章 9: Contingency
Mireille
Damn it! I am late! I'm speedily walking towards the grounds, adjusting my training fit. I had to wake up 1 hour prior to the assembling time, but I didn't. I overslept, actually I only slept the same amount as any other person. I was planning on taking a leisurely satisfying bath today, but that was not possible in such a short time. I took a hasty bath and then, spent all my time in banging up my chest.
I reach the assembling point and look at all the gathered knights. The Captain is scrutinizing them. While I'm standing here, waiting to interfere.
"Pardon me!" I shout and successfully interfered with the assembly.
"You must have a good reason for this?" the Captian questions me.
Yes, I had to flatten out my feminine chest. Not like I can answer with this remark. I pendulate around being "new and untrained" to excuse my tardiness.
Skeptically, the Captain approves my dubious excuse.
And with that, I start my training with the Knights.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I take a walk in the galore, verdant garden. Suffused with lush green shurbs, accompanied with juvenile roses. The shrubs were designed into enticing shapes, the garden was nothing out of art.
I inhale the fresh air while exhaling my used breath. The bright sun shone perfectly doing its best everyday. The teal-blue sky is ever so cloudless giving a summer note. The warm swaying wind brushes past my face and the garden.
The Captain gave me my rightful break after the morning training. Though the other knights went for their training. It was only a small run and some crunches and stretches. It lasted for some time, and after that, I had my breakfast and I looked around inside of the knight's quarters. A passing by servant suggested me the garden and showed me the way. I came here, trying to dull my memory about the wrist-grabbing session with the Captain.
Walking around the garden, An alluring, unripe vermillion rose grabs my attention. I touch the rose, growing at the pinnacle of a tender shrub. Having a central location in the garden, the rose did it's best at inviting the attention of a passer-by.
"Is this real?" I say out aloud, examining the bright vermillion red petals. All the roses I have seen in my entire life never bloomed with such alluring bright-red.
"First time, is it?" a gentle and mellow voice knocks at my natural question. I turn around to face the person, whom I think must be a passing by maid.
I look at the person and I'm dumbstruck. A refined, delightful lady of age, near to 17 or so, is present in the garden. Ebony black hair, shining like a starry night sky under the radiant sun. Her face has a pearly white complexion. Her face is slim just like her figure. Plump rosy lips are underneath the firm nose. The charming plump lips were modest enough with the pale pink over it. Her bright amber eyes are merrily staring at me. Her expression is joyous, carefree. She is wearing a benign gown, filled with a needlework of threads and ribbons. However intricate dress it is, the girl is wearing it and making it look genial.
"Rosa 'Christian Dior'. That is the name" she speaks politely, coming towards the rose.
Among all the people I met, she is such a beauty! A delicate and beautiful cordial doll. Looking at the delicate face inhaling the fragrance of the rose, I see a glimpse of Allen.
'That was a foul thought' I remark as my awe-struck expression turns into a down-hearted wreck. Yet, however oblivious I try to be, I can't ignore the distinct resemblance of Allen and the uninvited person in front of me.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" the girl before me asks, carefully caressing the flower.
"Indeed, you are" I reply, almost instantly
A moment of silence passes between us, whilst the girl looks at me with a shook up face. I clearly interpret the conversation from before and start to turn red.
'Am I an idiot?' Am I so engrossed in her beauty that I started mixing up my words?
"Haha" the girl gave a light, poised chuckle. "Thank you for the compliment" she continues, with a warm smile.
She stood up from her crouching position. Her standing posture is delicate and elegant, exuding an aristocratic aura. "May I know about the gentlema-" the girl asks, showing utmost sincerity. When she is cut off by the alarming pleas from the nearby servants.
"My lady!! Where are you?" a woman cries out loudly, her voice is a unison of anxiety and panic.
"Oh no!" the 'supposed lady' standing with me, shoots sharp glances around the garden, looking for a means to hide.
"Please resume the lessons!" the anxious cries are sounding more clear, the woman is hastily making her way here, in attempt to catch her runaway lady.
