Chapter 4: Warmth

We had a kettle; we let it leak:
Our not repairing made it worse.
We haven't had any tea for a week...
The bottom is out of the Universe.
~Rudyard Kipling

Stayne's talk with Bayard went about as well as expected, and both admitted it was good they had put their issues to rest. While they were not likely to become the closest of friends, both at least felt that they needn't go out of their way in the future to avoid the other.

As both encouragement and escape, Casiphia suggested she and her paramour go riding, even taking the risk of going beyond Marmoreal without guards.

"It is so nice to be on horseback again. Although I hope we're not courting danger stealing outside the castle grounds—but I have so missed our rides." Casiphia patted Quill's neck and set off at a canter across open fields, followed by Stayne astride his mount, Brautigan.

Halfway across a meadow lush with lush grass and wildflowers, Casiphia pulled the white mare to a stop and slid to the ground. Ilosovic halted as she threw herself prone onto the grass, after taking off her hat and setting it carefully down beside her. Brautigan turned his head to look at his own rider, who shrugged and joined Casiphia on the grass.

"It's so warm and lovely today," she sighed. "I could spend the entire day like this."

"You would get sunburnt," Stayne cautioned her, at which she reached for her hat and placed it over her face, watching through its weave the silk flowers and ribbons bobbing in the light spring breeze.

But after a few minutes, Casiphia heard a loud "whuff," and the hat was lifted from her face by a pair of large wet lips.

"While we appreciate the sentiment," Quill said softly, "Brautigan and I have been spending a great deal of time in the stables and we would very much like to continue our excursion."

"Oh, Quill, I'm sorry," Casiphia said. "I should have thought of that. Yes, let's go."

After a good hard gallop across gentle hills, they were all ready for a quick rest. When Casiphia finally guided Quill to a stop, they were far from the castle and beyond the mushroom forest. Just beyond a copse of trees they heard voices, and realized where they were.

"It would be polite to say hello," she said.

"It might be better-advised to slip away unnoticed," Stayne observed. "Although they may have discerned our presence by now."

At that Casiphia wheeled her mount around and walked Quill up to the tea table in the clearing. With reservations, Ilosovic brought his steed along behind her, and together they approached the gathering.

"Casiphia!" Alice said from her place at the Hatter's right hand, her face then falling. "And Stayne."

"We were out riding and this is where the horses brought us," said the lady-in-waiting. "So we have come to give you our regards."

Tarrant Hightopp, meanwhile, was regarding the two curiously from under the brim of his hat. "What do you say, fellow feasters? Do we invite them to stay?"

Thackery took the lid off a teapot and buried his face inside it rather than answer, but Mallymkun jumped, literally, to Casiphia's defense. "She can stay, she's the one who outfitted me with my sword." She indicated the embroidery-scissor blade that hung scabbarded at her waist. "The other one, oh, I no longer care what he does."

"How charming," Stayne whispered.

"Oh, pish and posh, old times are past," Tarrant said, with a quick smile in Alice's direction. "Have a seat, join us."

Not entirely certain what they were in for, Casiphia and Ilosovic dismounted, and Casiphia went immediately to Tarrant. "Sugar cubes for the horses?"

"Most assuredly," he replied, handing her the sugar bowl, from which she took several lumps of sugar for Quill and Brautigan.

"It is wise to keep the horses happy," she said as Quill delicately lipped the sugar from her hand.

"And don't forget it," said Brautigan with a flap of his upper lip.

Ilosovic, meanwhile, stood uncomfortably waiting for his lady, who finally returned to his side, took his hand, and led him to the tea table.

"The windmill looks lovely," she said to Tarrant as teacups and plates made their way down the table to them with only minor mishaps. Indeed it did, stonework repaired and blades straight and bright.

A teapot in each hand, the Hatter climbed on the table and took long strides down it to serve tea, knocking over only a few pieces of crockery in the process.

"Does he always do that?" Casiphia asked Stayne.

"Usually, yes. Keep your fingers out of his way. And your plate."

Casiphia pulled her plate out of the way just in time, as Tarrant poured hot tea into her cup from high above her head. Stayne held a cup up with one long arm to reduce the danger of splashes as his own tea was poured.

Then Tarrant marched back to his seat at the other end of the table, and Mally loudly orchestrated the serving of cake and biscuits.

"I have to say, Thackery, you have outdone yourself." Casiphia waved her piece of cake at the hare.

Thackery grinned and bobbed his head at her, before digging in the sugar bowl and lobbing a cube at her head.

"What's that expression-'When in Rome'?" she said to Ilosovic, before picking up a napkin and pitching it back with a mischievous look.

Thackery looked stunned, then threw his head back with a wild cackle. "'When in Rome!'" he shrieked, and tossed a bun at Alice.

And the Battle of the Tea Table was on, as food and crockery sailed through the air, rarely touching their targets, but resulting in laughter all around. Even Stayne was amused at some the antics, and might have lobbed a crumpet or two himself when no one was watching.

The sunset that night was particularly splendid with its striations of purple and red and gold, and Casiphia and Ilosovic left the books they were reading to watch it from their terrace.

"This is lovely," Casiphia said, "But I would like an even better view. Come, there's a balcony at the top of the castle that will give us a view over most of Marmoreal."

They ran hastily up flights of white marble stairs so as not to miss any more of the sky's transitions than necessary, arriving at the door of the high round tower only to find that they were not the first to have this idea. Silhouetted against the fiery sky was a figure with tufts of exuberant hair flattened in the middle, and another with an absurdly large hat atop her head, which she was holding up with one hand so it would not fall over her eyes.

Casiphia and Stayne could catch only a word here and there, but the low familiarity of the voices and occasional soft laughter were enough to give them the gist of the conversation.

"Oh, come," Casiphia said, tugging at Stayne's sleeve. "This is just eavesdropping. Let's go down a floor; the view will be almost as nice."

"They stole our sunset," Ilosovic said as they started down the stairs.

"I know," she said. "We'll steal their moon some day. Don't think we won't have a chance."