The Ladies Who Lunch (open to all)

[Queen Beathag Aberdeen]

Once upon a time, a bevy of ladies: One laundress, a handmaid, one of the household heads, their nieces, a kitchen girl, and the unususal Duchess who assembled them sat down to a sumptious feast of common country foods in the castle gardens. The cause for the celebration was simply this: A joyous lack of men, a giddy entertainment, and to talk as women of the household over what went on during the day.

Beathag, in her unorthodox manner, had touched upon a gold mine of possibility by obeying the edict of doing unto others as they would do unto her. Every person in the Court Household, from the lowest scullery maid to the highest knight was treated well. So well, in fact, that the ability to manage those who managed those who managed others was made easier on Beathag's mind. "I can nay assume tae beh a woman o' any hearth iffn the home beh unhapppy," she told those in company, arms filled with food, "sae, thank yeh for entertain' me oddities. When I worked on dock n' ship, always treated the crew n' dockhands well, ne'er know when such people may help ye later."

"I agree." Said Aida, the hearty, plump woman who'd brought the tired Beathag back to life when she passed out on the docks, their first introduction. "Besides, to leave those pages, little knights to be, ooh my lady...peace! M'son has come home and hasn't stopped talking to me about things that make me want to smack him the little Lord Aodhan's blunt wooden swords.." The party walked along the narrow passage from the bake house to the gardens to the sound of their laughter and the giggles of Aodhan and little Edme. It was going to be a golden afternoon.

[wilhemiaschleitz]

And in the midst of all this gathering and giggling Willa had been swept along. She stayed close to Alieen and the other neices as they carried out platters and plates along with blankets to the gardens. The words of the Duchess made her puzzled, the woman had talked about coming from a humble birth.. but.. really?

With a small turn to one of the other maids she couldn't help but post the question. " Da Duchess.. workin a dockfront? " Honestly she simply couldn't see it. The woman seemed so far above all that... to work around such ruffians! Why it was possitively scandelous.. or was it? See, this is where the poor farm girl got herself very confused. One of the neices only giggled and nodded to her words. So for now, Willa fell silent to listen to all that was going on. The appearance of the children however brought a warm smile to her face as she remembered seeing them a time or two.

The silence didn't last long as Willa finally voiced her thoughts. " Ya realla works down on em docks, my lady? " She asked softly as she looked towards Bess. " I means I heard them ol' gusses talkin an such but I didna thinks whut dey was sayin be true.. course.. they says otherin things as well... " She blushed brilliantly as she realized she had gotten the attention of all the women there about. " they does talks an awful lot. " She mumbled there after. Hm.. wasn't that a lovely flower ..

[Queen Beathag Aberdeen]

"The boy goes on, and on, Lady Bess. His sword this...the field that...and if he will ever attain so grand a wife. I tell him not if he keeps eying.." Aida chuckled, lifting her hand as Bess lifted hers," Ah know, Aida, Ah know. Tis the spring fever, ah say. Wot grows in the flowers 'ere..Gods n' demons. Now's the time! Matches, but come wot else there there tae say?" The youngest in their company were a'buzz like the bees, telling a story of the Duchess' time on the docks. The sound of the sails, the rocking of the sea easing her off to sleep. Even the boisterous, racous calls of the less than cooth lads who were good at heart: she missed it, more than anyone would ever know.

"Willa, it is true!" Eileen, Amilee, and a plethora of others confirmed it with nods. "She used to man the boat too.." The sound of plates settled down as Bess came to Willa to answer her question,"Aye, those old biddies dae talk, n' tha' is a bit o' truth. Afore Ah came 'ere, was only a merchant with a shippin' n' export business, n' I sailed the ship n' did the negotiations, hired the crew, n' drove the boat. Tis why mah callouses are sae bad and they can only soften 'em but nay get the scars tae gae away. Ship rope burns. Did tha' fer mayhap...four years, began it a little in Orkney sae six we shall say, afore I was married. In Inverness, tha' was mah business n' was near tae the Dock Manager." It was a scandal, or was it a sign of the times where a person's merit meant more than birth title? No doubt it was scaring the noble women to death. Who would their daughters marry, what, no pedigree?

[wilhemiaschleitz]

Now Willa listened with a keen interest of the woman's previous life before coming here to Skye. So many interesting pasts it was somewhat difficult not to get a bit awestruck by them. She gave a small nod as she caught the agreeing nods from the other ladies.

She again found herself getting quiet as she served herself a glass of juice. The bright eyes flickered from woman to woman as they spoke up. at times she'd glance to check on the littles that were far to busy playing in the sunshine to really care what a gaggle of women talked about.

