Twelfth Night: A Amourshipping and Rocketshipping Story

Chapter 13

Serena didn't sleep much the night before. When she woke up in the morning, she had to put on her spare green lens and adjust her fake goatee, for she was still wearing them when she fell asleep. Serena didn't say a word to her fellow pages when they joined together for breakfast, nor did she look Brock in the eye when he came to bring her to Satoshi. When she entered the duke's dining hall, she averted her gaze from Satoshi, for she feared it would hurt to see the man she loved, knowing he was sending her to see Sonia again. Satoshi gave Serena a gold ring with a blue sapphire to give to Sonia with instructions on how to present it to the countess. Serena half-heartedly acknowledged Satoshi's instructions and bowed before leaving for the Magnolia estate.

When Serena knocked on the gate to the Magnolia property, Jessie was quick to open it and let her in. Jessie told her to wait by the gate, so Serena sat on one of the benches by the gate while Jessie went into the house to inform Sonia. The honey-blonde woman in disguise leaned her back against the wall and played with the sapphire ring in her pocket as she mentally prepared herself to meet with Sonia again and tried to think of ways to convince her to accept Satoshi's love.

After half an hour of waiting, a maid escorted Serena to the other side of the courtyard. Serena looked at the maid, confused, wondering where Jessie was before she complied. The maid led Serena down a path around the house, where an outdoor table and two chairs were set up near a fountain. Sonia said on one of the chairs, waiting for Serena in a bright pink dress. Serena grew uneasy as she noticed the tea set and tray of sweets on the table, making it clear that Sonia intended to keep Serena around for a while. When Serena and the maid stopped before Sonia, the countess stood up and took a bow, which Serena returned.

"Most elegant lady, you are looking well today," Serena greeted.

"And you look very distinguished even as you stand before me dressed as a page, good sir," Sonia said before turning to the maid. "Leave us to our hearing."

The maid curtsied and bowed her head before she went inside the house. Sonia turned to Serena and gestured to her with her hand to sit down. Serena mentally sighed before giving Sonia another bow and sitting on the chair opposite her. Sonia sat back down and poured herself a cup of tea before turning to Serena.

"How do you like your tea? Any cream or sugar?" Sonia asked.

In truth, Serena already had a cup of tea when she had breakfast with the other pages. Still, she resigned not to refuse Sonia's offer to not upset the countess in any way.

"Just one lump of sugar, thank you," Serena said.

Sonia smiled and said, "You have manners fitting for nobility, Timothy. Please, help yourself to some sweets too. You'll find the blueberry lemon cornbread tasty."

Against her better judgment, having still recently eaten breakfast, Serena took a slice of the blueberry lemon cornbread for no other reason apart from keeping Sonia happy than out of curiosity about the sweet. Sonia poured the tea and put a sugarcube in it before handing the cup to Serena. The women quietly took sips of their tea, with Sonia watching Serena looking away from her. The countess thought the page avoided eye contact either out of bashfulness or was uncomfortable after her last visit. Sonia waited until she was half done with her tea before she put it down and looked at Serena with a calm face.

"Listen, Timothy, I'd like to apologize for my behavior yesterday," Sonia said. "Looking back, I may have been a little too forward with you when expressing my feelings, and I imagine that it might have made you uncomfortable, especially when you're here to woo me on your master's behalf. I behaved in an inappropriate manner, and I am sorry for that."