Private Tales This is us

[Rorric Bochanan]

The southern winds brought the warm air to the hill top city of Freyborg from the Aberresai Savannah over the Cairou River making the sea of long grass flow and ripple. Lord Rorric stood stoically upon the stone landing of the great hall known as Aodhbrand. He was simply dressed, brown trousers, high leather officer boots and a green tunic the bore the crest of house Bochanan, the white horse and half moon, across the chest. He let the warm morning spring air bristle through his grey hair and well groomed beard. He could smell the blooming of gardens and wild flowers. Water run off from the snow cap mountains could be seen from the far distance, like impromptu waterfalls crashing down the rocky cliffs. He drew a long breath in, taking all of spring in with it before exhaling. In his eyes, Freyborg and the rest Jorunnr was most beautiful and captivating during the first days of the season change. Not saying the county was not beautiful all year long. This was just the time the Count enjoyed the most.

From the great hall he could see and hear the horses taking their morning frolic through the long grass and vast open fields. Rorric smiled, he loved the sight of horses, for they were the main lifespring of House Bochanan. Horse lords they were, masters of the equine trade in the entire kingdom and Cintria and arguably all of Arethil. Jorunnr was well known for their horsemen and revered for their Calvary. A reputation jealously guarded by Lord Rorric and his people that pride themselves upon it.

Behind him was the large double wooded door that led into the great hall that his family and his ancestors have called home for many generations. Many of said he was a lucky man, his wife was a beauty and the real gem of the county. Rorric would not disagree, with out her strength and devotion he doubted he would of held these lands together. Gwendoyln's love and inexhaustible support has been publicly credited by Rorric himself for the success of house Bochanan and the county of Jorunnr. There were not enough words nor enough time in life for him to express his gratitude towards her. She has birthed him children to continue his bloodline. She had govern side by side with him through thick and thin that this world could bare and the house still stands. The lands prosper.

Yes, he was a lucky man but family is not with out rough patches. Not with out flaws. They were human after all and no one was perfect. Many would say that Rorric was warrior, a true leader, honorable and highly respected. His children some days may say he was a monster, pig headed and stubborn or even cruel. That was family, the real story and with out, he had nothing. Rorric kept his glacier blue hues focused on the horses off in the distance, prolonging the peace and quiet before day's work began.

 

[Gwendolyn Bochanan]

It was days like these that Gwendolyn knew she needed to pray to the Gods for thanks. A blessed woman, she was. As she walked down the halls of the Estate, a bright beautiful smile couldn’t help but stay on her face. These were the halls she built her family. Her husband, her two children. They were nearly grown but they would always be her babies in her eyes.

As she meandered through the building, she made small talk with the servants. To discuss how they were, their families and so forth before she emerged outside to a warm breeze. She took a deep breath as she looked about town of Freyborg. In the distance, she could see the horses frolicking.

Horses were their mandate. Their steeds were known all across Cintria and perhaps Arethil at large. Beautiful, majestic, strong, and dependable. Arguably, in Gwen’s eyes, the best horses there was in the world. No one could tell her otherwise, that’s for sure. She saw Rorric Bochanan standing and seemingly taking in the view of Freyborg and Cintria. Perhaps, enjoying the beautiful spring scent that had descended upon the town. Gwendolyn had been as far west as Elbion but she knew her in the deepest of her heart there was no place like this.

She walked behind Rorric as she placed one arm around his shoulder and her other hand rested on his arm with a gentle squeeze. “Good morning, my love,” she said with a regal yet warm tone as she let her head rest slightly on his shoulder. "Did you sleep well?"

Rorric was her rock, the love of her life, and her best friend. There was no one else in this world who could have built Jorunnr county as well as he. No warrior as fierce. No man as handsome. No, she was blessed by the Gods with her marriage. She was a happy woman and so she made sure to keep her man happy.

She couldn’t help but wonder where the children were off too. Yes, perhaps one was nearing his 20’s. And the other, still a teen but also getting close to 20. She would always see them as small children that ran through their home, played, and got into all sorts of mischief. A large smile as she remembered when they were younger, how small they used to be. Some nights it was hard for Gwen to accept they were adults now.

But, she did. They were grown, beautiful, and handsome. Perhaps they were still in bed or down with the horses.

 

[Gunnr Bochanan]

“Oh… oh bother.” Gunnr reached too late for the stick of charcoal and its’ reconnoitre with gravity. “No!”

