Once again Charlotte began her chores with a smile on her face and a melody being hummed from her lips but this time she also had the magnolia Alastor gave her pinned in her hair. Between doing her work she would take a moment to pull that flower from her hair and inhale it's sweet perfume, thus bringing back the wonderful memories of when she was with the gentleman who have given it to her.

"Good morning Niffty." She said to the maid who entered the kitchen to prepare mid-morning tea.

"Good morning to you Apple Cheek." The maid replied.

"Isn't it the most lovely day?" Charlotte sighed while admiring the magnolia in her hand. "The sun is so bright and the birds are singing. Everything is so green and flourishing, it's almost like the entire outside is a beautiful painting."

"Goodness, you seem to getting happier and happier lately. Another good dream?"

"You could say that."

Her cheeks were rosier than they had ever been in all her life and she suddenly found herself dancing with the broom and imagining that it was the charming young man who was now constantly on her mind.

"Ahem!" Niffty coughed which snapped her out of her daydream. "I wouldn't drift off like that during the day if I were you. If Katie catches you like that she'll have you thrown out."

"Oh! Sorry!" She blushed in embarrassment. "Honestly I don't know where my head is today."

"It would seem that your heart has replaced it as the organ that controls you." Niffty giggled.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh I don't think it's any dream that's made you this happy and absent minded Apple Cheek. I think you've met someone. Someone who you fancy very much so."

"No. Not at all." She quickly hid the magnolia.

"You can deny it all you wish but I know when a girl is lovesick. It's happened to me plenty of times although it's never worked out in my favor."

"Lovesick?"

"You're showing all the symptoms. You're blushing and giggling and singing to yourself. You're day dreaming and having a most difficult time focusing on your work. That can only mean one thing. You're in love."

"Don't be silly Niffty." Charlotte said before getting back to sweeping the floor. "How could I be in love? I haven't even had the opportunity to meet a young man. I spend all my days working in the kitchen and all my nights sleeping in the cellar."

"Very well, keep your secrets if you must. But you can't fool me. You're head over heels for someone. I won't make you tell me anything if you don't want to Apple Cheek but I do hope all goes well with you and your paramour."

Charlotte's blush deepened. Love? Is that what she was feeling? Is that what was sparked inside of her the night she met that wonderful man? She never thought that she would ever fall in love. Not even when she was still living with her father. Despite having many suitors interested in her, Charlotte had no intention of ever marrying. Her plan was to stay with her father and take care of him for the rest of her life. The reason for this plan was because number one most potential suitors were only interested in her for her great beauty or to gain control of her father's land. And number two it was because that her father had become so lonely and grieved by her mother's death that she felt he would just die without her. But things were different now weren't they?

Her father had discarded her, deciding that he would be much better off without her. He no longer wanted her comfort or her love. He chased her away from her own home and declared that she would never again be seen as his daughter. It broke her heart and ever since then it had made her feel completely alone and worthless. However she was starting to not feel that way anymore.

For the rest of the day she tried so hard to focus on her work but it proved to be a very futile effort because there was nothing and no one she could think about other than Alastor. She just had to see him again. She would see him again. Tonight at the next event planned for the festival. In fact she had every intention of attending each and every event for the remainder of the week. Oh but would she do once the week ended?

Little did Charlotte know that the man she had become enamored with was also unable to focus on anything because of the person he had recently met at the festival. He just didn't understand what was wrong with him? He was becoming moody and oblivious to things around him. He found himself waiting for evening to come sooner. Whenever he closed his eyes all he could see was the fair skinned blonde with angelic blue eyes smiling at him and then his head would hurt, his tummy would ache, his skin would tingle, and his heart would race. It was so strange. He had only been with her twice and already she ruled his entire being.

"Sir I'm not sure if you're aware of this." Husk told him as he assisted him with cleaning one of Alastor's many rifles. "But you appear to be in a daze. Please return to reality before you accidentally hit the trigger and possibly kill someone."

"Oh Husker I fear that I am going mad." He still had a smile on his face but his eyes were filled with confusion. "My head is spinning and my thoughts can only focus on one subject."

"By subject you mean that young lady you've recently been spending time with?" Husk said.

"Maybe." Alastor replied with a grin.

"Sir you act as if you are the first man to me a pretty woman."

"She was by no means pretty Husk. She was beautiful. The most beautiful creature on God's earth."

"Alright I'll admit she's a real looker and if she had a sister I'd jump at the opportunity but I don't think good looks is enough to ensnare your thinking process like this. I mean after all you don't know her."

"I know that she's very intelligent, witty, compassionate, and a gifted dancer.

"You don't even know this broad's name. She hasn't told you who she really is. Don't you find that a bit of unsettling?"

"No because technically I haven't told her who I really am."

"Which reminds me, what up with all the secrecy?"

"I guess I thought it would be interesting to see how she would treat me if she thought I was just an average fella and I found the results of that to be very entertaining."

"Entertaining isn't really the word I'd use but it is a little amusing to see you cooing away like some poor tormented dove."

"Husk what is it exactly that you're implying? And before you answer keep in mind that I'm not opposed to using violence for conflict resolution."

"With all due respect sir, you as the Greeks would say have been shot by the arrow of Eros. You've become smitten, bedazzled. You've lost your head over the mystery woman. In other words you've fallen madly in love with her."

Alastor briefly stiffened at the allegation, then he burst into a fit of laughter.

"Me? Fallen madly in love? Husk is this a joke?"

"Again with all due respect sir, you know that I have no sense humor so obviously this is no joke."

"Husk I know what this probably looks like but I can assure you that I have not allowed myself to foolishly become infatuated with a pretty face. Now I do find this young lady to be very charming and intriguing but not so much that I would allow myself to become that attached to her."

"Then why are you participating in the festival?"

"For appearances. A man of my position must have proper manners and class even if it means I must attend events that I find to be a great bore."

"Uh-huh. Sure. I totally believe that."

"Husk what you're accusing me of is utterly ridiculous and I think it would be best if we end this conversation now. Besides don't you have to make sure that the arrangements for this evening are made?"

"Yes sir but I have to tell you out of all the events, this is one that I completely loathe."

"I'm not too fond of these farmer competitions myself but if they need to over feed their pigs and cattle to feel important then who are we to deny them that joy?"

"I just wish that those farmers would bathe their livestock before showing them off. Most of them smell worse than an outhouse in hell."

"Perhaps but it has often been said to live is to suffer."

"Well my nose will definitely suffer tonight."

Alastor chuckled and he turned his attention back to the rifle. He tried very much to polish the nozzle of the weapon with the luster cloth but he was once again overcome with thoughts of Charlotte. He had never really gotten attached to any woman no matter how lovely she was in appearance. But Charlotte was more than just stunningly beautiful, she was filled with so much spirit and goodness. She was just so different from the other people he had known in his life because she actually saw the real him. She saw the real him and she liked the real him, and alas there were very few people in his life like that. That's what made her all the more irresistible. But surely not irresistible enough to turn him into some love struck fool. Right?