Journal Entry 503

It happened this eve.....for once...something in my life went to my favor. The C/council accepted my request to make MacLaaren my home. I was even given a cottage along with a shoppe...~girlish giggles~...and my own key. I could not be more pleased.

I hope I made my appreciation well known to the council M/members. I'm not good with words so it's a struggle at times to make my mind known to O/others.

There certainly was a merry crowd about tonight. Sir Tristam.....quite the rogue. I shall have to watch out for that one. I met James MacGregor this eve for the first time....I have not formed an opinion of this man, yet...he is..perhaps a bit intimidating....~laughs to herself~ Sir Kyle and his lovely lava were about...as well as ceanna and zandra....quite the duo, those two...~laughs~ Lady Damiana was present as well. She left rather suddenly....I do hope she wasn't feeling ill. I know her love is away at the moment...that can nae be easy for her.

I set about to sketch a special gown.....I've not yet decided upon the design. So many of the usual garments are just so.....blase. I want my creations to be unique, alluring.....~realizing that she's rattling on~

Oh, I talked to M'lord Praegorn this eve. I have commissioned him to perform an errand for me. He did agree. This brings me great relief. I know he's a trustworthy man....and I have nae fear that his mission will be completed in a timely manner.

~finishing her entry then tearing a small piece of paper from the book....writing the name Praegorn on it then setting the book aside....getting off the bed and fetching a small coin purse from her wardrobe.....wrapping several coins in a softly scented cloth then tying the piece of paper to it with a blue ribbon....leaving her room to quickly go back down stairs and set the parcel upon the table by the main door......rushing quietly back upstairs..entering her room and shutting the door~

Last night James MacGregor showed up to collect the last few month's fees for tending to Our cattle and sheep. I promptly went to the council room, double checked the finances and brought Him back a pouch filled with gold sovereigns. James took Me aside for a bit and alerted Me to some plans He has for more opportunities to improve Our finances.

It was a fun evening, including giving Serenitee her MacLaaran scroll and key.

I got the MacLaaran carpenters, sign makers and painters busy to day and with a little luck and decent weather, they should have Serenitee's cottage ready for occupation by this evening. I had them set up a nice sewing room in Her cottage where she can work on Her various fashion designs.

They're also making a new sign for Serenitee's Dresses and Lingerie Shoppe in the heart of the Village.

Hopefully, she'll be pleased with the results.

Praegon stayed the night in one of Our guest chambers. I wonder if He's considering a more permanent arrangement?

Breaking his fast, he looked upon the roads leading to the village and watched the morning bustle of the village, remarking on how lively it did seem. Sighing as he found himself gazing a bit too much, he went back to his training, working out his tensions nearly in double the effort with the sword as he had earlier with the lance, before gasping with the strain of his exertion, he knelt for a while amidst the plants in the field in quiet solitude, and a thankful prayer for another day.

Later, after he had refreshed himself with a washing at the nearby riverside, he rode back to MacLaaran and stabled his horse, seeking out the library afterwards to again study the plentiful maps within, determined to better know the country it seems he is destined to make his home for at least a while.

After Lady Damiana retired to her cottage for the night, Lord Gray arrived and spoke of his late whereabouts and reassured spiorad that he too would have her stay safely in Maclaaran for the night, which she did, perhaps unduly influenced. *chuckling*

Still later the Lady Serenitee arrived and Lord Gray related her encounter with a frog, showing that though he had nae been around with most of the MacLaaran folk as of late, he still had a keen sense of humour. After a short while, he too retired for the night, leaving only Praegorn and Serenitee to talk idly for a while, after which he assured her that he would be off on his trip to carry out her task. Finally though, seeing that Serenitee was nae quite herself, he talked her into retiring for the night and saw to it that she made it safely to her room ere he turned into his as well. Later before he drifted off to the blissfulness of sleep, he pulled out a scented cloth once more and inhaled of it slightly, hoping it would give him yet another interesting dream as it had the night before.

Please have him deliver that wagon to a gentleman farmer in Gaspard named Garratt MacLeod. He'll collect the remaining balance of 15 gold sovereigns from thw farmer if he's satisfied with the wagon.

Then off t' lava's coffee shoppe fer a bit o' lemon tea and a crumpet.

Enjoying the bright sunshine and quietness of the road, it seemed like little time at all before he arrived at dinner time (about 3 pm). The farmer, while glad to see his fine carriage show up finally, was loathe to pay Praegorn the agreed upon price. Rolling his eyes, Praegorn prepared for the dickering he knew would come his way as new man and set about negotiating with the gentleman farmer for the better part of an hour. Finally, when all was said and done, the farmer, recognized Praegorn to be a shrewd negotiatior, agreed upon Kyle's asking price with an additional angel for Prae in appreciation and consideration to help him with a guid price for his crop at the market.

Declining his invitation for a toast to his new carriage, Prae saddled his horse and spurred it on back to MacLaaran where he returned a while after darkness had fallen.

