@stllalive --- The late evening antics were the same as they usually were. The servants scurried to finish their chores before they could settle down for their own time, and that was when Cedric knew he could indulge in one of his favorite secret pastimes - eavesdropping. The maids had always been rambunctious with their gossiping. To overhear their scandals had been a weekly delight for him since he had begun working at the castle, and even in his older age he couldn’t help but feel a childish sense of amusement over their stories. Perched leaning against the frame of the rafters like a bird scouting it’s prey, he would remain utterly silent as the women scurried below in an attempt to finish the last bout of laundry for the day. Tales of who was romancing who, who had left the castle, what the ladies thought of visitors and commentary on the antics of the royals were passed around with joyous giggles. Typical nonsense. He had hoped for something more amusing than uneducated commentary. It wasn’t until Amber’s handmaiden finally returned to the servant’s quarters that things turned interesting. The woman that personally attended to the princess of gossip always tended to have the juicier stories; she who worked with one who spent her day listening to gossip of a higher caliber tended to pass it down to those of her status. The ear-piercing squeals of the ladies after the mention of a man seemed to indicate that his advice seemed to have been working, but alas there was simply too much noise for him to make out any sort of detail. Sadly, the most interesting of their conversations tended to be masked by their excitement, and he’d remain out of the loop until the conversations trickled back another day. He was content, however, knowing that things seemed to be going well, and that he’d be getting a visitation in due time in which he’d be able to bask in his glory once more. It wasn’t until he heard his own name be mentioned that he realized that perhaps the sudden commotion wasn’t about Desmond. There was questioning as to who it could be, and disbelief of various kinds being flung between several of the maids who had stopped their tasks to join in the banter. And he knew that there was a problem when the insults came, the disbelief that anybody could ever display any sort of affection towards somebody like him. While normally he would be amused by their detestment, their words were agonizing given the context.
... His trust in the eldest Princess has been misplaced. It was obvious now; she had told her handmaiden what had transpired in his chambers not too long prior. His secret had become a rumor, and in due time it would spread to those who couldn’t know. Those who would actually try to pry the truth, or worse - heckle him and spread it beyond the castle. His stomach churned and he could bear to hear no more of the tomfoolery. With a hiss under his breath, Cedric would waggle his wand to allow himself a teleportation spell back down to the hallway, and with heavy gait he would barge his way back to his workshop to contemplate if any action could be taken to quiet what could easily become scandal to the others, and what could be done about Amber’s treason.
