Evangelina's Story

The king warned her about his son, the one to whom she'd been purchased for. She was to be paid a salary, but she would be handmaiden to a crowned prince, one to whom his own father warned her about. He wanted someone that would tell him the truth and that was her. She won't bite her tongue. She was from a land where women could speak their minds and expected to be heard. Though the men mostly humored them...if they had the coin. Unfortunately Evangelina, and the rest of her family were nomads, they would literally sing for their supper. Evangelina, would dance. They worked hard for the small amount of coin they had, and while it was simple, it was happy life.

Until the illness took them. Evangelina managed to shake it, but her two young brothers, twins, barely old enough to see and her old father, and too weak from childbirth mother, weren't strong enough to shake it.

She hadn't even fully recovered, but Evangelina began moving again, taking her lonely songs, card reading and dancing on the road, their ashes coming along with her. Nomads didn't bury their dead, nomads don't call any single place home the world was their home so they would continue to travel. After while the sickness slowed her steps, she had to stop, and she stopped in the village just outside of the kingdom walls, making a small living reading cards, and singing songs, making bracelets and anything else she could do to keep herself alive.

She recovered, the sickness was left with the dead. Without a family, she decided to stay in the small village, tucked neatly behind the kingdom. Her life was rather uneventful until her foreign songs and bracelets caught the attention of the noble women that lived in the kingdom. After a while, she was met by the old King. He was a kind man, open minded and curious, and when he saw that she was not from this land, that she knew nothing of royal pretense and spoke to him as if he were any man on the street, with respect, but without entitlement. He offered her a position in the palace, wanting her to make a bracelet for his new daughter in law to pay respects to the new marriage and union of the nations. She was glad for that, but his offer for her to be the handmaiden to his son was not something she wanted. She did not want to babysit some spoil prince, who probably couldn't bathe himself without assistance, and she told him as much. The King had only laughed in reply. Saying that he needed someone like her. Someone to bring him down to earth. She wasn't sure she could refuse. It couldn't be that bad and besides, she would probably live much better then she was as a nomad or as a merchant. and the old King was kind so his son couldn't be so bad, right?


That was weeks ago, The king rode out back without her, giving her time to make her choice, and the bracelets, as well as legalize the agreement should she accept.
She was only a few hours away in a royal carriage when news came from the kingdom, telling them that the old king had died.

She dressed in black so that she would mourn as well, he was kind old man, but he seemed much stronger then he apparently was. She hoped it was of natural causes. A small part of her wondered if she brought the illness she had with her.

She made her way to the entrance, the parchment of her employment in hand, and the box of bracelets in the other and after a brief conversation with the heralds, who was told of her arrival days ago, went to alert the Brother Princes of her presence.

This was not a good way to start. If she was to understand, the crowned prince she was meant to serve would be king now.

In the end, Lelinus could not take the atmosphere in the room anymore. There was some doubt in the air, but Brynjar held the vast majority of the nobility in the palm of his hand. He felt ill. Seizing on that excuse, he turned to his new life and Duke Aethwulf with a slight smile, "I need to step out for a few moments. It is getting stuffy in here."

The Duke smiled in understanding.

"I don't care what they say. Cool air is good for the health, my lad. I'll keep an eye on things, don't you worry," the man told him, waving his giant hands in a dismissive, but friendly manner. Lelinus smiled at him. Aethwulf as a good soul. He was glad for his sake that he was not often at court. Nobles with good souls were beloved by their vassals and the peasants of their lands, but they had a tendency to lose their head when they were involved with politics.

Lelinus smiled at Ingrid and kissed her cheek in the proper manner, not at all reluctant to be seen treating her as his wife.

"You do not have to stay here either," he whispered.

As he headed out the hall, he spotted an unusual sight. A dark woman in black held a box in one hand and a roll of parchment in the other. She was obviously foreign. A dignitary? No, besides the fact that no matter the views of other lands, they would not seek to cause an incident by sending a woman in a man's role, her clothes were not quite fine enough. Still, he lowered his head in greeting.

"May I be of," he began before he felt his body rack itself with a cough. Perhaps it wasn't just the situation that made him feel sick. Shaking his head, he continued, "May I be of assistance?"

