“No, no, it wouldn’t be right, miss,” said Fiza, shaking her head. “The servants aren’t permitted to dine in the great hall. You go enjoy them.”
“Nonsense, you’re a lady’s maid, you said so yourself. If you get in trouble, you can blame it on me.” She wrapped the treats and pointed to her closet. “Borrow one of my gowns if you like, I have too many as it is.”
Fiza opened her mouth to say something, but Elizabeth cut her off. “You must, I insist. Wear whatever you like.”
Reluctantly, Fiza began rifling through her hangers. Touching one, then two others made of heavy silk. Then she glanced at her practical homespun dress, her throat bobbing. “Lady, I cannot.”
Elizabeth smiled brightly. “Please. I insist.”
Fiza bit her lip and looked back at the closet. “Where is that pretty plum one you wore a few weeks ago? I don’t see it in here.”
“I don’t know, it’s in there somewhere,” Elizabeth said distractedly, eyeing the large package from Caspian. The wrapping crinkled as she picked it up and slipped the note out from under the twine.
He had not given her a note in any of his gifts before. His handwriting was neat and angular, and read,
For future adventures.
-Caspian
She undid the twine and gingerly pulled open the wrapping paper, revealing a cloak made of treated leather and lined with soft blue-gray fur. The cloak had a leather strap and an elegant silver clasp. The fur was impossibly soft and would keep her warm on even the coldest days. She’d said over a month ago she would need to buy a new cloak. The faintest smile played on her lips—he had remembered.
“What is it?” Fiza came up to her and made a face upon seeing the gift.
“It’s a cloak … so I can ride outside all I like when the weather gets colder,” Elizabeth said by way of explanation.
Fiza raised an eyebrow. “I liked the dresses and jewellery he bought you better.”
She laughed and agreed. Secretly though, Elizabeth had never been more touched. He would have had to have bought it a few days ago, before they had slept together, for it to have arrived today.
She held the cloak to her face for the briefest of moments, hoping Fiza would not comment on her being silly. She inhaled the rich scent of the treated leather and smiled.
Perhaps last night had meant something to him after all.
Elizabeth watched while Fiza tried on some of her dresses and cheered her on.
“Ooh! That one I like.”
Fiza tried on several gowns while they discussed their preferences for each.
“You can keep that one,” Elizabeth called as Fiza admired herself in the mirror, having chosen a gown with an exceptionally low neckline.
Fiza chose to keep her hair in its usual limp bun. Fiza had a slender form and plain-as-mud features. Her lips were thin, and her nose was too large for her face. Elizabeth was struck by a sudden curiosity. Why would a shapeshifter demon choose to appear so plain? Perhaps it was better to appear non-threatening as a lady’s maid? Or maybe she wore the form of a woman she had met once and liked her look?
If Elizabeth could change anything about her appearance, she would make herself ridiculously beautiful and erase all her flaws. She would have given herself the longest eyelashes imaginable and made it so she never had to remove the hair on her legs. She would have given herself poreless, radiant skin that never blemishes. But perhaps to each their own, maybe Fiza did not prize those things. Maybe looking like a human in general was boring to demons.
In the great hall downstairs, they sipped tea, and Elizabeth had the pleasure of introducing Fiza to her favourite dessert. The water demon took one and nibbled at a corner, wrinkling her nose.
“Might be an acquired taste,” Fiza said wryly.
“Fair enough,” she said, only slightly crestfallen as she realized there would be more for her. To that point, she gobbled up two entire squares.
“You must try at least a couple, though. If I eat them all, I’ll lose my figure entirely,” she said, chuckling.
“You look healthier now than when we first saw you, not so skinny. I don’t think you need to worry about these things,” Fiza said, smiling.
“Oh, but I do! My mother would lose her mind if she saw me right now. She used to smack my hands with a measuring stick if I had a large portion of dessert. Or too much bread at dinner.” She chuckled. “How about your family?”
“Maud is well, as you know,” Fiza said, smiling. “And my household is doing well back home. Thank you for asking. And how is your family? Are you on better terms now that your mother is sending you treats?”