It was sure nice to be able to spend money after he had made his delivery for Kyle. Though true be told, after Kyle let him know the true value he could have gotten for his carriage, he was somewhat humbled for thinking he had done so well to get an extra angel from the farmer.

Later, Praegorn asked the whereabouts of Sir Tristram to see if it would be okay if MacLaaran would allow for the storage of his lance in the armory, since he figured it would be better placed there for safe keeping than to have some chamber maid stumble across it in his room. Afterwards, he spent the rest of the afternoon with the maps once more in MacLaaran's library to further aquaint himself with the route to Aberdeen, figuring he would be ready to leave by Tuesday's morning.

Having provisioned well ere he left MacLaaran, Praegorn made few stops, save to rest and water his horse. In this way he was able to maintain a steady rate of travel so that when darkness fell after the day was complete, he was able to push on for an hour more before he pulled up for the night into a camp of traders also on their way to Aberdeen. Having few items of foodstuff with which to share in the traders' common meal, he entertained them in exchange for a share of their meal with a few tales of his journeys upon the
Continent and later, spoke of the Castle MacLaaran and the kindly folk who lived within and about.

Afterwards, he tried to engage in a bit of singing with the traders and though he could nae manage more than a few words of the Gaelic tongue they prefered to sing with, he managed to slap his legs to keep their beat, which brought smiles to some for his game try.

Later that night, he set his bedroll up near their wagons and curled up for a good night's rest, his hand clutching a scented cloth as he looked out at the stars before fading into sleep.

~moving behind the counter....kneeling to search the shelves underneath....pulling out several sketch pads then laying them atop the counter....standing, pulling a wooden stool...sitting, propping her feet on the shelf below as she starts sorting the sketches into categories.....gowns, cotehardies, corsets, skirts, chemises and delicate undergarments or "frillies"......chuckling at some of the designs that leave little to nae to the imagination~

~tucking rascally curls behind her ears a she sets to binding each collection together.......growling softly as the curls fall back to her cheeks.....aggravated, she gathers all her tresses back, twisting them into a long rope the wrapping it at her crown......searching the countertop for something to secure it with.....finding a stray length of ribbon, quickly tying it about the gathered mass....laughing....knowing it must look odd.....but not caring as she gets back to work lacing the edges of the sketches together with a strip of leather~

~having poked holes in the edges of the sketches had made this task less daunting.....finishing the last one then stacking them together neatly on the corner of the counter....lightly dusting her hands against each other as she sets her feet to the floor then stands........moving from behind the counter, across to the lingerie area.....her fingertips lightly running over the shelves......just a few things on them at this time. Much of her inventory is coming on the ship at Aberdeen~

~laying fingers on one of the items there.....picking up the delicate corset....laying it flat in an open space on the shelf.....a fingertip tracing the delicate seams that hold the boning in place...examining every eyelet......gently pulling the laces taunt......wondering how in the world women can possibly find these things comfortable........her fingers running along the top edge of the garment where she had decided to add a wide row of lace~

~satisfied with the workmanship, she smoothes her fingers over the satin creation then replaces it accordingly on the shelf......leaving that area to move to the front window area.....stopping to analyze just what and how she will arrange the display......a must would be a cotehardie and chemise.......perhaps a corset......thinking....tapping a fingertip to her lip~

~her tummy rumbling.....reminding her of the hour.....frowning realizing that she had forgot to be somewhere.........quickly locking up.....dashing down the path to the castle.....her breath coming in short gasps as she stops for a moment....bending over slightly, her hand at her waist....wincing a bit.....then taking a deep breath....running the last length to the castle....in through the door she nearly flies~

It was in the late afternoon when Praegorn finally met the approaches of Aberdeen and crossed the Brig o' Balgownie into the town proper. Glancing all around as his horse trotted through the narrow streets, he noted with interest that the Silver City (as the local citizens were proud to call it) had many of its building crafted with a pale granite that indeed, gave it a soft glow of silver in the fading sunlight.

Determined to have more of a look around after he took care of business, he directed his horse to the waterfront, where with the aid of a harbour master's apprentice, he was able to locate the ship that bore Lady Serenitee's cargo. Waving over to the ship's watchman, he stepped foward and spoke with him before producing a paper identifying himself as the lady's errand man. Satisfied with that, Praegorn was allowed to see the cargo and was then given directions where he could locate a coper, from whom he purchased a pair of swayed back horses who he deemed steady enough if nae so pleasing in the looks and was able to swing a deal for an flat wagon as well.

Later that night, Praegorn, after sight seeing about Aberdeen for a short while, found a modest inn where he took a small meal before turning in for the night.

After he checked the traces of his horse to make sure it was tied securely to the back of the wagon, he wished the loaders well and tipped a few shillings to the load master in appreciation before seating himself on the wagon bench, and set off, eager to make a start ere the morning vanished in the noon sun.

