her. He was capable of having female friends. . . sort of. He lowered her hand, releasing its hold so that it could fall to her side once again. That was when he listened to her words . . . and automatically found them difficult to reply to. Of course, he couldn't very well say that now could he. He was a Prince, expected to speak with eloquence and composure. Now what would be a good reason for his absence. He did not want to blatantly lie to her. But he did not want to bluntly state that he had been drugged and locked in his chambers. It was a tad bit more complicated than that . . . or so he liked to think so.

"When you say that I was missed, I assume that it was largely by you," he said with a bit of a charming smile. Even though they were friends, did not mean that he could not engage in a few innocent flirtations every now and then. For he was implying that it was mostly her who had missed him . . . this carrying its own implications. It was all in good fun after all. "My Lady, I apologize for depriving you of my company. Had I known that you would have missed me so much, I would have done more to come." He was only kidding . . . for he knew full well that he had tried everything he could to get down to that arena. But he had been trapped, and had no choice but to impatiently wait in his room until the match was over . . . fearing every second for his father's life. "I will have to make it up to you, starting tonight," he added. It seemed like a good way to evade the subject of why he had been absent in the first place. Though, if she really wanted to know . . . perhaps he would tell her something close to the truth. He trusted her after all, and she was not only a strong ally of Camelot, but a good friend of his.

[Luciana le Valois]

As the courtiers around them began to gradually move away, Luciana’s striking pearl gray eyes never broke their contact with Arthur’s clear blue ones. As the prince complimented her beauty and kissed her hand, her pleasant smile was replaced by a slight smirk. The Princess of Armorica knew that Arthur said that to almost every girl he crossed paths with. He was such a flirt, but she was used to dealing with flirts. Her brother, Tristan, sweet talked with every nobleman’s daughter her father’s court, and Luciana felt sorry for every one of them.

Of course, Luciana wasn’t entirely innocent either. There were a few young noblemen and dashing knights that she had charmed with her good looks and alluring words in Armorica. Sometimes it only took a quick bat of her long lashes for them to fall under her spell. It would a lie to say that she did not enjoy the attention that she was given by her admirers. Luciana saw nothing wrong in being told she was lovely everyday.

Folding her delicate hands over her abdomen, she listened to Prince Arthur’s reply. The princess had an inkling that he was going to avoid giving her a direct answer, and it came to no surprise to her that he used her remark to continue his own flirtations. Oh well. She would wheedle the answer out of him later, but now it was time to pull a little something of her own.

“Oh please, don’t flatter yourself. There was a little blonde sitting behind me practically in hysterics. She made quite a scene,” stated the Princess of Armorica in a dead serious tone. Her once delightful visage had turned as straight as a pin. There was no hint of playfulness… At all.

She moved around the Prince of Camelot, passing him without another word. Then she stopped at his side, and a small giggle escape her pale rose lips. Luciana’s harden expression turned to one of delight and amusement, and she remarked, “I’m kidding, Arthur. Of course I missed you. It would be impossible not to.”

With another soft laugh, the dark haired princess linked her arm with Arthur’s. Turning him around, Princess Luciana pulled the prince along with her as she moved a bit further into the hall. As she secured her grip on Arthur’s upper arm and drew closer to his side, she whisper, playfully, “Let’s play a game, Arthur. I believe you will find it most amusing… We simply whisper and flirt the entire night. It shall be fun to see the reactions on their faces, no?”

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Tags:[/color] Arthur Pendragon
Words:[/color] 431
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Notes:[/color] museless... -_-

[Arthur Pendragon]

Arthur slightly raised his eyebrow when she remarked about a blond woman in hysterics. He could not tell if she was beings serious or not, which was not an infrequency when it came to Princess Luciana. She certainly had a way with words. It merely added to her inevitable charm that she possessed. He was about to question the identity of this blond person, only to see who would be in hysterics . . . but her expression broke from its seriousness and reverted to that playful one that he adored. Her assuring words made him smile, even slightly chuckle as she acknowledged that she did in fact miss him. It was a rather pleasing thing for any man to hear, coming from such a radiant woman. "It was you in hysterics, wasn't it?" He teased, implying that was one who so desperately missing his presence.

