Private Tales Father's Will Be Done

[Myrcella Bochanan]

The death of Myrcella's father had hit her family hard. But none so as much as it did her mother, Gwendolyn Bochanan. Even the house staff were sombre, some even going through a mourning of their own. The weather had been damp and stormy as though the very lands were crying over the loss as well. It was certainly a strange time at the Bochanan Estate.

Myrcella kept to her Mother's side when she was wanted, there to offer comforting hugs as well as sone company. She wondered about her own future. Would Titus Phane be sent to war once he became a Knight? Would he be slain and then she would become a widow like her Mother? Or would they live happily to a ripe old age with children and grandchildren to take care of their affairs soon after their passing? Of course Myrcella chose the latter. She'd prefer it.

But right now she had to try to push aside her own self for a change and worry about her Mother. So of course she came up with the perfect idea. A painting. Not one of flowers that Myrcella usually painted, but one of her Mother and Father's wedding bands on their hands with their fingers intertwined. It wasn't so easy to do by memory. So she used one of the maids and one of the footmen as models for her.

Tucking a brush behind her ear, Myrcella smudged a bit of the painted canvas with a bit of cloth to help blend the colours. "I hope she likes this. I really do." Her words were spoken more to herself than anything else and if Titus was there, he'd be giving her lots of encouragement. But he wasn't. At least not at the moment.

Titus was her first crush. He was the head butler for the Estate. And although her Mother wasn't happy with Myrcella's wishes to marry him soneday, she didn't exactly say no to it either. Titus had many hoops to jump through. He had to gain Knighthood first and then title to his own lands. The process could take years. Yet both were willing to do so.

Would her Mother remarry? And if so would her step-Father approve? Everything was up in the air now.

Oh why did her Father have to die?

Richard Henry the Eighth

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

The Red Stallion galloped through the muddy trail with bits of mud actually hitting Richard's cheek. Richard snorted as he hastily wiped the dirt off. He was in the middle of planning his next poem, curse the mud for foiling the creative process! As much of a talented horse rider, Richard was, all he wanted right now was to find a tree to lay against so he could write down these great ideas that are swimming in his head! Oooohhh tarry rhymes with Barry! Barry..... Barry Lyndon! Yes, that could be the protagonist's name and he could be a social climber and-

A stray branch protruded itself in front of the Bard Knight he managed to duck just in time though part of the branch scratched the back of his neck. Richard grumbled it had been raining hard for a week which made the roads into a sea of mud, thankfully the last of the rain stopped yesterday but still his poor lute and his face were all splattered but the hideous mud! An estate was dead ahead which made Richard thankful. He'd on the road for a fortnight singing at inns and even winning a mini jousting tournament. Even though Richard is shy about telling others his noble blood, being a noble does have some perks.

As he approached the gates one of the guards raised his hand at Richard. "Halt!" he announced. "State your business!"

"I'm Richard Henry the Eighth," Richard replied. "I'm the son of Richard Henry the Sixth: The Legendary Dragonsbane! You know who I'm talking about?"

"No, I don't." the guard said bluntly brandishing his black steel spear.

Richard's face fell, that normally got people's attention, people heard about the stories of Richard Henry slaying an Ancient Red Dragon. Was this sheltered for all of his life? Or maybe his father's influence was didn't have the high reach that he thought. "In any case," he said. "I'm a nobleman of Elbion, the Henry family I come seeking shelter for tonight."

"I'm afraid I can't do that," the guard replied. "This is the Bochanan family and they are currently mourning the death of Lord Rorric Bochanan."

Richard flinched at that. "Oh dear," he said glumly. "Well tell the family they have my deepest condolences," Richard gripped the reigns of his horse causing him to turn. "I best be off then," he said.

 

[Gwendolyn Bochanan]

Gwendolyn sat in her late husband's study. Her red, weary eyes watched as the clock clicked and tocked. Her hand rubbed against the wood of the desk as she took a deep breath. She remembered when he built this desk - right after they were first married.

How times had changed. Their children had grown. Gods, one wanted to marry the butler at that. Her eyes stayed down at the the parchment that was rolled up. A will. His last testament. Gwendolyn scolded him on not having it prepared for his inevitable demise, but she truly wasn't ready for his demise. 20 years of marriage, gone just like that...

But Gwendolyn had to be strong for her children, after all. The Estate didnt stop running because her husband passed, even if she practically ran it anyway.

Unfolding the will, she finally decided to dive into it. Piece it out, and figure out how to begin to distribute it to the children. She sighed as she read through it, the candle flickering lightly. Interestingly, a note mentioned Myrcella - apparently he wanted her betrothed to a Richard Henry the Eighth. It was intriguing as Gwendolyn had never heard of such a man, or Noble house. Perhaps in Elbion they resided?

At the entrance to the estate, where one guard refused Richard, another shook her head. "I believe Lady Gwendolyn would be even more upset not to offer hospitality to a noble seeking shelter," she said as she gave a nod to Richard. "You may proceed but please do mindful that the family is in morning."

Myrcella Bochanan
Richard Henry the Eighth

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

The painting was almost done, but not quite yet. Oils always took a while to dry, which gave her time to fix anything that might need fixing. Myrcella removed the brush and set it and her palet down before looking to the two staff members that awkwardly held hands. "I'm done for the moment, thank you. Maybe tonight after supper we can continue."