Evangelina waited patiently, she was sure that the death of a king would overshadow any sense of etiquette. Not that she's one for that. She was a nomad. So while she awaited, she took in the granduer of the palace. Everything was so large, there was so much space, but there was hardly any reason for it. She didn't understand why royals needed such things if they just sat there. It was around that time, that a man walked out, he was paler then the King, as if he was sick, he was dressed as if he was royal, his clothes were fine, skin clean, surely he was royal, or at least noble. He nodded with greeting and she gave a tight smile.

"May I be of--"Suddenly, he began to cough, making his whole body quake. Evangelina without thinking, dropped the box and stepped forward, her hands gripping his shoulders. She was just about to tell him to breath with he seemed to shake it off. "May I be of assistance?" He asked and Evangelina, despite herself laughed. "No, you most certainly may not." She told him, concern in her eyes. " You are ill." She said, turned her hand over and pressed it to his forehead. "You should be laying down, resting." She told him, somewhat firmly. "I can wait here, I'm waiting for the King, or the Prince, I'm sure they'll be along soon."

Ingrid slipped back into the hall, quietly weaving through the rabble to Lelinus's side. He was talking to another man. He looked like a kind sort of person. That was a relief. Everyone else here seemed determined to get something on everyone else, if only to get themselves half a step ahead. She slid her hand into Lelinus's, smiling up at him. "Tyr's been told."

Everyone's attention seemed to be on Brynjar. The atmosphere was tense. It probably would be for the next few weeks as everyone waited to see what sort of king Brynjar would be.

"I need to step out for a few moments. It is getting stuffy in here."

Ingrid looked to Lelinus, studying his face. He did look pale. She tried to keep the concern from her face. She doubted Lelinus would appreciate anything that looked like pity from her. He might not be physically strong, but that didn't mean he was completely weak. She would be there though, just not hovering around him.

"I don't care what they say. Cool air is good for the health, my lad. I'll keep an eye on things, don't you worry," Lelinus's friend said. She liked this man. She turned her face slightly towards Lelinus as he pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"You do not have to stay here either," he whispered to her.

"I'll be out in a moment." Ingrid smiled and squeezed his hand as he left. She turned to the man Lelinus had been speaking too. "Be careful. My husband likes you and I would hate to see you in trouble because of us." She dipped her head and went after Lelinus. She found him in the midst of a coughing fit. A dark skinned woman was holding him.

"No, you most certainly may not. You are ill. You should be laying down, resting." Ingrid suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. Of course he should be in bed. Obviously, though, this girl didn't know who she was speaking to. I can wait here, I'm waiting for the King, or the Prince, I'm sure they'll be along soon."

No, she clearly didn't know who she was speaking to. "He is the prince," she said, stepping forward to Lelinus. She put a hand on his shoulder. "She's right Leo, you need to rest," she said, pushing his hair from his face. She was being calm but she wasn't taking 'no' for an answer. She would drag Lelinus to his rest if she had to. Byrdain had already lost a king, it didn't need to lose a prince as well, and she wasn't losing her husband until she was an old woman. "Go back to bed. If anything comes up, I can deal with it."

"If I went to bed whenever I felt under the weather, I would never leave my room," Lelinus told the dark-skinned woman with a slight smile, touched how she showed concerned for a total stranger and impressed given their difference in status. Most servants would not dare touch him familiarly in this way.

"I am Prince Lelinus, at your service," he told her simply before he heard the voice of his new wife. He blinked in surprise as she strode over to him and ran her hands cross his hair. He clasped her hands and looked as though he was about to argue before nodding in acquiesce, placing a hand on hers.

"There won't be much to do today anyway. But I would know why she's seeking me or my brother out. Better that I deal with her than him. You saw what he tried to do to the servant girl at our wedding feast," he reasoned before turning to dark skinned woman.

"So, why do you wish to speak with me or my brother?"

"If I went to bed whenever I felt under the weather, I would never leave my room," He said and Evangelina clicked her teeth. That was a shame, he seemed ill, but according to his words, he's always ill. In that moment, she saw a women approached them. She seemed to scrutinize the two, before approaching the male, in a way that a wolf circle her mate. Evangelina, didn't take it as a challenge, she wasn't here for such a thing, she was only being helpful, since the fit came when he spoke to her. She ignored this as she spoke at the same time as the young man.

"He is the prince."
[b]"I am Prince Lelinus, At your service."

