The door to the clock shop opened behind Gella. Her father, a salt and pepper haired man, came to join us.
"Gella, my sweet, I would have thought that your tasks out here would have already been completed. Do not make me regret giving you the morning off." His tone verged on the edge of frustration but I could not fully understand why.
Most of the city attended the tournament. Surely he had not missed out on income because of her absence.
"Forgive me, Papa. I was just finishing up when Holden came by," Gella stopped herself cutting her eyes between her father and me.
"Forgive Gella's familiarity, Lord Holden. I should have known when you both were little that someday you would end up with a title. Maybe Gella should have called you that from the start." The man laughed a humorless laugh.
"There is no problem in her calling me Holden. It is my name. One I would gladly answer to from anyone." I smiled, trying not to let Gella backtrack on the progress I feel we just made moments before.
"Your mother needs your help inside." The man's words were not to me and Gella only gave a slight nod of her head by means of goodbye before turning toward the shop.
I began to turn on my heel, somehow feeling like I had been dismissed as well. I certainly did not want to continue a conversation where I felt I was in trouble.
"Lord Holden, a moment of your time if you will?" Gella's father politely grazed my elbow to catch my attention before retracting it as if I were a boiling kettle he inadvertently touched.
"Yes?" I conceded talking to the man. My stomach sank as it does when my presence is required at court. Maybe I should have not shirked my babysitting responsibilities today.
"It has come to my attention that my daughter was seen calling upon you at court during Lord Carrion's Swordsman ceremony. I know my daughter has lofty ideas of her own status, but just know that it is not encouraged in our household." The man said bluntly.
"I am sorry? I do not quite catch your meaning." I tried to understand. After I withstood a moment of a knowing glance from the man, I continued. "Mister Eumund, I am not sure what is not encouraged in your household."
"Oh. Maybe I missed my mark." Eumund waved his hand in front of himself as if to dismiss the topic. "I do apologize. I also apologize for my daughter's forward nature. It was improper for her to call upon a Swordsman during a ceremony."
"I enjoyed seeing Gella there. I do think she might have been a bit startled by meeting Princess Alina, but I think she enjoyed herself in the end." I tried to make my tone sound casual, even if I wanted nothing more than an afternoon of solitude.
"Gella met the princess?" Eumund's mortification made the wrinkles in his forehead deepen.
"Did she not tell you?" I asked, unsure of how to proceed.
"She did not." His frown deepened.
"Perhaps she was put out of sorts by my mother mistaking her for my escort to the event. Gella did seem to leave quite hastily after my mother brought Sir Gavin and Sir Balor to greet me. Court functions can be overwhelming." I tried to explain my own thoughts on the matter.
"Did she meet every ranking official in the country?" Eumund exclaimed before putting his hand up to stop my answer. This man spoke more with his hands than the meaning of his words.
"I suppose she just got to see the people she sees at Petitioner's Court a little more up close and personal. My mother always adores the court. I hope Gella does too, for her sake." I stopped myself from adding that she better enjoy it if he is sending her to hear commerce reports.
Eumund stared at me in disbelief. "I understand that your mother thought being the wife of a clockmaker was beneath her, but not all young ladies have such fanciful ideas cultivated at home."
I stood there dumbstruck. He thought my mother was a simple social climber and at the thought of it my blood began to boil.
"I know you are too honorable to pursue a woman without her family's blessing, so I am sure the rumors circulating about the two of you are completely unfounded. Marrying a Swordsman is an appanage reserved for noblewomen. I will keep my daughter's feet on the ground instead of in the clouds." He smirked at his own idiom.
"I would prefer you not." I responded without thinking of my words. "If your daughter's head is in the clouds, let her dream her dreams. Titles, ranks and duty simply give the people of this country a different view in court. It does not limit their freedom or their chance to petition."
My voice crescendoed before I realized I might be drawing more attention to this conversation than was proper. Eumund looked mortified.
"Long live the Queen and her royal decrees!" Gella's father rolled off the familiar greeting from when I was a tot. "Ensis is truly blessed by a ruler who listens to petitions. Petitions, however, are one thing. Guidance is another. Gella is a commoner and she needs to help her family."
"My mother is the backbone of our family. By your measure, she did not help anyone by marrying above her station." I punctuated my words barely above a whisper. I would not dishonor my family with such filth being said any louder.
"I meant no disrespect to Lady Evalyn. I just believe that her case is more fairy tale than reality for most commoners." Eumund tried to backtrack.
I am sure that being a young widow with a small child is the epitome of a fairy tale. For once my sarcastic nature quipped to only to myself instead of out of my mouth.
"I wish Gella the happiest of marriages to whoever she desires. Good day, sir!" I ended the conversation before I said anything more I would regret.
Stepping over the pile of favors at the bottom of the stairs, I rushed into Benate's home without so much as a look backward.