Post by Sally Fitch/Clever Else on Jan 6, 2013 15:30:05 GMT -5
"My family was starving.... I had to, gods forgive me!" The peasant farmer clutched at the threadbare cap in his hands, arms seized by palace guards on either side. "But had I known that the grain was for the Royal Banquet..." the man swallowed his words and threw himself to the ground. "Please, your majesties, HAVE MERCY!"
King Hans sat on his ornate throne, looking rather uncomfortable in his courtly attire. He shifted in his seat, thinking hard. "He stole." he said at last, careful with his words. "...So we should... throw him in the dungeon?" Hans glanced at his Queen beside him for confirmation.
Now it was Else's turn to be uncomfortable in her chair. With a low sigh, but with excruciating patience, she rose from her throne and knelt by her husband's chair for complete eye contact, as she would with a child. "My Lord, perhaps now would be a good time to meet with the Land Regent, to discuss the upcoming Harvest. I'll see to these courtly matters personally."
Hans' face lit up. Farming was in his blood and brains...and that was just about it, unfortunately. He grabbed her hand and roughly pressed it to his lips. "Thanks Else...er... My Queen...Lady...er... ma'am." With this clumsy salutation, his muscular frame leaped up from the throne and scampered off.
Else shook her head with another sigh, yet a slight smile at her husband's innocence, and gracefully stood to her full height. She made her way down to the seized peasant and waved the guards away. Else touched the top of his head. "Please rise." she beckoned. "For I am no more noble born then you are." The peasant looked stricken, as if this was some sort of trap, but her warm face inspired him to rise. "You will go free from this place, and with more then enough food to last you and your family through the season. For my husband tells me that the north region has suffered great losses due to some mysterious curse upon one of the main plots. You are a farmer there, yes?"
The man could not believe her words. He almost missed her question completely. "...Why... y-yes... Yes!" he managed through disbelief. "My land is right next to the plot... it has seeped into the soil. Tainted everything. Something about a Witch having some of her rampion crop stolen... I'm not sure, my lady..."
"Then we will send our best magicians to get to the root of it; heal the land." Else could hear an objection over the verdict from one of the countless advisers lined up behind her throne. "This is my judgement, esteemed Lords. I cannot punish an innocent man for doing what even I would do in his place. He is a link in the chain of our Kingdom, as all subjects are. Instead of simply removing the link with malice, I say we reinforce it with new iron; to strengthen the entire chain as a whole." Else prayed that would satisfy the advisers, for the man's sake. When no one objected, she turned back to the peasant. "You are free to go."
As she turned to sit back in her throne, the man fell to his feet in joy and grabbed the hem of her gown, kissing it profusely. Else nearly tripped over her dress in the processes, but steadied herself on the throne. She hoped none of the advisers had caught it, or else she would hear about it later in her etiquette lessons on 'grace and pose'. As the man blubbered his 'thank yous', the guards men pried him away from her gown and escorted him out of the chamber. Else sat down with a slight plop and blew some loose hair off of her forehead with a strong sigh.
Only 34 more cases to attended to.
King Hans sat on his ornate throne, looking rather uncomfortable in his courtly attire. He shifted in his seat, thinking hard. "He stole." he said at last, careful with his words. "...So we should... throw him in the dungeon?" Hans glanced at his Queen beside him for confirmation.
Now it was Else's turn to be uncomfortable in her chair. With a low sigh, but with excruciating patience, she rose from her throne and knelt by her husband's chair for complete eye contact, as she would with a child. "My Lord, perhaps now would be a good time to meet with the Land Regent, to discuss the upcoming Harvest. I'll see to these courtly matters personally."
Hans' face lit up. Farming was in his blood and brains...and that was just about it, unfortunately. He grabbed her hand and roughly pressed it to his lips. "Thanks Else...er... My Queen...Lady...er... ma'am." With this clumsy salutation, his muscular frame leaped up from the throne and scampered off.
Else shook her head with another sigh, yet a slight smile at her husband's innocence, and gracefully stood to her full height. She made her way down to the seized peasant and waved the guards away. Else touched the top of his head. "Please rise." she beckoned. "For I am no more noble born then you are." The peasant looked stricken, as if this was some sort of trap, but her warm face inspired him to rise. "You will go free from this place, and with more then enough food to last you and your family through the season. For my husband tells me that the north region has suffered great losses due to some mysterious curse upon one of the main plots. You are a farmer there, yes?"
The man could not believe her words. He almost missed her question completely. "...Why... y-yes... Yes!" he managed through disbelief. "My land is right next to the plot... it has seeped into the soil. Tainted everything. Something about a Witch having some of her rampion crop stolen... I'm not sure, my lady..."
"Then we will send our best magicians to get to the root of it; heal the land." Else could hear an objection over the verdict from one of the countless advisers lined up behind her throne. "This is my judgement, esteemed Lords. I cannot punish an innocent man for doing what even I would do in his place. He is a link in the chain of our Kingdom, as all subjects are. Instead of simply removing the link with malice, I say we reinforce it with new iron; to strengthen the entire chain as a whole." Else prayed that would satisfy the advisers, for the man's sake. When no one objected, she turned back to the peasant. "You are free to go."
As she turned to sit back in her throne, the man fell to his feet in joy and grabbed the hem of her gown, kissing it profusely. Else nearly tripped over her dress in the processes, but steadied herself on the throne. She hoped none of the advisers had caught it, or else she would hear about it later in her etiquette lessons on 'grace and pose'. As the man blubbered his 'thank yous', the guards men pried him away from her gown and escorted him out of the chamber. Else sat down with a slight plop and blew some loose hair off of her forehead with a strong sigh.
Only 34 more cases to attended to.