Of Jesters & Princesses [Vivian]

[Torrin]

Torrin didn't actually know what he was doing. He was being ridiculous, but that much was obvious. This wasn't his usual level of ridiculousness, oh no, this was extra ridiculousness. This was Vivian induced ridiculousness. That damned girl, she'd managed to change everything and nothing made sense and Torrin was left hating her but loving her and just missing her. Camelot was so dull and quiet without her storming around and shouting at everyone. It didn't even matter anymore that when he had last seen her she'd been hopelessly in love with Arthur. He'd heard she'd been enchanted - it wasn't her. Part of Torrin, the naive, romantic part of him took this to mean that there could be some small spec of hope for him. Despite her constantly arguing with him and telling him to leave her alone, he had thought it wasn't just his own imagination but there had been...something. Vivian just hadn't realised what that was - and neither had he - until it was too late.

But, he was going to change that. Sort of. He'd managed to get permission from the prince to leave Camelot - he'd told some lie about a dying uncle in another kingdom. In reality, he was trying to find Lady Vivian. His lie to Arthur wasn't his only deception - he'd managed to convince Richard de Calys to find him some clothes suitable for a noble and act as his servant. Vivian's father, King Olaf, was hardly going to welcome a peasant. And so he had travelled to Lyonesse whilst styling himself as Lord Edmund. Unsurprisingly, he found people were much more hospitable to "Lord Edmund" than they were to Torrin Fletch. He was trying not to see this as an excercise in elitism. That, after all, was not his objective. Lady Vivian was. He just needed to see her again, even if she was still enchanted. It didn't matter, not now, all that mattered was seeing her again.

Rather strangely, he was beginning to feel nervous. Torrin never felt nervous but he was stood in the courtyard of Olaf's castle, waiting to be greeted, Richard at his side and he just couldn't stop his hand from shaking. What if the king recognised him? He had only seen the man when he'd been entertaining but even so. There was that possibility. What was he to say to the man? What was he to say to Vivian? Was it too late to just run away?

"We're not going back." Richard said firmly and tried to give Torrin a reassuring look. He was being paid rather handsomely for this little venture, and although he usually wouldn't care about not doing the work for said money, he regarded Torrin as a friend. They weren't just going to leave because Torrin had decided this was a bad idea. Besides, Richard had been saying it was a bad idea from the start. If they just went it would mean the entire journey would have been in vain.

"I don't want to go back." Torrin replied, trying to convince himself more than Richard. No, that wasn't true. He didn't need convincing, he just needed to have a little faith. This would all be fine. He'd see Vivian and she'd forget all about being enchanted and decide it was Torrin all along. How could that possibly go wrong?


Tagged: Lady Vivian
Location: Lyonesse
Timeline: A few months after "Sweet Dreams"

[Vivian]

Vivian found herself sewing furiously, if this this pillow was ever going to be done then it needed to be done fast. She was cureently embroidering her one true love's face! Oh darling Arthur! How she missed him! Every waking minute of every day was torment for her. On her return to Lyonesse she'd carved their initials into every single tree in the gardens of the castle. If she couldn't have Arthur right now, then she would have to make do with a pillow - all embroidered from her mind of course. With a face carved by angels, it would always forever stay in her mind, until they were brought together again.

"Vivian!" her father entered her chambers, "You'd best change for this evening, we have guests."
Immediatly her head snapped up, "Arthur!" she literally did a forward roll off of her bed and onto the floor - running over the mirror and fluffing up her hair. Olaf rolled his eyes and made a noise that sounded like 'eeeshk!' before he shook his head. "Lord Edmund" he corrected her - seeing his daughters face drop suddenly in the reflection of the mirror. She turned round with a persistant look on her face. "Is Arthur with him?"

"No?"

"Does he know Arthur?"

"No?" Olaf literally wanted to knock some sense into the silly girls head. Ever since their return from Camelot, Arthur Pendragon was all he heard of from dawn until dusk! It was most strange, considering Vivian had spent at least a whole week locked in her room crying, and from then on moaping. He was becoming concerned, especially now when he saw the embroidery on the pillow.

Vivian sighed, if she had to endure another night of boredom then it would have to be. "fine" she simply shrugged, "Where is Ethel? I need to dress" she asked, her maid immediatly entering the room. Olaf took this as a sign to leave.

Vivian soon found herself heading out into the courtyard alongside her father, where a well dressed man and another, who looked as though he hadn't seen a bath in weeks - stood. She looked them up and down and waited for her father to greet them.
"Lord Edmund?" Olaf smiled, "It is a pleasure to recieve you - may I present my daughter, Lady Vivian."

At the mention of her name, Vivian looked up from where she was covering a yawn with her mouth and bowed her head. Oh this was going to be boring. Everyone was if they weren't Arthur. Perhaps her father had been lying? What if he did and this was a surprise. Vivian immediatly sprang forward, grabbing Lord Edmund by the collar tightly and pulling him in so her face was only a few inches from his, "Do you know Arthur? How is he? Does he miss me? Oh he must know how much I love him so!" she cried looking at him like a mad woman.

"Vivian!" Olaf quickly led his daughter away from Lord Edmund, "control yourself, I am so sorry Lord Edmund, please do follow me - you must be tired from your journey."