[Queen Beathag Aberdeen]

"There beh times Ah miss the feel o' the sea shiftin' neath the wood. Cry o' gulls. But there beh nay reason tae worry fer Ah'll hear it here, have tae look o'er the docks tae see wot might beh done about ships n' such, though Ah will be land tied. n' thankful fer it." She let herself indulge in spirits, finally! How she missed her dark ales, reclining back against the trunk of a tree in supine relaxation.

Aodhan showed his sister a lady bug he'd found on a leaf. Much to the little girl's glee, she clapped her hands and babbled to him, for she was still too young to form words as her brother did. Each was so different. Aodhan had favored Edme's sort of look when he was wee, but darkened to a healthy olive complexion as he was getting older. All of his golden curls were peppered now with darker textures. But the smile? Ah, it mirrored the mother who smiled at him even now.

Eileen leaned over to Willa and nudged her, "Sittin' here with us! I be so glad, we have nay had time to talk much with all the chores n'this n' that. What of your new beau, we've been dying, dying to know! You know, Aimlee just let go of her beau the other day.." Aimlee shook her head, scrunching her nose, "He was goin' round with some trademasters daughter from Broadford! What was I to do? You know he would tell me poetry and say he rname with it? Bother it all. I'd rather be alone and make an eye at a man then be with one and have him dishonest! I may play for sport but if you're bein' courted proper you should be all good about it. But..it is his loss. My honey may go to another well deserving bee." Eileen and Aimlee would be at no shortage for options, each having a favorite place among the lads for one thing or another, both loving to flirt, but never anything more! Gods no! The elder woman, Aida, grinned. If her, her sister Lilian, or even the kitchen woman Elise caught them being anything but good they'd beat them until their backsides shone like apples.

"So you're done of the wars then, m'lady," Lilian asked and Aida prodded on, "Truly, seems who ye be.." Beathag only shook her head and laughed, pointing off to the bug chasing children, "Nay, they are who I be, m'family, this Isle now. Nearly twenty years is plenty enough fer any one person. Asides, wot good would Ah be with all m'gimps n' scars n' pains.." she chuckled.

[wilhemiaschleitz]

Ack being caught between both girls , Willa could only smile bashfully. " He be a kindly sort.. handsome.. gentle. Though I can tells ya dis.. when he laughs.. it be like da whole sun jus bursted open.. " she spoke softly with a little dreamy sigh. Of course it seemed that Adam was a bit more liberal about who then Willa had been herself. Though how they couldn't figure it out was somewhat beyond her.. given he had escorted her .. markets.. and fields.. and well nearly everywhere she needed to go. " Etch.. I be rightly sorra abouts that Aimlee.. tis a harsh soul that tells another poems wit a anothered lass's name in it. I hope ya whalloped him a good en. " she gave a firm little nod to that.

" Asides.. iffin it be that Tessa girl.. boyo.. ya'll does good ta watch yerselves about that one.. a sure fire mean streak be abouts her. I heard she swatted her maid fer jus gittin out da wronged ribbon onced. " She frowned at that. Of course Willa was half tempted to wait until that little snot went to sleep one day and knot up all her hair! Teach her to be kinder. She listened a bit as the girls giggled.. as she canted her head. " Whut o' that mister Thomas dat be followin ya abouts Eileen.. he seems quite taken wit ya..er has ya nawt says nothin abouts them flowers he gives ya? "

The glance was given to the older circle of women and their talks of war... twenty years of it? Blessed it be.. that be far to long. As for the children she chuckled softly.. dark .. light.. it didn't matter.. and she surely wasn't going to listen to that old hag that helped run the upper floors talk about how the boy was from a demon. That smile? Hmph.. indeed!

[wilhemiaschleitz]

As one of the girls looked at Willa.. then leaned in closer as she asked the question.. " Details..gel.. details.. has ya kissed? "

Willa blinked and looked at the maid and blushed a brilliant red.. though she looked down to the poor bit of bread she was currently tugging into pieces. " aye.. " She whispered back and of course the girls with their heads tucked together all began to giggle. Of course there after the questions got a bit more.. ah.. interesting. Women are rather fearless in groups when it comes to these sorts of conversations. Willa could only stare and shake her head.

" Oh nae.. he nawt that sorta fella.. ta goes an push himself on a girl likes dat. " She stated quietly as the girls all looked at one another. It was one of the other neices that arched a brow as she poured herself another glass of the sweet water.

