Leo was confused. He didn't like being confused and he especially didn't like the situation that was confusing him. In a short week, Louisa had gone from, well... Louisa to... see, that was the thing. Leo didn't know what to make of it. One second, Louisa and his grandmother were tearing chunks from each other and the next, Louisa was the perfect princess in Alejandra's eyes and Alejandra was very smug about this achievement.
Something wasn't right.
"I don't know what you mean, Leo." Louisa claimed airily.
"Uh, hello. You've gone from the most boisterous and eccentric princess ever to... model princess full of politeness and good graces. And you are wearing a dress. A dress. Voluntarily. You've planned something, haven't you?"
"What? Me? Good gracious, dear husband, what have the servants fed you?" But the mischievous twinkle in her eye told Leo everything he needed to know.
"Please no more arson. Or intense property damage. Or a combination of the two." Louisa glanced about. Spying Leo's grandmother, she stooped and plucked a rose from the bush, careful of the thorns. She sniffed it, watching Alejandra through her peripheral.
"If you must know," She muttered once the old witch was gone, "there is a plan. I just need to get that psychotic hag off my back for a while."
"It's going to blow up in her face, isn't it?"
"Figuratively." Leo sighed. She cast aside the rose, sucking her thumb as a thorn nicked the skin. "Don't look so worried, Leo. I know what I'm doing."
"Fine. Can I ask a favour though?" She nodded. "Don't say 'dear husband'. It's weird." She laughed. "I'm being serious. It's not you."
"Ah, but don't you see? This is the new me! The one that Alejandra will grow to love. The one that will destroy the hag."
"I'm not even going to ask."
"Here we go!" Alejandra said proudly. She ushered Leo into the hall. Louisa stood in the centre, patiently waiting for him with a pleasant smile, excellent posture and a new navy blue and white dress. Her hair had been swished up into an intricate series of braids all tied together, a silver tiara studded with sapphires keeping her fringe from her eyes. She pinched her dress and courtseyed when he stopped a metre before her. Leo could only bow in reply. Alejandra hurried off excitedly and directed the musicians in the corner. The violins started and Leo had no choice but to offer a dance.
"You're like a completely different person." He told her under his breath as they danced in smooth, graceful circles. Louisa smiled sweetly, the dangerous gleam sparking through the sea green gems Leo had grown to love and fear. "Whatever you're planning... when?" Louisa remained quiet. Leo smiled as he came to face his abuelita, the smile dimming instantly when his back was to her. "Going to tell me what you're going to do?" She gave the slightest shake of her head.
The music ended. Alejandra clapped, beaming.
"Excellent! I told you, nieto, I told you I could make her the perfect wife." Louisa courtseyed to Alejandra too. Alejandra replied similarly. "What is wrong, nieto?"
"Nothing. Such a big change in a short space of time."
"Hard work and dedication," Alejandra nodded, "that's all it took." Leo just nodded, forcing another smile. His grandmother smothered him in a hug, kissing his forehead. Louisa stood, watching calmly, the ideal princess in all but mentality.
Leo and Louisa went into town that afternoon, in an open air horse drawn carriage. Louisa smiled and waved at the villagers as though they were the ones she had grown up with. Some waved back, most gave her wary looks. She seemed unabashed by this.
Normally, on a trip like this, they had a good laugh. Now, it was kind of boring. Alejandra and Sammy were in town too. Louisa avoided all blacksmiths and banks, going for pottery, fabrics, jewels and fruits. She paid full price for everything rather than taking the time to barter for a lower price. She liked to give the children some spare change for food and for their families. With Alejandra watching, however, she couldn't. Alejandra had drilled into her head- or so she thought- that a princess's duties were to her husband. She only considered those under her rule when she was queen.
"What about this one?" Louisa asked, feeling a roll of thick fabric adorned with swirling floral patterns. Leo shrugged. "Mmm, I'm not keen on the colour. Do you have anything red?"
