Lenore tries to gather and dry as many flowers as she can before winter truly starts. She asks the servants for cloth, then carefully creates embroidered sachets that each have their own pattern and a colorful ribbon to match. While she hopes to make enough to give one to everybody who works on the estate and one to Alaric, she's not sure that there will be enough petals. Maybe if she only puts a few in each sachet, it'll be okay. After all, it's not as if she's trying to make scented pouches. She just wants everybody to be able to hold onto a small reminder of nature during the cold months of winter.
Well, she hopes that when spring returns, she can start working on the gardens earlier and give them the time to truly bloom. Although, that might be difficult. She knows the basics of the curse on this land, so it's possible that the flowers that managed to bloom are the extent of what can grow on the estate. It's strange, though, because she was told that the gardeners were only hired after the first rosebush started blooming. In that case, it would be an unusual event.
Well, that's okay. Nothing about her life has been exactly normal from the day her uncle took her away from her family.
When Lenore finishes the first sachet and places a handful of dried rose petals inside, she carefully ties it closed with a dark gray ribbon. This one will go to Alaric. The color choice makes her smile, as it reminds her of him and his personality that feels like an eternally cloudy day. She hasn't seen much of him lately, but he makes an effort to eat dinner with her each day. Corwin apologizes on Alaric's behalf when he passes her in the halls, saying that the duke has been busy with an investigation and preparations for winter and the emperor's birthday banquet—even if preparations for the latter are at the point of waiting for various orders to be filled and commands to be followed.
Of course, Lenore understands that running an entire duchy can't be an easy task, even with the help of vassals overseeing the matters of smaller areas. Alaric looks more exhausted than ever, but she's noticed a new glint in his eyes. While she wouldn't say that she knows Alaric all that well, she can definitely say that his eyes look more alive than when she first saw him. At that time, he looked like a man trapped in a daze and simply going through the motions of life instead of living.
And so, she holds the sachet meant for him in the palms of her hands, cradling it like it's more precious than a cloth pouch with some dried flowers inside of it. In a way, it is more precious because it offers her an excuse to step into Alaric's study when she gives it to him.
She's curious about what he's working on, but she won't pry. Alaric treats her better than he has to, especially when he was forced to take her as his bride and she's merely the daughter of a viscount, not the Duke of Rowanhart. For that, she's grateful.
Lenore just wishes that she could do more to help ease the burdens of his daily life. Perhaps this little sachet will bring a moment of joy to Alaric. That would be enough for her.
But when she wants to deliver it to him, Corwin tells her that the clothes from Madam Nelle have arrived and were organized for her convenience in her dressing room, suggesting that she take a look and let him know if she's satisfied or finds that she's missing something she needs.
Lenore follows Corwin to the dressing room, which is across from her bedroom. While she noticed that more servants had been moving in and out of that room rather frequently, she didn't think it was because they were filling it with her clothing.
When she was told that Madam Nelle was making a wardrobe for her, she didn't think that it would be so big that it required its own room.
Walking inside feels surreal. There are shelves on the walls that are filled with accessories and ordered by type. Hats sit on the highest shelves, followed by accessories, gloves, and then shoes at the bottom. On racks, Lenore finds more dresses hanging than she could ever hope to wear in her lifetime. It only takes a glance for her to know that they, too, have been meticulously organized by season, then purpose. "This is all mine?"
"Of course," Corwin says.
He excuses himself shortly after, and Lenore's personal maids rush into the room, barely able to conceal their excitement.
"My lady, you should try on one of your new dresses." Lily is already picking through options. "It's going to be so fun helping you dress up."
Lenore is ushered behind the folding partition and sits down on a plush stool as her maids argue over which outfit she should wear first.
"I want something simple," she says. "It's already almost evening. It would be a waste to dress up when the day will be over soon."
Her words dampen their spirits, but the fact that she's giving them permission at all keeps them happy.
Eva moves to stand next to her as the younger maids continue exploring options. "Is there anything that catches your eye, my lady?"
Lenore almost laughs. "Everything does. There's so much here that it all blurs together."
"It should be easier once you have time to take a closer look at each piece." Eva puts her hand on Lenore's shoulder and gives it a gentle squeeze. "There's no need to rush."
Eva's words give Lenore some comfort. Even though the situation is unfamiliar, that doesn't mean it's uncomfortable.
With that, they wait together in silence until a dress is chosen. As Lenore requested, it has minimal decorations on it, but the fabric is undoubtedly high quality, making it elegant without effort. She stands up and lets them dress her, then waits some more as they braid her hair into a simple style that they can add one of her new hairpins to.
At the end of the process, she stands in front of one of many large mirrors in the room. She likes the dress well enough. It's comfortable and fits her perfectly, which is more than she can say for the majority of the clothes she's worn in the past. However, only one thought crosses her mind.
Will Alaric like it?