Chapter 12 #2
While the flyers dried, they had lunch, and afterwards, she cleaned up. Later in the evening, they drank chai out in the garden, the hot drink milky and sweet. They stayed out in the fresh spring air long after their cups were empty.
The sky was clear, and the sun was radiant and warm. Sonya read her book on a picnic blanket while Azam sketched across from her. Kiri sat on a chair, knitting, while Dania sat on the other, talking to her dolls. A comfortable quiet enveloped them.
A soft breeze lifted through the air, rustling the grass and the bushes, and Sonya paused her reading to glance around. Birds chirped overhead, flitting through the air.
A bluejay’s feather fell, spinning as it landed down, and Sonya held out a hand to catch it, smiling to herself. The feather was bright blue and soft; she twirled it in her fingers, then set it aside, going back to reading.
She felt Azam’s gaze on her from over his sketchbook. Somehow, she could always tell when he was watching her. She glanced up, over at him, and he smiled, unashamed. Then he turned his focus back to his sketchbook.
The next day, Sonya, Kiri, and Dania went to hand out the fliers while Azam worked on the sample dresses.
They began by going door to door; Kiri knew all the neighbors, and they were all glad to see her and Dania.
When they knocked on the first door, Sonya was afraid the neighbors would ask too many questions about her, but luckily they didn’t.
Travelers were common in the Outskirts and the residents seemed to mind their own business.
Kiri simply introduced Sonya, stating that she was staying at the Mirzas’, and that was it.
They walked over to Winnie’s, which wasn’t too far, and met Winnie’s mom, who Sonya thanked for the dumpling soup. They also met Enzo’s family; he was the eldest of four brothers, and his home was a bit of a madhouse, though his mother was very sweet.
Everyone was excited about the shop reopening because they had loved Bunto and loved Azam. Many people assured Kiri and Sonya they would be there on Saturday, and Sonya began feeling a jittery sort of excitement to see that their plans were leading to success.
After speaking with the neighbors, most of whom insisted they knew the way and promised to be there, they went to the market with plans to stop by every store.
Kiri, of course, knew everyone there, and they only managed to visit two stores in twenty minutes because she kept getting stopped for a chat.
As they made their way to the third shop, they ran into Caden, who was out with Butterscotch.
‘Scotchie!’ Dania immediately ran to give the dog a big hug, and he licked her face in response.
‘Good day, ladies,’ Caden said, tipping his hat to them. He was walking with a stick and was dressed in a beige waistcoat and trousers. ‘You are out in full force today.’
‘We are ladies on a mission,’ Kiri replied, holding up her small basket full of fliers. Sonya did the same.
‘We’re spreading news about the grand reopening of Bunto’s shop this Saturday,’ Sonya said. ‘You are, of course, coming, aren’t you?’ She handed him a flier, and he smiled.
‘Wouldn’t miss it for the world,’ Caden said, glancing at the flyer. ‘Ooh, tea!’ He looked up at Kiri, eyes warm. ‘Can I expect your famous scones?’
‘You’ll just have to wait and see,’ Kiri replied with a coy smile.
‘Of course. Can I help you spread the word?’ Caden asked. ‘I’m free for the rest of the day.’
‘Excellent idea!’ Sonya said. Once again she sensed he was quite keen on Kiri and wanted them to spend some more time together. ‘You and Grandma Kiri can pair off, and Dania and I can.’
Kiri furrowed her brow at Sonya. ‘You don’t know your way around yet, Sonya. I don’t want you to get lost.’
‘I’ll have Dania with me,’ Sonya replied, ‘and I am getting better with my directions.’
Dania only knew the way from the market to the cottage, so, in the end, Sonya paired up with Kiri, while Caden went with Dania and Butterscotch.
Despite her failed attempt to bring Kiri and Caden together, Sonya was glad to have some alone time with Kiri, who told her about the different places and who lived there and their history and relationships.
Sonya was learning that some of the very best stories were the ones that were real.
‘This is where my husband and I lived,’ Kiri said, pointing out a cottage as they walked past. Smoke rose from the chimney, and Sonya heard the laughter of children from inside. ‘We had a good life together here, and I’m glad the new owners seem to be having a good life as well.’
‘Do you still miss him?’ Sonya asked.
Kiri nodded, tucking a loose strand of gray hair behind her ear. ‘Every day, but in a quiet way. I don’t notice unless I put my attention to it, like breathing.’
