London, England 1581,
Lady Roseline Plantagenet pressed herself against the cold stone wall outside her guardian's study, breathless with fear. Her maid had brought her the curt note an hour ago, from her guardian that demanding her presence. She had taken each step with trepidation. As she was about to knock on the oak door of the study, she had heard two men arguing softly. One of them was her guardian, the other, she did not recognize.
"Listen, St. Denis, we cannot do this tonight, the masquerade ball will be filled with Queen Elizabeth's guards. Do you not think that they will post more sentinels on this particular evening?" The other man stated with a bit of nervousness in his voice. Villiars knew why the earl was doing this, he had murdered his ward's parents because they had witnessed his treasonous activities, giving out secret information to Spanish agent.
"That is precisely why it is perfect, Villiers, everyone will be disguised in a costume for this frivolous event. That is when I come in with my delicious weapon" her guardian paused for dramatic effect.
"And what or whom is that?".....Villiers prompted.
"My ward, Roseline. Everyone is excited to meet the exquisite Lady Roseline Plantagenet. Not only is her family an ancient one, but her beauty far surpasses any shrew at court. They will be so distracted by her beauty, that to kill the Queen will be child's play." St. Denis laughed heartily with menace.
Roseline gasped softly, covering her mouth. Her luminous violet eyes, widened in fear, as she quickly grasped the meaning of what was to occur tonight. Her guardian, John St. Denis, Earl of Surrey and this Villiers man, supposed trusted men of the Queen, were planning on killing her tonight at her masquerade ball, declaring the beginning of the season.
Suddenly she heard heavy footsteps coming towards the door, Roseline flattened herself against the cool wall once more, as the door opened swiftly. Biting her lower lip to keep quiet, she waited until the fall figure vanished down the hallway, then waiting a few moments, she approached the study quietly. Knocking quietly, Roseline waited until she was bade to enter.
Turning from the window, the Earl looked at Roseline up and down. Taking in her attire, he looked at her from head to toe. He noticed how her raven black hair rippled down to her waist like a silken cloud. She had eyes the color of amethyst, fringed with thick black lashes, completed with delicately arched brows. Her skin was the color of pale pink roses, that matched the dark pink of her lips. Examining her even closer, the Earl realized how womanly she had become, no longer is she the skinny child she was when Queen Elizabeth had awarded him wardship of her, three years past. She was still petite at 5'1 but very curvaceous., her face was heart shaped. The two characteristics he did not find pleasing about her, was rebellious light in her eyes and the little jagged scar on her left cheek. Roseline had beaten him in a dagger-throwing competition, last year, but he had been drunk. When he had seen the smile of triumph on his ward's face after she split the apple sitting on post twenty yards away, in two, he had backhanded her. His signet ring had cut her delicate cheek, leaving a permanent scar.
As if sensing what he was looking at, Roseline touched her cheek self consciously. "Y...You wished to see me, m'lord?"
"Aye, enter my dear. Please sit down" The Earl conceded that the scar did not detract from her magnificent beauty, if anything, the scar enhanced her mysterious face.......indeed, she will make a great distracting weapon this evening
Sitting meekly upon the chaise, near the hearth, Roseline stared into the mesmerizing flames for a moment. Upon hearing her guardian clear his throat to gain her attention, she raised her violet eyes to his cold blue ones.
"I have a meeting at White's this afternoon, so I will make this brief. We are to attend a masquerade ball this eve, given by the Queen, formally opening the season. You were specifically invited, to be presented to the ton. They want to meet the wonderful creature they have been hearing about, raised in France. Your lineage is far more pure and noble than most of those at court. You are a direct descendent of Henry III of the Plantagenet Dynasty." the Earl droned on.
He was going to use her as bait this evening, so he could kill the queen. Roseline thought hard, wondering how she was going to stop him, if in fact she could.
"Roseline!" the earl called out her name irritably."Pay attention to my instructions
"Aye, m'lord, I apologize, seems I am simply weary this morn. I did not sleep well" she bowed her head, pretending to be contrite, to placate him.
This seemed to appease him, for he smiled in the next moment. "Now, Roseline, your maid has been making your costume to my specifications. I will see you this evening, be sure to present yourself in the foyer at nine o'clock. You may retire to your chambers for rest." the Earl stood and went to the door and held it open for her.
Raising her chin defiantly, Roseline's violet eyes blazed momentarily with fires of defiance, but she decided to keep to her own council. As she stood, she smoothed out her velvet riding habit and swept gracefully from the study.
Frowning slightly, the Earl frowned at the look of strength in his ward's eyes, but chuckled slightly amusement "What trouble could one little female be."
* * *
Lady Roseline roared with fury, her violet eyes snapping with fire. "I refuse to wear this! 'tis positively indecent" she groaned, her long black hair flying around her shoulders.
"B...But m'lady, the Earl threatened that if you did not wear this costume, I ..." her timid little maid Charise began, but bit her lip to silence her speech.
Standing in front of her maid, Roseline places her hands on the other woman's shoulders. "Charise, the earl threatened what?" Roseline prompted her.
Raising her big brown eyes, she forced herself to continue "M'lord earl informed me that if you did not wear the costume, I would be dismissed with no reference, m'lady". The young maid's young face burned with shame.
Sighing softly, Roseline, took the costume again to examine it closely. Then an idea came to her, examining the red velvet gown, and although it fit her hourglass figure like a glove, Roseline decided to add a black domino mask with two tiny roses on each side to pin into her hair. Another red rose will grace her black hair, yet the best part of that rose, is the tiny dagger inside it. The long tiny dagger, poses as the stem of the rose. The red rose itself can be taken off by pressing upon the bud in the center of the flower; revealing the ivory hilt.