" Nae whut I heard.. " again the huddle came in as Willa watched the girl as she explained what her sister's bestfriends cousin had seen down on the docks one night. Willa.. sat gaped mouth and staring.

" Nien.. no.. it couldna be him.. " She denied the whole bit of it.. certainly Dmitrii didn't go and spend time in such places.. among women of such ill repute! Would he?

[Queen Beathag Aberdeen]

The nieces and Wilhemia made a circle of young womanhood that was as fastly tied as their starched apron strings. Eileen and Aimlee would help to guide Willa through the courtship process if it broke their backs, and divulge in the juicy details along the way! Lilian, Aida, Elise, and Beathag were too busy watching the children the children at play to listen to the gib-gab of the young.

For now, anyway.

"I swear on my favorite hair pin," the emboldened girl said, "That is exactly what I heard and THEY say.." She pulled the pair tighter in ,"That he isn't the only man that goes there that it is known about! Oh no, them women are getting downright grabby! Trying to get the right pair o' britches for a proposal or somethin.: Her cousin threw her head into an affirmative bob. With cups of sweet water putting against pretty little lips, they linked arms to talk.

On the side of the older women..

"Bess, have ye heard o' the stories tha' one of the MacDonalds has taken a high priced hussie as a mistress?"

[wilhemiaschleitz]

It was likely a good thing that Willa's back was to Bess and the rest of the older women. The expression on her face was somewhat ominious as she quirked a brow. Oh she had a feeling she knew right well where that was going. Of course in her foolish naive thinking, Dmitrii simply wouldn't. Period. And she'd prove it by asking him! Hmph.

As one of the little maids began talking about what her neighbors "brother" had bragged about to her.. Willa was simply aghast!

Now as it was one of the older ladies that had come out a bit late gave a tart expression for that comment of a mistress of MacDonalds. " Call that one what she is.. a little gold hungry whore..tryin to roost out his poor wife. They say that she's taken ill from all the warrin and loosin her boy. " a snort given as the woman settled in. "Though have to admit she is a might fair that one.. dresses in all black though. I can't say that I'd much care for that. "

[Queen Beathag Aberdeen]

They had a lot to say on any and everything! A woman was a fly on a wall, and even the most boisterous knew when she ought hush her mouth to take in the details of what the world could forget about. Soon, they made revelation to one another, and what one didn't know the others did.

"Aye, money grubbin', coin hordin' heffer," Beathag said in no uncertain terms. Elise chuckled and Lilian nodded. Aida shook her head as the elder women at last united a circle with the younger ones, "Come, the food beh gettin' cold. Stop talkin about ye beaus a moment n' come eat."

She opened the basket to distribute the food, stopping only as her hand seemed to clench up around some sliced bread. "War beh leavin' its mark, this memory will help ease all tha'," she sighed softly.

[wilhemiaschleitz]

Willa and the younger girls glanced up at the call and set to helping out. The small hand slipped forward as Beathag opened and closed her hand. " ere M'lady.. I'll gits it. " She spoke softly as she just sought to help out. The young woman moved about to began laying the spread a food out for everyone to partake in.
Though Aida stepped in directly after to shoo her off a bit while the littles plates were prepared. The small nod was given as she stepped back from the gaggle of womens. Her mind was of course not at all here among the women.. It was on kisses and boys and whores and men and midnight trysts...and honestly she was beginning to think she should have stayed on the farm, there was so much to keep up with here. So much she wasn't entirely sure she wanted to know.. and well there wasn't much in the way of keeping an innocent outlook on some of it. Not with Eileen and the cousins about.

She must have completely gone off into her own little world as she stared at a flower.. though not really seeing it at all. The nudge of one of the nieces came as she blinked and looked up. " Yeh should have seen it.. twas as sweet as them books.. standin dere in his armor tellin his lass goodbye. " The other that had stepped out while Willa and Dmitrii had spoken that way.. nodded right along as Willa blinked and stared at her.. then to the rest of the women there.

The impossible red flushed her cheeks as she ducked her head. " He was off ta find his sister.. He didna wants me ta worries none. " She spoke quietly.. before giving that one a firm look of shut up.

[Queen Beathag Aberdeen]

"Ye girls are terrible! Teasin' poor Willa so! At least she beh actin a'proper with her beau...mmm..ye girls are nay hussy but ye certainly are tae tarty for me taste! Go tae, leave her be..."