Evangelina took an involuntarily step back. She wasn't versed in the ways fo royals but she knew they had a thing about being touched by commoners. and she was worse, a nomad,

"She's right Leo, you need to rest," The woman said, sternly but gently. It was sweet giving her intense look. "Go back to bed. If anything comes up, I can deal with it." She told him, and Evangelina felt her lips twitch into a small smile. This woman wasn't taking no for an answer, who was she?

"There won't be much to do today anyway. But I would know why she's seeking me or my brother out. Better that I deal with her than him. You saw what he tried to do to the servant girl at our wedding feast," The Prince said, and Evangelina took a breath, She was not looking forward to meeting his brother---wait.

She just realized who this woman was. The bride. the woman she'd made the gifts for

"So, why do you wish to speak with me or my brother?"

"Oh, well, Forgive me, Your Grace, I am not from here, as I'm sure you can tell by my accent, I've not well mannered I fear," She stammered a bit, unsure of herself, but then she realized, she wasn't here to be one of them, she was here to be herself, and to change those around her. That's why the king wanted her here. "I was commissioned by your father, the late King, to make a gift for your bride, A wedding gift." She said, and turned to grab the box she'd dropped in a hurry to help him. "These are for you." She said, holding the box out to the woman, inside where beautiful bangles, wrapped in red thread, bejeweled with gold beads. Each similar, yet unique. "I am Evangelina, a nomad from the East. I met with the late king, some weeks ago, I was only alerted of his death during my ride here. May the Gods, rest his soul, he was a kind man, convinced me that I should come here, for the wedding, and...for this." She said, and headed the prince the decree stating her employment, that she was not to be a slave, though she was a handmaiden. She was to be treated fairly, given chambers in the palace, and a salary and she could come and go as she pleased so long as she continued working for the Crowed Prince---or rather the New King.. "Your father thought that you're brother could use a woman such as myself around...He'd found it amusing that I was not from here and that even when I knew he was king, I didn't treat him as such" She said, her eyes drifting a bit in thought. "He said I treated him like any other kingly old man, and that's what he liked....He wanted me to do the same for your brother...." She said, a small smile and the kindly old man, with his grand smile and hearty laugh. "I do not know your brother, and excuse me if I speak out of turn, but your father believed he could use a bit of....how did he word it.....humility and he felt I could do that for him." She said, tears touching her eyes. He really was a kind man, and someone she thought of as a friend, he didn't seem so old that death would take him mere weeks after that. He looked stronger then his young son is now.

Lelinus watched her intently as she told her story. It would have sounded unbelievable to anyone who did not know his father. He couldn't help but smile slightly as she described him. There was a reason why he had been so beloved among the peasants. He never lorded his power over anyone, but he wasn't weak for it. Rather, he was everything a king should be but rarely was: just, wise, gentle, but fierce when it came to protecting the innocent.

"My father was a good man. His death was... I wasn't expecting it. It doesn't seem right," he admitted to her. His thoughts raced. Could his death really have been due to old age? He wasn't sure. He'd have to ask Beorn about it soon. He would have been there to examine his father's body. Putting that thought out of his head, he turned to regard the woman as he received the box from her. He smiled.

"They are beautiful. Thank you, Lady Evangelina," he told her before regarding her seriously, "But I must warn you that if you seek employment under my brother, things will be different. My father is not here to reign him in and my brother has his... demons. He may wish to take certain liberties with a maiden as fair as yourself if she were under his power."

He returned the decree to her.

"I do not know how he will regard this decree. He and I are not close. Nonetheless, I would help you however I can. I owe my father that much."

My father was a good man. His death was...I wasn't expecting it. It doesn't seem right," The Prince said, which made Evangelina darkly curious. So he thought it too... He took the box, breaking her from her thoughts. They were meant for the bride, but she let it alot.

They are beautiful, Thank you , Lady Evangelina," He said and she frowned a bit. "But I must warn you that if you seek employment under my brother, things will be different. My father is not here to reign him in and my brother has his...demons....He may wish to take certain liberties with a maiden as fair as yourself if she were under his power." He told her and she took a breath. "I do not know how he will regard this decree. He and I are not close. Nonetheless, I would help you however I can. I owe my father that much." He told her and she gave a bow. "Thank you, You honor me, I am no lady, He may try, but surely, he will not get very far." She told him and the woman who seem to share her strength, with a small grin. "I was given the option to go back to my old life should I wish, if it should come to that...." She said before her grin, however small, faded, He would be king now, he could make life miserable for her, but she wouldn't make it that easy for him either. She wanted to at least try in the name of the old King, who thought she could help him.
"If would like to met your brother...if that's alright and perhaps it would be best if you kept the decree...or perhaps give it to someone that even your brother has to listen to...?" She asked, before realizing she may have overstepped with that question. She could be herself, but she didn't want to seem rude. "Forgive me, that seemed rude to my ears....as I said, I've not had teachings in royal etiquette."

