If fantasy was droplets of sparkling pure silver that danced and lazily fell from a single cloud that hovered above us like a ghost airship sprinkling the whole city on such a crystal clear... Night... Then, I'm watching it unfold before me. Wisps of my breath were now visible and were evaporating up together with Wendy's own breath from her soft snores.
It took hours upon hours until the night sky was blanketed by silver dark clouds that continued to blanket this world with snow. I didn't wait until the moon was swallowed up winter's nature. I closed the window and hugged Wendy as winter proclaimed her presence.
When the time came for the hunt May fitted me with an article of mufflers, a gambeson and her boots. “Hunting boots.” She said while rapidly tapping her right foot as.
“May..."
She shushed me and told me about the colorless mushrooms that can be eaten while the colorful once are poisons.
“If you find a cave, house made out of pie, or anything that you think can be a shelter never enter it!”
It's one of the multitudes of motherly advises she can give out to me until Edmund told her day light was breaking that she stopped.
“Come here!”
Before I could get my hands on the knob a bear hug came from behind. Squeezing me tight and my head pillowed between her soft fruits.
“This is a reminder that you always hug your mother whenever you leave. Got that?”
I growled out a yes and asked for permission to leave.
“Did you say your goodbye to your future bride and my future grandchild?”
No, I didn't wake her up, nor I did something to give her the tittle of Grandma. She worked hard yesterday for me and seeing her snuggle up in a warm and cozy nap, I didn't wake her up.
After that, I was given a one minute drill by Edmund on how to act in front of Lady Juliana.
“But above all!”
He pointed out
“Always be courteous around her.”
I was greeted by the frosty dark morning who kissed my cheeks and face and any part of my that is not covered by my thick clothing. Our boots gave that satisfying crunch as the very street is now paved by sheet of snow. The carriage in front of me was painted white by the snow where two horses yoked shakes the snow off them as they awaited to be ordered.
The sky was clear and the clouds responsible for this ploy must have migrated somewhere else now as the sun's coronas were still peaking out, bleaching the stars. Only the brightest of stars still defied the sun's authority, even the moon hasn't given up the throne up in the sky.
“Julie, he's here.”
Knocked Edmund on the carriage.
“Good morning, y-you're highness...”
I bowed down a little as the door opened and Lady Juliana showed herself. There was a small lamp that hung above inside the carriage that it's embers were enough for me to see her blue eyes and golden hair flow down her chest. Her clothing resembling a blue uniform under a thick furry coat.
Below her coat was a short white skirt that reached until her knees where behind the white skirt were a slick brown leather trousers and at the end where leather boots.
“Enough of that, come in.”
She said with hint of annoyance from her vocals.
“Have fun.”
Said Edmund with a smile as he closed the door.
“Wait. Where are you going?”
There was still room for him -- four people can squeeze in here.
“Well, someone has to whip the horses.”
He said while jumping up the helm.
“Elfien, it's quite cold.”
Said Lady Juliana.
“Yes, you're highness.”
Closing the door a whip and hiya from Edmund and we were on the move.
“I'm glad that captain May gave you permission to accompany me as my personal footman in this hunt.”
Lady Juliana spoke out.
“It's an honor to serve you. Lady Juliana.”
I hope that's the minimum of being courteous.
“Oh, um... Sure, so anyway, I had your basket of Manchet ready at the manor and will give it to you after the hunt. Oh, and um... I-I personally made them for you.”
She wiggled her shoulder and clasped both of her hands as she said that.
“Thank you for your k-kindness, Lady Juliana. I p-promise to repay you one day.”
I swear I cracked my voice in the kindness part.
“Why are you acting like that?”
She gave me a bemused smile.
“As your footman I must be on my best to accommodate a high status lady such as yourself.”
I said it loud and clear as Edmund told me if Lady Juliana asks about my attitude.
“Hahaha!”
I could hear him crack a laugh outside.
"Thank you for your kindness Lady Juliana. It's an honor serving you Lady Juliana. Ahahaha!"