The girl in front, or must I say, the lady is still trying to find a detour to hide from the woman. Gazing at the perturbed fugitive, a sympathetic feeling overwhelms me. I take hold of the lady's hand and make way towards a generously broad hedge, made of shrubs. I perch down behind the hedge and the lady follows after me. The thick shrubbery hedge precludes our figures from the garden and anyone entering it.
"My Lady!!" the woman calls from the garden, turning away from our hideout.
"I'm safe" the lady, crouching beside me, heave a sigh of relief.
My focus lands on a protruding thorn, which diverted from the thick foliage and is sticking out the shrubbery.
"Tha-" the lady starts rising up from her position, now that her pursuer is gone, and that's when I lean in closer to her. "Don't move" I hiss near her ear before cushioning my hand between her silken face and the spiked thorn whilst slightly pulling her towards me.
We are now so close to each other that I can feel her warm breath on my face. The lady is gawking at me, wide-eyed, which I don't think is her fault. For I was utterly discourteous. I should apologize later.
I try to move backwards when I feel watchful presence behind me, I jolt my gaze back. Two maids stand there, wearing neat, tawny dress with neat and tight hair bun.
"W..we apologize!" the maids bow down, giving a sincere apology.
Oh Hades! Now this will turn our "escape" into a "rendezvous".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Should I make a run for it? I deeply ponder upon my thoughts. Weighing out the responsibilities of my discourtesy. Right now, I'm alone in a luxurious and gorgeous salon, befitting of a Duke's mansion. But this beauty does not solve my ridiculous troubles.
If a rendezvous rumor about a knight with no known origins and a lady from the Duke's mansion starts spreading, that knight will no longer see the light of another day..... And what's more, the lady has a striking resemblance to the Duke Allen- I don't even know their relation. And I really can't say what will happen to me then... I sigh, briskly walking in circles.
If she is a Beau monde in the upper-crust, one or two rendezvous rumors would be garden-variety, but the lady is too young to be one. Young like a debutante.....
While I wind up on the possibility of death penalty, there comes two knocks and the rigid door opens. In came a familiar cultivated beauty with full splendor and delicacy, maids were rushing in the parlor by her side. The maids are mindful enough to not disrespect the lady, without making any noise. They rush in with mouth-watering desserts and cakes and tea, accompanied by highly-detailed golden tableware.
I swiftly change my position and sit on the couch, opposite to the lady's seat. Before me, on the table lays various luscious, delectable sweets including cakes, macaroons and all the delicious desserts. As much as I had love to gobble up the whole confectionery, yet I have to maintain my decorum and act accordingly or else, I will be left with 'repeated lectures from Aunt' as a haunting nightmare. The maids cease their swift hand movements and ready to move out the parlor. All of them bows to the lady and to me as they exit. Two particular maids stay inside, their stares were intently falling on the ground. It takes me some minutes to recognize the maids, the potential candidates for inciting a "rendezvous" rumor about me, that is, the two maids were those who witnessed my little escape adventure with the lady.
My attention travels back to the fullest and delectable sweets. Though the lady is opposite to me and I need to initiate my greeting, I can't help but make heart eyes to the sweets. I'm careful not to let my saliva drool down, but... It's proving to be impossible.
"Please have a bite" the lady says, striking a conversation
I look up at her, my eyes filled with love, looking at her as someone looked at their savior. And with no further ado, "Thank you" I say while taking a bite from the cake piece the maids served, together with the tea.
What? The cake.... I carry a befuddled expression, figuring out what was wrong with the cake.
"How is it? Do you not like it? I can ask the maids to prepare another...." the concerned lady asks, her gloved hands brush past her face making a worried expression, anxious at her hospitality.
How is it? My body steadily sweeps with anger. How is it!? THIS IS JUST UNACCEPTABLE! THIS IS PURE TREASON! The texture is even and soft, the mixture was beaten firmly meaning the sponge is soft and no heedless pores are present. The heat was optimum and hence, the cake was baked thoroughly. Everything is top-notch except... The main ingredient in every sweet dish.... SUGAR!! There are no traces of sugar?! This is absolutely unacceptable! How can I get the cloying, sweet flavor of the heavy cream?
