Stigmata

I am not Interested

"Excuse me, Your Highness. The Duke is asking for you."

I looked up from my book at Taylor where she stood beside the door to my rooms. Another servant stood there—a human, this time—with his head lowered in deference. There were only a few days left until my Coming of Age Ceremony and the entire manor was bustling with activity. In the weeks since my arrival, I had not seen my uncle even once. My aunt claimed he was attending to his duties at court to keep my father's attention away from the manor, but I had no way of verifying this. I was a sitting duck, waiting for the hounds to be loosed.

I stood from my very comfortable seat and smoothed the silken skirts of my borrowed dress. The pale blue was not a color that suited me, but I had little choice in wardrobe until Madame Sucre completed the order my aunt made for me. For now, I had to endure the Duchess' ill fitting hand-me-downs. I adjusted the off-white shawl on my shoulders and nodded to Taylor. She fell into step behind me as we followed my uncle's servant out into the corridor. I still wasn't quite used to the splendor of Noble life and found myself missing the monastery more than I anticipated. And the food! Oh, the food!

Aiyah~, I thought the food would get better once I entered secular society, but no! Even the simplest of dishes were drowned in spice, as though the chefs were afraid their masters would go into withdrawal without a mountain of pepper heaped upon every plate. I could barely stomach anything without scraping off a layer of spices. No one else seemed to have an issue with it and I had to wonder if I was the weird one. Surely, not...right?

Maybe my tastebuds had grown oversensitive after so many years in the monastery. The meals there were simple and meant to nourish more than to please. Even so, they were far more palatable than whatever spice laden monstrosities they were cooking the Duke's kitchens. I could only hope the palace chefs had better taste, or I would wither away to nothing.

"Cousin! What a welcome surprise." Lie.

I looked down at Frederick where he stood at the bottom of a staircase. He was wearing a smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. I nodded coolly down to him, uninterested in speaking with him unless absolutely necessary. He seemed to realize this as he ran up the stairs to catch up with me before I could leave him behind.

"Cousin, why do I get the feeling you're avoiding me?"

"Because I am."

I valiantly kept myself from smiling at his wounded expression. Something about this man brought out the worst in me. Just another reason to avoid him.

I gestured for my guide to continue, but he looked between me and my cousin with wide eyes, unsure of who to obey. I could understand that. I would be gone soon, and Freddy would remain. Whatever. Soon, he would have to jump through hoops just to look at me, let alone tease me. If he thought I would bow my head to him once it wore a crown, he was in for a big surprise.

"Come on, cousin," he said with an infuriating smirk. "I haven't seen you in ages, and we're living in the same house! Where are you headed? I can take you instead of Petey." Truth.

'Petey' looked at his lord with stars in his eyes, clearly pleased to be freed from his responsibility. I frowned. Was I that scary?

"Uncle has requested my presence." I raised my hand and my eyebrow at my cousin. "I assume you know the way to his office?"

Freddy wasn't the least bit put off by my distant tone. He took my hand and placed it on his arm without hesitation and Petey took the chance to disappear. "Of course." Truth.

We managed to go maybe ten steps in amicable silence. A new record.

"You know, cousin," Freddy said with a laugh. "I get the feeling you don't like me very much."