Those Magic Days

Chapter 13: Shook Awake

March 28, 1317's lunar eclipse was over. 1st return to her slumber gone.
99. September 21, 1317 starts at 18:41=6:41
98. March 17, 1318 starts at 17:27=5:27
97. August 12, 1318 starts at 19:38=7:38
96. September 11, 1318 starts at 7:44=7:44
95. February 5, 13, 1319 starts at 14:49=2:49
94. August 1, 1319 starts at 22:50=10:50 in the evening
93. January 26, 1320 starts at 6:20=6:20 in the morning
92. July 20, 1320 starts at 23:20: 11:20 in the evening
91. Jan 14, 1321 starts at 21:22=9:22
90. July 10, 1321 starts at 4:25=4:25 in the morning
(And here are your next 9 lunar eclipses just to remember and keep in mind, my sweet Skylights)

Philip opened his eyes to see Grace moving away after having shaken him awake today.

"You can give this to Aurora when you return to the palace in a year, Philip." Grace says sliding him the lunar eclipse picture she sketched and painted over with red clay. She handed him a plate of steaming salmon and a carrot to go on the side as well. She picked up a raw beet herself and bit into it.

"How far have you been?"

"To Norway and back, my troupe doesn't stop their adventures on land." Grace responded. "That's why no matter the weather I always wear long length clothing."

"Where does thy family start from?" Philip questions Lady Grace.

"I came from an island my family and I somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea." Grace answered. She had no ties to any kingdom or realm here and her accent was unusual and honestly that should have given it away fore-mostly, people.

"A third of the year is already gone, I'd be back back March 29, 1318 if I didn't try to surprise Aurora with these fillies of Moonlight's."

"Do you know anything about raising a foal, dear young man?" asked Grace.

"Why do you keep interchanging foal and fillies?" He asked.

"Foal is a gender neutral term for a horse's children, and filly automatically means mare a horse's little girl." Grace informs.

"I never learnt that terminology, but I know what my Father taught me about Stallions the other side I don't understand whatsoever, my dear Lady."

"You're too flattering." scolded Grace. "Address me like that and people might mistake you're married to me without caution to think that you might be a Prince."

"Funny," said Philip. "Maybe you should stop addressing me so formally, Miss Grace."

"If I didn't on the borders of your father's and father in-law's and your Aunt in-laws I would be accused of high treason if a soldier should find me from any of the three. They'd think I'd kidnap you, and not that I was healing you, young lad. Ever since the feud between Empire of Rubesco and Neapolix, woman have been treated like witches no matter where they come from." Grace confirms. "Every man I have met that's not my Dad or brother believe I bring back luck and that it doubles the bad luck that is if there is another woman or many women around or aboard."

"I'm so sorry you have to go through all of this superstitious nonsense applied to all sweet ladies thanks to unsavory gentlemen, Lady Grace." apologized Prince Philip afterwards.

"You're very weird." stammered Grace at once.

"One of a kind, ma'am." whispered Philip.

"Yes, that's crystal clear, Captain Obvious!" exclaimed Grace. "But not the way I meant it to mean. You apologize for hundreds of men who cannot even swallow their pride to say I'm so sorry from the bottoms of their hearts. You're too humble, Philip."

"You're too helpful." He meets her halfway.

"I guess that makes me and Aurora the same type of woman." She stutters in her speech surprised at his compliment over her deeds.

"Yes, it would seem so, my lady." Philip agrees with her.

"I'm glad, I learnt it from Rose herself. She saved me the day I met her, I slipped in the river in the glen she was right around the corner, Philip. Had she not coming running the minute she heard my splash I probably would have starved to death right there and my people would have been stuck in the woods." Grace informed him meeting his eyes. She had not eaten with him around. True charity is starving in presence of another hungry person but being humble means you avoid asking for food. Grace was incredibly humble. She was also incredibly modest and honest. It was like she was a replica that had been carved from Aurora's hands. Grace admitted Aurora had played a part in shaping her path from the time they met onwards. She strived to listen better, work harder, be kinder, and most of all be way more grateful indeed for all her blessings she had around her also.

"Never sink onany of the awful things other men tell you that you can never be." Philip encouraged her. "They'll regret it eventually?"

"I know you would, but bad men really? I don't see them regretting much." Grace admitted. "The time's run out for peasantry, Philip. Monarchs are busy sulking in their palace councils arguing with one another on how to save themselves allowing many innocent civilians subjects of theirs to die from immense pain or suffocation. This world isn't as beautiful as it once was. The last beautiful thing in this world is the waters flowing in from the seas an unfathomable mystery impossible to tame with wild creatures beyond the smartest brains' of a sailor's imagination. You are a decent gentleman, better than the thousands of men I had to deal with ten of the said thousand I had to allow them to die. They were savage and cruel men, Philip. You are far from them if they could see you now, they'd be green with envy."

"I take it they weren't really men anymore
were they actually Lady Grace?" He asked.

"Yes, to some to degree their manliness was gone." concludes Grace.

"Then you did the world an amazing service." whispered Philip. "Few men seem to think women have little respect for being executioners."

"I don't believe death teaches anyone a lesson." Grace replied.
"Nor do I." agreed Philip.
"I never expected to find someone who sees eye to eye with my ideologies." Grace says spinning around surprise lighting up her blue eyes.
"I'm as you said the Prince Charming full of Surprises and I love being on the same page with those who hold lowered standards. You can't be a good king or prince if you can't pick out a bad motive from a good one."
"Well spoken, Philip." chuckled Grace delighted.
"We do have something in common. We've both had our hands in the gruesome business of murders." Philip tells her. "I killed Maleficent. Do I believe she deserved it? No, I don't. Only those bent on revenge think that way."

"True, you're so right about that."
concludes Grace finally. "You have 12 days left before you're cured from the pulmonary edema."

"Your cooking is better than the stuff in the palace less grimy and rough."

"Overdone palace food often is and grime is result of sour servants under rule of a sour King. Beware when you meet your Dad he may not be the man you once knew, Prince Philip." She immediately warns him. "My food tastes good because it comes with love as its dressing. There are no strings attached period whatsoever, young gentleman. Be wary and be incredibly careful, sweet Prince. Aurora's lucky to have you. I don't want her to lose her husband to be. Know you will both be in my prayers. Tell her she has always been in my prayers since the day we happened to meet, Philip."