closed for: @allfcnso
location: palácio dos estaus, early evening
lady henrietta had come to the palace with the intent of sharing supper with an old acquaintance of her father’s, a margrave who claimed to know her as a little girl. it had taken approximately five minutes and half a cup of wine to realize that the man did not seek a family reunion of sorts, only her favor as she rose in the estimation of the holy roman empress. in any other case she would have known better but her late father had always been her weakness. men never ceased to disappoint. she was preparing to leave when she spotted the king of castile as she walked through the main hall. since arriving in portugal she had only seen him from afar, he and his wife making for a handsome couple, and while she did not care for spanish affairs it seemed her empress favored her son-in-law for succession. each ruler was less and less austrian but her father would have reminded her that it was the nature of power and not her place to question the empress’s choices. perhaps, it did not matter who wore the crown as long as the duchy of carinthia was ruled by the house of eggenberg.
“your grace,” she greeted, fair head bowed in respect, “we have not yet been properly introduced. i am lady henrietta von eggenberg, a loyal subject of her highness, the holy roman empress.” she had become used to introducing herself in this way. while her relationship with marius was common knowledge she felt that she was more than a mistress, a concubine and apollonia saw that within her. the whispers had been unkind to alfonso of castile but whether there was an air of truth to them had yet to be determined. she knew better than most that rumors often arose out of the basest of assumptions. “his grace, the prince of france has spoken highly of yourself as well as queen magdalena and it is an honor to make your acquaintance, i am sure.”