Backstory: Getting on a ship - Lucan and Lessa

[Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov]

The ride to Azzalle from the City hadn't been that uncomfortable, though I'd considered about every ten minutes whether or not it was faster to go this way after all; my mind knew it was true, but my heart was in a rush and wasn't listening to reason terribly well. I had everything I need packed onto wagons and the necessary arrangements had been made, including handing everything over to Guy so he could have what he needed at his disposal.

The rest of my mind was occupied only with what needed to be done to make sure my wedding was acceptable to his family, and a good deal of my planning had involved the careful show of wealth and power that I had to encompass while at once seeming completely demure and feminine in some respects. Ruskovian culture was clear on that- a woman was not to hold power, and if she did she had to prove she had the wit to use it and the modesty not to offend those 'greater' males. It would be a careful balancing act.

When the carriage arrived at the docks where my ship had been anchored I stepped out immediately, the thought of seeing my father and brother the only comfort I had at the moment. I was dressed in comfortable attire suited for the ride and being on board the ship, my hair down and falling just past my shoulders in its abundance of curls. After making sure everything was set to be put in the holds of the vessel I made my way carefully onto the deck, looking for my family anxiously.

[Lucan de Rousseau]

Laurel and I had risen early to stand on deck and wait for Louie. Ah Louie, my little girl, was a grown up woman now, and we were all going to Ruskovia together to meet her future husband and new family. Laurel started back and forth, playing on the rigging, but I leaned against the rail, waiting for my daughter to arrive.

Suddenly, a familiar, red-headed figure stepped on deck, looking about. Laurel was the first to spot her, and cried out her name before rushing out her. I followed close behind.

[Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov]

It had been almost two years since I'd seen my father and brother and as my little brother- now so much bigger than he had been at four- ran toward me and hugged my legs, and I blinked back tears as I patted his head, then hugged my Papa as he came forward as well. "I'm so glad to see you," I told them sincerely, carefully keeping my voice from getting too hoarse as I'd been taught to and letting their closeness sink in. I was usually reserved and tended to hold myself back from things but I couldn't do that, not now. "I missed you both."

With a smile to my Papa I knelt down and looked at Laurel, and I realized that six is much different than four. "And look at you, how much you've grown!" I told my dark-haired younger brother, touched that he remembered me so well when I hadn't been there for the past two years and giving him a hug before I stood again. "How was the trip? Was it a long one? Will we be leaving again soon?" My mind seemed full of nothing but questions.

[Lucan de Rousseau]

I hugged my daughter close; she'd changed a lot since I'd last seen her but underneath I could sense the same Louie that had left home nearly two years ago. "I've missed you too, my daughter," I told her.

"And I missed you more!" piped up the adorable Laurel. "The trip was all right, but I got a little seasick."

"It's true," I added, "but by the third day he was running around his boat like he was born on it. A good thing too, since the trip to Ruskovia is no mean journey." I gestured to the captain. "He says we will leave the day after tomorrow."

[Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov]

That long? I wanted to protest at my father's answer, but I managed to hold it back. He couldn't control the tides, and neither could the Captain. All I could do was wait more, and try to occupy my mind with something else. Surely there were other things I could tell Papa and Laurel about, if nothing else I could impart what I knew of Ruskovia and Fydor's family, as well as talking to Papa about the things I'd had to arrange. I wasn't sure he'd be pleased with my decisions but he trusted me and that was enough to make me confident.

"My poor Laurel, who got sick," I said in a light tone with a smile. "But at least you're better now, and we'll be on the water a lot more. I'll show you how to spot shipfish and read the stars at night, how does that sound?" And he smiled and agreed and that was a joy to me. I'd never known if I would have a family or be good with children but Laurel's cheer gave me confidence in that regard.

Looking back at my father I gave him a smile and flushed slightly. "I guess you'll want to talk to me, won't you?" I asked in a very subtly playful tone, almost as though I was expecting a chastisement but knowing that it wouldn't come. "There are days for it, but my mind is full of all sorts of things."

