The next day, Isabelle came down to breakfast to find a satisfying proof that her plan to get Galbore's trades reinstated worked. She couldn't not smile at a sight of piles of wild strawberries in the centre of the table. A colourful contrast to their beige meals in the recent days.
Cassian sat at the end of the table, looking to the side, seemingly looking out of the window. He was absent-mindlessly rubbing his bare finger as if he was trying to turn the invisible ring around it.
"Good morning, your highness." Isabelle curtsied as her usual ritual. Her words snapped Cassian back as he hurriedly stood up and bowed his head.
Annette's arrival was loud and it disturbed the serene silence of the room.
"Oh my, look at that! Cassian, did you do it? You honestly outdid yourself." Annette's voice carried through the room. She reached for the fruit straight away. "They're almost as good as our fruit, but for this time of the season, they're delicious."
Isabelle's smile vanished. Another reminder that she was from Galbore and that Galbore was looked down on.
"Enjoy." Cassian said and that was all.
Isabelle picked a single wild strawberry she picked. It reminded her of years in a palace, springs and summers. And then it reminded her of a particular summer.
*
Many years earlier, Isabelle sat down on a blanket with a young man beside her.
"Did you read the works on astronomy?"
"Which ones?" She asked with a chuckle.
"Well, perhaps you've read the latest theory that there's a thing called a galaxy."
"Of course. We are within one galaxy which is made of many systems and planets and stars, and there are many more." She opened a basket that she packed clumsily not much earlier. "And I think it wonderful that there's so much of unknown and to discover."
"Really? I thought it was terrifying."
"Why?"
"We're barely specks of dust on a slightly bigger spec. We're like a grain of sand within an entire ocean!" The man was animated as he spoke.
"And just think how much there is to see in that ocean!"
"Truly, Isabelle, I have never seen anyone as curious as you."
"And I never met anyone who worried so much, and contemplates on the scary more so than exciting."
"Then tell me, whatever you wish you could find in other galaxies."
""I wonder if there's a planet, like ours, with creatures that we couldn't even imagine." Isabelle smiled. "And the plants that grow as tall as the mountains!"
"That would be terrifying."
"Only if you see it that way. Now, I've brought plenty of fruit and cheese and bread."
"What are these?"
"The wild strawberries. They grow up the mountains. My grandfather likes them so we get a basketful every week or two throughout the season. They're my favourite."
"I have never seen it in Ariadna."
"I think my grandfather has said that they only grow in Galbore."
The man tried them cautiously.
"They are delicious!"
"What else did you expect, Atlas?" Isabelle rolled her eyes.
*
As the memory flashed through Isabelle's mind, she smiled in a much more sorrowful way. She tried to not think of Atlas. She tried to bury her memories altogether. She tried to forget Atlas, her grandfather, her home. It was all long gone.
She was glad that Cassian dismissed himself quickly because he had a meeting with a councillor.
This gave her just enough time before Annette started telling her of how to host the ball to send the embroidered handkerchief with a note, requesting Samuel to collect the plants and to be careful with them, instructing him to wrap them in a silk cloth to ensure the least damage possible.
Isabelle was troubled but yet another thing. Cassian requested her to play chess with him almost two weeks ago, but since, many things have happened and she wasn't certain if that invitation still held up. And if it did, it was the very next day. She wasn't certain if she can sit beside him and entertain him whilst she felt so hurt and betrayed.
But still, she hoped to give him the remedy for his cough and a newly embroidered silk handkerchief the next day to show him that she is still appreciative of all that he gave her in the last two months.
She wondered if she should plead for mercy. Or if she should request that if her execution was to be that it wasn't public. Or perhaps, that she should ask him to banish her instead.
She was still awaiting the punishment for embarrassment she caused whilst attending to the fire.
Cassian's POV:
Cassian's chest hurt increasingly but not nearly as bad as his lost ring. Samuel found him in the study in the late morning, where he sat and fidgeted uncomfortably.
"What's the matter?" Samuel asked straight away.
"I am still bothered about the trades with Galbore and now I have lost my wedding ring." Cassian let out a long sigh.
"Didn't you change the suspension of all trades to those that classify as luxurious trades?"
"I did."
"So, what's the problem?"
"I feel like I'm playing a loosing game. I wish to draw a line that if anyone hurts the princess of Ariadna will be punished, but…"
"She's the First Princess of Galbore." Samuel nodded.
"Yes. And she deeply cares about the impact on the lower social classes. I am trying to minimise it and find a way to punish the royal family who is directly responsible for it."
"Understandable. Now, what's with the ring?"
"I've lost it. I am certain that I had it when I received a letter from King Edgar. I am unsure when it went missing. I might have lost it whilst attending to the fire. Either way, I am devastated. I've turned my entire room and study upside down yesterday."
"Yeah." Samuel looked at still badly stacked books and documents on the side. "I'm sure you can get a new one."
"I can't replace its sentimental value though."
"No, you can't."
"Notify the staff that if anyone finds it will receive an appropriate reward."
"Of course. Shall I let Isabelle know?"
"No, don't." Cassian shook his head. "I feel terrible for loosing it. But I still hope that I can recover it. If I don't find it, I'll speak to her about it. But then, what are the chances that she'll notice?"
"It is a small piece of jewellery and it can be easily missed." Samuel somewhat agreed. "By the way, how long will you keep Annette in the castle?"
