The Hunt

[Celia]

It had been such a boundless relief to see the fragile young queen emerge from the endless illnesses that had held her without mercy. And with her blossoming health came the promise of spring . . . in a sweet symbiosis. Celia was in high spirits at the prospect of both as she set her hands to the tasks of seasonal cleaning, not minding the extra work if it meant sweeping the ravages of winter out of the castle entirely! She often got so completely involved with her efforts that it took a very determined poking to tear her attentions away from whatever she was attacking.

Best of all to her thinking was decorating the eggs for the Pask . . . a matter of no small collaboration among any who could spare the time. Their variations of colors, techniques, designs and materials (for not all used eggs, whether boiled or the insides cleverly blown out!) were as sundry as the ‘artists’ themselves . . and even the most ineptly conceived and piteously haphazard were relished and their creator congratulated.

And so it was, though she knew her dear Sovereign was most likely engaged in matters of greater import, that the young maiden approached the Queen and set a very large brightly woven, beribboned basket down close to her left elbow. Inside the cavernous interior, nestled on a bed of soft, green mosses, were but three holiday eggs . . but what specimens they were! One was hand carved of a dark, soft wood, polished to a carefully perfect elliptical imitation of an egg. Yet another had been skillfully splattered with candle wax before being dipped in several different dyes, leaving a beautifully mottled effect. When lifted out, the third bore barely any weight in the hand, and was cleverly bound with the loveliest shade of very fine lavender thread, wrapped strand by strand about the entire surface.

With a mischievous smile, Celia preened in her most formal of voices. “Majesty, pardon . . . it seems there be only three of these beauties left to enjoy for the Spring festivities! Rumor be . . . . the rest be hidden!”

And with that, she dipped a merry curtsy, and bounded off to find the twins!

[Millie and Mollie]

"CELIAAAA....OOOOWWWWW!!!"

Millie's call quickly turning to one of pain as she was abruptly silenced by her twin Mollie. "Hush yerself Mills....yer be wantin' all tha Castle in on it?!" She frowned and beckoned Celia with a wave and a sweet smile, all the while looking about to make sure nobody else appeared. All seemed quiet in the Courtyard, save for the regular Guards, who by now were probably used to the antics of the Twins and some servants who were often getting themselves into innocent mischief.

Millie rubbed her side and screwed up her face, equally embarrased and annoyed that her Sister had once again got the better of her. "I was only callin' to 'er Molls." She whispered lest she would once again be prodded in such an undignified manner.

They were both eager to tell of the secrets they had learned from Perran whilst he had been taking his meal in the kitchens earlier. If what he told them was true, then a hidden feast awaited, but they would have to be quick before the rest of the Castle were advised to go and search!

"Only callin yer says......ye be loud enough to awaken tha dead Millie Smith! This news be fer our ears only, an o' course Celia, being she be our friend an' all. 'Aint enough to be sharin' wiv 'em all......besides, Perran's gonna want 'is share too 'an that be less fer us."

The twins beckoned Celia with waving hands, waiting for the jollie young girl to join them.

[Celia]

Celia clamped a dampering hand across her mouth, which did little to muffle her mirthful chuckle. How those two always managed to make her laugh! Always at each other, and always so full of news of some sort or the other. She wondered sometimes whether they were part elfin sprites!

She bounded over to the her bubbly friends and grasped a hand of each, pressing her cheek briefly in an affectionate greeting. As she stepped back, one hand slipped into her spacious pocket, fingers curling around the pilfered treasure. The high sparkle in her own eyes were mirrored perfectly in theirs, and Celia teased, "Alright . . out wit' it! There be sommat yers knows that ye's be thinkin' I nae?!"

[Millie and Mollie]

With the warm exchange between them over, Millie began in earnest, only to feel the glare of her Sister's eyes upon her, stilling the flow of words that had formed and already begun to spill forth.

"Weeeellllll......... ya knows lots Celia.....but......hmm...mmmm......ehhhhmmmm." The words tapered off into a sigh as Mollie took over yet again.

"Aye Celia......as me Sister says, we know ye knows much, but 'twas Perran told us.......he learned from Cook tha' summit called choc- oh - lat 'tas been used ta make some o' the eggs. It be a secret recipe from far away lands, made from a bean would ya believe! 'e says it tastes heavenly Mmmmmmmm."

Mollie paused for breath and looked about the Courtyard, just checking to make sure nobody else was in earshot before continuing.

"Now then........'e says.....Perran I mean.......that Cook 'e 'id these eggs all over, but tha biggest one be in tha Stables. Soooooooo.........iffn we gits there first........... "

Millie nodded with enthusiasm as Mollie spoke. Her Sister always was better with words than she. or so she was always told.......by her Sister of course. She could not curb her excitement at the thought of tasting such a delicious thing as this choc - oh - lat.

