“My reason is…because I want to give you a gift?” It was the truth, after all. “I find this particular eba to be incredibly delicious, and I want to share my favorite foods with everyone.”
I want to spread the gospel! I felt the same way when I used to regularly visit the Nightfellow villa, but feelings of restraint had a hold over me back then… I guess the impudence of my years emboldened me to ask this time.
Also, my selfish motive to learn Klifford’s likes and dislikes had snapped into action on its own.
Instead of taking the eba, Klifford said, “Regarding the snack you gave me yesterday—”
Hark! Is he giving his impressions? Is that what’s happening, Klifford?
“Did you eat it?”
“Yes.”
I looked up at Klifford, my eyes glittering with anticipation.
I’m gonna have to give him a nudge, but whatever.
“What did you think?”
“It was…edible,” he answered, with excessive solemnity.
Yeah…that tracks. To Klifford, food is either edible or inedible, so I guess sandwiches have to fall into the “edible” camp…
I had a long road ahead of me…but I would not be defeated!
“All right then… This time, I’d like you to eat this eba for me.”
I shoved the Nightfellow specialty eba in his face. This was undeniably an “edible” thing, so it would surely fall into Klifford’s “liked” foods by his definition.
“……”
“……”
A silent staring contest commenced between Klifford and me. The outcome (probably?) depended on my feelings.
“……”
“……”
The silence continued, during which I exuded a tentative aura of calm.
I stared at the specialty eba. I knew they were delicious, but with my great plan having made some progress, maybe I was pushing my luck?
Just when I was about to withdraw my hand, Klifford raised his left hand from its hanging position and took the wrapped eba from me.
“I humbly accept.”
The way he softly exhaled sounded like he had resigned himself to defeat.
“There’s nothing dangerous inside…,” I assured him. I had eaten them, after all, and they were a gift from Lucinda. I had to make sure he knew they were safe.
“Since you gave it to me, I doubt it would be unsafe to eat. And even if it was unsafe, I wouldn’t care.”
Er, please care? You’re supposed to care about that stuff, Klifford!
“It’s the same as your trust in me, Your Highness.”
Oh…
I dumbly looked up at Klifford.
“Accepting your gift is my answer. You have no need to add the disclaimer that it is safe to eat.”
“…” My face felt a little hot. I touched my right cheek just to be sure, and as I thought, it was hot. My mind was blank, too.
Klifford stared at me, blinking a couple times. Concern filled his indigo eyes as he looked at me.
“Pardon me, Your Highness—”
He shifted the eba into his right hand and removed the black leather glove from his left. Then he gently pressed the palm of his big hand to my forehead.
I closed my eyes. It felt good. Klifford’s hand was nice and cool…
“You have a fever…”
My eyes opened with a start.
Is that why I was in a daze the whole carriage ride back? It wasn’t just out of relief?
“I’m going to carry you to the castle. Is that all right?”
Nope. Nope. Nope.
“It is not all right.”
No way are we doing the Handsome Knight Sweeps the Princess Off Her Feet all the way to her room!
“I can still walk with a fever, you know?”
But Klifford certainly was not as optimistic about my fever.
“Your Highness.” Klifford dropped to his knee and looked up at me. “Please…do not martyr yourself. Use me. Please.”
Martyr…myself? That wasn’t my intention at all. I touched my forehead just to be sure. I guess…it’s hot? Is that why my brain is so slow? Well…what would a princess do—
“Klifford?”
“Yes.”
“Carry me to my room,” I commanded him.
“Yes, Princess.”
In a way, my dazed state of mind was a godsend. I handed off my basket to one of the guards. And when Klifford lifted me into his arms, I wasn’t all that embarrassed, even though the castle servants’ stares were obvious with each step we took.
I mean, of course we’re standing out…and the walk to my room is quite long. Poor Klifford… It was only then, semi-after-the-fact, that I realized what a long distance Klifford had to walk while carrying me.
“Klifford, rest as many times as you need on the way to my room.”
Klifford glanced down at me and said, “No need.”
“But Klifford—”
“I carried you with no issue before.”
He spoke as if he was a pro at carrying me long-distance.
“This is my second time.”
His second…time? When was the first time…? My brain is so slow.
After a while of thought, I finally reached an answer. It was when I fell asleep at the junior ball…
My memories cut out after we left the Sky Chamber and entered that tunnel. When I woke up, I was in my bedchamber at the castle. Based on context, it was obvious how I got there.
“……”
Uh-oh… I think my fever just got worse.
I’d better keep my mouth shut. Don’t want to dig my own grave.
But if I don’t talk…it’s just gonna be Klifford carrying me…
The sleepiness I felt in the carriage came back with a vengeance. Probably because Klifford is so warm…and I feel so safe…
Unable to resist the temptation to sleep any longer, I closed my eyes.
And that is where my consciousness cut out.