"It is alright to admit the fully extent to which you missed me, Luciana," he said, dropping the informality from his words, as it showed his extreme comfort level around her. There was no need to use titles when there was no one else listening to their conversation. "I can't say I blame you," he added in an exaggerated tone of arrogance and a bit of a cocky smile to go along with it. Since she had already said that she missed him, he was just going to emphasize that a bit. All in good fun and teasing of course, acting as if it only boosted his ego rather than humble him. His smile only remained when she linked her arm and moved him to the side. He knew that gleam in her eyes . . . she had something in mind. It was a recognizable expression for anyone who knew her well, and Arthur liked to think he was someone who did . . . even if it at times he could not tell if she was joking or being sarcastic.

The 'game' that she presented did undeniably sound rather amusing. Arthur was always one who enjoyed attention -- to a certain degree of course -- to keep people guessing was always an entertaining thought. "That sounds like a most wonderful way to spend the evening." Rather than just spending time with her and flirting -- which is what he intended to do anyway upon seeing her -- now he could spend time with her and flirt, but with her encouragement. Only an insane man would reject such a possibility. He took her hand in his again, but this time just raising it so that it was sort of positioned it right under his chin and rested against his chest. It was a more intimate action rather than anything else, and could always cause a few glances their way . . . which was of course part of the game was it not? He leaned in ever so slightly, even giving her a bit of a wink. "My Lady," he added in a soft voice, already enjoying this little playfulness.

_{Word Count: 507}

[Luciana le Valois]

"That sounds like a most wonderful way to spend the evening."

“Perfect, my lord,” replied Princess Luciana with a certain sensuous tone laced him her voice, drawing closer to the Prince of Camelot removing any and all personal space that had been between them. Then with a flirtatious smirk, the Princess of Armorica pushed herself away from Arthur, releasing herself from his grasp. The gears were turning in Luciana’s eyes. Anyone could tell by the cunning gleam in her pearl gray eyes. She was up to something. The only question was: what?

Then with a sharp turn, Luciana picked up the skirt of her dress and sauntered away from the Crown Prince of Camelot, her lips slightly pursed with a tiny secretive smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. For anyone who didn’t know better, one would have guessed at something went wrong between the prince and princess. As Princess Luciana moved further away from Arthur, she did not look back once. Not once. A few nobles who caught a glimpse of the surprising scene murmured to one another, inquiring about the incident. However their whisper did not have a chance to cross the room for music began resound in the hall. The center of the hall was cleared, and couple began lining up, preparing for the dance.

Then the Princess of Armorica approached a group of knight that were standing on the sidelines. Stepping up to a dark haired knight around her age, Luciana asked, in an ever courteous manner, “Sir Garret, would you join me for a dance? I am quite fond of this song.”

The princess smiled demurely at the unsuspecting knight, her gray eyes piercing his with an innocent charm. Too bad nothing about this little scenario was innocent.

“It would be an honor and a privilege, your Highness,” replied Sir Garret, nobly after getting over a brief moment of shock. He then offered his arm to Luciana with a charming smile on his face.

“Oh, excellent,” remarked Luciana joyfully, resting her hand on the knight’s arm.Sir Garret then led the Princess of Armorica to the center of the room, joining the other couples that were taking part in the dance.
Beginning dance, the lords and ladies bowed each other as the music picked up its tempo. The tune flowing from the various instruments was a lively one. The strings and woodwinds carried the lighthearted melody, while the horns provided the harmony, and the percussion kept the quick beat.

Following the beat of the music, Luciana and the knight stepped diagonally towards each other, moving so that they were nearly back-to-back. Then wrapping one arm around the other’s waist, the two spun around one another twice, and then Sir Garret placed his hands securely on the princess’s waist and lifted her up into the air. When she was airborne, Luciana’s pearl gray eyes found the prince who she had left for the dance, and for a brief moment a playful, flirtatious smile danced on her pale rose lips. After Luciana was lowered to the floor, the two diagonally sidestepped to each other and circled around one another once more. Then Luciana and Sir Garret stood side by side and hand in hand as the dance began to manifest into a more linear fashion… Small jump the left, step back, and step side… Small jump to the right, step back, and step side… Tap to the side, tap across, tap to the side, and tap in. Then repeat. During the little line dance, Luciana found Arthur once more in the crowd and gazed at the young prince intently with a certain captivating enchantment glistening her light eyes. It was enough to make anyone wonder.

