Things Just Ain't What They Used To Be, For Richard/Nessie!

[Richard Plantagenet]

"He is indeed. That one is Wilbur, since I did not specify."

"I see," Richard replied, and was pleased to find that he did. Granted it was an easy concept to grasp, but compared to what Orville knew and understood even keeping up with such a conversation as this was a step forward for the 15th century monarch.

Richard was all the more surprised and pleased to find that his mention of his family had stirred some recognition within his companion.

"That took place during the War of the Roses, didn't it?"

Richard smiled wryly.

"Is that the name by which the wars are known since they ended?" he asked, somewhat incredulously. "Roses may have thorns but I believe the name we had was more accurate - The Cousin's War. It was not just cousin against cousin, mind - when my brother the Duke of Clarence was tried for treason it was his word against King Edward's, brother against brother-"

Here again Richard broke off, coming to the too-late realization that he had spoken too freely. He hadn't wanted to be seen as royal - Orville would have figured it out soon enough, he was clearly a clever man, but Richard was unsure how he would react to finding out who he was.

[Orville Wright]

It was indeed a pleasant turn of events that Orville and Richard had found other subjects which they could discuss candidly.

Orville could not help but smile himself at Richard's reaction to the name 'War of the Roses'. It was similar to his reaction at discovering the word 'airplane' in the English lexicon. Granted, there was a word much like it used in Orville's time that it replaced, but it still took a little adjusting to, and this, at least, Orville could relate to Richard on.

All of that said, Orville indeed did not miss the implications of what Richard was saying. As Richard spoke, the gears in Orville's head were turning. If Richard's brother was the Duke of Clarence, and King Edward was the brother of the Duke of Clarence..that meant that Richard was the brother of King Edward, and therefore royal blood. He had yet to realize that Richard was in fact a king himself, but he knew enough to work out more than Richard originally wanted him to. "You are, I am to take it, of royal blood then I suppose?" Orville spoke.

[Richard Plantagenet]

"You are, I am to take it, of royal blood then I suppose?"

Richard no longer saw any sense in hiding who - or what- he was - Orville had essentially figured it out, now he had spoken so easily of his brothers. It was strange to recall them, as though George's trail for treason had been only yesterday, when in fact they had both been dead as Richard was king, and dead for centuries now, as this was 2015.

Plantagenet found, however, that he di not wish Orville to think differently of him due to his royal status. He liked to think he had found a potential friend in the man - he had offered to help him understand the changed technology and times in 2015 after all, which would be no easy feat. And yet Richard was now aware, at least slightly, of what the years since his death had done to his reputation. Isabella knew the truth of course, but would Orville - would he believe the lies that had been puported for centuries after Richard's loss at Bosworth? Would he see him as the villain Shakespeare portrayed him as?

He nodded.

"Indeed," he said at last, attempting to look and sound less uncomfortable than he felt, all the better to fit the regal mode Orville would no doubt now expect him to. "I am the last Plantagenet king of England - King Richard III."

Although he did not wish Orville to think ill of him due to the implications and associations his name now carried, he did not wish to outright state his opinion - the truth, rather- than subsequent yearshad lied. That would just make him look guilty. Besides, although he did not want to see a negative reaction, he wanted to see Orville's honest response, one way or the other.

[Orville Wright]

As expected, Richard nodded to Orville. Given the prior statements, referring to various members of his family in royal positions, he had to realize that Orville would make this jump.

Orville's eyes nonetheless widened slightly as Richard reintroduced himself. Not only was he royalty, but he was a king? Well, that did require a small adjustment. It wasn't much, but Orville did lean forward into a bow in front of Richard. He had yet to meet any royals other than the Russian princess that he'd met during his first couple of weeks in 2015, but nonetheless, he felt as though a show of respect was due.

It took a few moments for Orville to realize that the name struck him as familiar. "Richard III...as in the Shakespearean play, Richard III?" Orville saw no need to pass judgment at this point, although he was a little cautious. Still, this man before him was nothing like the man in the play, and Orville was taking this into account. "I realize it came after your time, so you might not have heard of it. Perhaps I shouldn't have brought it up." Little did Orville realize that said play was the source of a lot of trouble for the man before him.

[Richard Plantagenet]

As Orville's eyes widened Richard got the distinct impression that he hadn't been expecting to hear he was a king - of royal blood, yes, but not a sovereign himself. He watched, with a strange mixture of appreciation and dismay - he could not help being pleased at this treatment due to who he was, yet he couldn't say he necessarily wanted it from Orville - as the younger man bowed.

