Felix felt an overwhelming need to share his thoughts someone, but with whom? His wife would seem the obvious choice and he was just about to call out to her, when he checked himself: After all, they had both known the Queen for many years. If Felix was to reveal his suspicions to Lucinda, would she believe them? Would she be willing to believe that a person who had shown nothing but kindness towards her and her family could be capable of such an act? After all, Felix had no evidence. Even worse was the possibility that she would believe him and would confront the Queen with what she had been told. What would Argath's reaction be? Felix did not know and he did not care to find out. No, there was only one person that he could risk confiding in.
This was no time to lie in bed. Resolutely, Felix got up and realized for the first time that he was wearing his nightshirt. This troubled him: Who had removed his clothes and furthermore, what time was it? He walked over to the large cupboard that stood in a corner opened it. Sure enough, the clothes he had worn when he fainted, were there.
Felix took them out and got dressed and once fully clothed, he left the bedchamber and headed for his study. There, he sat down and began to compose two letters. He had just put the finishing touch to the first letter, when the sound of the door opening made him put down in his quill and turn around.
Felix looked at the person who had entered the room: A ewe, whose attire and the fact that she carried a feather-duster in one paw, instantly marked her as a member of the palace's servant staff, who must have been temporarily assigned to his and Lucinda's apartment.
The Iguana could have sworn he had met her before. What was her name again? Something beginning with an 'S'....Siri? Sandra? None of those sounded right.
"My apologies, Councilor" Said the ewe. "I was told to dust the study, I wasn't expecting anyone to be in it."
"I'm afraid the dusting will have to wait. There is something else you can do for me though."
The Ewe said nothing, but stood silently, awaiting her instructions.
"Make me some tea, will you? I'm parched."
"As you wish, Councilor."
With that, Felix returned to his letters. Soon, he was once again, completely absorbed in his writing, to the point that the door opening barely registered with him.
"Just put it on the table there and pour me a cup, will you? He said, not looking up.
The sound of the tea being poured into a cup, mixed with the scratching of the quill against paper. Eventually, Felix stood up, ready to enjoy a cup of his favorite hot drink.
To his surprise, he found that it was not the servant-woman who had come with the requested tea, but rather his wife.
"Sofia told me you were awake", explained Lucinda as she handed her husband the cup from which a whisp of smoke was travelling up towards the ceiling. "How are you feeling?"
Sofia, so that was the ewe's name. Felix was glad that that had been cleared up. Not that it was a huge deal, but he couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed with himself when he was unable to remember someone's name, even if the name in question only belonged to one of the many members of the serving staff.
He blew on the surface and then took a sip of the tea, before answering Lucinda's question.
"I must admit, I feel a bit light-headed", he said.
"Are you sure you should be up?" Lucinda asked and Felix noticed the concern in her voice. "The Doctor said that you should take it easy."
Upon hearing this, Felix blinked in surprise.
"The Doctor was here?" He asked.
"Yes. After you were found and brought back here, the Queen came and paid me a visit. She sent the royal physician over to check up on you. Wasn't that thoughtful of her?"
Felix did not answer, but only nodded absent-mindedly. Had Argath really only come by to pay a courtesy call or had there been an ulterior motive behind her visist? He finished the tea and put the empty cup down.
"Did the Queen say anything else?" He asked.
"Nothing much; she asked about the boys and that she hopes to see you back on the council when you feel better."
Felix relaxed . It seemed that the Queen had no idea of what he suspected. Still, one couldn't be too careful. He then realized that there was a strange after-taste in his mouth. He turned to his wife:
"What sort of tea did you bring me?"
"Your usual blend."
"Did you put something in it?" The Question was asked in a casual manner. "I noticed a taste of vanilla."
"Only a medical powder that I got from the doctor. He told me that it would be beneficial to your health."
"He gave it to you in person?"
"Yes. Why do you ask?"
"No reason."
Sitting down, Felix breathed a sigh of relief: If this powder had come directly from the doctor, it could not be dangerous; the old griffon would never violate his medical oath. With that, he bid his wife to excuse him and resumed his writing.
"What are you writing?" Lucinda asked.
Felix only response was a distracted mumble, though Lucinda was able to catch the word "letter" in there.
