Being next to the pond reminded Leonor of what she had wanted to tell the duke about soone’s familiar being on his property. However, there was never a right ti before that mont to tell him.
She didn’t think it was a threat considering the familiar was in an outdoor space where they had no hope of gathering information. It made her drag her feet considering the fragility of their relationship at that mont.
She still tested the waters with him. Every ti he responded to her, she took note of his likes and dislikes. While she couldn’t see his face, his tone beca easier to read.
Based on his ease that evening, it seed the ti had co to introduce him to the magical aspect of her life. She hoped to prove her worth through sothing other than being the lady of the house.
Leonor had been dying to get back into magic. She was bursting at the seams from being unable to practice her defenses. She never saw her mana burst forward in sothing else other than the small glow from her hands when she restored the lilac bloom.
For six years she studied magic yet she hadn’t been able to use it since before she was married.
The mont the duke told her to go forth and show him who she wanted to introduce him to, Leonor crouched on the ground and looked at the bushes that lined the last stretch of flowerbeds before the pond.
"Eve," Leonor called. "I know you’ve been following us."
She held out her hands and a small "ow" ca from underneath the bushes.
Eve soon darted out from her hiding spot and into Leonor’s outstretched arms. At that mont, she was in the shape of a large fluffy cat. She allowed herself to be picked up by Leonor.
The duchess stood up when her old friend was there. She cradled her so gently even though it was impossible to hurt a familiar in such a small way.
"This is Eve," Leonor introduced the cat. "She’s my mana familiar. I first t her when my magic established at 14, but she permanently ca out when I was in my first year at the Academy."
He was happy she was finally allowing him to see this part of her life. The curiosity had been eating away at him since he spotted her with the cat in the courtyard and the ti before when he saw her while Leonor slept.
"A magic familiar," the duke echoed. "What does that an, exactly?"
Despite having been around mages during the war, this was an aspect he was less familiar with. He had seen Stephano with animals before but the king never explained it to him.
"A mage using too much of their natural mana is as dire as losing blood," she explained. "Familiars are there as an extension of mana to assure that their masters never get into such a dire situation they use all their mana. Otherwise, it could an death for them."
It made sense to Desmond considering the state Leonor was in when he first saw the cat.
To Leonor’s surprise and glee, the duke stood up and walked forward until he could outstretch his arm towards the cat.
"It’s nice to et you, Eve," he said, his gravelly voice just faint enough for Leonor to hear.
Before his gloved hand could make contact with Eve who had stiffened up in Leonor’s arms, Leonor let out a light laugh.
"I’m sorry, she’s very hesitant around strangers," Leonor said. "If she doesn’t take to you right away, please don’t bla yourse–"
However, the mont the duke’s hand made contact with Eve’s glossy black fur, Eve leaned forward, rubbing her face and forehead against the duke’s hand. She leaned over so much that the duke had no choice but to put his other hand out and catch her so she wouldn’t fall.
Imdiately, Eve climbed into the duke’s grasp and wasn’t satisfied until he held her to his chest. She started purring aggressively and closing her eyes slowly.
Leonor looked on in disbelief. Even Quinn, who she spent so much ti with, never received such treatnt from the cat.
Traitor! Leonor cried in her head, but she wouldn’t say that to the duke.
All Desmond could do was stand there in disbelief as the cat made herself comfortable in his arms. Eventually, he cradled her in his elbow and used his free hand to scratch her behind the ears which she was soaking up every second of.
"I don’t believe it," Leonor uttered. "I’ve never seen her behave this way with soone else."
However, Desmond recalled her behaving like that to him once before. When he saw her the first ti she easily cuddled up to him in his arms. Did the cat recognize him? Because she was an extension of Leonor’s mana, could she?
"Cats have always liked ," he admitted.
Leonor bit the inside of her lip.
"I will have to rember that the next ti she’s unruly," she responded. "Despite being a piece of , she doesn’t listen."
There was a light chuckle that escaped the duke’s lips as the cat rested in his arms.
Leonor tried to ignore Eve’s strange behavior and her attention was back on the duke.
"This reminds about sothing I’ve been aning to tell you," she said. "The first ti I was in the courtyard, I believe I found soone’s familiar in this pond. Although, I’m not entirely sure of the purpose of doing such a thing. It isn’t as if a mage would have good luck searching for information in a pond."She tapped her chin. "I even had Eve go after it but she ca back with no further information."
The duke nodded, taking the information in and contemplating it.
He gestured for Leonor to co along with him for the rest of their walk before he began to speak.
"That reminds of sothing that happened when we first arrived in Montclair," he explained quietly as to not strain his already strained voice further. "I was in my study, sending off a letter using a ssenger hawk..."
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