Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Nearly every time I write these days I am shocked by how much time has slipped away, and this shall not vary from the constant theme. 

I am to turn twenty-four on Monday and I can hardly fathom the notion!

Not only does it make my unmarried status more noticeable as I constantly break against convention, but it also means that I am that much closer to the end of my days in Bohemia. Neither of which I had given much thought to; other than as abstract futures that were not yet upon me.

Nevertheless, I shall welcome my birthday with open arms (for who doesn't love an occasion whose sole purpose is to be celebrated?)  and look forward to the next step in my life... Though my choice to return to the convent in Brighthelmstone is nothing particularly new. At least I shall have the Duke of Albany by my side and Belle shall no doubt intervene in our many arguments.

The summer, I'm hoping, will give me the opportunity to spend some time with the Duke before I take my place in the Northern counties as a lady-in-waiting to my Royal Charge. Though the Duke has made promises to move across the Continent with me, I am not naive enough to assume our lives will be in constant contact what with our respective duties. 

Bohemia has a wonderfully wild sense of spring, with festivals and fêtes galore, but it only makes me miss my wonderful Duke that little bit more. I feel he should be spending this time here with me, but of course it is FOR me that he is even in my beloved England. So I do not, nor cannot, mention my longing for him in my letters, though that is all I wish to do. But a lamenting letter never did anyone any good.

I do have plans to travel around the Continent myself a little more before I return home. Polska calls my name and I look forward to a week of exploring for my birthday. It is not a country I know anything about, so I shall spend this week doing some much needed research. Anywhere new makes me happy, if only I had the Duke by my side to enjoy my adventures with me.



D. S. 

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

April is a very changeable month, and not just because of the weather it would seem, though we have had some incredible storms between the days that almost feel like mid-summer. 

The Easter weekend was very quiet, and I have to admit that I was a little surprised to spend it entirely on my own, save for my entourage. I had expected to receive an invitation from the Duke of Albany's family, because of course I have no other friends or family of my own in this foreign land, and after the wonderful time we had together last week, it was impossible to hide my disappointment. 

And though I may be rather blasé with propriety and convention, even I couldn't summon up the impertinence to invite myself over a second time. So the Easter holiday was spent alone, in much contemplation.

I cannot complain too much because I was visited by the Greek muse Calliope and wrote stories and poems and pieces of literature that I hadn't thought myself capable of writing. It was most satisfying to break boundaries within my own imagination, and I truly relished the opportunity to do nothing more than write. 

Nothing more? There is nothing more that I love to do other than write and make passionate love to the Duke. But if I have to wait three weeks for the latter, then I shall concentrate solely on the former. 

Also, I shall enjoy taking the high road and ignore the slight from the Duke's family, though that no doubt means I still have some way to go before they completely accept me as the Duke's other half. But if it means I didn't have to spend the weekend under the artist's judgemental stare, then so be it.



D. S.

Friday, April 18, 2014

So where was I?

Ahh, yes, the surprise that was well worth the wait... After the Duke and I had made passionate love in the library and feasted with his family upon his return, we made plans to visit the South of Bohemia, a medieval town not that far away from the European capital of music, Vienna.


Český Krumlov is absolutely stunning, with rolling hills and dramatic mountains. The Vltava river meanders through the busy streets and gurgles lovingly at the foot of the castle. We shared such a wonderful time together, just the Duke and I, in this small little town, that I know it will always hold a special place in my heart, though we were only there for a few days.

I made an active decision not to ruin the weekend we had together by giving into the artist's demands and questioning the Duke about the other women in his life. I believe I am the only one in his heart now, and if he has had past lovers then that only makes him all the more experienced for me. And certainly he knows exactly what he is doing! 

It was only once we returned to the City of a Hundred Spires did it occur to me to ask about my surprise, which had seemingly been so easily forgotten. The Duke of Albany grinned at me, his blue eyes hinting at mischief, and he told me to wait in the Palace gardens, and without another word he disappeared. 

Of course I was slightly disgruntled as the seconds turned to minutes and there was even a panicked moment when I thought he wasn't going to return. But at long last he turned the corner and presented me with my dearest and most wondrous Belle! How he managed to convince her to travel the Continent and come and visit me I shall never know, but I only hope he knows my appreciation and gratitude.

We could not stop talking and it gave the Duke much gladness to see Belle and I reunited after so many months. The next few days that followed were in complete bliss and I cannot even recall what it is that we did. However, now that they have both left I feel rather empty, something I have never felt before here in Bohemia.