Her curiosity awoken, Lucinda peeked over his shoulder to see who the letters were for. The name on the second letter surprised her:
"Cornelius? Why are you writing to him?"
Having finished both letters, Felix blew on each one to make the ink dry, then put each into an envelope which he sealed with a stamp.
"Oh", he said with a nonchalant shrug. "The old fellow recently was banished from court. I know we've had our differences, but I thought I should give him some encouraging words."
"That's very kind of you. Do you want me to mail the letters?"
"No thank you, I'll do it myself; the fresh air will do me good."
With that, Felix stood up, kissed his wife on the cheek and left the study. Moments later, wearing his cloak and hat, the iguana stepped out onto the streets of the capital and headed for the street where the post-office was located. He went inside the building and handed both letters to the elephant behind the desk and left. Upon leaving the post-office, Felix nostrils were filled with the smell of something burning. He turned in the direction the smell had come from and saw a pillar of black smoke rising up in the distance.
******
In Doctor Hieronymus' garden, Leorin, Luke and Amelia were entertaining themselves by throwing a ball to each other, when the sound of the gate opening could be heard in the distance. Moments later, Risha appeared in the garden. She glanced quickly at the trio and was just about to head into the house when she could hear the sound of running feet behind her, followed by Leorin's voice:
"Sis, wait."
The lynx-girl stopped and waited for her brother to catch up.
"Did something happen between you and the Princess when you were out?" Leorin asked. "She came back without you and looked really upset about something."
Risha was just about to tell Leorin to mind his own business, when she saw the look of sympathy on her brother's face.
"We had a fight" She sighed. "I am going to apologize to her."
She made as if to head inside, when her brother called out to her again:
"Sis!"
"What is it, Leo?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Fine, what is it?"
"The Princess, you....you like her don't you."
"Of course, I do. You like her too, right?"
Leorin nodded.
"She's nice, but I don't like her the way you do. You like her in the way that our parents like each other, don't you?"
Risha looked at her brother in genuine surprise: Had he always been this astute? Then, she felt a surge of relief course through her. Leorin would have found out about her and Merees sooner or later, or she would have to tell him. This made everything much easier.
"I love her, yes" she replied. "Why? Does this bother you?"
"Well" Leorin began, wrinkling his nose slightly. "When I first realized, I thought it was a bit weird, so I went to the Doctor..."
"You what?!" Risha's voice rose a few octaves.
"I-I didn't say anything about you, Sis" Leorin protested. "I just asked the Doctor if girls could like other girls."
"I'm sorry" Risha said, letting go off her brother's collar. "What did he tell you?"
"He said that they can and that boys can like other boys and that there are people who like both .
Then, I asked him, if I knew someone that was like that, should I let them know that I know or wait until they tell me themselves?"
"Oh, and what did he say?"
"He said that it was a decision I had to make myself, but that I should ask myself this: Do they seem any different to you, now that you know?"
"And? Do you think I'm different?" Risha asked and there was a faint hint of worry in her voice.
Leorin frowned slightly, then his face lit up.
"Not really. From what I can tell, you are just as bossy as you've always been."
For a few seconds, Risha could only stare at her brother. Then, she burst into laughter with Leorin soon joining her.
"That felt good" Risha said, once their merriment had abated somewhat. "Thank you."
"What's that you got there?" Leorin wondered.
Following the trace of her brother's finger, Risha saw that he was pointing at something in her paw, what could it be? Of course! She had almost forgotten about them.
"There's a travelling acting troupe on the island" she said. "I became friends with their leader and he gave me these tickets."
"Can I come too?" Leorin asked.
"I don't know" Risha said, fanning herself in the tickets. "Are you sure you want to go see a play with your bossy sister?"
"With her and her girlfriend" Leorin replied, smiling at his sister.
Reaching out, Risha playfully tousled the fur on her brother's head.
"Very well" she said, handing Leorin some of the tickets. "While I make up with Merees, why don't you go and give these to the others?"
"I will. See you later, sis."
Risha watched Leorin leave the porch and run into the garden, where Luke and Amelia had been waiting for him. She then opened the door and went inside
Soon, she stood outside Merees' room. Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door and waited for an answer.