Despite my internal riot, I slay-happily reply "The flavor is so heavenly and enticing that I feel a new spark in my body. So much that I want to meet the one who made such a dessert" so that I can hang that person and kill them for such heinous crimes!!
"I'm glad you found it to your taste" she says, relieved
Yes, you should be glad... Glad that I'm not flipping the table. I'm impressed at how well I can hold my sham smile despite my boiling anger, I may even put the stage-actors to shame.
"I'm not very fond of sugary items, so my maids only prepare sugar-free delicacies. And since, our encounter was improper, our greetings had to be rushed" she speaks, showing the utmost sincerity while highlighting the underlying issue.
Truth be told, I don't understand the lady but sugar is an important part of my being. Though I'm not happy with her excuse, I'll focus on other problems like the two maids in front. All along, they were staring intently on the ground.
"My lady, are you preparing for your debut?" I ask with proper courtliness
"Huh.. Yes" she replies, completely off-guard at my abrupt question
"Then you must be careful about any kind of rumor..." I glance at those maids "involving maids" they flinch, scared at what the greedy aristocrats, that is me, will do. What I mean is that, imagine such rumors floating around the lady like 'two maids perish at the expense of disrespecting their master' or 'punishment for two servants, what all wrong they committed...'. It won't end at being just a rumor for those maids. I'm just trying to highlight the role of the potential rumor-spreading people and pushing my death penalty on them. Though they won't meet death penalty, I'm sure they'll be asked to suppress their mouth and nothing more.
"Sure, I would like to avoid that" the lady answers, puzzled at my questions
"That's right, 'there is no smoke without a fire'" I can see from the corner of my eyes, the maids were taking peeks at me "that's why, one should cease the fire before it can start any smoke"
"I will consider this" she replies, a calculative smirk over her lips. "Bell" she calls and a middle-aged maid, who was having more clothing layers than the other maids, makes an appearance. I don't know from where and how she came, but she did and is now taking away the nervous and scared maids away.
I may not know what happened between the lady and the maids, but I do know that the lady brought them here so that the maids could first-hand see me, a knight, as a threat and this way it'll be easier to shut their mouth.
The door opens and closes. Except the both of us, no other person is present in the parlor. I should formally introduce myself. "Pardon me for the late introduction" I start my late greeting "I'm Edgar Radford, a newly appointed knight in the military unit of the Ferdinand Estate" I give a light bow and end my lines.
"Fiore Bernhardt Ferdinand, the younger sister of Duke Ferdinand. Pleased to make acquaintance with Sir Knight" she finishes with a light curtsy while maintaining her straight sitting posture.
"The pleasure is all mine" I reply back as per the manners. Wait... She said 'sister'? Sister of that Duke? Duke Allen? My thoughts are a unique whirlwind right now. The lady does resemble Allen a lot. Like A LOT!! If not for her elegance and curvy figure, a thought as absurd as 'Allen crossdressing as a girl?' easily creeps me. And not to mention, I, a beautiful knight, was going to be caught up in a rumor with that Duke's sister. Maybe I would have, myself, taken a ticket to the afterlife to save myself from the crisis it will ensue. A feeling of relief clears up my whirlwind thoughts.
"I deeply apologize for my discourtesy back in the garden" I sincerely apologize. I really was rude back there, if I was in the lady's place, I would have punched or kicked the lights out of that knight. I should be glad the lady is not me.
"Oh my, that was really dangerous" the lady answers, recollecting the previous memories "but I enjoyed it. Hiding from teacher just to get discovered by my maids and getting misunderstood for rendezvous" she giggles "it happened first time with me"
Thank you but you may also add 'escaping death penalty'. It was a first for me too. I glimpse at my tea-cup, which is full to the brim. Looking at it, I'm reminded of that one flower which started this encounter.
"Was that flower real?" I ask with the same astounding tone as the morning
Lady Fiore gestures me for drinking my tea. But I must say, I don't like the bitter and bland tea. In response, I just smile.
