Who: Catríona and NPCs Where: Elkwood Castle When: Morning
To say that Cat was in one of the worst moods of her life was, she believed, a vast understatement. Her son had lost three fingers! They were on his left hand, which was not his dominant, but that was a small blessing when one considered the fact that before they had come here he had had full use of both his hands. Anyone who had spoken to her had reminded her that she should be grateful it had not been worse. The boy had healed shockingly quickly - thanks to the presence of the Mouth or the Creator's pity, depending on who one believed - but the fact of the matter was that he'd been partially crippled. He was to be a lord of Seòrdag, of Grimm, and he was missing part of a hand? He may well be able to wield a sword and such, but a bow was going to be difficult. Impossible? Cat had heard it called impossible. Kelvin had heard it called impossible. Riding a horse was very possible, but he may struggle until he learned how to handle the reins with only one real hand. Cat could go on and on with the list of reasons why this was a bad thing and she had absolutely zero for why it was good. He didn't have an infection, true, but he should have all of his fingers.
The blame for the matter was sat squarely on her husband's shoulders and she wasn't the sort to let something so serious be forgotten. Not when it had been done to one of her children. Throwing a wine pitcher at Karanteg's head had been very satisfying, even if others might view it unfavorably, but it would've been better if she could take a dagger to his fingers. That, she suspected, was a little too far. Willfully maiming one's husband was not something people looked well on and she still had her children's reputation to think of. What marriages would she find for her girls if they were known as the daughters of the woman who had maimed the Lord of Seòrdag himself? She contented herself with the way he had looked after the pitcher had struck him, dazed with red wine running down his face, staining that ridiculous shirt he'd been wearing. It had almost looked like blood.
But it was not, Cat reminded herself, slender fingers drumming on the table as she tried to find something on the table that looked appetizing. Ailish was eating and Iona had been fed, while Kelvin was still in his rooms. He did not bleed like my boy did. Kelvin didn't want to come out yet, didn't want to show off his bandage-wrapped hand, and she wasn't sure she could blame him. He had wanted Karanteg to teach him and this was what came of it. "Eat your apple as well, Ailish," Cat said once she noticed that her daughter had been working her way around the fruit on her plate.
Ailish made a bit of a face, but picked up the red-skinned fruit. "Yes mother. May I go see Kelvin after?"
"Yes, you may, but then you have lessons." Ailish nodded and began eating the apple, quicker than she would've if she'd been told 'no'. Cat was momentarily distracted by the fact that at least her daughter was perfectly healthy, and didn't immediately notice the servant who had come in.
"My Lady?" The man's voice pulled Cat out of her thoughts and she turned towards him, noting the small box he was holding in his hands, which he held out to her. "I was paid to ensure that this came to your hands."
Cat felt an eyebrow arch as she motioned for him to set it on the table. "By who?" She had no enemies, this was true, but her husband surely did. A little caution had hurt no one.
"A man who had his face hidden."
That did nothing to alleviate her fears. Cat felt herself frowning as she regarded the box, and then the courier. "If you would please, then I would have you open it."
"My lady, that was not-"
"I did not ask what you were told to do." Cat's voice was firm. "I told you to open the box. Is there something wrong with your hands to stop you?"
"No, my lady."
"Then open it." He reached out to do as she bid without another complaint, revealing a stunning necklace, deep red rubies winking at her as she reached in before she could help herself and lifted it out, admiring the gleam of the gems as she turned it over. Her first thought was of its beauty, her second of its price and her third a question of who would send her this. Not Karanteg, never, and if he did then he wouldn't do it secretly. He'd make sure that people saw and knew that he'd given his wife this beautiful, costly necklace that might negate some of the poor words people were speaking after the incident with Kelvin. So who? "You have no idea who the man was who gave this to you?"
The man shook his head. "No, my Lady."
"Very well. You may go." Ailish was already out of her seat to see the necklace, and Cat allowed her to take it as she noticed a piece of parchment tucked into the box. Taking it out she read over the words. Had she been a romantic woman then she might have swooned or wondered at who called her a jewel, but she wasn't. She had never been such and never would be. Instead of thinking about things like that, Cat just pictured Karanteg's face when he saw her wearing this, knowing that he hadn't given it to her, wondering who had. Of the rumors that would spread through court. Rumors that would not harm her so long as they were the right ones, but would doubtlessly damage Karanteg's pride. Another man was giving gifts to his wife after he had been company to her son having his fingers cut off. What would they say?
She was going to find out.
Cat glanced towards the doors, and was pleased to see a servant standing there, one who looked as though she'd seen the courier arrive and the exchange that had followed. "Here darling," Cat said, catching her hair in one hand and pulling it off of her neck. "Would you put it on for me?"
A delighted grin broke out on Ailish's face and she rushed to do as asked, fingers fumbling the clasp a little before she got it on. "It is beautiful, mother!" The girl declared, clapping her hands together at the sight of the necklace on.
"Red is a very good color for us," Cat reminded her as she stood, quite deliberately leaving the note and the box on the table. She gave a careless glance at the servant, motioning to the table. "We are done here." The woman would grab that note the moment she knew Cat and Ailish were out of sight, and word would spread like wildfire through the castle. By the time lunch came... everyone who had ears would know.
It almost made her feel a little better about the matter of Kelvin.