A/N: Hi again. Another two chapters up today (ch. 4 and 5). It's coming
along fast, which means I have too much time on my hands. (Actually, the
entire story is written, it's just a matter of typing it.)
PART FIVE- Dance Lessons
Matthias awoke to the tolls of the Matthias and Methuselah bells. Remembering that he had to check up on Cornflower, he jumped up to get dressed, rushed through his breakfast, and then ran to the infirmary. Halfway up he remembered what had happened, and this put him in incredibly high spirits.
When he reached the infirmary, he found Cornflower still asleep, wrapped in many blankets. Not seeing Sister Sage anywhere, he put on a kettle of water for tea and took a seat. When the water was ready, she was still asleep, so Matthias decided to wake her, hoping that she wouldn't be annoyed.
"Cornflower," he started in a singsong voice, "Wake up! It's almost two hours after dawn!"
Cornflower turned away from him with a groan. "What time is it?"
"Almost two hours after dawn."
"Oh," she said, sitting up. Suddenly she remembered what she had promised to herself the previous night. "Matthias, I want to apologize for kissing you last night. It's not my place to do that, can you forgive me?"
Matthias was surprised at this sudden statement. "Oh, er, of course. Of course I can forgive you. Quite honestly, I didn't even think anything of it. Well, nothing negative, anyway. Don't worry about it."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. If I said I hated it, I would be lying."
"Ok," she said shortly, extremely pleased with the compliment.
"Sorry for waking you. I wasn't sure if you would be annoyed or not, but I made you some tea."
"Thank you for the tea, and for waking me. I rarely sleep that late." She took a few sips of the tea before continuing. "Mmmm, it's delicious. Are you going to let me out of here today?" she asked smiling pleadingly.
"Well," he said, adopting a mock stern face, "only if you promise to take it easy and to come back if you start to feel bad again. And you must come back tonight."
"Yes, father," she joked.
Matthias laughed. "But really, take care of yourself, okay?"
"Ok."
Matthias stood and left so she could eat and dress. Once she was done, she went down to her room and got her sewing things. The skirts she had were old, and she needed new ones. She went to Sister Serena, who made all the habits, and got three different types of fabric. One was a plain blue print, one was a deep red with little white flowers, and one was a beautiful shade of auburn. After she had everything she needed, she went back to her room and started on her new skirts.
*******
After dinner, Matthias found Cornflower in the kitchen putting away cleaned and dried dishes. When she was finished, they went back to the infirmary together.
"So how did you feel today?" he inquired.
"Okay. I'm definitely not better yet. Being up and about was okay, but it wore me out a lot," she said, smiling ruefully.
"At least you're honest," he said dryly.
"Matthias," she said suddenly, "why are you so intent on talking care of me and getting me better? I'm not complaining, in fact I love it, but why?"
"Because I want to. You're fun and easy to take care of."
"Oh."
By now they had reached the infirmary. It was beginning to be a familiar sight for Cornflower. It was a long room, with windows along the east wall. Beds lined the perimeter of the wall, with the headboard against the wall. There was a bedstand for each. It was empty except for them, as Cornflower was the only patient at the present.
"I'm going to teach you to dance," Cornflower decided.
"Excuse me?" he asked, surprised at the sudden statement.
"I want to teach you to dance. That is, if you want to. Autumn is coming."
"Of course I want to, but what does autumn have to do with it?"
"For any feasts, I noticed you didn't dance at all at the mid-summer feast so I figured you don't know how."
"At the mid-summer feast you didn't either."
"Right, because I had just been introduced to you and I didn't want to appear rude."
"Oh. Well, if you have the energy and are willing, I'd like to learn.."
"Great. I'll start you off with an easy one, the Haymakers Jig..."
They spent much of the evening dancing and laughing with each other. Cornflower taught Matthias three group dances, the Haymakers Jig, the Fairy Reel, and the Siege of Ennis, which was another reel. She also taught him some single reels and hornpipes.
When they finished, Cornflower flopped on the bed. "What do you think?"
"It was great fun. And a lot easier then it looks. Thanks for teaching me."
"Of course."
"Would you, I mean, do you want to go outside, or take a walk, or something?"