Again I have a month at least to wait until I get to see the Duke again. The distance does take it's toll, for we take at least a day to adjust to one another's company, whereso I noticed that Belle and I instantly recovered. But I look forward to the summer where the three of us can promenade around the Brighthelmstone convent and enjoy the sun's rays.


But for now I am alone, and they two, are travelling back to my Shire. 


D. S.

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Already the Duke of Albany has been and gone and once again I am left in this foreign land alone. Where to begin with the last fortnight of comings and goings? For a change I do not know where to find the words...

I suppose I should start with the Duke's arrival. I waited at his home in Bohemia with his family, the expected pomp and show on display as we whiled away the hours for his retinue to appear over the hills. 

But of course the Duke took the situation into his own hands and did away with convention. A lone horse silhouetted against the blue of the Bohemian sky signalled the Duke's return, and it galloped forward, but without the usual procession. The Duke's family were in no doubt that the rider would be their son and heir, but I was a little more dubious. 



It gladdens my heart to note that my assumption was correct. The rider that cantered towards us only wanted to let the Duke's family know that the Duke had ridden on to my home, rather than to his family first. I blushed and wished I had told the Duke about how relations with his parents were far warmer than a few months back. 

Nevertheless, his mother surprised me and told me to meet him at mine, giving me their fastest horse, only making me promise to bring the Duke home in time for the feast, which of course I was welcome to. Her generosity and knowing wink came as quite a shock, but she too was once a young woman in love, and I graciously accepted her proposal and urged my horse to hasten towards my lover. 

When I arrived at my humble abode I saw an unknown horse in my stables; the thought of being so close to the Duke made my heart quicken. Jeeves smiled at me to let me know that my guest was waiting in the library. I checked my appearance in my small pocket mirror; I was slightly flushed from my ride and I could not contain the curvature of my lips at the prospect of holding the Duke once more in my arms. 

I opened the door to the library and closed it quietly behind me. It was not my intention to sneak up on the Duke, but my heart was in my mouth and all of a sudden I was taken over by an unnatural shyness. Thankfully the Duke knows me all too well and the moment the door closed he put his hands over my eyes and kissed my neck, whispering 'guess who'.

I have never been happier than I was at that moment, to feel his strong hands against my face, holding me as we kissed for the first time in two months. How I hate the distance, but it makes the moments we do have together that much sweeter. I shan't give too many details about how we ransacked the library on our first afternoon together, I shall only remark that there is still a carpenter fixing a few shelves because of our furore...

How I have longed for him to touch me the way he touched me that afternoon. How I have craved the look in his sea blue eyes when he tells me he loves me. How I have yearned to have his arms hold me and soften my cries of pleasure. It was everything I had desired for two months, and I am sure I have yet to recover.

The feast was uneventful, though the Duke was pleased with the progress I had made with his family. He would not give me any details about the property he has yet to purchase in the Northern counties across the continent, nor would he sate my curiosity and allow me to know what was the promised surprise... Though it was worth the wait.



D. S. 

Monday, April 07, 2014

The Duke of Albany arrives in two days and I cannot think of anything but holding him in my arms. He has also piqued my interest as he has promised to bring a surprise with him... I have no clue as to what it may be, but he knows me well enough that I trust his judgement and only long for the day to come that much sooner!

However, I shall not allow his impending visit to shadow over the week I have had.

Jeeves and I travelled to the West of Bohemia with the Irish Lady of Corcaigh to visit some renowned musicians and delight in the cultural differences of various nations. The music was sublime, and I adored the entire weekend. 

We drank and ate far more than is entirely respectable, and I have to admit our hostess could not be faulted for the event she so proudly had prepared for us. The scenery of the countryside was awe-inspiring; I haven't seen the like since I travelled to the Antipodes two years ago, and I stared, my mouth agape at the wonder of this country. Truly, I will miss it on my return to the Shire. 

Of course there was dancing, the Irish lady and I are never likely to be the first to go home, though for a change we were not the last! It was delightful to have so much fun and freedom, though the language is still somewhat of a barrier.

The only slight mar on the entire weekend was the journey home; Jeeves and I were told to wait for a carriage in this tiny village a little more than an hour away from my chateau, but it seems the carriage did not wait for us. Instead of the three hours it should have taken us to make it back, we doubled that time and took six hours!

Never have I been so grateful to see the castle of Mladá Boleslav. 

Now I shall just wait for the Duke's arrival. I have not forgotten that I have several questions to ask, but the longing for his touch is outweighing my curiosity at this point...



D. S.