A/N: Long time no see. I could go into a long rant on why I've been missing in action for so long, but I won't. Let me simply say that I was in a very lonely place, and I found it difficult to find any inspiration to write. That, thankfully, has changed, and I'm both ready and inspired again thanks to some wonderful new friends, and of course, your continued support (and sad messages to me...sorry!) Please know that I read every single plea for all of my different stories, and each one gave me more and more inspiration to continue!
I've also decided to create a Twitter account (for the first time!) at carys_valerian so if you are so inclined, follow me and I will post sneak peeks for future chapters and information about upcoming posts. Any thoughts, predictions and other ideas are always appreciated! Right now, I will be focusing on this story for a bit, but keep in touch for info about my others!
Without further ado, Chapter 14 of The Slipper Fit. Not the most exciting of chapters, but we're in for a twist soon, so stay tuned!
xxxx Carys
Chapter 14- Tea
"Look, Theron! I've been invited to tea with Grace this afternoon!" I exclaimed proudly, showing him the handwritten invitation I'd received that morning.
He was clearly busy, working on some princely duty or another, but he took the time to take the invitation in hand and evaluate it carefully.
"You've been invited to tea? Are you certain it's not some sort of joke? I can't imagine anyone vying for the pleasure of your company," he teased. Feigning a pout, I snatched the card back quickly.
"Well, you certainly had no problem with the prospect of my company for a lifetime. You forced our engagement, after all."
Theron laughed, rising from his seat and stretching a little.
"Honestly Honoria, I'm pleased you've been spending so much time with Lady Grace lately. She's probably the most genuine person I've ever had the pleasure of encountering at court. Even my mother likes her- which is an impressive feat all in itself."
I hated to admit that hearing Theron speak about her with such admiration made my stomach churn with jealousy.
"If she's so lovely then I don't see why you aren't marrying her instead of me," I said. My voice was ripe with bitterness, and I wasn't proud of it.
For some reason though, Theron seemed pleased by my words.
"Might that be a bit of envy I detect, Honor?" he grinned.
"I'm sure that would bring you an inordinate amount of pleasure, but it isn't true," I insisted, certain that I was flushing pink with embarrassment and hoping he didn't notice.
"Oh of course. How silly of me to assume," he smirked. His expression unnerved me. I didn't want him to think he knew all of the inner workings of my heart- not yet anyhow.
Although I respected Theron a great deal, well, admired him really, the thought of giving him an indication of the potential depth of my regard was a terrifying prospect. For now, I would keep the truth of my estimation of him to myself, lest I find myself more vulnerable than I wished to be. Besides, Theron had the upper hand in most things, so I felt I needed to keep my thoughts on the matter to myself, if only to keep one step ahead of his machinations.
Still, it was true that since our outing to town, the two of us had been getting along quite nicely. We still argued- and I doubted that would ever change. Yet, I enjoyed our battles of wit. They left me feeling exhilarated, even when I didn't win- which was rather shockingly often, really. He was constantly challenging me, but each time he did, I felt that I was becoming a better person for it. Even my mother seemed to have noticed a change in me.
"When he's with you, you seem to glow, darling," she'd told me over luncheon just the other day- and while I'd never considered such a thing myself, I wondered if the affection I had developed for him had become noticeable to everyone.
I crossed my arms, tossing him an exasperated glare for all his teasing. It gave me the opportunity to evaluate him a little more closely. For the first time since I'd arrived in his study with my invitation, I noticed that something about him was a little off.
His dark hair was ruffled, as if he'd ran his hands through it a great deal. His handsome face was marred by big, dark circles around his eyes that spoke of restless nights. I wondered if perhaps something was troubling him.
It was true that he'd been increasingly busy of late, and I'd seen him less and less. When I did manage to speak with him, he was generally carrying around quills and parchment so he was able to pen a letter on a whim.
Seeing him this way made me worried for him, and I couldn't help but let my expression soften with concern.
"Are you alright, Theron? You look tired," I said simply, changing the subject. He smiled, but I couldn't help but notice it didn't reach his eyes.
"And you almost look concerned, my dear lady. You needn't be. I fear my mother has chosen excessive work as a retaliation for our trip into the city," he explained.
"Of course Phoebe and her mother would have mentioned it at the last salon- one I wasn't even invited to I'll have you know. For what it's worth, I'm sorry I put you in this position. If I would have ignored them at the dressmaker's your mother never would have found out about it."
