Behind them both was the red haired woman Caspian had seen on the steps of the keep that morning. He thought perhaps he remembered seeing her at the Feather Ball some months ago as well. He’d assumed then that she was Priscilla’s lady’s maid, but that hardly seemed the case if she was accompanying them to dinner. She wore a simpler gown than Priscilla’s, a charcoal color only a few shades removed from Victor’s attire. Perhaps that was intentional. Though if she were Victor’s wife, they certainly would have been introduced.
“There is our elusive host,” Victor greeted him.
Caspian did his best to ignore his dagger edged smile. “Of course you have my apologies,” he began, trying to choose his words carefully. “There was urgent and unexpected business that required my attention.”
“Is everything al-alright?” Priscilla asked as she came to his side, her round face creased with worry.
“Yes, there was a beast feeding on livestock from the farms bordering the forest, but it’s been dealt with.”
Her face whitened slightly.
“You will have to regale us all with the heroic details over dinner,” Victor suggested, the red haired woman taking Priscilla’s place on his arm. “I’m sure you remember, Yvette.” Her brown eyes watched Caspian with a particular focus that made him uneasy.
He nodded, even though he was sure he’d never heard her name before. “Of course.”
She nodded knowingly, as if she knew he was lying. It only made her unflinching gaze that much more unsettling.
Caspian hesitated before he took his seat. He wanted to wait for Keira, but there was no sign of her. In the end, he relented and took his place at the head of the table. Priscilla took the seat beside him. Victor and his…. companion filled out the other side of the table.
Within moments, the serving doors opened and trays of food appeared. Steaming platters of meat and loaves of bread filled the room with their warm, savory scent. Pitchers of ale and wine were set out beside plates of cheese, bowls of apples and pears, and freshly cut vegetables from the winter gardens.
“So what drove you to go after this beast yourself?” Victor asked as they filled their plates.
“It is my duty to protect the lands that the prince entrusted me with,” Caspian answered. It seemed like the obvious response to his question, but still he felt as though he’d missed the mark. These nobles always hid questions beneath questions, never spoke directly what they meant. The more time he spent in their company, the more he felt as though he were being left out of some larger joke.
“How noble, ever a soldier, eh?” Victor said with his sharp smile. “Though when I have a pest problem on my lands, I hire a huntsman to see to it. Not all of us are suited for trudging through the woods.”
“Very b-brave, to go on your own,” Priscilla commented quietly.
But I wasn’t alone. The words died on his lips as Keira entered the dining hall unsurely. Her dark hair had been washed and pulled back simply by a pair of small braids that circled her head like a crown. The rest of her unbound hair curled over her shoulders as it would. The dress was belted just below her full chest and fell gently around her curves to the floor. The long, full sleeves ended in a cuff tight against her wrists. But what took his breath away was the pattern of colors that danced over the thick fabric, blue with steely grey embroidery throughout. His colors.
They’d dressed her like the lady of the house, and he couldn’t tear his eyes away.
“I was wondering if you would be joining us this evening,” Victor said, filling Caspian’s lapse in faculties.
He made up for it at once, standing and pulling out the chair on his opposite side. “You look perfect,” he breathed just before she sat down.
“Thank you,” Keira said, a deep blush spreading over her warm cheeks.
“So you were about to tell us about this beast of yours,” Victor prompted as Caspian returned to his seat.
He nodded. “It was a manticore, living in one of the caves on the edge of the mountains.”
“Educate us, Lord Caspian,” Yvette asked, her shrewd eyes fixing on his once more, “We are not all so well versed in the manner of monsters that wander the reaches.”
Caspian laughed nervously. “I wasn’t sure what it was either when I laid eyes on it. Keira could probably tell you more.”
Keira looked to him in alarm, or perhaps indignation at being called out. Honestly, it was relieving not to be the only one who felt out of depth, but he offered her a reassuring smile.
“Manticores are largely feline in quality,” Keira explained, “set apart by their size and large barbed tail. Their sting is highly venomous.”
Victor cocked his head to the side. “Am I to understand that you were a companion on this hunt?”
“Yes, I was.”
“She helped me track down the beast, and to slay it as well,” Caspian added.
“That sssounds terrifying,” Priscilla offered.
