"Milady, breakfast is served." The soft voice of a maid had Elya scrambling for the dagger she kept under her pillow, but as the sleep faded from her eyes and her surroundings came into focus, she let loose a breath of relief. Releasing the dagger, she flopped back onto the bed. It was tough to adjust to a new place especially when she had fought nightmarish horrors the day before. She"d rather charge the maw of a fire-breathing lizard."Milady… breakfast?" the maid"s voice trembled in apprehension and Elya grunted in understanding. She was "The Lady" now. Her words would be the Law as much as Nikolai"s were and the servants would be terrified of getting on her bad side. Plastering a smile on her face she sat up and thanked the maid before receiving the tray laden with food and drink. She was surprised by how much variety there was in the food here. Fruits and various cured meats decorated her plate and surprisingly there were half a dozen boiled eggs sitting in a small porcelain bowl. That was interesting, porcelain was quite rare in the Empire and definitely not meant for serving something as simple as eggs.
She looked up to ask the maid a few questions but froze when she saw the maid"s expression. There was barely controlled greed and envy in the woman"s eyes as she stared at the eggs of all things,. Elya picked one up to see if there was anything special about it and heard the maid gulp at the sight.
"Would you like one?" Elya couldn"t eat with this woman standing over her drooling at the food, but if she sent her away over an egg it would be embarra.s.sing.
"Really?" The maid"s eyes sparkled, but she seemed to realise something and bent her head in shame. "I dare not Milady, the Count prepared them for you himself."
"Nikolai did?" That put a twist on things, could she refuse something her new fiancée prepared for her? It was why she now had a drawer full of strange trinkets from the hawkers of Konstanz. Remembering Nikolai"s actions the day before, she believed he wouldn"t mind. "It"s alright I can"t finish this much anyway so why not have one?" Elya offered the egg once more and hesitantly the maid plucked it from her hand, caressing it like a precious treasure.
Elya"s curiosity was piqued, and she cracked the egg open with her thumb, an odd trick she"d picked up from a grizzled veteran during one of her raids for supplies. Eggs were a rarity on the front line after all, and the threat of constant attack meant even while eating you had to be quick. She caught the maids astonished stare and grinned.
"Is there a problem?" Elya had seen a similar reaction from the servants at home once she"d returned.
"That was very smooth Milady, the Count does the same thing." The maid came a little closer. "Although he"s not as deft as you despite his practise. The major-domo once had to reprimand the Count for wasting so many eggs on perfecting this skill." Ah, this one was a gossiper Elya realised, which might actually be an advantage, but it was interesting that Nikolai had picked up some soldiers skills. He didn"t look disciplined enough for it.
She was about to ask for more information but her first bite of the egg stole her breath away.
It was amazing! Whether texture or taste it was heavenly, soft and brought out unknown flavours. She"d devoured all the eggs in short order and eyed the one in the maid"s hand, contemplating whether to ask for it back. As if sensing her designs, the maid bowed and pocketed the little morsel of delight, making Elya sigh.
"You can take the rest of it away." Elya picked up the gla.s.s of juice and had the maid clear the tray, she had no desire to eat anything else after those eggs, it would feel blasphemous. "The Count is up this early normally?" she asked.
The maid glanced out of the window and bit her lip. "Milady it"s almost midday, the Count didn"t want to wake you too early and only sent me up once it was becoming too late."
Elya coughed. "Pa.s.s my regards to the Count." She had to get rid of this habit of sleeping late whenever there was a comfortable bed, especially since her every action would be scrutinised in the next few days. "Is there anything that requires my attention today?"
"The Count has requested your attendance at his Mage tower but asked me to stress that it is only a request and you are free to do as you like until dinner when the family will be seated for a meal."
"Please tell the Count I would be delighted to accompany him." It could be fun; Mage towers were the inner sanctums of the most powerful magic wielders and it was notoriously difficult to gain entry. It was forbidden even to the royal family. Only the Emperor could demand and be granted entrance.
The maid departed and Elya dug through her wardrobe for something comfortable to wear. Despite the threat they faced the day before, the time for armour would be later, now she had to behave like a member of the family for a while. She didn"t own many dresses as there was little need for them on the battlefield and she refused to change her clothing or habits because of a marriage. At least not too much. She was a Knight and therefore chose a pair of loose trousers and a black coat with burnished silver embroidery, the closest she had to the colours of House Morales. She strapped her trusty blade to the belt and tied her hair in a loose ponytail.
Satisfied with her clothing, Elya couldn"t help but think back on the breakfast. It looked like there were perks to marrying Nikolai Morales beyond his power and influence.
"He wouldn"t reject if his fiancée asked him to make a few more eggs, would he?"