They were gathered in a room meant for greeting, chatting, and conversations. It was the Kingdom's equivalent of a drawing room but the CPG called it a 'living room'.
Tilda stood next to Felux, trying to take in the mass of new faces gathered. There was a total of four new faces, excluding Felux and Ofelia.
Felux announced, "This'd be Tilda."
Tilda gave a small, awkward wave. Apparently, Felux told his family more about Tilda, than he told Tilda about his family.
An older man with silver streaks in his hair sauntered over and extended a strong hand. Tilda shook it in a handshake.
The man announced to the others, "See that? A firm grip. She's a good one." The man reminded Tilda of a beaver. Creative, sturdy and hardworking.
An older woman rolled her eyes as she approached Tilda. Putting a soft hand on Tilda's shoulder, the woman saying, "Don't be mindin him."
Tilda smiled, "Not at all."
The older man pulled Felux into a hug, as, what could only be Felux's older brother, approached Tilda for a handshake.
He said, "A'm glad to meet ye."
As they shook hands, Tilda couldn't help but admire the man. He looked almost exactly like Felux, except for being slightly older and objectively more handsome. His long shiny blonde hair was tied in a low ponytail and he had an atmosphere of calm and easy confidence, where as Felux was more like a ball of contained bouncing energy.
Tilda said, "The pleasure is mine."
She thought, Wow! Just look at that jawline. And the hair! If things don't work out with Felix, I wonder if he's single.
Felux tugged at Tilda's arm while he glared at Jeffan. Felux never did appreciate his brother's innate ability to charm others.
Felux said, "Tilda, this'd be me Da and Ma, Lurois and Ternita. Me brother, Jeffan, you know Ofelia, and that's her husband, Rayn."
Rayn nodded simply to Tilda. He was the last foreign face in the room. Aside from his dark eyes, Tilda would have thought that he was just another sibling in the family.
Tilda said, "Wow Felux, I didn't realize your family would be so…"
Tilda stopped talking before she realized that she was required to finish what she started.
"Impressive?" Ofelia guessed.
"Beautiful?" Rayn said as he looked lovingly at Ofelia.
"Charmin?" Jeffan said, flashing a smile.
"Friendly?" Lurois, Felux's Da, said.
"Homely?" Ternita, Felux's Ma, said.
"Let her speak," Felux chided.
Tilda said, "So…"
Listening, the crowd leaned in. Waiting. Focused. Diligent.
Tilda said, "So blunt."
Laughter filled the room as Lurois said, "Here here."
Tilda said, "You're all just like Felux."
Jeffan said, "No. He's just like us. A copy's never as good as the original."
Felux said, "Where's my say in this?"
Jeffan pulled Felux in to ruffle his hair as Ofelia teased, "Who said ye'd a say?"
Ternita, sensitive to her guest, turned to Tilda and said, "Don't be a feared dear, they'd just be excited to meet ye."
Ofelia turned to Tilda and said, "Don't ye be worried. We'll be takin good care of ye."
Worry was the exact feeling rising in Felux, as he said, "Oh dear."
༻✧༺
Cosaria, Marley, and Finklehead sat together at a large table in the bustling dining hall. The food was at a separate longer table in a serve-it-yourself fashion which Cosaria was not used to. Everything in the CPG was different from what Cosaria was used to. And she missed Delrik.
With dainty effort, Cosaria put a tiny piece of food in her mouth. Watching the minimal effort, Finklehead raised an eyebrow.
Finklehead said, "You don't need to take such small bites. People here will think you don't have an appetite or that you don't enjoy their food."
Cosaria said, "Oh. What am I to do?"
"Like this," Marley said as she showed Cosaria how to take a big bite of food.
Cosaria said, "But I could get a stomach ache if I eat like that."
Marley furrowed her brow, saying, "You're right. Oh man. What do we do?"
"I don't want to offend anyone. Perhaps I can try. I might not be able to take as big of bites as you can, but I can try taking as big of bites as I can."
Cosaria, who usually ate as light as a bird, put more food on her fork than normal and opened her mouth extremely wide as if she were biting into an apple. Then she chomped down on a BIG bite. (Big for Cosaria was still relatively small to most of the human population.) Her cheeks puffed out from the expanse of food, but she soldiered on gallantly.