"Are ye wiv us Celia......are ya.....are ya??" She blurted out before Mollie could.

[Celia]

Celia pressed her lips together, pulling them to the side in an a guarded, bewildered merriment as she listened, trying to ferret out as t’ whether they were pullin’ her leg. “Sommat heavenly . . made from . . a bean??! Cook be a’magic with food an’ all . . still . . a bean?!”

She set her hand to scratchin’ behind her right ear, cheeks coloring ever so at the mention of Perran. Perhaps he was leading them on a merry chase, he were . . hidin’ in wait to guffaw at them all whilst they searched for the big bean egg . . but she’d nae wish to miss out on the fun in the outside chance there were any truth to it!!

“You know I do be with ye! Last one t’ the stables has to hold t’ ladder to the loft!!” And with that, she scooped up her skirts in a most decidedly unladylike manner and bolted towards the stables at a full gallop!

[Mille and Mollie]

"Did ya see.......did ya....did ya Molls........I were right I was!" Now it was Mollie's turn to take an elbow in her ribs as the Twins were left to watch Celia rush away to the Stables. While she was too busy stiffling her laughter to really be bothered by the nudging, Mollie soon turned to her Sister and nodded enthusiastically.

"I did.....I did.........she were tha colour of a fresh picked apple at tha mention o' 'is name!!"

Millie puffed out her chest at the mere thought she had been right for once, getting one over on her Sister was indeed a marvelous and very rare experience for Millie. She was however slightly concerned with the ploy and how Celia had been so trusting of them both.

"But Perran did tell yers not ta let 'er near tha stables Mollie......and now look see......she be there already." She mumbled.

"Hmmmmm." Said Mollie as she looked on, Celia was about to enter the large open doors, her skirts still lifted to clear the dusty courtyard. "Hmmmm......well.......since when 'as I ever done what I be told eh Mills." She chuckled, hoping the outcome of this latest adventure would give them all more to gossip and laugh about.

Suddenly the kitchen doors opened and a loud bellowing came forth. "You's two gals, still yer wagging tongues and gits yersels in 'ere quick like!!"

Millie gave Mollie a look that spoke a thousand words. "Erm......'ows about now Molls!" With that said, she too lifted her skirts and bounded towards the kitchens leaving her Sister trailing behind grumbling.......and Celia to the fate that awaited within the Stables.

[Celia]

As she dashed into the darkened interior of the sweetly pungent stables, Celia reached her left hand out to grasp the first splinterless support beam and whirled about in expectation of finding the twins hard on her heels. A moment of breathless puzzlement left her slapping her skirted thighs with an expelled "Auch, NOW where'd they . . "

A smile blossomed rapidly across her face as she plucked a guess out of several possibilities. She'd been so certain of their nimble feet overtaking her that she'd assumed they'd follow . . Surely they had simply circumvented the obvious doorway and were already to the other entrances, their tactic having caused her to loose precious seconds in this merry race! Celia spun about, dead set on focusing carefully on the slightest hint of color among the earthy textures of the stables, her apron taken up and bunched into a perfect catchall for the anticipated harvest . .

But first, she glanced around with childish stealth before scooping deeply into her pocket and retrieving a sparkling orb she'd meant to hide herself! She held it up in the slanting rays of the morning sun with one last admiring look at the cleverly contrived, if not imperfectly crafted, egg. The whites she'd mixed with a bit of honey before coating the surface and pressing tiny bits of broken, pebbled glass that had the sharpest edges worn off into the stickiness. Her impatience had cost several gaps where pieces had loosened and become lost in her pocket, yet it still had the look of something quite more costly! She nestled it atop a sheaf of meadow hay and with a backwards cast approving nod, turned around to resume her hunt . . .

[Perran]

Perran was crouched beside the young mare he was brushing, eager to have her coat shining and glistening in the Spring sunshine. He had worked hard and steady, as was the norm for the lad, finishing his chores early after receiving permission from the Guard Captain to keep the horse here in Windstorm. He was so sure Celia would like his gift, even though he had not actually given any coinage for the beast, it was a simple act of kindness, and yet one that would benefit both he and Celia.

Lady Andrea had given Perran a mount of his own some years before, he called her Sienna as she was the colour or rusty reds and browns. The horse he had taken on from the village Smithy was darker, almost black in places, with a pure white patch between her eyes, quite a pretty thing as horses go, but in need of a feed or two as she had been neglected for some time before the Smith came across her. Perran could never understand how folks could mistreat their animals, lives depended upon them, and they deserved respect for their labours. He was glad she was safe now, and ever more glad he could make a gift of her to Celia.

