Indecipherable Looks

Chapter 12

Maxi stared despairingly into Daphne's face, trying to memorize his features. The tabby cat amicably licked the hand petting his tiny head, then hit her repeatedly on her fingers and arm before hiding away under the chair by her foot.

"I don't want him t-to g-go." Riftan brought the kitten to the library so she could say a final goodbye. His knight had found a farm that wanted a cat for the mice, and Daphne was shaping up to be quite the hunter. In her eyes, anyway. Maxi warily rubbed the spot where she'd been smacked.

"If I had known how things would turn out, I would have kept him for you." Riftan tried to sneak a kiss on her lips, but Maxi blushed and kept back a safe distance.

"R-Ruth is s-still in here." She sort of whispered shouted it, and Riftan opened his mouth, probably to retort something along the lines of 'who cares' but the man himself spoke.

"You tell him, my lady!" He called from some ambiguous position among the shelves, and her whole body felt like it was on fire now. Riftan scowled and backed away from her.

"I'm starting to think rather than overhearing, he is purposefully eavesdropping." Riftan had a murderous glint in his eyes, but she only nodded. This was a fact in which Maxi was already sure of, but she found it kind of funny. Neither of them wanted anyone to know about their relationship until it was official, for obvious reasons, but she didn't mind the wizard knowing. He was like, kind of her friend, her only friend besides Riftan, and she knew he wouldn't tell anyone.

It had to be boring for the knights and people like Ruth, staying in this cold lonely place when they were used to great adventure and travel. Ruth had helped ease her fears the other night, so if he wanted to seek entertainment by listening to their conversation, she wouldn't hate him for it.

"A-Anyways, I-I'm j-just glad he h-has a home. T-the farmers need him...m-more t-than I." She pointed out, anxiously running fingers through her wild hair.

Even a cat was more useful than her.

Riftan, I don't understand why you want me.

I don't think I deserve you. You must be better off with someone else. Someone prettier, less ignorant, who can perform her duties better- you deserve much better, Riftan.

Even as she thought and believed those things, she couldn't bring herself to give him up. Selfishly, she held on tighter and tighter, and it was only the next day. She was sure he would soon become suffocated by her need. She simply liked him too much.

"What are you thinking, Maxi?" When he took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, she thought, maybe it's okay for me to feel like this. If Riftan reaches out, why can't I?

She squeezed back, allowing herself a small smile.

"I o-originally c-came here to figure out w-what I s-should s-say to father." She bit her lip when he frowned.

After Rosetta had given her the paper, she lay awake nearly all night trying to think of something to say, but the right words would not come to mind. It was probably showing with her sleepy demeanor. Besides that, she had to make sure her handwriting was proper and the puny light from her candle was not enough. There was only the one sheet, and she had nowhere else to get more. Maxi wanted to ask Rosetta, but her sister would not even spare her a glance anymore, and was actively avoiding her now, so that was surely out of the question.

Riftan thought that the Duke's main issue with their union would be his humble beginnings, and while that was in part true, Maxi knew that if her father could not benefit from their marriage, he would shut it down immediately. So she had to think of something he could gain, but had next to no idea of what she would put down.