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THAT evening, they ate a much more modest meal than usual. Leo’s mother had sent along some bread and an apple clafoutis, as well as some grilled chicken. They simply covered the chicken in tomato sauce, and dinner was served.
“It’s been rather chilly recently, hasn’t it? Before we start lessons again, let’s make a trip to town. We can close the shop for tomorrow and leave in the morning,” Charles proposed.
“Yup, I guess it is pretty cold. But what’s that got to do with going into town?” Ark asked, cocking his head.
“Lille needs some winter clothes, remember? Actually, I bet Leo will need some new ones, too. He’s grown since last year,” Charles pointed out.
“Oh, right. I forgot humans have to buy new clothes.”
“You’re lucky to have feathers. I’m jealous.” Charles grinned. “I’ll be visiting Master August, so I’d appreciate it if you could keep Leo and Lille company while I’m there.”
“We don’t need him to watch over us! I can protect Lille all by myself, y’know. That way, things won’t turn sour like they did last time you took her.” Leo pouted, neatly scooping up tomato sauce with his spoon.
“Leo. I get that you want to be alone with Lille, but some stores won’t sell anything to kids without an adult present. You might not be able to buy those custard pies you love so much. Is that really okay with you?” Charles smirked.
“Huh? Seriously?” He wrinkled his nose and fell silent, closing his eyes as if he were making a very important decision. Lille fidgeted awkwardly; it felt like he was comparing her to custard pies.
“Fine. Ark can come, too. I want Lille to be able to eat the sweets she likes, after all,” he said with a shrug. That meant she’d won against the pies…right? Though, in all honesty, she had mixed feelings either way.
“It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen the seamstress at The Three Needles,” Lille mused. “Would you mind if I took some potpourri for her, Master Charlie? The one she has is probably starting to lose its smell.”
“Ah, I remember. She bought some from us about half a year ago, right? Sure, you can take a replacement. Maybe we should throw in some Warming Tea, too. I’m sure she’ll appreciate it once the weather turns even colder.”
He was talking about their new tea, a blend of medicinal herbs and ginger. They had perfected it just before Lille went to visit Leo’s family. They wanted to be well-prepared for the cruel blizzards of midwinter, as well as to help customers who also struggled with the cold.
“Yes, that’s a good idea,” she said.
Roughly half a year earlier, Lille had stood in a tailor’s shop on the verge of tears, thinking she wasn’t worthy of such beautiful clothing. Every day since then, she wore the clothes the seamstress had made her. Somehow, the seamstress seemed to have been able to visualize how she would grow.
“I know—let’s all sample some of the new tea to celebrate completing it. I’ll fetch the teapot!” Lille sang.
She hoped her new appearance would meet the seamstress’s expectations when they met again. What would the seamstress say when she saw Lille? With so much more life experience under her belt, maybe she would understand all of Lille’s feelings without explanation.
A mix of excitement and nerves bundled together in her chest as she watched the water boil, her eyes trained on the air bubbling to the surface.