The King's Collie

Part III, Chapter 5: Profound Gratitude

It seemed like Christmas's arrival took forever. The days crawled by, slow and cold. They were filled with fireside chatter, library studying, and songs. Now it was finally the morning of the day: Lætitia was doing a light duet with Cameron, as the Queen lounged.

"Where's Felix?" the sparrow then asked, once it was done.

"Probably wasting away in the library again," Ophelia answered. "Trying to assure nobody breaks that new Treaty..."

"Politics on Christmas Day?" Cameron remarked.

"Peace perpetual, for it is Christmas Day," Felix suddenly boomed, with a smile. "We are invited to the morning services, as always."

Cameron looked quite bored by this, and Ophelia and Lætitia had less warm reactions.

"Do I have to go?" the bird asked.

"Why wouldn't you want to?" Felix tilted his head, having befriended this young avian in the few weeks he'd known her.

"It's Iago's presence that she's concerned with, dear," Ophelia then softly reminded.

"What happened?" Cameron perked an ear, but Lætitia seemed shy about all this. Who wouldn't?

"I always extend my apologies in regards to what happened to you, Lætitia," he very gravely growled. "Our good Byssus should be at the altar for the services today, according to the word I've received. If I see so much as a feather of red, then, out we go."

"Thank you," the sparrow chirped. "That should be more than fine."

—

The royalty sat near the back on that bright morning, with the knights and other varied nobles taking the thus freed rows in the front. Byssus gave a brief, heartfelt recounting of the importance of the day, the stained glass depiction of the subject of this talk shining beside him. It was a day worthy of feast and mirth.

Lætitia looked brightly to the front as she sat next to the King, Queen, and collie. Marco sat close next to her on the bench.

"If you don't mind," he spoke.

"I never do, if it's you," the bird answered, leading to a slight blush in the wolf's cheeks.

The preaching of thankfulness and the repetition of Matthew and Luke's combined accounts of the nativity then led into a few choral pieces. They were dull. The organist seemed to be bored with the simple chords, and the choir looked no more lively, reciting a chant that would probably only challenge children. Cameron, even, thought that it was a hymn, one that he could partake in, and stood and sang with them, until he was told otherwise by Marco. As soon as that happened, the short selections of songs were over, as soon as they seemed to have started.

"Iago gets a little lazy with the music sometimes," Felix explained.

"It's the same stuff they've had for a few hundred years," Ophelia clarified.

"Awfully long time," Cameron huffed.

"Must be because Iago never bothers to fetch new stuff," Lætitia scowled.

"Maybe he's too cheap to," Marco chortled, a little louder than what he meant.

Iago looked over to the royal party from the entrance while the music was playing, and gave an intimidating grimace. He still had a bandage on his cheek, the wound from Lætitia's peck not having fully healed. Once the service was over, and the knights and nobles were pouring out by the dozens, the cardinal stood next to the door.

He reached for Lætitia's wing, but then squawked, as Marco gave him a momentary claw to the face. He covered his once again bleeding cheek, with the claw having dug right under his eye.