#ch: elisabet falk

[histxries]

open starter

location: the palace grounds, early evening.

She closed the door behind her, the ever-present smile fading as she quickly made her way to the courtyard. Elisabet always thought the first thing someone should see when they see another is a smile; you never know how someone's day has been going, and maybe a smile would turn it around. She wished it had worked that way for herself. Now, seemingly alone, her smile slipped, replaced with a gentle frown as she sat down on a stone bench, pulling her shawl closer around her shoulders.

Tears hadn't come; they were already shed for recent events, but the sadness remained. It felt vapid to be so worried about her own future when she knew there were much bigger things to worry about-the kingdoms, navigating the palace, dodging trouble (which had not worked out in her favor), but going from only worrying about her next meal to worrying about the future ahead of her was overwhelming, and she didn't know how to handle it.

Elisabet heard footsteps and shifted, wiping her eyes just slightly and placing a smile back on her face. "Lovely evening to be outdoors, is it not?"

[histxries]

"At the moment I will only be moving across the palace to the English wing, so not too far of a move. After the summit...who knows. If Princess Amara is still in need of me, I will follow her. If not...I will make my own way."

The prospect of trying to be on her own scared her, though she wouldn't admit it.

"The princess is my friend, as well. I'm sure she will help me adjust."

“Oh I see,” Alessandra tilted her head, she didn’t hide her fascinating with the circumstances of the young lady in front of her. “Well that is an exciting new change. Will that mean a big move for you? I remember when I moved to the crown palace, it can be quite an adjustment.”

[histxries]

//Open starter//

"No one should be out here," Elisabet frowned as she spoke, clutching the small pile of clean linens to her chest. "It is not safe. There is danger about." She looked back at the figure in the hallway with her. She'd been trying to push back her own fears quickly to focus on the princess and the royal family, but she was failing.

"I am only about to pick up linens for the baby's chambers, but even then I shouldn't dally."

[histxries]

closed starter for @svnshone

Elisabet approached the chambers of the queen slowly, a pit in her stomach. It had only been a short time since the death of princess Clara and the mourning ball, but she knew there would be no "right" time to bring up the subject of her new position to Dagmar. No one truly got over a loss, and she knew it was time. Elisabet put a hand on her stomach to settle the butterflies, taking a deep breath. She was preparing herself for any response; full support, indifferent permission, or stern and angry refusal. Either way, until she took the position fully, she was still at the whim of the Danish court. She would always be at the whim of someone, she knew that, but now instead of passive acceptance of her station, it made her nauseous.

She entered the chambers, knocking on the cracked door. "Your majesty? If you are not otherwise engaged, may we speak?"

[histxries]

open starter | elisabet

"Og når om morgenen solen skinner, da vågner de med små røde kinder, og takke Gud for, hvad de har drømt, og kysse fader og moder ømt...."

Elisabet finished the cradle song, laying the tiny princess in her crib for her afternoon nap. After making sure the guards were posted outside the door and she was searched, as usual, Elisabet allowed herself a moment of breathing. Everyone's edginess must have been affecting the baby's mood, because she'd been very fussy today. She'd sang the same bedtime song three times before the child had finally settled down.

She sighed a little, going outside to the gardens, walking slowly through the hedges and flowers, taking in the view. It felt odd how well taken care of they looked consdering they survived the plague as a barren land, but it was nice. She heard footsteps near her, her heart jumping a little. "I do not like being snuck up on," she commented airily, just in case it was someone she shouldn't be talking down to.

[histxries]

closed starter for @tcmpestas

location: chambers of amara windsor

Elisabet stood just to the side of Amara's bed, the tiny princess in her arms. Despite leaving her previous position, Elisabet still loved children, and especially loved holding babies. Tiny and sleeping, the baby sat quietly in her arms as she walked and gently rocked her.