As dance ended, the couples bowed and curtsied to each other again, thanking their partner for the dance. As Luciana gracefully lowered herself, nearly touching the floor, her eyes remained fixated on the crown prince of Camelot as if she we bowing to him. This only left room for more speculation of what was going on between the two.

Rising, the Princess of Armorica thanked Sir Garret once more and sauntered back towards Prince Arthur with an amused look on her lovely face. The stopping a standing beside the prince, she asked in a playful tone, “Did you enjoy the show, my lord?”

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Tags:[/color] Arthur Pendragon
Words:[/color] 721
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Notes:[/color] The dance used in this post can be seen in The Tudors Season 1 Episode 4 Time 41: 42 – 42:42.

[Arthur Pendragon]

Ah yes. Her coy behavior should come as no surprise to him. Though it constantly left him curious to see what her playful games would result in. This time, it seemed her words were deceived by her actions. For when she asked him to 'play this game' with her, one that contained flirtatious words to elicit whispers from the crowd . . . she then walked away in a fashion that would indicate they had a very slight falling out. But the smile remained on Arthur's lips for he knew her well enough to know that he had not truly offended her. That her movement away from him would only result in further entertainment she could find among the crowd. He watched her every move, in anticipation for his curiosity to be satisfied. As she approached a small group of conversing knights, he kept gazing at her. While he was well out of ear shot, the fact that the two soon left the group, made it clear where they were going: to the dance floor. Arthur suppressed a chuckle as he just shook his head lightly at her charming little games. It would never cease to surprise him to see what else she came up with, clearly never having a dull moment.

Never in solitude for very long, the Prince approached another small group of a few knights and a couple of women. He only occasionally glanced at the dancing crowd, more specifically Luciana and it seemed that he had looked just in time at one particular moment. For she gave him a look, one that could be interpreted in many ways. Deciding to play along, he gave a slight wink, hoping it was done quickly enough for her to see before she was turned in the tune and motion of the dance. Her locked gaze on him at the end of the dance, as if she were somehow dedicating it to him. It raised a few curious looks among the small crowd he was with, as they looked at him, then at her, then back at him. When she did this, he slightly lowered his head, as if returning the bow though not to the same extent.

When she seemed to be coming his way, he turned his attention back to the crowd he was with, until she was right close to him, asking him a question in regards to whether he enjoyed her dance. Of course, being respectful, he casually turned to look at her when she was addressing him. "It was a rather beautiful show indeed," he said a bit nonchalantly, though he meant his words. "The exquisite Lady Marian Engel truly does display such elegance and poise, practically lighting up the entire room with her aura of grace." Arthur's eyes moved to search her in the crowd, laying upon her figure while she was looking away. While it was true that Marian was indeed a gorgeous woman, he was really just saying this to see how Luciana reacted to him being distracted by from her, by another woman.

[Luciana le Valois]

"It was a rather beautiful show indeed,"

"The exquisite Lady Marian Engel truly does display such elegance and poise, practically lighting up the entire room with her aura of grace."

Luciana was not used to being overlooked for another woman, but she was sure that Arthur was only saying it to get a reaction out of her. With an indifferent expression, the princess gaze followed Arthur’s as his eyes rested on the Lady Marian. She had met the nobleman’s daughter a few times, and, although she had to admit Marian was a beauty, Luciana’s first impression of the lady was not something she would ever voice in public. Lady Marian’s reserved and shy demeanor far from impressed the Princess of Armorica even though Luciana knew the lady could not help her nature.

“Hmmm… I supposed,” remarked the Princess of Armorica, indifferently as she turned back to face the group of knights and ladies. Then she added in a most casual tone, “Be careful not to let your eyes wander to often, my lord. No every lady may tolerate it as I do.”

Then the dark haired princess wrapped her lithe arms around Arthur’s upper arm like she was going to drag him somewhere, the cornflower blue sleeves swathing his limb. Drawing closer to his body, Luciana held him possessively, like a child clinging to their favorite toy. Her lips forming a soft pout, she looked up at with a gaze of curious desperation, similar to those that the wives of soldiers had when waiting for news of their husbands. However Luciana’s expression was more geared toward drawing attention of lords and ladies that surround them… For the pure sake of amusement. Luciana and Arthur would laugh about this the following day on their ride. Of course she was going to more or less compel the prince to go riding with her, not that she thought he would much convincing. After all, he still had to make up for the past few days.

