Post by Brett on May 31, 2011 6:28:47 GMT -8
Slender digits trailed along the chessboard, manicured fingers tapping lightly against the white and black squares as the fingers walked along the board. Now and then, the feminine hand would pause and hover on this piece or that, before it finally came to rest on the Queen. With an irritated flick, the fingers knocked the piece over.
Diana of Glaston, sister of the Silusian Duke thereof, paused next to the chessboard, her brown eyes regarding the game with their usual somber tone. This was, in fact, her very own chessboard which she had insisted that her brother bring with them while they played entourage for the visiting prince. If the King was going to play false diplomat, it would do well to fully play the part. Which was why the young Duke and his younger sister had been dispatched to join their prince on this rather ridiculous journey to make a match Diana knew full-well wouldn't stop a war.
After all, her brother sat on the Privy council, and in place of the wife he didn't have, Richard sought her out for her counsel. She knew Rich had no real interest in being here. Of the two of them, he'd always been the one less inclined to handle politics. He liked a good hunt, or a duel, or something physical. Diana had always played the game of court intrigue for him.
"Why did you knock the Queen over?" Rich was standing by the window, watching sheets of rain fall from the heavens. He was bored, taut with the irritation of being kept indoors. Were they to be in Glaston, Diana knew her brother would have been out in the mess. The young woman carefully righted the piece, bemused that her internal thoughts had precipitated an external reaction.
"In chess, dear brother, the Queen is the key. Without her, it is that much harder to hold on to your King and keep him safe." Richard nodded idly, then sighed and returned his gaze to the barely visible outdoors. Diana let him; it would actually serve her better if he didn't know that she'd come to stir up troubles of her own. It was always good to further the goals of the King. Especially when, like in chess, all she'd have to do was manipulate her opponents' central piece.
It would hopefully be as easy as it sounded.
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"Richard, will you stop fidgeting?" The tone was sharp, for all that it was couched in a soft timbre. Between Richard and Diana, it was clear that the younger sibling reigned supreme. All you had to do to influence Richie was to tell him you'd speak to Diana about whatever the issue was. They made an odd pair, the tall and lean athlete who excelled in the Triathalon; standing next to him was his shorter and much less lean sister, who packed quite a figure onto her frame.
The young lordling stopped, turning a lofty gaze onto his sister that soon shriveled under the weight of her glare. The pair of them were standing near the school's entrance, with the warmth of the sun to keep them company. Diana tossed her long chestnut tresses over her shoulder, waiting to catch a glimpse of the school's star athlete. In order to keep from constantly being the 'new kids', she and Richard were going to need connections. Soon as the older male passed into her sight, Diana threw an elbow at Richard.
"Go on, talk to him." Before Rich could open his mouth, she continued. "I don't care what, just....whatever you boys talk about in locker rooms. Girls, sex, sports....the usual. Go make friends."
The Fifteen year old planted her hand at the base of her eighteen year old brother's spine and shoved him forward. From here, it was sink or swim, and frankly Diana had her doubts about Richard's ability to do more than dog-paddle. So she turned away, and headed towards the library, leaving her poor brother to his own devices. After all, she had connections of her own to make, as well.
---------------------------
"Where have you been?" For once, Diana was more worried sister than shrew, and she hurried down the stairs towards the front door, where Richard was leaning. He looked exhausted, and given how very late it was, Diana wasn't truly surprised. She pushed her long braid over her shoulder to be out of her way, as she plucked at her elder brother's very dirty clothing.
"Richard?"
"Don't worry about it, Diana. Go back to sleep." This was about the most dominant thing her brother had ever said to her, and Diana was taken slightly aback. Since her parents' deaths six months ago, she'd been living with her elder brother, who was only three years her senior. Richard had a lot on his mind, between school and her. Yet because she truly loved her brother, Diana couldn't just leave this as it was.
"I'm already awake, and you know I'll worry." She carefully brushed by him to point to one of the wingback chairs in their sitting room, and pulled her robe tighter to herself as she went to the kitchen for water and a steak. Wherever Richard had been, someone hadn't liked him. "Nice shiner, by the way, Richard."
The older male smiled tiredly, and Diana smiled back when she returned, carefully washing his face and then setting the steak on his eye. "Tell me, though. Which Speakeasy got raided?"
