She came. Not only came to dinner, but with Atticus. Perhaps my accidental starving of her had some bearing on the dinner, but her response to Atticus was less than typical if our previous experience was anything to go by.
There's a wariness in Gwen's gaze now, but that's to be expected, given how she arrived. She doesn't seem afraid or even disgusted by him. In fact, she appears to be rather more annoyed at me, which seems highly unfair and quite the turn of events compared to what I'm used to.
If she notices me watching her, she doesn't show it. Slowly loading up her plate with an assortment of things. Her eyes flit to me and I immediately stuff in a ham and honey pastry and try to pretend I'm not staring her down. The sweetness explodes across my tongue and her shoulders visibly relax as she tucks in herself.
It occurs to me then that she might have feared something being in the food. Considering how she found herself here, the assumption makes sense, even if it does irk me to admit it.
"How do you like the food?" I ask when she leans back in her seat for a breather.
She snorts, "I think you know well enough, I've never eaten such nice food in all my life. I think there's a fair chance I'll be unable to walk back up those stairs if I continue eating."
My lips curve up into a smile. "I'm pleased you like it. Eat as much as you like and anything you particularly enjoy, I can ask the chef to make again."
She looks over the plates and her expression goes more distant. "Of course you can." she murmurs so quietly I have to lean forward to catch it.
Bemused by the change in her, I try again. "What do you like to do? I want you to be comfortable here."
She shrugs. "I like normal things. Like anyone does."
"Like what?" I press.
Her face is entirely unreadable despite its openness and frustration bubbles through me. How I wish I could read her mind.
"Normal things. Reading."
I nod. That was something I guessed based on her going for the books as soon as I mentioned them before. I have the perfect trick up my sleeve for that later.
"Anything else?"
"The usual things. Music, dancing, being outside. There's very little of note in Grotwick Thorpe so we all just learnt to escape it in whatever ways we could." Gwen explains, a faraway expression on her face.
Music! Something we have in common, at least.
I get up and make my way to the stage hidden behind a curtain on the far wall. Her curious gaze burns into my back as I sweep it open and reveal the enchanted instruments.
My touch brushes the nearest two and activates the enchantment so they spring to life, playing a lively tune.
Her little gasp tells me I've got her attention and I turn to watch her hurrying over, food forgotten.
"How do they-" Her voice trails off as she takes in the band I have.
I touch a third and it joins in the song before I hold out my hand to her, fixing what I hope is a charming smile on my face. "My lady, may I have this dance?"
My heart pounds as I await her response. She examines my face, looking for something before slipping her hand into mine. "You may."
Placing one hand on her waist, I begin to lead her in a simple step around the table. As the song picks up speed, so too does our pace. Until we are twirling faster and faster.
The smile that spreads across her face takes her from beautiful to breathtaking, and it's hard to keep my expression neutral. Never in all my time at court, nor all the girls I brought here through the years, have I ever been witness to such genuine joy.
I cannot tear my eyes away from her. Not when we are so close together. It has been so long since I felt the warmth of another person's hand in mine and my heart aches with a longing that never wants this moment to end.
Could this be it? Could she be the one?
I've come so close before, I can't let my hopes get too high. It only hurts all the more when they break me.
"Do you think you might be able to be happy here?" I ask her softly as we move from one song into another.
"I think it will be an interesting month." She laughs, cheeks flushed as she neatly evades my questions.
My hand tightens on her waist as I dip her back and a little squeak of shock escapes her. Her giggles resume as soon as we straighten.
"Has anyone ever told you how beautiful you are when you laugh?"
The question I had meant to remain in my mind slips out before I can stop it and we both freeze. I'm suddenly acutely aware of how close our bodies are to each other and that her lips are perfectly within kissing distance.
A moment later she seems to realise the same and her eyes flick to my lips once before panic clouds her gaze and she stumbles back.
"I-I...thank you for dinner. I should get some rest." she stammers out, as she retreats from the room.
"Of course," I say with a bow, "Do you need an escort to your room?"
She shakes her head. "No. Thank you."
I follow her, but she's already nearly at the bottom of the stairs as I reach the doorway. "Goodnight Miss Weatherby. I'll have someone escort you down for breakfast in the morning."
"Thank you. Goodnight." She throws over her shoulder before taking off up the stairs.
Against my will, I let her go, trying to ignore the ache it leaves behind.
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The Rats Refrain - ONC 2023
خيال (فانتازيا)For as long as anyone can remember, the kingdom of Nilemah has been overrun with rats. No one quite knows the cause, but there were rumors of someone going town to town and ridding them of the infestation. Gwen Weatherby thought they were nonsense u...