"Oh, Amara...she is beautiful," Elisabet breathed, gently touching the infant's cheek. She looked up at her friend, her eyes sparkling with pride. "You did so well." The tears that threatened to fall finally did, and Elisabet quickly placed the baby in her cradle.

She sat down next to the bed, reaching over and taking Amara's hand. She felt entirely selfish to have been worried so much for Amara's health during the birth, along with the baby's, but she couldn't help it. She cared so much for the princess, in many aspects, and her heart ached with every scream of pain and cry of worry from the nurses and doctor. Elisabet squeezed gently, swallowing hard. "I was so worried for you," she finally said, her voice thick. "I almost cried with relief when they said you were sleeping."

[histxries]

closed starter for @anxhoredheart

location: chambers of laurent bourbon.

~~

Elisabet hadn't put a single book down since recieving the stack of books from Laurie outside of her chamber door. She now had a small shelf of books, borrowed from the princess of Italy and gifted from the lord of France...her heart swelled. This is what she had pictured life working in a palace was. She'd finished her second book when she got the announcement for the celebration, and breathed a sigh of relief. Hopefully the royal family would rest easy knowing that they were not targeted; they had experienced so much of it already.

Elisabet held the book close to her chest, biting her lip. She looked at the stack of romance books on the shelf and wondered to herself if she could be like the heroines of those books-bold and able to be romantic. Amara had said she could be set up if she became a lady in waiting, but Elisabet hadn't even thought about that job offer yet, nor discussed it with the Danish family, so it wasn't even a question yet. She would have to take matters into her own hands if she wanted to find someone without a station like that.

Changing into a better dress, a simple cream dress with no stains, she braided her hair back and smoothed it, looking into the glass of the window. She could do this. Surely this gift had to mean something, right? The books were so nice, and he had them sent just for her, even with a personalized letter...it had to mean something.

The governess made her way to the chambers after asking for the way, taking a breath and knocking on the door. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she rocked gently on her heels.

[histxries]

//Open starter for anyone in the Danish court ( @cftragedy @cfbooksntales @vitaiisms @svnshone @ofdevotiions)//

Elisabet felt...useless. The baby was napping with her guards and one of the maids, and the halls of the Danish court's chambers were quiet. She knew why, but she was used to the bustling noises.

During the plague outbreak in her village, she hadn't had time to take in the silences until after the spread had been stopped. Even then, it was only for a moment. Now, with one child to watch and help, her hands felt idle.

She could barely sleep the night before from the mourning sounds and everyone expressing their grief...despite that, she got up at her usual time, did her duties, and now she wandered the halls. She finally decided to stop and knock on a door, hoping she wasn't intruding.

"H...hello? Is there anything I can do to help?"

[histxries]

"I understand to an extent, wanting to know why something happened when it shouldn't have. Even if the outcome was good, in your case. It is not the same, but when my Mama died, I ask the heavens why for days, weeks after. Had I done something? If I had not done something, if I had..." she paused, watching Fran's expression over the books. This would not help them. Anecdotes about past trauma would not aid them in this moment.

Elisabet reached over, placing a hand over a book on the pile. "May I help? Even when you did nothing wrong, doing more research will not hurt. Might a friend help?" Elisabet knew that she could do little else to help them-she didn't know how it felt to almost lose a loved one. Even with her mother's passing, they weren't close like Fran and Amara were. Fran cared so much more about Amara than Elisabet ever remembered caring about her mother-she loved her, but not like this. "Please?"

fran says nothing as she sits across from them and catches sight of the book. this is what they did not want -- for their loved ones to worry about them. they knew they should have taken the books to their room. they would not make the same mistake again. fran sighs, running a hand over their face. “this is not the only birth i’ve aided in,” he tells her softly, as if it explains it. “i know they can be unpredictable -- but she almost died, elisabet. under my care,” they leave nilani out of it. “everything is fine now. both of them are healthy, amara is recovering. but i want to know why -- what went so wrong?” they ask helplessly, looking to their friend as if she would have an answer for them. maybe she would.

