Chapter 9: Oops...Didn't Mean to do /That/
Christabel kept her poise all the way to her room, sniffing at the slightest comment. She didn't realize she was being followed until she closed the door to her room, at which point her stalker had frozen to the spot in indecisively. They stood there, staring at each other silently, for a full minute at which point a passing servant jolted Christabel awake.
"You should..." she paused, thinking before she spoke again, "Come inside. No one should see you out here."
"But-"
Christabel had already dragged the stranger inside and shut the door. And then she did a brief summary of his appearance.
He was a noble; this was obvious through his clothes, and the amount of jewlery he wore. Christabel thought he looked faintly familar, but she didn't dwell on the thought for more than an instant. He had rusty brown hair that covered his head, on which rested a crown of non-precious metal.
"Are you royal?" she asked instantly.
Her stalker went red, "Uh...sort of. Ex-Royalty."
Christabel gave him a strange look, "What were you doing following me, anyway?"
His gaze shifted to a tapestry on her wall, "Um...well...why did you invite me into your quarters?"
It was Christabel's turn to blush, "That is none of your business."
He looked at her sharply, opened her mouth, then closed it again. After a thought, he opened his mouth again. "Then we are even. Shall we start with names? I am Oliver of...well, nowhere. For now."
"I am Christabel...but you should have known that."
"No, actually, I didn't. You realize you're open, yes?"
"Wha - oh." Christabel went red again, attempting - without success - to reclose her dress. Quickly she grabbed a blanket, and wrapped it around her.
"So, why are you here?"
Oliver shifted uneasily, glancing out her window, "Is that all your father's property?"
"Stop changing the subject!"
"I thought we agreed not to talk about it..."
"I never agreed to anything." Christabel replied flatly.
Oliver sighed, "Okay...okay. I followed you because..."
"Lady Christabel! I thought I told you not to have your brothers in your quarters! It is forbidden!"
Christabel groaned, "She is always coming about, pestering me about anything she can. They are always like that."
Oliver rolled his eyes, "Tell me about it. No, scratch that. Don't tell me about it; I already know about it."
Christabel went to her door, "You should leave." her voice held a hint of reluctance, "But maybe...we can talk tomorrow night? After supper?"
"If you aren't busy, then I might be able to sneak away." Oliver nodded. He slipped out the door, and was replaced by Merry. She raised an eyebrow at Christabel.
"Who was that, Lady?"
"No one." Christabel replied shortly, removing the blanket. "He followed me into my room."
"Oh, did he?"
"Yes! Just...help me. With my nightclothes." Chirstabel gave Merry a look that spoke volumes; Merry didn't mention Oliver the rest of the night.
"You should..." she paused, thinking before she spoke again, "Come inside. No one should see you out here."
"But-"
Christabel had already dragged the stranger inside and shut the door. And then she did a brief summary of his appearance.
He was a noble; this was obvious through his clothes, and the amount of jewlery he wore. Christabel thought he looked faintly familar, but she didn't dwell on the thought for more than an instant. He had rusty brown hair that covered his head, on which rested a crown of non-precious metal.
"Are you royal?" she asked instantly.
Her stalker went red, "Uh...sort of. Ex-Royalty."
Christabel gave him a strange look, "What were you doing following me, anyway?"
His gaze shifted to a tapestry on her wall, "Um...well...why did you invite me into your quarters?"
It was Christabel's turn to blush, "That is none of your business."
He looked at her sharply, opened her mouth, then closed it again. After a thought, he opened his mouth again. "Then we are even. Shall we start with names? I am Oliver of...well, nowhere. For now."
"I am Christabel...but you should have known that."
"No, actually, I didn't. You realize you're open, yes?"
"Wha - oh." Christabel went red again, attempting - without success - to reclose her dress. Quickly she grabbed a blanket, and wrapped it around her.
"So, why are you here?"
Oliver shifted uneasily, glancing out her window, "Is that all your father's property?"
"Stop changing the subject!"
"I thought we agreed not to talk about it..."
"I never agreed to anything." Christabel replied flatly.
Oliver sighed, "Okay...okay. I followed you because..."
"Lady Christabel! I thought I told you not to have your brothers in your quarters! It is forbidden!"
Christabel groaned, "She is always coming about, pestering me about anything she can. They are always like that."
Oliver rolled his eyes, "Tell me about it. No, scratch that. Don't tell me about it; I already know about it."
Christabel went to her door, "You should leave." her voice held a hint of reluctance, "But maybe...we can talk tomorrow night? After supper?"
"If you aren't busy, then I might be able to sneak away." Oliver nodded. He slipped out the door, and was replaced by Merry. She raised an eyebrow at Christabel.
"Who was that, Lady?"
"No one." Christabel replied shortly, removing the blanket. "He followed me into my room."
"Oh, did he?"
"Yes! Just...help me. With my nightclothes." Chirstabel gave Merry a look that spoke volumes; Merry didn't mention Oliver the rest of the night.
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