[alaklondewen]

The morning of the Luncheon

Pelien stood in the doorway and watched Addruran as he walked out to the street. The poor boy was obviously infatuated with Adrama, but Pelien was more than relieved her daughter showed little interest in him. Their relationship was fine when they were children, but now that Adrama was a lady, Pelien saw Addruran as inferior to her daughter. Shaking her head with pity for the young man, she closed the door.

As the latch clicked, Pelien rested her back against the heavy wood and sighed. The Lady had risen early to ensure her plans for the luncheon were in place. Everything was on schedule. Rummel, Pelien’s personal servant, was up before dawn preparing the food, and breakfast had been ready when Pelien had awakened and dressed.

Pelien’s feet padded softly on the hallway floor as she went once more to Adrama’s room. She knocked on the door while opening it and peering into her daughter’s chambers.

“Adrama, you will want to hurry. Some fresh berries and bread are still on the breakfast table for you.” Pelien remained in the doorway. “Your father and I have already eaten, and he left for duty an hour ago.”

“Yes, Mother,” Adrama answered in a tone that reflected her pleasant mood as she gazed out the window with her back to her mother. Without saying another word, Pelien backed out through the door and closed it firmly to let Adrama know she was gone.

The rest of the morning was a blur. Pelien kept an eagle’s eye on Rummel, making sure the woman’s work was perfect, and correcting it if it didn’t suit her. Vern had arrived two hours after first light and remained in the kitchen all morning. Pelien checked in with her every few minutes, and even though she trusted in Vern’s abilities, she was anxious that something might go wrong.

Fortunately, her worries were fruitless, and once everything was in place, Pelien finally entered her sitting room. This was her favorite room in the house. The lighting was soft, almost romantic, and sitting down in a straight-backed chair covered with a rich floral design in red and ivory, she sighed deeply.

The cook came into the room quietly to inform Pelien the food was ready. “Thank you,” Pelien said. “You may take a small break before the Ladies arrive, but do not go far.” With that, she dismissed Vern with a wave of her hand.

When she heard the noon bell ring throughout the city, Pelien heavily rose from the seat and walked slowly up to her room. She had one hour to touch up her appearance. Opening her armoire, she pulled out a simple maroon dress with tan accents and held it up as she faced her reflection. Very nice… she thought. After she quickly changed dresses, she unpinned her hair and pulled it back once more, ensuring every hair was in place. Finally, she was ready, now she had to be sure Adrama was...