Roses for the Queen
Richard lead Denna into the throne room and smiled at the ways he blinked at the flowers that decorated the normally sparse room. There were vases as well as garlands that hung delicately from the walls. The focal point was the Queen’s Throne, which was wrapped with white roses still on the vine, a clear effort of magic by the Lord Rahl.
"Richard," Denna murmured softly as she took all of it in. "When did you plan this?"
He chuckled softly and walked her up to her throne. "I've been planning it for a while now. I wanted it perfect, down to what flower to use."
She leaned and kissed him softly. "It's lovely. Though all the Mord'Sith are laughing, I'm sure." They didn't celebrate birthdays in the temple and she was sure that a lot of them didn't even remember when their birthdays were. She had always been an exception to Mord'Sith rules and standards, granted that was why her path had lead her to be Richard's wife and the Lady Rahl.
Richard smiled and kissed her back with a chuckle. "You know they wouldn't dare. You may not wear the leathers anymore, my love, but you are still the best among them. And none would cross you." Aside from which, even if they might cross her, none would insult their Lord Rahl by laughing at a gesture for his Queen. All, both in the Palace and the surrounding countryside, knew just how much he loved Denna.
She ghosted fingers over some of the roses that laced her throne. "White roses," she murmured softly. The words were more out of thought, and observation, than anything else.
Richard smiled more. "White for my Chosen, even if she is not in leathers, My Queen. And the thorns are still on them. I know you hate when roses are stripped of them."
She kissed him deeply again for both of those reasons for why he'd made the choices he had. He knew her well and she was glad he did. "Thank you, Richard. Though, why all the decoration?" She would have been told if there were to be a banquet or a party, if only because the seamstress would have been bothering her for a fitting of some new dress for the occasion. All had been quiet and she figured that she'd be able to just let this slide by. She should have known Richard would plan something, though. He always took times of celebration with great happiness.
Richard grinned as he bowed slightly and motioned for her to take her seat. "I knew you'd skin me if I threw a big party." And they both knew that he'd not only let her, he'd enjoy it. "But the people are customarily given a way to at least with their Lady Rahl a happy birthday, either by word or token. And it would be wrong of us to keep them from their customs."
Denna had forgotten that custom. Darken had never taken a Lady, so it hadn't been active since Darken's mother was alive. She smiled at him, realizing that her throat had been set so it was more important than his throne for today. "So today's agenda is to receive?"
Richard leaned, careful of the roses, and kissed her. "Yes. To be spoiled by me and our people."
Denna chuckled as she leaned back in her throne after the kiss. "I do like being spoiled," she preened a little with a brighter smile.
Richard grinned at her as he settled into his own throne and motioned to a servant to start allowing people in. "I know you do. Happy Birthday, Denna."
"Richard," Denna murmured softly as she took all of it in. "When did you plan this?"
He chuckled softly and walked her up to her throne. "I've been planning it for a while now. I wanted it perfect, down to what flower to use."
She leaned and kissed him softly. "It's lovely. Though all the Mord'Sith are laughing, I'm sure." They didn't celebrate birthdays in the temple and she was sure that a lot of them didn't even remember when their birthdays were. She had always been an exception to Mord'Sith rules and standards, granted that was why her path had lead her to be Richard's wife and the Lady Rahl.
Richard smiled and kissed her back with a chuckle. "You know they wouldn't dare. You may not wear the leathers anymore, my love, but you are still the best among them. And none would cross you." Aside from which, even if they might cross her, none would insult their Lord Rahl by laughing at a gesture for his Queen. All, both in the Palace and the surrounding countryside, knew just how much he loved Denna.
She ghosted fingers over some of the roses that laced her throne. "White roses," she murmured softly. The words were more out of thought, and observation, than anything else.
Richard smiled more. "White for my Chosen, even if she is not in leathers, My Queen. And the thorns are still on them. I know you hate when roses are stripped of them."
She kissed him deeply again for both of those reasons for why he'd made the choices he had. He knew her well and she was glad he did. "Thank you, Richard. Though, why all the decoration?" She would have been told if there were to be a banquet or a party, if only because the seamstress would have been bothering her for a fitting of some new dress for the occasion. All had been quiet and she figured that she'd be able to just let this slide by. She should have known Richard would plan something, though. He always took times of celebration with great happiness.
Richard grinned as he bowed slightly and motioned for her to take her seat. "I knew you'd skin me if I threw a big party." And they both knew that he'd not only let her, he'd enjoy it. "But the people are customarily given a way to at least with their Lady Rahl a happy birthday, either by word or token. And it would be wrong of us to keep them from their customs."
Denna had forgotten that custom. Darken had never taken a Lady, so it hadn't been active since Darken's mother was alive. She smiled at him, realizing that her throat had been set so it was more important than his throne for today. "So today's agenda is to receive?"
Richard leaned, careful of the roses, and kissed her. "Yes. To be spoiled by me and our people."
Denna chuckled as she leaned back in her throne after the kiss. "I do like being spoiled," she preened a little with a brighter smile.
Richard grinned at her as he settled into his own throne and motioned to a servant to start allowing people in. "I know you do. Happy Birthday, Denna."