"If that is your wish, then I know just the person to give the decree to," Lelinus told Evangeline. She was a brave and honorable person. Or she was a fool. He could not yet determine which. He could tell why his father would have liked her, but could she really talk any sense into his brother? He doubted it. He'd have to keep an eye on her. He suddenly felt tired.

"Patriarch Julius is bootlicker, but I think he was genuinely loyal to my father. Brynjar is sure to name him Chancellor and use his expertise at least until he learns how to run the realm himself. I will give the decree to him and he may be able to convince my brother to employ you. I can make no promises, however," he told her.

"I suggest you see, Brother Beorn. He is the Royal Healer and a friend. He can arrange for a place for you among the other servants for the night," he told her before smiling slightly, "And if my father thought as well as he obviously did of you, you are a lady."



"You're welcome, milady," the monk told her with a flushed smile, thankful that she had taken his words to heart. Hie mind began to race, "I will ask what servants I can. They might tell me things they would not feel comfortable revealing to someone of your station."

It was an unwritten rule among servants that you should never tell a noble what they wouldn't want to hear. There were exceptions, of course, but even the kindest member of the nobility held the power of life and death over them and their families. Thus, few ever risked upsetting them.

"I have some gold saved up. I can purchase scrolls and books that I cannot find in libraries of the palace or that of my order," he told her with a slight grin. There had to be a way to figure out just what killed the king. A poison used to kill a king had to have certain reputation among poisoners. Enough that the assassin would risk discovery in his attempt to kill the king.

If that is your wish, then I know just the person to give the decree to," The Prince said and Evangelina nodded with a small smile. It was then that she noticed how similar he was to his late father, he regarding her respectively but curiously, as if she was a piece of art they admired but didn't quite understand.
"Patriarch Julius is bootlicker, but I think he was genuinely loyal to my father. Brynjar is sure to name him Chancellor and use his expertise at least until he learns how to run the realm himself. I will give the decree to him and he may be able to convince my brother to employ you. I can make no promises, however," He said and she wasn't sure why he told her this but she figured he was speaking more to himself than to her about what he should do.

"I suggest you see, Brother Beorn. He is the Royal Healer and a friend. He can arrange for a place for you among the other servants for the night," He said and she took a breath and nodded. "And if my father thought as well as he obviously did of you, you are a lady." He said and that got her to smile, truly. "You honor me, You're Grace." She said somewhat bashfully. She opened her mouth to tell him how he reminded him of his late father but she abandoned the thought. "Where might I find this, Brother Beorn?" She asked him, her eyes going to his wife to acknowledge her presence before looking back at the prince.

Beorn bowed again before returning to his chambers. He knew that the other servants would be gossiping like midwives and today, he didn't feel like listening to it. Not yet. He would need to find out if anyone saw anything, but it still felt surreal to talk about the king being dead. He didn't want to see his death treated like another juicy morsel of gossip while his body was still warm.

He took a deep breath of the air in his chambers: herbs, incense, and the new drink from the east, tea. It never failed to calm him. Ignoring his cot for now, he instead approached the small later he set beside his work table and knelt.

"Lord, I am not the best at this. Please, help me," he prayed. It was a simple prayer, but he didn't know what else to say. The world had gone upside down in little more than a day.



"His chambers overlook the gardens in the east wing. An apple tree grows right outside his window," Lelinus replied to her, having visited his healer man times over the years. He turned to Ingrid and tried to look apologetic, but failing slightly. He had an excuse to avoid retiring just yet, after all.

"I just need to see the Patriarch for a few minutes. It shouldn't be long," he told her with a slight grin. He did not know if she wanted to come along or not. He could tell that she didn't like the holy man too much. It was understandable, given his personality.