Cornflower smiled at him. He was so cute when he was nervous! "Sure!"
PART FIVE- Dance Lessons
Matthias awoke to the tolls of the Matthias and Methuselah bells. Remembering that he had to check up on Cornflower, he jumped up to get dressed, rushed through his breakfast, and then ran to the infirmary. Halfway up he remembered what had happened, and this put him in incredibly high spirits.
When he reached the infirmary, he found Cornflower still asleep, wrapped in many blankets. Not seeing Sister Sage anywhere, he put on a kettle of water for tea and took a seat. When the water was ready, she was still asleep, so Matthias decided to wake her, hoping that she wouldn't be annoyed.
"Cornflower," he started in a singsong voice, "Wake up! It's almost two hours after dawn!"
Cornflower turned away from him with a groan. "What time is it?"
"Almost two hours after dawn."
"Oh," she said, sitting up. Suddenly she remembered what she had promised to herself the previous night. "Matthias, I want to apologize for kissing you last night. It's not my place to do that, can you forgive me?"
Matthias was surprised at this sudden statement. "Oh, er, of course. Of course I can forgive you. Quite honestly, I didn't even think anything of it. Well, nothing negative, anyway. Don't worry about it."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. If I said I hated it, I would be lying."
"Ok," she said shortly, extremely pleased with the compliment.
"Sorry for waking you. I wasn't sure if you would be annoyed or not, but I made you some tea."
"Thank you for the tea, and for waking me. I rarely sleep that late." She took a few sips of the tea before continuing. "Mmmm, it's delicious. Are you going to let me out of here today?" she asked smiling pleadingly.
"Well," he said, adopting a mock stern face, "only if you promise to take it easy and to come back if you start to feel bad again. And you must come back tonight."
"Yes, father," she joked.
Matthias laughed. "But really, take care of yourself, okay?"
"Ok."
Matthias stood and left so she could eat and dress. Once she was done, she went down to her room and got her sewing things. The skirts she had were old, and she needed new ones. She went to Sister Serena, who made all the habits, and got three different types of fabric. One was a plain blue print, one was a deep red with little white flowers, and one was a beautiful shade of auburn. After she had everything she needed, she went back to her room and started on her new skirts.
*******
After dinner, Matthias found Cornflower in the kitchen putting away cleaned and dried dishes. When she was finished, they went back to the infirmary together.
"So how did you feel today?" he inquired.
"Okay. I'm definitely not better yet. Being up and about was okay, but it wore me out a lot," she said, smiling ruefully.
"At least you're honest," he said dryly.
"Matthias," she said suddenly, "why are you so intent on talking care of me and getting me better? I'm not complaining, in fact I love it, but why?"
"Because I want to. You're fun and easy to take care of."
"Oh."
By now they had reached the infirmary. It was beginning to be a familiar sight for Cornflower. It was a long room, with windows along the east wall. Beds lined the perimeter of the wall, with the headboard against the wall. There was a bedstand for each. It was empty except for them, as Cornflower was the only patient at the present.
"I'm going to teach you to dance," Cornflower decided.
"Excuse me?" he asked, surprised at the sudden statement.
"I want to teach you to dance. That is, if you want to. Autumn is coming."
"Of course I want to, but what does autumn have to do with it?"
"For any feasts, I noticed you didn't dance at all at the mid-summer feast so I figured you don't know how."
"At the mid-summer feast you didn't either."
"Right, because I had just been introduced to you and I didn't want to appear rude."
"Oh. Well, if you have the energy and are willing, I'd like to learn.."
"Great. I'll start you off with an easy one, the Haymakers Jig..."
They spent much of the evening dancing and laughing with each other. Cornflower taught Matthias three group dances, the Haymakers Jig, the Fairy Reel, and the Siege of Ennis, which was another reel. She also taught him some single reels and hornpipes.
When they finished, Cornflower flopped on the bed. "What do you think?"
"It was great fun. And a lot easier then it looks. Thanks for teaching me."
"Of course."
"Would you, I mean, do you want to go outside, or take a walk, or something?"
Cornflower smiled at him. He was so cute when he was nervous! "Sure!"