#kynlea

Upon Raven’s desk in the main building of the vineyard sat a small wrapped basket, wrapped in what was probably an expensive, blood red silk. Attached to it was a gold leaf gilded card with the name ‘Kynlea’ written in an elegant script. The seneschal knew his bodyguard always arrived earlier, and his first stop was always the desk.

Nestled inside of the basket was a bottle of red wine, not from their vineyard, and decorated with a bow. In front of it was a small box of chocolate dipped fruits, a covered plate of various cheeses and meats, and plate of crackers, slices of a thin bread, and a knife. Raven had put a lot of effort into this, trying to tailor the flavors of everything specifically to his bodyguard’s tastes. At least the ones he’d gleaned from their interactions.

The inside of the card was just as embellished as the front, and the note read:

Kynlea,

I know you’re not one for sweet stuff, but it happens to be that one time of the year that people vomit feelings all over the place. I’m grateful for you and your protection. I enjoy your banter, and it is so refreshing to have someone smart enough to keep up and even surpass me in some cases. If you’d like company or help consuming the delicious things in your basket, you know where I am.

Happy Valentine’s Day,

Raven

The silk that wrapped everything held a familiar smell to Kyn, and that same scent wafted from the card as well. It was the sweet, almost spicy cologne that Raven favored. Cashmere and vanilla. Above the Happy Valentine’s Day, it looked as if something had been written and covered with white paint. Did Raven make a mistake in his script? That didn’t even happen when he was nervous. Maybe he’d written something that he regretted, and had to fix it before leaving the gift.

The smell of coffee was starting to wafte out from the back room; a sign that the seneschal was almost ready to start his day.