✧ Lovelorn ✧

IV ✘ Never a Queen

| Clara Skotadi |

Apparently, Elena Margavine isn't as shy as Clara thought she was.

Sure, the brunette didn't have many friends at first but after Clara introduced her to Angel and Lucile, they immediately warmed up to each other. Ah, another influential person added to the squad. Elena has been frequenting parties these days, and Duke Margavine profusely thanked Clara for putting some energy into their reclusive little girl.

After the party, Clara stayed mostly at home. Her father went to the capital for day trips and returned at night. Honestly, he could just stay at their townhouse in Diamond City, but he insists to still travel back in their ancestral home in Beleveron. Beleveron is a small town near Tarrim, on the outskirts of Gillatrix. History says that the founder, Senturio Skotadi used to live in their antique Beleveron Estate.

Clara had been liking their Beleveron Estate, since it's away from Diamond City. They had been in quarantine here when she got sick, and then Clara decided that she liked Beleveron after all.

She was mostly alone and her studies have been pushed back since her professors are on break- something about visiting their families. Needless to say, Clara has too much spare time.

She decided to try her hand at cooking and baking. The chefs were appalled when they saw her anywhere near the kitchen but through much convincing, they finally agreed to teach her how to cook and bake. Through much practice, she's at a level where she can now successfully make cheesecakes, mango tarts and smores. She has that much free time.

Today had been one of her many rest days. Clara was chilling in the dining room, eating a blueberry cheesecake she had successfully baked when the sound of horse hooves broke the serene environment. She sat up from her seat and placed her fork on the plate, near the cheesecake.

Perhaps papa returned early?

When Clara arrived at the parlour, she was surprised to see Elena Margavine being assisted by maids. She was carrying lots of boxes and the brunette immediately brightened up when she saw Clara.

"Clara! I just got back from our fief, golly look at all these chocolates I got for you." Elena opened the lid of one of the boxes and Clara immediately ran up to her, eyes sparkling with interest.

"Chocolates?"

"Yep!" Elena nodded. "C'mon let's eat them."

"Let's go to the gardens then," Clara invited happily, before turning to a maid. "Please bring us cheesecakes and tea."

"Certainly m'lady." The maid bowed politely. Her situation with the servants gradually got better these past few years.

Clara took one of the many boxes from Elena as they navigated through the mansion.

"Sorry for coming uninvited," The brunette said sheepishly.

"Nonsense. You're always welcome in my home." Clara said, though at the back of her mind she wished that Elena should have given her a heads up. Clara had never been a host. Despite being the ring leader of their group, she'd never invited her friends or anyone to her home. Her father almost doesn't invite anyone as well.

"Oh my, your gardens are so pretty!" Elena gushed, as they walked through the dirt path until the marble tables at the middle of the garden. The garden was beautiful, as if it came right out of the fairytale. The most distinctive feature of every Skotadi Estate was the color blue, Elena thought. There were blue curtains, blue carpets in the mansion and now blue roses and trees in the gardens.It was surreal and surprising at the same time, as if you stepped inside a blue wonderland.