The laundress, head cook, and Aida all began to sush and sequester the nieces from gaining up on poor Willa so terribly! Beathag only laughed as she took her piece of slice bread, folded it in half, and enjoyed the taste of baked grains. Women talk. Knights, armors, great feats of romance and the common threads of scandal were a far cry from politics, wars, and the false sediment of pretending she enjoyed each and every minute. She was guilty of a crime - daydreaming of a long day on The Duchess, only Adam was at the helm, and she beside him. Aodhan napped in a hammock while Edme held on to her mother's leg. The course was set to no where imparticular.

The greatest stature at times could prove to be the most confining. At least, in this garden, she could be free to be herself. Around the corner, jealous maids huffed and puffed, and her ears rang, knowing some of the ire was for her.

[wilhemiaschleitz]

Willa sighed and went on about fixing herself a plate of food.. then seated herself once more. This time within the small protective circle of the older women Of course this wouldn't stop the wagging tongues.. but it was helping her keep a grip on her temper. The playful teasing was fine and all.. but some of the things they had brought up .. simply wasn't something to be teased about.

" Thank ya m'lady.. doh when it be enough.. I'lls let em know. " She spoke softly , a small bit of warning for thats all she felt she owed them.

[Queen Beathag Aberdeen]

"Aye. Dun ya lets them run ya about. The girls beh fine but a couple o' em dun know when tae shut up," so indicated by the group of a couple of more cousins who joined the gathered cousins."Mmm, but at least the gib-gab is oddly soothin.." She leaned back against a poplar tree, drinking ale, eating bread and meat.

"Ye know, Ah almost forget wot it beh like tae be sae young n' tha' way. Teasin' n' all."

[wilhemiaschleitz]

With Willa safely sitting with the older women, the silly maids all gathered and hen pecked. The glances now and then toward the other group now and then with a little set of giggling. " My momma says that laird Adam woulda does a fair piece better iffin he had married one of us girls from ta isle.. instead o' bringing in that.. woman. "

" I heard he was thinkin o' takin a mistress.. wouldn't that be a piece o' work."
" I think you all are going stupid. ya see the way he acts about his wife..did so agains in the kitchen afore we came out... "
" Oh piddle, Yer just upset cause not even the guards will go askin you about fer a walk. "
"that ain't nice.. besides if I remember rightly Tessa.. your marm is still trying to get someone saddle with you.. "

and so on .. and so forth... went the babbling of teenaged girls with obviously not enough to do. Willa caught words now and then but refused to be baited in finding out what they were talking about.

" Chatter be a'ight nows an den.. M'lady.. doh it dun't make a girl smart, nae more den tryin ta trap a feller into marriage does. " She stated that a bit loudly, sending a flat stare towards the one little maid "princess" Tessa. Willa had taken an instant disliking for the girl.. more because she was at times hateful. Willa tended to stick up for the underdogs..those girls that were so homely that well, it was just sad. For each of them were kind and gentle.. just plain in the face. Tessa tended to treat those that weren't in her.. ah.. class, so to speak, as though they were her very own servants. Often the other girls would get a bit overwhelmed and scuttle off to do whatever it was she wished. Willa waited for that moment Tessa would attempt to take that act on with her. mmhmm..

" Oh come on now, we all know what she's doing.. though with men like that Lord. He'll take what he wants.. then cast her aside like any other stupid country girl. " The arrogance dripped from that sassy little maids mouth. Unfortunately she had made the mistake of saying it loud enough for Willa to hear it. The brow lifted just slightly.. but she did not move, did not make a scene about it. The Duchess needed a day of just calm, but the glint that was buried down in the young woman's eyes? Somehow did not leave much room for doubt as to what was going to happen to Tessa if she didn't hush it.

[Queen Beathag Aberdeen]

The company of the older set was like sitting with incarnations of every mother a person had ever met. The boisterous, the modest, the humerous, and the soft. The youngest among them was Willa, followed by Beathag, who had only beginned to attain the wisdom that those five, ten, and even fifteen years her senior nourished in life. "They think we beh deaf," Beathag muttered with a smile turned to Willa before Elise chipped in, "That's terrible! He wouldn't do that to you, My Lady, dun pay 'em heed. Vile little tripes.."

Aida put her hands on the wide expanse of her belly that broadened with each passing year. At least when one was fat, they didn't have to worry about being pretty! "Men will be men, though," she wagged her finger, "But let them have a talk, they be nay the ones who will approve those matches, hmm? Vengence be a dish best served with no one knowin' the course is comin'" She told the story about how her own cousin had tried to take her husband right from under her own nose, and ended up with his cousin, an apothecary from Teangue with a wart on his nose that grew every year they were married.

