Brunch with Sabina

Liselle sat across from her cousin in the summer garden of the Blue Palace, nibbling at little sandwiches and drinking mint tea. "You're looking especially lovely today, Sabina. Betrothal suits you."

The Crown Princess flicked her eyes up at the tension in her tone, but smiled. "It does, doesn't it? I never would have guessed that our dear James would ask for my hand given your... closeness." She took a delicate sip of her tea and arched an eyebrow with a smile. "Though I am ever so glad he did. A marriage to him will secure my crown in ways that my dear brother can never hope to match. In marrying James, I become Queen."

"Oh? I rather thought Viktor would be the one named heir, as he has the support of the military while you do not." She took a bite of a sandwich with braised duck and warm, sharp cheese. "This is delightful, dear Cousin, you should try some."

Sabina's peridot eyes narrowed. "Dairy products do not agree with me, as you know."

Lise shook her head with a sweetly apologetic expression. "Pardon me. I must have forgotten. Such a shame it is, too."

She ignored the insincere apology and leaned forward to prop her elbows on the table, lacing her fingers together to rest her chin on with a saccharine smile. "And my darling Liselle, that's the idea. Your beloved brother is popular among the people even here in the capital. Viktor has the weight of the officers and nobles behind him, Jamie has the people. Jamie has the numbers. When we wed, those numbers shall be as my own."

The Moray girl raised her cup to her lips to keep herself from snapping something impolitic, mentally cursing the lax upbringing that allowed her to voice her frustrations in the sparring ring instead of the parlor. "Ah. I had no idea that my second-favorite cousin would give herself to a man for something so small as numbers. Does he know that you have so little affection for him?"

"Second-favorite?"

"Yvaine."

"Touché." She took a cucumber pesto sandwich from the tray and tilted her head curiously. "My affection for him is immaterial to my goals, however, to say I have little of it would be inaccurate. He is kind and funny with a fantastic ability to relate to people... and his looks certainly don't hurt." Her eyes sparkled wickedly as she continued, "Surely even as his sister you've noticed how very attractive he is. I've always heard that his birth parents had terribly striking features and that he inherited the best of both. It must be quite the struggle for you."

Lise made a show of adjusting the diaphanous lace of her sleeve while she counted her breaths. "I was never able to meet the late Miriam, but I have heard that she was a beauty nearly beyond compare. Jim, at least by the time I knew him, had the look of a man formerly handsome. With 'formerly' being key."

She smirked into her tea and swirled it around in its pretty little cup. "That didn't quite answer my question."

The other girl felt a little muscle in her jaw give a slight twitch and she rubbed at it carefully before speaking. "You never quite asked a question, I'm afraid. If there's anything you wish to know, I would suggest you gather your nerve and ask it directly."

Her eyes narrowed, their sparkling peridot trying to capture the malachite and gold across the table. When they finally did, she made sure to speak with a pointed precision. "Are you in love with James?"

"That's quite a leap from implying that I find him attractive, don't you think?" She flashed a lopsided grin that didn't touch her eyes.

"Do you deny it?"

Liselle sighed and took another sandwich, one with what appeared to be a currant spread. "My feelings for him are immaterial, Your Highness. We both have our duties to your crown to perform."

The princess set her tea down and drew her brows together. "Selly... We used to be such friends. Talk to me. Please. This isn't like you."

Her expression was pained, though whether it was from the plea or what answering it would entail was unclear. Before she had a chance to find out, one of the palace servants approached and bowed deeply.

"My ladies, would either of you care for dessert of some kind? It is such a lovely day and it would be a shame to abandon the gardens so soon." He grinned at them with the kind of brightness that belonged in the wonderful pallette of the garden in bloom.

Sabina sighed, knowing that she would get no more from her cousin. "Is there any of the strawberry cake left from yesterday?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Some was set aside especially for you since you seemed to favor it so. Lady Moray?"

She ran her fingertips around the lip of her cup. "Syllabub? If it's not too much trouble."

He bowed again. "No trouble at all, my Lady."

After he'd gone, she glanced at the woman across from her and tried on a small smile, hoping it fit. "Please, Bina. Just let me try to be angry with you. It's a much easier emotion to manage."

Her expression moved from shock to sympathy in record time and she nodded. "As you wish, churlish slattern."

"Much appreciated, egregious slag." She looked up at her with a wry smile and both fell into riotous laughter, only sobering when the servant returned with a plate of strawberry cake in one hand and a flute of the orange- and mead-infused whipped cream in the other.

He beamed at their mirth and set their respective desserts before them. "I do hope you enjoy, miladies."

The cake was garnished with spiraled strawberries and saturated with rosé while the syllabub was topped by orange and lemon zest with a sprig of mint. Both women glowed at the beauty of their choices before smiling affectionately at each other and digging in.