Best meal of the day

Trace waited for Anaisa to come down from the room as he drank some hot tea. His mind roved over everything that had happened in the night. He'd gotten the letter from the innkeeper when checking them in the night before, and set to work as soon as he fell asleep. 

He'd roamed the dreams of over a dozen palace servants, and found nothing of interest so far. No plots of evil, no dastardly schemes. He tried to categorize everything he remembered categorically, making notes so that he didn't waste time the next night looking over dreams that would prove fruitless.

A lovesick footman, a scullery maid terrified of the overbearing head butler, a stable boy who dreamed of marrying a princess and eating all the fine foods in the world. Hardly anything remarkable. The others were similarly empty of real meaning.

As time passed and nothing important was seen, Trace hadn't been able to resist peeking in at Anaisa's dream before dawn came.

He was utterly shocked to see himself there, and ready to beat a cowering woman!

In his rage, he dismissed the poor imitation of himself, assuming the fake's place to stabilize the dream and keep it from collapsing.

As Anaisa stared up at him, he promised not to hurt her, and offered her his hand.

She hadn't taken it.

Even in a pretend world, she didn't trust him enough to let him help her up from the floor. He'd patiently waited, but she'd woken before taking any action.

It was disheartening.

And yet, dreams were often the worst fears of people, not always accurate reflections of their feelings. Perhaps his appearance hadn't been born of her actual fear of him, but of what he represented?

Change, a new life, a man she didn't know prior to being left on his doorstep, a head of her household…

Trace understood, in theory, the fear. He'd tasted it in her dreams, though he hadn't experienced such a thing himself. How did he help her past it? He never wanted to be feared.

The cup of tea in his hands clanged onto the table slightly harder than he'd intended, and a couple of other guests sent him curious glances. He smiled apologetically before a figure coming down the stairs caught his eye.

Anaisa hadn't worn this dress before; it must have been one of Sarah's. She approached him a little timidly, sat down, and began to serve herself of the food that had been set down on the table.

It was a routine they'd all but perfected now. 

"The weather looks like it will be fine today," Anaisa glanced toward a window as she began the small talk.

"It will turn colder soon, these days of sun are to be enjoyed while they're here," He replied evenly.

They would talk of nothing for a while and be nearly done with breakfast before more serious subjects were brought up. Anaisa tended to eat slowly, but today it wasn't overly long before she turned the conversation in a more important direction.

"Will I get to see Katia today?" She asked hopefully.

"I don't know," He admitted. "I will help you look for her today, if you'd like."

He had no idea where she might be kept with Jin, or whether the pair were still under the impression that it was a jovial visit rather than a hostage situation.

If they'd ever been under that impression to begin with.

"Don't you have… things to do?" Anaisa lowered her head and her voice, and it took him a moment to catch her meaning.

"Er… no, my task is one you won't notice." He explained.

"Won't notice?" Her curiosity showed plainly on her face. "Why wouldn't I notice?"

"I wait until after you are asleep to work." He was nervous about her asking too much about what he was doing. "Don't worry, I will not wake you."

"Then you should go get some sleep now," She blinked at him, obviously thinking he must have stayed up all night.

"I'm all right, I assure you," He smiled and looked away. "The work is not as exhausting as you would think."

Anaisa's brow creased as she was further perplexed by his words, but Trace did not elaborate further. Taking his last bites of breakfast, which was very fine in so expensive an inn, he rose and gestured for her to precede him.

"Where do we start looking?" She asked, still sounding a little bit skeptical.

"Nearby, I think. I'm not sure, exactly, but if we were directed here, perhaps they were also invited to stay in the vicinity, to prove that my, er, friend, does indeed have the power to direct them where he will." Trace responded thoughtfully. "Before you came down, I asked the innkeeper if he had any guests by that name, and he does not, unfortunately."

"That was very kind of you," Anaisa's voice turned softer. "Shall we split up and ask at different places? We will be able to cover more ground and can meet back here later."

"I don't want any chance for us to get separated. What if you fell into someone's grasp and I couldn't get you back?"

Anaisa's mouth fell open slightly, and Trace grimaced. He was feeling very protective of her, but perhaps he was going to accidentally make her feel smothered instead of cherished. After a short hesitation, She nodded assent to stay together. He smiled, relieved.

"You obviously know the city better than I do. I imagine our host would like to spend less on their accommodations… Do you have any suggestions of the closest, less expensive inns?"

"South," She said firmly. "I think South would be the best direction. There are several inns nearby the palace for people wanting to visit and see it."

Trace nodded and followed as Anaisa led the way. The streets were busy and bustling, but she wound through them easily. He wondered how often she'd walked these alleys and walkways in her life… what it was like for her growing up here.

It was entirely unfamiliar to him. His only time here was during the military parade, and he had been shocked that so many people could live so close together. Didn't they ever want to breathe, or be alone for a time? Surely there was no place in the city to be alone outdoors… but then again, he recalled the garden from Anaisa's dream. Maybe there were such places here, and he just hadn't seen them yet.

"Would Katia have some familiar place that she would visit?" He asked as they walked. "If we don't find her at the inns, is there some park or garden she would go to spend time?"

Anaisa glanced at him with her brow knit together. "I–"

Taking her eyes off the path in front of them proved to be a mistake. Someone shoved past her, sending her reeling. Anaisa nearly pitched into the road, but Trace caught her hand before she fell. She gained her footing and stared, startled, into his eyes for a moment.

He held his breath as he righted her on the walkway. She looked afraid, but she did not yank her hand from his. He was glad, because it was softer than he'd imagined it could be. He wanted to hold it for as long as she would let him.

Slowly, he lifted her hand and set it in the crook of his elbow. His mother had taught him that it was proper to escort a woman this way, and he hoped she wouldn't reject it.

She didn't.

The crowd pressed closer around them, ebbing and flowing as people did business and called out for purchases from street vendors. Trace heard none of it. His heart was beating in his ears because Anaisa had pulled herself closer rather than be pried apart by the streams of humanity around them.

His chest tightened. Anaisa tore her gaze from his, releasing him from the magnetic pull of her cornflower-blue eyes. He swallowed, trying to return his mind to a state of logic and equilibrium.

How had a single touch from her hand sent him into such disarray?

"Thank you," She kept her eyes lowered.

"You're welcome," He smiled a little too broadly. Internally, he yelled at himself to be more calm, more subtle. Less… besotted. He still barely knew this woman, there was no reason for him to act like a lovestruck schoolboy around her.

It was ridiculous, anyway. They were married. Not in the complete sense, but…

"We need to go that way," She pointed around a corner, interrupting his thoughts, and Trace leaned down to make sure he caught her words.

Her breath tickled his ear, sending a pleasant shiver down his spine. He tried to ignore it, and nodded, leading them forward in the direction she indicated. Though he was in an unfamiliar place, he walked proudly and confidently with Anaisa on his arm.

Turning the next corner, Trace and Anaisa suddenly found themselves face to face with someone familiar.