Grabbing uselessly at the roof tiles, Gunnr lunged for his charcoal, while clutching his leather roll with sewn-in vellum parchments, a small wooden box precariously open on his knee.

“No, no, not on… oh bevels!” Rolling to his stomach on Aodhbrand’s roof, Gunnr caught the small wooden box in his hand, knee shoved over the leather book. His boots dug into the shingles, other hand scrambling for a hold.

The charcoal… it was inches away. If only he could grab it. No, no if! Gunnr Bochanan did not exist on if’s! Not when his life! Yes! Life! was on the line!

Far be it for him to wreck his father’s mood by having a particularly soft charcoal stick land on Rorrick Bochanan’s silver hair! Yes, perhaps the more pertinent issue was his precarious position on the roof of the Hall… or perhaps that was the issue his mother Gwendolyn Bochanan would most concentrate on. Again.

Yet, the roof of Aodhbrand was Gunnr’s safe space. None came upon it, none knew his way of climbing between the rafters, nor did they see how he accomplished such feats. Up on the roof, there was no war, no monstrous expectations from his father. There was nothing but a beautiful scenery and inspiration with which to draw.

Or perhaps that was draw his last breath.

“Stable hay!” The charcoal came loose of its spot on the shingle and rolled ever so delightfully onto his mother’s frock. And seconds later, who should come tumbling to the edge of the roof but the future Count Bochanan, Gunnr.

“Nobody panic! Everything is under control!” Shoving his wooden box and leather roll into his large tunic pocket, Gunnr hung off the edge of the roof by one hand, feet dangling in the air. “Good morning, mother! Excellent sunrise, father!”

Swinging to the side of the grand hall, Gunnr clung to the wood, and hop, skidded his way down to the ground with a flourished bow. Little did he know his cheek was covered in black smudges from his lost charcoal.

“Ah! There it is! I will be going now!” Gunnr attempted to dive for his artist charcoal, halted only by the inevitable.

His parents.

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella was NOT an early riser. No, she loved to get her beauty sleep. And as the rest of her family were already outside and taking charge of the day, she was all cozied up in her bed under the covers. The sun however, had managed to creep along her pillow until it was shining on her face, causing her to wake from a lovely dream.

She rolled over and rubbed her eyes with a sigh. "Alright, I'm up." Given that she was a heavy sleeper, Myrcella didn't even notice that breakfast was delivered earlier. It lay on a small table, the eggs and meat already quite cold. Not that it mattered to her. She was used to it by now.

Climbing out of the bed, she slipped her robe over top of her nightgown and walked over to the window of her bedroom that overlooked their land. She covered her mouth with her hand as she yawned. Hopefully today wasn't going to be busy. It was hard to tell what her parents had planned for Myrcella and her siblings on any given day. Some days they had guests, other days they had to work with the horses. The air felt different today though, as though something new was on the horizon. Perhaps it was just lingering feelings left over from her dream.

Regardless, Myrcella decided to take her time as she ate her breakfast and got dressed. There was no need to rush unless her parents decided to summon her.

 

[Titus Phane]

Titus Phane had waited on the family while they took their breakfast together, minus their daughter of course who had slept in again. As was his place he stood off to the side while the family ate, filling drinks as needed and making sure they had all they could want.
After breakfast he requested a maid go with him to bring a plate up to the young ladies room.
As expected when he tapped on the door there was no answer, so he entered with the maid and left the plate on the little table in the room with a cover on it to keep the food warm for as long as possible since his mistress was in the habit of sleeping in till ten O'clock. He took a mental note of that to bring up her meals later so they could be warm when she awoke.
The maid went about her duties in the room, cleaning the fireplace and dusting the room. Titus did his part of helping his lady keep her normal wakeup time and drawing the curtains so the morning light would wake her. Their duties done they both left the room, careful to not disturb her sleep.

After that Titus went about his other duties in the house. As a Footman officially his duties consisted of opening doors, waiting on the table and assisting the Lord and Lady as needed, but since he was the only Footman in the household at the moment he found himself doing the duties of the Second and First Footman as well and was subsequently an apprentice to the current butler, who was elderly and thinking of retirement.
So he had a full plate when it came to duties around the house, but he did them to the absolute best of his ability and did them cheerfully.
After he had completed his morning routine he decided his next order of business should be to check on his mistress again, as according to his contract with the family his duties to her come first.
Thinking she might appreciate something sweet in the morning he squeezed some fresh orange juice in the kitchen, put it on a tray, and walked to the room of his mistress, Myrcella Bochanan.