He tilted his head when he heard rustling skirts and movement within the doorway, frowning when he then heard a little voice. Cursing the twins beneath his breath, he stood to get a clearer look at her, pushing up with his knees to stand. He peered over the wooden stall and almost ducked down again. No.....no....the twins were meant to keep her away from the Stables a while longer......the story he had concocted about a chocolate egg should have had Celia hunting high and low he was certain, but not in the Stables! He should never have trusted those girls, more than ever he needed to find his own prize.......that of courage.

He framed her face between two upright beams and stood perfectly still, just watching her, perhaps the new horse was ready after all. Mind, he was not so sure of what to say nor how, for she always made his words muddled. Watching as Celia moved from pillar to pillar, obviously searching for the all elusive egg. He could not help but smile, riveted to the spot and surely within full view of her if she ever stood still!

[Celia]

She quickly became entirely wrapped up in her searching, it taking on the aspects of a quest of sorts. Her movements became more exaggerated in the pleasure of it all as she prowled through the structure . . peering into the darkened places, stretching and craning to the higher, and ducking and waddling and at times almost crawling where need would prod. Reasoning that certain places were safely ignored, she’d been mildly surprised and not a little dismayed at the vast number of nooks and niches still perfect for hiding smallish objects.

Borne by the rhythm of it . . duck, creep, tilt, whirl, glance a’back, upwards, sweep, lift-on-toes, crouch-on-haunches, pirouette . . gasp! How long had he been watching her!! Her face took on the appearance of a patch of garden beneath a cloud mottled sun . . the twitchings of a smile kept fighting to win over the rising pink of her self-conscious embarrassment.

Dusty palms wiping against the now dropped apron, she ducked her head down, the image of his face against the mote-dappled light had made him seem so much older than he was, as if she’d seen him as he would some day be . . the chiseled features of a man who’d left boyhood behind. A good man, good to the bone.

Looking back up into his unreadable eyes, she aimed a broadening, knowing smile at him, her voice far more steady than she felt. “So ye’ve found it already then, Perran?!” And once begun, the torrent continued . . “The twins said ye tol’ them it be here, that’n special chaak-oh-laat egg . . though I hae no real idea what I be searchin’ for exactly. But iffen ye’ve found it, then I can sto . . . “

She tipped her head with unfeigned coyness, her smile wavering again, “Be it as tasty as they sayed, Perran?”

“Perran?!?”

[Perran]

The glimmer of a smile had graced his lips when they had finally closed. He had watched her with his mouth wide open, almost aghast and lost in her movements. Delicate and dainty she was not, certainly not, by any stretch of the imagination......but there was something about her, the way she ducked and twirled, as if not a one could see.....an innocent, beautiful innocence, untainted, unblemished.......true. His smile broadened now into a grin, the one so often appearing when she was about, that satisfied grin of contentment, even though he had so much still to do, to say to her...to show her even. The horse beside him nudging as if to push him in his endeavours, this mission he has begun and had to finish.

Her cheeks now ruddy with exertion and embarrassment as she questioned him......he was quick to chuckle, hiding his own embarrassment for she may have noticed he too had a blush of sorts colouring his weathered features.

"Oh.....ahhh....nae.....aye......well......it, ya see......ah.....ermmmm!!??" He began but quickly stopped as the words became muddled yet again. Instead he beckoned her over with both hands. Practicing his speech as she approached, he wondered just how well it would go down, and of course how she would take the fact he had lied, well almost lied about the egg, for it was in a good cause and could be considered a white lie, being that good will come from it.

All this he told himself and more as he waited.......so eager to see her smile again.........

"Ah do nae have tha egg Celia.......but..........I do have summit fer ye......special like........."

[Celia]

She huffed several attempts to launch a question, her voice so low as to fail her completely. Pressing her lips tightly together and pulling them back against her teeth as the entertained a moment’s regret at not having taken more care in matching her hair ribbons to the tiny pattern in her skirt, her brows contracted into a bewildered frowned as she tried to corral several possibilities at once. Had the egg been hidden so terribly that even he could not find it? Or wasn’t it all that important to him to try and find it? Had the wiley twins fibbed to her about there even being an egg to find?! Soooo . . if not an egg, what on . .

Quickly realizing that he may be misunderstanding the set of her expression, she scratched her cheek and blinked, still at a loss. “Summat . . . special?!”

Suddenly afraid of the eyes that had seemed to become more readable, her own had wandered to tracing the irregular, faintly egg-shaped white pattern of the spot on the face of the creature at Perran’s elbow. What could possibly be more special than the intriguing and apparently elusive egg?

Oh, a thousand things, Celia, she thought, a softer smile melting the frown . .

[Lady Edfeil]

((*chuckles* lovely to read this!!))

[Perran]

The look of confusion within her pretty face was so obvious, Perran felt quite guilty again. Perhaps he should have done this a different way after all. No nonsense about an egg, no little white lies and definitely no including those pesky twins in his quest.......well it was done now and he would have to face the consequences. She looked at him and then seemed to look past him at the horse.......it nudged him a little and he took hold of the reins.....adjusting his footing as if it would help his dilemma.