"His chambers overlook the gardens in the east wing. An apple tree grows right outside his window," The Prince told her, and she watched him turn to his wife, feinting an dower look but failing. "I just need to see the Patriarch for a few minutes. It shouldn't be long." He told her and Evangelina arched a dubious eyebrow. "Surely you are Prince, shouldn't the Patriarch come to see you, especially given your...illness?" She asked. "You should rest, I shall request that this Brother Beorn alert the Patriarch to meet your in your chambers, surely the Lady would agree." She told him before bowing and making her way toward the east wing, it was a good thing she had a good sense of a direction.

It took a moment, but she found the gardens, it wasn't hard though, the smell of fresh fruits, herbs and fragrant flowers called her to the gardens. She wanted to stop and gaze at all of the foreign vegetation, but there would be time for that later. She found and smiled at the apple tree that seemed to protect the window it was growing under. She wanted to reach up and pluck the fruit from the tree and take a bite. She'd never had a apple before, she grew up where the sand met the sun. Her fruits were very different.
Ignoring the child-like urge, she made her way to the door to which the window belonged and tapped lightly. "Pardon?" She asked, her accent heavy on that word. More then she'd meant it. It would be easier for her if she lost the accent, just a bit, but she didn't really want to, it was who and what she was. It made life more difficult, so did her skin but she wouldn't change either for the world.

When she was allowed entry, she placed her hands in front of her and nodded. She knew not the rules of religious hierarchy and didn't know how to properly address him. The royals were hard enough to remember.

"Brother Beorn, I presume, The Prince asked me to see you about my employment under the new King, I was sent by their late father, the prince has the decree..."

Before he could protest, Evangelina had already left. He smiled slightly. She might just have a chance surviving under his brother. He smiled over at Ingrid.

"Her first day here and already she's taking your side. At this rate, I will be in bed, taking it easy for the rest of my life. I almost shudder at the thought," he quipped.



"Artemesia, please..." he prayed.

"Pardon?"

"Artemesia?" he asked, taken aback by the gentle voice only to realize it was someone at his door. Smacking himself for his silliness, he rose from his place on the floor and made his way to his door, opening it up to see a sight he had never seen before. She was beautiful and definitely foreign. He tried not to stutter as he invited her in.

"G-go on, take a seat. I will make us some tea," he told her, filling up a kettle with water from a nearby barrel and setting it up in his fire place. He turned to her and smiled.

"Brother Beorn, I presume, The Prince asked me to see you about my employment under the new King, I was sent by their late father, the prince has the decree..."

At her words, his spirits fell. Brynjar was not an easy master. He shuddered at the thought of this young woman suffering under his thumb.

"I can find you accommodations in the servant quarters... Prince Lelinus warned you about our new king, Miss..." he began, fumbling for the foreign woman's name.

"I can find you accommodations in the servant quarters... Prince Lelinus warned you about our new king, Miss..."
"Oh, Evangelina, and yes, I have, thank you...." She said as she took her seat. "It is not much for my confidence....a the prince wore a similar look when I told him of my employment..." She said with a light chuckle. "I have heard he is not an easy man, much less a master, and up until just this moment, I thought I've dealt with both...."She said and wasn't lying, being a gypsy woman...men thought they could take certain....liberties....They all found that that was a mistake. This would be different. He was a king, where she was from, some King, could take as many wives as he pleased...or build a harem and if she should ever show her face to another man, no matter his intention that she and that man would be beheaded.

"Tell me, Brother?" She asked, knowing she was being forward and well, she was known for being forward, and though they'd only just met, but she had to know.. "You are an honest man, yes? Is my virtue the only thing I need to protect? Will my life be in danger?" She asked, watching the man's somewhat nervous eyes, though she didn't let it bother her, she could tell by his body language, his nerves were because of her, not for her, which meant he was probably someone she could trust, that and he had kind eyes, innocent too.
"A difficult man is one thing, but a difficult King, is entirely different....If you believe I should fear for my life, I will go, the decree was contingent solely on my willingness to participate," She told him. "As in, I have a choice in matter and surely you can tell by now, I'm not like the women here, such is the reason for my presence...I'm used to lecherous men, The Late King thought I might annoy the new King, but I was under his protection, he is no longer with us, Blessed be, so I need to know how much protection will I need." She said, watching the brother's eyes for the truth, though she expected them from his words.

Beorn paused for a moment, deep in thought as he considered her question. It would be a shame if she chose to leave, but he couldn't lie to her. He thought about all those Brynjar had hurt in the past. The man, despite being a brute in the monk's opinion, was more inclined towards manipulation and humiliation than outright force. He sighed.

