Before they had reached the top, the doors opened and out came a man dressed rather casually for his surroundings, but still looking quite respectable.  When they reached the veranda, the man addressed them.  “Good morning, ladies.  What may we do for you today?”

“Hello, Bowen,” Haru smiled.  “I would like to introduce you to Laveda.  She is a friend of sorts to Anne, and is in need of some schooling.  I have brought her to meet with Ms. Godwin.”

“A friend of Philana-Narie,” the gentleman whispered.  “Haru, have you spoken with her?”

Seeing the worried look on the slightly older man’s face, Haru began to feel she should not have brought up Anne’s name at all.  “No, I haven’t.  However, I know she would like to see any friend of hers watched over, and that is what I am here to do.”

“Yes of course,” Bowen dryly replied before turning to Laveda.  “Miss, my name is Bowen, and I am the overseer of the manor.  Please do excuse my attire, but during the off months I feel free to dress as I like.” He motioned to his slacks, untucked dress shirt, and comfy looking cardigan. “I do hope Ms. Godwin will be able to help you and would like to extend to you a great welcome.  Now, if the two of you would follow me, I shall show you to the gardens, where I believe, Ms. Godwin can be found.”  With that being said, he ushered them through a lovely foyer, and led them down several corridors with high ceilings, blush marble floors, and walls covered in a golden fabric which seemed to sparkle.

A few moments later, they were in a beautiful hall which Haru informed Laveda was often used for balls.  At the back of the hall were several large glass doors leading to a terrace which was bordered by an array of sweet smelling trees and blossoms.

Bowen held the door open for the ladies.  “You should be able to find Ms. Godwin beneath the styrax.  I must return to my duties.  The senate will be meeting soon to arrange ideas they will present to the royal family in two weeks, and the butler is sick, as well as a few of the maids.”  He chuckled.  “There is always something to keep me occupied these days.  Enjoy your stay and if you need anything,” he glanced at Haru, “you know how to find me.”  Then with the bow of his head, he was gone.

Laveda glanced up at her guide, and to her astonishment Haru seemed to be looking longingly after Bowen.  She couldn’t imagine why that would be; the man had to be at least a good ten or more years older than the florist.  Thinking then that she must have imagined the entire scene, she cleared her throat.  “Um, Haru, what exactly is a styrax?”

Haru had nearly forgotten why she had come to the manor in the first place as she watched Bowen move out of site.  Laveda’s voice startled her back to the present.  “Oh, um, styrax.  Yes.  Um, the styrax is the natural name of the Snowbell.  It is a lovely tree with fragrant white bell-shaped blooms.”  Then moving her hands down the skirt of her dress, she began to move onto the terrace.

Upon walking out, Laveda noticed it was not completely covered in stones; they became sparse as one ventured farther out.  Soon one could find themselves standing on earth and their slippers surrounded by lovely little pink and purple blossoms.  Laveda wasn’t sure how they could have accomplished such a charge in the air.  Sure she had seen lovely terraces before, but they merely seemed a prettier version of her dilapidated balcony.  This, on the other hand, was an extraordinary floating wonderland of scents, sounds and beauty.  She imagined herself lying among the blooms, blanketed by leaves and with a soft bundle of moss on which to lay her head.   This was a marvelous place.

“I don’t see her, do you?” Haru’s question was like cold water upon the head of the resting, and Laveda was quite annoyed to have been awakened from her sand-less dreams.

“How’m I te know if I’ve seen her or not!”  Just then, it was as if the autumn rose from the farthest corner of the terrace.  Frightened by the sudden movement, Laveda took a step back.

“Moira,” Haru questioned as she moved toward the fire amongst the green.

“Haru, I was sure it was your voice I heard.”  Slowly the figure came forward, and to Laveda’s astonishment the flame she had seen was merely a woman; an amazingly gorgeous lady, but a woman none the less.  As she took Haru in her arms and spoke in a musical sort of way, Laveda became more and more entranced by her presence.

“Moira, I know I should visit more often, so I am very sorry to tell you I have not come on a social occasion.”  Haru then explained to her dear friend the reason for her visit, and Ms. Godwin listened intently; nodding politely ever so often to let Haru know she was indeed still paying attention.

Laveda, on the other hand, never took her eyes off the lady who had come to join them.  Never before had she seen anyone quite so striking.  Ms. Godwin, though of average height, was the very essence of the falling season.  She had fire in her hair, and roses upon her cheeks.  Her facial features were small and could be compared to the pretty features of a child.  In fact, one might think she was rather young if it were not for her eyes.  Her eyes… Laveda stared.  They were like, like so many things all together.  She couldn’t decide whether they matched the sea after a storm or the sky during a storm.  Then, again, though the colour seemed cloudy, her eyes were clear, and Laveda began to think the sage of Haru’s dress, though darker than the eyes, would complement them wonderfully.

“Do you think you could find some time to donate to the girl,” Haru questioned under her breath.

Moira smiled at her old school mate and moved around her to meet the young waif she would take as her new student.  “Hello, Laveda, my name is Moira Godwin,” she bowed her head slightly before returning her glaze to Laveda’s.  Her voice was soft and sweet, and instead of piercing the air as a pointed jab, it rose and fell like a leaf on a breeze.  “I am primarily the etiquette teacher at this institution; however, I am sure Anne would have me teach you to read, speak, and write properly as well as a few things that are not normally taught to young ladies,” she smiled inwardly.