His eyes flickered away from hers, and Diana frowned. Richard had always been a ghastly liar, and if he hadn't been at a raided speakeasy then...
"Oh, Richard." She breathed. "Don't tell me you've been gambling again!"
Diana of Glaston, sister of the Silusian Duke thereof, paused next to the chessboard, her brown eyes regarding the game with their usual somber tone. This was, in fact, her very own chessboard which she had insisted that her brother bring with them while they played entourage for the visiting prince. If the King was going to play false diplomat, it would do well to fully play the part. Which was why the young Duke and his younger sister had been dispatched to join their prince on this rather ridiculous journey to make a match Diana knew full-well wouldn't stop a war.
After all, her brother sat on the Privy council, and in place of the wife he didn't have, Richard sought her out for her counsel. She knew Rich had no real interest in being here. Of the two of them, he'd always been the one less inclined to handle politics. He liked a good hunt, or a duel, or something physical. Diana had always played the game of court intrigue for him.
"Why did you knock the Queen over?" Rich was standing by the window, watching sheets of rain fall from the heavens. He was bored, taut with the irritation of being kept indoors. Were they to be in Glaston, Diana knew her brother would have been out in the mess. The young woman carefully righted the piece, bemused that her internal thoughts had precipitated an external reaction.
"In chess, dear brother, the Queen is the key. Without her, it is that much harder to hold on to your King and keep him safe." Richard nodded idly, then sighed and returned his gaze to the barely visible outdoors. Diana let him; it would actually serve her better if he didn't know that she'd come to stir up troubles of her own. It was always good to further the goals of the King. Especially when, like in chess, all she'd have to do was manipulate her opponents' central piece.
It would hopefully be as easy as it sounded.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Richard, will you stop fidgeting?" The tone was sharp, for all that it was couched in a soft timbre. Between Richard and Diana, it was clear that the younger sibling reigned supreme. All you had to do to influence Richie was to tell him you'd speak to Diana about whatever the issue was. They made an odd pair, the tall and lean athlete who excelled in the Triathalon; standing next to him was his shorter and much less lean sister, who packed quite a figure onto her frame.
The young lordling stopped, turning a lofty gaze onto his sister that soon shriveled under the weight of her glare. The pair of them were standing near the school's entrance, with the warmth of the sun to keep them company. Diana tossed her long chestnut tresses over her shoulder, waiting to catch a glimpse of the school's star athlete. In order to keep from constantly being the 'new kids', she and Richard were going to need connections. Soon as the older male passed into her sight, Diana threw an elbow at Richard.
"Go on, talk to him." Before Rich could open his mouth, she continued. "I don't care what, just....whatever you boys talk about in locker rooms. Girls, sex, sports....the usual. Go make friends."
The Fifteen year old planted her hand at the base of her eighteen year old brother's spine and shoved him forward. From here, it was sink or swim, and frankly Diana had her doubts about Richard's ability to do more than dog-paddle. So she turned away, and headed towards the library, leaving her poor brother to his own devices. After all, she had connections of her own to make, as well.
---------------------------
"Where have you been?" For once, Diana was more worried sister than shrew, and she hurried down the stairs towards the front door, where Richard was leaning. He looked exhausted, and given how very late it was, Diana wasn't truly surprised. She pushed her long braid over her shoulder to be out of her way, as she plucked at her elder brother's very dirty clothing.
"Richard?"
"Don't worry about it, Diana. Go back to sleep." This was about the most dominant thing her brother had ever said to her, and Diana was taken slightly aback. Since her parents' deaths six months ago, she'd been living with her elder brother, who was only three years her senior. Richard had a lot on his mind, between school and her. Yet because she truly loved her brother, Diana couldn't just leave this as it was.
"I'm already awake, and you know I'll worry." She carefully brushed by him to point to one of the wingback chairs in their sitting room, and pulled her robe tighter to herself as she went to the kitchen for water and a steak. Wherever Richard had been, someone hadn't liked him. "Nice shiner, by the way, Richard."
The older male smiled tiredly, and Diana smiled back when she returned, carefully washing his face and then setting the steak on his eye. "Tell me, though. Which Speakeasy got raided?"
His eyes flickered away from hers, and Diana frowned. Richard had always been a ghastly liar, and if he hadn't been at a raided speakeasy then...
"Oh, Richard." She breathed. "Don't tell me you've been gambling again!"
