The Lioness Always Protects Her Own

Her Majesty, Sophia of Calais, Queen of England. A Mother and a Mother-in-Law. Lioness in heart and will. "I will always protect my own."

[french-louis]

Adveniat regnum tuum

[englandslioness]

“Ah,” he chuckled as a large hand ran over his scalp and through dark, soft curls. “The predicaments of age. I feel myself unwillingly approaching such a point, despite how such festivities and celebrations always delight me. But I will not go down without a fight, as I am sure you are aware,” he continued, humorously alluding to the King’s frequent revels in time of peace but also his resilience during the time of war against the English.

“A little bit of both,” he confessed. “I needed a short break, though I also needed the Lord. There is much I must ask of him.” Such as for the success of his quietly advancing troops. “He often provides me with the comfort I cannot get elsewhere.”

“Everything ages, but we are like wine, my good Lord. We age with grace and are far better and wiser in time, would you not agree?” The queen softly said as I took a careful step towards the French king, low, amused chuckle escaping her lips at the comment. “Neither one of us will, your majesty. It is not in our nature to surrender.” She knew very well what he meant as they were both forged in the same iron, same fires of war shaped them.

“If that is the case then I would hate to impose. Should you still desire to speak with our Lord, then I shall leave you in peace.” Sophia offered.

[englandslioness]

At the familiar voice, Adaline rose from the bench and smiled at her mother-in-law, bowing respectfully in greeting. “My Lady Mother. I am, thank you. Arthur spoke very highly of this place and I could not wait to see it with my own eyes. I believe his words did not do it justice, as it is even more beautiful than he described. Would you like to join me for a walk, Lady Mother? I do not want to miss a single detail of its beauty.” And Adaline had always felt very comfortable around Arthur’s mother, as she remembered of her own mother and it made her feel home.

The queen smiled warmly to her daughter-in-law as she stood beside her, offering her elbow for the younger woman to lace her hand through hers. She was quite fond of her son’s wife; she seemed to make him happy and the both seemed to genuinely care and love one another and the aging queen could not be any happier. “You know how our dear men are; he sees a little shrubbery here and one there and feel like they’ve seen every garden in the world.” She chuckled, giving her a mischievous wink. “i would very much like to join you for a walk and, please, my dear. Do call me Sophia or simply mother. ‘My Lady’ makes me feel even older than I am.”

[englandslioness]

Matilda barely noticed as her ladies disappeared from her apartment, leaving her alone with her mother. It was better that way. She missed the times she had enjoyed at her mother’s side. Her entire life she had sought only to please the matriarch of England. It was why she copied many an outfit and hairstyle, why she tried so hard to be poised and admired at court.

She smiled softly at her mother’s affection, pleased to have it. She would miss her dearly once she moved to Portugal permanently. Her mother did not need to protect her anymore, in her mind, but she respected her and her absence would be noticeable to Matilda. “You always wish to be around your family, mother.” She teased, her smile growing. “I have enjoyed myself immensely, I have danced so much my feet ache terribly, and I’ve won a treasure chest of gold in cards. I do hope you are not displeased with my retiring to my apartments?” She asked, hopeful that she was not. She knew they should make a presence to be respectful, but Matilda had barely been in her apartment and had scarcely sat all day.

The queen spent most of her time observing her children, watching them grow and thrive, shaping themselves into people they were now, and she could not be any happier at their achievement ( and partially her own ). She only ever wanted for her children to be content, happy and in their full power, acting upon their birthrights. Sophia’s smile remained on her lips as she approached her daughter, gathering her long skirts in front of her as she sat down by her dark haired daughter, the only one that still remained with her, at least for a little while longer. Her daughter spoke and the queen nodded. “You will, too, find one day that family is the only thing that will truly matter. You will want to be around your children as much as you can, as well.”

Matilda’s question resonated with the aging queen and she shook her head, gracefully, as her smile turned warm and affectionate once more. “Why would I be displeased? It is nonsense that one should endure such festivities all night if one’s feet ache. However, I am glad you were having fun.”

[french-louis]

Adveniat regnum tuum

[englandslioness]

Despite their disagreements, Louis was determined not to make this conversation difficult. He had not spoken to the Queen of England in a while and hoped she was more pleasant to converse with than her irritating daughter- the woman was French after all. Emulating the formality, the King of France bowed in a manner befitting her status before smiling. He imagined Henriette running to take the woman in his arms and wondered if she had deceived him about her relations with the Queen also; envisaging her claiming to treat the Queen as her own mother behind his back. His mind was all over the place- anything was now possible in his eyes.

“Indeed it can,” he agreed, his dark aureole eyes locked in a gaze with hers. “And did you receive all you came for? Do you feel refreshed and ready to face it all again?”

There was no truly bad blood between herself and her former countrymen, but the queen was English by marriage and she will remain thus until the moment she takes her final breath on this Earth. It was a night of festivities, however, and such things did not mix with politics. They could quarrel over Aquitaine or other disputed lands until their heart desired on another day. She smiled to the king, a reserved, but friendly smile as she nodded.

