The Queen Departs

Faithful subjects of the realm, our most gracious sovereign departs for southern climes. She will return to us all in one week’s time. Before she kindly dismissed us from her chamber, however, she offered us these written musings, as she lay awake in her featherbed most of the night and scribbled these notes: 

I am most befuddled.

I am thinking about double standards.

Why is it that a man can be witty, or verbose, or virile, and be excused (or even encouraged) for such behaviors, but a woman cannot? I find that if I am too clever around a squire or prince then he feels threatened. I find if I debate the finer points of any particular topic with too much ease around a squire or prince then he feels threatened. I find if I don’t do a perfect job of hiding the fact that my interest falls to more than one man around a squire or prince then he feels threatened. These fellows want a woman to make certain overtures, but only to a point. They want us to be wildly flirtatious, but only with them. They want us to be smart, but not smarter than they. They want us to be bawdy, but chaste. They want us to be funny, but not laugh-out-loud. They want us to be a complement to them, but do not dare suggest they are a complement to us.

As I say, a double standard.

Double standards are fixed features of life; I certainly get that. What troubles me is the fact that when confronted about these seeming inconsistencies in their signals, men balk. It’s as if admitting these things are true also forces them to “out” their baser, more feral selves. There’s nothing wrong with being an animal, gentlemen, but at least be honest with yourselves and admit to it. I don’t like the fact that I am called arrogant, or too forward, or a tease when I merely apply the rules honestly. It’s simply not fair. Not that life ever was fair, and certainly not my life to be sure, but why can’t we at least try to acknowledge the facts for what they are?

I am leaving Aes Sidhe for a short holiday, and in that time I hope to cleanse my palate and purify my thoughts. I am already growing fatigued with the dating rat race. Well, that’s a lie, actually. I am enjoying it tremendously. But it takes a lot of energy, and I find myself consistently confused or stymied by some other rule I was unaware of. I still find the two princes quite engaging, and for very different reasons. Leaving them both behind for a period of days may prove to be interesting. Will they miss me? Will they look forward to my return? The augurs cannot foresee the outcome; only playing the exercise in real time will bear out the truth.

Be well. Be safe. I will think of you often while I am away, my subjects. 

Until next week, then... God Save Our Queen!

“Heaven help me for the way I am!
Save me from these evil deeds before I get them done
I know tomorrow brings the consequence at hand
But I keep livin' this day like the next will never come
Oh, help me but don't tell me to deny it
I've got to cleanse myself of all these lies 'til I'm good enough for him
I got a lot to lose, and I'm bettin' high so I'm beggin' you:
Before it ends, just tell me where to begin” ~Fiona Apple