porcelain cheek. "Now's not the time," she said, clearing her throat against the knot.
Briskly, she closed the sack and returned it to the cupboard. Sniffing and blinking against stinging tears, Katerin slipped on her shoes and purposefully made her way to the door.
Sunlight had yet to make its way into the clearing, only the tops of the surrounding trees aglow. That hadn't stopped a good number of the performers from waking, however, and the clearing was abuzz with activity. A handful was around the fire, drinking tea and watching one of the men stirring something in a pot. Others were at their wagons, doing any number of odds and ends chores.
As Katerin made her way to Ilia's wagon, she received several calls of greeting. She smiled and waved in return, heart warmed by the honest welcome. Upon her arrival, she found her handmaiden throwing two balls in the air and concentrating on Gemma who was juggling three.
"Good morning, Ilia."
The blonde, startled, caught one ball but dropped the other as she whirled to curtsey. "Morning, Lady," she murmured, looking at the ground in deference.
Horrified, Katerin rushed forward. "Nay, nay, Ilia!" she said, grabbing the taller woman by the shoulders, forcing the bowed head to look at her. "You mustn't curtsey any longer or we'll never survive the coming weeks." She looked at Gemma, finding hazel eyes watching curiously.
"Of course, Katerin," Ilia responded, chagrined. She almost curtseyed once more but stopped herself. "I'm sorry, Lady!" she exclaimed, blushing.
Pulling the handmaiden into her arms, Katerin held her close. "Nay. You've no need to apologize. I surprised you." Feeling the need to gloss over the incident, she released Ilia and stepped back. "And what are you doing this fine morning?"
"Learning to juggle, though I fear I'm making a mess of things," the blonde said, ducking her head, face tinting.
Gemma shook her head vigorously, giving them a thumbs up signal. She held the three balls she'd been tossing about in one hand with a fair amount of ease as she stooped to pick up the one Ilia dropped. Tossing it to the woman, she again began juggling, nodding at the blonde to resume.
Katerin stepped back. "I believe Gemma thinks you're doing a fine job, Ilia," she soothed. "I'll go see about breakfast while you continue your lesson."
"Aye, lady," the handmaiden responded, already distracted as her eyes concentrated on the clown's movements. Her hands twitched in mirrored reaction before she began tossing her two balls back and forth.
Attention diverted from her, the brunette eased away lest she disturb the lesson once more. Looking about the clearing, she found there was really nowhere else to go but the fire. With a resigned sigh, Katerin approached the central gathering place of the circus, hoping the others would keep Ros distracted and deter further discourteous remarks.
"Good morning, Lady," the owner welcomed in smooth tones.
Perhaps it was only imagined, but Katerin thought she detected a note of mocking humor. Raising her chin in cool defiance, she said, "Good morning, Ros." Smiling at the others, she greeted them with a bit more warmth. That they appeared amused didn't faze her, aside from a slight blush.
The man who'd been stirring the pot waved a wooden spoon at her. "Would you like some breakfast, Katerin?"
"Very much, thank you…" She tried to recall the dark young man's name to no avail. Her eyes reflected her embarrassment as she stammered.
"Amar," he supplied with a chuckle. He scooped porridge into a bowl and handed it to her.
Accepting it, Katerin gave a small curtsey. "Thank you, Amar," she grinned.
"Eat well this morning, Katerin. We've a busy day ahead," Ros interrupted. To the others gathered, she asked, "Who has the midday meal today?"
"T'would be Gemma, if I don't miss my guess," Lucinda announced, looking up from a shirt she was mending.
Calling to the juggling woman, Ros said, "Remember, Gemma. We work today - make the meal light and
Briskly, she closed the sack and returned it to the cupboard. Sniffing and blinking against stinging tears, Katerin slipped on her shoes and purposefully made her way to the door.
Sunlight had yet to make its way into the clearing, only the tops of the surrounding trees aglow. That hadn't stopped a good number of the performers from waking, however, and the clearing was abuzz with activity. A handful was around the fire, drinking tea and watching one of the men stirring something in a pot. Others were at their wagons, doing any number of odds and ends chores.
As Katerin made her way to Ilia's wagon, she received several calls of greeting. She smiled and waved in return, heart warmed by the honest welcome. Upon her arrival, she found her handmaiden throwing two balls in the air and concentrating on Gemma who was juggling three.
"Good morning, Ilia."
The blonde, startled, caught one ball but dropped the other as she whirled to curtsey. "Morning, Lady," she murmured, looking at the ground in deference.
Horrified, Katerin rushed forward. "Nay, nay, Ilia!" she said, grabbing the taller woman by the shoulders, forcing the bowed head to look at her. "You mustn't curtsey any longer or we'll never survive the coming weeks." She looked at Gemma, finding hazel eyes watching curiously.
"Of course, Katerin," Ilia responded, chagrined. She almost curtseyed once more but stopped herself. "I'm sorry, Lady!" she exclaimed, blushing.
Pulling the handmaiden into her arms, Katerin held her close. "Nay. You've no need to apologize. I surprised you." Feeling the need to gloss over the incident, she released Ilia and stepped back. "And what are you doing this fine morning?"
"Learning to juggle, though I fear I'm making a mess of things," the blonde said, ducking her head, face tinting.
Gemma shook her head vigorously, giving them a thumbs up signal. She held the three balls she'd been tossing about in one hand with a fair amount of ease as she stooped to pick up the one Ilia dropped. Tossing it to the woman, she again began juggling, nodding at the blonde to resume.
Katerin stepped back. "I believe Gemma thinks you're doing a fine job, Ilia," she soothed. "I'll go see about breakfast while you continue your lesson."
"Aye, lady," the handmaiden responded, already distracted as her eyes concentrated on the clown's movements. Her hands twitched in mirrored reaction before she began tossing her two balls back and forth.
Attention diverted from her, the brunette eased away lest she disturb the lesson once more. Looking about the clearing, she found there was really nowhere else to go but the fire. With a resigned sigh, Katerin approached the central gathering place of the circus, hoping the others would keep Ros distracted and deter further discourteous remarks.
"Good morning, Lady," the owner welcomed in smooth tones.
Perhaps it was only imagined, but Katerin thought she detected a note of mocking humor. Raising her chin in cool defiance, she said, "Good morning, Ros." Smiling at the others, she greeted them with a bit more warmth. That they appeared amused didn't faze her, aside from a slight blush.
The man who'd been stirring the pot waved a wooden spoon at her. "Would you like some breakfast, Katerin?"
"Very much, thank you…" She tried to recall the dark young man's name to no avail. Her eyes reflected her embarrassment as she stammered.
"Amar," he supplied with a chuckle. He scooped porridge into a bowl and handed it to her.
Accepting it, Katerin gave a small curtsey. "Thank you, Amar," she grinned.
"Eat well this morning, Katerin. We've a busy day ahead," Ros interrupted. To the others gathered, she asked, "Who has the midday meal today?"
"T'would be Gemma, if I don't miss my guess," Lucinda announced, looking up from a shirt she was mending.
Calling to the juggling woman, Ros said, "Remember, Gemma. We work today - make the meal light and
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