Ashputtel

XVI: Winston

"You look enchanting today, Miss," I said politely.

"Aren't you a charming one." At her request I passed the jar of sugar and we continued on with our pleasantries as we made our teas to our liking.

"What was Asher like as a teen?"

"Quiet but naughty," Francesca replied. "Always had his nose in a book or hands dirtied in the garden every chance he had. When he wasn't doing that, he had snuck off to one of the near by villages to do heaven's knows what. Sometimes he would pretend to be a peasant boy, and others he would be Phoenix. When he went down as Phoenix I knew he would leave a fire in his wake. He liked to stir up trouble amongst the more uppity children his age. Spreading rumors or indirectly causing fights between the alphas. If we had an address, I'm certain our mail would be filled with complaints from other mother's."

I laughed at that. I had expected him to be bookish and reserved, but that wilder side was certainly something.

"Oh, and if he wasn't doing that, I would find him asleep in the woods. Ash loved to just sit and watch woodland creatures go through this one clearing, or try to find constellations. I have this hunch that he was a dryad in a past life."

The image of my brunet mate, donned in earthy tones, hair in a constant wind sweep as he paraded around some marsh was laughable. I could picture his tree surrounded by a woodland creatures at all times, him at a perch atop it gazing up in at the night. Perhaps it wasn't so much laughable, rather sweet. Maybe it could be some painters muse, if I could commission it.

Then a rather realistic image game to mind. Him sitting by my feet as we retired from a walk in the forest surrounding my home, watching creatures scamper across the meadow. Perhaps he would try to call a few of them to him, I have no doubt some attempt would be successful. That is, if I could even get close enough to him the coming weeks to dare ask he stray away from Natan court to keep me company.

"Wallein would be like dream come true for him then," I remarked.

"I presume it would," she said with a laugh.

Perhaps it was a bit unorthodox to invite one's future mother-in-bond to lunch to simply get info about her son. Yet, here I was and I couldn't quite bring myself to feel remorseful. It had been rather helpful and dare I say, she seemed to enjoy my company well enough.

We both chatted politics, her practically gushing about my mother and her moves as queen. I clutched my tea cup, smiling and nodding at her praise, trying to remain pleasant. Every few sentences I would interject with a "Ah, yes" or "She would appreciate your lauds" and once I found an opening, I shifted the conversation to truly enjoyable topics, such as what Asher thought of the world. Did he adhere more to caster or shifter traditions? What were his allergies (as to not have a repeat of the previous fiasco)? What literature did he enjoy? She seemed amused by my line of questioning.

We parted ways and I decided to go for some much needed exercise. I had to keep appearance, my mother would be furious if I came back home much pudgier than I had left. I remember when my parents had gotten into an argument after she found out my dad kept sneaking me sweets after supper. She didn't want me to grow spoiled or gain more weight than necessary, as to avoid the scrutiny of the court.

I remember sitting on the stairs picking at my fingers, trying to rub off the chocolate stains there. I hardly touched other sweets for years after that, even on political visits. The only place I'd broken the streak was in fae court, as not to offend anyone.

A frown spread on my face. While I missed my dear Wallein, there were aspects I certainly wished to change. There I had to be on my guard much more than here. There my father is seen as something to be handled, while in Natus and to progressives he was a champion. He lead the underground Men's Movement in Wallein, fighting for the right of men to run for office.