Part Twenty-One: Sigrid and Peter
May. 15th, 2020 10:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sigridharemIt was none other than Peter, the only man she’d ever ejected from her harem. Of course, being a lord’s son, he did have business in the castle but usually they managed to avoid each other without difficulty.
“Hello, Lord Peter,” Sigrid said sourly.
Peter crossed his arms, lifting his pointed chin. “If I’d known you had an audience, I would have postponed mine.”
Sigrid couldn’t repress the loud snort that came out of her. “And Mother would have been so understanding of such pettiness, I am sure!”
“Who’s petty?” Peter scowled. “Just because I don’t want to see you parading around your latest dewy-eyed conquests-“
“Oh yes, look at me, parading around!” Sigrid swept her arm about the empty air dramatically. “Could you be referring to that armchair? I see my standards have drastically decreased!”
“Don’t be stupid, Sigrid,” Peter snapped, before realizing his mistake.
“Don’t you dare use my name that way,” Sigrid growled. “You lost that privilege long ago.”
For a moment he looked frightened enough that she thought he would apologize. The old Peter, the one she’d cared for, would have. Instead, his shoulders went up and he hissed, “There’s nobody around but guards and us! Just let it go!”
She regarded him coldly. “That doesn’t sound like an apology.”
“It was my mistake, Princess, I admit it, but- but come on!” Peter threw up his hands. “You know it wasn’t meant as anything else.”
“You’re not in a position to assume what I’m thinking.”
He actually rolled his eyes, the nerve of him. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize this was some stupid game! This! This right here is why I don’t want to see you!”
The doors to the audience chamber swung open, and both Sigrid and Peter froze.
“I can hear you two squabbling like petulant children, you know,” the Queen remarked.
Sigrid winced.
“Lord Peter. My daughter doesn’t wish to see you, so get out of her sight.”
Peter flinched, then began to move towards the Queen, who clicked her tongue disapprovingly.
“Whatever your business is with me, it can wait. Obey me properly, or there will be consequences.”
The moment the words were out of her mouth, Peter fairly scrambled down the hallway, all traces of dignity thrown to the winds.
“What do we say, daughter?”
“Thank you, Mother,” Sigrid said automatically, though she wasn’t sure if what she felt was gratitude.
“Next time, make less of a mess.”
The Queen gestured with one hand, and the doors swung closed once more.
Well. That could have gone better.
Steadying herself, Sigrid set out for her office.
She had, perhaps, overreacted to Peter, she could admit that much to herself privately. But surely he had escalated things as much as she had?
I don’t want him as my enemy. And I certainly don’t want people saying the Queen is holding him in disfavor on my account.
Karl was waiting outside the door, which she took as a sign that he’d found Gudmundr.
“Karl.” Sigrid hesitated. “I want you to convey a message to Lord Peter.”
The slightest arch of Karl’s eyebrows was the only hint of his feelings on the matter. “What is it?”
“Tell him I… apologize for our encounter today, and I will make sure Mother hears his suit whatever it may be. Our history should not interfere with his duties.” Sigrid exhaled.
“It will be done, Lady.”
“Thank you, Karl.” She sighed. “Much as I might prefer to hold a grudge, I must be politic.”
“Of course.” A rare smile crossed Karl’s face, quickly concealed as he dipped his head in a bow.
“Hello, Lord Peter,” Sigrid said sourly.
Peter crossed his arms, lifting his pointed chin. “If I’d known you had an audience, I would have postponed mine.”
Sigrid couldn’t repress the loud snort that came out of her. “And Mother would have been so understanding of such pettiness, I am sure!”
“Who’s petty?” Peter scowled. “Just because I don’t want to see you parading around your latest dewy-eyed conquests-“
“Oh yes, look at me, parading around!” Sigrid swept her arm about the empty air dramatically. “Could you be referring to that armchair? I see my standards have drastically decreased!”
“Don’t be stupid, Sigrid,” Peter snapped, before realizing his mistake.
“Don’t you dare use my name that way,” Sigrid growled. “You lost that privilege long ago.”
For a moment he looked frightened enough that she thought he would apologize. The old Peter, the one she’d cared for, would have. Instead, his shoulders went up and he hissed, “There’s nobody around but guards and us! Just let it go!”
She regarded him coldly. “That doesn’t sound like an apology.”
“It was my mistake, Princess, I admit it, but- but come on!” Peter threw up his hands. “You know it wasn’t meant as anything else.”
“You’re not in a position to assume what I’m thinking.”
He actually rolled his eyes, the nerve of him. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize this was some stupid game! This! This right here is why I don’t want to see you!”
The doors to the audience chamber swung open, and both Sigrid and Peter froze.
“I can hear you two squabbling like petulant children, you know,” the Queen remarked.
Sigrid winced.
“Lord Peter. My daughter doesn’t wish to see you, so get out of her sight.”
Peter flinched, then began to move towards the Queen, who clicked her tongue disapprovingly.
“Whatever your business is with me, it can wait. Obey me properly, or there will be consequences.”
The moment the words were out of her mouth, Peter fairly scrambled down the hallway, all traces of dignity thrown to the winds.
“What do we say, daughter?”
“Thank you, Mother,” Sigrid said automatically, though she wasn’t sure if what she felt was gratitude.
“Next time, make less of a mess.”
The Queen gestured with one hand, and the doors swung closed once more.
Well. That could have gone better.
Steadying herself, Sigrid set out for her office.
She had, perhaps, overreacted to Peter, she could admit that much to herself privately. But surely he had escalated things as much as she had?
I don’t want him as my enemy. And I certainly don’t want people saying the Queen is holding him in disfavor on my account.
Karl was waiting outside the door, which she took as a sign that he’d found Gudmundr.
“Karl.” Sigrid hesitated. “I want you to convey a message to Lord Peter.”
The slightest arch of Karl’s eyebrows was the only hint of his feelings on the matter. “What is it?”
“Tell him I… apologize for our encounter today, and I will make sure Mother hears his suit whatever it may be. Our history should not interfere with his duties.” Sigrid exhaled.
“It will be done, Lady.”
“Thank you, Karl.” She sighed. “Much as I might prefer to hold a grudge, I must be politic.”
“Of course.” A rare smile crossed Karl’s face, quickly concealed as he dipped his head in a bow.