“I do hope you have not tired of my company.” She said in an almost childish voice that did not suit her one bit. Then, with the slight smirk and ignoring the noble around them, the Armorican princess continued, “For then I would have to atone for boring you by whatever your Highness desires.”

While still holding Arthur’s strong arm, she turned her gaze away Arthur and looked upon the ladies and lords of his group with her coy smile… And thank God she already was smiling or else their game would have been given away by the laugh that Luciana was currently suppressing. On top of that, it was a good thing her beloved brother was not here. If he had heard those words escape from his darling sister’s lip, he would cause a scene like no other. As a matter of fact, Luciana couldn’t believe she said them. So many things could be taken out of context, which would only add to the fun.

Still fight the urge to laugh, the Princess of Armorica faced Arthur again with an amused smile lighting up her face, and inquired, charmingly, “My prince, shall we take a turn about the room… for I have grown tired of standing still.”

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Tags:[/color] Arthur Pendragon
Words:[/color] 539
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Notes:[/color]

[Arthur Pendragon]

Well well, the Lady Luciana surely did do a remarkable job in masking her true feelings towards Arthur commenting on another woman. While there was nothing formally romantic between the two of them, any woman would prefer to be praised above another, surely. Or well such seemed to be the case with the women at court anyway; noblewoman and furthermore, royalty. He smirked a bit at her warning, deciding that he could play along with this a tad bit more. "Oh she would not mind in the least." He had the pleasure of meeting her at her estate, when Arthur had been in the midst of his travels and needed a residence to spend the night. She was a shy, modest woman and he had felt an instant attraction to her as she displayed such a strong element of innocence and kindness. Yes. Even Arthur was not as shallow as some believed him to be.

"I had the privilege of meeting her, spending an extensive amount of time with her," he added, if only to tease Luciana with this small fact. It was also great fun to see the jealous reactions of others. Of course at the same time, he did not wish to Lady Marian a bad reputation. He respected her, and her father far too much to do that. "Her family is a decent and respectable one," he added, making it more general though compliments could easily be given to the individuals of the Engel family. He finally tore his gaze away from the woman when Luciana wrapped her arm around his. He looked at her, an amused smile on his lips. He was not quite sure how to read her expression but he would soon find out as words would be associated with it. And sure enough, they came. "My dear Lady, it would be impossible to ever tire of your company," he informed her, knowing that it was true. He did not get to see her as often as he liked, and as they were rather good friends . . . it was truly a loss.

"Nor could I ever find you a bore," he added for additional assurance. "I doubt anyone could ever find you a bore," he added in a teasing and playful tone of voice. That much was also true. It was safe to say that the princess was anything but dull, as she always had a game to play, whether the person in her company was aware they were playing it or not. With his free arm -- the one that she had not wrapped her arm around -- he moved his hand and gently placed it on top of hers. A small gesture to add a bit more intimacy to their already friendly position. Nothing too suggestive of course. While it was fun to have people question them, and whisper . . . Arthur was fairly certain that neither of them would want to tarnish their reputation in any way. "As you wish," he said in a slightly dramatic voice as if to add to this moment, as he lowered his head before looking forward at their unknown destination.

"Now where can I escort you to. Perhaps all the dancing has made you feel the need for some fresh air," He suggested, knowing that if that were the case, they could always go to the balcony. But first they would need a drink. When one of the servants passed by them, with a tray of cups, Arthur reached out to take one of the goblets filled with wine and offered it to her. "Or maybe a drink," He proposed, holding it out for her to take and if she did not wish for it, then he was not sure he would deprive himself of one too. It was common to have wine with every meal, and even following the festivities, it was a wonderful drink that enabled everyone to relax and enjoy the rich luxuries that a noble's life provided them with.

[Luciana le Valois]

Their little game was only getting better and better. Out of the corner of her glistening gray eyes, Luciana caught glimpses of the courtiers’ glances in their direction. It was like they were waiting for some grand announcement that was not going to come. She fought the urge to roll her eyes, thinking that the gesture would give away the secret game. The rumor mill would be in full swing by the morning, fueled by the court gossips exaggerating every action of the prince and princess. Luciana was confident that anything that came out of those rumor spreading harpies would be just as much fun to hear as it would be to refute.

"… Or maybe a drink?”