"I have treated the women he has used, Evangelina," he told her, unconsciously testing out her name on his tongue like a new note in a symphony, "Of those who he bedded against their will, they were all afraid of refusing royalty. To my knowledge, he has never physically harmed or killed a made. It would go against his sense of pride and delusional belief that he is desired by the opposite sex. No one has told him "no" in his life. That carries its own dangers, but from what I know, your virtue and not your life would be in danger. But those are not so disconnected in the hearts of the wicked."

He glanced at the statue of Artemesia upon his altar and inclined his head.

"I had prayed that the king might have made Leo his heir. The kingdom needs kindness and intelligence more than hate and cunning. Many beautiful blossoms like yourself might take root and bloom here and," he flushed, suddenly aware of what he was saying.

"I'm sorry. I sometimes get away from myself like that."

"I have treated the women he has used, Evangelina," He spoke, and her brow twitched for a moment. This could not be good. Treated...meant injury. "Of those who he bedded against their will, they were all afraid of refusing royalty. To my knowledge, he has never physically harmed or killed a maid. It would go against his sense of pride and delusional belief that he is desired by the opposite sex. No one has told him "no" in his life. That carries its own dangers, but from what I know, your virtue and not your life would be in danger. But those are not so disconnected in the hearts of the wicked." He said and Evangelina nodded solemly. He would rape her under the delusion that she wanted it. She would be sure to make it known that she does not desire him. She'd have to make it explicitly clear. This would be hard, he's a King, a new one at that...

"I had prayed that the king might have made Leo his heir. The kingdom needs kindness and intelligence more than hate and cunning. Many beautiful blossoms like yourself might take root and bloom here and," he flushed, and Evangelina chuckled softly. "I'm sorry. I sometimes get away from myself like that." He said and she shook her head, still smiling. "No need." She sand stood from her seat, looking around at the many plants he had around him. "Cunning is intelligence...just used differently..." She said, her eyes darting around the room and landing on the statue of a woman, presumably a goddess. " And you can not truly hate something without loving it first...." She said, before turning to the Brother. "The late King wanted me here to perhaps change his son for the better, if he hates something, it's because he loved it once, which means he loves it still, he just doesn't want to. I'll find it, If I can and change him, if I can." She told him. She spoke easily but she knew this wouldn't be so simple, she knew she had a hard battle up ahead, and if the late king yet lived, she probably wouldn't have taken it on, but she felt she had to. In honor of the late King to whom she considered a friend. Not a word she uses lightly.
"I know it won't be easy, far from it, I have an uphill battle, but in honor of a man to whom I call a friend, I'll give it my best, and if anything, I'll be the first to tell him no." she added with a smile.

Beorn couldn't help but stare at the woman in silence for a moment. This was bravery on a scale he hadn't seen before. It wasn't the bravery extolled by the knights of the realm where they rode into battle fully armored with only death to fear. This young woman was willing to place herself in a vulnerable position for the chance to help a truly nasty person for the sake of a promise. He couldn't help but smile at her.

"Evangelina, you might be able to accomplish what you set out to do. It would truly be an honor to be of whatever service I might be to you," he told her with a slight bow. At the sound of his kettle whistling, he grinned and set about preparing two cups of the drink.

"I just managed to cultivate the plants for this drink. Would you like honey or would you prefer to drink it black?" he asked, searching for a small container that had what was left of the honey he possessed.


There were many matters that required a man of his responsibility's attention. Preparing for the next king's coronation, overseeing matters secular and ecclesiastical, and humoring entitled children well into their thirties required a certain degree of patience and love for the job. Thus, when Julius saw the prince walk into his office, he did not stop writing upon his parchment until the prince was a foot away from him.

"I had not been expecting to see you again so soon, Your Highness," Julius greeted, folding his hands together with interest as he eyed the piece of parchment in the prince's hand. Lelinus smiled, slightly, spotting the elder's look and handing it to him.

"My father had a small decree he wanted carried out to day. For the sake of our future king," Lelinus remarked. Julius frowned as he read the letter. It was the king's handwriting alright.

"Prince Brynjar cannot be made to listen. A man of his temperament requires... Delicacy. Prudence. A foolhardy maid is liable to not come out well in this situation."

