Selene jerked upright in bed, heart leaping into her throat before she fully recognized them. Her very first coherent thought was one of fervent gratitude – thanking the Good Lord that Kenneth had not stayed the night in her bed. Had he done so, nothing short of scandal would have followed, for there’d been no warning knock at her door and the two women showed no sign of modest hesitation as they descended upon her bedside.
“Up, lazy bones!” Elsie declared, already hauling back the coverlet. “There’s work tae be done.”
Selene blinked, then laughed, pressing a hand to her chest as her pulse slowed. “What on earth are you talking about?” she asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes. “I thought today was the feast. I assumed that meant I was to be the guest of honor. To be indulged, not conscripted into labor.”
Maureen grinned. “Yearetae be indulged. Ye and Kenneth are the guests of honor – itisyer betrothal celebration, after all.” Her smile turned sly. “But that daesnae mean ye’re excused from helping.”
Before Selene could protest further, she was already swinging her legs from the bed. She had barely managed to pull on her robe when a young maid appeared, bearing a wooden tray laden with boiled eggs, cheese, and warm bannocks. She was followed closely by another girl with an ewer of steaming water, which she set carefully beside the washbasin.
“There,” Elsie said briskly. “Eat and wash quickly. And don’t dawdle about in that robe.”
She was already rummaging through the garments hanging along the wall, finally tugging free a plain blue wool gown, softened with delicate embroidery at the neckline and cut with a full, practical skirt. She handed it to Selene. “This will dae.”
Maureen thrust a striped petticoat into Selene’s hands. “Put this beneath it. Ye’ll need the warmth.”
They hovered, with scarcely concealed impatience, while Selene took a few hurried bites of breakfast, then splashed water overher face and neck, the cold chasing away the last remnants of sleep. She soaped her hands, dried them on the linen towel, and glanced between the two women with mock severity.
“My goodness,” she said, smiling despite herself. “You are both entirely tyrannical. I’ve hardly been awake five minutes.”
“That’s exactly the point,” Elsie replied. “We want ye with us before ye have time tae escape.”
Once she was dressed and laced, they wasted no time. A warm cloak pressed into her hands, Selene was ushered out into the corridor and down the passageway at a brisk pace.
“What now?” Selene asked, half-laughing as she struggled to keep up.
“Greenery,” Maureen said. “The place is drab — winter has left everything bare. Nay flowers, nay color. We need something tae brighten the hall.”
They swept through the kitchens, where the cook and her assistants were already hard at work, rolling pastry, basting meat, and barking orders. The rich scent of roasting filled the air, mingled with smoke and spice. Selene smiled – the castle had come alive with its preparation for that night.
Out the back they went, along a narrow path skirting the herb garden, through a small postern door in the wall. Beyond itstretched a vista of rolling hills, still dusted with snow, the pale winter sun glinting weakly across the white.
Maureen led the way. “There’s a little grove over there where I’ve seen ivy.”
They passed a small dovecote and entered a sheltered hollow where holly and ivy grew thick and untamed, green against the lingering frost. Each of them carried a small basket, and soon they were cutting and gathering, fingers numbing in the cold as they stacked their bounty.
Selene breathed deeply, the sharp winter air filling her lungs. Despite the chill, her spirits lifted. There was something hopeful in all that — greenery gathered on the edge of winter, signs of life and renewal pressed into their arms.
When their baskets were full, they hurried back inside, stamping their feet as they entered the solar, shaking snow from their mittens and loosening their cloaks before the fire. The flames roared warmly, and Selene felt the cold leave her bones as she laughed softly with the others, heart light despite everything.
“My goodness, it is cold,” Selene said, holding her hands out toward the blaze. “But thank God for this fire. I can feel it warming me right through to the very cockles of my heart.”
For the next hour, they worked contentedly together, weaving wreaths and decorations from the glossy holly branches and long trailing lengths of ivy.
When their baskets were empty and their arms full of finished garlands, they carried everything into the great hall. The maids had already prepared the space – the high table was spread with a vast white damask cloth, silver candelabras polished to a soft gleam, trestle tables arranged neatly along the walls to leave room for dancing later that evening.
Selene paused for a moment, taking it all in. The hall had seemed so austere during winter, stone and shadow and cold echoes. But as they set about their work, it began to change. Swirls of ivy were draped along the high table, bunches of holly placed carefully to bring warmth and color. Long garlands were tied with ribbon and hung along the walls and across the plain wooden tables, softening the severity of the space.
As they worked, they laughed and talked easily, the sound of their voices filling the hall. Selene found herself watching Maureen and Elsie with quiet delight. There was an effortless harmony between them — as though they had known one another all their lives. They moved together instinctively, passing greenery, sharing smiles, finishing one another’s thoughts.
Her heart swelled. Being with Elsie again felt like reclaiming a part of herself she had feared lost, and she was grateful, too, for this new closeness with Maureen. It felt — impossibly — like family.
By the time the last garland was hung, they were flushed and hungry. Retreating to the solar, they welcomed the trays the maids brought in — boiled eggs, cold chicken, wedges of cheese,and oat bread still faintly warm. There was ale as well, and Selene drank deeply, laughing as the warmth spread through her limbs.
They had not been there long when the door opened.
Kenneth stepped inside.
Selene’s heart leapt so sharply it stole her breath. He was smiling, and at the sight of him, a quiet joy rose unbidden in her heart. He looked strong and handsome in the firelight, his presence filling the room without effort.