As the Crown Prince of the great kingdom of Camelot reached out for the gold wine goblet, the Armorican princess realized that Arthur was once again addressing her. ‘What did he say before the drink bit? Something about escorting and air… Bad time to not pay attention.’ Luciana mused to herself. Pretending to have actually heard everything Arthur had said, the charming princess graciously took the silvery goblet from the fair-haired prince, and remarked, “Why, you absolutely read my mind.”

Luciana was not actually thirsty. It would take more than one dance to parch the Princess of Armorica. She swirled the bordeaux tinted liquid before taking a dainty sip of the mulled wine. The princess enjoyed the particular taste of Camelot’s wine more so that of her home country. It had a pleasant aftertaste of hinted cinnamon while Armorican version barely different from the original taste of the main beverage. She swore that the Armorican royal cook just threw the port and spices together and called it mulled wine.

Lowering the cup from her lips, Luciana smiled, extremely pleased with the refreshment, and stated, “Please do give my compliments to your brewer, your Highness. And could you ask him to teach ours a thing or two? You cannot get good spiced wine anywhere in my castle.” A humorous giggle escaped from her lips as the last words left her mouth.

“Now go and get yourself a cup. I would share mine, but we don’t want to do anything scandalous, now would we?” She remarked with a playful gleam in her pearl gray eyes. Releasing Arthur’s arm from her own, the princess continued, “I shall meet you out on the balcony. Don’t keep me waiting too long, Arthur.”

She excused herself from the group of nobles with a slight, but graceful curtsey. Then with her goblet in hand, Luciana glided away from the grand hall and made her way to the adjacent balcony. The hem of her light blue gown trailed behind her, floating over the mahogany floor like morning mist. With her head held high and a regal smile gracing her light rose lips, Luciana passed through the imposing doorway that led onto the balcony. Her footsteps lightly sounded as the charming Armorican royal crossed to the stone railing that surrounded the pale stone terrace. As she turned her gaze to the starry heavens above, Luciana rested against the surface of the railing. A gentle, clement breeze swept through the courtyard, swirling itself in the princess dark, softly curled hair. Closing her eyes, she enjoyed the breeze as it swept over her pale skin. It was absolutely delightful.

Opening her eyes, Luciana stared down at the wine in her hand and began to wonder. She knew it would be some time before she received news from her home country. She wondered how her parents, especially her mother, were holding up with both of their children gone from the castle. She was not worried about Tristan. She knew her twin brother could hold his own in battle… Okay Luciana was a little worried, but she was extremely confident in Tristan’s military skills. She was certain that her father was just itching to ride out to the battlefield. Luciana giggled at the thought of the King of Armorica staring at his armor. ‘They’ll be fine. Father with handle state affair with Mother while Tris is off playing war hero… And I shall stay here and enjoy my time in Camelot,’ thought Luciana, turning her gaze to the dark night sky once more. Then, absentmindedly, the Princess of Armorica softly began to sing a soft, peaceful melody:

“Descendre dans les bras de votre amant,
La femme qui vous a fait complete,
Permet à ses eaux satisfait la soif vous portez votre esprit lui,
Permet de vous tenir dans ses bras lui,
Permet vous amène la maison vous elle,
Permet d'amène la maison lui,
Donne les rêves vous avez fait d'honneur, d'acier, et de pierre.”

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Tags:[/color] Arthur Pendragon
Words:[/color] 779
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Notes: [/color] Sorry this took forever and a day

[Arthur Pendragon]

Scandalous. Leave it to dear Luciana to utilize such a word in such a context. She certainly did keep things interesting for the young prince. Perhaps that was part of the reason they got along splendidly. She had that little element of unpredictability to her, one that always left him wondering what exactly she had up her sleeve. It was enchanting really, and drew others towards her, magnetically almost. Arthur lowered his head in a bit of a bow when they parted ways so that she could go to the balcony and he could join her company once he had his own goblet of wine. Unfortunately, this would take a bit longer than just a couple of seconds. For once she was distanced from him, other began to approach. They offered their words of respect and encouragement when speaking of him being crowned prince of Camelot. It was always something assumed of him, but for the actual ceremony to take place was something else. Arthur truly appreciated the words others had to share with him. Those among the royals knew what it felt like to be in his position, and assured him that he had the makings of a great king.