[histxries]

-Closed starter for @svnshone-

Elisabet bounced the baby girl on her hip, making her exaggerated smiles and laughs that made the tiny princess giggle. She loved that sound, and couldn't wait to hear it herself one day. "Come, sweet girl. Let's go visit Mama, hm?"

She felt her heart swell at the mention...it felt like just days ago that it was hard for Dagmar and the baby to be in the same room, and now Elisabet could bring them together. She felt honored to watch them closer, especially amidst all the heartbreak.

"We have a visitor," she crooned, walking into the queen's quarters and waiting patiently in the sitting room. She sat down and bounced Annalise on her lap, making the baby giggle and wave her arms.

[histxries]

𝓔𝓵𝓲𝓼𝓪𝓫𝓮𝓽 𝓕𝓪𝓵𝓴 - 𝓗𝓮𝓪𝓭𝓬𝓪𝓷𝓸𝓷𝓼

-Elisabet actually doesn't sing very well-people think that she would, but she can't. She just sings with such confidence that no one pays attention.

-In her new found free time, she studies botany, reads fiction novels, and likes to dance in her bedroom.

-Speaking of dancing, before a party or ball, Elisabet will practice dancing so she doesn't make a fool of herself and her company.

-Elisabet watched her first child when she was 10 years old-her mother had just died, and her father was still drinking heavily to numb himself. She asked a local tavern keeper if he had any work for her, and instead of listening to any lewd suggestions, he asked her to watch his toddler son.

-Elisabet had a crush on a neighbor girl when she was 12, and she kissed the little girl on the cheek on a dare. The little girl stayed friends with Elisabet and Elisabet nannied her future daughter.

[histxries]

ᴛᴀꜱᴋ ᴛʜʀᴇᴀᴅ - ᴀɴᴛᴏɴɪ & ᴇʟɪꜱᴀʙᴇᴛ

@coroahq

location: village

Elisabet needed to get out of the palace, courtyard, all of it. She needed to feel normal again, just for a little while. She put on a simple blue shift dress, boots, and pinned her hair back-something she would have worn back home. So much had happened in the past weeks-taking her position in the english court, burning bridges she didn't even realize she had built, and forging new friendships that she didn't think would happen. So much that it made her head spin, and as she took a deep breath of air filled with baked break, dirt, and local farms, her mind came to a stand still and she was able to breathe out.

A basket looped over her arm, she stopped by a stall and pulled out her coin pouch to pick out some fresh flowers for her chambers-a luxury she usually avoided, but thought she could treat herself today, when she heard a raucous group of children giggle and chatter. The sound made her heart swell. Elisabet loved listening to the laugh and squeals of children, and she didn't think she'd ever lose herself in that despite not working around them full time anymore. Maybe one day when she had her own, she could hear it all the time.

She followed the voices and paused by a building, watching a man that looked to be teaching them something. He wasn't dressed in finery, but he looked familiar, and he looked frankly much too cleaned up to live in the village full time. It was hard to completely stay mud free, even as often as people from her country bathed. She watched and smiled, seeing how he kept them captivated and looked....genuinely happy at what he was doing. When she accidentally caught his eye, she looked down, a blush on her cheeks. She had meant to watch from the shadows, but clearly failed.

[histxries]

starter for @vitaiisms

location: library

There had been one. One single flower that Elisabet had not been able to identify when she was out foraging, and it was driving her absolutely mad. It was nice to have thought of something other than the princess, the death, and all the other awful things as of recent. The baby slept in a cradle beside her chair and table, a guard posted at each entrance to the library. "Alright, my princess. We'll get this flower figured out and written down, hm?"

Documenting flowers and herbs was only something she had done in passing, to aid in midwifery, but thinking on what Florian had told her, about finding things to do outside of taking care of the princess, Elisabet thought she would give this a try. So far she had enjoyed the hobby, and she scoured the library for books on the subject. She closed the book she had, putting it on the table and reaching up for a higher shelf. "Fandme," she cursed quietly, stretching her arm to reach the book.