"Aye....special.........well.....iffn ya may think it so......I........" He stammered again, swallowing hard, gulping down those frustrating words that still would not come forth. He took a deep breath in and frowned before he tried again. This time more fluently, the words came out..........

"Tha smithy in tha village........this horse ya see.......he came across it like......and took it in....but then I saw it and he said ah could........take it like....and feed it up. Ya see it were treated a might poorly an' all. Tha livery been taken care of.....and iffn yers be.......ah would like ta gift it.....well gift it to yers fer ya to own like....iffn ye would.......ahhhhhhh........"

Thrusting the reins towards her as she approached...he hoped he had made sense. He then lowered his head, a little ashamed at having lied, searching for an explanation.

"It were a ploy.....tha egg.......ah wanted ta surprise yers.......an' tha twins....well.....they was ta keep ya occupied a while......but.........well...yers be 'ere, an' tha horse....it ain't got no name......she be a goodly one though, an' iffn yers be wishing.....ah could teach yer ridin' an' tha likes........"

He scratched his head, thick abundant curls catching in his fingers, a perplexed look upon his face, wonder of her reaction.

[Celia]

She had not guessed, could never have guessed, not in a lifetime of years, not ever something so . . so . .
His explanation as if he had to convince her of they pretty animal’s worthiness to be a gift.
His words in her ears as if not quite attached properly and fully to their meanings, like they were wavering beneath clear, deep water . . as if they might be a further deception, if she thought about them too hard . .
He couldn’t possibly mean . .

Hesitating for only a fraction of a heartbeat, one tiny little fear allowed that if she indeed DID take the leathers into her hands, he would burst into cruel laughter and yank them back again. No, nothing about him gave her even the slightest reason to doubt his intentions. The egg had not been his idea to humiliate her . .
All decided in a heartbeat . .

She meant to take them . . tried to . . her hands rising but them pressing together as if in prayer . . kept rising to cover her lower face . . only her bright, round eyes visible, locked onto the creature’s beautiful face. His continuing words garbling together indistinctly, unheard . .

It wouldn’t dawn on her until much later that she couldn’t possibly accept such a gift, couldn’t afford to feed it if she did, couldn’t begin to explain enough to her mother why she should . . for now, there was only now . . an impetuous launching of herself at the dear, unsuspecting boy . . as her arms wrapped tightly around his middle, face pressed against his chest . .
The suddenness of her movement startling not only Perran, but the nameless soul behind him. It was to his credit he hadn’t reared or taken flight! As it was, he merely pulled back away involuntarily . . both the forward force of the hugging combined with the backward tug of the reins still in his hand causing Perran to lose his balance, and they tumbled back onto the golden straw.

Celia was just too swept up into the moment to be mortified. It couldn’t be real anyway, this . . this
A small, embarrassed laugh quickly died on in her throat as she remembered that she should unlock her arms from around him, yet did not . . words still not coming until the glossy black head lowered to nudge at him . . and then her! Her expression melted as she struggled to sit upright and reached out tentatively and ever so gently to touch back . .

“Ca . . can ye teach me tae ride her, Perran . . I . . I cannae ride . . “ was all she could yet manage to squeak . .

[Perran]

"Oooooooomphhhh haaaaaa.........aaaaaohhhhhhhhh oiiiiiiiiii....arghhhhhhh" Perran found himself flat upon his back, still holding the reins and with a rather befuddled Celia holding tightly to him that he found it hard to take in another breath. He was about to ask her very politely to get off of him when she wriggled to her feet in a quite unladylike manner and offered a very sweet smile.

“Ca . . can ye teach me tae ride her, Perran . . I . . I can nae ride . . “ was all she said, more a squeak than a voice, he wanted to laugh but held his composure enough before the even more confused horse behind him decided to snort and cover his face with spittle and other unwanted liquids.

"Ermmmmmm......errrrrr.......yuck!" He spluttered and spit, wiping his mouth quickly as he dropped the reins. He moved away from the horse and allowed Celia full access to her, trying as he might to wipe his face with the back of his sleeve and tidy his unruly hair which was now filled with bits of hay and straw. What a sight he must have looked, for he certainly felt rather foolish.

He simply nodded toward her, watching the horse as she settled, nudging and sniffing at Celia's hand. The horse seemed to be content, even after the unforeseen situation they had found themselves in. He wondered then if he had done the right thing, but found a grin for Celia as he sat more upright.

"Aye.......ah ken teach yers iffn yers a mind......but yer must be gentle about tha horse hmmmm.....she be a might timid yet. See iffn she wants this Celia........." He smiled gently as he reached out a carrot from his jerkin pocket. "First things first though.......she be needin' a name."