"I'm going out for my morning walk with Cleo!" Pearl called out, peeking into the drawing room where her two brothers sat, chatting over a chess match.
Mumbo glanced up, smirking as he advanced a knight, "Off to have some girl gossip then? You know I'm always up to read a good paper, but must you both always discuss the Hermiton Herald as soon as it comes out?"
"Oh, leave her be." Grian said, moving a rook forward to pin down a knight as he asked, "Anything good in the paper today?"
Pearl winced as she slowly stepped into the room, gripping the fragile newspaper tightly as she stuttered, "W-well. It's not that it's bad news, but it's not good either."
"Who is it about this time?" Mumbo asked, moving his Knight to safety, "is it another baby scandal?"
Pearl opened her mouth, trying to find the words but quickly shut them. She instead handed the paper over to her brothers. The two skimmed through the document, trying to find whatever had made their sister so uneasy. It was only a moment before Grian broke the silence by shouting, "How come I'm in here?"
Later that morning Pearl found herself flipping through the pages of her now crinkled newspaper along with her dear friend Cleo as she spoke. "I just don't get it," Pearl began, "Why would the writer bring my brother into the park incident a few days ago?"
"Maybe because of the ball incident a few months ago?" Cleo asked, guiding her friend through the crowded market as she read.
"I suppose," Pearl stated, finally shutting her newspaper and watching her step. She sighed and continued, "It makes a little sense that she would at least mention him. But Grian had nothing to do with two noblemen falling into the muck. Wouldn't it make more sense to talk about the officer walking off with the Duke to who knows where?"
"How do you know the writer is a woman?" Cleo questioned, ignoring the latter question. She guided them to a small park bench, saying, "That's a pretty big guess if you ask me."
Pearl huffed as she sat, gazing across the crowded market for a moment before she responded, "I just have a feeling, you know? Who else would be so intent on keeping up listening to everyone's business?"
"It's a mystery, for sure," Cleo stated, gazing out to the market with her friend. The sat there for a while in comfortable silence, watching maids shopping for veggies, merchants selling goods, and children playing in a nearby clearing. It was calm and almost peaceful before a question arose from Cleo's thoughts, "Hey, Pearl?"
"Yea, Cleo?" Pearl replied, turning to face her red-haired friend.
Cleo turned, eyes locking as she pondered, "Where did the officer and the Duke head off to?"
YOU ARE READING
A Dance with Ruby Red
FanfictionGrian has finally decided to take part in the annual marriage market scene and his loved ones are overjoyed to see him finally get out there and start looking for love. But what happens when he's approached by a tall, mysterious, ruby-eyed stranger...
