Chapter 14: A Nobleman's Gift

Cosaria lifted the blueberry up to her face. It balanced gracefully upon her fork. With a 'chomp' she stuck it in her mouth. Then she smiled gleefully, tasting the sweet tartness on her tongue.

She's so cute! Tilda thought.

Cosaria put the fork down.

She said, "Do you think I could..."

Tilda sat up straighter.

Cosaria said, "I'm thinking about getting Lord Arquix a gift. To thank him for everything."

"That's a great idea! Shall we plan a trip into town?" Tilda asked. It was exciting for Cosaria to have an idea for herself and heart-warming that it was such a generous one.

Cosaria looked down and said, "But, what do you think he would like?"

"I wouldn't know what men like him want," Tilda said. She half expected his wish list to be full of torture devices. But she couldn't say that and even the thought of Cosaria buying a weapon like that was mortifying.

Cosaria began brainstorming, "Fancy ascots? Or hair gel? Cologne? Brutis always liked that kind of stuff."

Tilda tried to picture Duke Arquix all frilled-up like Cosaria's materialistic half-brother Brutis Baxarte; Slimy gelled back hair, suffocating puffy ascot, and cologne so strong it wilted flowers.

"Somehow I think the Duke and Brutis have different preferences," Tilda said. "Maybe a sword, or a dagger. Or..." a guillotine.

She said, "I have no idea."

The two women sat in deep thought.

Finally, Cosaria broke the silence, "You really don't think he'd like cologne?"

"Not at all," Tilda replied, "But I think I know someone who might be able to help us."

༻✧༺

Their discussion led to the two women enjoying a stroll window shopping down the main market street. Vendors and shops displayed their tempting wares as Cosaria enjoyed her freedom to roam.

Cosaria said, "Thank you for joining us Sir Felux."

"Aye," he said, "It's a pleasure."

Tilda was glad. If anyone knew a good gift for Delrik, it seemed obvious it would be his right hand man. Plus, it wasn't a bad idea to have a protector with them.

Cosaria stopped by an apothecary stall. She picked up a bottle, smelling it's contents.

Felux leaned over to Tilda and asked in a voice slightly above a whisper, "She doesn't think Delrik'd like cologne? Not really, does she?"

Tilda answered, "She does."

Cosaria turned to her companions saying, "What do you think about this one? It smells just like him."

"How about we look at the daggers. Over here," Tilda said as she used one hand to take the bottle and the other to direct Cosaria's attention.

With the attention span of a cat, Cosaria walked over to the stall selling daggers. She studied them intently as Tilda and Felux joined her.

Felux said, "These are dreich." He asked the shopkeeper, "Got anything better?"

The shopkeeper, a thin man with a long handlebar mustache, nodded and brought out an ornate box. As he opened it, Tilda and Felux glanced inside.

Tilda said, "These are decorative knives, aren't they?"

They each had ornately carved handles with gold or silver accents and gemstone inlays. A few were made from ivory and another was olivewood. Unfortunately, Felux could see that these specific blades were more for decoration than function.

Cosaria took her turn looking in the box.

The shopkeeper said, "These are the highest seller among men of high class."

Tilda turned to Felux to read his impression. He had adorned a thinking pose as he said, "He's got daggers. Plenty. What he needs is a..."

Suddenly Felux jerked upright, the idea having struck him like lightning.

༻✧༺

Cosaria, Tilda, and Felux looked around at the high class establishment, walls and counters lined with exquisite handmade pens.

"A pen's the perfect gift," Felux said, nodding approvingly.

The store also sold stationary, but it was most known for its wide selection of unique and one-of-a-kind pens.

Felux said to Cosaria, "Go ahead and pick Milady. He'll be fine with anything."

"Okay," Cosaria said as she began to explore the shop.

Tilda and Felux stood comfortably by the nearest wall. Now that they found the place it would be a simple waiting game until Cosaria found the right pen.

Tilda decided to start up a little conversation instead of waiting in boredom. She said, "Lord Arquix must do a lot of document signing if he needs a pen."

Felux answered, "Aye. A lot. I draft them, he signs them."

Tilda paused. Felux drafted the documents? That would mean that he would be aware of every, if not all, of Delrik's official contracts and business doings. Perhaps even the marriage contract between Cosaria and Delrik. Tilda needed to know.

Tilda asked, "Do you draft all the documents?"

"Naw," Felux said, "But I do read them over. Especially the important ones. Lord Delrik's one fer getting a second opinion." Of course, that was only limited to the people he trusted. And the only person he trusted was Felux.

"So then you probably know about..." Tilda began but stopped herself. She couldn't just ask him straight out in such a public place like this.

Felux stared at Tilda. His face was completely blank and Tilda had no idea what he was thinking when he stared at her like that.

Felux asked, "About?"

Tilda pursed her lips as she thought, Careful Tilda.

She said, "The plans for the diamond mine in a year."

If he knew about the diamond mine, then it was a safe bet to assume he knew about the marriage contract. If he didn't know about the diamond mine changing ownership in a year, then he wouldn't know the truth behind the relationship between Delrik and Cosaria.

