To Love, Once Again

Chapter 88

"So you see, Thornmere Kings have been known for their enjoyment of the arts.."

A small head perks up from the table, red cowlick waving in the air, when Sera returns to the cottage.

"Mama!"

Jumping off his desk in the cottage, Leo pumps his short legs, colliding with Sera's skirts before she'd even had time to bend down and welcome him into a hug.

"Your Majesty."

The other maids curtsey as Sera looks around the room where'd they'd eaten breakfast just that morning. Cluttered atop the table laid piles of maps and illustrations, as well as the alphabet of Thornmere.

But the usual warm presence of Bea watching over her son was missing. Instead, standing at the head of the table with a book in hand was a short middle-aged looking man, wearing a curly grey wig with a belly that rivaled Head Chef Ald's.

He even wore some makeup, with a light blush on his cheeks and a white powder underneath that made him look like a clown.

"Where's Bea?" Sera asks the maids that stand by the walls of the sunny room. Though instead of hearing the soft voice of a maid, she hears a man speaking in a nasally, breathy tone. 

"Miss Bea returned for some sort of family emergency, Your Highness."

"Oh? And you are?"

With a sweeping bow, the gentleman greets Sera. "I am Sir Reginald Vantland of the Moors, hired by His Majesty the King as a Tutor for the young prince."

"I didn't know Leo had a tutor."

"To be precise, the young prince didn't have one until today. After receiving the missive from the King it had taken me several days to arrive here, you see."

Several days. Hmm. Raising a brow at his words, Sera considers the timing of his arrival. It seems Lucien had been preparing for a proper education for Leo even as she'd stayed with him as his mistress. Lucien must have been thinking of the future with her and Leo together, though the man hadn't been able to tell her the truth of his marriage.

"You don't live in Thornmere?"

"No, Your Majesty. I am but a humble traveling merchant." He puffs out his chest, proudly gesturing out to the maps, scrolls and books littering the table. "These are some of my wares."

He steps forward, reaching out to kiss Sera's hand in the noble greeting. But then his hand stops mid-air, retracting his hand.

"I would greet you formally, Your Majesty, as is proper.." He shakes his head, as if remembering something.

"But a certain..circumstance tell me we can forgo this process."

Sera sighs. "You mean the King, don't you." It had to be, though the tutor doesn't confirm her suspicions. Greetings weren't all too important to her anyways. If she had things her way, she would be having people address her as Sera, or Miss Sera.

"Well," And then Sir Vantland falls into a series of uhhmms and ahhs, long enough to make Leo grow bored and start playing with Sera's fingers.

It was useless to wait for Sir Vantland to finish his sentence. Everyone in the room knew he had no intention of doing so. Guess it was time to change the subject.

"I hope the emergency is nothing terrible. Let's make something for Bea that we can gift her before she comes back." Sera thinks out loud.

"A pwesent!?" Leo jumps in excitement.

"Yes, a pwe-" Ahem! Containing the slight rush of embarrassment at having spoke with Leo's lisp, Sera repeats herself.

"a present."