Beyond Time (closed)

[heartofcourage]

"He's odder than you realize." Dylan said with a smile as she sipped on her sweetened tea. "But in a good way. He's a man well ahead of his time. If you give him enough support and time, I'm sure that John will make you both very proud."

She saw the deep blush that appeared on Elizabeth's pale cheeks as she mentioned John making the royal family proud. It was very apparent that Elizabeth thought of John in terms that were far deeper than just a loyal friend. It made her wonder if they had considered talking to Henry about making things more than what they were.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Make me proud, hm? Alright, ladies, just say it. What's going on here?" He'd known for a while that John had an eye for Elizabeth but he was oblivious that Elizabeth was fond of John beyond the bounds of friendship.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Nothing, Papa." Elizabeth murmured, looking at him with a bright blush on her cheeks. "I'll talk to you late about it. In private."

Dylan couldn't help but laugh softly to herself. Elizabeth was smitten with John, but she was also scared of her father's reaction to the news that she had found love. Dylan had never had to worry about a family accepting whoever she brought home. Her parents were long gone and her grandfather had always been accepting of whatever she wanted to do. She missed the man deeply and dearly.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Ah, I see," Henry chuckled and let the matter go. Ashien soon came to them looking a bit worse for wear, holding a cloth to his cheek. His face was bruised and his new squire Benjamin was beside him apologizing profusely.

"It's fine," he told the boy, shooing him away to tend the horses. "Hi, love," he said as he came to sit down beside Dylandra.

"What in the world happened to you?" Henry laughed as Ashien nursed his bloody and bruised cheek.

"My squire's horse isn't quite broken in yet. He threw the lad and Benjamin's buckler caught me in the face."

 

[heartofcourage]

"That horse is probably just getting you back for something you did." Dylan teased her husband as she leaned over and kissed his uninjured cheek. "You deserved it. I'm sure of it."

 

[KieranSoares]

"He's just angry he has to work now instead of having fun all day in the pastures with his mother," Ashien told her, but smiled as she kissed his cheek. "But he had to grow up sometime, and despite this setback Benjamin really has a way with him."

 

[heartofcourage]

"We all have to grow up sometime." Dylan said as she took another sip from her sweetened tea. "I keep wondering when that will happen for you."

She enjoyed teasing her husband, knowing that he would give her back just as much as she gave him. It was part of their love, one that grew each and every day.

"Henry and Elizabeth are inviting us to go to the sea with them to get away from the heat this summer." Dylan told Ashien, knowing that he would be hard to pull away from Darkwood.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Oh, out to Ipswich again?" Ashien asked.

"Of course. It's become something of a tradition. Will you join us?"

"Perhaps... My dear lady might have to do some convincing to get me away from my work."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Your work will be in Ipswich." Dylan teased him, laughing at the look that he gave her. "I'm sure that the king will be taking his stable of horses with him. That means that there is going to be little to do for you here in London."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Henry's not the only man I work for, love. I'm always sending horses to the werefolk and around the isles. Even to the mainland."

"How are the werefolk by the way?" Henry asked. He never had the time to meet them himself but he'd always been curious about them despite the common English distrust of werefolk.

"Well as ever since you put protections on the old growth forests. And incredibly dear friends. Let's just say they saved our marriage," he murmured before wrapping an arm around Dylandra.

"Trouble?"

"Not between us, elsewhere." And at those words, Henry was fine to leave it at that just as John joined them and sat beside Elizabeth.

"Hiya, kids," he said to Ashien and Dylandra, then bowed his head to Henry. "Sir." He gave Elizabeth a warm smile, that simple glance needing no spoken greeting.

 

[heartofcourage]

"And where have you been hiding since you ran away from Darkwood?" Dylan asked John as he tried to remain respectful around the king.

She gave him a smile as she leaned into Ashien's side, the feel of his arm wrapped around her shoulders was glorious. She still took each day in stride, knowing that she very well might be pulled back into the future in a moment's notice.

 

[KieranSoares]

"The palace, mostly. Occasionally off to the outlying villages for materials," John smiled. "I just finished a few market stalls for some vendors in town and I'm getting commissions. Looks like I'll finally be able to make a living."

"Ah, speaking of which, I meant to ask you about a couple bedside tables," Henry spoke up. "Elizabeth's are practically ancient and I'm sure they're better kindling than furniture."

"Oh. Uh... yeah, I can do that. I'd need to take a look at some of the other furniture to make it match."

 

[heartofcourage]

"The rest is nearly as old. Papa's grandfather brought the set from France when he came to England." Elizabeth commented as her father commissioned her new bedside tables from John. "My steward can show you."

