Chapter 22. Free Time Around the Castle: Master Fenn
While Master Fenn had done his best to close the door to the room gently, trying his best not to cause the ironmongery to squeak under the palm of his hands. The truth was that Master Fenn could have slammed it for all that it would have mattered and the young owl knew it better than anyone else present in the Raven Kingdom would.
Lord Fielder would not wake now, until the alcohol wore off in his system and by then, he would be craving gallons and gallons of water to quench a thirst that seemed as though it would never end.
He signed as he walked down a different hallway than the one he had approached the room from. Partly, because he did not want to run into the Peacocks or the Eurasians right now. Master Fenn was already angry at them as it was and he wasn't naturally an angry owl by nature. More often he was very gentle and caring; very considerate of others and that was the values he was raised by. It was also the values, he was taught, that all owls should at least in principle aim live by. Over the conduct presented during the course of the evening, it seemed that the Eurasian's turned their backs on the considerate aspect all together – what kind of conduct did they live by if it were not for the Codes, set out by the Parliament of Owls.
These were the thoughts of the little Tawny Harpy, wandering the grey monotonous hallways of the Raven Kingdom castle. He had taken a few turns and carried on down a flight of stairs – it looked like a the servants stairs so he had found the right part of the building. However, he had yet to see any of the staff.
As he thought about it, he realised that he hadn't seen any of the staff since the Raven Queen had taken her leave. At the same time as Princess Seraphina had taken hers.
The two female servant's were raven harpy and had taken the dessert plates down to the kitchen to begin washing them and clearing away the dining area. Lyla and Aurora, named after the late Raven King's living sister who married into another clan… Aurora, who pointedly prefers Auro.
Master Fenn mulled comfortingly over the facts that he had learned about the two servant girls as he looked for the staff members anywhere. However, eventually he had to admit that he was lost in the castle somewhere and could not quite figure out where he was.
Giving up, he decided to retrace his steps back the way… until he heard a giggle. A giggle that was all too familiar. A giggle which caused him to feel like his heart had swollen up to five times its normal size – threatening to burst from his chest.
What was this feeling? He thought. Nothing in any of the books or journals within Raven society, that he had read had ever mentioned such feelings. The closest thing that matched was anxiety. Anxiety…? Really…? Seraphina, makes me anxious?
This logic applied to this feeling completely puzzled him. However, given that he had nothing else to go on to reasonably explain this wave of feelings and emotions he was experiencing right now, he went with that rational.
He stopped on the stairwell and sat down. Listening to the conversation that was taking place and being as quiet as a mouse might have been; no… he was even more quiet than that.
From the way the echo was bouncing, he decided that it was perhaps a two or three flights below him that this was taking place.
Unmistakably that low pitched, bell like, laughter had been Seraphina. The young Master Fenn's heart felt like it was in his mouth as he listened intently to what she had to say.
"…you know, I think I actually hope that Mother truly considers that matching me with that one might be the best option for the Raven Kingdom. He is really sweet and has a fresh-faced charm about him, it is almost like the problems of our world have not yet begun to descend upon him." Her words were as sincere as they could have been; she was also completely oblivious as to just who was listening in, "Do you think that is a bad reason to hope that your elders pair you with your mate?"
It was the voice of an older woman who replied and so young Master Fenn quickly deduced that it was neither of the young servant girl who had been assisting them earlier at lunch, around the dining table. "Young Seraphina…" she began with such a sincere tone, it was as light as one's feather might have been. Light and delicate, "…You and your sister finding and being mated is something I both yearn for you and fear for you. It is a wonderous thing – if you are matched with a good mate who will take care of you until you are elderly. Like me and my own mate."
"Why do you fear for Sephora and I? What happens if you are matched with a mate who is thoughtless or worse, uncaring?" Slight deflation could be heard in the elder princesses words.
Does the princess think that I might be thoughtless or uncaring of her? Despite sitting in silence listening, the anxiety this raised in Master Fenn caused his round eyes to widen further. She did call me 'fresh faced,' he rationed out further.
Before he could continue his thought's any further, the older woman had sighed, "Princess Seraphina…" most audiable, cutting through his considerations and bringing him back to full attentive listening. With a pause before answering, she began properly this time, "Please know that I am more than aware, with my years of experience, just how out of place that it Is of me to say what I am about to…"
How strangely casual the Princess is with this person. Are they a tutor of hers, perhaps? Thought Master Fenn. Maybe, as that would explain why raven royalty would consider an opinion with any weight.
"It is alright, Maven. It is only me that is here." Seraphina soothed, unknowingly.
