Moria -Maeve's Edition

Chapter 1

Maeve awoke to the smell of burning cinder.  Her servants had been stoking the fires for what seemed like hours as it had grown colder in the night. She motioned for the youngest of her servants to step forward and whispered an order into her ear, sending the girl towards the door just as it was opening. In stepped a tall slender woman with a hollow looking bone structure, her mousy yet tied up regal enough to show status yet simple enough to show she was not the one with the power in this home. Maeve straightened her back and looked over to the woman with a small discerning smile.

"I see you're becoming quite accustomed to the title, dear.  Do hold your head up a tad bit higher. You have such a lovely neck and you will need to show Moria all of your assets."

Maeve sighed as the woman lifted her chin to an uncomfortable height.

"Mother, I would prefer you not touch my face, and I have yet to acquire the title."

"If you perform your duty to your house well then it shall be of no issue."

The queen regent fingered the gown that lay over the edge of the young woman's bed.  It was a delicate fabric, unlike the daughter she had raised. The gold sheen would cause her olive complexion to really shine against the girl's long black tresses. Maeve stood naked before her and gestured to the attendants to begin dressing her. 

"Mother I do not like that face you're making."

She had not noticed she had made any sort of face, but her daughter smelt like the land and that was something no amount of perfumed powders and mists could fix at this point.

"You smell like a woodland creature.  Now, please get finished and pack only what you must carry.  I will have the rest sent on the completion of your task.  Maeve," she paused. "The consequences should you fail-"

"I will not fail." 

"Be sure you do not." 

Maeve watched as her mother left and the attendant finished brushing Maeve's hair and tying the family diadem around her head. 

"You look like a princess, my lady."

The attendant smiled at her as she quickly grabbed onto Maeve's skirts and followed her through the castle halls. The halls were long and winding, cracking in places.  As a kid, she adored the cracks because of the stories that forged them, as an adult she just wished it would keep the cold winds out at night. 

       The ride was a long one as the two houses did not share borders. Maeve made sure to stretch before getting out as to remain in the posture that was taught to her before she could even stumble about her own. She walked through the gates and into the grand ballroom, hands latched onto one another behind her back in a curious manner.  Maeve looked impeccable yet very odd amongst the other houses. A raven, in the snow.  Amongst the chattering and lively harps, she could hear loud clumsy footsteps approaching her and politely turned to greet them.  As she turned she noticed the feet wore the face of Prince Jason of the house Breyos.  Maeve tried her best to keep a humble and kind smile as he dares to speak to her. 

"Evening, My Lady."

"Mm, yes it is evening is it not my lord." 

Jason gave a small laugh as Maeve stare straight forward into the hall of guests, not bothering to shift her body towards him.

"Son of house Breyos, I can not tell if it is bravery or ignorance that has given you the rise to approach me. I suggest whatever it is you are looking for, you look for elsewhere with one of the lesser houses." 

Maeve smiled slightly to herself as she gestured to some silly looking female dancing across the floor as if her feet were on fire. The fun was halted as the prince of Moria approached the pair in his military decorum. 

"Evening my Lord, my lady. Please do tell me I am not the only one who would like this to be over before it has begun? And please do answer honestly, I'm afraid it doesn't happen enough around here." 

Merriweather smiled as he winked towards Maeve and Jason slowly made his exit to join the crowd, after all, it was not like he was the one Merriweather's mother would want for her son. 

"Being together here, or being answered honestly, my Prince? I am afraid I am met with the same woes.  How I would love nothing more than to leave this pressurized court and return home.  Alas, my mother did so threaten that if I return unvictorious there will be some distant cousin to take my title. "

"Ah well, please don't take offense but I would love to leave as well. How is your mother anyway my lady? I hear she still believes we would be quite a pairing."

The prince laughed more so to himself than to her and met Maeve's solemn look. 

"Ah well, I am afraid she's a bit more occupied with other tasks for me."

"Anything fun?"

"I find these things best kept private, my Prince."

Merriweather nodded and watched as another gentleman approached, offering his hand to Maeve for a dance.

"Very, well. Enjoy yourself, my Lady. I am sure we shall talk again." 

Maeve took the gent's hand and followed him out onto the floor.  He wore the colours of her house marking him as an ambassador to the court.  She felt herself loosen and fall into the music, feeling her feet become one with the harps and the distant lute.  Whether her partner knew it or not, she was leading this dance.  The music went on changing from song to song and she flitted from partner to partner, matching their grace and maintaining her composure well.  She danced until her feet were ready to give out before leaving the floor to join the strange man near the dessert table. She approached with her arms folded, floating across the marble floors. He wore a mask, cracked in places and well worn. The man stood very tall as if he was watching, a wolf waiting on a victim.

"Siseveight." 

"Miss Maeve."

The pair dropped the customs between them and the raven-haired beauty gave him a goofy grin. 

"A pleasure. I see you have yet to change your odd sense of taste."

Siseveight lowered his face to hers and sarcastically replied.

"Yes, but I see you of course came dressed for the occasion. I am sure you'll be back to the rags as your mother used to call them."

Maeve let out a low chuckle, something she tried quickly to stifle in order to not appear weak in front of the court.  She noticed a few of her guards starting to circle them to make sure their royal was still secure. There had been bad blood between Hiraine and just about every other house these days due to her late father's legacy of breaking alliances.  It was not always like that, but once Breyos started a war between the houses her father chose to not trust a single outsider except for the crown.  Siseveight had been betrothed to Maeve's older sister before he had been born but upon her death, the betrothal was no more and neither was the alliance.  Maeve shook the reminder from her mind and politely placed her palm onto his shoulder as was a customary greeting in her home.

"I'd ask about your home but given our family's history, I am sure you'd say well if it were burnt to the ground." 

She was a bit surprised when she heard the older male chuckle. 

"When the world has chewed you up and spat you out, you'll take whatever you can get. Even if it is given by fire. Speaking of your mother, was she too afraid to attend? I noticed other mothers have come to speak with the queen herself."

"Probably to sweeten her up to their own daughters. My mother has made many enemies over the years. We both have.  It was not fear keeping her home, only cowardice.  As much as I would love to be done with her, she still rules Hiraine.  Speaking of mothers, now that you bring it up, did yours name you after the act of being a sissy?"

Siseveight looked onto the crowd and straightened himself out, bothered by the sentiment but not uncomfortable.

"I would ask her if she had recovered from the illness. She is still at home bedridden.  Half my land have fallen ill."

Maeve nodded but before she could opt to reply Sis had interrupted her thoughts. 

"What do you say we get out of here and cause some mischief?"