Morning came, and still, I was lacking for good ideas. I ate breakfast and went to the entrance hall—as I would on any other Waterday—and spied two friendly faces among the gathered students, one with light-green hair and the other with bright orange. Kenntrips and Rasantark would be escorting me to class.
“You appear to have been deep in thought,” Kenntrips said to me.
“I don’t know about that, but you look tired,” Rasantark added. “Did you not eat enough this morning?”
They both extended their hands to me. I said nothing to Kenntrips, who was right on the mark, and glared at Rasantark, for that was not something to say to a lady.
“Perhaps it is you who has not eaten enough,” I shot back.
“Yes, perhaps. It seems that nothing can satiate me as of late—which is strange, as we train far less here than we do back home.”
“The chefs complain that no matter how hard they work, it is never enough.”
“Now, Lady Hannelore...” The apprentice knight paused, then shook his head. “Oh, um, never mind. Let us go.”
My two suitors took my hands, and we headed to class. I could tell that Rasantark still wanted to say something, and eventually, he tried to speak his mind again.
“Lady Hannelore, might your schedule be open next Earthday? My friends went to the gazebos the other day, and they spoke at length about how breathtaking the blooming schmelumes were against the snow. Ideally, I should like to see them with you.”
My eyes widened. The solution to my troubles had been right under my nose.
Of course! There can be no better venue than where the Goddess of Time plays her tricks!
The gazebos in question were located past the scholar building. There, the time spent between lovers passed so quickly that many thought Dregarnuhr was to blame. The structures were rather small—too small to accommodate two people’s retinues—so archduke candidates used them for more intimate conversations. They were not totally private, of course, as the visitors’ retainers would wait only a short distance away, but their value could not be ignored. A proposal was far more likely to succeed at a gazebo.
I now knew where I would make my move. The problem was figuring out how to invite Lord Wilfried there in the first place. The gazebos were known as a romantic destination; asking him outright would only arouse suspicion.
How concerning...
“Perhaps because a true Zent has risen to power, the gardens are more abundant than before, and there are more usable gazebos,” Rasantark explained. “So, how about it?”
“I admire your enthusiasm, but maybe this isn’t the best time to ask her,” Kenntrips said. “Lady Hannelore looks petrified.”
Hearing my name snapped me back to my senses. My retainers all wore troubled smiles.
“Rasantark,” Cordula said, clearly vexed, “do you really think she could accept such an invitation with Kenntrips present?”
“Ngh...” The apprentice knight almost reeled at the attack. “But he’s already had his time alone with Lady Hannelore!”
“An interrogation in the dormitory is by no means the same as visiting a gazebo,” my head attendant continued. “That said, there is some truth to your complaint. Milady, if you have not settled on Kenntrips as your fiancé, then you should treat him and Rasantark equally.”
I paused in thought. “I cannot help but feel that my chance meeting with Kenntrips is being exploited. Nonetheless, one still needs to schedule arrangements of this nature. Might we wait until after dinner three days from now?”
“Absolutely,” Rasantark said, positively beaming.
Kenntrips sighed. He must have interpreted my response as more of my usual indecision.
Our retainers would not be with us during lectures, leaving me no better chance to speak with Lord Wilfried. Lord Ortwin had used that very same opening to propose to me.
If our conversation goes well, we might not even need to visit the gazebos. Securing time alone with him might be easier than I think.
The ideas that had refused to come to me when I was agonizing alone in my room now came freely. My spirits started to rise; perhaps, at long last, Dregarnuhr the Goddess of Time had given me her blessing.
I shall make sure to thank her with a prayer!
Before anything else, I needed to look into Ehrenfest’s internals and ask Lord Wilfried whether I could speak with him after class.
There is no sense in proposing if his duchy’s stance on marriage has not changed.
It had not been too long ago that Aub Ehrenfest had expressed a complete lack of interest in accepting wives from greater duchies. I went over to Lord Wilfried as soon as I entered the classroom.
“Lord Wilfried, might I have a moment of your time? I wish to ask about Aub Ehrenfest’s policy on engagements.”
“Of course,” he said. “What do you want to know?”
Grateful that he had not cut our conversation short, deeming it an improper subject for class, I continued, “There is someone in Dunkelfelger who wishes to marry an Ehrenfest noble. I would like to know your duchy’s thoughts on such an arrangement, preferably before socializing season. In truth, I tried to ask yesterday during my tea party with Lady Rozemyne, but she could not answer due to her status as Aub Alexandria.”
“I suppose not,” Lord Wilfried said, then smiled as if having remembered something.
“What is it?” I asked.
“I was just thinking that when Uncle first went to Ahrensbach, we had to scold Lady Rozemyne for carelessly leaking Ehrenfest intel to him. It would seem she learned her lesson.” He looked contemplative for a moment; then I spied a glimmer in his dark-green eyes. “This might become a rather involved conversation. Could we perhaps continue it after class?”
He had taken the words right out of my mouth. While devoting a silent prayer to Dregarnuhr, I said, “Certainly. I would not mind that at all.”
“Professor Anastasius would scold us if we were mid-conversation when he arrived.”
“Oh, absolutely.”
We were laughing together when Lord Ortwin entered the classroom. As he came toward us, Lord Wilfried waved a hand and concluded our conversation.
“Good morning, Wilfried, Lady Hannelore.”
“Good morning, Lord Ortwin,” I said.
“I am told you had a tea party with Lady Rozemyne yesterday. How fares Alexandria?”
“Lady Rozemyne is doing her utmost, with support from Lord Ferdinand. But as I cannot elaborate here, I shall return to my desk.”
Flattered though I was by Lord Ortwin’s confession, Father had already selected my suitors for me. I thought it best to keep my distance, so I exchanged only the usual greetings before taking my leave.
“Ortwin, lend me your ear,” Lord Wilfried said as I departed, his excitement clear in his voice. I could not help but envy how close they were.
“Excuse me? You are going to the gazebos? With two other archduke candidates?”
Our retainers could not believe their ears when I informed them of our plans. To be honest, I was surprised too. I could not wrap my head around why Lord Ortwin was coming with us.
“We need to work a few things out before socializing begins,” Lord Wilfried explained. “To prevent any unwelcome misconceptions that would come from Lady Hannelore and me going alone, Lord Ortwin has agreed to tag along.”
“Could this matter not be settled over a tea party?” his retainers asked.
Lord Wilfried shook his head and smiled. “I’m afraid not. I hear the schmelumes around the gazebos are in bloom, and I’ve yet to have an opportunity to see them.” His tone brooked no protest, leaving his retainers to express their exhaustion through facial expressions alone.
“Did you agree to this, milady?” Cordula asked me. I had no choice but to nod.
“On behalf of Luitpold, I wished to consult with Ehrenfest about their stance on marriages with greater duchies,” I explained. “Lord Wilfried proposed that we continue the conversation after our lesson. I assumed he meant in the classroom.”
Cordula swallowed down the urge to rebuke me; in the presence of so many nobles from other duchies, she could do nothing to stop what had already been set in motion. She doubtless wished to say that it did not matter whether such a meeting was held in the classroom or a gazebo—and she would, when she inevitably lectured me back at the dormitory.
Please! That look is terrifying!