"The flower is very much real, Rosa 'Christian Dior' is a French-bred beauty that displays high-centered blooms in lipstick red. The flowers have a light spice scent and are semidouble, with nearly 50 petals. The upright, bushy plants reach 4 feet tall. It is a new hybrid variety. We obtain it by crossing different breeds of the same family"
I get a vague idea of the rose origins but Cross? Breed? Family? What is she talking about? Unable to understand the complex words she's speaking, I decide to ask the most important question "Do plants have families?"
"That's right. Plant species are divided into many families, and among them, the Christian Dior is in the family- the Floranase"
Okay..... I still don't get it. "Ah, I see" I answer, not willing to drag this topic any longer
Lady Fiore looks at me, her face full of skepticism. "It can't be helped" she whispers, loud enough for me to hear her. "For creating a flower like Christian Dior, you need to take two different plants differing in two or more contrasting characters. But the plants need to be of the same family....."
She's still going on about that! I don't understand anything so let's forget it. But I can't just ask the lady to stop, it won't be neat mannerism. So I sit here, hoping for her blabbering to stop.
I recollect the previous happening from the day. Meeting a stranger lady, which turns out to be the sister of the Duke. Come to think of it, lady Fiore is Allen's younger sister and I was able to hardly cut loose of a rumor with her. If I'm not careful enough it can happen again, and if that does happen I will have to say goodbye to the world before I can punch Allen. I would definitely try to avoid it.
"......... For that, the thickness of the stem is important" Lady Fiore halts her never-ending explanation after saying something like grafting and pruning. Now is my chance, I need to stop her chattering and leave.
"Pardon me lady, I must take my leave now for the matters needing my attention" I interrupt. I have to be present at Aunt's departure back to her estate in Asrak.
"Dear me! I have negligently consumed much time of yours. Pardon me for this demerit of mine" she gets up from her soften couch and I repeat the action.
"Now, I'll take my leave" I give a light bow and prepare to heed out the parlor. I adjust my sword into my báldric, and start moving from the couch.
"Ah! Let me accompany you till the door" Lady Fiore calls out while rushing in front of me
I really don't think this is a good idea. The door isn't a mile away, why is she doing it? Hesitant as I am, I just plan to follow her. I take some big strides to close the distance from her, watching her walk in the heavy, teeming dress made me pity her.
One step, two steps, three steps and fou- Oops! Lady Fiore trips over my abrupt foot in her way. Instinct alert, I grab her slender waist and pull her up to secure my hold on her. I catch her before she falls on the ground. Her benign gown is spread in a circle, acting like a boundary, and I'm making sure to not overstep my boundaries.
Our faces are centimeters apart. Everything is same as morning except that our position is different, more intimate now. This is the exact moment when the maids made their entrance last time. To not repeat the misunderstanding from the morning, I shall leave quickly and quietly.
However, Woe is me! The door opens with a bang and there stands someone I wouldn't want to meet!!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Their names are?" Fiore asks saucily. Her personal maid accompanies her while she is hastily walking towards the parlor.
"Marie and Holly" her maid, Bellamy answers
"How do you do?" Fiore asks the jittery maids, her tone gentle and warm
"We deeply apologize, Your Ladyship" the jittery maids reply, bowing down on the ground
"My, my" Fiore says "Am I the bad person now?"
"Definitely not!" one of the maid, Marie reply. Instinctively raising her voice but soon she lowers her voice after staring at those glowing amber eyes of Fiore
"Very well, I don't really like being the bad person" Fiore complains, glowering "unless a fish swam against the stream" she turns away from the maids and motions Bellamy to follow her.
"Stand up" Bellamy orders the maids. Marie and Holly desperately stood up, scared at what hurdles would come their way.
"If you and your family wants to live another day, you need to tighten your mouth and act accordingly to what Her Ladyship has asked" Bellamy reminds them "Afterall, you received the money" she says, looking at them from the corner of her eyes.
"Yes" Holly reply, looking at Marie
"Lady Bellamy" Marie nods, holding a small, cushy pouch in her hand
"Is this really worth our lives?" Holly mutters to Marie
"We'll see soon enough" Marie mutters back
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