"My Lady Leena," Lord Jasper said, finally looking away from Alisa, "I am honoured by your invite. I have to say, the rumours about your beauty and your grace are indeed true." He smiled winningly.
Lady Leena blushed appropriately at the compliment, ducking her head. Alisa almost smirked at the act- she knew how Lady Leena really was- and it was not this.
It everything went the way it was, she would not have to do anything. The Lady would seduce the Duke's son all on her own.
She didn't entirely know why the King wanted her to get Lady Leena and the Duke together, but she was not getting paid for that. And now, after knowing the people, she was not sure she cared to either.
She still felt the phantom burn from days before where Lady Leena had thrown the tea on her for making it 'too hot'.
Yes...this was good.
She focused back on the scene to find that the potential couple, for everyone knew what the meeting signified, were still getting along really well.
The taxations, legislations and cultural lessons that Alisa had forced on Leena for the past weeks had not gone to waste. She was reciting them all by heart, interjecting her 'own thoughts' and 'perceptions' wherever she could.
Alisa quietly walked to stand in Lady Leena line of sight, and helped her with the signals they had agreed on whenever a particularly difficult topic came on.
'That's right, just agree.' She thought as her index finger bobbed up and down. Leena understood and followed.
'No! No! Say you are against the idea! Disagree!' The frantic shake of her wrist alerted Leena at the last second who quickly changed her nod to a shake of her head, completely opposing the notion of the new law that the Lord proposed.
Their signals were basic, and only came into being when the Lady refused to learn any more, citing tiredness as the reason.
But somehow, it was working.
Lord Jasper and Henry were looking more and more impressed by the moment, and so were Lord Keith and his wife Lady Daphne. They were looking at their daughter, impressed.
"Well, you are indeed much more than a typical beauty, my lady." Jasper interjected after an hour or so. He looked at Henry, and after some internal converstaions he turned back to Leena, "I would like to invite you back to the Manor with me, if that is alright with Lord Keith and Lady Daphne." he looked at the older couple. "Maybe continue this conversation there?"
He looked at the Lord of the House for approval. Lord Keith almost vibrated with excitement at the prospect but he restrained himself.
"Yes." He cleared his throat, "That is, that will be acceptable. Daughter, why don't you show Lord Keith around the garden, I think I might have missed that on our tour earlier, while we discuss the arrangements with his advisor, Henry?"
Jasper offered Leena his hand, and off they went. Lord Keith motioned to Alisa, and she followed behind them, letting them go on ahead first.
Although they were just a small distance away, Alisa let them have their time alone. They were done discussing work, weren't they? Lord Jasper would not keep drilling the lady for more knowledge now, surely not after she had passed the little test. She watched as the couple became more and more animated with their gestures, their movements. The rigidness that came with the formal initial meeting had passed.
They were smiling, leaning towards each other...
And now, Alisa decided, she could relax a little. It didn't look like they'd be missing her.
So, she looked around her, at the flowers, the butterflies, the trees lining the property...
It was beautiful. It was peaceful. The cool breeze blew her hair with it, and she momentarily closed her eyes, breathing in deeply.
A small smile graced her lips, as she lifted her face to greet the wind, content...
"Alisa. Alisa!" Yelled Leena from the front.
...And the moment was over.
Alisa abruptly opened her eyes, looking at where the couple had stopped and turned towards her. Her cheeks flushed red, but she refused to show her embarrassment otherwise, rushing towards the couple.
She ignored Lord Jasper who was looking her intently, as she looked towards her lady, who was now looking at her perturbed.
"What, were you doing?" Leena almost snapped, and then laughed a little awkwardly to soften her words at the surprised look Jasper gave her, her quick frown melting into the charming smile she always wore around people.
"I, uh-"
"Well, anyway," Lady Leena interrupted Alisa as she again gave a flustered smile to the Lord before turning towards Alisa again, "Lord Jasper was asking my opinion on the, uh...issues with...with, uh, criminal law code. The bail."
Oh. Alisa knew what she was talking about...it had been the most discussed topic among commoners, and was also getting published in local newspapers. Alisa would have known about it if she read anything other than gossip columns.
Unfortunately, they had not covered this topic. This was directly under the King's jurisdiction, and was none of The Dukedom's business. So they had not even touched this.
"And I remembered our discussion about it the other day." Leena continued. "It was...fascinating. I was hoping you would like to share it again. Share my thoughts again."
Oh. Of course. Leena was asking to save her, and like the amazing handmaid she was, she would.
Alisa almost gave the woman reassurig eyes when she saw Leena cast a panicked look towards Alisa, flashing a quick smile at Jasper before motioning with her eyes to 'DO SOMETHING!'
Jasper only continued looking severly towards Alisa, his earlier levity with Leena vanishing in face of the current discussion.
"Yes. I would love to know what the 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺 Lady Leena had to say about this." His jaw ticked as he continued looking at the woman in front of him, the handmaid, as he waited for an answer.
Alisa took a deep breath, nervous, as she finally turned towards Jasper.
"Jas-My Lord Jasper." (Speak the title!) " Lady Leena was telling me just the other day, about the how the approval of monetary compensation in the place of imprisonment for various petty and some higher level crimes had led to an almost recklessness among the wealthy individuals of the society."
Leena nodded along, as if she knew all that already. Alisa continued, "Not to mention the continued risk it poses for the victims." She emphasised each work. Alisa hoped Leena was taking notes.
"Exactly! That was what I had been trying to say! We had a whole complete discussion on how we could solve this."
Solve this? Alisa panicked. This problem did not have a very easy solution, part of the reason it was an ongoing thing.
Alisa tried to salvage the situation.
"Our Lady Leena is very intelligent, and had identified a few key points on how one could go about approaching this problem while still ensuring the money flow is not entirely cut off for the Kingdom's welfare."
She finished, and waited. When she received no reply, she tried again.
Alisa chuckled in awe as she put a hand in front of her mouth, "Lady Leena thinks so much about all of us. We are truly blessed."
Leena nodded surreptitiously at Alisa, satisfied.
"Well, it looks like you both love and value each other very much." Jasper replied with pursed lips.
Alisa didn't know why the sudden change, but it bothered her.
"Hmm" He turned around and continued his walk.
Leena and Alisa almost breathed a sigh of relief when suddenly he called out, "I hope you bring your handmaid to the manor too. She would be simply too devastated without you" And continued on.
Leena looked at Alisa, scanning her from head to toe, and without saying another word, hobbled after the man, "Lord Jasper! Wait for me!"
Alisa looked as they continued walking together, and let out a heavy sigh. What was she getting herself into?
//////////////
Alisa was walking home after a long day. Her body ache, and she could barely keep her eyes open as she looked at the dim streets around her.
In her hand however, she kept the small knife she had knicked from the kitchen, at the ready. Just in case.
There was no one around though, and this allowed her to for a brief moment look up and enjoy the stars.
It was mesmerising. The entire sky seemed to be filled with them. Back home, you were lucky if you could spot two.
She took a look around herself. Yup, no one. And she could see the market lights just a ways away from where her own house was situated.
And back to the stars. She tried to find a constellation she was familiar with. Hmmm...
...When suddenly a hand on her arm pulled her roughly into a side alley.
She yelped, before it was cut off.