Chapter 5.
The scent of fresh flowers pervaded the room, as it combined with a more exotic fragrance of various chemicals and tinctures. Two delicate but deft hands worked with those same chemicals, mixing them in ways that very few people understood, even among mages.
With a sigh of satisfaction, Fiona lifted the strangely shaped bottle and brought it to her face. She eyed the blue fluid for a moment and then took a whiff, her face stretching into a smile of victory.
"Perfect!" she said, setting the bottle back on the table. It was a fine day's work. She removed her white apron, revealing her customary elegant clothing. Setting the apron on the hanger, she walked to the open window and took a big breath of the pleasant afternoon air. The nature around Countess Silvana's estate was truly beautiful and Fiona was about to go for her afternoon walk. But the sound of knocking at her room door brought her out of her reverie.
"Enter!"
A pretty, young maid entered the room, curtsying to Fiona.
"Mistress asks if you could join her in the salon."
"I'll be there in a minute," Fiona replied, sighing dramatically when the maid left. So much for her afternoon walk.
A couple of minutes later, Fiona entered the salon and saw the Countess fiddle with some papers.
"Silvana."
"Fiona, my dear!" Countess Silvana replied, embracing Fiona and kissing her cheek. "I missed you at lunch. You are constantly busy with your potions."
"I am sorry," Fiona replied with an apologetic smile. "When I get immersed into my work, I lose all track of time..."
"Sit, please," the Countess said, motioning to the table. "So... this has just arrived for you," she said with a knowing look. Fiona took the letter from her hands and turned it over.
"This is the seal of the king!" Fiona said, surprised.
"Indeed. I thought you should read it as soon as possible."
Fiona squeezed Countess' hand gratefully and then broke the seal. She had become quite close with the Countess and she didn't want to keep the content of the letter from her, even if it was from the king himself. Countess Silvana smiled at her affectionately, recognizing the gesture.
As she was reading the letter, Fiona was becoming increasingly baffled. She had expected an official summons of a sort, but it turned out to be something quite different. The king was kindly asking her to come to the royal court at her soonest convenience, over a private matter.
"This is strange..." Fiona said after reading the letter once again. "The king isn't requesting my presence; he is kindly asking me to come to the court..."
"Well, even if he is just asking nicely, one does not ignore an invitation from the king," Countess Silvana said after a moment.
"Indeed... and I will of course heed his call..."
"Do you want a horse or a carriage prepared for tomorrow morning? I assume you will be departing to Highfort as soon as possible."
"A carriage, I think... I don't know what this is about, so I better take all of my luggage with me."
"Anything you need, my dear."
Fiona smiled gratefully. The Countess had been good to her. Ever since Fiona had gifted her that potion of desire years ago, their relationship had soared to new heights. She smiled thinking of the 'special ingredient' that potion required.
"Where are you now, Apprentice..."
Fiona thought with a pang of loss, which she quickly covered with a smile.
"I suppose you want to start packing, then. I am still expecting you at dinner," The Countess said.
"Of course."
Fiona went to her 'research room', a spacious chamber that the Countess had put at her disposal for the potion-making. She had a lot of packing to do.
"Silvana will likely invite me to one of her 'private nights' as she calls them..."
The Countess had indeed invited her several times, but Fiona would always find some excuse. She didn't have the enthusiasm to attend those mini-orgies. Her sexual desire was still quite strong but she satisfied it with an occasional young maid or servant who would sometimes spend the night learning how to pleasure a sophisticated sorceress...
And all of the young maids and servants had had the opportunity to learn it in the many months Fiona had spent on the Countess' estate. In the wake of Magnus leaving, she had had trouble finding her balance, so when the invitation from the Countess had come, she had accepted it without hesitation. She had needed peace and quiet and she had found it on the Countess' beautiful estate, immersing herself in work with an almost fanatical dedication. But same as everything else in life, the period of peace and quiet was coming to an end...
***
Fiona walked into King's spacious private library, her eyes darting everywhere in search of some exotic books. It was strange, to put it mildly, that King Tristan decided to receive her here in his private library rather than in his audience room. It only reinforced her conviction that the reason for her invitation was some delicate, private matter.
"Ah, Lady Fiona! I am truly thankful that you decided to come on such short notice," the king said, entering the room.
"I am glad to be of service, Your Highness," Fiona said, bowing.
"Let's drop the formalities, Lady Fiona, please," the king said, waving his hand dismissively and smiling at her. "I have asked you to come here as a friend of the royal court."
"I am thankful that you see me as one."
"You have earned it twice over... Anyway, I am not one to beat around the bush, so I'll just go straight to the heart of the matter."
"I am listening," Fiona said, taking a seat across from the king. It felt unusual to be in such a private setting with the king.
"I feel like I am the king's mistress..."
Fiona thought, smiling inwardly.
"You remember my daughter, Princess Vivien?"
"Of course," Fiona said innocently.
"I remember her tongue most of all..."