"There really is no need-" he began, but Orville had spoken again, as though puzzling out where he had heard Richard's name before. Richard had braced himself for a negative answer and he wasn't dissapointed.

"Richard III...as in the Shakespearean play, Richard III? I realize it came after your time, so you might not have heard of it. Perhaps I shouldn't have brought it up."

"Yes, as in the Shakespearean play that bears my name," he replied,somewhat coldly, his memories of his brief encounter with the play still painful to recall. "Though I hasten to add that the protagonist of that work is not King Richard III - that is to say, he is fictional, a fabrication."

He paused. Then,

"I must admit I was only able to stomach the first scene, yet I understand Shakespeare perpetrated a great deal more lies about me. Am I to assume this fabrication was taken as truth in your time?"

He paused again. Then, in more sombre tones,

"Am I to assume this fabrication is taken as truth in this era?"

He should have expected this, Henry Tudor having won the Battle of Bosworth Field. And yet, from what little he knew, Tudor had gone above and beyond to blacken his name.

[Orville Wright]

It was noticeable straight away, the negative reaction that Richard had to the name Shakespeare and the play that bore his name. Again, Orville wondered if it would be better to have left the subject be, and not brought it up. Though it was too late to take it back now.

"I figured as much." Orville stated simply with a small smile, but hoped it would be a reassurance to Richard. After all, the man he'd been speaking to for the past several minutes bore little resemblance to the man in the Shakespearean tale.

His smile dropped at Richard's next question. It was a hard one to answer, but he knew it was only right to provide one nonetheless. He provided Richard with a simple nod to his inquiry. He did not know the politics behind the story, only the story itself and that the man before him did not fit the description that Shakespeare set of him at all.

[Richard Plantagenet]

"I figured as much."

Richard was glad that was what Orville thought but did not voice this opinion, still admittedly disgruntled at the very idea of Shakespeare and his play. As Orville's smile dropped and he nodded in answer to Richard's second query, however, Richard's own expression grew grimmer. It wasn't as though he blamed Orville for eveyone's perceptions - of course not - but he was dissapointed to learn these wrong perceptions had continued.

"I...I see..." Richard said, somewhat weakly. He took a moment or two to try and recover his composure before saying. "I apologize, I am being selfish in asking you such questions concerning myself."

[Orville Wright]

Of course, Richard did not react positively to the news that Orville gave him. The inventor opted to stay silent, giving the other man as much time as he needed to process what was going on. It wasn't until Richard apologize that Orville chose to speak again.

"No need to apologize. I understand why you ask, and I am the one who brought up the subject in the first place. It's only natural for you to ask, given that I brought it up." Given the thickness in the air ever since the subject was brought up, Orville was eager to find another subject to talk about. "How long have you been in this era?" That seemed like more of a neutral subject, at least.

[Richard Plantagenet]

"No need to apologize. I understand why you ask, and I am the one who brought up the subject in the first place. It's only natural for you to ask, given that I brought it up."

Richard nodded, accepting Orville's statement that he need not apologize. Not wanting to apologize for having apologized he listened to the rest of Orville's statement, giving a slight shrug as he deemed it only natural he should have asked. It was an excellent and most true point - Richard was glad when Orville decided to end that thread of the conversation there and turn to something more neutral.

"How long have you been in this era?"

"I do not believe I can answer that question with a great deal of accuracy," Richard replied, attempting a more light-hearted tone. "I was brought here, as I recall, from the battlefield - it is difficult to keep track of anything there, let alone time. It has been difficult adjusting to this era - so much is new and it takes time to adjust to it, so it feels an age has passed, yet at the same time, for similar reasons, time seems to pass very quickly. I would hazard a guess that I have only been here for around one week, or thereabouts."

[Orville Wright]

Orville recognized the struggle in Richard's voice, and understood that the prior subject was still weighing on him. It was certainly understandable, and only cemented, to Orville, that his decision to change the subject was probably for the best.

"The battlefield? I don't suppose you minded too much getting away from that venue, though I doubt this was the first place you had in mind. I'd almost venture to say that you'd probably prefer the battlefield, as at least that's familiar." It certainly wasn't Orville's when he was first brought here. "I was flying." Now, it was Orville's turn to look slightly trouble, for he wasn't exactly flying so to speak. "I hear two loud thumps and the machine was not responding correctly to the controls..." Orville closed his eyes at this point, letting out a sigh. "We were about to hit the ground when I ended up here."

And now Orville knew well enough to know that he'd survived that, at least, but his passenger was not so lucky. A haunting thought, given Orville's last memory of him. "I've been here a few weeks myself. It does get easier, but it never feels 100%." And he doubted that it ever would. This wasn't home.