In Which Mona Plays at That Game

July 11, 1180

It was Mona's birthday, or it would have been had she still officially been Princess Ramona of Naroni. Or perhaps not, as Princess Ramona of Naroni was now officially Queen Ramona of Carvallon.

The only one who had acknowledged this was--of course--Anna, who had presented her with a nice new dress and a basket of pastries from the kitchens, no doubt assumed to have been ordered on account of her own cravings. Likewise, Mona had planned on giving Anna her birthday presents on Anna's actual birthday, which wasn't until October... but a few of the other staff had given gifts, prompting a feeling that if she wanted to avoid suspicion, she ought to do the same.

So here she was, at the market, browsing fabrics for all it appeared there were no finished articles to be purchased and never mind the fact that a queen would have her things custom made anyway. But what else could she find at the market that Anna could possibly have any use for? As if it was good form to present a queen with a link of sausages or a chunk of smelly cheese.

Perhaps she would be better off taking the route everyone else had taken and getting something for the baby, but she wanted Anna to have at least one present that was just hers; it wasn't the baby's birthday, after all, and wouldn't be for a while seeing as Anna wasn't even showing yet. Besides, why did so many people seem to assume that once a women became a mother, she could only be a mother? A mother could be her own woman too!

And if she couldn't... well, then Mona, for one, had no desire to become a mother. And it would be cruel to bring into the world any daughter who did.

The lady manning both the fabrics and the nearby pottery met Mona's eye, a greedy glint of anticipation in her gaze. "Found anything you like, honey?"

"No." Visibly annoyed, the woman sniffed and turned away, no doubt hoping that whoever was looking at the pottery had lower standards. "I see you like that pitcher. You have a good eye, sir."

"Hmm. Well, I don't see anything wrong with it." Mona's ear twitched. It was a voice she hadn't heard in a while. "It doesn't strike me as anything special, though. Do you at least have something similar in a more interesting color?"

"Certainly. There's a nice--"

"Zareth!" Mona pulled away from the fabrics and approached, not sure if she was happy to see him or annoyed that it had been so long since the last time.

He didn't look particularly happy to see her. "I didn't know you shopped here."

"Unfortunately, there isn't much in store in terms of other choices around here." Insulted yet again, the vender left them alone to take stock of her items--not that she had anything worth checking on. "What could you possibly be looking for anyway? A birthday gift for the queen?"

"Of course not. Like anyone with an ounce of sense, I bought her a gift a month ago." A hint of a smirk on his mouth, he glanced between her and the fabrics she been browsing moments before. "That said, I take it that's why you're here?"

Mona flinched. Was he trying to push her away? Not that he was poised to win any medals for friendliness, but he'd never gone out of his way to be an ass, at least not as far as she knew. Besides--how dare he make such an assumption when he knew who she really was! "What? No! Of course I bought her a present ages ago. It just so happens that someone else I know has a birthday coming up."

Zareth raised an eyebrow. "Who else do you even know in this country?"

Hmph. Alienating her further.

Well, two could play at that game. "My sweetheart."

Success! A twitch in his cheek. "Since when do you have a sweetheart?"

"Since we last spoke, apparently." She supposed she could have been having fun with this. Regardless, it was difficult not to be bitter. "Things are getting quite serious, though. I expect he may propose soon."

Zareth chuckled. "Poor misguided bastard."

Mona tugged at her skirts in an attempt to occupy her fist. She wondered what sort of trouble the queen's maid could get into for punching a knight. "Well, if you already have something for the queen, what are you doing here? Expanding your pottery collection?"

"No. It just so happens that my sweetheart has a birthday coming up too."

...eh? "Since when do you have a sweetheart?"

He shrugged. "Since we last spoke, apparently."

Mona scuffed her shoe against the dusty earth. No doubt he was doing the same thing she was. Only she'd thought of it first. "I take it she's horrid."

"No, she's lovely." But he left it at that--too lazy to think up any details, no doubt. "Too lovely for anything I can find here, I'm sure. But I'm sure it'll be easier to shop for your man, so I suppose I'll just bid you a good day and leave you to your business."

Mona sniffed. "You don't have to make a show of it."

"So I won't." Stiff, yet perhaps a little too casual, he took her hand and planted a kiss upon it. "Happy birthday, by the way."

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