Sophia Ascart had just had a long day. She now understood why father was so tired when he came home. Even if today had been easy, simply scheduling nightflower displays and not having to haggle much, she felt exhausted. Maybe she should tell Maria she needed a break? Or have someone else to do this? She was so tired nowadays she could only stay up until midnight to read!
Maybe she should find someone to do this for her. They definitely had the souls to hire someone for it now, even with all of Maria's building.
Well, she just had to drop off the orders and talk to Maria about any end of day problems and then she could go home, pine for Katarina, and read the latest book she'd found, a romance about a knight and a duke's daughter. Though she might have to drop it soon, it was starting to grate on her. The duke's daughter character was just so unrealistically pure and kind, and the knight was such a cynical ass…
Ah, maybe she could get a snack before she left. Maria's kitchens made fairly good approximations of her sweets now. Not as good as what Maria herself made, but good enough. As they approached the front of the manor, Sophia noticed another carriage in the parking lot with a Claes insignia. Had Keith come back for some reason? She hoped it wasn't anything bad.
Her carriage began to slow and she stretched, letting out another tired sigh. Such a long day. Perhaps she should stay for dinner, rest a little before going back home…
As she stepped out of her carriage, she heard hauntingly familiar footsteps. Her eyes had time to widen before she heard a cry of, "Hi Sophia!" and suddenly her view was blocked by two huge… tracts of land. Warm, squishy, wonderful tracts of…
"Lady Katarina, please release Lady Sophia, I don't think she can breathe," Maria said. "Or think."
"Ah!" Katarina exclaimed as she released the scaleless girl from her embrace. Sophia, after being pressed face-first into Katarina's vials of blood, had a stupid look on her face. "Sorry Sophia! I guess I surprised you."
"L-Lady Katarina…?" Sophia said drunkenly. "So soft… AH! Lady Katarina! You're back! YOU'RE BACK!"
"Yup!" Katarina said. "We just got back today, so I figured I'd go see my friends."
Sophia blinked, then frowned. "So you went to Maria's first?" she said. Maria was suddenly very conscious of the fact Sophia probably had at least one hidden firearm on her person.
"Well, they said Keith was here, but when I got here he was already gone," Katarina said jovial. "I figured I'd wait since there was a good chance you'd show up since you and Maria worked together."
Sophia blinked, then suddenly had a wide, happy smile that most definitely did not have a little underlay of smugness to it. Maria was most definitely not a bastard either. "Oh, so you came here to see me?" Sophia said in a happy and definitely not smug way.
"And all the children," Maria said dryly. "And her fields here. And all those Ashina women whom for a time could only speak to Lady Katarina."
"Yup, them too!" Katarina said. "Althought I didn't really get a chance to see them, since they're doing school."
"Classes should be over soon," Maria said. "If you wait I'm sure they'll be happy for your company."
"Hmm…" Katarina said, tilting her head. Katarina, please don't try too hard, lest you hurt yourself. "Maybe tomorrow. I need to get back home and help make my cousin feel at home. But I'll definitely come back tomorrow! Lady Maria, can you tell Anne I'll be coming so she'll know to expect me?"
"As you wish, Lady Katarina," Maria said. "Does she need to be packed?"
"Nah, like I said I won't get her right away," Katarina said. "She might think you mother needs her for a little while longer, help her with any itches that need to be scrathched…"
Maria nodded. "Yes, it's very inconvenient when your back itches," she said. She felt her back start to itch just thinking about it.
Katarina gave her another strange look for some reason. "Well, it's been great seeing you Maria-chan, Sophia-chan," she said. "We'll talk some more tomorrow, all right? Right now I really need to get back home. Oh! Why don't you come visit my some time, I have a surprise for you! Just give me a day to get it ready."
"A surprise?" Maria said.
"Yup!" Katarina said mischievously. "It's this really tasty treat I brought back. You'll love it, it's the tastiest thing ever!"
Maria doubted that, even if she still couldn't cook anything with blood. "Then I look forward to it," she said. "Would you also inform the duchest I wish to speak to her at her earliest convenience?"
Katarina blinked. "You mean mother?" she said, looking surprised.
Maria nodded. "Please tell her as soon as possible I need to continue out last conversation."
"Um…" Katarina said. "Could you write that down? Usually Anne reminds me of these things…"
For a moment, Maria and Sophia exchanged knowing looks. Maria had to wonder how much Katarina had floundered without her maid. And she knew she would flounder. But she had asked her maid to stay and help care for Maria's mother anyway.
Katarina was a good girl.
"Of course, Lady Katarina," Maria said. "If you would wait a moment, I shall write it down. Why don't you and Sophia go to the sitting room and have some snacks while I do so."
Katarina smiled at the mention of snacks, even though she'd already had a batch before they'd toured the estate. Sophia smiled at the mention of time alone with Katarina. Maria was fairly certain the scaleless child wouldn't try anything…
Best have the maid stay in the room with them.
Message in hand and having spent half an hour with Sophia as Maria procrastinated in her office to give them that time, Katarina waved goodbye from the window of her carriage, leaning out dangerously to do so as Sophia's own carriage followed after, both young women returning home. Maria stood at her front door waving goodbye, watching as they left her estate. The sun was lowering in the sky now, and she judged both would be home just before sunset. Maria made a note to herself to have a badge made for Katarina so she wouldn't suffer any delays next time she came to visit.
"A knight…" she muttered to herself. Well, she supposed it was good to be reminded that the strange, unpredictable woman that was Katarina Claes was… well, strange and unpredictable.
What she said had been true. She'd have to think about it. She and the Duchess had made plans after all.
Still, she couldn't help but think they might have stumbled into a better one.
Apprenticing Katarina to her to learn estate management probably wouldn't have turned out that well anyway.
With a thoughtful look on her face, she returned to her office.
She hadn't been able to talk to Sophia about any issues in the commissions, so she perused the written agreements and contracts the other woman had brought back, planning to speak to her about it next time and preparing for the discussion. Downstairs, there was an audible murmur as class finally finished for the afternoon. Sounds of children playing drifted in through her window as her wards and the village children played outside, those who didn't have chores in the fields that day. Sometimes helping at the fields was their play. Her wards were very proud of the fields they had made with Katarina.
Finally, she heard the bell toll from the front gate. Smoothly, she marked her place and rose from her seat, exiting her office as Chiharu smoothly opened and shut the door for her. She did not hurry as she went down the stairs, nodding to her maids and wards as she passed.
She came to stand at the front stoop as the carriage of the latest arrival was halfway up the drive. She stood patiently, hands behind her back. A smile insisted on staying on her face, despite her attempts to school her face to a welcoming expression. Behind her, she heard the door open and one of the maids step out.
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 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."