The two dipped their heads and returned to their duties while Myrcella covered the canvas with a sheet. She the stretched out her arms above her head and arched her back. Maybe she could get Titus Phane to give her a massage later. His touch was always so gentle, yet soothing. Of course there'd be a maid in attendence. Gwendolyn Bochanan was pretty strict on the two of them not being alone together and Myrcella was doing her very best to not give her Mother any reasons to fire him.

Speaking of which...

It was time to check on her. She hadn't seen much of her Mother today. Myrcella exited the art room and headed down the hallway. She overheard some of the staff talking about some Lord on a horse outside? Who was visiting them? Someone wanting to pay their respects?

Myrcella straightened up her black gown, ever so glad that she didn't splatter any paint. She then followed some of the staff to see just who this nobleman was.

Richard Henry the Eighth

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

"Wait! Lord Henry!"

Richard turned around to see the guard catching up to him. "I'm sorry good ser," Richard said smiling. "I ride solo it's good for my brooding."

"Lady Bochanan is allowing you," the guard replied ignoring Richard's quip. Frowning, Richard guided his Horse back to the gate where Lady Bochanan was waiting for him. "My lady," Richard said as he dismounted his Horse. "Please accept my condolences of your husband's passing I am sure he was a great man."

Richard hasn't heard much about the Bochanan family just that they were one of the more powerful Houses in the Kingdom of Cintra. His father has been trying for years to form a marriage alliance with Cintra one of the neutral Kingdoms in Arethirl. The reason was so that Elbion can not only gain access to some of Cintra's trade routes but also have more bannerman to ally with for battle. Richard's father came up empty however but that hardly deterred him in planning every step of his children's lives.

That was the very thing that made Richard upset with his father. He was a control freak, he always wanted his family to do everything to advance the family as if the entire world doesn't know the bloody hell the Henries were. His father didn't show any love or compassion just do your family duty. Richard's older brother: Richard the Seventh was already married to a woman from a Kingdom far away and Richard is sure that his younger sister Serina already has a match. Thankfully Ellie: the youngest in the Henry family has escaped the madness as mother was going to send Ellie off to the College of Elbion soon.

Richard bowed as he began to follow Lady Gwendolyn. "I'm actually a Ser Richard Henry the Eighth." he chuckled. "I usually forget to tell people that I'm a knight It's a title that I'm particularly fond of."

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella did her best not to laugh at Richard Henry the Eighth 's little mistake. It wasn't Gwendolyn Bochanan that had followed the staff to the gate, but her DAUGHTER. Still, she was quite amused, which was evident by the small smile and the twinkle of laughter in her eyes. "Yes, my -father- was a great man. I'm his eldest daughter, Myrcella." It wasn't unheard of for men to marry women less than half their age, so it was a simple enough of a mistake.

"What's the name of your noble steed? I can get the staff to tend to it, unless you'd rather do it yourself." Some people were finicky that way. They only let themselves or those that they trusted to touch their horses. Right now she wasn't sure what time of a person Richard was. He seemed jovial enough.

"Afterwards you'll be shown your quarters, have a bath drawn and a meal." That was the usual, right? Given that her Mother wasn't yet here, Myrcella decided to take the lead. Afterall, if she wanted to run her own household, she had to take the proper steps and show herself as a leader.

 

[Richard Henry the Eighth]

Richard raised an eyebrow and immediately glared at the guard who was snickering behind his helmet. "Wise one are you?" he grumbled. Given the nature of arranged marriages, it wasn't uncommon to see younger girls or boys being married off to older Lords. Richard inwardly groaned at the thought of his potential bethroed, he could imagine his father marrying him off to an old hag with sagging breasts and half her teeth already fallen with the rest brown and rotten.

He shook his head at that notion, anything to advance the family according to his father whether his children likes it or not. "Forgive me Lady Mycella," Richard said shaking his head he had no idea about who the Buchanan's were if anything Mycella could've been Rorric's third wife or something. The Kingdom of Cintra was usually isolated from the main cites of Arethril. "Your guard thinks it was a good idea to prank me into thinking that you were the grieving widow."

Richard craned his head at the guard who was looking the other way. "Not a good look in light of your Lord's death," he said through clenched teeth.

Mycella was rather attractive with long locks of blond hair cascading towards her waist almost reminding Richard of Ellia's favorite tale: Repunzel. She was smiling but Richard could easily tell that it was forced, Mycella was still shaken up by her father's death and the Bard Knight already feels out of place at this estate. He stumbled upon a family in mourning who was he to take their hospitality? However, It would be rude to deny the Bucanans when they offered Richard a place to stay.

Taking out a white flower from his belt, Richard handed it to Mycella and smiled. "I know it's not much," he said. "But I think you should have this for...... you know."

Damn it's so hard to come up with something on the fly! Why can't he think of anything elegant like he does with his poems?! "Well his name is Natalis," Richard said in regards to his Stallion. "A young Horse and with a very stubborn streak to boot. Did you know he bit my hair while I was sleeping?"

Richard remembered that pretty well since it happened yesterday. Trying to cheer Mycella up, Richard smiled. "So you're a rider yourself?" He asked. "I'm pretty good, I've won a few jousting tournaments but that's only for coin. My real passion lies in music and poetry."