Marley held back a squeal of delight as she admired the Lady and thought, She looks like an adorable chubby bunny!
To Finklehead, however, these menial shows of bravery were annoying.
Just in time to save her from further torment, Tilda and the Lothar family arrived.
Jeffan spoke first, "Finklehead, ye got a place fer us."
Finklehead avoided eye contact and blushed, saying, "Of course. I'm not incompetent."
Jeffan patted her on the head, saying, "Of course not."
Mumbling, Finklehead said, "I'm not a little girl either."
Felux and Tilda exchanged smirking glances. Apparently the little Finklehead had a crush.
Upon seeing the Lothars, Cosaria stood up and curtsied in her very formal, graceful manner. She said, "Dear Sirs and Ladies, we extend you our most sincere gratitude from the depths of our hearts for hosting us during these perilous times."
Finklehead covered her eyes with her hand. Terinita glanced around, slightly embarrassed, checking to see if anyone was watching.
Jeffan said, "I'd forgotten how them Ragdorians suffer all that pomp pleasantries."
Lurois held out his hand to Cosaria and said, "It's an honor to have such beautiful woman among my welcomed guests. I'd be Lurois, governor of Ishinni providence."
Cosaria stared at Lurois's extended hand. She felt like this was an important moment but she wasn't fully certain what to do. Usually, the man offered a hand palm up, not vertical, as was done here.
Cosaria put out her hand, palm down, wrist extended. Lurois awkwardly shook her hand, but the force of it made the whole of Cosaria's body shake along with it.
"What's this," Lurois said, "A weak fish? We'll teach ye a firm greetin by yer visit's end."
Being aware of Cosaria's discomfort, Terinita tapped her husband on the shoulder and said, "Darlin, ye're scarin the poor creature."
Ofelia said, "Da, be a bit perceptive, will ye? They've not been taught our greetins."
Lurois turned on Ofelia and said, "Ye'd not prepared them?"
Ofelia said, "Am I to be their tutors?"
Lurois said, "Yer a teacher, ain't ye?"
Ofelia pointed to Felux and said, "If anyone'd been to sayin somethin, it should'a been Felux."
Felux shrugged. "I'd not expected Da to pounce on them."
Lurois said, "Ye should'a ken better."
Felux said, "I'd not seen a need. We're keepin a low profile. Not partyin around the countryside."
Rayn said, "Don't see why we can't do both."
Ofelia laughed with that newly-wed demeanor where everything her husband said was funny. Rayn, in turn, smiled at her with a similar demeanor.
Lurois extended a handshake to Marley next. He said, "A handshake'll tell ye what there's to ken about a fellow."
Marley was ready to prove herself. She took the hand and vigorously shook it up and down.
Lurois said, "Fer instance, ye'd be an over zealous type."
Marley said, "Oh man, what does that mean? Did I make a mistake?"
Ofelia said, "Mean's yer dramatic."
"Pfft," Finklehead scoffed, hiding her delight as Marley glared at her.
Tilda turned to Felux and sarcastically said, "Now I see where you get your tact Felux."
Felux perked up saying, "You think I've tact?"
Tilda said, "Ha! Not at all."
Felux frowned.
Terinta poked Lurois and said, "Oh, I like her. She's just precious."
"Aye," Lurois said.
Cosaria, who was used to being the center of attention, felt left out. Not only that, but she had failed at shaking hands. In the need to reaffirm herself as the 'main character', she said, "I'm sorry for being so weak."
Jeffan and Lurois exchanged concerned, furrow-browed glances. Calling yourself weak was a contemptible vice in the CPG. It was whiny and showed how pathetic you considered yourself. A positive self-image was a well-respected virtue. A negative self-image was worse than disgusting.
Lurois said, "Weak? That's not a way to be talkin about one's self."
"Oh… I'm sorry," Cosaria said.
Terinita knew firsthand how easy it was to offend Ragdorians. She said, "Let's not forget, these Felux's friends, they'd be foreigners. We're not to completely soil their time here."
Terinita glared at Lurois who shrunk away. Lurois said, "Aye, it must be me hunger that drives my mouth to speakin. Let's get fed."
