No more interviews!

The longer Nigel watched, the more horrified he became. 

He knew there’d be a show. There always was one. He’d made a point of coming to this one because he knew Morwenna Rusthaven was working on it. Nigel had assumed the Captain’s wife would have more sense. 

Because this? It was a disaster waiting to happen. Fire everywhere! Would the people be cheering once the stalls caught alight? Would this be so much fun once the festival changed into a raging inferno, destroying lives and businesses? 

Sighing, she weighed her options in her mind: she could risk looking extremely suspicious by insisting on going by herself, she could act offended that he would suggest she needed help, she could agree to the escort and then make a break for it, hoping she was fast enough to avoid the guards….

“Uh, sure, I would never say no to an escort.” She answered with as agreeable a shrug as she could manage.

“Right this way...” 

She kept her best poker face, trying to mask her relief upon hearing that there was an open position.

“Well,” she laughed. “I’m fast, you know. The early bird and all that…so…” she looked around. “If you could just point me in the right direction, I wouldn’t want to be late.”

With any luck, there was a way she could easily slip out without being detected.

“You’ll be looking for Ms Crowley’s office. It’s on the floor just above the main entrance. You take a left-”

But there were a lot of directions, and while Nigel had found his way around the castle years ago, he’d shown enough visitors around to know how difficult it could be.

She stopped, suddenly realizing she didn’t really have a believable excuse for being in the castle, so she decided to make one up on the spot.

“I was just here to interview for the open position. The staff position?” She hoped being vague would have its benefits, surely a castle this big had some position they were looking to fill.

There was, in fact, a position open; one of the maids had left to marry some cobbler from the mainland. A downgrade, in Nigel’s opinion, but she had given notice. Ms Crowley had told him about it over lunch. 

“No, I got lost on my way to the- wait, is there really a secret passage??” She had been guessing, since it seemed like every castle or old library ought to have a secret passage, at least that’s how it always was in books. “Can I see it?”

“I...” 

What could he say? That he didn’t know? These were his quarters! He was the royal advisor! It was his job to know! 

You got: Lemongrass Tea

You’ve probably been called “unique” for as long as you can remember. A bit of an eccentric, you do your own thing and often, it raises a few eyebrows. But you don’t do it to appear ~weird~ — you value being true to your soul, and your soul sings a beautifully strange song for you to dance to.

Tagged by: @malinthemoon​

“Really?” Her brow raised, she looked around the room, appropriately impressed. “So is there a secret passage or something? Probably if you move that bust over there.”

Nigel thought he knew about all the secret passages; to be proven wrong was unsettling, especially when this one led to his quarters. He reminded himself to take another look at the old maps. 

“Well, of course you’re here…..Sorry, who are you?”

She looked over her shoulder and then back at the stranger.

“Huh? Oh, the window was just…open…Just making sure everything here is A-ok.”

How had he managed to forget about that window? Maybe his age was finally catching up to him. 

Thankfully, it didn’t take too much time for it to be ready, and Shy reappeared with a tray with tea, cream and sugar, and a few simple cookies. “Please, help yourself. And, uh…feel free to make yourself comfortable, you know?”

Easier said than done. Nigel had been raised to always be on his best behaviour when he was a guest in someone else’s house, regardless of their rank. 

On the other hand, he was quite hungry. 

So, gingerly, he picked up a cookie and took a bite. Then another. Within seconds, the cookie was gone. Nigel dabbed at his mouth with a handkerchief. 

Forget-Me-Not

Nostalgic and introverted, you overthink previous moments in time and sometimes may appear to be a bit in your own world. You are beautifully soft and quiet, speaking freely only around those who you feel most comfortable with. Because of this quiet nature, you are terrified of being left behind, forgotten by those you encounter. A bit melancholic by nature, you tend to forget your beauty, looking up to all of the sunflowers, roses, and cherry blossoms of the world. But my darling, you are what draws the eye down to the pavement and the first to be picked by those seeking comfort. Perk up and appreciate your worth my love

Tagged by: @twin-mercenaries​