Of course, that could be something just said out of politeness but regardless of the motive behind it, Arthur was grateful for the kind words. He would always carry uncertainty and insecurities regarding his position, but he believed this was normal of every one who had the pressures of the kingdom on their shoulders. Some just expressed it more than others; Arthur was not one who fell into this category. He remained confident on the surface, composed as he was raised to be, and prepared to fulfill the duties expected of him. It was not only the ones who were best able to relate that approached him though. Those among nobles, especially the knights, would come up to him and joke around a bit. That was something Arthur very much enjoyed about the knights; they were always there to lighten the intensity of every mood. Or perhaps it was him who teased and mocked them endlessly, especially on the training ground. Either way, it created a wonderful dynamic among them and made it very easy for the prince to call them his brothers.

"Don't keep me waiting too long, Arthur."

These words run in Arthur's head and he knew it would not be very gentleman like for him to keep the lady waiting on her own outside the balcony. She was waiting for him and he did not want to keep her waiting all too long. He made his way over to one of the servants who was carrying a tray and took a goblet of the wine, prepared to enjoy its wonderful taste right along with her. Arthur was very proud of the kingdom, and boasting about its wine was not the exception to the compliments he would pay Camelot. He took a sip of it, just to get the delicious fruity taste of it in his mouth before making his way over to the balcony. He was only stopped a few more times and while he did not rush the brief interactions in a rude way, it was politely kept short as they could tell without him saying or appearing impolite, that he had somewhere to be.

He stopped at the entrance -- or exit -- leading onto the balcony when heard her begin to sing. Arthur remained silent, waiting for her to finish the short melody. He leaned against the threshold, his arms only half folded across his chest as he still held the goblet of wine. A small smile played on his lips, staying absolutely quiet and motionless so that he would not disrupt the gentle singing that she was engaged in. When she seemed to be finished, at least for the time being, he did not immediately moved. He remained in position, as if to let the peaceful moment, generated by her singing which created an odd sort of endearing serenity, linger on. After several seconds of silence, he broke it. "It is a shame there is not more of an audience to appreciate such an endearing voice."

When he spoke he straightened his position and made his way over to her, joining in the view at the vast city. He leaned a bit forward onto the edge of the balcony, just looking out at the night rather than focusing his gaze on her. "Is everything alright?" He asked her, not in an overly worried voice, but a nonchalant sort of way, though it still held an underlying concern for her.. It seemed that she was in a deeply pensive state and he wondered if it was because something was greatly troubling her. As a dear friend of his, he wanted to make sure all was well. They could lightly tease one another, engage in innocent enough flirtations . . . but at the end of the day, he wished to make sure she was well, both physically and emotionally.

[Luciana le Valois]

"It is a shame there is not more of an audience to appreciate such an endearing voice."

The silence that had consumed the balcony after her song had drifted into the wind had dissipated with the prince’s words. Looking back at Arthur, warmth radiated through Luciana face, and a slight blush spread through her cheeks. ‘Oh God!’ thought the Armorican princess, embarrassed that he had caught her singing to herself. Luciana hated to sing in front other, especially if she didn’t know she was doing it, although she had been told on several occasion that she had a lovely singing voice. Even though she enjoyed the spotlight in other area, singing was not one of them. As he approached, Luciana turned her gaze to night’s hidden horizon. As her blush faded, she said with diffidence laced in her words, “Thank you, but I’m no Lady Helen.”

She let silence envelope them once more as she took another sip of her drink. Once Arthur had settled beside her, it once again broken with the most common of questions. Was she alright?

The princess opened her mouth to answer the question with a simple “I’m fine”, but something stopped her. She didn’t need to hide from Arthur that she was concerned for her family and her country. But she was confident that everything would be perfectly fine, and she was all right with that. But she was not sure which one explained her state of being.

“Hmmm… I’m not quite sure,” Luciana answered eventually in an almost hesitant voice. Then out of blue the princess remarked, ’Is Tris a good fighter? I mean, I know he’s the top warrior in Armorica, but does mean he can defeat Lusitania? Because what if he gets wounded, and he isn’t able to lead the troops? Then he’ll be captured and most likely killed, and then Armorica will lose the war. No one told me what happens if we lose.”

‘But Tris won’t lose. He’ll win, and then life can go back to normal.’She reassured herself.

“But that won’t happen because I know that my brother can send those Lusitanian dogs running back to their power hungry king. With that in mind, I think I’ll be good,” continued Luciana with her confidence echoing in her alluring voice.