"I was thinking until after the spring equinox. Unless Isabelle requests otherwise. Why?"
"I was just curious." Samuel shrugged dismissively.
"By the sounds of things, Isabelle has been doing great and is keen to learn."
"I never thought it to be otherwise." Samuel smiled as he remembered the curious questions about politics and Isabelle's intend to learn about herbs from Chiron.
Cassian started another coughing fit. Samuel tilted his head.
"I was curious about another thing." Cassian said once his coughing eased. "Do you know what Isabelle was up to in the city yesterday? She came back so late."
"I'm not too certain. I believe she saw the botanist." Samuel answered, still insistent on hiding the full truth. At least for now.
"Whatever for?"
"Flower of sorts."
"A flower? What kind?"
"No idea. I have no memory for this kind of things."
"I thought I saw Matilda and Jane in the afternoon, near the servants' quarters. I thought she went with her maid."
"She went with Matilda in the morning but Matilda wanted to return. A guard assisted her further."
"A guard?"
"Just in case she wanted to run away?" Samuel said half jokingly.
"I hope that she knows by now that she is not my prisoner and that she can live well in the castle." Cassian looked down before starting to cough again. "Ouch."
"Serves you right for falling off a horse." Samuel grumbled which made Cassian laugh and then squirm again. "You know, Isabelle is a better horse rider than you."
"I wouldn't be surprised."
"You fell off a fully equipped horse. She didn't budge when riding bareback."
"You do not need to remind me. I'm still embarrassed as heck. And I'm still annoyed that she rode bareback. It brings higher risk of injury. I know that she's skilled but I rather her not tempt the fate."
"If you could, you'd wrap her in blankets and keep her on display."
"I cannot bear a thought that she might get hurt, Samuel. I just… I rather die than see her hurt." Cassian let out a sigh. "I scared her yesterday and I thought that all was lost but this morning she looked so intently at me. I wish I could read into that mind of hers."
"You might have gone a little bit overboard yesterday. You screamed so loud that you were heard from the entrance."
"I know. I've lost it." Cassian sighed again. "What if she got hurt?"
"She didn't. And she's smart."
"She was the smartest person I knew." Cassian said with sentiment.
Samuel smiled before Cassian and he went to yet another gathering.
Isabelle's intelligence truly impressed Samuel not much later in the day, whilst Cassian was blissfully unaware of her manipulation.
Cassian always made sure to escape in time for the meals just to catch the glimpses of Isabelle for those minutes, maybe half an hour if he was lucky.
Isabelle seemed uninterested in him or Annette. She was fully focused on her meal.
"Cassian, I had an interesting conversation with her highness earlier." Annette chirped in her enthusiastic voice.
"Yes?" Cassian looked suddenly more interested.
"Apparently, there's now a season for wild strawberries in Galbore. I have never eaten them."
"Adeline, have you had them before?" Cassian turned to Isabelle. She looked up in surprise. Her delicate head was decorated in heavy locks of her own hair swirled into stiff cylinders.
"Yes, I have, your highness." She answered.
Cassian's thoughts were racing. A sudden reminder that Isabelle was from Galbore and might miss her home. Two months away from her kingdom. And the wild strawberries?
"Her highness has said that they're sweet and delicious. How I wish I could try one." Annette didn't have to tell him. He remembered trying them for the first time. It was a rather childish picnic they had one day. They were teenagers, barely adults. And now, Isabelle was so much more restrained and quiet. She thought silently and hardly spoke her mind. Maybe that was all a part of growing up.
"I see." He said, trying to organise his thoughts and make his mind up.
His eyes met with Isabelle's. And her eyes were stormy, sorrowful, inquisitive, and angry.
Perhaps she missed her home to be speaking of it to Annette. She always loved wild strawberries. They used to be her favourite. How could he ever forget?
And now, he decided. He must get her the fruit that she so used to love, and show her that he still so deeply cares for her. He hoped she knew.
"Where could one get wild strawberries?" As soon as he left dining room, he asked Samuel.
"No idea." Samuel shrugged in confusion.
"Isabelle spoke to Annette of wild strawberries. She used to love them so much back when..:" Cassian's voice vanished. "I need to get some for her. I do not care for how much they cost and what it will take."
"Understood. And did Isabelle speak of them?"
"Indeed."
"I'll see about where one can get them and I'll report back." And that's what Samuel did.
He returned to Cassian with a face that was hard to decipher.
"What's up, Sam?"
"I have found an answer to your earlier question." Samuel smiled. "The wild strawberries can only be found in the mountains of Galbore."
Cassian flopped on the chair, his face serious in thought.
"I suspended trades with Galbore."
"Indeed."
"I… would that be a necessary trade or a luxurious trade?"
"I'm afraid it might be the latter. Unless we work around it by saying that luxurious items are any non-food items?"
"Yeah, maybe. Then it might fall under the standard trade."
"That sounds like a pile of paperwork."
"Perfect for you, right?"
"I thought you might say that." Sam's smile vanished.
"Get it here as soon as possible."
"I will." Samuel sighed before leaving Cassian to return to his study, and to deal with the new request. He saw straight through Isabelle's plan and he found it hilarious that she managed to play the naive card so well to get the trades reinstated so quickly since learning of the suspension.