“Like what sort of things,” Laveda asked suspiciously.  She had to admit, though everyone seemed quite fond of this Philana-Narie, she wasn’t too sure of her character.  To Laveda, anyone who would leave such a wonderful family and home for the uncertainty of the greater world had to be mad.

Seeing that Laveda was a little upset, Moira chose her words carefully.  “Miss Laveda, Philana-Narie was the most extraordinary student I have ever had the pleasure of teaching.  She is brilliant, fun, witty; quite full of life.  Though I am assuming she would like me to teach you the basic knowledge any young lady of her stature should possess, that is not the information for which she often pressed me.”  Smiling to Laveda she continued, “Philana-Narie, Anne, could have sent you to any of her teachers for you to learn the basics, but she did not.  She sent you to Haru and me.  And I can only suppose the reason for this was for me to teach you everything I taught her.”

When the music of Moira’s voice stopped, Haru smiled, nodded and began to say her goodbyes.

Moira hugged her taller friend. “Do come again soon.  It would be good for my heart… and for Bowen’s.”

“He is not to be had, Moira, so please, do not torment me.” Haru hugged tighter. “When I come again, it will be to see you and you alone.” With as sad little smile, she then left the two other ladies to discuss a plan for Laveda’s tutelage.

There was a thunderous amount of clapping and whistling as Anne helped her opponent from the ground.  Never before had she been able to beat anyone aboard the ship.  Embarrassed by her weaknesses; as well as her shipmates’ behavior when they were at port, Anne had been driven to spend all her spare time practicing.  Noticing that most of the crew had been watching her bout with Bêrk, and had seen her triumph, she knew her hard work had paid off.

“Well, mate, you’ve certainly come about.  Never thought I would see the day you’d beat me; not that I’m the best there is, mind you.”

Placing her sword back in its sheath, Anne chuckled.  “Well, I’m sure three months of nothing else but work and sword play was bound to make me a little better than I was before.”

“A little better!  I swear, for a moment there, I really thought you were going to run me through!”  Clapping Anne roughly on the back, Bêrk laughed, “A little better.  If you keep going about things the way you always do, I’m sure you will soon be able to take on Dyson.”

“I’m not too sure about that, my friend, but if you continue to believe, then perhaps, one day, I will believe it too.”  The two men were ambling up the deck toward the galley when they noticed Captain Doran approaching.  He had caught wind of Andrew’s victory and wanted to give his congratulations, but when he noticed Andrew tense, he felt the need to also clear the air between them.

“Andrew, I would like to speak with you for a moment.”

Anne looked to Bêrk.  She hadn’t spoken privately with the captain since he had embarrassed her in Île-de-L’est two weeks after they had left her home port.  She would never forget and, perhaps, never fully forgive him for what he had done.

“Oh, um, well, Captain, I was just on my way to the galley.  Bêrk and I need to get the grub started.  Don’t want to keep the men waiting, ay?” With that being said she smiled at Bêrk and tried to urge him to continue moving toward the galley.

“I’m sorry, Andrew,” Doran placed a firm hand on her right shoulder, “I really must insist.”

There was no way out.  Anne had to do exactly as Doran commanded, and she hated it.  She left home so she could do whatever she wished to do, not to be under someone else’s control.  Nodding once to Doran, she acquiesced and followed him to his cabin.

Anne entered the very masculine room belonging to her captain when he held the door open for her.  Her demeanor was rigid and she dared not breathe.  Though she could not imagine what he would like to say to her, she knew she needed to be prepared for the worst.

The door behind her closed and then… locked.

The sound pierced through Anne’s reserve and the visions of the bar she had visited with Doran filled her mind.  She closed her eyes to the revolting images as they replayed themselves in her mind.  Then as she felt the captain move from the door behind her, she gave herself a mental shake, pursed her lips, and opened her eyes.

Doran assessed Andrew’s disposition.  He knew the young man had not been the same since they’d departed Île-de-L’est over two months ago.  He also knew it probably had something to do with their little visit to La Belle É’toile.  However, the details were a complete mystery; a puzzle, and one he was going to piece together right now.  “Andrew, why don’t you have a seat?”

Anne looked to the seat to which the captain was referring, and then returned her gaze to his before declining.  “I would much rather stand, sir.”

“Very well.  Do you mind if I sit then?”  Anne merely raised her left brow and slightly tilted her head.

“No?  Good,” Doran lowered himself into the seat on the other side of the table across from where she stood before sweeping his feet from the floor and placing them upon the wood’s surface.  His hands were interlaced and resting on his chest.

“Now, Andrew, why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind.”

“I’m sorry, Captain?”

“Don’t look so confused.  I’m not so thick as not to notice there has been a cloud over you since Île-de-L’est.”

Anne wasn’t sure what to say.  She did not wish to discuss the situation, nor did she want to seem as though she were hiding something.  “I apologize, sir, if this cloud; as you so call it, has in any way affected my work.”

“Ah, Andrew, I never took you for a dancer,” Doran swiftly, yet gracefully stood and turned to the tray on his desk.  “Tea?”