paradisalogs | open; i should have seen it when my hope was new

Entry tags:

open; i should have seen it when my hope was new

who; Anne Boleyn & OPEN
what; After a failed visit to the church, Anne wanders until she eventually ends up at the new orphanage.
where; City Royale; the church and orphanage and dark city alleys in between.
when; January 31st, after leaving the party early.
rating; PG for now.

[ Perhaps it's all of the proverbs, or maybe the food doesn't sit right with her, but Anne doesn't stay until the party ends for once, leaving early without much of a word to anybody. She first goes to her room on the second floor to trade unforgiving red for mourning black, wrapping herself in a heavy cloak to shield against the cold she's preparing for.

It may not be an overlong walk to the city proper, but Anne's leg aches still, calling back to a time in Paradisa she can never be permitted to forget, no matter what mercy she was allowed in following her life to her death. She is ever reminded that she has yet to see Heaven, and though the flamboyance of the Eastern party had called out the queen in her, the woman in her still cries in the dark halls of her mind ever so. The woman has been trapped; trapped by a new loss that chokes and strangles her prayers.

She rides the horse she'd long since been borrowing to the city, stopping before the church and hugging her cloak tight about her as she enters. Who she mourns need not be public. She can only hope that in this one place she is allowed to speak as a Christian woman should, to kneel and plea and thank. To not weep but bow one's head in humility. Her former loss has been most humbling, but this is suffocating.

So she does weep even though she should not, because this is something that will show no mercy. Anne doesn't stay for very long, but when she leaves with her eyes dry, she lets the horse remain tied up just outside, feeling in a daze as she wanders away, her breath fogging the air and her steps remarkably silent for someone paying so little attention to where she walks.

Soon her leg will remind her of past pains here, of her husband's pains and betrayals at home, perhaps when she finally stops unexpectedly at the outlandish orphanage built by The Once-ler. For now she merely wanders and pretends at breathing. A ghost has little else to do. At least Anne is hardly in a fitful state as she had been the last time she wandered these streets at night. This isn't a woman looking for anything, anymore. ]

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He hasn't been to the party. It's almost a shame, the Doctor likes a good one now and then but he's more of a watcher than a participator. Still, he hasn't gone to the party.

Instead he's been keeping busy. Not unusual for him, there's always one project or one hundred at once to occupy his mind. He might be able to sit still in time stuck at Paradisa, but his mind, that can't sit still, it can't procrastinate, always ticking over, always something there... He's especially keeping it busy on purpose.

Tonight he was in the town clinic, preparing the place for tomorrow. While Dr. Keller is out of action, someone has to keep things going. Leaving and locking up when done, he takes his time on the walk back to the castle.

The horse left tethered outside the Church does catch his attention; the logical conclusion is that someone is inside. He continues to walk through the streets and up ahead he sees the Orphanage and a figure outside. It's strange indeed for a lady to be out alone at this time. Now he could mind his business and leave the lady to it. But when has he ever truly minded his own business.

Strolling closer he calls out softly, for voices travel well at night.

"Pardon me? Madam? Are you quite all right? It's rather late to be out alone."

Cloak clutched tightly about her, Anne slowly turns as her light blue eyes peer from underneath her hood. The face she sees is one she recognizes, but from her time home she struggles to attach a name to the face. Only then she recalls it is hardly a name at all.

"I am never alone with Jesus Christ to guide my step forevermore."

As he strolls closer and as the lady turns so that he can see her face, recognition dawns immediately for the Doctor.

"Queen Anne." He remembers his manners and how the lady likes to be treated, not to mention that his luck with royalty never lasts for very long, so he makes a short but courteous bow. A quick look around, he doesn't see anyone else that appears to be with her right now.

"No, I suppose... I suppose not. But I am sure that He would no doubt be happier if you had an escort. Why are you out here alone?"

Anne owes him no explanation, as she wouldn't owe anyone an explanation, but if he speaks out of feigned concerned then she can be courteous as well. She isn't about to say that she half expected to see someone watching from the shadows, but he isn't around, she can tell.

"I had an escort earlier, but I did not wish for one in this walk. I was to spend my night at the church, but my feet seemed to wander on their own after. I had not given thought as to where I was going.

"And what of you, Doctor?"

Nothing ventured, nothing feigned. Is it irregular to be out down here alone for the lady? He seems to think so, and would do for many of the ladies that usually reside in the castle given the hour. Not to mention the festivities going on up there.

"I see. That sounds like the walk of restless thoughts rather than one of exercise."

"Me? Well, I was at the clinic to make it ready for tomorrow and well, no time quite like the present. The church you say, did you walk into town or ride?"

Why did such a thing matter to him? She cares so little for answering it she almost doesn't, but it won't hurt anyone, and she doesn't want to be petty while appreciating a friend's work for the city.

"I rode. ...You work in the clinic here, then, in the city? What of the clinic in the castle?"

He should mind his own business, but that lesson never really sinks in with the Doctor. It's been a lifetime - several of them - of putting his nose in at the wrong place that yields good results most of the time. A simple fact of the matter... He likes Queen Anne. He's always thought from their first conversation that above anything, she could use a friend, because Lord knows her barbs could quite easily cut off those without thicker skins.

"Work, no. Volunteer, yes." He would never take payment and would never call it work, because then it becomes boring and mundane. "Sometimes in the castle if required, I tend to pop in at least once a week for fresh supplies." He flashes an easy, quick smile. "The horse outside the church is yours then, I take it."

His comments make her absently wonder if he was present in the castle clinic during her 'coma', or return home. For some reason the thought disturbs her a bit. He acts like a man who knows too much, far too much. She never likes knowing less than someone, or feeling smaller. She never has, though she understood once how to play that role so that she might rise higher.