Felux tilted his head as he said, "Aye. I know. I'm surprised you know."

"Hm. Yes," Tilda said, directing her full attention towards Cosaria, "I wonder who could've told me."

Felux followed Tilda's gaze towards Cosaria.

Tilda chided herself. This should have been obvious. Felux knew about the holy water, but to think he also knew about the fake marriage arrangement? Tilda felt a bit foolish for thinking she was the only one with the secret. Yet it made her wonder, what else did Felux know? Did he know the reason why Delrik needed holy water? No matter. It was better that she didn't know.

Cosaria walked over carrying an ornate, damascene styled pen with a small but dangerous looking figurine of a black panther crawling down it. The eyes of the beast were embedded with citrine jewels.

She said, "What about this one? Do you think he would like it?"

Cosaria showed her companions the gaudy pen as they both tried to think of some way not to offend her. For a pen, it was a bit much.

Cosaria stared lovingly at the pen as she said, "It matches his eyes."

Both Tilda and Felux held in a laugh. Delrik as a panther. It was a metaphor that fit him well, and the irony was not lost on the two good humored servants.

Cosaria looked worried as she asked, "Is it bad?"

"Naw," Felux shook his head, "He'll like it. It'll be from you."

"You think so?" Cosaria asked as she blushed at the insinuation that Delrik would like anything Cosaria gave him. She knew that couldn't be true but she was happy to find the perfect gift. Without waiting for a reply, she said, "Okay! This is the one."

Cosaria met up with the shopkeeper to pay for the item.

Both Tilda and Felux couldn't help but smile at Cosaria's guileless sincerity.

Tilda asked Felux, "Lady Cosaria is a unique Lady, wouldn't you say?"

He said, "She'd not be the only one I'd call unique."

He was staring at Tilda.

Tilda stared right back and said, "Me either."

They smiled at each other as if they were competing for who was the more unique between them.

As they left the shop soon after, a serious thought crossed Tilda's mind, So, Sir Felux also knows about the one year contract between Cosaria and Delrik.

She wasn't sure what to do with information aside from the fact that it made Felux a bit more trustworthy.

༻✧༺

It was evening and Cosaria was clutching the little rectangular gift box with both hands. She stood outside Delrik's office while Tilda stood a few paces away.

Cosaria held her breath as she readied herself to knock. She jerked away from the door and said, "Maybe we should just have Sir Felux deliver it." What if he didn't like it? What if it wasn't good enough? Of course it wasn't good enough.

Tilda put her hands on her hips and said, "Milady, just knock."

"He probably doesn't want to be disturbed. He's probably busy."

Tilda said, "Knock."

Cosaria was ready to fully bail. She said, "We can come back later."

The door opened.

Cosaria jumped back with an, "EEEEEEEP!"

Delrik was glaring down with arms folded. He had been going over important documents with Felux when he heard the intruders outside his door. He said, "What's this mindless chatter about?"

Cosaria stuttered, "M... m-my Lord. here. This is for you. It... It's a thank you gift."

She held out the box with both hands and a lowered head. Delrik took the box and his eyes widened as he opened it. He brought out the ostentatious pen and admired it in the light's glow.

Cosaria gasped as she said, "I knew it."

"Knew what?" Delrik asked.

Cosaria matched Delrik's eye contact and with a soft charming smile she said, "That it would match your eyes."

Delrik broke eye contact, he felt like he was on fire. He hoped in vain that his face wasn't red. He said, "Yes, well, your thank you gift has been received. You are very welcome. Is that all?"

Cosaria giddily curtsied and said, "Yes your Lordship."

Delrik frowned. There was a matter that had been irking him and this seemed to be the perfect opportunity to address it. He said, "Call me by my name. We are married after all."

"Oh but I couldn't," Cosaria blushed. It was such an intimate request after all.

"And why not?"

Cosaria said, "You deserve the highest shows of respect I can give and I cannot think of a higher title to give you than my lord."

What silly reasoning. Delrik said, "Isn't a king higher than a Lord?"

"Oh, then I shall refer to you as my king."

Cosaria curtsied again and Delrik liked it. But he wasn't supposed to! And if anyone heard her refer to him as king they might think he was trying to usurp the throne. He covered his blushing face as he rectified the situation saying, "No, no, Lord is just fine."

"Very well my Lord," Cosaria said, curtsying again. She felt like she really couldn't do anything right.

After the door was shut and Cosaria and Tilda left the hallway, Tilda snickered and thought, Well, that was spicy.

༻✧༺

Inside his office, Delrik leaned against the door as he rolled the pen between his fingers. That fiery feeling was burning him from the inside out. All he had wanted was a bit of informality between them. What he gained was... what had he gained?

He pondered, "I don't think I've ever been so important to someone else before."

Felux, who had seen the entire interaction from his vantage point on the couch, smirked. He said, "You're important to me, my king."

Felux ducked as a vase was thrown at his head.