She didn't dare suggest that she show him herself. It would be incredibly improper for her to suggest that they be alone in her bedroom for any amount of time.

 

[KieranSoares]

"Elizabeth, I'm sure John isn't quite daft enough to try anything, much less in my own palace. Go on and show him. I'll probably have him replace the rest in time." If that wasn't an admission of Henry's trust for John, nothing was.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Papa..." Elizabeth said with a dark blush staining her cheeks as he commented about John not trying anything.

She was deeply embarrassed as he told them to go on to her room so that she could show him what needed to be replaced. Standing, she didn't even wait to see if John was following her as she practically fled into the palace.

Dylan smiled, knowing that the woman was probably embarrassed and confused about her feelings for John and it seemed that her father trusted John completely. "Perhaps in time she'll see that you only do it for her own good."

 

[KieranSoares]

John trotted along behind Elizabeth and once they were inside, he gave Elizabeth a smile. "He's just teasing, y'know. Though I gotta say I'm surprised considering how protective he is."

 

[heartofcourage]

"He knows that we're just friends." Elizabeth answered, looking at John as they made their way to her bedroom. "And he sometimes likes to let his mouth out run his brain. I'm sorry if he says anything that might upset you."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Nah, he's pretty tame compared to my old mates." He offered her his arm like a proper gentleman then. "Don't worry. He's going to have to say some pretty bad stuff to embarrass me."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Well, I'm glad that you won't be running for the hills then." She said softly, taking his arm and giving him a smile as they continued on the journey to her rooms.

Her father had always valued her safety above anything else. She had been placed in a tower room when she was five after an attempted kidnapping had caused him to up his security. It was a cozy little place with views of the area beyond that were second to none. She had always adored the little space that was away from the rest of the hustle of the palace, her own quiet sanctuary.

 

[KieranSoares]

John was constantly impressed by everything in the palace, but he liked Elizabeth's room especially. Nothing in the palace was too garish or immensely expensive except for special pieces here and there. Henry preferred rich tapestries and paintings to gold or silver decor. He liked more rustic styles too and most of the furniture was beautiful dark wood and warm colors. Elizabeth's room was a blend of her mother and herself, as Henry had let her keep her mother's favorite tapestries and a few pieces of her favorite furniture.

John's attention was drawn to the beautiful craftsmanship of the Norman pieces and he seemed impressed but not overwhelmed by the detail. "Oh, I know this style. I was thinking it was going to be a lot more difficult." English carpenters weren't known for being able to emulate other cultures but John seemed confident.

 

[heartofcourage]

"Some pieces are from my father's family in France. Other pieces are from my mother's family. She was from Spain." Elizabeth said as John looked at the furniture that made up her little space. "When she died, Papa saved some things for me in case I wanted them in the future. It makes for an eclectic space, but it also makes me feel at home and closer to her."

 

[KieranSoares]

"Spain and France and England... what a combination." John knew the long-time animosity between the three countries well from his history classes, but Elizabeth was living in a time when the tension was just beginning with Normans and English being ostracized by their French brothers and the Spanish setting eyes upon the northern countries for their natural resources. But thus far, Spain seemed to be keeping a tense peace with France and an open hatred but no fighting with England. None of the countries were immensely powerful, but there was enough among them for France to try to take Normandy from her now-English owners. Spain was currently exploring the world, only waging war on those they were sure to destroy, like barbarian tribes.

John stepped over to the old end tables he was meant to replace, pulling one out from the wall to look all around it. "Hm... doesn't look too difficult."

 

[heartofcourage]

"Papa married my mother because it was suppose to strengthen the ties between their countries. They never expected to actually fall in love with each other." Elizabeth explained as John looked at the furniture in her room.

"You seem confident. Much more confident than you were when you first started here." She commented with a smile. "You're a man who wears that confidence well."

 

[KieranSoares]

"I used to be sort of a businessman, so... You've got to be able to pretend you're confident even when you're quaking like I usually am," John told her with a smile. "You have no idea how terrifying it is to be just an average guy in the presence of a King and a Princess. I only just got over my nerves in front of Ashien, not that we're good friends. And it took me nearly six months of being with Dylan to stop getting nervous about messing up around her. I'm actually a pretty shy guy... I just hide it well."

 

[heartofcourage]

"I don't see a shy person." Elizabeth said with a smile. "You must hide it very well when it's just the two of us. It's a gift to be comfortable with someone. There aren't many people in my life that I can say I'm close to but I'm happy to count you as one of them, John."