At that moment, Beniter arrived at the table carrying a plate piled high with food. He stood next to Tilda with his face full, a tiny piece of roll was daring to jump out from between his lips. He had somehow fit as much as twenty Cosaria-sized BIG-bites in his mouth.
Seeing the young man, Lurois said, "This boy's the right idea."
Lurois smacked Beniter on the back as the young man coughed and spewed food from his mouth.
༻✧༺
It didn't take long before all the group began eating. While she hadn't noticed on first arrival, Tilda had quickly come to take stock of her surroundings.
It was a large mess hall with towering pillars and gothic vaulted ceilings. The food was in such an open place it allowed anyone to grab whatever they wanted. Even the servant boys could eat delicious treats usually reserved for only the nobles.
She marveled at how she saw servants mingling with soldiers mingling with officials, all in the same place. There was no distinction between social class. Over her shoulder, Tilda took special interest in one table where sat a lawyer with a big official looking hat. He was discussing art with a knight and a kitchen hand. Tilda had never seen anything like it. She thought, Servants and officials, all eating together. This is so weird.
Finklehead had chosen for the group to sit at the biggest table with Lurois sitting in the 'head' position, but Tilda suspected he would have been fine in any of the seats.
Cosaria began the conversation, saying, "Lady Ofelia. Did I understand correctly that you are a governor's daughter?"
"Aye. And call me Ofelia. None of that lady stuff."
Cosaria blushed from embarrassment. Another mistake. She said, "Oh, yes. So, I was wondering. Since being a governor is like being a Duke, that's what Lady Finklehead said, and you are siblings to Sir Felux, then, is Felux the son of a governor?"
Ofelia rested her chin on her hand and said, "Figured that all on yer own, did ye?"
Cosaria said, "Oh, no. I just didn't realize Sir Felux was nobility."
That comment perked ears, especially those of Tilda and Marley who had not connected those particular set of dots. Meanwhile, Ofelia and Jeffan exchanged confused glances while Finklehead covered her eyes again. Lurois and Felux began laughing heartily.
Cosaria tiled her head, asking, "Was what I said strange?"
Jeffan said, "Aye."
Quietly, Beniter asked Felux, "You're a noble?"
Felux said, "Naw, the CPG doesn't work by a caste system. My father's rich, not I."
Tilda asked, "How did the governor get his wealth?"
Marley asked, "Did he inherit it?"
Felux shook his head and said, "Naw. Da?"
"Aye," Lurois said, "I'd started a business. Construction. Realestate. Did ye see those big buildings as ye'd been comin in? The tall ones?"
Tilda said, "You don't mean the buildings that touched the sky?"
Excited, Marley jumped in, "No way. The really really tall buildings? They were incredible feats of engineering!"
Lurois said, "Aye, the very ones. Those'd be some of me very first designs."
Tilda paused, saying, "Are you meaning that you are the builder of those buildings?"
Jeffan interjected, "Designer, builder, and landlord."
Lurois said, "Ye'd be the landlord, Jeffan. Ye've the head fer it. Mine could only put the designs down and the mortar up."
Cosaria asked, "How can you manage such a business and also be the ruling governor?"
"I'll start with sayin I wasn't always governor," Lurois explained, "Been governor now fer 8 years. Since I'd retired from me business. Jeffan's got me an income as landlord and I'd a good manager take over me business. The pattons on me designs bring in a pretty penny too."
Beniter summarized, "So you're filthy rich but not because you live off of the taxes from the lower class."
Laughing, Lurois said, "Naw taxes, though some might be sayin my rent's the same as a tax."
Cosaria asked, "You became a governor? Oh my. Was that recent?"
"Aye," Lurois said, "Within the last decade. That's how it'd be here in the Central Providences. We're governor fer half a decade or so, then we give the position to the next poor fellow who's elected up."
Jeffan scoffed, "And I'm not overly impressed with the candidates up for the election this year."
Ofelia said, "If ye've a problem, then ye run fer office."
Ternita said, "Neigh politics at the table. I'd expect better manners from the lot of ye."
"The governor changes?" Cosaria was still trying to wrap her head around the concept. She commented, "How absurd. Oh! I mean, how unique…"
Marley jumped in, "That seems like it would lead to a lot of problems with that much change."
Jeffan said, "Not as much as ye'd expect, or as much as I'd like to see."
