Snowed in [OPEN]

[Evangeline Scott]

Eva tramped irritably around the room, her feet and mood dragging with each step. Never good with her own company at the best of times, with the weather the way it was at the moment, things were simply intolerable. At least in spring and summer, and even into the autumn, she was able to go out riding, or practise her archery, or take a wander into the city, but it was so icy outside that she daren’t risk laming her horse - or worse, herself - and so she was stuck, stuck stuck stuck inside.

The thick fur draped over her shoulders seemed to be weighing down her spirits, yet even with the addition of that to the rest of the rich layers of cloth swathing her body she found herself shivering a little. She had to keep scratching at her neck where the fur prickled and itched, irritating her further. Oh, where was everyone in the castle?

Arranging herself delicately by the window, already aware that in a few minutes she would be grouchier still as the cold air stinging her cheeks became unbearable, Evangeline gazed sulkily out of the window, trying to spy any sign of movement disturbing the blankets of snow that were periodically suffocating the castle and it's grounds. There was no one. Of course there wasn’t; they were all doing as she was, trying their darndest to stay inside and keep warm.

Please, Eva prayed with all the fervour of the tremendously bored, Please, let someone, anyone, find me here soon, lest I freeze to death, and in my icy condition, slip out this window to my untimely end...

[alexis]

Alexis started slightly as she came out of her doze. She was confused for a moment. Where am I? What the heck? The gardener looked around, completely at a loss in the dark room. It was obviously not outside, but she couldn't remember, for the life of her, where she was! Then her eyes adjusted to the shadows, and she remembered where she was. Of course, she was in the little shed that contained all the gardening tools! She'd come in to start work. But she'd been up all night, wandering out through the countryside that was beautiful at this time. So she must have sat down to rest herself before working and fallen asleep.

Lexi stood and pulled her cloak tighter around herself. It didn't work very well to keep out the cold, but she wasn't terribly cold. She moved over to the door, making sure not to knock anything over. She turned the knob and pushed. It didn't move. Her brow furrowed. She pushed harder. It moved an inch, just enough to see outside of. Holy crud... How long did I sleep? She'd cleared away the snow when she'd first come in! She threw all her weight against the door and it suddenly flung open. She tumbled out and fell face first into the snow.

Cursing, she stood and dusted the snow off herself. She looked out at the grounds. The snow, knee deep on her, and she was average height, covered everything. With a sigh, Lexi went back inside to grab her tools and begin her work. Uncover the flowers. What a pain in the rear. She took one section at a time though, and eventually she was done with her part of the grounds. She put her tools back inside the shed and shuffled inside the castle.

"I can't feel my toes!" she shouted down the empty hall, though she knew no one was there. Her echo came back to her. "Toes! Toes! Toes!"[/i] "Oh shut up." Cursing quite loudly and vividly, she tried to warm herself as best she could by stamping her leather-booted feet. She raced up and down several staircases to try to warm up, and it helped. A little. She stopped and rested on a bench on the... second or third floor, she couldn't remember.

[Evangeline Scott]

“Toes!!!!”

This loud, unhappy cry - followed by a stream of curses which Eva was too polite to spend much time dwelling on - was the response the girl got to her prayers. She scrambled to her feet, banging a wayward elbow on the windowsill as she did so in her hurry to locate the source of this disembodied voice, and headed for the door.

Remembering at the last minute that decorum required her to walk out of the room rather than burst from it, Evangeline paused momentarily to gather herself, and then walked briskly from the room in a manner that was more appropriate for a lady of her standing.

To her disappointment, the only person in the corridor was a woman so scruffily dressed that she could only be a servant - a labourer of some kind probably, judging from the few snowflakes that still clung to the end of her cloak and to her sturdy winter boots. Still, she had asked for company, and any conversation had to be better than sitting on her own… besides which, now it was obvious that Eva had heard this woman's complaints and come to see what the problem was, so it was too late for her to just retreat into her room.

“Is everything alright?” She asked tentatively, hovering a little way away as she was unsure how was appropriate to continue. After a moment more’s thought however - her chatty nature once again overruling her common sense - she added “Aren’t you freezing in just that cloak? I’m wearing most of my furs you know, and I’m still cold to the bone.”

