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Medieval era, John's reign

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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Fri May 16th, 2014, 2:32 pm

Big pow wow with all the conspirators against John. We got a de Braose in the room and IIRC William Marshall (sic) was there too. I was nodding off by this time. Our heroine is in the thick of it.

Though as a woman she should have kept silent, as Henry St. James’ heiress, she controlled the powers of the earldom. She would speak on behalf of her father.

John is lusting after the younger sis right now and here's her spin on it.
Alys hadn’t gotten out of bed for three solid days, ever since Sean had escorted her back to their apartments following her afternoon with the king. She had decided that she wanted to be a royal consort and was convinced that the king was in love with her. When Sheridan had, not so nicely, told her she was mad for even entertaining such a thought, Alys had taken to her bed, miserable.
Still haven't figured out the age of the sisters, but here's older sister's attitude right before her first kiss:
The only tale of men’s kisses she had ever heard had come from Alys, sloppy things that had left a chord of distaste in her mind.
Hero is having a secret meeting for more plotting and his conspirator realizes H has intentions of marrying h.
“So you believe that your service warrants the earldom of Bath and Glastonbury? Not that I disagree, but you picked a mighty difficult goal. To aim for Sheridan St. James is, shall we say, reaching for the heavens. She is gloriously wealthy and well supported by the Bishop.”
Now I have to run, but I'll leave you with this one (monitor warning). I'll get you the year later, but I believe it's just prior to the signing of the Magna Carta. Has to be winter, since the yard they were in was described as winter-dry.
“You can trace your lineage back six hundred years to the ancient kings of Deira. Your father was Viscount Darlington and your elder sister married into the Umfravilles of Prudhoe Castle, heirs to Northumberland.
I haven't had a chance to google viscount yet, but I do wonder at that one.
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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Lisa
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Post by Lisa » Fri May 16th, 2014, 2:51 pm

The room was dark and smelled like painful sex.
I applaud your perseverance, I don't think I could have continued much further...

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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Fri May 16th, 2014, 4:03 pm

[quote=""LadyB""]I applaud your perseverance, I don't think I could have continued much further...[/quote]

I'm definitely at the train wreck stage - you know there's going to be an awful crash and you shouldn't look, but you can't help yourself :p ;)
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Post by Misfit » Fri May 16th, 2014, 4:10 pm

[quote=""EC2""]Thinking about it: She wouldn't have been seated next to the bishop in the first place - She's an unmarried woman not of the top rank. Small fry. He had been recently elected bishop of Coventry - hadn't yet been consecrated yet, but had been around in the church for some time and was pretty elderly. He was one of King John's senior advisers at Magna Carta. It's also highly unlikely she'd have been introduced to William Marshal.
Is there a year and place given for this meeting?[/quote]

Per the first pages, it is January 1215.
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Misfit
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Post by Misfit » Fri May 16th, 2014, 7:25 pm

K, would it be easy to order a 'carriage' on the fly to get the ladies out of London?
At home with a good book and the cat...
...is the only place I want to be

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Lisa
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Post by Lisa » Fri May 16th, 2014, 8:30 pm

[quote=""Misfit""]K, would it be easy to order a 'carriage' on the fly to get the ladies out of London?[/quote]

Even I would know not to try to hail a "carriage" in 1215! It's sounding more and more like a Regency novel. And depending on where they were going, travel by river might be a more obvious solution for escaping London. Could be wrong direction though, or maybe they're worried about the younger sister trying to top herself by drowning.

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Post by Misfit » Fri May 16th, 2014, 8:51 pm

[quote=""LadyB""]Even I would know not to try to hail a "carriage" in 1215! It's sounding more and more like a Regency novel. And depending on where they were going, travel by river might be a more obvious solution for escaping London. Could be wrong direction though, or maybe they're worried about the younger sister trying to top herself by drowning.[/quote]

Lol! They are getting the girls out of London and off to the family castle which I think is in Wales somewhere.

Finally got the heroine's age down - 19. Apparently she was never wed prior to this because she's insisted on deciding on who she'll wed :confused: :confused:

Our hero and Guy de Braose are both wearing 'armor', which I take to be plate armor. EC would have the answer for that.

Now we still have these two unmarried daughters of an earl staying in an apartment(s) in the Tower with no chaperon and no sign of their mother. Only an occasional mention of a maid. Just Jocelyn the Bishop of Bath in charge of the two ladies.

So, next question - the father the earl being dead, who decides who the two girls marry? And wouldn't the widow have to marry eventually?
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Post by Misfit » Sat May 17th, 2014, 4:15 pm

I did finish so much telling instead of showing, plus a lot of credulity stretching moments. Still wondering about the armor, including the wearing of a breastplate, which our hero was able to remove during battle. Oh well, there were three knights in the story wearing armor a lot of the time and not one had a squire to help him.
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Post by DianeL » Sat May 17th, 2014, 9:48 pm

I'm starting a band, to be called Chord of Distaste.

Okay, on with the thread ... :rolleyes:
"To be the queen, she agreed to be the widow!"

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Post by EC2 » Wed May 21st, 2014, 8:53 pm

[quote=""Misfit""]K, would it be easy to order a 'carriage' on the fly to get the ladies out of London?[/quote]

Just catching up here after a weekend away from the PC. Not very likely, but would depend what is meant by a carriage. They could have hired a carter and cart, but easier to ride.

BTW in January 1215 King John was all over the place. The New Temple for a while, Knep Castle, Aldingbourn, Stanstead, Winchester, to name but a few...
Les proz e les vassals
Souvent entre piez de chevals
Kar ja li coard n’I chasront

'The Brave and the valiant
Are always to be found between the hooves of horses
For never will cowards fall down there.'

Histoire de Guillaume le Mareschal

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