The image of her regal brother marching off to war with his sigil cloak draping over the flanks of his massive warhorse flashed in her mind. She had embroidered the Armorican royal crest into Tristan’s cloak before he left as a token of luck.

“That reminds me. I still have to give you your gift. Come on.” The princess stated in a newly lighthearted tone. She took Arthur’s hand and began to drag him away from the balcony’s edge. “And I thought of a way that you can make up for you lack of attendance.”

---

As morning sun beat down on the kingdom of Camelot, warming the sweet spring air. The dark green, leafy trees of the Darkling Woods reached for the warm light, blocking it from the forest floor. Only minute, rivulets of light pierced through the treetops, illuminating the wooded areas. A soft breeze blew through the branches, swaying the limbs back and forth. The dark forest floor was hidden underneath dry, scattered leaves. Small animals and critters skittered over and under the dead foliage as the day began the woodland. Soon the pounding of hooves broke the forest’s stillness.

Weaving through trees, the Armorican princess audaciously dashed through the woods as she raced ahead of the prince and his knights. In order to make up for ignoring her over the past few days, Luciana “forced” Arthur to take her on a hunting trip. Not surprising, it did not take much convincing, merely the words, “We should go on a hunt tomorrow.” Of course, the princess was more along for the ride than for the entertainment of killing fuzzy, forest creatures.

However, apparently, it was not the everyday beasts that Luciana had to watch out for. Oh no. Upon entering the forest, the Crown Prince of Camelot had warned her about the “magical” creatures that resided in the woods and told her to stay close for her own safety. Thinking that Arthur was still flirting with her, the princess of Armorica disregarded his warning and lightheartedly told him that he would have to keep up if he wanted her by his side.

Luciana was dressed in one of her more regal hunting garments, a hooded olive green cotton dress with long trumpet sleeves and copper lining with vine like embroidery bordering the edges. Knee high brown leather riding boots were pulled over her tan breeches while soft leather gloves sheathed her pale hands. Traversing through the forest was no reason not to dress her best.

As she swerved her dark Andalusian through the trees, Luciana brought her horse back onto the path, the skirt of dress billowing behind her in the manifested breeze. Cavalier’s resilient, obsidian hooves disturbed the dirt path, raising clouds of dust, as he carried is mistress swiftly through the dim forest. His strong muscles fluidly propelled him forward, his nostrils flaring with every step he took. The dark Andalusian stallion was a credit to his noble breed in every way.

The equine transitioned down from his gallop into a waltz-like canter smoothly and gracefully. Luciana’s hips rocked with her horse’s strides, moving as one with him. With her posture straight and her shoulders back, the princess sat poised in her saddle. No one could say she was not an excellent rider. It was not long before she heard the hoof beats of the mounts of Prince Arthur and his knights.

“Cavie, you’re losing your touch,” remarked Princess Luciana to her loyal stallion. “It took them longer to catch up the last time.”

Determining that the race was over, the Armorican princess gradually brought Cavalier to a halt in the middle of the path. As the rest of the hunting party came into sight, Luciana stretched out her upper body on her horse’s neck, giving Cavalier a hearty scratch beneath him thick dark mane. Then with a lively smirk, she called with carefree laugh, “Quickly, my lords. How will you ever protect me if you can’t keep up?"

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Tags:[/color] Arthur Pendragon
Words:[/color] 1074
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[Arthur Pendragon]

The rest of the night had gone well. He had sneaked out of the hall for a few moments so that Luciana could give him a rather magnificent gift. It was the most beautiful cloak he'd ever laid eyes on -- and as Arthur was a bit vain about his clothing, he knew fine cloaks when he saw one. The Pendragon red with a dragon to further symbolize his family seal was absolutely perfect. He would save such a treasure for the next grand occasion. He would not be able to wear it in the place of his standard red cape that he often dressed himself in along with his chainmail and armor, for it was often only so when he was in battle or fighting off a threat in the kingdom. Even then, he did not wear it too often, and would wear this cloak even less. It was one of those gifts that was too precious to use, out of fear of damaging it. Furthermore, it was the sentiment that added to the gift for she had explained how she'd made it herself. It made him value it so much more, that she had spent the time and effort to make him such a present. Upon receiving it, he had thanked her with the utmostsincerity as his voice would display, and then tucked it safely away in his room.