Ah, crap!
“Umm... Question, ”
I sighed and covered my face.
“Go ahead."
I could see Lilly throwing me a smile at me.
“Should I be formal around you when being a footman?”
“Of course not. Not for you. I liked it... But.”
Her hands then fell on my hand that was covering my face.
"I prefer this."
"Ummmmm....."
How do I respond to this?
The carriage then stopped as we took only a few turns. Looking outside the window Edmund ran to this house where the door opened.
“Elfien, this way,”
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Said Lilly as she opened the other door and splashed down the snow.
“Where are we going?”
She didn't answer my question and pulled me out into the street where we jumped up on the helm of the carriage.
“I like how captain May made you wear a gambeson,”
She said before unbuttoning her thick fur coat where she skip besides me and laid some of the coat around me.
“But this is just to make sure that you don't get sick."
“T-thanks, I'm already sweating in my gambeson to be honest,"
I added, but with sincerity of wanting to make sure that I don't catch a cold was brimming in her eyes, I couldn't say no.
“Anyway, who's Edmund taking to?”
From my vantage point he was talking to a veiled woman. I could hear Edmund speak a foreign that I never heard of. It sounded quick and angelic and somewhere between French or Latin. Whatever it may be, it made the veiled woman chuckle and her eye lashes flutter. Not long Edmund took her hand and whisked her away.
“Just, ignore them.”
She whispered to me as she took the reigns and looked forward.
Not long Edmund took the veiled woman inside the carriage.
“Remember the path Julie.”
He called out on us.
“Shut up.”
She whispered. I could see her sink inside the fur coat and began using the reigns to make the horses move their limbs. Once it started, I could hear some giggling and foreign chatter inside the carriage.
“Is it a good time to ask who was that?”
“You saw nobody,"
Sighed Lilly.
"And you didn't saw brother pick up a woman, ok?”
After I gave a nod she knocked three times on top of the carriage. It made the giggling and chatter halt.
We reached the gates and greeting us in this frosty morning with torch in hand was Kenneth and Grant. Grant used his torch to look around the carriage while Kenneth gave his good morning to Lilly and to me.
"Are you done visiting my ladyship?"
Said Kenneth.
"I am, Mayor Ronald and I have made a form of agreement. Confidential of course, but can we move on so I can report to father?"
Replied Lilly.
"Of course,"
Leaning his head.
"Grant let them through."
"Gwhaha. See you later Ed."
Chortled Grant as he left to open the gates.
"You saw nobody!"
I heard Edmund.
When we left the city gate and to a road where the view of the field where the circus tents had now white toppings our carriage rocked as our journey went on. And it rocked. It jolted to and fro and swayed like a fast rocking crib. Not to mention the moans.
“T-they um... They are really close.”
Feeling how the bumps and rocking aren't caused by the unpaved road.
“They can!”
She then slammed hard the top of roof the carriage.
“At least maybe hush down a little!”
Her face buried and plump as tomato when I tried to look at her.
“P-please don't look at me.”
Doing so she just told me to ignore the moans and rocking as we rode on the path that snaked towards a large forested hill where, what little sun light is there, began melting the snow on the road.
But then, just a bend and half way through, I saw a carriage parked on the side of the road. Lilly then knocked on the top of the roof again where in Edmund replied a knock and seemingly all the disturbing noise began to fade.
Pulling the reigns our ride stopped just besides this smaller and unpainted, and tattered single horse drawn carriage where a hooded coachman stood on the helm.
Opening the door this veiled woman who spoke in the angelic sound of French or Latin had her fiery red hair ruffled making the veil useless, her grassy green eyes wild and excited. Her once orderly clothes were now disorganized and showed her white collarbone. Hot love escaped the carriage and melted some snow as Edmund came out next showing off his six packs on the land as he lead the girl to the doors of the poor looking carriage. He then bit the girl's ear and gave her a bag of that looked heavy.
