The Lady's Maid

Chapter 14: A Nobleman's Gift

Cosaria lifted the blueberry up to her face. It balanced gracefully upon her fork. With a 'chomp' she stuck it in her mouth. Then she smiled gleefully, tasting the sweet tartness on her tongue.

She's so cute! Tilda thought.

Cosaria put the fork down.

She said, "Do you think I could..."

Tilda sat up straighter.

Cosaria said, "I'm thinking about getting Lord Arquix a gift. To thank him for everything."

"That's a great idea! Shall we plan a trip into town?" Tilda asked. It was exciting for Cosaria to have an idea for herself and heart-warming that it was such a generous one.

Cosaria looked down and said, "But, what do you think he would like?"

"I wouldn't know what men like him want," Tilda said. She half expected his wish list to be full of torture devices. But she couldn't say that and even the thought of Cosaria buying a weapon like that was mortifying.

Cosaria began brainstorming, "Fancy ascots? Or hair gel? Cologne? Brutis always liked that kind of stuff."

Tilda tried to picture Duke Arquix all frilled-up like Cosaria's materialistic half-brother Brutis Baxarte; Slimy gelled back hair, suffocating puffy ascot, and cologne so strong it wilted flowers.

"Somehow I think the Duke and Brutis have different preferences," Tilda said. "Maybe a sword, or a dagger. Or..." a guillotine.

She said, "I have no idea."

The two women sat in deep thought.

Finally, Cosaria broke the silence, "You really don't think he'd like cologne?"

"Not at all," Tilda replied, "But I think I know someone who might be able to help us."

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Their discussion led to the two women enjoying a stroll window shopping down the main market street. Vendors and shops displayed their tempting wares as Cosaria enjoyed her freedom to roam.

Cosaria said, "Thank you for joining us Sir Felux."

"Aye," he said, "It's a pleasure."

Tilda was glad. If anyone knew a good gift for Delrik, it seemed obvious it would be his right hand man. Plus, it wasn't a bad idea to have a protector with them.

Cosaria stopped by an apothecary stall. She picked up a bottle, smelling it's contents.

Felux leaned over to Tilda and asked in a voice slightly above a whisper, "She doesn't think Delrik'd like cologne? Not really, does she?"

Tilda answered, "She does."

Cosaria turned to her companions saying, "What do you think about this one? It smells just like him."

"How about we look at the daggers. Over here," Tilda said as she used one hand to take the bottle and the other to direct Cosaria's attention.

With the attention span of a cat, Cosaria walked over to the stall selling daggers. She studied them intently as Tilda and Felux joined her.

Felux said, "These are dreich." He asked the shopkeeper, "Got anything better?"

The shopkeeper, a thin man with a long handlebar mustache, nodded and brought out an ornate box. As he opened it, Tilda and Felux glanced inside.

Tilda said, "These are decorative knives, aren't they?"

They each had ornately carved handles with gold or silver accents and gemstone inlays. A few were made from ivory and another was olivewood. Unfortunately, Felux could see that these specific blades were more for decoration than function.