The Stormcrow Cycle [Slow-burn Slice-of-Life Tragic Fantasy Romance]

Chapter Forty-five: A Sudden Engagement, Part I

Haha, ultra-late update! Sorry! On the upside, you get another update tomorrow! Yay! =D

Happy reading! 

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Ba'an...stared.

Arete only smiled widely and clasped Ba'an's limp hands in hers.

"It looks like your shopping trip was a great success! Excellent. You must tell me all about it later. For now, I must ensure the banquet is ready on time. But I look forward to speaking with you again soon!"

And with that she was gone, sashaying away with her bevy of handmaidens and leaving only the scent of sweet flowers behind her.

Well, no. She had left behind her other servants, the men who were hauling her things up the stairs and into her bedroom—the bedroom next to Ba'an's.

Ba'an noted that its positioning meant Lukios could not approach Ba'an's own room without passing Arete's first.

She refrained from pinching the bridge of her nose. Dita only looked on with mild curiosity, which was a small mercy; Aika would have been fidgeting by now, perhaps even talking up a storm of disjointed thoughts. It would have been disastrous if she had blurted out something indiscreet in front of Arete or her servants, though...

Arete knew. Of course she did; how could she not?

"Kyria?" Dita stepped forward. "We will help you wash and prepare for dinner." Calloe and Nene, who always stood one step behind Dita, nodded; they were all agreeing, for once.

Ba'an glanced out the window. Dinner wasn't for an hour or two, yet. "I will wash alone. I do not need...help."

Dita frowned. "But it is a formal dinner." By her tone it was clear that she did not think Ba'an could manage dressing herself. "Who will braid your hair and coil it? And add jewels? And apply face paint?"

"...Face paint?"

"Yes."

Ba'an blinked slowly at the younger girl. "But I do not wear face paint." She never had. What did a witch need face paint for? Patients needed care, not a pretty face, and Ba'an had only ever worn ceremonial paint on special days. Nene's eyes widened in surprise, but Calloe remained unbothered.

"But...it is a formal dinner. And you are..." Dita looked her up and down. The girls behind her appeared to be stifling their giggles, though they grew serious and solemn when Ba'an glanced at them.

"Is there a problem?"

"Yes." Ba'an blinked at Dita's blunt tone.

"I am sorry, kyria, but Master Nikias has instructed me to serve you as if you are my mistress. It would damage the reputation of House Astros if you attended a dinner dressed the way you are now."

"But I am not a guest of House Astros."

"Yes, but I have been ordered to attend to you as if you are my—"

"But it does not matter. I am not a guest of House Astros. I am a guest of House Origos, and I am not here with Nikias." Dita opened her mouth to speak again, but Ba'an cut her off. "I do not have the patience for this. If you are here to serve, you will follow my instructions. If you are not, I will have you removed. Is this clear?"

Dita's mouth hung open. The girls behind her stared with wide eyes, clearly shocked.

Yes, Ba'an ought to have done this earlier. It would have saved her much aggravation on the trip to Merida's.

Ba'an had to give the girl credit: Dita had quite the spine. A much stronger one than Aika, that was for certain. She licked her lips and spoke again, very slowly, as if to a wild animal about to bite her nose off. "Yes. But this is a formal dinner and you must be attired properly." Her forehead crinkled, and Ba'an could see her switching strategies. "It will insult the hostess if you dress poorly, and it will take too long if you...bathe and perfume yourself alone." Dita added very quickly, "And being late or poorly dressed will embarrass kyrios Lukios, because he is your...your..."