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♕ 3rd - video - waxing poetic

[ elizabeth sits in the grass, with white roses in her hair and her skirts pooled about her. she looks thoughtful and placid to most, and only those who know her passably well may note an undercurrent of sadness in her features. it is there, but not readily apparent unless one has seen and interacted with her often.

her mother's absence and the hell that awaits her family in the future have not been forgotten. they hang like a great weight about her neck, and in the way her shoulders bow a little despite being straight and stiff otherwise. she keeps her eyes averted from the camera for now, as she speaks up quietly: ]

It all began upon a lovely day in spring
A maiden fair stumbled upon a King
Beneath the boughs of a mighty oak
Whilst two boys clutch'd at her cloak

And lo he came upon them there
Stricken at once by the maiden so fair
He gaze'd at her and she at him
Love-struck and helpless to its whim

[ she releases a long breath of air, and finally looks up at her comm device. her face still appears peaceful, as though the words and the act of writing them have had a calming effect. and perhaps they have. she effects a small smile, though, for good measure. ]

I think it a good beginning. What say you, Tranquility? Putting such a tale to words has been a daunting task, indeed.

I shall continue, and add more to it. But I must ask, are there such tales whence you hail from?

[ and if poetry is not your jam, elizabeth has another query. she holds up a plastic container (a stick of deodorant) and a glass bottle (perfume) and various other sundry items she has found. all sweet-smelling, all utterly confusing to a girl from the late middle ages. ]

And I must beg another query of you, if you please: what are these? What purpose have they?

[ anyone who knows her will see that this is only an attempt on her part to distract herself. sitting idle and stewing over the heaps of negativity life loves to send her fmaily's way has never been her thing. ]

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It has ever been the same. My mother advised my father on many things, and was disliked for it. The Church says that women are sinful and weak by nature because in the beginning, it was a woman who ate a forbidden fruit from the Tree of Life and brought sin into the world.

We bear life, and I believe that it does intimidate them. For that is a power men can never have.

[ she hears it well in eowyn's tone, for she feels the same bitterness herself. ]

What is it that you seek then, if I might ask?

[ elizabeth nods, her smile tightening, becoming strained. ] I have. And between you and I, anything is more preferable to me than that.

A forbidden fruit? [ The brief mention is enough to get Éowyn's attention. ] I've not ever heard of that tale. Sin, as far as I know it, exists because men exist, because people exist. Evil people will not care if they sin, whereas those of good will strive to avoid it. It hardly seems fair to blame all women for all the bad things that men will do just the same.

[ Yet she can see why, in a world ruled by men as seems to be Elizabeth's, that they would attempt to spread this wild notion, insane as it may seem to Éowyn. ]

I am a shieldmaiden, my Lady. What I seek is to fight, to ride into battle and earn valor through the sword and shield. And if it be so, to give my life in such high honor.

[ At the last remark, she merely nods, head lowering. ] With that much I agree; anything but that. I am so sorry that a fate as dark as that must loom over your head. You do not deserve it.

Yes. A snake bade her eat the apple when she and her husband Adam had been forbidden to do so by God. And she did so, as the tale goes.

[ she sighs. ] From what I have seen, everyone is capable of sin on some level, great or small. Depending upon one's nature or circumstance in life, it varies. Yet no one is so good as to be able to avoid doing a single bad thing for their whole life long.

But you are right, I think. As blasphemous as it is for me to agree. It is not fair to blame women for it alone when men are equally to blame for all the ill which befalls the world. At home, I have my place; which is determined by not simply my birth but the will of one man or another. There is naught I can do without being directed.

[ not a single choice she might make for herself. and here she is, for the first time able to make choices when all she has ever known have been the strings of a rather pretty marionette. strings of silk ribbon, but strings all the same. ]

Ah, I see! That is a worthy ambition to hold, my lady. With such a strong will, I know you shall succeed. Though I hope it both brings you some measure of joy and that it will not cost you your life.

[ she smiles faintly. ] My thanks. Yet if I remain here, perhaps I may alter my fate; or carve out my own.

I agree so, my Lady. One may have the most honorable of principles at heart, yet it is only a part of existence to commit mistakes, or to do ill when you believe to be acting rightly.

And blasphemous you say it is, yet I find that concept absolutely absurd. To blame me or you for a mistake that one woman made who knows how long ago? [ The sound she lets out nears a derisive snort, and she shakes her head. ] Men in your world are madder still than those I know from my own.

[ Speaking her mind is something she has always done, for better or worse, often earning her unpleasant retorts, but those she had learned a long time ago to ignore, even if they had been committed to her memory, to never be forgotten. ]

I thank you. [ She tilts her head. ] Say then, it is your wish to stay in this place? Had you the choice, would you not ever return?

Mistakes are better fodder for learning perhaps than some books. [ and that is a big thing for her to say when books are so rare in her world. ] Lessons great and small via practical experience. None of us are perfect, especially not those of us with Royal blood. It gives us access to greater privilege and burdens us with great responsibility, but we are all human.

