Right on cue, a dramatic squawk ca from outside the open bedroom door. A fully grown peacock was standing there, staring at all the humans with an expression that could only be described as deep irritation.
"How does it keep getting inside?" Duchess Mila asked. She pointed her walking cane at the peacock. "You don’t live in the main house. Take your eggs and get out."
The peacock snubbed the duchess, walked up to the bed, hopped onto it and settled down on her eggs.
Nathaniel waved his hands, making whoosh sounds, trying to frighten the peacock away. Instead, he succeeded in startling Thor awake and the baby made his displeasure for the interruption loudly known to the whole world with a high pitched wail.
The peacock looked at Nathaniel with an expression that looked like deep judgent of his fathering skills. Obviously, it found them lacking.
"Well, now that we are certain that neither Deanne nor Nathan laid the peacock eggs, I am leaving for breakfast and then I am off to Nemoris. I will not be returning until the evening before the debutante ball." Sigrid turned on one foot and left.
One by one, everyone left the bedroom, giving the couple that was looking to them for help helpless shrugs
"I guess we can move out and leave this bedroom for her." Nathan muttered, looking down at the peacock.
"Or we can just an extra bed and leave this bed to her." Deanne countered, bouncing Thor gently and patting him on the back.
"Perhaps we can put the mattress and so comfortable sheets in the peacock house. Maybe all she wants is a comfortable place, sowhere nice and cozy." Nathan figured. "Why did you scream by the way?"
Indignantly, Deanne answered, "Because, Nathan, I thought they were snake eggs. Snake eggs an a snake mama lurking sowhere nearby while our baby was left defenseless on the bed. No more showers together, for the ti being. If we do shower together, one of the nursery maids must be with Thor."
She slled the neck of her baby and carried him tighter. She had really experienced a shock that nearly sent her to an early grave.
anwhile, downstairs, Sigrid was reading the poem written by Roland on the newest card that had been sent with the flowers. "I walk with pride, a crown prince well-known. Yet at your smile, my crown is flown. For love has robbed --chains unseen. Your gaze, my princess has sealed my peaceful fate I fear."
She had not yet responded when her mother grabbed the card and started the usual oohing and gasping.
"Why can’t you be as romantic as Roland, Paxton?" She asked her husband.
Lord Paxton huffed. "I do not rember hearing any complaints when I was wooing you."
The card made its way into Lady Isolde’s hands. She was another Lady Iryne when it ca to the oohing and aahing. Initially, she would say a few words but she had acclimated to the Thorin way of freedom of expression so she was bolder in her interactions with everyone now.
The wives of the Ridley brothers giggled.
"I should try to turn this into a song. I saw so dwarfs doing it at the fair and I think it is interesting." East spoke calmly.
"If you bring your harp to the table I will cut those strings and go after your spider." Lord Ethan Ridley warned his younger brother.
The harp playing had been a little too much ever since they ca to Eldoria.
"Alexander, will today be the day when you tell why you are visiting my household?" Duke Thorin spoke to the man that was sitting directly opposite him.
"I ca to sell nuts." Lord Alexander deadpanned.
There were so sighs and groans at the table. Alexander Ridley was truly secretive and frustrating. He had co for a union or rger of so kind. Why couldn’t he just blurt it out and get it over with. Everyone was anxious to know if it was a marriage union between their families or an imperial union of their empires.
"I do plan to speak to your crown prince at the royal castle today." Lord Alexander shared.
"Why?" Sigrid asked.
The tone of her voice was more assertive. She made it obvious that she was questioning him as the crown princess and not just a granddaughter of the duke.
"Because, Akia the divine ssenger of doris will be here in two days. She is not coming alone, she is bringing her sister Anita." Lord Alexander looked at Sigrid. "Hear my advise child. It is most pertinent that you make your way back to the royal castle with all your suitcases. You can try to hide it but we have all heard so whispers about why you left your territory."
"The Valerius family was not too happy about what you did to Keeley’s face." Duchess Mila told Sigrid.
Sigrid put her hands together and put down the spoon which she was about to use to mix her milk chocolate tea. She was not blind to the the way they had all been tiptoeing around the subject of her stay on the estate. They had simply been putting off the discussion for a while, waiting for her to open up first. Sigrid did not think that Lord Alexander would be the first to broach the subject.
"They showed up at our gates when you were taking an afternoon nap and your mother told Keeley’s mother that if her daughter had not been sniffing around the trousers of a married man, her face would not have been cut." Her father said.
"Such great words." Lady Isolde said with relish and a smile as she prepared to bite into a muffin.
"Your mother also told them that she was very willing to go on national television and give an interview to a reporter, exposing why you had done what you did. With debutante season coming up, they are not too eager to get on your bad side or ruin the carefully crafted image of their daughters. So, they left with their tails tucked between their legs." Her father finished with a laugh.
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