Red Roses - (FCRAs 2016 Winner)

A Shot in The Dark

"A servants' ball?" Grey said, lifting his head off his front legs and looking at her as she collected flowers from the Churchville Pasture. She'd gone out in the evening after all her work had been completed for the day and headed into the woods, hoping she didn't run into Leon and have to explain herself to him.

Once at the usual spot, she called to see if any of the wolves from Grey's pack would turn up. Honestly, she hadn't been sure they would since they hadn't met since the fall out the last time they'd gone to the field and she'd first met Roth.

Grey had arrived however, his eyes wary, his ears back until Lorelie smiled at him and asked to return to the pasture.

"What's a servants' ball?" he asked, getting up and coming over to her, sitting back down.

"I assume it's what it sounds like," Lorelie said, "A ball, but hosted for the servants."

Grey snorted and shook his head. "I've never heard of something so ridiculous, what does a servant need with a ball?"

Lorelie looked at him. "I'm sure it's just Beldon's way of showing the servants that he's grateful for their continued work. It can't be easy working in a palace like that."

Grey just shook his head again. "I don't understand it. What do servants wear to a servants' ball? Their uniforms?"

"They have day clothes, Grey, and I'm sure every girl has a nice dress she can polish up for an event like this."

"I don't understand that man."

"Beldon?"

"I don't understand him. He doesn't ever seem to conform to the norms of society."

"That's not always a bad thing."

"Well... I didn't say I was a bad thing," Grey said, lying down beside her. "So who are the flowers for?"

"I just need to restock some supplies, I'm meeting a... ur, patient but I don't know what's wrong with them so I want to have everything."

"Someone outside of the usual villages? Will you have to be away for long?"

"No, I don't think I'll go far."

"Are they coming to you?"

"Perhaps?"

Grey raised an eyebrow at her. "Is it common for them to leave you so uninformed?"

"No," she admitted, "I suppose this is a special case. They helped me out so I'm returning the favour."

"Helped with what? Are you alright?" he asked, quickly sitting up.

"I'm fine," she said, smiling at him.

"Really?"

"Seriously, Grey, I'm fine," she said, before she held out a bunch of flowers to him, making him blink before he took them in his mouth to hold them while she found some sting from her bag. "I assume you know Huntsmen have returned to the area," she said as she looked.

"Mm-hmm," Grey said around the flowers.

"I know one of them actually."

"Mm-hmm."

"He's called Leon; he's grown up so much since I last saw him. I was around eight back then." She laughed slightly as she unearthed the string, "I always took quite a shine to him when I was little and he's grown up very wel—"

Grey spat the flowers out in a rain of petals. "Eh?" he said, staring at her.

"Grey!" Lorelie snapped, wiping the flowers off her face, "you messed them all up!"