One Day More - a Sartorias-deles fanfic

Chapter 10

"Admit it, you like her!"

Raec shrugged. "Perhaps I do.  Don't you?"

Enda closed her book and placed it on the table beside her. "Yes.  She seems quite kind."

He nodded, putting down his pen.  He flexed the fingers of his dominant hand for a couple moments before rubbing between them. "She was so intrigued by...everything.  I loved seeing Remalna-city through her eyes."

"We take advantage of much."

"Yes.  I've never considered it until now."

"I think it's because we've known nothing else," Enda said. "We don't know what we're missing, because we've never not had it."

"She insisted on taking me to see her seamstress, and—"

Enda raised a brow, stopping him.

"Well." Alaraec ears reddened, and his face grew hot.  He shifted his weight to hide the fluster.  "I wanted to meet her seamstress, so she took me there.  You would have loved some of the woman's dresses.  They were simple, yet I don't think I've seen any that could compare to them in quality.  They did not need embellishments because the detailed embroidery was enough.  She had dresses of all colors, and—"

"I've never heard you fascinated by women's fashion." Enda grinned.

"The clothes weren't just fashionable, Enda.  They were innovative.  You know Iris's dress deconstructed the other day?  She was able to pull away the skirt, and she was dressed in pants underneath!  Extraordinary!"

Enda laughed. "I'm starting to think she could have taken you to a barren wasteland, and you still would have found something exciting."

"Maybe." He hesitated a moment before continuing, more serious now. "I never want to take advantage of what I have ever again."

"You said she's a lady?"

Raec nodded. "Bell.  Lady Iris Bell."

Enda frowned. "I've never heard of such a house."

"Neither have I, but you've heard her speak; she must be from far.  Her accent is so distinctive.  Maybe her land is very different than ours."

"It definitely seems like it."

"You should have seen her face when I gave her the book!"  Alaraec held out his hands in front of him, palms up. "It was almost like she had never seen something so fine.  I could tell she valued the written word just as much as I do."

"Have you shown her the library yet, then?" Enda waved to indicate the surrounding room.  Like Alaraec, it was one of her favorite rooms in the entire residence.  Few individuals were allowed to traverse the hallways without an escort, but Enda was one of them.  She had practically grown up in the castle by Alaraec's side.  Some of his earliest memories featured Enda, mostly of him attempting to escape his lessons, while Enda dutifully listened.  While they shared the same general knowledge, Enda knew far more than he did.  He learned the basics; she learned the minutest detail of every house, every history, every legend.  Alaraec could not be certain why, but he had his suspicions, although he would never ask Enda.

She felt her crippled leg made her inferior, so she had to make up for it somehow.  She may not have had the same abilities as the rest of the nobles, but her heart was far larger.  If he needed assistance at an official function—if he forgot someone's name or title—he went to Enda for guidance.  She was his closest confidant, much like Russav Savona was for his father.  That was why so many thought they would marry, Raec supposed.  They were compatible, yes.  There was affection between them, but as a brother and sister—not romantic love.  Never romantic love.