Finally, this Maven person – whom Master Fenn had officially deemed to be a tutor of the twins – said her piece, "You are royalty of the Raven Clan and of a bloodline that is older and can be traced farther back twice the length of time that most Raven's can trace their ancestors. While you come from such a prestigious bloodline, you and your sister carry a great burden. With your father having passed away before you both hatched there was uncertainty if there would ever be any more royal eggs. With the Queen outright deciding not to take the hand of another noble, you two have the political weight of a reign of over 500 years on your shoulders. That will likely mean that you do not get the mate that will be the most caring towards you… it likely means that you will be matched with the mate that holds the highest benefit, politically, towards the kingdom and for the Raven Queen's plans herself. My dear, I know you like this young Owl Harpy, but please beware… that Lady Nox may already have other designs for yourself and your sister. Do not get your hopes up for them to be crushed by the obligation and royal duty that is squarely on you and your sister's shoulders alone. Harpy marriage, and mating rites, have never been established on the basis of who is nicest and gets along best with you – even for my husband."
There was annoyance colouring the princesses tone when she replied, but it wasn't aggressive, "You got some say in who you were mated to though."
"Yes," Maven replied curtly, "but I am not royalty. Nor am I even really nobility, despite being married to a lower noble mate. As you are of royal blood – your mate is fatedly assigned to you by the future of the Kingdom. That is your duty." The woman paused for thought before continuing, "If you like this one more than the others, look at it from Lady Nox's perspective – from you're Mother's scheming mind. You will know best! What advantage would having you mated to this individual bring to the Raven Kingdom? Is there a political incentive? Something that only their Clan can offer that no other clan could?"
"I suppose your right." Seraphina resigned herself to Maven's reasoning, "It's a lot to think about."
There was clattering of what sounded like wine glasses before the response arrived, "It is a lot to think about. Getting mated is no small feat… it is for life. You and your little sister will do well not to forget that part. While you're father sadly passed early on, you may not share in a similar fate. You must do the best to shift you're Mother's views in your favour – you are… after all, her favourite daughter aren't you?"
"Yes… but-"
The older woman cut in, "Ah! Ah! No!" She hushed the princess. This caught the eves dropping Master Fenn off guard with the nature of just how casual and out of place… and inappropriate this discussion was overall! "You should be thinking of yourself and your sister right now and nothing more; nothing less."
"Oh, Maven!" A realisation of remembrance sparkled in Seraphina's tone, "Have you seen Sephora anywhere? I'm to look for her. Mother is not happy with her at all and I want to give her a head's up."
More clattering and clanking could be heard again before another response, "Yes! She was here just after the live boar was dropped off in the kitchen-"
This clearly surprised the Princess, as she interjected with, "Live Boar?"
Maven nodded, but as Master Fenn was only listening he could not see such things. To him it appeared as if the woman, known as Maven, had just completely ignored the Princess' question.
"She went to see one of the Doctor's at a recommendation by the staff members. As I recall, your sister was not feeling so good earlier."
This was another surprise to Master Fenn but it seemed to come as a larger shock to the twin, who gasped at hearing this news, "WHAT?! Was she alright??" Seraphina pressed anxiously.
Maven looked at her before responded, "She did go to see the Doctor from the last any of the staff seen her. Perhaps it was a good call, not attending the lunch. I'm sure she won't be far or too difficult for you to locate – try the medical wing?"
With that news Seraphina rushed off. Her footsteps growing fainter and fainter before exiting a heavy door. The echoes of which rung out through the stairwell.
Master Fenn, having heard all that he did. Stood up silently and made his leave… back towards the room and the initial direction he had chosen to avoid. Slipping out entirely unnoticed – neither women knew that there had been any unwanted listeners in on their conversation.
On his way back to the room, Master Fenn bumped into the ruddy-dark hued raven servant girl, Lyla.
Whom, upon seeing the flustered Tawny harpy asked if he was lost and having difficulty navigating this new environment.
While this was not the case, he accepted this as reasoning and took the servants kindness and concern. It also helped cover for the reasoning of his flustered expression – not that he had just heard a conversation, that he likely never should have.
Where eventually he had finally gotten to ask for a pitcher of water for Lord Fielder. Master Fenn had explained to Lyla why he wanted a pitcher of water and how his chaperone would respond after waking up, going over what was the usual for him.
Lyla had told the Tawny harpy to go back to the room where Lord Fielder was, as she would bring several jugs, not just the one.
Master Fenn obliged and was happy to receive the assistance. Momentarily, he forgot all about the conversation he heard while he was working hard to make sure Lord Fielder woke up in a good mood after all that blood wine.