The sun was setting as Maria's carriage entered her estate, the pair of horses harnessed to it moving with quiet reliability towards were she stood waiting in front of the front door. Finally, the carriage arrived, stopping in front of her. The door opened, and a tired-looking Rafael stepped out, dressed in his Ministry uniform robes.
"Hi Maria," he said tiredly as he stepped down and opened his arms. "I'm home."
In response, Maria stepped forward into his embrace and leaned her head against his chest. "Welcome home, Rafael."
For a moment, they just stood there, listening to the wind. Eventually, they parted, and their hands twined together as they stepped into the manor, Sadako bowing to them as she opened the door and closed it behind them as she fell into their step.
"What would you like to do first?" Maria asked. "Dinner? A bath? Or me?"
Rafael suddenly stumbled and would have tripped if she hadn't been holding his hand.
"Careful," Maria cautioned. "I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."
"M-maybe we should hold off on that last," Rafael said, reddening slightly. "We might miss dinner. But I wouldn't say no to a bath. It's been a long day."
Maria nodded. "Yes, a bath sounds excellent." She tilted her head. "Did Larna Smith do anything while you were away?"
"She behaved, actually. I know, I was surprised too. No, it was everyone else who misbehaved, proving that even with Larna behaving I still can't risk leaving them alone."
Maria nodded sympathetically. "How unfortunate. And so like the student council."
"Well, at least there's more than two people doing the work this time."
For a moment, they walked in silence filled with nostalgic reminiscence.
"We should stop thinking about it, my hand is starting to hurt just remembering it," Rafael sighed.
"I just realized…" Maria said slowly. "It was your fault we were in the position."
Rafael winced as Maria leveled a flat look at him. "Um, it's all that woman's fault?"
Maria considered this and nodded. "Yes, that makes sense. It's all her fault."
They both nodded in agreement. In such ways was domestic bliss preserved.
When they reached their room, Lasciel was just setting out a change of clothes for Rafael. Maria's own change of garments was already on the bed next to it, as laid out by Sadako. Rafael's maid turned towards them and bowed, taking Rafael's Ministry robe before he waved her off and sat down to take off his boots himself. And everything else, for that matter. Well, as he preferred.
As Sadako started helping her get undressed, Rafael paused in removing his socks. "Er, Maria, I'm going to take a bath."
"Of course you are," Maria said as she unbuttoned her shirt while Sadako got started on removing her trousers. "As do I. So we should go together. For efficiency." She smiled.
It was adorable how he blushed.
Over the following days and weeks, their new intimacy slowly changed from an exciting new novelty to an exciting new part of their daily lives. In the morning, before breakfast, before going to sleep, and on the weekends right after lunch. Life went on, albeit much more enjoyably.
One day, a letter came from the Duchess Claes. This wasn't unusual. They corresponded regularly, with Maria reporting on Katarina's progress. This time, however, the Duchess included something that prompted Maria to action.
"Er, did I do something wrong, Dame Campbell? I swear I'll do better! Don't take someone's dessert away because of me!"
Maria sighed. "No one's losing any dessert, my squire (!-!-!)."
Katarina sighed in relief. "Oh, good. Ah, do you have to go on another heroic quest again or something?"
"No," Maria sighed. Honestly, where did this girl get her strange ideas? "Katarina, I have received a letter from your mother."
Katarina paled. "Oh no… Am I getting a lecture? I swear I tried my best! Please don't lecture me!"
"My squire, your next interruption will result in classroom-reading duty," Maria said sternly.
Katarina's eyes went wide in horror, and she slapped a hand over her mouth as if that was literally the only way to keep herself from talking.
Maria merely raised an eyebrow. "It has come to my attention that, due to you being in your majority, you are required to participate in the International Assembly in your position as both the eldest scion of House Claes and as the betrothed fiancée of his highness the Third Prince." Even with a hand over her mouth, Maria saw Katarina's mouth opening in protest. "Yes, I am aware that you say you are merely 'a shield to protect him from engagements', but be that as it may, you are a shield as his fiancée and therefore until your betrothal is dissolved you are assumed to eventually be his intended, and have the corresponding duties thereof. So far, I am unfamiliar with what your participation will entail, but I have asked Shana to shift her focus towards the portions of etiquette dealing with customs of other countries, and to reinforce lessons on the protocols of formal interaction."
Maria waited a moment, then nodded. "Do you have any questions?"
Katarina let out a string of words that was muffled before she blinked and remembered she should take her hand from her mouth. Maria wasn't sure whether to be amused or sigh, and settled for both. "Can't we send a fake Katarina Claes?" her squire asked, eyes wide in panic.
"Do you know where to find one?" Maria asked rhetorically. "But the question is moot. You may not. The Duchess your mother has assured me of this." Actually, what she wrote was 'we tried to find a fake Katarina to send, but none of them could manage to pass themselves off as her, since they were too proper'.
Katarina sighed. "Ugh, I don't know anything about assembling things!"
Maria coughed, stifling a chuckle. "Well, take heart. As all the royal fiancées will be there, that means that Lady Mary, Lady Selena, and Lady Randall will also be present. I am sure they will be willing to assist you."
Katarina brightened so quickly the momentary melancholy might have merely been an illusion of the Dark Moon. "Oh, you're right! And it'll be great to see everyone! Especially Lady Susanna, I haven't seen her in ages."
And of course, I will be there," Maria added.
Katarina just nodded at that, as if she'd been expecting nothing less. "Wow, with you and Selena both busy, I guess Sophia will be all alone while you two are at the Assembly."
"No, I believe Lady Sophia will be attending the Assembly as well in her capacity as the Prime Minister's daughter," Maria said.
Katarina blinked. "Then who will run your… uh, nightflower business?"
Maria opened her mouth.
Maria paused.
Maria closed her mouth.
"That will be all, my squire. You are dismissed, return to your drills," Maria said, standing up and walking hurriedly away.
Katarina stared after her in confusion. Then she blinked. "Wait, none of you thought about who'd be running things if all three of you were busy?!"
Maria walked faster, trying to hide her embarrassment. She didn't know what was worse: that none of them had thought to consider this situation, or that Katarina Claes had managed to realize the problem so quickly.