Verity and worry
When Kettricken awoke in the morning, she found out that Molly was gone. It wasn’t much of a surprise, as she had to be up early to tend to Lady Patience and had to avoid being seen by Kettricken’s own servants.
The Queen-in-Waiting asked a page to send a letter to Lady Patience, asking her if Molly was doing better. Then she kept on her daily routine. The Lady replied, but the message was short and not giving much details. Without having more information on the matter, Kettricken spent her days worrying and feeling lonely, more than she has ever been here. She wanted to rush over to Lady Patience’s chambers and see her friend, but she refrained, knowing this would only start gossips in the Castle.
A few days later, King-in-Waiting Verity joined her for dinner. He looked strained and exhausted, his face drawn. But in the corner of his eyes, a little spark was shining when he was looking at his Queen. They talked during the whole meal, and Kettricken felt warm in her chest and happiness was flooding her and her smile was bright. When they finished eating, Verity took her hand and led her through the halls.
“Kettricken, I have a surprise for you. It is my way to apologize for how i neglected you these past months. I know you don’t mind it, and feel my absence as a duty to the crown, and I admire you for this, but I still felt like I had to repay you your patience.”
“I know that both you and I are Sacrifice for the Six Duchies, Verity,” replied flatly Kettricken, “I know this means we both have duties that will take our times. I don’t feel like I have to forgive you for something.”
Verity opened the door of her chambers, and made a waving gesture toward inside it. “Behold, Kettricken, I found them again!” He was beaming.
Inside the chambers, many bright flowers were displayed, spread over the furnitures. The young woman took a sharp breath at this sight, and stepped inside. The gesture was so nice, she felt her affection renewed toward the Prince. She let him close the door before taking his hands and looking in his eyes. Finally, a moment of peace together, like she has been waiting for these past months. A little voice in her head told her that Molly would have loved to see those flowers in her room. But Molly would bring them and arrange them herself. Surely, Verity ordered them and asked a page to display them.
These thoughts disappeared when Verity kissed her.
The King-in-Waiting dined with her the other days of the week, but he did not spend the night with her again. He would walk her to her chambers after dinner, then kiss her goodnight and leave, whispering he had a lot of work to do.
The evening where Molly usually came arrived, and Kettricken left dinner early, telling Verity she had to meet a friend, and that they would see each other the next day. She took pastries and tea, and ran up to her rooms, only to find them empty. She frowned and sat in front of her small table, eating one pastry, thinking Molly would surely come later. But she didn’t, and Kettricken eventually went to bed.
The Queen-in-Waiting did the same the next night, but Molly was still unseen. So the third night, Kettricken asked her husband to accompany her to her chambers again. Being close to him, or at least, feeling like a real couple felt nice, but a part of her mind was always thinking about Molly. Not seeing her, and not knowing if she was alright, or what exactly happened to her the previous week was driving the Queen mad.
Who knows what could happen to a young maid in this Castle? Lady Patience would never be mean to Molly, so maybe some bad news arrived concerning her family? Or a noble person buying her candles had been rude? Starting as a new maid in the Keep could be upsetting. And there was this mysterious nobleman who was courting her, and possibly stalking her in the halls.
One of the thoughts that troubled Kettricken the most were that Molly heard about Prince Verity coming to her chambers regularly. If she did, she might think it would be best to leave the royal couple undisturbed. The Queen-in-Waiting was longing to see the young woman, she would never miss one meeting with her. She could join Verity later, if needed.
The days were slow, Kettricken found herself swarmed with young Nobles asking for her attention. She had not noticed it before, but the Keep must have thought her in disgrace with the King-in-Waiting, and some people were avoiding her. Now that Verity made an appearance at her side every night, the nobles of the Castle wanted to be in her good grace again. It meant for the Queen-in-Waiting to be surrounded by young ladies most of the day, making doilies or crocheting in the morning, playing card games in the afternoon and eating little snacks. Some young men came as well during the card games, but it made little difference to Kettricken. The small talks exchanged were exhausting for her, she was always wondering if they were double-entendre behind their words, if they were talking about court intrigues or only of the weather. Her annoyance must have been noted because after a while, less and less people came.
Fortunately for her, she found that she had made some allies in the Castle. Her husband’s young nephew, Fitz, that she met in the mountains, made some appearances. He tried to come and help her with the court, and how to behave around the nobility of the Keep. The afternoons spent with him were pleasant but she valued more Patience’s presence.
The former Queen-in-Waiting quietly joined the crochet workshop one morning, Lacey sitting next to her, her crocheted doilies in hand. Kettricken almost bursted into tears at her sight, having worrying for days over her last meeting with Molly. Kettricken took Lady Patience’s hands and squeezed them tight while kneeling on a puffy cushion at the Lady’s feet.
“My friend,” whispered softly Kettricken. “I am so glad you came. I would have sent a page to warn you of this new activity, if I knew that was in your interests.”
Patience grinned mischievously. “I’ve seen myself the pretty knitted flowers you’ve been making and hanging all around the castle. When I heard you were learning crochet, I had to come. I was hoping you could teach me some of your knitting tricks along the way.
From the corner of her eyes, Kettricken saw Lady Patience winking to Lacey, who snorted.
“Of course. I’d be glad to show you,” laughed the Mountain Woman. “The most important advice for knitting is to keep thinking about what’s dear to your heart, while you knit. This way, the love you carry will show in the flowers.”
“Oh! That’s exactly what I do when I tend to my garden,” exclaimed Patience. She excitedly turned toward Lacey and put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t I, Lacey!”
“Yes, and all your plants eventually die,” flatly answered Lacey. The maid shrugged her shoulder, removing the lady’s hand.
Kettricken face suddenly turned white and she ushered her pillow closer to the women’s chair. “Lacey, Patience, I have to ask…”
The older women exchanged a knowing look, then Patience said fondly. “She was a bit sick, these last days. But nothing to worry about, my girl, Lacey did a great job of cleaning the vomit away.”
“Who… But? How?”, the Queen-in-waiting spluttered. Lady Patience shook her head and gently patted Kettricken’s head, while Lacey was hiding her laugh behind her doilies.