A Third Day with Olivia and Claudia
The Royal Capital of Fis
It was a few days after the victory banquet at Leticia Castle. Olivia was wandering through the shops nestled together in the western quarter when she noticed someone who looked conspicuously conscious of the surrounding people enter one of the shops.
That...is very obviously Claudia, Olivia thought. Why’s she wearing that hooded cloak?
As though drawn by some mysterious force, Olivia went over to the shop. The shopkeeper greeted her as she opened the door. It only took a moment to find Claudia. The other girl didn’t notice Olivia at all, apparently engrossed by something on the shelf. Peeking over her shoulder, Olivia saw a row of stuffed animals—a gray fox, a spotted rabbit, and more.
“If you want it, you should buy it,” she said.
Claudia jumped so high it was almost comical. Then, with obvious trepidation, she turned around. “M-M-Major!” she exclaimed. “What are you doing here?!”
“I just happened to see you going into the shop.”
“But I hid my face with the cloak...”
“You thought that was hiding?” Olivia said, then added, “Anyway, are you buying that?”
“Buying? Buying what?” Claudia said, cocking her head to the right with an unnatural jerk.
Olivia pointed at the shelf. “Buying the stuffed animal, of course.”
“Stuffed...animal?” Claudia echoed. This time her head jerked to the left. Had she suddenly lost the ability to understand human language? Olivia wondered. It was almost funny how little Claudia seemed to understand her.
She snatched a gray fox from the shelf and thrust it under Claudia’s nose.
“This! This here!”
“Do you want to buy that, Major?” Claudia asked after a pause.
“Listen! To! Me! You want to buy it!” Olivia said, raising her voice without meaning to. In her opinion, if you had the money for a stuffed animal, you’d be way happier spending it on a tasty meal.
“Me? Buy a stuffed animal? I am a knight. If you’re trying to be funny, it’s not working.”
“You don’t want it?”
“Of course I don’t. I only came into this shop because this teacup here happened to catch my eye.” She assumed an air of erudition and, scrutinizing the teacup from multiple angles, said, “This really is a wonderful piece. Definitely eighth-century Tempus Fugit, with that pattern. A treasure.”
She seemed completely oblivious to the fact that the shopkeeper was watching her with a mix of affection and amusement.
After a moment, Olivia asked, “Are you, by any chance, still embarrassed for people to know that you like stuffed animals?”
“I-I don’t like or dislike them!” Claudia protested, fidgeting with the ends of her hair. “What makes you think I do, anyway?”
“Well, I mean, you reacted exactly the same way Gauss did.”
“Gauss?”
“Yeah. Gauss likes kittens.” When Olivia had run into Gauss playing with a gaggle of kittens back in the Emaleid Citadel, he’d acted just like Claudia was now. In the end, he’d admitted that he liked cats.
“Gauss likes kittens?” Claudia snickered, then caught herself. “That was impolite. Well, I wouldn’t want you thinking that I’m anything like Gauss. And if you’ll excuse me, I should be going.”
“So you’re really not going to buy it?” Olivia called as Claudia made to hurry out of the shop. The shop assistant who’d been watching them from behind the counter chimed in to let them know these were limited edition items that would never come back in stock.
Claudia’s hand was on the door. She stopped, thinking, then, making up her mind, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her purse.
“You are buying it.”
“I just remembered my mother wanted one.” Clearing her throat several times, Claudia handed over a gray fox toy and a silver coin to the shop assistant, who studiously avoided meeting her gaze.
“What?” she said reproachfully in response to Olivia’s stare.
“Oh, nothing.”
“I certainly hope so...” Claudia said. “I’d appreciate it if you kept today a secret. For now, please do not tell Ashton, under any circumstances.”
“Why don’t you want to tell Ashton? Aren’t you giving it to your mother?”
“Notwithstanding!” Claudia snatched the stuffed animal and swept from the shop like a gust of wind.
Left alone, Olivia’s eyes slid over to the shop assistant, who gave her a wry smile. “Knights,” they said. “They’re all about their dignity.”
From then on, the presence of a stuffed animal hidden in Claudia’s bag would be a matter of utmost secrecy.
No Comments Yet
Post a new comment
Register or Login