The morning had been busy, as Tilda spent a good few hours cleaning one of one the massive candle chandeliers. Marley was headed safely home, after having stayed the night at the Arquix castle. Her carriage pulled away without incident.
Having finished the chandelier, Tilda made her way to the servant's commons and approached a pageboy.
Tilda asked, "Any mail for me?" She was expecting a letter from her family. Mellia had eaten some rotten fruit and it had taken longer than they originally thought for her to recover.
"A package," The pageboy said as he handed her a small wrapped object.
Opening the wrapping, Tilda pulled out a small lock with a key in it. A little note attached to the lock said, "It's tradition! - Carmesta".
Tilda blushed. She knew exactly which tradition her mother was talking about. It was one of those cheesy and corny lovey dovey couple traditions.
༻✧༺
Cosaria stared out the window, lazily looking at nothing, and everything. Suddenly, her eyes widened, her body tensed and a slight, expectant smile played on her lips. She rushed out of the room.
In the courtyard, Delrik's carriage pulled up while Cosaria hurried towards it.
Exiting the carriage, Delrik heard the perfect sound of his tender wife saying, "Welcome home."
Delrik pretended it meant nothing to him. As his eyes took in Cosaria's enchanting presence, he noticed obvious sweat marks dotting her forehead, her shoes were a little scuffed and her hair was slightly disheveled. He said, "You didn't run out here as soon as you saw the carriage, did you?"
Cosaria squirmed, "Oh, I uh… well…"
Delrik covered his smiling face with his hand. The entire ride back he had been pretending not to be excited to see Cosaria again. He told himself a million times that he didn't care. He still couldn't admit that it was all a lie, but he could admit that she did have some strange effect on him.
Holding out his arm, Delrik offered, "Shall we go for a stroll around the garden? My legs are stiff after the long ride."
"Yes! Of course."
As the suffocating love birds strolled away, Felux looked around like a sad puppy. He mumbled, "Where's Tilda?"
Meanwhile, Tilda, who hadn't been given a break all day, was sitting on the steps outside the kitchen door, scrubbing the inside of a kettle. The stubborn thing refused to give up its rust and it was making Tilda mad.
"Stupid kettle. Stupid rust. Stupid scrubber."
From inside the kitchen, Tilda heard Bess say, "Sir Felux! Tilda you say? She's just outside, over there."
"Thanks," Came the response.
Then Felux appeared in the doorway. He smiled like a happy puppy when he saw Tilda, and the pure joy exuding from his person melted her frustrations away. He sat down next to her.
Tilda asked, "How was the trip?"
"Lacking…" Felux said, as he leaned in close to Tilda's face. Just before their lips met, Felux stopped and turned to the kitchen door. He pointed to it, asking, "Why's the maid's eavesdropping on us?"
Clatter and movement resounded from just beyond the wall.
Tilda said, "They only recently learned that we're courting."
"I'd have thought they'd known it by now."
"Me too. Usually, they'd be spying day and night on a new couple. I think they are trying to catch up on lost time."
"Speaking of lost time," Felux said, as he wrapped his hand around Tilda's hip and leaned in.
Tilda mushed her face to his then they both backed away and laughed. The kiss had been so unexpectedly awkward.
Trying to recover the moment, Tilda hugged Felux, as she said, "I missed you."
Felux enjoyed their embrace for a moment longer, before getting serious. He said, "I've something to tell you about the meeting."
"What happened?"
Felux checked the doorway and shooed away any bystanders. He sat next to Tilda as he began to say, "The church's makin a move. They're calling for increased donations across the land and lower the price of holy water fer increasing their influence. They're also hunting out any and every person to be tested for divine power."
"Are they going to test Cosaria?"
"No, Delrik'll not allow fer it and no priest's stupid enough to cross the Duke. Still, tensions're growing. Be aware in case a priest shows face at the castle."
Tilda nodded, "We'll take extra special care."
༻✧༺
Delrik and Cosaria passed by the petals of blooming flowers.
Engaging in small talk, Delrik asked, "Whose carriage did I see leaving on the road from the castle?"
Cosaria cocked her head, "Carriage? Um… Oh! That's likely my new lady in waiting, Marley Von Garlikson. She left this morning. She'll begin her duties in a week's time."
"Hm. Garlikson… I see. Better make it two weeks, we'll be attending the hunting competition next week."
"The royal hunting competition?"
"Yes," Delrik said, "It's an annual event, this year they are hosting it at Sparrow's Glade, near the Red Forest. I assume you will prepare for it adequately. Do you have needlework skills?"
"Yes, my mother taught me when I was young."
"Excellent."
I'm sure she will create the most beautiful embroidered handkerchief, as is the custom, Delrik thought. The idea of receiving a hand embroidered handkerchief from Cosaria made his stomach do a little flip. It didn't even cross his mind that she wouldn't know about the tradition.
He said, "I intend to make you the lady of the hunt."
Cosaria tilted her head in confusion.
Delrik explained, "It means I'll dedicate the biggest catch to you, and in return, you give me a kiss."
Cosaria blushed deeply, saying, "Is it, is that what I must do?"
Leaning close to Cosaria, Delrik said, "Yes, it's tradition." Then, after seeing the flustered Cosaria internal struggle, he burst out laughing.
Cosaria gasped, "You're teasing me."
Laughing, Delrik said, "You will believe anything anybody tells you."
Cosaria puffed out her cheeks and said, "You better beware because I might not believe you so much anymore."
A serious demeanor fell upon Delrik. His face looked pained, like a sword had been stabbed in his heart. He said, "I don't think I could stand that."
Heart melting, Cosaria's face immediately softened. She said, "It's okay. I'll forgive you."
Delrik burst out laughing again.
"You're teasing me again!"
Huffing, Cosaria turned away with puffed out cheeks and blushing all over.
༻✧༺
In Cosaria's room, Tilda and Lady Cosaria sat on the couch talking, while Tilda filed Cosaria's nails to perfection.
After Cosaria mentioned it, Tilda said, "A hunting conversation?"
"Yes," Cosaria said. "Delrik plans to make me lady of the hunt."
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know."
I'll have to ask the other noble's maids when we get there, Tilda thought, I've been so busy with the lady in waiting stuff I haven't been keeping up on the current gossip.
Tilda asked, "Do you know where the competition is?"
"Delrik said it's at Sparrow's Glade by the Red Forest."
"Sparrow's Glade…" Tilda recalled hearing of the location from multiple travelers passing through town.
Cosaria asked, "Won't it be dangerous, being by the Red Forest?"
"No, not if it's Sparrow's Glade. That area has been cleared of monsters for years. Tourists come to visit it all the time, they usually pass through town on their way." Tilda remembered a particularly intellectual older couple that had droned on and on about the history of the area. Tilda said, "Apparently it used to be the home of a young Viscount who built small grottos, bridges, and even an obelisk in that area. It's a very popular and romantic place to visit."
Cosaria sighed dreamily, "It sounds lovely."
Tilda nodded, "I expect it will be."