Eileen, Aimlee, and Lilian bit their lip with bashful smiles as Willa admonished their teasing, scooting just that much closer away from the bevy of skirt lifters that'd get them in trouble, going instead to play with the small ones or help pour more drinks. The ladies who came to lunch made the affair more interesting as each minute went by. How did they think she learned anything, from the pages? No. By estate Stewards. No. By the women who looked first and spoke second?

Yes.

She drank her drink and ate her fill, soon taking to standing and leaving the group to wander in a portion of her gardens alone.

"See, n' always alone too," the maids talked on," that can't make the bed warm can it?'

"Why should it? I mean, perhaps that was why he took his little dally with the Lady in Waiting! Calling Kendrew n' all she had to, poor thing! But why not take her place? It would have been so easy..silly thing."

"I'd have done it in an minute! Mother says that the best thing a woman has is patience, a fine figure, and cunning"

They talked on things that Beathag didn't know of, for no one spoke much of the days where she'd been proclaimed dead, or the ones after where she'd been took weak to really speak for herself. She didn't hear them, either, and that was a good thing. The sound of her stride could be heard changing from full steps to the slighted limp when muscles grew tired. Aida leaned over to the other women and Willa, saying, "Does not she look good beneath those flowers? Why, his lordship should ask for a portrait or some such."

[wilhemiaschleitz]

The little lass sat quietly and offered a small smile and nodded. " Duncha'll worries none.. folks be folks t dun't matterin how ya dress em. " She explained softly as she appeared to brush the whole thing from her hands. The small cant of her head was given as she purposefully ignored both Aimlee and Eileen. Hurt? what lass wouldn't be!

Though a few years of traveling with only her father.. she had heard worse rumors then this about herself. So it was time to just shove it aside for the moment. There was only a glimpse of deviousness in her eyes as the comment of revenge was a dish best served cold. Yet she looked down to hide it.

Thankfully her attention was drawn away as she looked at Bess and the children playing.. the pretty flowers surrounding them all as she smiled softly and gave a nod. " I could do it.. I means iffin his lardship wished it. "She half whispered. " I wouldna minds ta does it neither. "

Which would be lovely, she had plans to do the same such thing for Kaelyn.. though she'd not breath a word of that until she had the time to sit and paint. Of course she had to be able to afford the paints.. which she was working on.. and the canvas.. one of the few things her mother would even dare give up her own finery for.. was this small hobby of Willa's.

[Queen Beathag Aberdeen]

Women moved in flocks. Even being on the edge of the wrong crowd could mean a friend could turn on you. Eileen and Aimlee had only been standing next to those mongers, not saying those things! They weren't that bad. So they went over from the chores to make sure Willa knew. "We are awful sorry, don't be cross," Aimlee blushed with shame, "We didn't say those things like those girls did, really, we was only curious Willa. Lily, tell her!" Lilian had stayed near older cohorts the whole time, and huffed, "My girls don't mean wrong, Wila, I promise. They be a little tarty but not like," she waved her hand off to that set down the way just a'going on about all sorts of nonsense. Then, she listened closer. Was that the Lady in Waiting they talked of? No! She blinked, "Turn your ears from that lot, oh they'll get in trouble if they are caught o' you mark me. They are talking scandal, fire burning scandal."

The cousins, having learned a little lesson for now, turned their ears so as not to be tempted by the little set of trollips tripping back, chirping to the servant's quarters. Thank Goodness the Duchess didn't hear it either! Aida seemed right pleased at such an idea, "Why, that'd mean somethin' nice, Willa! Such a good girl. Elise, Willa wants to paint our Lady!" A kitchen girl with art talent, that was news!

Beathag laughed softly, sitting underneath an oak tree with handful of freshly cut Tulips and Spanish Roses. Youth enjoyed vigor, but a woman with experience was akin to aged wine, and it was true that the older rose bushes always had the better blooms.

[wilhemiaschleitz]

Willa looked at the two for a long moment before slipping over and offering each a gentle hug. " Tis nothin .. but me own hurt feelins o'er folks thinkin I'd use Lord Zurban sae. " She sighed and offered a soft smile to each. " Doh .. enough o' da sows.. be food ta eats.. " The little tug to their hands as she winked to them and seated herself once more. The blue gaze flickered over to the Lady and her children.

" I jus needs ta gits a good bit o' canvas.. an paints.. " She spoke softly " fer whut we sees afore us nowed? Oughts be hows e'ery one should 'member our Lady. " She spoke from the heart as she sighed softly. Watching the woman laugh and enjoy the warmth of the day , the riches of the laughter .. more importantly the perfection of the love that flowed about the trio.