✔ Mrs Mandray

15. Evening Affairs

Cassian

"Miss Archeron, would now be a good time to map out the house?" Cassian glared at his brother, of course he would interrupt the conversation when he finally managed to turn it in the direction of Mr Mandray. Nesta was no fool and had him running in circles while he tried to hear the eldest twin's opinion on the man. "Only the upper floor today, the attic rooms are for the in-house servants so we'll have to wait for their rooms to be empty during the day."

"And downstairs?" Azriel offered his arm to Nesta, the picture of perfect human grace. Aside from the bat wings of course but Nesta seemed to appreciate the gesture. "We use the downstairs all day so it's cleaned during the later evening."

What pains these human servants have to endure. Something about it grates on him. All this wealth the Archerons now have, and how quickly they seem to have forgotten their past. But he had observed the sisters earlier. Nesta had commanded those working for her with an elegant grace. There were no pleases or thank yous, no friendly endearments but she respected them.

Elain seemed to swing between having her favourite gardeners who she conversed with like friends and pretending that the servants don't even exist. Azriel shoots him look, as though he can hear the judgemental thoughts. Cassian does nothing but grin at the surprisingly social male as he leaves the room with Nesta in tow.

Map out the house, that's all they had to do. Azriel's spies in the mortal realm had picked up on human etiquette regarding the queen's visits. There was a pattern. They would request a specific and accurate map, detailing every wall, door and piece of furniture. They would then expect to be offered a meal- one that they could refuse as an act of power and some ridiculous symbol of their hosts catering to them because they were inferior to the Queens.

Cassian was sure there were a few other things on Azriel's list. It wasn't exactly confirmed how many of those requests were not just rumours but both he and Azriel had jumped at the chance to be in the human realm.

Rhys had too but... well he was High Lord, he couldn't exactly go gallivanting across Pyrithian on a whim. Nor could he just run from Feyre when things started getting tough. Cassian wasn't privy to the details of their latest argument but he was under the impression that it had something to do with Feyre's family and her expectations from life as a result of her upbringing.

Essentially Rhys had said she was still too human for the Fae realm.

That went down brilliantly.

"I thought you would be mapping out the house." Cassian peers up at the female - woman - settling in the armchair opposite him. There was something softer about Isabella in this light, she had appeared so imperious and proud when he first met her. "Azriel has it covered and I've never been good with the pencil."

She makes a noise of understanding and inexplicably Cassian's cheeks burn with shame. His lack of artistic ability, and terrible handwriting was yet another reminder of the shortcomings as a result of his upbringing. Yet another reminder of the Illyrian Bastard he was.

"I assumed you worked as the High Lord's General, correct?" He nods, frowning slightly at the topic of conversation. "I thought map skills would have been a given?"

"I can read and use maps fine, it's just the-" He waves his hand unable to find the words to explain the finer art skills he lacks. Isabella nods again, a small furrow forming on her brow. "Then why would it matter? You are a General, it would be a waste of your time and skill to complete a task that Cartographers have trained to do for years."

Because it's just another skill he doesn't have. Cassian tilts his head, looking at Isabella in a new light as he realises that in her own way she was trying to make him feel better. It was smart of her to point out it's not a skill he needs while emphasising the skills he does have but... he wonders why she didn't just say it outright like her twin would have.