He reflected a little on his way there.
He had been serving the family for a year now and had come to know and love all of them deeply, getting to know them was a slight challenge, given his introverted nature and their own personalities, but once he threw himself into his role as their servant everything seemed to fall into place and he formed what he though to be a tight bond with the Bochanan family. The type of bond he was told was the foundation of a good family butler.

He arrived at Myrcella's door and gave it a light tap, "Mistress Myrcella, are you awake?".

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella yawned once more before she moved to the side table to check on breakfast. She lifted the lid and right away the smells filled the corner of the room. Eggs, bacon and fresh bread; all of it arranged ever so neatly.

She sat down and started to eat, going for the meat first. It was her favourite thing to eat in the morning.

Not long after her first bites, Titus Phane knocked at the door. She recognized the particular way that he tapped on the door, not to mention the gentle tone in his voice. "Yes I am. You may come in." Myrcella didn't move from her spot at all. She just continued to eat her breakfast.

As he opened the door and stepped in with the glass of juice, Myrcella couldn't help but smile. "Juice? How incredibly perfect."

Hopefully nothing would happen today that could sour her mood. As per usual, she had her own plans of the day. That is until her parents decided on something different. But hopefully, if it was to be a perfect day, she'd be left to her own devices. The flowers were just starting to bloom for the season and she was hoping to capture their beauty.

"Have my Mother and Father summoned me?" Not even hiding it as she did so, Myrcella crossed her fingers while she waited for the answer.

 

[Titus Phane]

He entered with a bright smile on his face, and seeing her smile and greeting brightened his mood even further.

"Freshly squeezed just moments ago, Mistress."

He brought the glass of juice to the tea set in preparation to ask her if she wanted a lump of sugar added to her juice. He listened to her question and he thought back to the breakfast conversation, but nothing came to mind. But that was no excuse since he didn't inquire of Lord or Lady Bochanan of their specific plans for the day.
He smiled as he saw her scrunch up and cross her fingers hopefully.

"Well, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I have not overheard any specific plans concerning you over the breakfast conversation. The bad news is that I failed to inquire directly of the Lord or Lady as to their plans for the day and whether they concern you or not."

He placed a hand on the lid to the sugar bowl and spoon with a quiet click.

"Would the Mistress like some sugar added to her juice this morning? The juice was initiative on my part, but if you would like anything else I can fetch it right away, and in the process I can correct my failure and see if your parents have any plans concerning you for the day. And may I ask what plans you have for the day that I might argue your case before them?"

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

The fresher the better. That was how she liked her juice. And Titus Phane knew that well enough to be sure that her juice was the freshest possible. He was always good to cater to her.

"One teaspoon of sugar please."

Myrcella listened as he gave her the answer that she had wanted. Phew! She uncrossed her fingers and listened further while Titus offered to inquire on her behalf. "If Mother and Father didn't mention anything, then more than likely there is nothing pressing. So for the rest of the morning, it should be fine."

Her head turned so that she could look out of the window after eating the rest of her eggs. "I think that I'll do some painting today. Outside. The weather seems agreeable. Then maybe I'll take Akhal out for a ride." Her golden stallion could use a good run. Not to mention she'd enjoy the wind whipping through her own hair as the two of them connected. Myrcella was there when Akhal was born and grew a bond with him with the encouragement of her parents. And he was also a beauty. She loved beautiful things.

 

[Titus Phane]

Titus dropped a teaspoon of sugar into the juice and stirred it in before placing the glass beside her plate.
Once she finished eating he cleared her dirty dishes and placed them on the trey for him to carry out.

"If you want to go painting or riding, I recommend the forest paths. The wild berries are ripening this time of year and the sky is clear of any clouds, I can imagine the early evening sun filtering through the trees like hundreds of spotlights on the main path.
Perhaps even a joint expedition could be arranged later in the day to ride into the forest to find that perfect spot to paint another one of your masterpieces."

He enjoyed flattering her, but even so he never lied to her. To him she was a master with a paintbrush and no other painting by any other artist that he has seen has been able to compare to her skill. To him she looked as if she stepped out of a painting herself, probably one of the few people he had ever met that had such pure golden hair, flawless pale skin, and such soft yet mischievous features.

