Waiting and Waiting
The imperial palace was bustling from early morning.
The coronation was over, and the guests who had stayed the night were preparing to return home. Most of the bustle belonged to the servants. The nobles themselves wandered through the gardens, opened to visitors for the day, or gathered in small circles to gossip.
“I hear fashions from the principality are all the rage now. My father scolds me for copying the clothes of people he calls beneath us, but I think they're elegant.”
“Mine says the same. Doesn't he realize there's a reason they're popular?”
“Exactly! I sometimes think he'll be following me around telling me what to wear even after I marry.”
The young ladies were more interested in clothes than in the revolution that had just remade their country. Having grown up comfortably in noble households, they regarded civil war and politics with the distant curiosity they might have spared for a forest fire on the other side of the world.
But there were exceptions. One was walking toward them now, accompanied by a maid.
“Lady Ashley…” one of the girls whispered.
Her companions fell quiet as well.
Ashley de Pelgaroin was known even to young nobles who cared nothing for politics. Since childhood she had studied governance and commerce at her father's side. She had bought the Sparan family's textile distribution rights and turned the venture into a considerable profit. More recently, she had become a serious candidate to succeed her father as head of House Pelgaroin—an extraordinary prospect for its youngest daughter.
The girls had heard all about her. It was impossible not to feel nervous when someone they admired so much approached.
Ashley, unaware of the effect she was having, gave them a gracious smile.
“Good morning. Perhaps the gods are blessing Her Majesty's reign; we've been given another beautiful day. Isn't it lovely?”
“Y-yes!”
“Indeed, my lady!”
Their enthusiasm surprised her. Ashley tilted her head, then touched a hand to her chest.
“Please enjoy your conversation. I have somewhere I need to be.”
The girls bowed, still flustered, and Ashley returned the courtesy before continuing down the path.
Beside her walked the silver-haired elf, dressed as elegantly as her companion. She avoided Ashley's eyes, although Ashley kept speaking to her with undiminished warmth. They made a companionable picture, and the young ladies watched them disappear with a trace of envy.
“What a relief. I thought such a popular shop would have sold out by now.”
Ashley settled at an elegant table in a dessert shop and sighed.
“Fortunately, they had two left.”
She smiled at the elf across from her.
The elf wished she could share that ease. Instead, guilt weighed on her. She still felt unworthy of looking Ashley directly in the face.
“…May I ask you something?”
Ashley seemed to consider the question with exaggerated seriousness.
“Of course. One question sounds rather stingy. You may ask three.”
Such effortless kindness only made the elf more uneasy. She swallowed and found the courage to lift her head.
“Why are you so good to me?”
Ashley was not surprised. She had been expecting the question for some time.
“There are a number of reasons. But if I must choose one, it's because I want Theorad to be happy.”
“Theorad's… happiness?”
“Yes. You bring him happiness now. I can see how fond of you he is, in the way he looks at you and speaks to you. At least, that's how it seems to me.”
The elf's hands trembled in her lap. She could not tell whether Ashley truly meant it or was only being kind to put her at ease. She decided, cautiously, to believe her.
After a small nod, she asked another question.
“Then… why do you love Theorad?”
Ashley hesitated. To answer honestly meant returning to memories of childhood she found rather embarrassing.
“I suppose the love grew naturally while we were together. He's a good man—better than anyone I know. Though he can be terribly annoying when he plays his silly tricks.”
“Tricks?”
“Sometimes he says the most outrageous things just to see my reaction. Or he brings out some ridiculous toy and acts like a little boy.”
The elf knew exactly what she meant. Not long ago, Theorad had tried to frighten her with a toy clown in a box.
“But even that side of him…” Ashley began.
“I like it,” the elf finished.
They looked at each other and smiled.
Silence settled between them again, more awkward than either would have liked.
“Anyway,” Ashley said, gesturing toward the dessert, “you should eat. I brought you here because I heard you liked pudding.”
“Yes…”
The elf lifted her spoon, then stopped. Looking at the pudding reminded her of the time she had used one to startle Theorad. Guilt crept over her expression.
“…I'd like to give this to Theorad.”
“To Sir Theorad? He does love sweets.”
Ashley nodded and moved her own dessert toward the center of the table.
“Here's what we'll do. We'll have one wrapped for him, and share the other. Does that sound fair?”
The elf nodded gratefully. Ashley divided the pudding carefully in two. At last the elf took a spoonful.
Her face brightened.
“Delicious…”
There was a reason Ashley had brought her to the shop so early. It was the second-best pudding the elf had ever tasted.
Meanwhile, at the imperial palace, Theorad was in his guest room.
“That should do it.”
He surveyed the room with satisfaction. The bed was neatly made, the linens straight, and not a speck of dust remained. Even the adjoining bathroom had been checked for fallen hairs, which he had gathered and thrown away one by one.
The servants would have cleaned it after he left. But the emperor herself had provided the room, and Theorad could not bear to leave it untidy.
He stretched his shoulders and went to the window. Cool air drifted in from the garden.
It's peaceful.
For the first time in a long while, he felt as though the hardest part of his life might be behind him. There would be plenty to do under the new imperial government, but it was work for the sake of those he loved.
What should I tackle first when we return to the mansion at noon?
A knock interrupted his planning.
The maid already?
“You may come in,” he called, confident that the room would pass inspection.
The heavy door opened, but the visitor was not a palace maid.
The elf stood there in her black dress, holding a plate of pudding in both hands.
“I brought you this,” she announced.
Theorad laughed in surprise. He had not expected her to go shopping for sweets first thing in the morning, but the gesture pleased him.
He sat on the edge of the bed and patted the place beside him.
“Come sit with me.”
“Ah… I already ate.”
“Don’t make me say it twice.”
The playful firmness in his voice made her hesitate. Eventually she sat down, still holding the plate awkwardly. Theorad took it from her hands.
“Did you go alone?”
“No. With Ashley.”
“Did you two talk?”
“A little…”
Her answer was uncertain. Ashley had spoken far more than she had. But Theorad was glad the two were finding ways to be together. He knew better than to insist they become close on his schedule. That was for the elf to decide.
“Thank you, then. I'm touched that you bought pudding for me.”
“Stupid. I've bought you pudding before. At the Mage Tower.”
He smiled at her little pout.
“So you did.”
Theorad scooped up some pudding. Instead of eating it, he held out the spoon to the elf.
“Wh-what are you doing?”
“There's too much for me alone. Let's share.”
She glanced around, embarrassed at the thought of someone seeing her fed like a child. Of course, they were alone in the guest room.
“…Well, if you insist.”
She told herself his arm would grow tired if she kept him waiting. Finally she opened her mouth like a little bird.
At the last instant, Theorad whisked the spoon away and ate the pudding himself.
“Pfft.”
Her open-mouthed astonishment was too much for him. He burst out laughing.
“Theorad.”
She gripped the hem of her dress. Her half-lidded red eyes had gone cold.
“Is that amusing to you?”
Theorad felt a very old fear of the elf stirring in his chest.