[alexis]

Lexi looked up at the sound of a voice and stood quickly. She hadn't noticed anyone approaching, and she half grinned, half grimaced. It was a noble who stood before her, with expensive furs and clothing and nice, orderly hair. The furs were the reason for her grimace. Poor little animals. That was the reason she only wore a cloak, and she almost said something about it, but decided it was better not to.

"I'm fine."[/b] She added a formal ending quickly, but the pause was noticeable,"m' lady."[/b] She courtesied, wobbling slightly from lack of practice.Why must women courtesy? Bowing is so much easier! "I'm a bit... used to the cold. It's just the snow was... deep and all, m'-m' lady. Does m' lady need me to fetch anything?"[/b] She didn't much like having to talk all proper-like, it simply wasn't natural to her. But she needed this job, and a tiny voice in the back of her head told her to be nice and formal, for risk of losing it. She didn't know how this noble played her games, and Lexi was going to be on her toes (she sighed mentally at the reminder of her still cold, but luckily not freezing, feet) until she did. Ladies and lords were people that Lexi did not trust at first sight.

Suddenly wishing she hadn't come into the castle and just gone to an inn on her horse- wait a second. Where was that beast?! She'd tied him to the shed! But he hadn't been there when she came out. That bay! Next time she saw him, he'd get an earful from her! Of course, the animal was smart. Maybe he'd untied himself and was somewhere, munching on frozen flowers. That'd be him. But he might have been stolen, too... Surely not in the castle grounds, though! Lexi pulled her wandering thoughts back to the here and now quickly, hoping that she hadn't missed anything the lady had said.

[Evangeline Scott]

Evangeline mentally noted the pause before the woman added “M’lady” to the end of her response; it didn’t bother her as such, but it suggested to her that this woman either wasn’t used to talking to social superiors, or she was one of those who disliked her class. In either situation, conversation promised to be difficult… but then again she currently had no alternative but endless empty hours, so she decided to pursue conversation anyway, and give the girl the benefit of the doubt.

“Have you recently started working here?” She asked, for if that were the case, it would explain the girl’s discomfiture. She continued in what she thought was a generous concession, “I imagine if this is the first time you’ve worked in the castle it must take some getting used to. Especially if you’re working outside in these conditions.”

Eva wondered what her father would think if he could see her now! Conversing with a servant! Presumably not what he had imagined when he’d sent her to the castle - rich admirers were more what he had in mind. But then again, he wasn’t here to berate her.

“Oh, and no, I don’t need you to do anything for me at present.” She said. Getting a little carried away in her newfound role as advisor - Evangeline excelled in very little and so very rarely had any opportunity to impart any knowledge - she added, “I have a maid here who generally looks after me. You’ll find the majority of nobles here have brought some servants with them, or employed some specifically for their needs once arriving here. Very generally speaking, most people prefer servants who they really know.”

Feeling thoroughly good about herself for being so helpful, Evangeline was blithely unaware that she was rambling in a patronising way, or that she hadn’t even ascertained yet that this girl was new to the castle. It was unlike her to misread a situation, but it was simply so rare that she got to speak authoritatively on a subject that she couldn’t help but carry on. It was hard being relatively untalented. She smiled brightly at the girl, enthusiasm accumulating as she spoke.

[alexis]

Lexi started to reply, but she was slower since she was making sure not to say anything that might offend the lady, but she kept talking. So Alexis just listened silently, though face was totally blank as the noble lady rambled on, not really understanding much of what she was talking about. But, at the end, she nodded her understanding as it dawned on her. She thought. So she just nodded several times, guessing it would be enough. She wondered if she should answer the question she'd been asked. Why not? She looks happy enough. She smiled in return.

"Yeah, that does make sense. And yes ma'am, I'm new. I've just been working today and part of yesterday." She hoped that was enough. She'd started to like this conversation. Lexi didn't care much about higher society, it simply didn't seem worthwhile to worry about something that didn't involve her. But the way the lady was smiling excitedly made Lexi feel a bit more at ease, and she returned the smile. Lexi almost introduced herself, but figured that it might be a bit rude. Especially if she offered a handshake like was her habit when meeting new people. So instead, she just waited politely.