"So, how was the party?" Rafael asked as they got into bed.
Maria shrugged as she smoothed out the sleeve of Sadako's sleepwear that lay draped over her stomach. The wrinkles had bothered her. "It was… successful. Katarina only stayed near the buffet and talked to be people there, but that was where all the squires had congregated, so it couldn't be helped. I might have to bring her to a different party."
"That shouldn't be long," Rafael said dryly. "You realize this is a Sophia plot Katarina out of the house, right?"
Maria blinked, then thought back to the circumstances. She grunted. "Sophia Ascart is possessed of great cunning," she declared.
"Actually, I think she's just finally found a way to put her knowledge of romance novels to good use," Rafael said. "Most romance novels have a climactic scene at a ball. She's basically trying to string together many such climactic scenes, especially since she's making you do this as a business activity."
She raised an eyebrow at him. "And how would you know that? Do you read them too?"
"I went through a stage, until I realized they were all too alike," Rafael admitted.
Maria raised an eyebrow at him.
"All right, I was young and looking for ideas for taking revenge," he admitted more honestly. "Did you know that a lot of romance novels about revenge don't actually do a good job of portraying revenge? The plans and plots make no sense, and the vengeance always seems to happen because the ineffectual main character happens to get romantically involved with a sufficiently powerful person."
Maria raised an eyebrow again.
"Yes, I realize what I said, but at the time it was an annoyingly frustrating lack of resolution and agency on the part of the so-called main character!" Rafael huffed with uncharacteristic vehemence. "I was trying to identify with them getting their vengeance for the wrongs done to them, and they do nothing but waste time, waste resources, their plans are horrible and don't seem to have any relation to their stated final goal and OH DARKNESS WITHIN, I WAS A REVENGE NOVEL MAIN CHARACTER, WASN'T I?-!-?-!-?"
The sudden outburst startled Sadako, who jerked up, only to find Rafael with his face in his hands, trying to hide his shame as Maria patted him on the back.
"You got better?" she said, very poorly stifling her amusement.
The strangely strangled sound coming from Rafael only managed to convey even more shame.
"I am thankful that you choose to be romantically involved with me instead of Lord Ascart?" she tried, now smiling openly.
She felt the full body twitch he had as he turned and fell on his side, pulling his pillow over his head to try and hide from his dark past.
Sighing in disappointment as this probably meant she would be able to cuddle up against him, Maria lay back on her pillow, Sadako settling down at her side once more.
Eventually, Rafael's pillow was pulled away, and he sighed, setting it next to hers as he took a more ordinary sleeping posture.
"Sophia must never know," Rafael said darkly.
Maria felt around, took his hand and twined their fingers together, making sure the back of his hand was rubbing against her thigh. "Your secret is safe with me," she said.
She enjoyed the feeling of even just the back of his hand on her, so close. Her grip was soft so he could pull away if he wanted, but he didn't.
It was progress. Eventually, she would be ravished!
The next day began as usual. Waking up. Getting dressed. Seeing to it that her wards who wished to learn the sword did their drills. Having a quick morning spar with Katarina and informing her of the day's schedule. A quick word with the managers of the Nightflower and Arsenal Workshops on any issues they might have. Breakfast with mother, her mother's new… Anne, the children, her wards, and her new accountants. The last three mostly kept to themselves, so she'd spoken to the children to not bother them. Then she was kissing Rafael farewell before he had to get on the carriage for the ministry, and the children were going to the converted ballroom that was now their classroom, and Maria was greeting Sophia and some of their commission agents, who were apparently these so Sophia could review their work, and the day fell securely into familiar routine.
Part of that routine involved Lord Keith accompanying Dame Matthew when she came, asking to spar, which she obliged. He'd been very aggressive since his sister had declared her intention to be a knight, and Maria approved. Aggression was the key to winning fights, not hiding behind a shield. She had to wonder if the Claes siblings had decided between them that one would fight aggressively and one would fight defensively, though.
In a way, it was refreshing to fight Lord Keith as opposed to his sister. Katarina's completely lack of aggression meant she couldn't' be baited, was very hard to feint, and would always have the stamina to roll away if Maria got creative. Fighting Keith, however, was like fighting a hunter. Except, well, slower. He was willing risk taking a hit as long as his hit could land first and disrupt her hit and his unfortunate height meant his kicks had more range than hers. Ironically, Maria found herself fighting like Katarina when against him, as a fast parry defense kept his offense at bay, the occasional kick notwithstanding.
She still beat him, but not easily. And it let her work off her pent up emotion at continually not being ravished.
"A good match, Lord Keith," she said as they finally finished, both wiping the sweat off their faces with towels.
"You too," he said. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. You're a knight, after all."
They both paused to take a long but careful drink of water.
