"It's a good but very sad day."said Malwina.
"Why?"asked Fayruza.
"Why else? Because it's the feast and masque to end Cerealia. Then it will be back to the schoolroom! Could there be something more dreadful?"
"You can be sent home."Fayruza told her. "I will be."
"What?! Why?"
"Lord Kunzite was not happy when I asked him for money. He knew why I was asking for it."
"But just what will we do without you? You can't go back to Earth!"
"And I wish I won't have to. I like it here on Venus."
"I shouldn't have suggested you ask His Lordship for money, should I? I thought that…given that Her Grace-"Malwina trailed off.
"The Duchess of Ceres is completely royal, Malwina. And his heiress. I'm not, I'm only half. She has more influence, not me. She also spends more time with him than my brother and I do. And I'm sometimes glad I'm not the Lady of the Evening Star, too. I think she has much more on her plate than I ever will. Lord Kunzite expects much from all three of us, but he expects much more from her. The princess expects a lot of her, too. People do become ambitious for their children. It seems an awful lot for a girl her age."
"Her Grace is fond of you! If you appeal to her, then, she will not allow you to return to Earth."
"Your aunt would be glad to see me go."Fayruza smiled.
"Pish posh! You don't pay attention to my aunt! And I'm sure Her Grace would be sorry to see you go. Her Royal Highness would not allow you to go, either. And neither of her parents would allow you to go, even if you wanted, if she did not want you to go. We can appeal to Her Grace!"
It appeared Malwina was right.
"What will we do without you?"asked Ceres, just as Malwina had said. "You tell things better at the Terran court than anyone else. You will not be sent back! Launcekrona will also insist that you stay!"
Fayruza and Malwina stared in surprised.
"Why would she do that?"
"Because if you do go back, someone else will be sent in your place. What if that someone is even stiffer competition for Malwina. We will tell her you are more docile. They might send someone who isn't so! Malwina might be pushed completely aside!"
"Your Grace would not do that."
"I won't, but it will make Launcekrona see sense. Besides, this is my household, and you answer to me. And I won't let Papa send you back."
Perhaps the giant pumpkins had made it to dessert, given how many pies there were, even though one of the other girls said they weren't good for pie. Fayruza and Malwina were sure that some of the pumpkins must have. Everyone stood when Minako, Kunzite and Ceres walked in, Ceres once more wearing her ducal regalia.
Malwina and Fayruza stood behind her chair. Malwina removed the coronet and Fayruza the earrings from Ceres, and they put them on cushions a couple of pages were holding. Launcekrona would be holding out the ewer and bowl for Ceres to wash her hands, and would be carving her meat for her.
Soon, the minstrels and trobadours began to play. Instead of wine, there was plenty of mead, malt, whiskey, and especially apple cider, Ceres's favorite. Among the many dishes were bowls of what looked like the same large puffy flakes Ceres and the other girls ate mostly covered with dry caramel. When sitting together in the evenings, after lessons, there were always bowls of it with caramelized or sugared almonds. Unless they worked on their embroidery, so they wouldn't get their hands sticky.
"I thought it was dessert. Or a snack."
"The popcorn? You can flavor it in different ways."
The soups were served in bread bowls, and people ate their meat in sandwiches, or would dip or pick up their food in rolls.
"Malwina told me the other day that she was upset because she was not Persephone."Ceres told Minako and Kunzite.
"Wasn't Persephone a younger girl than Malwina is, though?"asked Minako.
"I don't know. Only goes to show I haven't studied my galactic history lately."said Kunzite.
"That means you have to go back to the schoolroom, Papa!"exclaimed Ceres. "Mama, too!"
"Why me?"
"Because you couldn't find Persephone!"Ceres pointed out. "And Persephone was not a younger girl. She was almost a woman."
"Ah, I should never have participated, should I? See what it got me?"
"No, you shouldn't have."Kunzite told her.
"But that means you'll have to stay even longer!"
"True. Then it might not be such a terrible thing. And you get to see how great I have been taught Terran."she added. "I've taken such a liking for Fayruza."
Everyone was surprised when Minako and Kunzite did join them in the schoolroom.
"Mama and Papa need to improve on their lessons."Ceres said to the other girls.
The other girls approached and curtseyed.
"It's precisely when I'm supposed to be tutoring!"Fayruza said to Malwina.
Perhaps they weren't here so much because they needed to improve their lessons, but instead to see how she was doing giving the lessons.
"At least I already know most of what you'll be testing us. I read it among your things."Malwina admitted. "A good thing, seeing as Her Highness and His Lordship are here."she said, as she took her quill.
"Excellent news! The princess and my lord are very pleased with how things are!"Launcekrona told them that evening.
"I am, too, Aunt Launcekrona."
"I wish you would stop being so familiar with everyone. Thank goodness you were not so in front of them!"
"You would have boxed my ears."
"Don't doubt it."Launcekrona confirmed. "You're to stay, after all."she told Fayruza. "No one else will be brought as a tutor for Her Grace."
Or any other position, she thought.
Fayruza was summoned by the Princess of Venus.
"I'd like to thank you for your kindness to my daughter."said the princess, after Fayruza curtseyed. "She so insisted you stay!"
"I really don't want to be sent back, Your Royal Highness.
"You won't be."Minako assured her. "Not with you kindness you've shown my daughter. You may have no sponsor, or relation at her court, but you've given her good service, we have decided you should become my ward. And I shall increase your allowance."
Fayruza turned to Kunzite.
"She is your sponsor, and she decides how much you get. I intend to do my best for you, Fayruza. That is why you are at court."he said. "Is there anything you need? New dresses?"
"You did not tell me you intended to give her more money."Kunzite told Minako.
"Not just her. Launcekrona will be thrilled to hear Malwina will be getting a larger allowance, as well. So, I thought Fayruza should, too. A good thing, as well. Don't tell me you would them to become parsimonious. I don't want stingy people around Shinju."
"I really do intent to do my best for Fayruza. She'll have better chances here. Or anywhere else, as she's serving Shinju. Besides, I don't want any rivalry between them. This way, they will grow fond of each other, and Fayruza will support Shinju in everything. Thank you for sponsoring her. That I never expected."Kunzite admitted.
"Because many wives wouldn't?"asked Minako. "It is just as you said. They would not be rivals. I don't want any rivals for my daughter. I don't care with who you shared your pleasure with in the past. I trust you completely. We could each be at opposite ends of the galaxy, and I always would."
"They say jealousy is a sign of true love."
"Oh, no! I'm not insecure. Jealousy only means insecurity. If I had been for a minute, I would never have offered myself to you at all, much less accepted to marry you. I don't hold anything before our marriage against you. I care more for after."
"And after, we are so happily married, I would never wish for another woman."
"Now that Cerealia is over, there is something I am going to tell you."Minako told Ceres. "I think it is time that you make a visit with me to Aphrodite's Rock."
Aphrodite's Rock was the place where it was said Aphrodite emerged from the sea. Many visited Aphrodite's Hills, but only daughters of Aphrodite, such as her mother and herself were allowed to go beyond the hills and towards the beach and enter Aphrodite's Cave or Sanctuary. It was said a terrible curse would befall anyone else who dared cross Aphrodite's Hills.
I might write the story of the visit later on. I'm not sure when, but soon.