[histxries]

//closed starter for @tcmpestas//

Elisabet needed something stronger to keep her mind occupied. The royal family had been attended to and had elected to stay together, so she was left to her own devices after allowing herself time to be with them.

It only took a little convincing for the cooks to let her raid the kitchen gardens for herbs she would need. She gathered them in her apron, then sat down and separated, washed, and labeled them. She then wrote out a list of the herbs and what they were used for and how to use them.

The herbs were placed in an oil cloth and taken to Amara's chambers. Elisabet knocked, hoping she was in. There was so little Elisabet could do at the moment-she couldn't help with any logistics, she couldn't offer aid aside from watching the baby, and she was sought out for comfort. So, she did what she knew she could do-help an expectant mother.

"Amara?" She hated how shaky her voice sounded, so she cleared her throat. "Are you in?"

[histxries]

a private encounter | clara & elisabet

This was...enough. She'd just gotten here, and Elisabet was already overwhelmed. So many rules to remember, people demanding your respect everywhere you turned, not knowing if you were ever truly by yourself to just feel...it was getting to her. So, while the baby spent time with her parents and Elisabet was expected to be anywhere else, according to her father's training, she hid in a broom closet and cried. Her bedroom felt too far away, and at the same time too close to the nursery, and therefore the royal family.

It was very undignified, and she would be mocked if anyone found out, but what else was she to do? Since the death of the king, everyone was being watched closely, and being alone was suspicious. The only way she could think to be alone with her thoughts was to hide. Her thoughts were reeling at the moment. She actually missed her father, she missed all the children she took care of while their parents looked for or went to work, she missed her tiny house and not having to navigate a huge, huge space...everything was overwhelming. She sat down on the floor, curled up, and cried until she didn't feel like she had any tears left in her body. She froze when she heard a noise, sniffling and wiping her eyes quickly, trying to stay quiet.

( @tcmpestas )

[histxries]

Elisabet blushed and smiled. "Thank you, your majesty. You do as well, but of course you do. I imagine the king of Italy would be good at a great many things."

"I don't think they're enjoying it, per se...I do think Princess Clara would be humored by the dancing and scandalous dresses, though," she chuckled, taking a glass of champagne and sipping the bubbly liquid, feeling a tingle slide down her throat. "From the short interactions we had, she was light hearted and kind. I can't speak for the royal family, obviously, but I know when my mother died, we had a party in her honor, to celebrate her life rather than her death. I'd like to think celebrating the life someone had feels...more complete than always mourning their death. I see things through rose colored glasses, though, so it's probably a singular opinion."

miss-falk​

Elisabet allowed herself to be swept up in the words and motions of the king, her head spinning from the scents and movements blending together. ���In that case, by all means, let’s enjoy it together, if only for a moment.” Bold, she told herself. She was going to be bold and brave like the heroines in her books from now on. No more meek, mousy Elisabet. Where had that gotten her? Stuck with her father after her mother died, put into a job that she may enjoy, but did not ask for, and the possibility of growing alone or in a loveless marriage.

Not anymore.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ˏˋ°•*⁀➷  

         As the music carried them, Eliseo let the logistics of status && the social culture of court go by the wayside for a moment; like his days as the heir apparent, before his father’s passing, when it was all balls full of fancy, chasing a servant with flowers woven in her hair, and giggling behind dirty hands at the scolding that were to follow. Rinaldi’s do not mingle below their station, he was told. So many times. Now, it was second nature - but she danced well, far better than him, so Eliseo focused instead on his foot falls, and the swell && rhythm of the orchestra. 

       “ You dance well ! “ The King complimented after the music began to slow, gentle in his ushering of them to the sidelines, eager for a chance to catch his breath, and tried to discreetly dab at his brow, gleaned now with sweat from the effort of the dance. “ I hope the family you serve has been finding themselves able to enjoy the evening… in their honor, of course. “