Lady Crystobelle had requested Seraphina's presence before her departure with Dante and the rest of the Heralds Of Elovaisus. She was expecting Dante or one of his elvish brethren to knock on the door to retrieve her belongings for the journey. When she heard a knock, she called out to them, letting whoever it was come inside. She was adjusting her most treasured trinket, dangling down from her neck. It was a locket given to her by Dante when she was ten years of age.
"That is a beautiful novelty," Lady Vylot told her and Seraphina blushed, turning to the beautiful noble lady. "An extraordinary gift."
"Thank you," she whispered.
Lady Vylot chuckled. "You did not deny it was a gift," she said, eyeing the locket dangerously. Seraphina realized she knew who had bestowed it. Panicked, she shakily pushed the locket inside her tunic to hide it away from furious eyes. "I thought we were friends, Seraphina. I can count on you being a friend. I can trust you, can I not?"
Seraphina eyed the noble lady. She never had considered her a friend nor would she, but she had no desire to point that out especially with the predatory glint in Lady Vylot's eyes. Instead, she just remained quiet as the lady drew closer to her.
"You should do well to remember your place," the noble lady warned, gazing up and down at the clothes Dante bought her in disgust. She snorted in disdain. "No self respecting female of high stature would ever be clothed like a male only ones that are breed to be cattle. All of the Heralds Of Elovaisus require a mate of true caliber. Men will only use your body for convenience--"
"Seraphina?" a voice called out and Lysander, one of Dante's elvish warriors, walked into her cottage. His eyes bounced back and forth between the two of them. "Am I interrupting?"
There was a mischievous glint in his eyes. Seraphina knew he had overheard at least part of the conversation. She was humiliated and ashamed, but she truly was relieved for the interruption. She glanced over at Lady Vylot, wondering how she would play this off.
"Of course not," the noble lady gushed, changing her tone like a chameleon. "Seraphina and I were having a heart-to-heart--"
One of the warrior's eyebrows arched. "Oh, were you now? Unfortunately or perhaps fortunately, Seraphina has more important matters to attend to before leaving the Great Willow Tree," the warrior told her dryly. "She is being summoned by Lady Crystobelle and Captain Dante Elderys of the Heralds of Elovaisus to the Queen's personal chamber unless you would like to explain to them why you felt you were more important than them?"
Lady Vylot blushed at that. "Of course not."
A few more of the Heralds filtered in while Lady Vylot scurried off. Seraphina watched Lysander shake his head at the departed woman until his eyes slid over to hers.
"Seraphina, shall I escort you to the Great Hall so you are not accosted by envious harpies?" Lysander told her with a smirk.
Seraphina chuckled at that. "My knight in shining armor."
"Ah, we all know the true elf of that role," he teased. Seraphina blushed, knowing he was referring to Dante. "First, what are you bringing?"
She pointed to the saddle bags that Dante had dropped off in the wee hours of morning. She had cooked him a morning fare. He hadn't mentioned this meeting before departing the Great Willow Tree. Lysander smirked, eyeing those saddlebags.
"Dante gave you them, did he not?"
Seraphina glanced around at the other Heralds, who also wore knowing looks. She frowned, wondering why it mattered. Dante often doted on her like a little sister. She wished it was more. She wished these tokens were far more romantic in nature than what they truly were. All his gifts were practical except her locket. Lysander pointed to a symbol carved into the material and her eyes immediately went to the intricate symbol.
"That is his family crest," he told her and Seraphina realized why they were looking at her that way. "He is very particular with family heirlooms."
"I-I am certain he will want them returned," she whispered, stammering in shock.
Lysander shook his head. "He readily bestows gifts on you, Seraphina," he said before tilting his head to the door and offering his arm. "Shall we?"
She nodded, taking his arm in good spirit. The other Heralds chuckled as they gathered the saddlebags. She blushed when she heard one of them remark to the other Herald that he preferred a woman in masculine clothing to be his mate. Lysander also overheard and smirked at the remark.
"Most warriors want a woman that is not afraid to be in their world and lifestyle," he assured her sincerely, looking down into her upturned face. "Nobility believe they have worth due to their titles. Warriors are of the old path ordained by the Soul Tree. They see worth by the heart of every soul as does the Queen of Elovaisus, please remember that, little one?"
