"...and when I turned, I looked straight at the king! I'm pretty sure he noticed my appearance, because he seemed happy and smiled at me!"

"And you are sure it was not because of your clumsiness, Lady Alice?"

It was mid-day and the youngest court ladies had already started gossiping. Accompanied by a few servants and some of the younger Lords they had assembled in the castle's garden. Summer was already racing towards them so the air was hot and the skies blue. Some of the ladies had even brought fans to keep the worst heat away.

Lady Elayne Argyle was there too, though not because she wanted to like the rest of the girls. She was here because she had to, because her uncle had introduced her to court life and now she was stuck here. Not to mention she was also stuck in a wonderful green dress that her uncle had sent with her. It was too pretty in her opinion, but others had commented on it and some had even frowned in jealousy. But this was court! It seemed people enjoyed having their little intrigues, unlike back home where everyone hoped the peace would remain.

"Don't you agree Lady Argyle?"

The sudden question came like a spear through Elayne's little daydream of her home, so she had honestly no clue what it was she was supposed to answer. So, as she had been taught already, she chose one of the easiest ways out: "Oh, I don't really know. It depends?" An answer that made some of the girls smile in amusement and others frown in confusion. How in the world could she be stuck here?

Excusing herself from the party, Elayne stood up from her seat on the big blanket and strode slowly over to the nearest flowerbed. Already there were some flowers there and many more seemed ready to come too. Why couldn't the other ladies be like the flowers: silent, beautiful and simple to understand? That couldn't be too much to demand, could it?

Darien had made his way to the courtyard in a somewhat mediocre mood. Granted, his introduction to His Majesty had failed miserably, but he still had his head, so that was all well and good he supposed. But now he didn't know what to do with himself. It seemed that every day, more and more, he kept envisioning the woman that he had seen on the few occasions that he had ventured to the Keep with his father. A woman he knew only from a distance, a woman that he didn't dare dream of pursuing for fear that his father would have his hide for it. Lady Elayne Argyle had been in the gardens looking at the flowers when Darien had seen her. Though he was a bit young for the notion, he felt an irresistable pull to her. Her beauty ravishing in every possible way.

The sad truth was that any woman he had ever been with was held to the fantasy that he had built about Lady Argyle in his mind. How she was a strong, ascertive woman who might be a challenge to tame, but a pleasure to do so. The thoughts raced through his mind carelessly as he came across a group of nobles gossiping over any number of things. From their conversations, he determined that their appointments with the King had gone much more favorably. But of course they would, most of them were women seeking the King's favor so that he may choose them for a bride.

Darien then stopped and looked over at a flower bed nearby, but it was not the flower bed that he looked upon. It was the vision that stood there admiring it. It's her, Darien thought and he slowly made his way to it.

"Might I join you, my dear," Darien said to himself as he approached, "No, that's no good. Your hair looks lovely today, then she'll think I'm a vagrant stalker. Maybe I could..." but he found himself now standing right next to her. He prayed to any god that would listen that she had not heard him talking to himself.

Darien tried to think quickly to say something, and before he could stop it, "Pretty flowers." Now I wish the King had taken my head, Darien thought.

Looking up from the flowers, Elayne brown orbs looked to the man beside her. It was obvious that she was surprised by the sudden realization that she had company, but she didn't seem like she didn't want them there. Her main concern was why in the world someone like Lord Lawely, for she knew him by name and appearance, would come and speak to her. There were so many fair ladies in the company and most of them were of higher rank at court too. But perhaps he was like her and did not care much for it? Foolish girl-dreams, she knew that, but she couldn't help it.

A little smile spread on her lips and she nodded. "Are they not? Even this early and they defy the cold nights and bloom," came the reply to him before Elayne did a quick courtesy and muttered a quick "My Lord" just out of pure habit. That and she knew he was of higher stature than her!

Reaching out a slender hand, she gently touched a daffodil, her smile widening as she did so. "Most people prefer summer flowers, though. But if you ask me, it's the flowers that bloom this early that are most beautiful. They have no fear, they simply show their beauty." The moment she closed her mouth, Elayne knew she might have said too much. She always said too much, stupid as she was! And it made a faint blush spread on her cheeks.

She sent a quick stolen glance at the young Lord again before looking away. Hopefully he hadn't seen her blush. Hopefully he wouldn't be offended by her words either! Most men preferred their women more quiet, she knew that. The other ladies had commented on it more than once. And because of that she had become a little quieter around that. But she still found it far too easy for her own good to talk to anyone else.

