Chapter 11: Spring Break in Eisberk
EVERYONE went home come spring vacation. Because the social season was still underway, however, many traveled no further than their town houses in the capital. Yet social season or no, my shut-in father spent most of his days in the countryside. And I had no social events to attend, so I decided to head back to Eisberk like any other year.
Elfenbein belonged to the royal knights order and had to remain in Neue Milchstrasse for the time-being. Lilia would be staying at our residence there. She had found someone else to escort her to social events.
I returned home excited. I had things to do during my stay. When I entered the stables with my trusty steed Rain in tow, I spied Wolfe washing a horse.
“Welcome back,” he called.
“It’s good to be back!”
Obli and some children popped out of the stall. Seems like he’s been teaching them how to take care of the horses.
“Hey there.” The children backed away at my voice. I smiled at them and received some awkward smiles in response.
“You’re going into town, yeah? I’ll come with,” Wolfe said. Wolfe knew everything that went on in Eisberk and was always kind enough to fill me in about what I’d missed, much to my appreciation.
“Sure thing.”
“Better bust out your finest outfit, or you’re not coming anywhere near me!”
His cocky attitude made me laugh. “Right back at you!” I replied, turning to go back into the house. Obli, of course, tagged along.
As soon as I opened the door to my room, I undid my ponytail, tossed off my uniform, and hopped into bed. A nostalgic smell graced my nostrils. I could stay like this all day.
After enjoying some peace and relaxation, I opened the closet in which I kept my favorite selection of dresses. Just thinking about what I was going to wear filled me with glee. The academy uniform was cool, but wearing it every day had staled fast. Men’s casual clothing also lacked a variety of color, which I didn’t really like.
I picked out a flared, pink, flower-patterned dress. I twisted my hair into a half-updo replete with a bow. The airiness of the dress made my heart feel light in turn.
As I walked down the stairs, I saw Wolfe standing in the hall dressed like a proper gentleman. While his work clothes might highlight his masculine figure, his formal attire gave him an entirely new, sleek look.
Wolfe squinted at me like he was being blinded by a brilliant light. “You look gorgeous.”
“Thanks. You look quite dashing yourself.” I walked out the door with a spring in my step.
What we called a town was at best a modest country village. Eisberk was huge, yet its main settlement was anything but. The town was nowhere near as wealthy as the royal capital but wasn’t dirt poor either. Folks could purchase their daily necessities and not much else—that sort of place.
We stopped by a bunch of shops. New ones, old ones, all kinds. Surprisingly, Wolfe made zero sour faces as I bought myself some things I couldn’t in Neue Milchstrasse: cute stationery, ribbons, sweets. I had completely forgotten how fun and liberating it was to be able to act the way I wanted when I wanted.
We went to our favorite café, where the usual waiter prepared our usual table. Wolfe ordered his customary black coffee, and I asked for my standard plate of assorted seasonal fruits, which comprised an abundance of strawberries and stewed apples topped with whipped cream and blueberry jam. It came with two forks and an extra, smaller plate, as a lot of people liked to split the dish.
Everything was the same, and that comforted me.
I divvied up the fruit and handed Wolfe the smaller plate.
✦ ✦ ✦
“Nice to see nothing’s changed in Eisberk,” I commented.
“I guess it hasn’t. How’ve you been holding up?” Wolfe asked with a smile. “Are His Highness’s wounds healed yet?”
“Pretty much. They look much nicer.”
“You saw them?”
“Of course. I’m the one looking after him.”
“You’re not his servant. Where’s your pride as an Eisberk?”
The indignation in Wolfe’s voice made me chuckle. We Eisberks weren’t a very conventional noble family, and he knew it. It was why we were walking around town to begin with.
“He’s my friend and they would’ve been my wounds if not for him.”
“‘My wounds’…” Wolfe muttered, snatching a strawberry off my plate.
“Hey! What gives!”
“Quit hogging all the strawberries.”
“Since when did you care?” I grabbed one off his plate in rebellion.
“Fair enough.” Wolfe grinned. “So…any post-graduation plans?”
“I’d like to stay in the military while I’m still welcome there. Problem is, Vulkan knows I’m a girl. He’s been willing to turn a blind eye for now, but…who knows.”
“You’re always welcome here. The female cavalry unit is dying to have their leader back.”
“I’m no leader, but sure. I’ll come back if things don’t work out.”
“And if they do, you won’t?”
“No.”
“No hesitation, huh?” Wolfe sighed. “What’s so great about the royal capital, anyway?” he asked, his black-eyed gaze full of judgment.
“It’s not about the capital.”
I’d choose Eisberk over Neue Milchstrasse any day. It’s just that… It’s just that…?
“Then what is it about?”
I’d like to know the same thing.
“Why would you ever want to live there? You can’t go around dressed like that; you can’t buy or eat the things you want.”
Wolfe’s right. I can’t even window-shop for the clothes I like. Is there really any point in continuing to flatten my gradually growing chest—in squashing my true self, just to remain in the capital?
Stern’s golden eyes flashed before mine, whisking my breath away. “I’d just like to stay a little while longer.”
At least while I still can.
“Uh-huh,” Wolfe grumbled, taking a swig of coffee.
We left the café and made our way home through the mulberry fields. Every summer, my fingers would turn blue from eating the berries, the pulp trapped underneath my nails.
“Remember the thing you did with your skirt, Bern?”
That sentence was all it took for me to realize that we were contemplating the same memory. “Mulberry stains don’t come out.”
“They sure don’t.”
One day we had all gotten together to gather mulberries for Lilia, who couldn’t come out to play. I carried them home, using my skirt as a pouch, which became irreparably stained, naturally. The head maid was furious and forced me to scrub the garment alongside her. I learned the hard way that mulberry stains didn’t come out.
Despite her anger, though, she’d made mulberry jam the next day. I remembered handing out the mulberry jam cookies that Lilia baked afterward to everyone.
The frosty, white moon hung low above us, the sky the very color of that midnight-purple jam.
“Enjoying your jaunt under the moon, Sir Lunar Ice Knight?” Wolfe chuckled.
“Not funny.”
“Did you have a good time today?”
“I did. Thanks, Wolfe.”
Wolfe scratched his cheek and glanced away for a split second before his gaze found me again. His eyes, darker than night, bored into mine, oozing willpower. “Come back to us, Bern.”
“I—”
“I’ll be waiting for you.”
When I failed to come up with an answer, Wolfe flashed me a toothy grin like nothing had happened. “I almost forgot. Put your hand out. Come on.” I did as told, and a cold object fell into my palm. A four-leaf clover brooch. “Take it. Mom’s always said four-leaf clovers’ll help you survive any battle.”
“Thanks.” He must have bought it while I was absorbed in my shopping. I squeezed it tight.
“Take care,” he said with a gentle smile and began to walk away.
I waved goodbye, and just as I was starting to think that he wasn’t going to look back, he stopped and did exactly that. Wolfe gave me a hearty grin, then turned around once more and didn’t look back again.