"Lord Edgar, would you mind come inside for a bit?" Emmelyn asked Edgar after she got down from the carriage. The coachman swiftly helped take her stuff from inside the carriage and brought them into the castle.
"Yes, Your Highness," said Edgar politely. He got off his horse and followed Emmelyn inside the castle. Roshan and several servants welcomed them with beaming faces.
They had not seen their lady for a while and grew to miss her presence. So, when they saw her come home, the atmosphere in the grey castle started to feel bright and warm again.
"Welcome home, Your Highness," said Roshan with a broad smile. He quickly made a sign and one servant came with a tray filled with a teapot of ginger tea and two cups.
Just smelling the distinct ginger tea wafted in the air, made Emmelyn feel warm on the inside. She loved this. It always reminded her of Wintermere.
"Thank you, Roshan," said Emmelyn with a smile. "Please bring them over there. I will need to talk with Lord Edgar."
She pointed at the chair in the hall and sat there. The servant quickly followed her and put the teapot and two cups on the table next to her chair.
Edgar also sat. He took the chair across from Emmelyn and paid attention to what the princess was about to tell him. He thought Emmelyn didn't usually talk to him in private like this. Maybe there was something urgent that she wanted to say?
"Have you tried our ginger tea, Lord Edgar?" Emmelyn asked. She took one cup and inhaled the aroma. It was so good!
Edgar shook his head. "Not yet, Your Highness, but I think my mother mentioned it once that she tasted ginger tea when she came here for a visit."
"Ah, well then.. please have a try. I hope you will like it," said Emmelyn. She pointed at the other cup and let Edgar tried her homeland's special tea. "It's a typical tea that we drink in Wintermere, especially on cold days. It's really nice and makes us warm without consuming alcohol."
Edgar did what she asked and sipped the tea. Emmelyn was right. His throat and stomach now slowly felt warm. The effect was almost instantaneous. He quite liked it.
"This is really good," he admitted.
"I am so glad you liked it," said Emmelyn. She put down her cup and then took a letter from her bag. "I would like to invite your sisters to have tea with me in the royal palace, four days from now. Do you think they can come?"
"Ahh.. of course, they can," Edgar was all smiles when he took the letter from Emmelyn's hand. "It will be an honor, Your Highness."
"I am happy you think that way," said Emmelyn. "This invitation also comes from the queen. So, your sisters will meet not only me, but also Queen Elara Strongmoor."
"Oh.. that's too much, Your Highness," Edgar quickly bowed down. "My sisters don't deserve such honor."
"Why not? Your mother is the queen's lady-in-waiting, and they have a good relationship. The queen allows me to invite whoever I want, but since it's the royal palace and it's not really my house, I have to invite the queen to have the tea together with your sister," Emmelyn explained. "I hope you don't mind?"
"No.. not at all, Your Highness.." Edgar took a deep breath. "My sisters, Lorene and Lynn will be happy to come."
"I think Mars told me that they are both married with kids. Is that true?" Emmelyn asked again.
"Yes, Your Highness. Lorene married Marquis Vinson, and Lynn married the Duke of Winchester," Edgar replied politely. "They both have young children."
"How lovely," Emmelyn was excited when she heard his response. Then, she thought her husband was right.
It would be nice for Emmelyn to hang out with other young mothers, so she could get used to motherhood, and have people she could share her struggle of being a first-time mom with.
Lily Greenan was too far in Southberry. So, it would be nice to get to know Lorene and Lynn. If they clicked, Emmelyn would have new friends and probably a new support system.
"Then, I will bring this invitation and give it to Lorene and Lynn," said Edgar.
"Yes, please. Also, you can tell them to bring along their children. It will be lovely to meet them together..." said Emmelyn again.
"Noted, Your Highness."
Edgar finished his ginger tea and then took his leave. After the man was gone, Emmelyn took the time to look around their castle and reminisce all the good memories she shared with Mars here together.
People say you don't know what you've got, 'till it's gone. Only after she left the castle for over one month, Emmelyn could really appreciate how nice this castle was.
Yes, it was not as fancy and grand as the royal palace, but every single thing here was important to her and that made them look even more beautiful. She loved the walls, even though they were mostly bare, without paintings or useless decoration.
She remembered her husband's taste was very simple and maybe even bland. He didn't really care about where he spent his night to rest. Emmelyn did. And she had slowly changed a bit of stuff here, and there to make this place more livable and homely.
"Ahh.. home sweet home," she muttered as she rose from her seat and took another cup of ginger tea, and walked around the castle to admire it.
Ahh... she really missed her husband. She wondered where he was and what he was doing now.
She had brought his letters to this castle, so she could spend time in bed reading them again, over and over. Tomorrow, she would invite Mrs. Adler to come here for tea. She would spend all day with Mrs. Adler and talk about Wintermere.
Ah, she also had to let the old witch know that Emmelyn wanted her to help her during labor.