Y/N flicked the match across the rough edge of the box and a flame erupted on the tip a second later. She breathed out slowly and set the box of matches down on her desk, cupping her hand around the tiny flame as she guided it to the small cluster of candles that sat on the top of the desk. One by one, she lit the auburn pillar candles, before blowing out the flame and tossing it into the trash can that sat beside her desk.
Then, she opened the notebook that she had brought with her and started to write. She had been instructed by the blue fairie to keep notes on her interactions with Lady Fayetta to share later on with the rest of the council to be sure that Lady Fayetta was a good match for the young prince.
Lady Fayetta
Y/N's hand stilled as she moved down to the next line. This was harder than she had anticipated. How was Y/N supposed to judge a lady of whether or not she would be a good queen for Briar Valley when it seemed as though every other thought of hers was of how she wished that it was she who was in their place?
She shook her head and started writing. There was no time for her to be thinking of that. She had to do this if she wanted Malleus to have any sort of a chance at happiness. She was the one who probably knew him best, out of everyone on the council, and if the others had their say, they might select someone like Lady Ruby. Malleus needed someone to advocate for him. She could not say he was not allowed to marry any of the three, as they were better than the other ones that she had seen, but she could try and pick the best one.
Lady Fayetta is a half-fae, born to Lord Delwyn of House Archa and Lady Ivy of House Siog. The two houses joined about a decade or so before Lady Fayetta's birth when Lord Delwyn and Lady Ivy were wed.
Lord Delwyn brought his wife to the fae court upon his marriage, and there she has lived for the past three decades. Lord Delwyn's age is beyond recount, as is most fae, while his wife, Lady Ivy is a mere six and forty. (Lady Fayetta herself is to turn twenty this coming fall.) Lord Delwyn is a high-ranking commander in the royal guard and has only recently retired from the battlefield, though he still regularly attends strategy meetings to ensure that Briar Valley is secure in its military.
Upon our arrival at the castle, we were greeted by Lord Delwyn, Lady Ivy, Lady Fayetta, and a small handful of their staff. An estate manager, a butler, an under-butler, a head valet, a valet, three lady's maids, about half-a-dozen footmen, about a dozen housemaids, and too many for me to record here, in truth. Though I have been told that this is not their entire collection of staff. I shall make it my business to know the staff and interview them on the young lady. I am sure that they would be more than willing to supply me with information.
Lady Fayetta, I must say, has perfect manners. She greeted us upon our arrival, and almost immediately swept us off to the main parlour for a cup of tea. We had a small interview with her, which went rather splendidly. Her favourite pastime is either reading or horseback riding, both hobbies that His Highness is fond of. She also enjoys embroidery, chess, and cards. Once again, her manners were perfection, and she spoke incredibly elegantly.
Y/N thought it best to leave it there for now. She did not have much more to write. So, she slumped back in her chair and watched the candles as they flickered and danced upon her desk. She smiled at the familiar sight. The gentle flickering of candles always soothed her beyond belief.
There was suddenly a knock on the door and Y/N quickly stood from her chair. She approached the door and pulled it open, smiling when she saw a familiar face on the other side. Not familiar in the sense that she was well aquatinted with the lady who entered, but familiar in the sense that she had seen her before. She was one of the maids who she had seen upon entering the household.
"Good afternoon, Miss," she said in a gentle voice. She curtsied to Y/N. "My name is Anna and I shall be your maid for your stay here." A/N: Anna is one of my favourite characters from Downton Abbey and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to put her in this story!
"Hello, Anna," Y/N said, returning the curtsy. "I am Y/N. It's nice to meet you, and you don't have to curtsy to me."
"Are you sure, Miss? It wouldn't be proper for me to not curtsy to you."
Y/N smiled, and Anna quickly noticed the twinkle in her eye. "I won't tell if you don't."
And right then and there, Y/N knew that she had a friend in this new place.
⚔⚜⚔
That night, Y/N and Lady Fayetta decided to explore the lavish gardens behind the manor, away from the sight of the others. Y/N had asked her two companions, who she found she was becoming fast friends with, to see that the Lord and Lady of the manor were entertained. Ozul had immediately requested that Lord Delwyn join him in a game of cards, along with Lord Delwyn's two brothers who were also visiting. Alette had elected to entertain the ladies, this referring to Lady Ivy and her sister Lady Violet, with some embroidery while they discussed the possibility of the future wedding.
"Your full title is Lady Y/N of House Umbra, correct," Lady Fayetta asked in a small voice. Y/N watched as she gently cupped a rose, her thumb brushing the petals ever so delicately.
"Yes. I see that you have done research, Lady Fayetta."
Lady Fayetta giggled.
So far, Y/N couldn't find a fault in the girl. Not unlike herself, she thought, who was quite brash and un-ladylike when she was by her lonesome, and quite a jealous lady, especially when it came to... particular topics. But Lady Fayetta seemed to have none of these poor qualities. Her tongue had been trained, and where Y/N might lash out with sarcasm and wit, Lady Fayetta remained silent and poised. A perfect doll. No wonder the council had deemed her acceptable for their prince. Y/N agreed with them but knew that Malleus would soon grow tired of this woman. He would not show this to her, as he was a gentleman who knew how to handle himself around ladies, especially one who would be his wife, but unless she secretly harboured some longing for adventure, Y/N knew that Malleus would remain quite unattached to this woman.
