To Love, Once Again

Chapter 84

"That was well done."

Icaros quips to Sera as he lopes along to match her quick pace. Sera nods as she makes her way towards the kitchens, holding the bundle of varying shades of hair in her fist.

"It's the environment that shapes a person. They were brave for coming to me for help."

Sighing, she unties the pale golden ribbon that tied her hair up in a simple bun, letting her chocolate brown hair sweep over her shoulders.

"I guess that's true. I wouldn't have been a knight if I hadn't been born into my House. I might be a baker, a mercenary, a builder, a merchant, maybe a dressmaker.."

Sera's eyes that were beginning to grow dull from Icaros' droning widens as she laughs in surprise. "You, a dressmaker? I can't even imagine."

Icaros waggles his long fingers. "Why not? I'm a connoisseur of the womanly form. It would be the perfect profession for me."

"Oh, please"

With a dramatic flair, he looks around and puts a finger to his lips. "Don't tell anyone I said that. If the King gets word of our conversation, he'll try and murder me again."

Icaros puts his hands around his throat in a choking motion.

The maids gasp in sync, as if they believed the King would truly murder Icaros because of his jokes.

"Lucien wouldn't do that! He cares for you, though he doesn't like to show it"

Sera remembered the fondness in Lucien's gaze as he recounted stories of young Icaros trying to 'brighten up' the stoic young Lucien. It was usually Lucien solemnly obliging after Icaros' pleas to go out became impossible to ignore. Icaros had gotten the two into all sorts of trouble in their youth....But there'd been a slight pain in Lucien's eyes when Sera asked what his royal parents thought about all his shenanigans. When Icaros pestered Lucien into a swimming competition in a pond, after a heavy rainfall, they'd nearly drowned together. 'Father and mother... they didn't care. But Icaros' parents...They'd canceled all their appointments to come pick him up.'

After hearing those words, Sera had decided then not to ask Lucien about his parents all too much. In the past, it was clear that the relationship Lucien had with his parents was still a very raw wound.

"Not as much as he cares for you, M'lady. He'd even recognized you in your strange getup!" Icaros grinned a wide smile at Sera.

Sera hid her laughter by looking down to tie the strands of hair together with the braid.

"M'lady"

Hilda increases her pace so she walks just behind Sera down the halls. Icaros, ignoring the stern expression on Hilda's face, continues to wave his fingers, this time moving his hands as if he was tracing a woman's waist. A few maids titter as Hilda stares at him with dead-fish eyes.

Sera smiles over her shoulder. "Yes, Hilda?" Icaros' charm wasn't strong enough to overcome the block of ice that was Hilda.

"His Majesty has requested me to inquire whether you would like your things moved to the Garden Cottage."

"What things?"

"Understood, M'Lady.

Sending a sharp look to the giggling maids accompanying Sera, Hilda issues her orders. "Send a maid when Lady Sera is ready to visit her chambers."

Fawn meekly curtseys, casting her eyes upon the ground."Yes, Miss Hilda."

"Miss Hilda?" Sera calls out to Hilda's retreating back.