The Demon's Maid

In Search Of: Charity Ball Trouble

Sitting in the uncomfortable chair as a strange woman kept prattling on about her elderly grandfather while touching and playing with her hair, was really not how Clover had wanted her Thursday to go. But alas, she never got anything she wanted. Of course, she wasn't alone in her torture. Lady Guinevere sat beside her with an equally annoying attendant. Although secretly, Clover could tell that she liked them. She would give the girl genuine answers to her thoughts and listen to her gripping with a kind, motherly smile.

Left alone for a few, Lady Guinevere turned to stare at Clover for a moment. "What is it, my lady?" Clover asked, sighing softly.

"What has happened between you and my son? You two seemed to have such a wonderful connection, but now you both seem haggard and dead. Did you two argue?"

Clover debated on not telling her, but at the same time she felt like she was being crushed by the weight of Braith's betrayal. Seeing the concern in Lady Guinevere's eyes, not just for Braith, but for her as well, made Clover finally express and say everything that had been on her mind since that night.

Lady Guinevere listened silently. She offered no criticisms or scornful remarks. All she did was sit there while holding Clover's hand in comfort. She found that she was very appreciative of the silence, letting her feel like she could be as open as she wanted. When Clover was done, Lady Guinevere let go and sat back, her expression thoughtful, albeit angry.

To say Clover was surprised by her next words was a grave understatement. "Why don't we make him jealous at the Charity ball tonight?" She blinked an owl-like stare and Lady Guinevere smirked a mischievous grin that reminded her much of Braith. "I'll make sure you are the most beautiful person there, and to top it off I'll have someone mingle and dance with you. Despite what my son has said, you still get under his skin. Feelings like those don't just vanish overnight, you know. It'll be the perfect setting to rouse that jealous streak of his!"

Clover couldn't help but think that she was getting way too happy over this but in all honesty, she was glad that Lady Guinevere was getting angry and plotting on her behalf. Clover just didn't have the energy or will power to do it herself right now. "Whatever you wish, my lady." She said with a soft chuckle.

Lady Guinevere clucked at her and waved her hand. "Oh please, don't be so formal with me anymore Clover. As much as I love my sons, in the months that I have come to know you, you feel much like the daughter I had always yearned for. Please, if you will indulge me, call me Gwen."

She felt tears prickle at the corner of her eyes before she smiled her first genuine smile in days. "If that would make you happy, Gwen." Clover couldn't express how Gwen had made her feel, how much it meant to hear those words. Clover loved Gwen and, as she began to realize, really thought of her as a mother figure to her. Gwen was everything Clover had thought would embody that of a loving mother, and now to hear that Gwen accepted her as one of her own? Well, that was the most heartfelt and overjoyed-inducing thing Gwen could have ever said to her.

"Good! Oh, here they come! Once they're done we can head to the mall for a dress! This will be so much fun!" Gwen said with a big smile. Once again, Clover chuckled and nodded. She would do anything for her, even if it meant becoming a dress-up doll for the day.

After they had finished getting their hair done, Clover and Gwen went to the mall and Gwen had dragged her into a dress shop. There they spent most of their mid-morning early afternoon. Clover tried on dresses and Gwen told her no that they didn't fit her correctly or look like they suited her enough. Clover would have normally hated this type of prolonged dress-up game, but with Gwen it felt as though it was her way of bonding with Clover over something she could never do with her sons. So, she let her have her fun until finally, when Clover came out of the dressing room, Gwen smiled and sighed.