Restless Warrior

“New foods, new flavors, I mean I’m not really good at cooking but if someone offers me something I’ve never tried before I’ll try it… little things here and there, some peculiar hat my boss designed… I don’t know I guess I just don’t want to miss something because I didn’t want to give it a chance…”

“I’m not good at cooking either, but I do seem to have a knack with baking cakes. I also think it’s wise to give something new a chance when you have the opportunity. Who knows if it might present itself ever again?”

“I would hope so. It’s a win-win situation for everyone, at the very least. Well, in a way.”

“True, very true. I might participate then, perhaps even start a bidding war of my own to help the establishment out.”

Natalie’s words made her pause and think for a moment. She had always assumed that the only family you had were those you had blood relations to. Family was something you were born into and had since birth, regardless of whether they were good or bad. She always thought that you were stuck with the family you were born with and if they were less than loving and compassionate, then it was simply your fate and you had to accept it. Perhaps family was more than just blood relations. But I’ll never find a family of my own. The rueful thought echoed in her mind. Well, perhaps it was better that she didn’t. With her life the way it is, it was best if she didn’t have any attachments that could be used against her.

Melissa’s words made Natalie pause for a moment as she thought about what the woman was saying. Could she find the sense of family she knew when she was a child with people who weren’t blood relations? It seemed like an odd idea, the possibility of such a thing. How could she even choose non-blooded family? From her scant list of friends that she knew so few well at all? It seemed like an impossible path, but one that somehow seemed alluring at the same time. Yet, wasn’t that the expected choice for if she married someone? It suddenly seemed much less appealing, if marriage was in fact the answer.

“Let’s say I want one for if I ever need a job. Things are fleeting in life and one day, you might be at the top. Then the next, you might suddenly find yourself at the very bottom. If it’s a job you have a passion for, or at least like, I think the good can outweigh the bad. ”

“You’re a princess though, and the sister to our future queen. I certainly don’t see how you could ever fall to the bottom, ma‘am.”

“That’s going to be a strain on the staff. Maybe I can retire to my chambers early.”

“Oh, well yes I suppose the staff will be preoccupied with Her Majesty’s party. I’m certain if you become tired Queen Margaret won’t mind you turning in early, ma’am.”

“I have a love-hate relationship with heels. They’re gorgeous, but good lord they come at quite the cost.”

“They do have quite a price tag on them, sometimes its hard to believe that such things cost as much as they do, but c’est la vie.”

“It’s alright, these sort of things are understandable. We don’t want your friend accidentally getting into any trouble after all.”

“No, I really don’t.”

“That’s a perfect fit. A fitting name for a regal kitten. I’d love to meet your kitten, she sounds charming.”

“I’m certain that you would be able to meet her. She would probably love to meet you, and Anubis of course.”

“Well, now you know one person who would happily shop with you.”

“I’m quite pleased to hear that. There are times when I would rather have a friend than my mother shopping with me.”

“Well, Fire & Ice needs the money, people obviously want to win, and what’s a better way than to start a bidding war?”

“A wise observation, Miss Kent. I’m certain the ladies of Fire and Ice will love it if you start one in hopes of them earning more money.”

“Please ask him if you don’t mind, that way I can get the forms ready.”

“Of course, I’ll inquire him when I see him later today.”

“She sounds like my mother. Maybe it’s a universal things for mothers, they want their children to be the best at what they do…” Rob said with fondness, if his mother ever found out what he really did, well he wasn’t sure how she would react, so it was better if she never did. “Don’t we all?” he said with a small laugh, “my sleeping schedule has been a mess for years, my roommate insists I need to take things slowly, but now it’s just a part of who I am” Rob admitted.

“Goodness, well I hope I’m not as pushy about it if I ever have children of my own,” she laughed a little, wondering for a moment if she was laughing at the fact to make it seem like a lighter topic or because laughter seemed the easiest way to divert his attention from her words. If wasn’t supposed to be a thing. She was expected to marry and have children, and the idea squeezed at her like constricting ropes. Expectations pulling, coiling tighter around her even  more as time passed. She pushed away the thoughts so they wouldn’t settle and sour her mood. “I understand that, Mister Iras,” she replied with a small laugh of her own. “I suppose trouble sleeping and a messy sleeping schedule would be common pieces when one has so much work to attend to each day, am I correct?”

“I’m excited about this. I like trying new things.”

“Really? What sort of things?”

“Ohh no, it’s not that… I- I don’t know, it just I never pictured myself being acquainted with a court member, that’s all.”

“And why is that? Does it seem unlikely that a member of the court would take their time to acquaint themselves with someone of a lower status? To befriend a member of the common folk?”

“Oh he will, don’t worry. It’s not like we are free to just roam the castle. And he wouldn’t leave without telling you, so don’t worry. You will get your dance.”

“That is rather true. I wonder what type of dance it will be, hopefully something fun. Those dances are always the best in my opinion.”

“Oh, I do apologise if this is an inconvenient time, Lady Tripoli. I could come back later?”