With a hiya from the hooded coachman,
“E Sluve Oui! Tomtomo Edmund!”
The red hair waved her hand last.
“E Sluve Oui Mototo! Remara Deirdre!”
Edmund threw a flying kiss, sighing in a good aura as we watched the carriage became a dot as it crept towards the walls of Ellena.
“If I were a commoner we'd have a small family of 6 kids by now.”
He breathed out.
“I'm surprised you haven't had a bastard by now.”
Replied Lilly, eyes cold like the clear morning sky.
“Me too.”
Also, is 6 children considered small in this world?
“Either way, give me the reigns.”
Whistles Edmund.
“No! You probably had the place stained in there!”
Lilly embraces me as Edmund's hand reached for the reigns on Lilly's hand.
“Suite yourself,
He then showed me a wet panty and gave a wink before entering.
"More time to linger.”
“You'll help me burn this carriage later Elfien.”
I felt murder inside those words.
****
It was relatively silent cruise through the way. The rug of mist around us were blown away when the sun finally reigned the sky. From the foot to an upward swerving ride through this forestry we arrived at a white washed wall that upon arrival opened the gates without question.
Houses high as two story tall looked down on us dotted across along the path and anyone in here had greeted us with: Your lady, or the most common Your lordship.
It was self contained village if my description can be trusted. A well over there, a windmill stood up on a two story building where besides it was chimney blew black smokes that if trace down to its source was an oven where a baker took out their product and gave it to the line of women who asked for their bread.
It wasn't the only long line though, a band of men stood besides a parking garage of wheel barrow where they unloaded logs, wheat, barrels and the such where they were taken away to their tow story houses or traveled along with us where they unloaded it to the elegant four story manor.
Royal Palace came into my mind when my eyes fell on it. White painted allover its walls and decorative masonry of reliefs depicting griffons, knights and dragons all across the corners, and below were lush green bushes with madden roses strewn across the whole ten yards of this estate.
Servants began leading the horse towards the left side of the manor where a stable -- Multiple grand carriages were parked to a side and multitudes of horses were being fed and cared on the other side.
We stopped in front of the backdoor of the manor where the door opened and came out the maidservant from yesterday.
Cradled upon her arms were a set of clothing articles.
“Huup!”
Then jumped Edmund out of the carriage, taking the clothes and rolling through the backdoor.
"Don't tell mom you saw me!"
I hear his voice echo as same as his slapping barefoot slapping away.
"Micha, inform mother Edmund has just awaken and is joining breakfast with us."
She then removed her coat gave it to me and jumped down.
"Then, I want Elfien presentable in his uniform. I want mother have a good first impression about Elfien. Oh, and please scrap the carriage as fuel for the furnace later. It's stained, no point in cleaning it."
And continued to go on.
"My lady, come here,"
I was going to climb down when the maidservant tossed a confused Lilly back to the helm.
"Did you just wax the floor if that's the case I'm terribly sorry Micah"
Clasped both her hands.
"Mr. Elfien, this is the first thing you must know as a footman for her lady. Please step down."
Said the maidservant in which I asked what's happening when I followed her.
"Now take the lady's hands."
She added.
"Ok?"
I raised my eyebrow and asked for Lilly's hand.
"I-I-I... Breakfast!"
"Of course you still run away."
Sighed the maidservant when Lilly sprinted off in such a fluster.
"What was that?"
I asked while folding the fur cloak.
"Always remember, dense boy,"
She gave me sharp gaze as she took the fur coat from my cradle.
"You are her footman,"
She snapped at me
"Not a friend,"
She snapped at me
"Nor a lover in this event."
She snapped at me
"You are a footman."
She snapped at me again and again and until only a nod and yes came out of me.
"Soto."
She clasped both of her hands.
"Follow me. Your mother have good taste on your gambeson but as a footman for her lady, there are standards to achieve. I'll make you a somewhat bearable footman before breakfast with her lady, so remember, whenever the lady goes to a carriage you must be..."