Darien smiled a bit. The young woman seemed as nervous as he was. Though Darien knew it had to do with his title, Lord Fief of Lawley Fiefdom, he couldn't help but feel completely enthralled by her. He envied the petals of the flower she touched so delicately.

"Yes, indeed," though he really had not recalled much of what she said. Even if he had, horticulture was hardly his strong suit.

"So, what brings a charming woman such as yourself to be alone without a gentleman escort?" Darien said, finally finding his tongue. "I would think a woman as fair as you would be trying to figure out how to become the king's bride," Darien said with a slight hint of a grimace. That last remark was a bit of the arrogant prat that he was trying to hide from her. Damn it, man.

"Lady Argyle it is a pleasure to meet you at last," said Darien as he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. Her hands are so soft.

"So, what brings a charming woman such as yourself to be alone without a gentleman escort? I would think a woman as fair as you would be trying to figure out how to become the king's bride."

His words sent a flash of anger over Elayne's face, yet she quickly surpressed it. Perhaps he was complimenting her, but she didn't really like the way he had worded it. And what made it all the worse was that he had hit bull’s eye! She was trying to woe the King. But unlike the other ladies, she didn't do it for herself, but for her father and because of her uncle's threats.

Her lip trembled, showing sign of a possible reply to him, but instead she remained silent until he had let go of her hand. So he could be a gentleman too? Judging by what she had heard him say so far, he was rather arrogant, wasn't he? That fear of saying too much and the nervousness she had felt before now being slowly blown away at her annoyance at his first words to her.

How much she wanted to say to him. A small part of her wanted him to listen to her reasoning for doing what she did, for being here at the Keep. But she had to ignore that. As a Lady she was no longer allowed to speak her mind. And so, instead, she forced him a smile. "And should not a young Lord of your stature find a bride? The ladies are quite keen on gossiping about you, you know," Elayne said, sounding almost as if she was teasing him. And of course, she was! It was a little payback for his comment, but it was said polite enough to not be taken as an insult.

Darien knew that he had offended her and he kicked himself metaphorically for it. The slight hint of anger in her eyes confirmed it. Of course, she recovered well. Rather well indeed. She passed it off as a compliment, though he wished he knew for certain why she was offended. Darien believed that all the women in court were vying for their opportunity to be the King's bride. Why would she be any different, and she was extraordinary.

Darien gave a sideways smirk at her comment about the gossip about him. "Don't tell me that an enlightened woman such as yourself believes every rumor she hears. What horrible things have you heard about me? Perhaps I can shed the light of truth upon these blemishes to my name," Darien said as he leaned up against the wall next to the flower bed.

"Speak these lies so that truth my banish them from these walls," he said. He doubted that there would be much that he could deny, but it was worth a try.

Elayne smirked at him. So she was an enlightened woman? Wasn't he nice with his words all of a sudden? "Believe them? From what I've seen and heard so far, you live up to your rumor, Lord Lawley." It might actually be fun to share with him what they said, because her fellow court-ladies had said quite a bit already.

Her face glowed with childish amusement as he dared her to speak of the rumours and she seemed happy to be given the little challenge. "What they say about you? My Lord, I hope you have all day! But yes...Most say that you are arrogant, spoiled, rather hotheaded and reckless? They say you're nothing beyond your Fiefdom," she listed on her fingers, pretending to be thinking very hard on what she should say. It wasn't all that hard really, cause she already believed him to be arrogant and spoiled. A brat brought up by his father's fortune and stature.

"So, my lord, can you deny these accusations? Or are you as bad as word wants it to?" she was daring him to reply now, an almost childish curiosity in her brown eyes. It wasn't something proper for a courtlady, but he had offended her first! Surely she'd be forgiven for this little act of hers. Not to mention that he had asked her! She had simply truthfully answered his question.

Darien smiled a bit further as she began to tell him exactly what the rumors were. He laughed a bit once she finished and came closer to her. "I believe you have me mistaken for someone else. I can't recall his name at this time, but if I recall you're also forgetting philanderous. But this man cannot be me. What man can be these things after seeing your beauty and being graced with your lady like dialogue?" Darien came awfully close, just outside the realm of intimacy, but slowly edging the perimeter.

