Tea Session

The early afternoon sun bathed the training field in a warm glow, casting shadows from the nearby training dummies stationed in the area. 

Beneath the sheltering canopy of the roofed foundation, there was a tea session. Steam curled from the cups, carrying the aroma of the brewed tea.

The gentle clinking of porcelain tea cups and saucers resonated in the air, creating a unique harmony with the rhythmic sounds of wood striking wood as warriors practiced their strikes on the training dummies.

"Why are we having tea here, Miss Aurel?" Beth inquired, her brows furrowing in mild confusion. "The garden would be a much better place."

Aurel did not seem the least bit bothered by the unconventional setting. She grinned mischievously as she replied, "Sis-in-law said she wanted to see the training field."

Beth clarified, "My lady said, after. After tea."

Aurel chuckled, her tone lighthearted as she glanced at Mikael, eagerly watching the ongoing training sessions. "I think she doesn't seem to mind, right, sis-in-law?"

Meanwhile, Mikael's eyes were fixated on the training field, his gaze following the swings of the warriors' blades as they honed their swordsmanship.

But then, at that moment, his attention was suddenly drawn to a tough figure absorbed in intense training, standing out among others.

Talon.

It had been a while since Mikael had last seen him. Ever since they had come to reside at the Wolfram estate, their paths kind of went their separate ways. It wasn't like they wanted it that way; their new roles just sort of pulled them apart.

Mikael couldn't get to see him and hang out as much as they used to because Cade had been keeping a discreet eye on him.

He didn't have solid proof, but he had this strong feeling that it was Cade, likely doing Nicolaus' orders, ensuring Mikael's adherence to his role.

Mikael had this thought since he had been constantly leaving his room to read at the library. And every time he did, it felt like this lurking presence was around the corner, keeping tabs on him.

It had to be Secretary Cade.

Mikael zoned out for a moment, lost in his own thoughts. Without even realizing it, his eyes stayed glued on Talon.

He noted the sheen of sweat on Talon's forehead, and out of the blue, Talon stopped swinging his sword on the training dummy and turned his head, meeting Mikael's gaze for a moment.

Mikael gave a little nod, but Talon quickly looked away, getting back to his training as if their encounter had meant nothing.

Returning to the tea party, Mikael's fingers drummed softly on the table, restlessness building within him. It just didn't make sense to him why Talon had been so distant, why their brief reunion had been cold.

Aurel picked up Mikael's attention, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Does it interest you, sis-in-law?"

As Mikael gazed at her, he felt his heart skip a beat, worried she might have noticed how deeply he had been staring at someone.

Aurel leaned closer to Mikael, a sly grin spreading across her face. "You know, they say that swords and women don't quite mix," she remarked, her tone teasing yet curious.

Only by then did Mikael have been able to pick up what she was trying to say.

Of course, swords interest Mikael. 

His muscles ached. He missed the feeling of gripping a sword, feeling the weight of it and the cool hilt in his hands, hearing the clash of steel, and experiencing the adrenaline rush.

Though he was not a master swordsman, nor did he possess the finesse, he had always been good enough to hold his own.

Now, he would bury this deep inside to pretend to be his twin sister while dressing up in layers of clothes.

Aurel leaned in, resting her chin on her hand, and asked, "You know, I've been thinking, what do noblewomen actually feel about swords? I mean, do they all have the same opinion, like, do they all dislike the whole sword thing?"

Mikael furrowed his brows thoughtfully. His eyes darted over to Beth briefly before he turned his attention back to Aurel. Finally, he gave a little nod.

Honestly, he didn't have a clue about what other noblewomen thought about swords. But what he did notice was that, for many of them, it seemed like the whole idea had never even crossed their minds.

They would rather bury themselves in the latest fashion trends, finding joy in the world of dresses and all sorts of accessories.

Beth jumped in with a nod, dropping some knowledge. "But the former Queen Morgana was pretty famous for her swordsmanship," she said.

"True!" Aurel exclaimed. "That's why I aspire to be like her!"

Mikael's lips curled into a thoughtful smile as he lifted his teacup to his lips, savoring the herbal flavors.

In his chats with Aurel, he couldn't help but notice how different she was from her brother, Nicolaus. She was like a breath of fresh air, all open and friendly, while Nicolaus was serious and stern.

It was like they were two different sides of a coin.

'Why does she remind me so much of Mikayla?' Mikael asked inwardly. 'Is it 'cause they both tend to be expressive, wearing their hearts on their sleeves?'

Aurel's expression softened as she spoke, "Some may find it barbaric. But hey, my brother's got my back on this. He even set me up with Sir Daelan for lessons, you know."

Mikael was kind of surprised by her words, discovering a whole new side of Nicolaus.

See, usually, women didn't go around swinging swords – in fact, Mikael couldn't think of a single lady who was into that stuff. Not that he knew any more lady than Mikayla.

But, it was a surprise hearing that Nicolaus didn't discriminate against gender. Heck, did he even care about that?

Beth, picking on something, commented, "Seems like you and the Marquess are close, Miss Aurel."

Aurel wrinkled her nose in playful disgust. "Ew, don't say that," she replied, accompanied by a playful roll of her eyes.

Meanwhile, Mikael called Beth over, and she relayed his message. "Miss Aurel," Beth mentioned, "you haven't touched your tea."

Aurel, momentarily caught off guard, stammered before responding, "W, Well, I was just about to." She picked up the teacup and gave it a good sniff.

Beth offered, "Should I warm it up for you?"

Aurel quickly shook her head and declared, "No, thanks." Without any more fuss, she chugged the whole cup in one big gulp. Her face contorted as she tasted the tea, revealing her honest reaction.

"Hkk."

Aurel's lips pursed in discomfort as she looked at her teacup, a little liquid residue left at the bottom. She put it back on the saucer and moved it away from her.

'Do nobles seriously enjoy drinking this grassy stuff?' she wondered quietly.

Seeing Aurel's discomfort, Mikael nudged a plate of sweets in her direction.

"T, Thanks," Aurel mumbled before beginning to stuff her mouth with the cookies.

However, as she tried to swallow the cookies, they seemed to stick in her throat, making her cough a little. Mikael, quick on his feet, motioned to Beth to pour some tea and gently slide it towards Aurel, silently signaling her to use it to wash down the cookies.

Aurel glanced at the tea, then back at Mikael, her cheeks turning a subtle shade of pink. With a somewhat awkward smile, she pushed the tea back to Mikael.

Finally managing to clear her throat, her voice a bit raspy, Aurel suggested, "How about we check out the city tonight? You haven't had a chance to see it yet, have you? We could go and–"

But before she could finish her sentence, Mikael and Beth exchanged a knowing look, silently communicating with each other.

Without missing a beat, Beth smoothly jumped in, "The Marchioness would absolutely love a tour of the city."