Set on; Canon divergence, just let me play with them for a lil'bit
PS: One of my personal headcanon is that Amberle has a sweet tooth
She looks at everything with a mix of awe and grumpy discomfort and that makes you smile because she keeps touching her hair and is actually one of the few times you have seen her so… raw, without the mask and the shield she tends to put whenever she feels threatened or lost. Is refreshing and, at the same time, sweet and you keep looking at her as the servants work around the two of them, some of them looking at you in return, having known you ever since you were a child and you kept on sneaking inside even when your father had told you expressly not to mess things up.
And is not the most secret places in the palace –You know Eretria has probably already been there because Catania and her had got immensely close ever since she has been here and while the rover girl tries to act as if she doesn't like it she seems carefree and happy and every time you see her or look at her there is that secret soft, yet guarded, smile, that you adore.
And yes, as you were thinking, is not the most incredible place in the castle but at the same time you want nothing but to tell her all the things you did back when you were just a child and you kept playing with the cooker's cat or that time you tried to do your own cookies and the girl that are looking at you bemusedly gave you an awful amount of salt making you think it was sugar and the result was nothing but what you have expected. And are silly stories but there is something about Eretria you want to crack and there are also the stories about her you would want to listen and see and know.
And you on't hate each other -not anymore judging by the cocky kiss she gave you after lasts council meeting before winking and leaving you behind- but there is still too many things you don't know about her and there is something exhilarating on trying to know how to make them tell you.
"So this is where you spent your free hours as a child?" She asks and there is a glint of mischievousness on her smile and it seems like Catania may have already told her something and there is that damn blush you seem to be unable to control around her resurfacing.
"Yes, I really spent a lot of time down here" A few servants snicker at that and it makes you want to glare at them but well, is true and so you just lick your lips as she walks around in the bursting kitchen, flattening her palms against the wooden table which stands proudly in the middle, the table where you in fact cooked that horrible cookies and she plays with the flour and the sliced vegetables that are waiting their time to be cooked and there is something so easy about her that makes you swallow and take a step towards her, forgetting about the ones that are probably looking at you right now.
"Did you learn something?"
And is a challenge, at least one hidden behind a cocky smile and a playful glint, the same she gets whenever you two are talking and she sees how often do you look at her lips and you just nod and narrow your eyes, knowing full well that you have never backed up from a dare.
"I can make cookies"
And that time more than a few servants laugh but you aren't paying attention anymore and she smirks and yes, you are going to probably tickle Catania or kill her or something because she definetely knows about the whole salt thing but Eretria just nods solemnly and takes a step to her left.
"Teach me?"
And yes, you had never backed off from a dare, don't you?