"Can you tell me about yourself, Lady Y/N? What is it like to be a fae?"
Y/N smiled. Though Lady Fayetta seemed to be physically older than her, as Y/N had stopped physically ageing when she hit the age of eighteen, Y/N was far older. Y/N did not like being reminded of this fact.
"There are benefits and there are troubles that come with it, I must admit," Y/N said after a moment. "There are good things that come with being near immortal, but after one has read every book in the library, things grow to be quite dull."
Lady Fayetta smiled. "Well, while you are here, you shall have to read some of the volumes on our shelves."
"Perhaps. It does seem as though you will have more than our little manor."
The manor of Lord Delwyn was easily two, if not three, sizes bigger than the Umbra manor.
"Tell me, Lady Y/N, what are your favourite stories to read?"
Y/N decided to note that Lady Fayette seemed to have an almost childlike disposition when her family was not present and seemed much more at ease with Y/N than she had at the supper table.
"Probably stories that include far-off places, daring swordfights, magic spells, and a prince in disguise," she whispered, with a small wink.
Lady Fayetta giggled. "Then I think we share a taste in books, Lady Y/N." She linked her arm through Y/N's and leaned closer to the taller woman. "I am glad you came here, Lady Y/N. I have not even known you for a day, and I feel as though you shall be one of my most trusted friends." She leaned her head on Y/N's shoulder and Y/N smiled softly. She couldn't despise the girl for what the council, or the late queen, had decided.
"I share your sentiments, Lady Fayetta," Y/N said softly as she gazed up at the moon above.
⚔⚜⚔
After the owners of the manor had retired to their chambers for the night, the three council members decided to discuss what they had discovered. It was no secret to the family why they had come, and the family had been rather hesitant to leave, not wanting to miss what the council was saying about them, but the three were adamant. They would not discuss their opinions while either the family or the staff for that matter, were present. Their discussions were only for them to hear.
"So, what do we think of the young mistress thus far," Ozul asked, picking up his tea and taking a long sip. He licked his lips once, twice, before setting the cup down on the saucer and selecting one of the biscuits that the staff had left out for them.
"She is a delight," Alette said. She held up her embroidery to the light of the hearth and pursed her lips. There was something wrong with it. She had never been the best at embroidery, as most of her time was dedicated to the art of fencing and archery, but she had thought that with a swift and steady hand, she would be able to master the nit-picky art.
"This knot," Y/N said, pointing to the one furthest to the left. It was tugging on the fabric strangely, and with a single tap of her finger, the knot corrected itself and Alette gave her a thankful smile before continuing.
"What about you, Lady Y/N? What have you discovered about the young mistress?"
"She is quite charming, I must admit," Y/N said, a content smile adorning her cheeks. She reached over to the table and picked up a shortbread cookie. She dipped it into her tea before lifting it to her lips and taking a bite. The cookie melted on her tongue and she moaned in delight. Perfection. She would have to give her compliments to the cook tomorrow when she and her team started interviewing the household.
"And what of her family," Y/N asked, taking another sip of her tea. She had been unable to observe them tonight.
"Wonderful," Alette said. "The ladies are so charming, so passionate..." She laughed a little. "So quick to gossip though."
"I can't fault them for that," Y/N laughed. "The life of a lady is quite dull. One must find entertainment where one can, even if that is in a horrid habit like gossiping." She turned to Ozul. "And what of the men?"
"Silent and brooding," Ozul reported, his face set as if he were mimicking the men. But then he cracked a smile. "Until they start playing cards, and then the smiles and laughter come out of their shut-up hearts."
Everyone in the room laughed.
"Wonderful. So we are thus far in agreement? That so far Lady Fayetta seems to be a suitable match for His Highness?"
Ozul and Alette both nodded.
"Then tomorrow, we shall split up and interview the household individually, yes? Ozul, would you manage the male portion of the staff? Alette can take the kitchen, while I interview the maids. The day after we shall switch, and then the day after switch again?"
"And on the final day of our interviews, we shall compare the notes," Alette said with a nod. "Sounds like a good plan to me."
Alette held up her finished embroidery and handed it to Y/N. "Here, Lady Y/N. I know that we hardly know each other and that it is nothing extravagant, but I want you to have this. As an early wedding present. So that you'll remember Ozul and me, and that we are your friends."
Y/N smiled, despite the bitter reminder of her upcoming wedding. She only had until the end of the month after, and then she would be a married woman. She would remain apart from her husband for a short while, as she, Alette, and Ozul completed their observation of Lady Fayetta, but after that, she would move to his manor and would live there for the rest of her life.
"Thank you, Alette." She ran her thumb over the stitches. "When I have settled in, I shall invite the both of you to come and visit for a while. I think I would like to have friends visit me while I get used to the new place."
Alette and Ozul both reached over, each taking one of Y/N's hands. The woman smiled at them both. Yes, it would be nice to have some familiarity when she moved away from everything she had ever known. And everything she had ever loved...