Anne stares at him for a time, not responding or altering her expression, with a grace and calm that has been years practiced. Finally she looks back to the building before her.

"I was visiting the church, to look after it's state. But this is more of a sanctuary, I feel, here where I thought to restore comfort and warmth to the poor children without families. I wished to pray for the man who built this safe haven."

All he has about the clinic in the castle itself is that same easy and friendly smile. He makes it his business to know some things but he also knows that discretion is the better part of valour. Whatever she may or may not impart is of her choosing to broach, isn't? Any more than it is his to say why he really makes himself so busy doing clinic chores so late in the evening.

Yet under her gaze his smile does begin to slip. Would she really think of him to be so uncouth? Eyebrows going up, expectant of what she will say or ask of him next, he lets out a breath as she looks back to the building before them.

"You came to remember." Looking up at the building, he nods. "The Onceler, he did this, didn't he? He was a friend of yours? I remember him."

Anne nods only somewhat awkwardly, because The Once-ler was more than that, in a sense of family but not quite. To say such would only be catering to the whims of a castle's curses, but some feelings do not disappear simply because of everything else returning to the 'norm'.

"Yes, and he worked for me. I am she who commissioned him to build this home for troubled youths. How much more I would have had him accomplish if only he had stayed, and all he would have made his own."

Just because someone doesn't wear their heart's on a sleeve doesn't mean everything is forgotten when relative normality is restored. A lot of people just pretend they are doing fine because that's far easier. That's the trouble with being here. Friendships made and forged and then they're so quickly taken away, snuffed out on a whim and he's of the conviction that the castle does it on purpose. Is it so different from the regular journey of life, though?

The Doctor nods slowly. "He might come back." Might, might not. Might remember, possibly not. "Not many get the chance to leave much of themselves behind, here. But this, there will be people that remember."

The hour though is late. "It is cold out and you must be tired. Might I escort you to your horse and lead you back to the castle if you are ready to return?"

[Ben is never a big fan of parties anyway, and welcomed the chance to slip away and get some fresh air. He's not sure how he ended up in the town, he just went where his feet took him, pondering the events of the past week. Clem was still pissed at him, Ellie too, he knew that much.

He's heading into the church when Anne steps out, and he pauses to let her go ahead of him.]

Uh. After you.

[ Anne sweeps to the side at the appearance of another, hood pulled more securely so that the redness of her eyes need not be visible. She is surprised to find another coming here, though, telling by his garb that he isn't a native to the city. ]

There is no bishop to offer mass.

[He'll just stand there awkwardly for a moment, rubbing the back of his neck.]

That's alright, I was just going in to... [the word 'pray' is on the tip of his tongue, but he knows it's not completely true, not yet, anyway. After everything back home, he still needs to make his peace with God. As it's a lie, of course, it doesn't come out] work stuff out.

[ She's at a crossroads, then. It would be most rude to crowd him when he means to pray for reasons secret only to him. But she is intrigued to know that the Lord's faith is not lost on all Travelers.

Finally peeking from beneath her hood, her light eyes reflect the moonlight from behind the shadows hiding the rest of her face.

She is not King of England, and she cannot offer the same blessings, but she has her own blessings she can offer, as is her right. ]

Would a lost soul receive a queen's blessing?

[He blinks, surprised. Because well, that's something new.]

Oh wow, you're a queen? Like...an actual queen? [Oh my god that is the dumbest thing to say to a queen.]

[ She's already suffered such ridiculous responses from people in spades, especially those from America. That's what happens when they abandon true monarchy, isn't it?

She nods, calmly holding out a hand protected with a leather glove. ]

Queen Anne, consort to His Majesty King Henry the Eighth of England, Ireland, and France. Though this be not His kingdom, [ Henry's OR God's, ] God's blessing is never far.

Edited 2014-02-05 01:39 (UTC)

[This is totally what happens.

He stares at the hand for a moment, before...yeah, he's gonna shake it. Sorry, he's American.]

Oh...wow. Uh. Pleased to meet you your...majesty?

[ Try not to look so deadpan at the handshake, Anne. Come on Ben, haven't you watched any period movies?

Anne draws her hand back beneath her cloak after, like she needs a moment to recover from such a silly attempt at respect. ]

You are American, yes? You have room to learn, you need not fear my wrath. But it is customary to introduce yourself in kind, and bow, even for visiting royalty.

[No, he watches MTV.]

Yeah, I'm from Georgia. [Does Georgia even exist for her? He doesn't know, wow he should have paid more attention in history class.]

Oh...sorry. I'm new to this. [Does he bow now? GOD HE DOESN'T KNOW.]

[ Well, it exists as a country... So he's getting an even stranger look for a moment, before nodding. ]

You came here for God's guidance, not to worry over worldly expectations.

[ Still, try not to look so annoyed, Anne. She cares less about him bowing and more about him giving a fricking name. ]

Do you have a name or shall I give you one?

Yeah, I'm Ben. Ben Paul.

[So awkward.] Sorry, I'm new to this.

New to introducing oneself?

N-no. New to talking to royalty.

...Are there, like, certain times when I should bow?

[ Now this is getting tedious for her, but she's surprised he's even willing to bow. So few here do. ]

Worry not over such details, for now merely do so in greeting and when asking my leave to depart.

[ Even she doesn't follow all the rules here. Sometimes it's insufferable; at other times freeing. Anne waves holds her hand out for his. ]

Please.

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UM WOW I TOTALLY LOST ALL NOTIFS TO THIS LOG jfc I'm sorry ;;

no worries. i'm on a little bit of catch up myself, pls bare with?

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