‘What was he like?’ Sonya asked. Kiri had an entire life full of stories.
The woman smiled at Sonya’s curiosity, not put off by it, and she told Sonya how she and her husband met: how he courted her, how they married, and then the mundane, everyday stories that came after that.
It was clear that there had been so much love, so much joy.
Sonya was happy to hear Kiri recount those years. And while she was happy, she was also a bit sad. She wished her father and brothers would speak of Sonya’s mother in such a manner.
She knew death was sad and painful, but wasn’t it better like this? To remember the love and the joy, too? Then the pain was just a reminder of how deeply you had loved the one who had passed. And there was joy in that, as well. To love was a privilege.
Kiri noticed Sonya had gone quiet, and she slowed her pace. ‘What is it?’
Sonya bit her lower lip. ‘I’m glad you can speak of your husband, that you can remember him. I wish I could do the same for my mother, but my father never spoke of her. I know so little about her.’
Kiri sighed. ‘Everyone deals with grief in their own way, but I can see how that is frustrating for you. You deserve to know about your mother. Lord knows if we’d had children, I’d want them to know about their father, no matter how painful it was.’
They continued handing out fliers, then met back up with Caden and Dania.
‘Come back to my place for refreshments,’ Caden said. ‘Dania has worked up an appetite.’
Dania pouted, whining. ‘I hungry!’
‘Oh, I don’t know,’ Kiri replied, unsure.
‘Come on,’ Caden said. ‘I want to show Sonya the pastures, and I know Dania wants to see the sheep, who miss her so very much.’
At the mention of sheep, Dania’s whining intensified. ‘Please, Gramma!’ she cried, tugging on Kiri’s skirt. ‘Please!’
‘Alright, alright,’ Kiri relented, and together, they all walked to Caden’s place.
Once they left the bustle of the market, Butterscotch ran ahead, Dania following closely behind him. Sonya quickened to chase after them, but Caden reassured her.
‘It’s alright,’ he said. ‘Butterscotch knows his way.’
He lived on the edge of the Outskirts, toward the open stretches of land. On their way, Sonya spotted a large group of people heading toward Castletown.
‘Isn’t the work day over?’ Sonya asked, a little surprised. She would have assumed people would be returning home.
‘There’s much work to be done to prepare for the tourney and the princess’s wedding, so many people have taken up evening shifts,’ Caden explained.
‘There’s a little over two months left now,’ Kiri added. ‘I think the suitors and their entourages are meant to arrive in a few weeks.’
Anxiety spiked through Sonya, making her heart pound painfully.
She chewed the inside of her mouth. Maybe she should have timed her escape closer to her birthday, but she’d known that once the suitors arrived, getting past the castle’s increased security would be near impossible.
If only her father would cancel the tourney entirely and tell the suitors not to come … That would be ideal.
Hearing Kiri talk about her own marriage made Sonya realize she could only marry for love—for true love.
Stress made her shoulders tense, but she tried to push thoughts of marriage away as they reached Caden’s place, a thatched-roof cottage nestled in between verdant green fields.
The sheep were in their pen, lazily grazing on hay, but when Butterscotch ran over, they bleated loudly, bumping into one another.
Sonya laughed at the sight, and Caden shook his head. ‘I say this fondly, but sheep are incredibly stupid,’ he told her. ‘If old Butterscotch herded them over a cliff edge, they’d happily fling themselves to their deaths.’
‘Good thing Butterscotch is smart,’ Kiri said.
They went over to the sheep’s enclosure and Caden made a clicking noise with his tongue, calling to them. A few sheep ambled over and Sonya petted one of them, amazed at the feel. They were so soft.
‘They’re bulky now,’ Caden explained, ‘but they’ll get shorn next month and then they’ll be light as feathers, jumping around.’
Caden took Dania into the pen, where she wrapped her tiny arms around a sheep, practically getting lost in its wool. Sonya and Kiri watched on, smiling fondly.
‘I wonder if she’s a shepherd-witch,’ Sonya thought out loud. But as much as Dania loved the animals, they looked a bit harassed by her.
‘I don’t think so,’ Kiri said.
Then Caden walked them around, showing Sonya up the hill, where she could see even more fields, and other farms and cottages. It was getting a little chilly then, so they made their way into his home, where he made tea and pulled out a tin of biscuits.