Yet this is all shouldered by women, as difficult as it seems to believe. I say not that it is right or good, but it is what we are taught from infancy. That we exist solely for bear children and dance and look pretty, or cook and clean and nurse the babes of others if we are not Royal. And I have seen that Royalty itself may be stripped away by the signature of a man. My uncle has done it to me, and my sisters.

[ she sighs. even éowyn's world seems more progressive than her own, and she brings up a point she cannot say is anything other than solid. it makes her think, and she will continue to do so, long and hard until she might reach an opinion of her own. as a woman, she cannot help but be frustrated by the trap her gender has placed her in, to be at the whim of men. ]

How is it different, in your realm? One day I am to be a Queen, and I would like to know if you are willing to tell me. I would.. perhaps see some changes made.

[ there is no need to deliberate or think here, and she nods readily. ] You are ever welcome, dear one. And yes, I would. For I have known more joy here than I have since before my father died.

So much is true indeed. Though perhaps coming from a richer place provides us with better upbringing in some ways, in others it may just not teach us enough about life. But through mistakes we all learn, through living every day.

[ She tilts her head before he adds with a faint hint of amusement. ] I will tell you this truth, amongst ourselves. I do not know how to cook or clean, and I cannot sew either. As you can see I care little about the way I look, especially if it hinders the things that I wish to do.

[ And true to that, she is far from prim, her hair tied into a practical braid, her clothes plain and unassuming. One would not think her a princess surely. ] And children, though I do not mind them, it would seem most mothers do not take kindly to me teaching them how to hold a sword, even if to their own protection. Perhaps I would not make a good mother so much either. By these notions, I believe in your world I would not be considered much of a woman at all.

[ She arches her eyebrows in brief thought. ] Perhaps our places are not all that different in the end, but it is difficult for me to say as I do not know yours. Maybe it is only different in the way that I do not care what men think of me, not beyond my own family. And even so, I would not let them dictate what I do, though I do know they could force it upon me if they wished to. Amongst the race of Men, at least, the difference between man and woman, and what are the duties assigned to you depending whether you are one or the other, are very straightly defined. But there are other races where I am from, though my knowledge on them is not too great it is enough that I can tell you there are differences from my own race in regards to women.

A more privileged upbringing, I agree. I had the best tutors, and two parents who loved me. Each year I was blessed with another brother or sister whom did the same. But it came with the cost of never being given an opportunity to make mistakes and learn from experience. All of my choices, down to what I wore and what I ate were made for me.

Truthfully, it is refreshing to have had to learn to do things for myself in this place. And to be able to meet such a variety of folk whom I never would have otherwise been permitted to know.

[ elizabeth finds herself grinning a little, in genuine amusement. ] Nor I. I can cook a little, but I will never be exceptional at it. I admire you for the rest, my lady. Would that I could be thus as well.

[ but elizabeth is a vain creature, and her hair curls prettily down her back and is adorned with flowers most of the time. her gowns are also on the nicer end of the spectrum. she and éowyn appear to be polar opposite, though they share much in common. ]

I would never suggest such a thing. Imparting a practical skill to young girls hardly determines what manner of parent you will be. Now that I am here, I wish someone had done that for me when I was small. Now I am simply glad that you are willing to teach me as I am.

[ she smirks a little, mischievously. ] Oh no, you are too lovely and sweet to be considered anything else. But mad, they would call you, for doing something which only men seem allowed to do.

The roles of men and women are strictly defined in my world, as well. Men fight wars and kill things and sail ships and make money, and we women look pretty, dance or sing, marry well and have children. Many children. If we are poor, then we must keep house and cook, as well. I am Royal, as you are. We would be expected to be intelligent, to excel at the arts, look nice in a gown and marry where we were bid.

[ she sniffs derisively, more ladylike than a snort. ] The last of which I will never do. I will be happy.

Better than not having a choice ever, that you have it in this place at least. It is sad to think that any person, be it woman or man, would see their right of choice denied anywhere, but it is comforting to at least know that it does not happen in all the places.

Yet we see some choices denied even here still. It may be freeing in some ways, but in others this vessel can feel too like a cage.

[ She is still trapped, as many others are. Yet she can understand how to someone like Elizabeth this place would be nothing other than true freedom. ]

Mad, then, I shall be called; and I would expect that for such an iniquity it would be decided by the men in your country that I ought to be executed, am I not right? Thankfully not ever one man has tried to do so where I am from. Though admittedly, a few of them have shown, perhaps not directly so, to believe me weak or unfit to wield a sword.

[ But those she ignored, or went up against in sparring matches that often put them in their place. ]

I hope you will never have to conform to an unhappy union, and that you find one you love and want to be with, if such is your wish. Marriages ought to be for love, and nothing else.

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♕ 3rd - video - waxing poetic

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