When Sun got home that evening, she changed for dinner and made her way to the dining room for their usual pre-dinner tea. Kalys wasn't there yet, which was a rare occurrence. In fact, she could count on one hand how many times that had happened. Had something happened she hadn't heard about yet?
Instead of sitting down, she headed to the kitchen to see if they might know what was happening. They seemed a fair bit busier than normal.
"Hi, Millie," Sun greeted, jumping out of the way of one of the cooks rushing past.
"Sun, good evening, dear."
"What's going on?" She asked. "Kalys isn't here yet, and everyone looks extra busy."
"We're having guests tomorrow; they'll be staying a few days. I believe Lord Illusen is staying late at the Seventh tonight so he can be here tomorrow to receive them."
Sun nodded. He would need to get his work done if he was going to be entertaining people tomorrow.
"Who's coming?"
"Lord Vorris, I believe he's bringing some of his staff and associates as well."
Lord Vorris... She wasn't familiar with the name.
"Who's Lord Vorris?"
Millie shot her an amused look at the question, pushing a chopping board and an onion in front of her. The silent instruction clear. It wasn't the first time Sun had helped in the kitchen if she was lingering there. While her presence used to put some of them on edge, even the staunchest holdouts were no longer bothered anymore.
"Lord Vorris is from one of the Eastern Provinces, Osterholt, I think."
"What's he like?"
"I've never met the man, nor any of his family. This is the first time in my extensive placement here that a Vorris has ever called upon the Illusens."
"What do you think he wants?"
Millie shot her a look at that. "That, little Miss, is above my paygrade and below my sense of wonder."
Sun laughed lightly, trying to blink back the tears the onion was triggering.
"Do you know what time they're due tomorrow?"
She had plans with Zen, and she didn't want them interrupted.
"Early enough for breakfast, hence all the activity now. A lot of prep work if we're going to be feeding so many."
All right, she could manage that. Breakfast might run a little longer, but she could still meet up with Zen afterwards. Sun spent the next half hour chopping, mixing, and dicing in the kitchen while she listened to the staff gossip and crack jokes. It was Kalys's appearance in the kitchen that brought everything to a standstill, the cooks and kitchen hands bowing or dipping into curtsies.
"My Lord," Millie greeted.
He returned it with a nod before his eyes fixed on Sun.
"I thought you would be later," she said, sliding the peeled potatoes into a bowl for the kitchen hands to deal with.
"I didn't want to keep you waiting," he replied.
She smiled up at him as she got to her feet, sliding off the stool. He gestured for her to precede him through the door and fell into step beside her as they headed to the dining room.
"I hear we have guests coming."
He nodded, a shadow in his eyes at the mention.
"You don't like Lord Vorris?" She asked.
He seemed surprised at the question or maybe that she'd picked up on his displeasure at the prospect of Vorris's arrival.
"We disagree about—" He sighed. "There is very little we agree on."
"So he's coming to see you about the things you can agree on?"
"While we both agree grass is green and the sky is blue, there isn't much profit to be made in that."
Sun laughed lightly. "Maybe he's found a way."
There was a barely audible huff from her brother that kept her grin lingering a little longer.
Once in the dining room, they took their seats, and a maid brought in their tea, Kalys pouring it out for them.
"Millie said they'll be here in the morning. Does that mean no training?"
"Unfortunately."
Damn. She had already missed this morning's one.
"I have plans with Zen after breakfast; will I have to cancel those?"
"No."
He saw no reason she should have to suffer Lord Vorris's presence as well. And he was rewarded for that with that radiant smile of hers.
"Does his arrival mean you'll have to take the day off from Perdition?"
He gave a nod, not entirely happy about that either. There was still a lot to finish on his end regarding the uprising in the North, and to have to set that aside for whatever Lord Vorris wanted was an irritation he didn't need.
The pair sipped their tea as they waited for dinner, Sun making idle chatter as she spoke about her day. When she suddenly perked up, eyes widening in excitement, he wasn't sure what to expect.
"Commander Mercer is sending me out on patrol," she told him, positively gleeful.
Mercer had not mentioned anything to him about this. And he was supposed to; he had agreed.
"Where?" The question may have come out harder than intended.
"Just around Kolver," she replied, eyes narrowing just a little as she watched him.
Kolver. Fine. Still, he would have liked a warning before Mercer just went and told her. Was she really ready for this? He'd thought she would remain on paperwork duty a little longer yet.
Before he could say anything else, the maids arrived with dinner. A little later than usual, given everything else they had to organise for tomorrow.
Kalys would need to let Mika know so the woman could discretely follow and make sure Sun remained safe. She would be with another member of her division; he knew how it worked, but there was no guarantee it would be someone competent. And one abduction attempt was more than enough.
After dinner they retired to the solar to read together. It had quickly become his favourite part of the day. She settled in beside him, the scent of her shampoo wafting up to greet him. There was a comfort in the now-familiar scent and familiar warmth of her body against his side.
With her seated comfortably beside him, book in his lap, he started to read to her.
They weren't very far in when she shifted, making herself more comfortable, he assumed.
"What's that?" She asked, taking hold of his wrist and pulling his sleeve back just a little, enough to reveal the ribbon he kept tied there.
Her brow was furrowed as she looked from it to him, her question unasked but expecting an answer all the same.
"I found it."
It was a pathetic lie, but he wasn't sure how else to explain it. He couldn't risk the truth. He made to untie it and give it back to her, but she stopped him, taking hold of the hand doing the untying.
"You can keep it," she said softly. "Just keep reading."
He felt... exposed at her words. It was an unpleasant feeling, but she didn't make more of it than had already happened, and she didn't push for more of a reason, for which he was grateful.
She never let go of his hand, though, and he wondered if she had realised there was more to his feelings for her than there should be.
Nothing more was said of it.