"I know. Brynjar would likely turn nasty, but she would not be persuaded... And father saw something in her. He believed she could handle Brynjar."

"While he was alive, my prince."

"Yes. It is foolishness, but the young lady is special. My father saw this. If it does not work out, Brynjar will not miss her if we send her away."

"Hmm..." the Patriarch thought. It was a foolish gesture. He almost thought Lelinus had some sort of angle he wasn't seeing, but it wasn't like the younger prince to put anyone in danger for his schemes. But if this maid could be persuaded to echo his advice and Brynjar could be persuaded to leave her be... The realm could only benefit.

"I will speak to His Grace in the morning. I would prefer her to be on hand so that I might introduce her."

"Of course."

"Evangelina, you might be able to accomplish what you set out to do. It would truly be an honor to be of whatever service I might be to you,"Beorn said with a small bow. The kettle whistled and he smiled, somewhat proudly."I just managed to cultivate the plants for this drink. Would you like honey or would you prefer to drink it black?" He said and she smiled. She'd never had tea with honey, she came from where cane sugar wasn't rare. She knew of honey, but didn't know any of it's properties. "Honey, please, thank you." She said. " You have a true skill, Brother, You're garden is so vast, I've never seen such wonders." She said, with wonderment in her voice and it was true. She was from the sand, while there were gardens, they weren't so vast. The room felt moist, she could smell the life.

She got an idea then. "Perhaps, after I've finished my work, should I be accepted by the King, I could come here and you can show me how you do it." She said with a smile, she had an almost childlike gleam in her eye at the thought to learning about these garden and how the wind, water and sun treated them. "Where does this Honey come from?" She asked him then, as he prepared the drink. "I've only heard of it, I've never seen nor tasted it before."

"You have a true skill, Brother, You're garden is so vast, I've never seen such wonders."

Beorn flushed slightly as he placed the jug of honey of the table and mixed it with the tea. He poured them both a cup and smiled, "You flatter me. The plants do most of the work. I just tend to them."

Still, he looked pleased and at her words about joining him he smiled, taking in the look in her eyes. He had never seen a person quite like her. He replied, "I would love to show you what I do. The plants... They're God's gift to man. Almost any use of them is possible from medicine to food to increasing fertility..."

He flushed again and quickly answered her second question, "Honey actually is made by bees up in their hive. No one knows how exactly, but it has to have something to do with flowers. They take something from them and create it."

"You flatter me. The plants do most of the work. I just tend to them." He said humbly after handing her the tea. She took a breath from the cup, the smell was thick and sweet but much too hot for her to drink at the moment, despite his stirring.

"I would love to show you what I do. The plants... They're God's gift to man. Almost any use of them is possible from medicine to food to increasing fertility..." He said and her brow shot to the top of her head. Why he decided that was a fact she ought to know, she couldn't begin to understand. All she could do was watch the poor soul flush brightly, and quickly move on. She could have let him simmer with that, tease him with questions about how and he knew such a thing and why did it tumble from his lips in regards to her, but he was sweet, too sweet and innocent for her to tease.

"Honey actually is made by bees up in their hive."[/.b] He said and she looking up, reflectively, for said hive then wondered what a hive was. [b]"No one knows how exactly, but it has to have something to do with flowers. They take something from them and create it." He told her and she smiled. "What wonders..." She said, looking down at her tea. She really knew nothing about this land, They seemed to have one God as far as she could tell, she'd been here for a while and the only thing she really learned was the language. She knew how to speak but reading it, was difficult, she knew enough to get by but not a great deal and she didn't know how to write.

"Brother Beorn?" She spoke after a quiet moment. "Would you mind teaching your ways....the ways of your people, I am what some call a gypsy, I don't belong to any one land, I know my peoples ways but in that, I did not learn the ways of others, nothing beyond the language...I know...about 19 languages, I even know a few that have been lost in time. but I can barely read them, I know a few words on sight in yours but not a great deal." She said, "I know my way around people, but books....I can not read them." She said and looked up at him. She liked to learn, every place she went she found a way to learn the language, but she never had time to learn to read, not when she was a child, and even more so when her family parish to illness.

"Will you teach me?" She asked. "To read and to scribe..." She paused. That was the wrong word. "to write." She corrected. She was still getting used to this language. "About your God....Do you have one to two, or more, I do not know for sure, and I fear I may need all the knowledge I can if I am to properly handle the King..."