The Pact of Roses (Crnobog and Nurse_K)

[Crnobog]

It started with the end of a brutal war between England and Scotland. The two kings decided that another war was too costly and they must take actions to make sure it never happened. Three Maidens of England were chosen as were three Lords of Scotland. They would be paired and married, to live in england and act as a bridge between the two countries. One maiden was sent to live with the Munson clan of the Highlands, to marry their Lord a young man named Richard. He was know as a brutal combatant in the War, killing many English with his blade and portrayed as a monster by the english nobles. The wedding was such a sad event they all three maidens wore black, ashamed and afraid of their new husbands. Weren't they always told how Scots were brutal, heartless beasts. Uncaring and uncouth. Barbarians?

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Richard sat on his large bay stallion in the center of the field that they had been told to meet their new wives at. Beside him stood Chad and Bradly lords of the clans of the lower and mid lands. They talked to each other in low tones but did not speak to him. He didn't mind, enjoying the quiet of the moment. He glanced around the area, his black hair twisting in the wind.

 

[Nurse_K]

Elsa was not at all pleased when she heard that she was going to be married off to a brute from Scotland. She was told that she was lucky, that many girls would want to be chosen to honor her country in this way. Well then let them go, she thought to herself. She didn't want to go. She thought it was horrid, she'd much rather marry a proper Englishmen, peasant or not. She'd been riding on her horse for hours, none of the three brides speaking to each other. The other two, at least, were getting husbands known for their general civility. Elsa was getting the brutal one, the one known for killing. A challenge, she thought to herself. She'd show him not to treat her like some dumb Scottish whore. She was a proper English lady and would be treated like one.

When they finally arrived at the center of the field she immediately knew which one she was supposed to go to. The dour looking one, the one who didn't talk to the other men. She sighed and glared at him, planning on establishing from the start her extreme hate for him. Her brown hair was around her shoulders and wavy but her dark eyes shot daggers at him. All three of the women wore black dresses, proof that they were already unhappy with their marriages.

 

[Crnobog]

As the English party entered the feild he looked them over carefully. There were three English girls, 2 guards and a priest all on horse back. He had no doubt which one was his, the one glaring at him like he was the spawn of hell. The other two lords nudged each other, chucking. Richard was beyond such things, they were beneath him. He looked over his new wife to be with interest however smiling slightly at the black attire. "Gutsy, I'll give her that." He mumbled to himself in regard to her dress. This arrangement was no picnic for him either but he honored his kings wishes. "Just another self-righteous, stuck up English noble." He said sighing to himself as he had his horse walk forward to greet the group.

 

[Nurse_K]

Elsa knew how to handle a horse. The plan had been that the women would dismount and join their new husbands on their horses as a sign of vulnerability and that they needed their men. She wasn't so in tune to this idea. She could ride her horse just fine, she didn't need to be latched on to her barbaric betrothed for the hours it would probably take to get to wherever he usually existed. When the noble approached her she kept her glare towards him, never backing off. "Richard," she said informally and with disgust, not giving the respect of even a 'hello' or 'good day' let alone calling him 'sir' or 'my lord'. She wasn't her lord, so far as Elsa was concerned. "I am going to ride my own horse. I will not join you on yours." the other two women were staring at her like she was crazy, but Elsa had to do this.