‘My late wife’s recipe,’ he explained, as she bit into a biscuit studded with almonds. Sonya learned that Caden’s wife had passed away a few decades ago, back when his two daughters were very young. He had raised them by himself, and they were married with children of their own now.
‘They live in the Outskirts, so not too far,’ he said. ‘They’re coming to the opening, actually. I’ll introduce you!’
Sonya had met so many people these past few weeks. As a princess, shouldn’t she have met her people before? She knew her brothers often did princely things like go to events where they met their subjects, but she was never allowed to.
They drank their tea and chatted until the sun began to set and it was time for them to head back.
Caden walked them to the door with his hands tucked behind his back. ‘Thank you for coming,’ he said. ‘I’ll see you all on Saturday. And Kiri …’ He brought his hands forward, offering her a single red rose.
Kiri looked surprised but pleasantly so, and Caden smiled as she accepted the rose.
Sonya noticed Kiri was unusually quiet as they walked back to their cottage.
When they arrived back at the cottage, Kiri quickly put the rose in an empty milk jug and tucked it away on the windowsill before turning her attention to dinner.
Sonya set the table and Azam soon came in from the shop, looking a bit disheveled with his shirt open at the throat.
His hair was a mess of waves as if he’d spent all day running his fingers through it, and his face was drawn.
Dania ran over, jumping up into his arms. He lifted her up, holding her to his side as she kissed his cheek.
‘You smell like sheep,’ he said, wrinkling his nose and making Dania giggle.
‘We were at Grandpa Caden’s!’ she said. ‘I hugged all the sheep!’
‘Ah, excellent,’ Azam replied. ‘The sheep were waiting for your hugs. I know because they told me.’
He set her down and came over to Sonya, asking her how her day was.
‘It was good,’ she told him, telling him about all the people she had met and how excited everyone was for the opening. Then, how they met Caden and went back to his for tea.
‘Is that where the rose is from?’ Azam asked, lowering his voice a little. He was very attentive; of course he had noticed it, despite Kiri’s efforts.
When Sonya confirmed with a nod, Azam crept up behind Kiri and put his hands on her shoulders.
‘So is Caden officially courting you then?’ he asked. ‘About time!’
Kiri tsked. ‘Hush, you!’ But her cheeks turned pink as they sat down at the dinner table.
‘Is that what the red rose means?’ Sonya asked. She didn’t know the rules of courting, which was ironic considering men were literally traveling from across the kingdom for the chance to court her.
Azam nodded, putting food onto Dania’s plate: tender pieces of chicken with peas and dill, which came together in a sweet and buttery broth laced with cream. ‘It’s a traditional way for a man to let a woman know he wishes to court her,’ he replied, cutting the chicken into smaller pieces for Dania.
Kiri sighed, looking troubled as she made her dinner plate. Sonya didn’t understand—she thought Kiri liked Caden, and it was clear he was fond of her.
‘Why is that a bad thing?’ Sonya asked, putting food into her plate next.
‘I’m too old for romance,’ Kiri replied, pushing peas around her plate.
‘What do you mean?’ Sonya asked.
‘I had my love story,’ Kiri said. ‘I had a good life with my husband.’
She looked perturbed and Sonya’s heart ached for the woman who looked frailer than she had in the short time Sonya had known her. She was clearly frightened.
‘Love can never be a bad thing, can it?’ Sonya asked, gently.
‘When you’re young, no, but when you’re old …’ She trailed off, not meeting Sonya’s gaze.
‘I don’t think that’s true, Grandma Kiri,’ Sonya said. ‘One is never too old for companionship. I think it’s perhaps a question of bravery, but in that regard there is no doubt that you are very brave indeed.’
Kiri smiled at that, some of the tension leaving her.
They ate their dinner, and it was only after they were finished and Kiri had taken Dania upstairs that Sonya noticed Azam was also unusually quiet.
He was looking at her, a strange expression on his face.
‘What?’ she asked, as she picked up the plates and took them to the sink.
‘Nothing,’ he said, bringing over the glasses. As they both paused, she felt the warmth of his body beside hers. ‘It’s just … it’s so easy to be brave with you around.’
Heat spread through her at his words. She didn’t know what to say, but he wasn’t waiting for a response. He went to pick up the spoons and forks, and Sonya began washing the dishes. He stood beside her with a drying towel, waiting, and when she was done with the first plate, he reached for it.
They washed and dried the dishes in a comfortable silence.