In Which Hilla Needs Another Name

May 11, 1175

"I'm sure she'll bring home a man."

It was the one consistent belief Rona seemed to hold in regards to Riona's disappearance. Hilla wasn't quite convinced of this, but she let it be; if this was how her friend was coping, then why should she ruin that for her? Not that that was a very practical belief. Then again, when had she ever been practical? And when oh when oh when had Riona ever been practical? "Oh... well, you never know."

"But even if she doesn't, I hope she comes back soon." A wide pout formed on Rona's mouth. Hilla sometimes suspected that the girl practiced in front of a mirror at night, but she had to admit it gave an impressive effect. "Her sitting room is my favorite place to chat."

As if that was the reason. No, Rona just missed their friend, just like Hilla herself did--but it wasn't like she needed reminding of that. "Aww, honey, you don't miss Riona's sitting room; you miss going over to her castle so you can flirt with her brothers."

The usual dreamy look returned to Rona's eyes and Hilla allowed herself an inward sigh. Surely any mention of Riona's brothers could cheer up Rona--she was even grinning. "And I bet you miss going to her castle so you can flirt with her father."

Now Rona was really beginning to sound like herself--a romantic second and a tease first. "Well, can you blame me?"

The younger girl giggled. "But he's so old! He's--I don't know, at least forty!"

"Well, he doesn't look it!" Wary of her friend's raised brow, Hilla turned instead to Rona's maid. "Aspen, help me out here."

"Hmm?" As if only just reminded of her own presence, Aspen jerked her gaze from the empty hearth and returned to her charge of keeping an eye on Rona's niece and nephew. "Lord Severin? Err... I guess?"

Well, if she counted 'hmm' and 'err', then that was four more words than Hilla could usually get out of Rona's maid. Still, some help. If her stepfather ever got her a maid of her own, she'd have to make sure it was a girl of a more talkative variety. How did a dreamy, excitable young lady like Rona not tire of such a stiff, awkward companion? But oh well. Against all odds, Rona actually seemed to like Aspen--and she only had to gesture toward the empty couch cushion beside her to remind Hilla of the fact. "Aspen, dear, please sit with me."

Having been born a peasant and only elevated by her mother's marriage to Sir Tarien, there were many things Hilla had yet to learn about the help, but she didn't think it was customary for maids to sit and chat with their ladies in the presence of company. Nevertheless, Aspen turned away from the babies and shuffled toward Rona's couch, her linen skirts swishing against the floorboards. "As you wish, my lady."

"And none of this 'my lady' nonsense." Rona greeted her maid to the couch with a playful nudge; Aspen's response was little more than a small, tentative smile, but Hilla got the sense that it was more than most people could pull from her. "You know my name."

"Yes, my--uh, Rona."

Satisfied, Rona beamed, then turned back to Hilla, leaving Aspen a chance to look back at the floor beneath their feet. "But really, even if you think her father's the one that's to die for, you must admit her brothers are quite charming--Lonriad especially."

"Yes, but it hardly takes a genius to figure out he's dead gone on Asalaye." Maybe she shouldn't have said it. Hilla's own social standing offered her a wide variety of potential husbands, but young Lonriad was the most coveted of the few remaining bachelors of a suitable age and class for Rona--or at least, if she wanted to stay in Naroni, which Hilla knew for a fact that she desperately did.

But maybe that knowing smirk meant that it wasn't such a horrible transgression? "True. Well, at least that would get her away from your brother and out of your hair, right?"

"Exactly." Hilla tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and glanced toward the ceiling. Oh, how she wished Riona were here; Riona put her foot in her mouth so often that Hilla never found the chance to do so. "But yes, Lonriad is pretty handsome--even though I do still say his father has him beat."

"Good luck getting past Lady Leonora, then." Her eyes rolling to the back of her head, Rona's pout returned. "But really, you're lucky, Hilla. You can have your pick of the men. Lorn won't let me marry anyone lower than a knight. He's already thinking about finding someone for me in Dovia."

She could have seen this coming. They got on this subject every time they talked about boys, even though Rona hated to discuss it. Hilla didn't want to hear about it either. One of her best friends was already gone; she didn't want to lose the other too.

But for now, at least, Rona was still here--and while she was here, Hilla could still reassure her. "Aww, honey, I'm sure any man your brother could find would take one look at you and move his whole life out here if that's what you wanted."

Aspen's apple eyes flickered toward her lady. Meanwhile, Rona sniffed. "I appreciate the sentiment, but you needn't lie to me."

"I'm not lying." She wasn't. The only reason Rona hadn't a man was simply than there weren't many men to have had--and if Aspen's somber look was anything to go by, she knew it too. It was nice to have finally found some common ground there. "You know what? I bet Riona brings back a man for herself--and he brings along a man for you."

That could have been a lie for all she knew, but nonetheless it seemed to give Rona a little bit of hope on two counts. Surely that smile couldn't have come from some horrid sin? Maybe such lies needed a name other than lies. "And a tall, dark, handsome one at that!"

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