“I did find a respite from all the food and the dancing. I fear I am growing a little weary of such events for a prolonged period. It is way pass my bedtime.” She chuckled in a joyful, teasing manner. Her age was not that grand, after all, but she did like to amuse herself by appearing tired and resigned by life. Those who knew her were aware she was all but that. “And what brings you here, your majesty? A respite, like myself, or a need of our Lord’s wisdom?”

[englishmatilda-blog]

@englandslioness

Laughter left Matilda’s lips as she laid her hand down to the groans of Lady Bess and Lady Anne, her favorite ladies despite the annoyance she often felt toward them. “Truly, one day I pray you find a means of making this challenging. I win.” She scoffed, collecting the coins from the table. She would likely give them back, but only after teasing the girls endlessly about it. “Shall we play again or have I cost you your last coin?” She asked, brow raised. 

The response was silenced as the girls quickly rose to a curtsy. Matilda’s brows knitted in confusion, but she knew it must be for a reason. She turned her head, long dark locks shifting as she did. A smile graced her lips as she realized. “Mother.” She greeted, knowing Sophia had heard every word that she spoke. She rose, silently dismissing the girls surrounding her. “You have made yourself rather scarce, have you been enjoying the festivities?” She questioned.

[englandslioness]

The queen had longed for home, yet it was not more than a laughable number of days that she had spent out of it. She was however determined to see her daughter, while she still graced them with her presence, before being shipped off to her future husband for good. The very thought saddened the elderly queen, but alas it was to be done, and she could only pray that her daughter, her little brown haired bird, would be happy and content with the marriage.

Sophia knew where Matilda’s assigned chambers were and she gracefully glided across the corridor, nodding her head in recognition of the guards stationed in front of her daughter’s door. She quietly slipped into the room, observing her little dove and her ladies, her daughter wearing a self-satisfied smile on her face. The queen watched the scene in front of herself with a warm smile, before one of Matilda’s ladies noticed her, their silence echoing around the room. It took her daughter only a second later to acknowledge her, as well.

“My little bird.” Sophia smiled to her daughter, taking a step forward, before she waved her hand dismissively as her words, truthfully uninterested in the festivities. She did enjoy a good party, but all to a good measure, and this certain celebration of one’s passing was a little too extravagant for her taste. “I have, but now I only wish to be around my family. And you, my dove? Are you enjoying yourself?”

[thereignofadaline]

{ OPEN }

The gardens had been the very first place Adaline decided to visit once they arrived to Vienna. She had heard plenty of things about its beauty, yet no word had done it justice. Feeling a bit tired after exploring, she sat on a bench to enjoy the peace and quiet. Ada regretted not having brought a book with her, as it seemed she had found the perfect spot.

[englandslioness]

Sophia was not overly thrilled to leave her kingdom in the hand of greedy noblemen, but her presence in Vienna was requested by the laws off good politics and manners and it was quite some time since she had travelled outside her dominion. She walked through the gardens, not really exploring, but rather enjoying and admiring the blooming flowers and decorative shrubbery; it was similar to her garden in England in a way, but it was a lot softer, with more colourful flowers. The queen passed by a lovely bush of yellow roses, gently brushing her fingertips against petals, when she spotted a familiar blonde sitting gracefully on a bench.

The queen’s lips momentarily stretched in a smile, as she approached her daughter-in-law. “Good day, princess. Are you enjoying the fresh Austrian air?”

[french-louis]

Adveniat regnum tuum

“In nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritus Sancti” the priest said as Louis entered the chapel. He bowed his head respectfully and made the sign of the cross, though he was surprised to see someone already kneeling there. He had left the celebrations to talk directly to God, but it seemed that he was destined to speak to someone else. “I did not expect to find anyone here.”

[englandslioness]

The queen of all England was a pious woman, as far as it suited her. She did not believe that human fate was sealed, but she did acknowledge a Higher Providence, as a sort of an aiding hand. The true reason why the queen was kneeling in front of an altar, however, was not because she needed a conversation with God, but more because she needed a solitary time without being regarded as depressed ( and she rarely was depressed ) and the chapel served as a perfect cover, even if she did begin to pray.

A voice sounded behind her and Sophia untangled her fingers, making a sign of the cross as she rose to her feet, turning towards the source of the voice, and a fellow sovereign, king of France. “I have come for a moment of respire and solitude. The crowd can get a little suffocating, no matter how noble or common of blood.” She said, before intertwining her fingers in front of herself, greeting the king with a courteous bow.

[sxhnsuchtt-blog]

Open

     Smoothing a hand over her skirts absently as they walked, absorbed in the scenery, she soon returned her attention to the person by her side.  “Austria is beautiful, is it not?  I will never tire of it, much like my own dear forests.”

[englandslioness]

“It depends of how pleasant your forests are, my lady, but this little dukedom certainly is enjoyable.” The queen hummed in appreciation, regarding her surroundings carefully, assessing, cataloguing. “I am not overly keen on leaving my kingdom in the hands of parliament, so I pray this rendez-vous with Austria will be brief. They tend to get rather silly ideas.”

[theplacewheredreamsgo]