"Do you require anything else, Mistress? If it pleases you I can inquire of your parents plans anyways to make sure the day holds no surprises for you."

He picked up the trey and dishes in preparation to leave and perform any mission she may want. But he bowed slightly at the hip and awaited her leave to do so.

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella continued eating, more or less in silence. After she was finished, she gulped down her juice and got up from the table, letting Titus Phane put the dishes away.

Her eyebrows lifted as he gave her the idea of riding out in the woods to do some painting. Hmmm. That was a good idea. Myrcella smiled broadly as he complimented her painting skills. "Maybe one day I'll have enough paintings to put on a bit of a show. Perhaps I'd even sell some of the ones that I favour the least."

Titus still seemed to want to be sure of what her Mother and Father had in store. Myrcella figured that if she didn't let him go to find out, he wouldn't have the peace of mind to go about his other tasks. "You may go. But please send in one of the maids to help me dress." She also needed to fetch all of her art supplies, some food and drink, as well as her horse. This was going to be a lovely day.

 

[Titus Phane]

He finished his bow with a smile.

"Even the least of your works are more beautiful than the inspiration they came from.
I will return after I've spoken with your parents. Good day Mistress."

He pulled the chain hanging on the wall which rang the maids, then he took the trey and dishes and left the room. He walked down the hall and nodded as he passed the attending maid who answered the call.
He brought the dishes to the kitchen before inquiring of another maid where the Lord and Lady were currently spending their morning, the maid directed him to the balcony and he thanked her, getting a fresh trey, some glasses, and a bottle of light wine in a bed of ice good for a late morning reflective, before heading that direction.

He personally loved to watch his mistress paint, and while he greatly loved and respected her parents and always saw that their orders were followed, he did look forward to a chance to watch Myrcella Bochanan paint another beautiful scene uninterrupted.
Probably a selfish reason, but he knew it was a result that wouldn't be unappreciated.
He thought back to when he first applied for a position in the Bochanan family.
He first went through the Butler, who took a liking to him and saw potential in his determination.
Then he met with Lady Gwendolyn Bochanan, the sweetest woman he had ever met next to his own mother, and compassionate and loved by the people.
Then he met the father, Lord Rorric Bochanan. A strong man with the strong arm of leadership, loving and compassionate to his family and good to those around him.
And Titus had hardly anything but his trade to offer them. He was good with horses and also a skilled woodsman so that is what they put him to work at.
But he worked hard and earned recognition when he even did the duties of those around them whenever needed, and serving above and beyond what was assigned to him, so he quickly found himself in the position of footman and living with the servants inside the mansion.

He approached the balcony with the wine bottle balanced on the trey with the two glasses upside-down beside it. He was just in time to see Lord Gunnr Bochanan drop from the roof and chase a tiny piece of charcoal to the surprise of the parents no doubt.
Seeing Lord Gunnr made him instinctively reprimand himself for not thinking to bring a third glass, but knowing the young master he reminded himself not to worry.
He stepped out onto the balcony quietly and unobtrusively and placed the trey down on the little table there for such occasions.
Then he took his time with the glasses while the family spoke, shining the glasses up a bit with a clean handkerchief while he waited to serve them and speak with the parents about the day.

 

[Myrcella Bochanan]

Myrcella was usually quite the snob when it came to outsiders. But Titus Phane was sweet and always took it upon himself to flatter her with compliments on multiple times in the day. She knew that would never tire of that.

It wasn't long after Titus left that a maid had arrived. Myrcella turned to her. "Today I'm going out for a ride, but also to paint. So I'll need proper attire for that."

Myrcella didn't often pick out her own clothes. She tended to lay out her day's tasks and then let the maids sort it out from there. This made knew her routine well, and so a lighter dress made of tan coloured linens was brought out, as well as a paint smock to save the linen from as many paint splatters as possible. A white petticoat helped to give her body more volume underneath the dress, to enhance her figure and make herself feel beautiful. The proper booted footwear was provided as well, with a small heel to help her while riding.

The maid followed Myrcella behind the dress curtain and helped her to change. It took a good fifteen minutes before she was dressed. Then she moved to the vanity and allowed the maid to do her hair and make-up. How early her Mother and sisters ever got up, she didn't know. As far as she was concerned, it was TOO early.

Sleeping thrpugh the morning was the best!