~
"Has Lady Vylot given you more grief than what I witnessed?" Lysander questioned as Seraphina and the warrior to make their way to Lady Crystobelle's personal chambers.
Seraphina glanced over at Lysander, but his eyes were looking straight ahead. She sighed, wondering if she should lie or tell the truth. Perhaps, she could be evasive about it. She chewed her bottom lip, wondering the best course of action. She didn't even notice that Lysander was watching her until it was too late.
"Even I shall know you are lying if you give me a diplomatic response," he told her gruffly. She blushed at his observation and she opened her mouth to refute him. "You should have told Dante. He would have put a stop to her antics."
She shook her head. "I do not wish to be the cause of any problems especially between them."
"Sera," he growled, causing her body to heat up at the way he said it. She liked it. She liked it more than she should have to see the defensiveness in tone and his face. Perhaps, it was because it was different from the way Dante defended her. "Nobility or not, she still does not have the right to treat you poorly."
"I-I understand it," she murmured, looking away from his intense stare. "She only became cruel when she saw my locket."
"Locket?" he questioned curiously. "Which locket?"
Her entire face and body felt like it burning with embarrassment at the secret she had kept on her every day. "Yes, the one that Dante gave to me years ago," she confessed and she watched Lysander freeze for a moment. His eyes widened in shocked realization. "She saw it. I-I did not tell her it was from Dante, but she--"
"She suspected it was from him," Lysander aided. She nodded in her at his assumption. "Sera, does anyone else know about the locket?"
She shook her head. "No. I hide it under my clothes."
He nodded his head at that. His eyes swept up and down her. A slight smile slanted his mouth as he turned his head to look ahead. Her arm was still hooked with his as they walked Lady Crystobelle's chambers. Both Lady Crystobelle and Dante looked up at their arrival.
"Seraphina, you have arrived," Lady Crystobelle said in relief. Her eyes shifted to their interlocked arms and a mischievous smile touched the corners her mouth. "Under the protection of a strong elvish warrior."
Seraphina didn't miss the way Lady Crystobelle's eyes darted to Dante. Dante was giving them a pointed look as if he was a father or brother judging a potential mate for his daughter or sister. Although, Dante kept silent. Seraphina saw the icy glare he was sending Lysander.
"It is always my pleasure to assist Sera," Lysander told them without any nerves. To Seraphina, he seemed quite calm with Dante's piercing stare slicing into him at the mention of Lysander's nickname. "Sera had a delicate... matter she was attending to. I made certain she was guaranteed a safe passage here."
"Ever the chivalrous elf," Lady Crystobelle chuckled as her eyes danced between him and Dante. "Your Sera is in good hands with us, is that not right, Lord Dante?"
Dante's eyes snapped to Lady Crystobelle. "Seraphina has always been in good hands. Have you not?"
Seraphina blushed, but she nodded her head at the attention to his question brought when all three of them looked at her. Dante smiled in satisfaction over that. She swallowed thickly when his eyes yet again focused on Lysander as if he was preparing for war.
"You are no longer needed," he addressed Lysander sternly.
She glanced over at Lysander who had an amused expression on his face. He turned to her abruptly and lifted her hand. She gasped as his soft but firm mouth pressed against the back of her hand.
"Lysander, see to the rest of the Heralds," Dante snapped at him. "We shall be departing shortly."
Undisturbed by Dante's uncharacteristic bite in his tone and demeanor, Lysander only smirked and kept his eyes to Seraphina, ignoring his leader. Lysander leaned forward and whispered in her ear. "Your saddlebags shall be placed upon her horse for you."
She caught a mischievous smile tip the corners of his mouth when Dante dismissed him sharply. Lysander gave her a slight bow and also gave a bow to an amused Lady Crystobelle before walking off. She watched Lysander disappear and glanced over at both her mentors. Lady Crystobelle had her own playful smile on her lips while Dante still looked beyond aggravated.
Did he not approve of the idea of Lysander courting her? Not that she had any feelings for the elf at least none that she yet explored, but the knowledge that Dante didn't deem her worthy enough to be Lysander's possible mate caused her heart to ache.