[Lucan de Rousseau]

"There will be time enough for talk," I said, putting an arm around her shoulder. "No need to be so serious now. I want to hear all about your glamourous life in the City of Elua."

[Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov]

He was right, other things should be talked of for now. There would be time, the entire trip, to go over the other things, and I gave him a smile as I handed Laurel the present I'd brought on board for him, a set of wooden soldiers wrapped in a bit of paper. "It was different," I admitted with a smile. "But I'm glad I went, even though it was hard sometimes. Everyone there seems to think a little differently, so much on what they were doing and not the responsibilities they have, but they're good nonetheless. I went to many parties and got dresses at Eglantine even, and I danced and hunted and met other people of interest." Likely he wouldn't want to hear the details of some of those meetings, but he had still asked. "Do you miss being in the City yourself? How are things in Marsilikos?"

[Lucan de Rousseau]

"It seems odd that anything gets done at all, what with all the nobility always feting and loving and caring about aught but their people," I said, frowning. "I am glad you have not grown frivolous in your time away."

I scratched my head. "The city...is for young people, and I am yet grown old. I miss being young more than I miss the city itself. I have a life in Marsilikos, and all is well there."

[Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov]

"I don't really think they mean to be that way, Papa," I said in a thoughtful tone after he'd finished. "But a lot of them are royalty and have never really been among their people very much, so they don't know how it is there. It's not that they're bad, they can be very nice at times and do what they can." I wasn't the kind of person to go without speaking my mind and my father likely knew that. He'd taught me to be thoughtful as well, and to think about people, but he was a rare kind of father and they didn't have him as I had.

When he mentioned being old I remembered the sorrow of losing Mama and I gave him and expression of sympathy before I gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I don't think you're old, Papa," I told him in the voice I generally only used for family and giving him a smile. "You're only as old as you feel. If you want to go to the City you should. I'll be able to look after things from now on and I'll have more help too, so you won't have to work so hard."

[Lucan de Rousseau]

"Yes, yes of course you are right my heart," I said. "Though if one wants to keep the love of the people, one must tend to the people. I hope that lesson will come to them swiftly."

I chuckled softly at her kiss. "Laurel helps keep me young," I told her. "I am always running after him in this tree or that barn. I think he will never bee as studious as you were. As to going to the city...maybe someday I will go back, when I'm ready."

[Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov]

"I think they're learning," I told him in a confident tone. I hadn't interacted with the royalty that lived in the City a good deal but the ones I'd met before I left were generally good people, just trying to balance their personal lives with the needs of their nation. I knew from experience that it wasn't an easy thing. "If you come to the City I'll help with Laurel," I promised eagerly, glad for the chance to spend more time with my precious little brother who was currently opening his gift. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?" He didn't really answer, but I took that to mean he liked the toys. "See, he doesn't mind, and I can do it. I'll help him with his lessons too."

[Lucan de Rousseau]

"You won't take no for an answer, will you?" I said, chuckling.

[Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov]

His laugh made me smile and I gave him a playful shrug, a much more casual movement then I'd ever used with anyone in the City. "It would be nice to have you and Laurel so close is all," I replied easily, feeling some of the tension I'd been holding onto for this trip and even before it bleed from me. "And then you could hear about everything that's happening for yourself, not from me."

[Lucan de Rousseau]

"It would be nice," I said. "I shall have to think on it." I changed topics. "I do want to hear about the kind of man your fiance is. Does he treat you well?"

[Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov]

Laurel was off to one side playing with his new toys still and completely ignoring the conversation it seemed- but considering the direction it was taking maybe that was for the best in any case. "Of course he does," I said, somewhat confused at the idea because it was hard to picture Fydor as anything other than perfectly sweet. But it was also in a father's nature to worry, and I knew that. "Truly, Papa. He loves me, and he's very sweet. You'll like him."

