Decorations

Investigation was hard when you were distracted.

Though Jason could normally work for hours without weariness, he found his mind wandering quite a bit on this eve. Perhaps it was the stress of the upcoming ball. Perhaps he was worried about the influx of furniture orders.

Perhaps it was the woman inhabiting his wife's body.

Lydia was more intriguing than anyone he had ever met. Not only did she disregard all social standards, but she also somehow managed it with a contagious confidence. She always exceeded his expectations, be it from her bold actions or her eccentric choice of words.

Rising up from his chair, Jason went to check on her. Yes, that was it. He could not finish his investigation if he was worried about her. Yes, he was merely worried about her.

That had to be it.

Perhaps he should take her out riding again. They had not gotten to use Daffodil before, having gotten distracted with other things. Perhaps Lydia would like to learn more about the constellations. He should refresh himself on that, just in case he forgot anything.

The sight of Lydia pulled him out of his thoughts. It was always so fascinating to see how a different person could make the same body look so foreign. Preferring her left foot as Lydia always seemed to, she had tied Lorelei's strawberry blond hair into a simple bun, not unlike the one Jason wore while he worked. While he knew that he was looking at Lorelei's body, the lax stance made it clear that Lydia was not Lorelei. How could he have ever believed otherwise?

"What are you up to?" Jason asked from behind her.

Lydia jumped. "Jesus Christ! Where did you come from?!"

"Stairs." Jason blinked innocently. "What are you doing here?"

"It's an empty room," Lydia said, placing a hand on her hip. "Am I not allowed in it?"

"It's also the room where we meet guests," Jason replied. "I fail to understand why you would want to be here."

"Well, if you're so curious, it's so I can get a feel for the decorations I need to choose," Lydia said.

Jason frowned. "I thought Lorelei handled that."

"She does," Lydia said. "But Sara told me that Lorelei wanted me to pick them out for this season."

"What did you have in mind?" Jason asked.

He watched as Lydia considered the room. She noted the gold that dominated the area. Her eyes wandered from the gold-colored furniture to the pale gold walls. She even considered the ornate pattern on the pale floor.

"I'm thinking blue," she said finally.

"Blue?" Jason asked. "Why blue?"

"Well, it is kind of bright in here, don't you think?" Lydia gestured around the room. "If I were to wait in here, I'd probably go blind from how bright it all is. If I add some bits of blue in it, it'll make it look cooler. Since it would only be an accent, it also wouldn't make you guys seem like you're poor."

It was amazing. Normally, decorations matched the season they were made near. As a result, many of them often looked similar. Lydia's idea would reaffirm the creativity of the house. Given the Terrtrove's reputation for furniture, innovation was often key to getting ahead. Once, again, Lydia had managed to surprise him. He felt something in his chest brighten.

"What do you look like?" Jason said suddenly.

Lydia looked at him. "Why do you ask?"

Jason blinked, regaining his composure. "Curiosity."

"Okay," Lydia said. "I've got black hair and brownish eyes. My skin is super pale. I got that part from my mom, I guess."

She turned to Jason. "Have you talked to Lorelei in the past few days?"

He hadn't expected that question. "No, why?"

"Nico told me that something happened," Lydia explained. "He said that they figured it out, but it probably wouldn't hurt for you to check in with her. Have you really not seen her?"

"No," Jason repeated. "With the ball coming up, Lorelei has been busy preparing for it."

"Isn't the ball going to be a stressful event?" Lydia asked. "I mean, every noble and their grandmother will be there. Wouldn't this be the time you'd want to support your loving wife the most?"

"Loving wife?" Jason laughed. "Lorelei and I are not lovers."

"But you're married."

"My apologies, I thought I made this clear before." Jason looked Lydia in the eye. "Lorelei and I are just friends. Neither of us have feelings for the other. We got married for comfort, not affection."

"How can you be sure?" Lydia asked. "Maybe one of you guys got the hots somewhere along the way."

Jason smirked. "Are you jealous, Lydia?"

"What? No!" Lydia said quickly. Too quickly. "I'm just saying. If I found a guy who cared enough to support me all the way, I might fall for him. Maybe Lorelei did, too?"

"What about your friend Nico?" Jason shot back.

"Ew, no!" Lydia exclaimed. "Nico's like a brother to me!"

"Now you know how I feel about Lorelei."

"Like a brother?"

"Very funny." Jason sighed. "I should get back to work. I will be sure to provide support for Lorelei during the ball. Don't worry, Lydia."

"Alright, Jason," Lydia said with a smile. "Tell me how it goes, okay?"

"Of course."

Jason reentered his office with a smile. He tackled the investigation with renewed vigor. He put all the details down on the desk in front of him. This time, he tried to think like Lydia. If she saw this paper, she would likely compare it to this. With extra context from. . . 

Jason summoned his aide. Doris was a tall man. His white hair was elegantly cut short, and his green eyes always made sure to never miss a thing. Though the hour was late, he was as alert as ever.

"I have a task for you," Jason said without preamble.

"What is it, my lord and boss?" Doris said this in a tone only slightly belied by his words, given how well the two men knew each other.

"I would like a portrait made," Jason responded, still studying the parts of his investigation.

"Of your wife, I presume?" Doris said.

"No, of a friend of hers," Jason clarified. "She has raven hair and brownish eyes."

"Brownish?" Doris asked. "What sort of brown? Hazel?"

"Whatever you think is best. Just make sure that it gets done quickly," Jason said dismissively.

"Yes, my lord." Doris moved to leave.

Suddenly, Jason understood.

Leaning back, Jason sighed. "One more thing."

"Yes?"

"Get me a remedy for headaches," Jason said.

"Headaches, my lord?" Doris asked, confused.

"Get it for me before the ball," Jason said. "I have a feeling I may need it."

That ball was turning out to be more of an annoyance than usual. It was only a few days away, so perhaps it was normal. That being said, it did not hurt to be prepared. If he did this right, he would at least be equipped for what was probably to come. All those preparations, as well as his promised check-in with Lorelei, took up the majority of his time but, eventually, it was all finished.

Jason was ready for the ball.