"I just hope your new dresses are worth it," he grimaced. "Nevertheless, I'm sure that her anger will boil over soon, and you'll be invited to her tedious salons again."
"Oh bother. Perhaps I should stay in her ill graces then," I laughed, cringing at the memory of the Queen's reaction to our outing.
"Of all the ridiculous notions, Theron! It is careless of you to be so cavalier about leaving the palace without a proper escort! You are the heir to the throne, you cannot afford to be so reckless! How could you allow him to do such a thing?" The Queen had demanded of me.
"I apologize Your Majesty. I was under the impression that a ruler should know their people. It was my idea, and I take full responsibility," I insisted.
"You are no longer in the living in the country, where the greatest danger lies in an escaped pig from the family farm!" she snapped at me. Theron's mother could certainly be intimidating when upset, and I was in no position to argue with her any further. To be honest, I hadn't really considered any repercussions of our trip, and he certainly didn't seem bothered by it. Did Theron have enough enemies that our adventure could have caused him harm?
"Mother, that is enough!" Theron said, firmly. "Your behaviour towards Honor is unwarranted. I am a grown man. If I wish to go to the city then I will certainly do so." His words were final, offering no chance of a rebuttal from her.
"Since this girl came into your life, you have behaved abominably, Theron. I certainly hope you rethink your choice in a partner before you do irreparable damage to our family," the Queen insisted, turning red with anger before coldly storming out of the room- she had avoided me at all cost ever since. Even at dinner she'd refused to meet my gaze, though Theron liked to pretend that nothing was amiss.
I had finally come to terms with the fact that I'd never meet her approval, and while I couldn't blame her for faulting my earlier behaviour, I had done my best to be as pleasant as possible since then. Yet, no matter what I did, she still seemed to regard me as she would a wine stain on a silk gown.
Theron insisted that she would come around eventually. "She'll have no choice," he'd said, but I was quite sure he was being overly optimistic about my chances.
I watched now, as he sat back in his chair, running his hands through his hair just as I'd suspected he'd done all morning.
"I must get back to work now, Honor, but enjoy your tea. I'll expect a full report when you return, so I'll meet you here, later," he said, smiling again.
"You need to rest, Theron. I'll give you my full report only once you have," I replied, tempted to comb his hair back into place with my fingers before I returned to my senses and stepped away from him.
Heading my to my room to get ready to leave, I couldn't help but grin to myself. I always seemed to feel this way when we parted. I wondered if that was what my mother meant by my 'glowing.'
I met Clara on the way, she seemed to be returning from one errand or another, and together we began looking through some of my new gowns. I still struggled to determine which dress to wear at which occasion, so I needed her help to choose which might be the most appropriate for tea. I was glad for my encounter with the dressmaker, for I'd never seen finer quality garments in my life, and they were finished with such speed one would have thought I was their exclusive customer.
Ultimately, we agreed on a simple, gold dress, and I waited while Clara helped me fasten the laces on the back. She had already done my hair that morning, but I spent a little time brushing it out and hoping that all the fly away pieces would settle down. Grace had visited me at the palace, and we'd often walked through the menagerie and gardens, but it was the first time I'd been invited anywhere. I wanted to make a good impression by looking my best.
"You look beautiful, My Lady," Clara said, beaming with pride.
"Thank you Clara. I do appreciate your efforts. I'd probably have been kicked out of the palace ages ago if it weren't for you." The girl blushed happily, holding out a pearl necklace that my mother had loaned me.
"It's nothing, My Lady. But you'd best be on your way, or you'll be more than fashionably late," she insisted before escorting me to where my carriage was waiting. I waived to her as I left, excited to be visiting a real friend for the first time. For the first time in a long while, I thought that life at court might not be as terrible as I'd thought after the masquerade.
After a short ride, the carriage stopped at a stately manor house with an intricately carved fountain at the front. Grace was as gracious as her name when I arrived, answering the door herself and welcoming me to her home with open arms and a wide smile.
"How good of you to visit," she said quite formally, kissing me on both cheeks. She was radiant, as usual, in a deep blue gown that accentuated her eyes. Every time I saw her I was reminded of how different her upbringing must have been to my own. She was always so put together, and though shy, carried herself with the utmost dignity at all times.
t figured her childhood must have been very different from Phoebe's as well, since Grace possessed none of her vanity or selfishness despite the fact her family could purchase Phoebe's entire household without batting their eyelashes. Perhaps there was something to be said for the truly wealthy- that they felt less obligated to flaunt their possessions in front of others. It was a humility I could respect, and spoke very well of my friend.
