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"This is not comfortable!" Braelynn squeaks as one of the servants assist her with her dress. For all of her practicality, the woman has never been much of one to give many concerns about her appearance, save looking neat and modest, though this day, and lately, she has been giving more weight to her looks, which, for her, is suspicious at best. She shakes and shimmies trying to get the dress to settle into her curves enough for comfort.
Arta shakes her head at Braelynn "I am sure you find something that fits you." "Remind me again why are you dressing up?"
Braelynn peeks over at Arta as she speaks up. "I'm not dressing up!" She flushes and says quiet, as she tugs on the skirt. "I just want to look nice, that's all." She wiggles again and lets out a soft sigh. "There, I think that will do." She isn't particularly dressed up, not for someone else. Though for her - this is unusual. "I think I'm being courted, but I'm not entirely sure." She says this seriously, her brow furrowed.
Arta tilts her head pondering "Dressing up nicely does not matter in the end. I wore the most irresistible woolen dress for that one knight and let Cerys do my hair all beautiful like." she chuckles almost inaudibly "If I ever see him again I am going to tear the heart from his chest." She pauses for a while "That's a metaphor of course, I would never consider actually killing him." She then focuses herself back on Braelynn, there's a subtle gleam in Arta's eyes. "So you finally confessed to Sir Seraphina?"
Braelynn looks at Arta and sighs in exasperation, though she doesn't particularly deny this statement. "Even if I did, would it matter? It's not as if anything could come of it." She sinks into a nearby chair and says, "I'm not speaking of her. It's someone else."
Arta smiles "Of course it does matter, everything you feel for her does." she then heads over to consider the clothes "Would you prefer linen or wool? I prefer wool myself."
Braelynn sighs, "We're women. Our feelings rarely matter in these things. The most we can hope for is to love the husband that's chosen for us." She reaches up to feel a wool dress and says, "I prefer the linen. It's prettier I think." This comes out as more of a question than a statement. Braelynn is, after all, completely clueless when it comes to fashion.
Arta's face presumes a smug smirk "As long as my brother is away nobody is going to tell me who I am going to love." "I never thought the death of my father would be something positive in my life and even now I hate admitting it, it feels wrong." "I cannot tell what your father or your brother has in store for you." she then points a servant at a dress to have it brought up to Braelynn. The dress is a long-sleeved linen one that covers down below the ankles. The pattern features only small holes so it leaves lot of room for guessing what's worn beneath. "What do you think? Modest, yes?"
Braelynn nods her head, and tilts it while she looks. "I suppose I like that." She then looks at Arta, "He's the heir to Durnford. I suppose my father and brother would think it a good match if he does." She sighs with this, "It could be much worse. He's pleasant, and I don't dislike spending time with him." She flushes, her cheeks turning very very red, "And he kissed me. Just once, but I suppose that must mean something. Right?"
Arta's face falls flat suddenly "Now we have an interesting situation here. Do you wish to hear it?"
Braelynn looks quizzically at her cousin and says, "Well of course I would."
Arta comes closer to Braelynn to whisper into her ear "The knight i happen to be talking about is Sir Cynrain de Durnford. He suggested that I would meet his brother for an arranged affair. But if he's in love with you. I do not know what to think. This is so wrong and messed up. Truly"
Braelynn coughs, and her mouth moves into a little 'o' shape. "Oh dear…." her voice trails off and then she speaks up in a tone that is half comforting and half falsely cheerful, "Well, in love with me is a stretch. I'm sure many men kissed ladies they weren't in love with after the Beltaine festival." She lays a hand on Arta's arm and pats comfortingly, "Perhaps he will find you more to his liking."
Arta says, "No, no, I do not want him. I want him to propose to you cousin."
Braelynn sighs and reaches up to touch the linen again. "I'm not sure I want anyone to propose to me, but if it must happen I wouldn't mind it being him, if he should someday become inclined to. At least there's more to him than looking pretty in his armor." With this her shoulders drop slightly, "That's assuming he cares at all about me. Men, as you have seen, often say things they don't mean. Their actions often lead you to believe they mean something when they mean absolutely nothing at all, except perhaps pleasure for that very moment." She huffs a little more passionately, "Then when you do expose your feelings they couldn't care less."
Arta lowers her head "I have seen that from the first place. Know what we could do to remedy this and give them a lesson?" "I have an idea."
Braelynn raises a brow and looks at her cousin suspiciously, "And what idea is that, dear cousin?" She looks dubiously at Arta. Braelynn is, after known for her honesty, and intrigue is not something she has much skill in, nor desire to dabble with.
Arta says, "We will drug Cynrain's brother. Carry him to a bed. When he wakes up he sees us. But by that time we have chained him onto the bed. Maybe we will drink wine and talk about girl stuff while we ignore his shouts and leave him to his fate until his family or servants free him."
Braelynn can't help but laugh, but she just shakes her head. "I couldn't do that to him. I like him." She shrugs off Arta's suggestion as a joke, while shaking her head. She does giggle one more time. "I can't even imagine doing such a thing!"
Arta chortles "You just did. He would so deserve it but perhaps it is a bit cruel."
Braelynn shakes her head. "He doesn't deserve it. He's done nothing wrong. I asked him to speak clearly and he has." She smiles warmly, "I admire him for that, at least. Perhaps he is nothing like his brother."
Arta says, "Did he mention anything about me to you?"
Braelynn furrows her brow and says, "No, should he have? Was he aware that he was to be meeting you?" She suddenly looks concerned. "Then again, he made no promises. I suppose if there was someone else he wouldn't be under any obligation to share that with me."
Arta says, "I really do not know. Never mind. Let’s just focus on the tasks at hand."
Braelynn sighs and says, "Why is love so complicated? Why can't people just say exactly what they mean?" She leans her head against a nearby doorframe and says, "Not that I'm in love with him. Like, perhaps. I'm definitely in like."
Braelynn stands, readying herself for her day. She brushes her dress off, and moves to leave. "I'll never understand romance. It's simply not logical." With that she skirts past Arta and goes about her day.