"You know," Keith said in a reminiscing voice, "Katarina used to do this thing… actually, she probably still does it. Whenever we finished sword practiced, there'd be a drink ready for us." Maria nodded to show she was listening. "When it was water or juice or watered wine, she'd drink it normally. But when it was milk…" He chuckled, getting to his feet, and took on a stance. Feet apart, a fist on his hip, his now-empty cup in one hand. "When it was milk, she'd stand like this and go…" He put the cup to his lips and threw back his head, leaning back farther and farther as if trying to finish the contents of the cup, before letting out an exaggerated sigh.
"And she ONLY did it with milk," Keith said, breaking character. "She tried to teach me how to do it, and I had to drink it like that with her at the same time. We had to start drinking the same time, had to finish at the same time… " He sighed. "I was glad when we got old enough to stop drinking milk."
"Yes, that looks just like Lady Katarina." And it also explained so much. Now she knew why the children drank milk while standing in a line.
They both sighed.
"So, how was Katarina at the party?" Keith said, trying to sound casual and only looking intent.
"She managed to socialize in the approved manner," Maria related.
"You got her to move away from the buffet table?" Keith said disbelievingly.
"No, unfortunately it turned out the squires all congregated at the table to avoid their knights," Maria said. "But beyond that she was able to socialize and converse properly."
"I don't think that counts," Keith said ruthlessly. "Not if she's next to the buffet."
Maria sighed. "Yes. I'll have to try again next time."
She could practically hear his attention being piqued. "Next time?" he said, looking vaguely disapproving.
"She can't just keep practicing in controlled conditions forever," Maria said. "Eventually she'll have to do it at an actual party." Katarina wasn't actually that bad at parties. Beyond a few bad habits, like staying near the buffet and running into Dark Magic wielders, she was mostly unremarkable. Though that might be because she was always surrounded by high-ranking people. It was mostly the fine details she had a problem with. Still, that was no excuse for ignorance. Better Katarina be unremarkable while knowing the correct thing to do than not.
"And what party would that be?" Keith said, failing utterly at seeming casual.
"I haven't decided yet," Maria said. "It will depend on what would be appropriate for me to bring my squire to."
Keith did not look happy with that answer, and Maria dared him to push, but instead a thoughtful look came over his face.
"What?" she asked.
"You know… you haven't had a housewarming party yet," Keith said, and Maria blinked. "I mean, you've thrown little get-togethers, but those weren't parties. No formal invitations, no receiving line, no proper buffet."
He… was right! "You're right!" Maria exclaimed in realization. She'd always meant to throw one for at least her friends and the student council members, but she'd been so busy after rescuing her mother, and then… it had just slipped by. "That was thoughtless of me."
"Well, it's probably too late now," Keith said. "After all, we've already seen the place, and it's not like there's any good spot to hold the party at. I mean, the garden is now your mother's yard and where the bath house is, the ballroom is a classroom, the dining room is a cafeteria… "
"There's still the side of the house away from the manufactories," Maria mused. "It's no garden, but it's flat and level…" She considered the cost of needing to decorate it and grimaced. "And the dining room can be fixed. We just… need to close the curtains so people don't see the bath house… "
It occurred to Maria her estate was a mess.
Ugh, did this mean she'd have to grow a garden or something? That would take years! At best, she could put up a pavilion, maybe some hedges to delineate the limits of the party area. She could put up a gazebo, but someone might mistake it for the real thing and attack it…
No, no gazebo. She hadn't fought and killed the real thing yet, it would be presumptuous on her part to install a mockup of one.
"I suppose if you kept the party small, you could hold it indoors?" Keith suggested.
"It was always going to be small, I don't know that many people," Maria pointed out.
That would change, though. Throwing one party would mean eventually throwing more… and they would by nature get bigger...
She would need to be careful, lest a party grow so big the disposal of the bodies of dead maids would be necessary.
Maria shook her head. That was a problem far in the future. For now…
"I suppose I should have one, if only to open the house properly," Maria mused. She considered ignoring the triumphant smile Keith tried to smother, and decided against it. "Yes, yes, I'll be hosting a party where you can see Katarina again. But I expect you to be on your best behavior, if only for her sake so she'll know what proper etiquette is."
"I will be if everyone else is," Keith said.
Maria gave him a level look. "You will be on your best behavior in my house," she repeated.
"Yes, Lady President," Keith said meekly.
Maria nodded. "I will have to consider the best time. I think Sophia has another party in mind for later this week. But soon."
"I'll look forward to it," Keith said. There was something in his voice…
She tilted her head at him. "Are you thinking of your sister," she said, "or cake?"
"I… refuse to answer that question," Keith said, looking aside.
"Keith Claes… did you talk me into hosting a party in my estate because you think I would personally prepare the desserts?"
"I refuse to answer that question. Well, gotta go, duke's heir duties and so on!"
Maria rolled her eyes, but gestured for Keith's carriage to be brought around. Well, he WAS related to Katarina, after all. Sometimes that wasn't obvious…
Maria stretched, collected her weapons and headed inside, Sadako at her side, looking forward to having a quick bath and then going to her office to work on house accounts and company reports.