Sew much Gossip
Much to Vera's dismay, Mrs. Miller had switched up the day's routine and had worked on posture and speaking with proper diction, which she was no good at, while she was gone and began working on etiquette just after she arrived... Late. Another point for Mrs. Miller. After lunch, she announced that for the rest of the day, they would be working on Needle Point. That made three points for Mrs. Miller, it was looking like she wouldn't be winning their secret battle of wits and wills today. It was all she could do to keep from letting out a very improper groan.
To make matters worse the only talk to be heard was all about cute boys, kissing, beues, engagements, weddings, baby showers, and babies that were born or people dreamed of someday having. She didn't dislike children and babies were cute enough, but she could not understand these girls' obsessions with the roles they had been given. Were she and Estel really the only ones who yearned for something more?
When she broke down and asked why they only talked about such things a girl responded with the classic, 'You wouldn't understand as you came from such a barbaric background you've always been a little off' but this time one of the younger girls broke the tension by innocently asking, "Do the northern barbarians not marry?"
To which she simply answered they did. how barbaric did she think they were?
"Then do they not woe a girl with kisses and the like?"
Again she said they did.
"Then have you Yet to experience the magic of your first kiss?"
To which she did not answer, but apparently that was answer enough and the other girls either laughed or looked upon her with pity. And despite having never cared about such things, she suddenly found herself embarrassed, and she did not like the feeling at all.
"You're telling me you spend almost all your free time with boys, yet have never even kissed one?" a girl asked in disbelief. "How is that even possible?"
"Maybe she lacks so much feminine charm they all think she's one of them." a girl said receiving a few giggles.
"And here we all thought your morals were looser than a lady of the night, it appears that only your ignorance and lack of feminine appeal has saved your virtue," Jennien remarked.
"I'm not sure what's more embarrassing being thought of as the town whore or everyone knowing that you couldn't even get a man to like you like that if you tried." Jenniens best friend Veronica added.
"That's enough Veronica," Mrs. Miller said coming to her rescue for the first time ever. She had been called Barbarian, a rabid animal, a filthy northerner, a mixed-blooded mongrel, darky and even dirty not for her hygiene but her dark hair or even demon spon yet Mrs. Miller had never said more than a soft admonishment. So whatever these new terms meant the Centrizians must consider it worse than being a barbarian or of possible enemy blood. She would have to ask someone about the terms later to find out just how offended she should be.
Estel's sad expression and rub on the back to try and comfort her told her whatever it was it was indeed very bad, and since Mrs. Miller had clearly drawn a line banning the subject she certainly wasn't going to ask about it here.
The conversation turned back towards more socially safe topics like Kissing and she went back to sewing quietly while trying her best to toon people out.
Was it really so magical this thing called kissing? And if it could completely change her perspective on life would she even want one? No, she decided. She didn't want to risk this strange magic that might make her want to throw her dreams to the side and willingly accept the kind of life she had considered nightmarish, with open arms. This kissing thing seemed dangerous.
Yet, the passion-filled excitement that flooded the room as girls suddenly and excitedly all started sharing their first kiss stories kept needling her mind with a dangerous curiosity that she couldn't completely shut out.
The Name Kendrick came up several times as the culprit of several swoon-worthy stories and she found herself both disgusted and curious at the same time. Was he that good? What would it be like to kiss him? She hated that jerk so she hoped she would hate it and not suddenly like the donkey's ass as most of the girls seemed to. But… the questions kept piling up and she had to wonder, is it me that is missing something? What was this strange mix of fear, curiosity, and desire?
"Now that Vera's back do you think we might get to see that handsome young nobleman again?"
"Who?" Vera asked distractedly trying to undo a bad stitch. She hadn't been expecting to be dragged into this conversation as most of the girls didn't really like her.
"Dan, she means Dan. And yes, he was at her house for dinner just last night. And he's somehow grown even more gorgeous over the winter." Estell gushed.
Giggles and sighs ensued. Vera looked at her friend like she'd grown another head. Since when had she found Dan attractive and why had she never mentioned it before? While maybe she had... but it was offhandedly in passing a year or two ago and she'd laughed it off but… Did Estel have a crush on Dan? How did he feel about her? And what would it be like if her two best friends courted or even married?
"Is he courting you?" a girl asked with a blush. She looked to her friend and back wondering if they had started courting while she was gone and she just hadn't heard about it yet. But both the girl asking and her friend looked at her expectantly.
"Ahh No, he's just a close friend," she explained confused by the fact they were even asking her that. Didn't everyone know she and Dan had been childhood friends for years? She'd never thought of him that way, it would be weird, like crushing on a cousin.
"How'd you become friends with a noble?" One of the younger girls asked looking at her with hopeful gleaming eyes like she might share some precious secret.
"He's not really a noble," Jennein said. "Just the bastard of one. They didn't even claim him so he has no sir name. If you think he could introduce you to high society you're wrong, no noble worth their name would associate with him." she assured.
"That's not true, there was a lady at her house last night too. One who invited Vera to a ball at the palace." Estell defended.
"What? No way." several people exclaimed.
"You're going to a ball?"
"Ahh..." she hadn't yet given it any thought since last night.
"It's probably a lie, why and how would she get an invitation to something like that?" Veronica said unknowingly giving Vera a lifeline.
"But what if it's true, Estell said there was a Lady there." one of the eager youngsters pushed ignoring Veronica and the glare she received for daring to speak.
"Lady Diana was probably just being polite. I'm not sure I'll go anyways." then with just a bite of bitter sarcasm added "I would just be a laughing stock, a barbarian at a ball? I'd either be entertainment or an embarrassment, so what's the point?" she asked eyeing Jennine and Veronica. If she said the mean things first it would take the fun away from the bullies itching to bring her down.
Her harshly spoken self insult caught everyone off guard and they fell silent most refusing to look her in the eye but non denying it.
"Well at least you know" Jennine muttered and someone changed the subject. She just focused on her dreaded needlepoint and let her mind wander. By the end of the day she was exhausted from the sheer tediousness of it all, and her neck and fingers were growing stiff. Dan Likely wouldn't be at the wall today but she needed to get out some frustration and loosen up some stiff muscles, so she ran to the wall and climbed it like she had as a child. Normally she found immense peace in this simple act, always one to live in the moment. But today for some reason, questions plagued her all the way to the old office she and Dan had claimed as home base.