Grace's home was much larger than Phoebe's and immaculately decorated- though I didn't believe any rooms would be as lovely as the one Theron had provided for me. She led me through several corridors before stopping in a glass room that allowed the sun to shine through and keep it pleasantly warm.
The table was set with golden dishes, and freshly cut roses that were perfectly presented- Grace's influence on the decor evident in its perfection and style.
"You have a lovely home Lady Grace," I told her, as a maid pulled my chair out for me to sit.
"Thank you, Lady Honoria, you are too kind," she said kindly, gesturing for a different maid to pour our tea. A plate of the loveliest little cakes was placed in front of us, as well as fresh fruit and sandwiches.
"So tell me," she said, "how is Prince Theron faring lately? Have you seen any more of him than last we spoke?" I had told her of his absence during our last walk through the menagerie.
"Apparently his mother has been keeping him on a short leash- she disapproves of me so much she'd do anything to keep him from me," I answered honestly. I wondered if I should have kept my thoughts of the queen to myself, but I was so keen on having someone to speak to about my problems that I didn't censor my words.
"I wouldn't take it to heart, Honoria. The important thing is that he cares for you. It is Theron who will be king, and he may do as he wishes despite his mother's interference- or Phoebe's for that matter. She's working to make your life difficult. Before you arrived, I heard that she made it clear to the court that she intended on making a fool out of your affections for Prince Sebastian, and now the tables have turned. She's made herself look ridiculous instead. It's a wonder she manages to be a leader of court fashion every year with an attitude like that, but it makes her a dangerous enemy to have."
"I'm only embarrassed I fell for her charms for so long. If it weren't for Theron and his interference I'd probably still be foolishly pining after Sebastian and taking her word as truth," I mumbled into a particularly delicious strawberry cream cake.
"You give yourself too little credit. Was it Theron who stepped in to help the dressmaker? Even I felt powerless to help under Phoebe and her mother's gazes. In a sense, it makes me just as guilty as them. Yet, you inspired me to stand up for what was right. That's why I believe you will be a Queen that the people could respect."
I didn't realize Grace held such a high opinion of me, but there was no mocking in her eyes. Her words were as sincere as words could be, and they humbled me.
"I only hope I can live up to your expectations of me," I said, a little embarrassed.
"I have faith that you will. And I'm sure that the Queen will come around in her opinion of you, so you mustn't dwell on it too much. The Crown Prince's esteem is the only one that matters, and from what I've seen, you've more than gained his affections."
"Do you really believe that?" I wondered.
"Is it in doubt? I've seen the way he looks at you, and it's not the gaze of a childhood friend," she assured me with a suggestive smile.
"I don't doubt his wanting to marry me, but he made it clear it was because he found our bantering amicable."
"Most noble marriages have even less to go on. But you want more than that, don't you?" she wondered.
"I've had romantic visions for my life since I was a girl. Theron certainly fills most of my criteria- even despite his unusual proposal."
"And what exactly is he missing?" Grace asked with a curious smile.
"I only worry that I will end up loving him one-sidedly, and I don't know if that is something I can tolerate."
Grace took my hand as it rested against the table, her gaze sympathetic.
"No one desires to suffer from a broken heart Honor. But a heart is like a flower. If you choose to hide it for fear of a storm, you also miss the chance for the sun to warm its roots and help it grow."
"You sound like my mother, Grace," I laughed, though I was awed by her wisdom. She joined me before taking a delicate sip of her tea.
"I will take that as a compliment. Now come, let us take a stroll through the gardens before it is time for you to leave before dinner. We must talk about Lord Sebastian's hunting party next week. It's supposed to be a very gauche affair, and I'm sure you'll have to attend. I'll give you a bit of advice."
Grace held out her arm for me to take, and I did so happily- grateful for any advice she could provide. I wasn't looking forward to hunting at all, but apparently it was merely an excuse for nobles to show off their best horses and finest hunting attire. Still, Grace seemed to think it presented an excellent opportunity for me to win over more nobles to my side over Phoebe's. It wasn't a battle I particularly was interested in fighting, but perhaps if I managed to make more connections, the queen might be more eager to accept me as Theron's future wife.