[center][img]http://68.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2bpvlAHnM1r99f4t.gif[/img]

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[hr][color=Palevioletred][b]Location;[/b][/color] the kingdom of Abhainn; the Ward family House ↠ the gates
[color=Palevioletred][b]Interacting With;[/b][/color] Lady Alice Allaire {[@Lionhearted]}, King Maddox Auclair {[@Scarlet Loup]}, & Future Queen Julianna Hardin {[@HushedWhispers]} (mentioned)[/center][hr][hr]
Lady Amaryllis Ward had reached the kingdom of Abhainn a few hours before the Slibah royals were due to arrive. She had been offered a personal carriage based off of orders from the future queen herself, but she had politely declined - explaining that she would much rather arrive early to greet her family before taking part in the official introduction to the King of Abhainn. This excuse was the truth, of course, which was apparent in the way she was now sitting in an uncomfortable chair in a cold, uncomfortable room and being fussed over uncomfortably by her mother. The real reason she had not wanted to travel with the royals, however, had been the guaranteed insufferable fussing that would take place over her majesty, Julianna Hardin, who was being married off to King Maddox Auclair. And that, she reckoned, she could do without. 

The only reason she had bothered to visit her family home was to change into clothes far more suitable than her riding gear, which she had been wearing for two days. Of course, the disadvantages of declining a carriage was the fact that she could no longer take her own carriage to Abhainn - it would be regarded as rude. So instead she had ridden by horse to the kingdom alone - bar from her handmaiden and a few guards - all for the sake of not upsetting the royal family, who were the current subject of her mother's rambling. 

[b]"And really I don't see why they should marry off such a young girl to that King for the sake of some treaty, I've always said that we should stick to the old ways and if this ends in disaster I'll be there to say I told you so, you mark my - "[/b]

[b][color=palevioletred]"Mother."[/color][/b] Lissa spoke with serene patience as she dealt with the same speech she had heard over and over again.[b][color=palevioletred] "Her majesty Julianna is the same age as me, so really is not that young. The treaty is written to unite the kingdoms - to stop the war. If anything, it means that I can see you more. So, can you not see the good that will come from it?" [/color][/b]

Another hour passed of the same debate, Lissa finally gave up and retired with her handmaiden, Clarice, to her old chambers. The only person she could never win over was her mother. She spared no time for sentiment - her room was just as empty and bare and impersonal as she remembered it. Instead, she quickly changed into one of her favoured [url=https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/ed/04/35/ed0435c50fa72d23a8e59634a7593e99.jpg]dresses[/url] - a simple garment, that flattered her figure nicely without drawing too much attention - and let Clarice tend to her hair. Before leaving, she fetched a lace cloak from her old wardrobe, something she hadn't worn in years, and slipped it on. She had no interest in being stared at throughout her short journey to where the royals would be arriving. 

So, with the delicate hood of her cloak up and her horse in tow, she left the Ward manor with a brief goodbye to her parents and a series of orders to Clarice and her guards, issuing them to locate her accommodation for the stay and to ready her things before finally finding her. 

---

There seemed to be quite a crowd forming where the royals were due to arrive, so she remained on the outskirts, with her hood still up, watching with a small smile as some familiar carriages slowed to a halt at the kingdom gates. It was only then that she realised how out of place she would look among the Slibah royals with her horse and her hood she still had to take down. Maybe she should just wait amongst the crowd for the time being? 

It was only now that she allowed herself to think about the situation at hand. She knew, from seeing the girl herself and from listening to court gossip, that Julianna was indeed very beautiful. And she seemed nice enough - a little spoiled, but what royal wasn't? - which only increased the distaste Lissa held towards her. It was mainly jealousy, she supposed - the future queen was gorgeous in every way that Lissa wasn't, she was being wed to the one man Amaryllis had ever cared for, and she was getting to be [i]queen[/i]. 

Amaryllis gave herself a few more seconds of moping before pushing the thoughts away, straightening up a bit more and finally letting her hood fall back to reveal her mass of dark curls woven with an array of tiny white flowers. It was only now that her eyes landed on the one person she had subconsciously been avoiding looking at. King Maddox Auclair. 

His familiar features took her back six years. To when everything was simple - when she was a respected Lady in court, popular and pretty, and when he was still a young prince. The two would spend their day going about their courtly duties, growing more restless throughout the afternoon, then he would shoot her [i]that[/i] look across the room and they would excuse themselves to spend the night in each other's arms. Lissa supposed that they could have married if it weren't for the treaty, but she didn't like to dwell on the 'if only's. Besides, she doubted he had actually felt anything towards her that was not purely physical. She wondered if he would even recognise her now - she was no longer the bold, flirty girl in court; which was even clear in the way she stood now. Before, she would be on her toes, craning to see what was happening, yet now she merely tilted her head slightly to access a proper view of the scenario playing out. 

She would've stared longer if it wasn't for the noise of irritation beside her. Dragging her gaze away from the King, she allowed one dark brow to arch at whoever made the sound. Of course it was her. Lady Alice Allaire, the strong-willed admirer of King Maddox himself. Paying no attention to the fact that the girl was clearly trying to see what was going on as Julianna greeted the king, Lissa greeted the woman with a voice as smooth as silk. 

[b][color=palevioletred]"My, Lady Alice. It has been such a long time." [/color][/b]She let her eyes to slide over her once, in a manner that was not unfriendly, before her lips pulled up into a warm smile. Indeed it had been a long time - the two had grown up together in Abhainn alongside the King, yet they had not been close. [b][color=palevioletred] "You look lovely, as you always did." [/color][/b]She gave Alice enough time to hopefully recognise her and return the greeting, before returning her gaze to where everyone else was watching intently. 

[color=palevioletred][b]"It's such a lovely union, don't you think? They suit each other rather well." [/b][/color]The words that slipped from her lips couldn't be further from her real opinion, yet she did not let that show. The statement was a test, of sorts, to figure out two things: if this Lady Alice still had feelings for the King as Lissa suspected she did many years ago, and if people still believed that Lady Amaryllis and King Maddox had been lovers once. The woman's response would hopefully resolve those two questions prying at her mind and determine the very nature of her visit to Abhainn.