"I enjoy this conversation. Perhaps I may add to it. I have heard of a woman with such strong emotional conviction, yet her naive nature prevented her from fully understanding the life in which we live. Always wearing her heart on her sleeve, and yet in the same defiant way dares anyone to break it. I don't suppose you know who that gentle woman is, do you," Darien grinned at her. His father had warned him about her. How her uncle was trying to pawn her to the royal family and how she was too intemperate for a wife. Darien's father doubted that she could ever be tamed. And that, above anything else, is what drew Darien to her.

Elayne made big eyes when he stepped close, and she struggled to find a reply to him. He was simply too close! They way those blue eyes of his locked with her own brown eyes...it made her somewhat shaky. But he was playing games again, so she couldn't let him win! "Who could be those things? My Lord, I suspect the person who denies these faults can be the one carrying them." She had forced her voice steady, but it was easy to tell that his sudden closeness made her nervous.

And she had thought him done. But he was far from it! Next thing she knew he was describing her own faults as if she was an open book. It made her cheeks burn and she quickly turned away from him, fighting an inward battle not to simply slap him or yell at him.

Twisting her hands, she stared at the wall as if she could burn a hole in it. That stupid man, thinking he knew all about her! Well, he didn't know a thing at all! He had no right to judge her without knowing her or her reasons for it all. He-...

She had just done the same, hadn't she? She had judged him by the words of others, hadn't she? Decided that she didn't like him based on what little she had heard him said and what others had told her. Stupid! Now he'd really have a reason to laugh at her.

Darien knew that she had meant to speak. Or if not meant to, at the very least she wanted to speak. Darien saw a slight flash of anger roll across her eyes when it was suddenly silenced. Darien smiled. Elayne Argyle was clever, naive, but still clever. She had understood what Darien had been trying to do. Though he would never make her admit it, he would have the final word in this argument.

Darien closed the distance between she and him once again, this time going just beyond the realm of a lady's comfort. He leaned down to whisper softly into her ear. "Tell me, how does humble pie taste. My being a selfish, philanderous, pompous, arrogant prat has not allowed me the luxury of ever having it," Darien said with a smirk as he began to walk away from her. Then he stopped and faced her yet again.

"I enjoy this conversation and wish it to continue, perhaps you could join me further into the garden," Darien said, extending his hand to her, looking somewhat foolish as he waited for her to respond, and hopefully to take it.

This man was... he was nothing but unbelievable! The way he acted towards her now, it was...Elayne's cheeks had gotten a light shade of crimson now and she seemed about ready to chew his head off. He was nothing but a disgusting brat, that much was for sure!

Her eyes were unmistakeably cold as she looked at him. Would she join him? Would she join him?! What sort of question was that? He had openly offended her, and now he wanted to keep it up? "Even if you enjoy the conversation, you should not take it for granted that all the rest of the participants would have it continue," she replied cooly, sounding just on the verge of yelling at him. And she was too! Because most of all, she wanted to give him a good slap across the cheek and yell some sense into him. It wouldn't help, but it might get him to stop bothering her.

Not that she would do such a thing, but... "And no, I do not wish to join you, my lord," Elayne said stiffly, doing a quick courtesy. "I see no reason to join someone who is so obviously mocking me. So thank you, but no thank you! Have a nice day!" And with that she rushed past him, too upset to realise that a lady of her age and position simply shouldn't storm off alone in rage. It made both her and her uncle look bad.

'That stupid, bratty, arrogant idiot! That...That... peafrog!' Elayne angrily thought to herself as she walked, tears of anger already dangerously close. Not that she would normally be crying over such little things, but when she first had let her anger flow, the tears always followed close by these days. She'd hate him forever!

Darien watched as she stormed away from him. Damn it, you fool.

Darien walked along the gardens, along the same path that she stormed off on, hoping to find her and apologize. Darien had never apologized to anyone except his father, and he had never apologized to a woman. But Elayne was different. Elayne was...what was she to him? Darien had no idea how the woman could have such a strong pull on his heart when he thought that he had no heart at all.

Darien continued to walk down the path aimlessly, looking around bushes every now and then to see if she was there, but to no avail. He should have ran after her, but that would have caused a scene, one that would have been bigger than the one she had already done when she stormed off.

Good God, what if the King hears from those damn nosey nobles that I was speaking to her. He'd have his head for sure.

Darien stopped at a stone bench along the path and sat on it, knowing full well that it was a pointless attempt to run after her. Elayne was an intemperate woman, and would not forgive him easily, if ever.