Terinita glared at Jeffan as he avoided her stare with a spoon full of soup.
Cosaria said, "I think it is wonderful to have such a unique system here in the CPG."
Ofelia, who had heard the 'absurd' comment, raised her eyebrow and asked, "Do ye?"
Cosaria said, "What?"
Ofelia said, "Ye don't have to like it, or even to agree with it." People of the CPG could smell fraud from a mile away, and Ofelia, in particular, was acutely aware of it.
Cosaria fidgeted uncomfortably, saying, "Well, I suppose I do find it a little… odd. But that's only because I'm so unfamiliar with it, of course. I think."
Cosaria was careful not to offend. She didn't realize that the efforts she took to NOT offend were the exact things that offended. In the CPG, trying to tiptoe around an issue was like telling someone that they weren't strong enough to handle the truth of your words.
Ofelia said, "That's the problem with ye Ragdor folks. Ye've spent so long sayin what ye think other's want to hear, ye've no idea what yer meaning is anymore; what ye're tryin to say."
There was nothing unusual about Ofelia's comment until the group turned and looked at Cosaria who had tears gathering in her eyes.
Terinita snapped, "Ofelia!" Ragdorians were sensitive. Everyone knew that.
Cosaria said, "Oh. I'm sorry."
Marley felt like she needed to intervene, saying, "The lady is-! Uh, well, you know. Uh…" She had nothing to say.
Ofelia said, "I'll apologize if I've offended the lady. I was just tryin to ask fer her honest thoughts."
Terinita said, "That's all well and good, but don't force it out of the wee lass."
Cosaria pulled at Marley's sleeve and said, "I think I would like to retire to my room."
"Oh yeah. I'll take you there." Marley jumped up and said, "We've- We're uh. Thank you, but we've got to retire. Lady Finklehead, could you show us the way?"
Rolling her eyes, Finklehead said, "Sure." This was way more dramatic than it needed to be.
Tilda began to get out of her chair but Marley put a hand on her shoulder saying, "Don't worry Tilda. I'll take care of the lady."
Tilda clicked her tongue but didn't say anything. She knew that Cosaria was going to spiral into another one of her fits, which might make Tilda say something she'd regret. Maybe it would be better if she didn't go. After a moment of consideration, Tilda said, "Are you sure?"
Marley said, "Oh yeah."
Tilda nodded and watched as Cosaria, Marley and Finklehead left the dining hall. In all honesty, Tilda didn't really want to go and help placate Cosaria's behavior. She felt relieved.
After they left, Ofelia turned to Tilda and asked, "What about ye? Aren't ye goin to go to the Lady's rescue?"
"No," Tilda said, "If Lady Marley says she'll take care of her, I believe it. Besides, I kind of enjoy how direct you all are." It was refreshing.
The Lothars all leaned back, stunned for a slight moment.
Lurois was the first to recover. He turned to Felux and said, "Felux, this one here's a keeper."
Felux nodded seriously and Tilda smiled.
༻✧༺
Cosaria sat on her functional bed in the luxurious CPG suite. Tears were streaming down her face as Marley sat in front of her, holding her hands.
"Are you okay, my lady?" Marley said, "They were quite mean."
"No, not mean, I don't think so," Cosaria said, wiping her eyes, "None of them meant any ill intent. They were so bold. They demanded so much from me. So forcefully. I'm just not used to it. I don't think I could ever get used to it. I wish Delrik was here. He would know how to comfort me."
If that statement was true, it would never be discovered.
Cosaria covered her face with her hands as Marley placed a hand on her back.
Marley said, "Maybe, I don't know, maybe this could be good, you know?"
Cosaria looked up in horror, saying, "What?"
Marley talked fast, saying, "I don't know, I was just trying to think, well, you know, maybe there's something good that could come out of this situation but oh, I don't know."
"Lady Marley, perhaps that is true. I just need to see the good. What good could happen from this? Maybe this could be good for me. Tilda's always saying I need to have more courage. She once told me I needed to grow a spine. Maybe this is why."
"Maybe…" Marley said. She thought, Did Tilda really say that? Cause, oh man, that's harsh.
Cosaria hugged Marley.
"Thank you, Lady Marley. You are such a dear friend."
Marley wasn't sure she had actually done anything.