Glancing around as he made his way past a market street, the smell of fresh bread caught his attention and with a sigh, he halted the wagon
and stepped down to find the nearby source that smelled so good. A tall man dressed in odd looking crimson and black baker's clothing greeted him as he stood in front of the bread vendor's stall, bidding him to enter and have a free sample of a batch of strawberry tarts he had just finished baking in his petite oven at the back of the stall. As that sounded agreeable, Praegorn picked up a slice and was near to sinking his teeth in when the baker quickly spooned an icy cream upon it and smiled, saying that the last bit was a creation of his that had some success in the places where he had sold his goods. Nodding and thinking he should leave ere the strange one thought of something else, he heeded his hunger pangs instead and took a bite, eyes widening as the sweet tasting treat was unlike any he had ever had before.

Clapping his hands in delight, the baker told him he had that reaction often and that he always delighted in the reactions of his customers when they sampled his creation he called "frosted whip cream". Thanking him for the sample, Praegorn then bought a couple of narrow loaves of bread the baker called "baguettes" and turned to leave.

Halfway out though, he heard the baker call out to him "You know, I've been where you are now and wish you a just the best of luck, sir. It's a perilous journey you set upon, and you will need all the luck in to succeed where others have failed".

Strange, strange man, thought Praegorn as he regained his wagon and set off to the West and to MacLaaran.

In the morning, he checked his wagon and fed the horses, put them in their traces and took the road, taking his breakfast of dried cheese from the inn and the remaining portion of his bread and set off, hoping to make the reaches of MacLaaran by nightfall. As the morning sunlight cast its warming rays upon the countryside, Praegorn felt himself growing sleepy and pulled off to the side of the road beneath a great tree where he took to a nap after he set his horses on a picket.

It wasn't until later in the afternoon when he finally woke, much to his digust. T'would nae be until Saturday ere he arrived back in MacLaaran he though, disappointedly. Well, the Lady wouldst just have to wait he supposed. Checking the wagon and its cargo again to be sure that no mischief had happened, he watched as a passing wagon laden with barrels passed, with a pair of monks guiding their horses way. Briefly he smiled as he thought the chances of that passing by Clann A' Ched with their cargo intact, thinking that more than likely guid drink was held within those barrels.

Setting the horses in their traces before the wagon once more, he climbed aboard and urged the horses onward, into the evening and on into the night, thinking he'd rather continue slowly in the slight moonlight rather than rest for the night. Much later, as the fog moved in across the countryside, he lit a lamp to help the horses see their way. Finally, several hours past midnight as he reckoned things, he came upon the village of MacLaaran and stopped before Serenitee's shop, slipping a piece of paper beneath the door to let her know his errand was complete. Then, he rode onwards with the wagon towards the Castle MacLaaran, thinking it would be wiser to move swiftly ere a village guard would find him gawking at various interesting items he saw when he held up his latern near the shoppe's window.

As he neared MacLaaran's walls, he called out to the guards and held his lantern before his face so they could identify him. He then led the wagon to the stables where he rousted a stable boy and passed him a few coins to the sleepy lad to see to the parking of the wagon and the stabling of the horses. Then, with a loud yawn of his own, he made his way to the castle proper quietly so as to not awake seth for the bumblings of a night owl. Looking foward to a guid night's (and day perhaps) rest, he glanced at the stairs briefly and mumbled a bit about the many steps it took to walk to the fifth floor and the guest chambers before remembering he was fortunate to have a retreat at all. Yawning once more, he went up the steps and found the chamber as before and wearily cast his traveling clothes and sword to the floor before falling fast asleep.

Gatherin a few escentuals... and a fair size soft tanned and treated fur.. I to make Me way to Mine chambers to make plans for a supprise fer MacLaaran and Me love.. Damiana

Then what t Me supprise... a clatter is heard afore I reach the stairs to the chamber halls... sounding much like a sword... then stealthfully I carefully assend the stairs.. being cautious at each corner... till I reached the top floor. Nay hearing any more metal... and much snoring.. slowly and cautiously decend to Me chamber hall and carefully slip in and finding rest only too easily overtaking Me with dreams o Dami the remainder o the night.

~quickly changing into a long, pale yellow linen chemise, slipping a softly patterned skirt over head..pulling the lace at the waist tight....foregoing the classic corset for she found the things utterly uncomfortable.....slipping her feet into her well worn slippers....taking a last look at herself then leaving the cottage to make her way to the shoppe~

~softly humming as she walks, stopping once in a while just to take in the countryside scenery.......nodding to each villager.....murmuring a G'day as she passes.....finally reaching the shoppe. Unlocking the door then stepping in....feeling something slide beneath her foot....looking down to see a piece of paper.......kneeling to pick it up then turning it over...reading......her lips curving into a smile.......tucking the note away then starting about a few tasks before making her way to the Castle~