[Lucan de Rousseau]

"I have no doubt that he is a good man," I said. "I raised you to be a good judge of character. But I would be lying if I said it would not comfort me to hear the measure of the man from your lips."

[Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov]

The breeze picked up a bit and rustled the sails, sending me of the mind that we should be on the water, even though I knew it wasn't possible yet. "He's good and noble and honest," I said with a smile, still not understanding the answer he was looking for. "He respects me, and trusts me, and I trust and respect him. He's handsome and smart and funny, and he can make me laugh and smile when I'm nervous or unsure. I think he's perfect."

[Lucan de Rousseau]

I nodded. "How does he treat others?" I asked. "Friends? Family? The people of his home country?"

[Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov]

For a moment it felt like I was being grilled by one of my tutors again- how long had it been since anyone had asked me hard questions like this. "He's kind to everyone," I told my father in the sedate tone I always used when relating information rote, because I didn't know how else to be. "I've never seen him be cruel or even rude once, and he's very careful about trying to keep his traditions as well as the d'Angeline ones when he's here."

[Lucan de Rousseau]

I nodded again, her answers having mollified me. "He sounds...like a wonderful man."

[Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov]

"He is," I assured my father with a smile. "I know that you must be worried, making a trip like this and having no idea who you're going to meet there, and maybe it was too much for me to ask you to take this time when you must be busy with Laurel and everything else. But I am really happy you could, and I love you, Papa." With that I gave him another hug, hoping that he really would trust me and relax somewhat.

[Lucan de Rousseau]

"I love you, too," I said, hugging her back. "And I would never make you face something like this alone. When you need me, I will be by your side."

[Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov]

It was reassuring to know that my father was still on my side and I gave him a kiss on the cheek before I stepped back. "Thank you, again and again thank you. Do you want to talk about the arrangements that I've made while Laurel's distracted? There's really a lot of them. And then there's the cultural differences.. It's so much different."

[Lucan de Rousseau]

"Yes, please, tell me everything I need to know," I said.

[Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov]

"Alright," I agreed, then looked around the deck and smiled slightly to see Laurel playing. "But there really is a lot, more than I've been able to tell you in the letters. Can we sit down somewhere?"

[Lucan de Rousseau]

"Shall we go below deck?" I asked. "Or would you prefer to sit outside?"

[Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov]

It was nice to be in the open air after so long in the carriage during the trip here- and besides, Laurel was still playing here and he needed sunshine and fresh air too. There would be enough time for being inside when the sailors were working and didn't need him underfoot. "Here is fine," I said with a smile as I walked over to one of the benches along the side and sat down. "You did get my letters on Ruskovian tradition and customs, didn't you?"

[Lucan de Rousseau]

"I did, but you'll forgive your old father for needing reminders," I said. "You did write a lot. What are the most important things I'll need to remember?"

[Lessandrie de Mereliot-Romanov]

"I guess the most important thing is that it's a patriarchal and very formal society that's very much tied to its traditions, at least as far as anything political is concerned," I said in a thoughtful tone. "Which means that you'll be expected to do a lot of the speaking and arrangements as it's not appropriate for unwed daughters to do so. It's not really seen as proper for women to speak up at all unless it's in the private of their own homes with their family, and even then they should always be respectful and dutiful to the needs of the men."

This was far different than anything I'd had to endure so far and I wasn't quite sure if I'd be able to manage it, but I knew I had to try. If I could make it through I'd have the best reward possible, my wedding, and that was a good bit of encouragement. Of course if I messed up I'd lose everything I'd done so far- and that tempered it, my features calm but with a bit of concern in my eyes. "Is this too much? Can I do what they expect, and will everything go well, do you think?"

[Lucan de Rousseau]

I frowned. "It's certainly not...congruent with our d'Angeline values, but I think you will be able to pull it off," I said. "Your future husband, he treats you as an equal in all other instances, does he not?"