"This way, ma'am." The seller said kindly, directing Louisa to one side. She side-stepped a muddy puddle. Leo stomped through it, getting annoyed now. He needed to have a word with his abuelita later on. Proper-Princess-Louisa was not the one he had married. Even though the marriage was kind of one-sided and she knew nothing about that, he had married her for her, not some prissy, fancy-pancy bobble-head. If Louisa was to ask though, he had married her as a friend because their parents had arranged it. Nothing more, nothing less.
"Mijo, what is wrong?" Esperanza laid a tender hand on her son's arm. Leo huffed. "Talk to madre, sweetheart."
"Louisa."
"Ah. I knew you weren't happy with the new model."
"No."
"I wouldn't worry. I caught her licking the chocolate mix left over from a cake once the cook was out of sight."
"Not the same."
"She is. Under all the manners and pretty dresses, she is. You'll see."
"Madre?"
"Si?"
"Do I tell abuelita or not? She'll get upset." Esperanza pressed her lips together, debating. "I mean, she thinks she's won. You know better than anyone what that's like to her." His mother nodded slowly, half lost in thought. "If I tell her the truth, it could all backfire. And Lou has this plan... I don't know, she wouldn't tell me, but I've got a feeling it's something big."
"It would be. It is Louisa."
Hephaestus walked in. He sunk into his arm chair, sighing in relief. Esperanza looked amused. "I told you not to work all day. You men, you never listen." Hephaestus just smiled. He was in a good mood. Something Leo hadn't seen for a while.
"What's with the boat race, m'boy?" Hephaestus asked hoarsely. Esperanza summoned a servant and ordered drinks for them all. Leo recounted his woes with the new Louisa. Hephaestus looked grim, but nodded in understanding all the same. "And she's planned something. That'll be fun." Leo muttered darkly.
"I reckon Alejandra's told her about the staff."
"Oh gods..."
"Yes. That wretched thing."
"I never agreed to take it." Esperanza shook her head. "The history behind it; I did not want that. Mother was upset at the time, but she understood. She promised to hold onto it for a daughter of my own. It is fortunate I only had you, mijo."
"This staff. That's the one she keeps in a locked box at all times, isn't it?" Leo faced his mother for confirmation.
"The locked box Louisa was trying to break into the other night?" Hephaestus asked before Leo's question was answered. Esperanza gasped, shooting to her feet.
"Where is Louisa?"She demanded. Leo started to shrug, froze with his shoulders hunched. The three Valdezes shared looks and then they were off in different directions.
Leo found her. She was in the stables, dressed in her favoured riding gear and putting a saddle on Storm. She smiled when she saw him.
"I was just about to go for a ride. Want to come?" Leo leant against the door frame, trying to breathe. "Are you alright?"
"You... pain... very... big... pain..."
"Yes." Louisa cinched the straps. "I can saddle up Festus while you get your breath back if you want." Leo just nodded, deciding it would be better to keep her in sight. "Cool." She grinned. "I think Festus has a crush on Storm." She said in a stage-whisper. Leo smiled weakly. Louisa laughed and fetched his horse.
Storm moved to Leo, whickering softly and nudging him. Leo petted her on the neck.
"Hey." He greeted breathlessly. "What's your rider up to, huh?" Storm pawed the ground and snorted. Leo checked the saddlebags quickly, finding only food, water, two knives and Louisa's bow and quiver of arrows.
Louisa returned a minute later, leading Festus, who whinnied happily upon seeing his owner. Leo let him huff over his face, his way of saying hello, before mounting. Louisa handed him the reins, Storm coming up behind her and waiting patiently. "Going off for some sneaky archery, are we?"
"Little bit. Got to stay practised."
"And knives?"
"Self-defense."
"Mm..." She made a face at him, swinging up into her saddle.
"You know, with that attitude, I might not let you come after all."
"No, you're stuck with me now." Leo squeezed Festus's sides and the stallion trotted out, swishing his mane. Storm followed, falling alongside them instantly.
"How'd you know you're not stuck with me?"
"Does it really matter?"
"I suppose not. It's the same either way."