The remainder of the night was not disappointing. The entertainment, dancing, and drinking continued. Arthur had the opportunity to meet with many guests, and enjoyed the feast to its utmost capacity. But, the fun of last night finally caught up to him when he awoke this morning. Even though he kept in mind that he'd promised Luciana a way to 'make up his lacking company' . . . that did not make him retire to bed early. In fact, he had stayed up late; later than all the guests for he had to wait for them to retire to their own chambers. And then he had to see that everything would be cleaned up. So this morning, he woke up with extreme sleep deprivation, not to mention a pounding in his head, thanks to the excessive amount of wine he had last night. While he never got drunk at these events -- knowing that he could not damage the Pendragon reputation by drinking too much and acting a fool -- the mixture of everything else, along with more wine than he drank at a casual meal, created a terrible combination. It made him drag his feet this morning, whilst keeping in mind that he made a promise to a Lady and could not disappoint. Because he would never hear the end of it.

Snapping at Merlin more frequently than usual, he managed to freshen up, eat a quick breakfast, and then change into his casual attire consisting of a dark blue shirt, a brown leather vest on top, dark pants, riding boots, and of course his sword in its sheath, attached to his belt. The only other weapon he would require for hunting would be a crossbow, so he demanded that Merlin bring it to his horse while Arthur went out and greeted whatever guests were insane enough to be up at this early hour. Then again, he was insane enough to be up this early hour. How on earth did Luciana do it? He couldn't ask himself such questions though. Regardless of the heavy beating in his head, he had to carry himself well. He was officially the crown prince of Camelot, and he did not want his first day to show him as disheveled and unworthy of a formal royal title. He then had to gather a small group of knights to accompany him. He could not go on his own when the princess of Armorica was going with him. He needed to make sure she was well protected, and was not stupid enough to take the risk of putting her in danger with only his presence.

Now, came the hard part: actually leaving the castle. The group of knights, as well as Luciana were all in the courtyard and Arthur greeted her a good morning before mounting his horse. Spouting out a few orders to Merlin, he kicked his horse and they all set off into the woods. Unfortunately, it was not the leisurely ride that Arthur had hoped for. For soon enough, Luciana rode off quickly into the far distance. Arthur did not react right away. He just stared at the space that her horse once occupied, and was not completely out of sight from. None of the knights reacted right away. They kept their horses at a steady pace, as if trying to figure out what to do . . . or who should be the one to follow her. The difficulty in this question, was determining who had more energy to do so. He had warned her of the dangers of the forest, so he knew that he could not allow her to be by herself for very long. They'd have to come to a decision fairly quickly for with the narrow paths, not all of them could speed ahead. "She is a rather skilled horseback rider," Sir Arryn said, point out the obvious.

Arthur just gave a silent nod, aware of that fact and knowing he should have anticipated it better. Of course, he knew that if he had said 'we should just take our time and enjoy the scenery of the forest' . . . she could have had the very same reaction she did now. "That does not come as a surprise," Arthur commented, as if mentally preparing himself to go on after her. "You are also a rather skilled horseback rider Sir," he commented. Arthur looked at him a bit confused, for he was unsure as to where these words were coming from. It took him a few moments to catch on: that Sir Arryn's compliment was not made without purpose. Well, it seemed they all knew who would have to muster the energy to follow along with the lively princess. Arthur adored her company, but was not able to keep up at this moment. Now, it seemed as if he had no choice. "Do not stay far behind," Arthur commanded, not totally out of bitterness, but to make sure that she was well guarded. And with those orders, he urged his horse forward, to move as fast as he could to catch up to her.

It seemed he did so just in time to hear her taunting words. "Quickly, my lords. How will you ever protect me if you can’t keep up?" Arthur was the first to catch up to her, positioning his horse to stop so that he was right next to her. The others slowed down and remained behind them. "Did I not warn you of the dangers of these woods?" He asked, his voice more teasing than harsh or upset. He would of course been far more upset -- with himself mostly -- had something actually happened to her while she was separated from their company. But at least she was safe, and that was an instant relief to Arthur. One could never be too careful, nor assume that nothing could happen in the matter of a few minutes. "You should really not have run away like that," he said, his words becoming more teasing. "Besides, I thought you wanted to spend time together, yet you abandon my company." Now he was just pouting for the fun of it; only to taunt her a little. Maybe cause some guilt, though he of course knew that her actions were done in pure fun and he was just a bit bitter that he had not been able to keep up with them, so decided to 'subtly' sulk about something else.