Neko Shorts - 14. Prompt # 378: ZeBra

Prompt #378--list of words: gift, broken shoelace, brown coat, scarf, and a zebra

ZeBra

"Kayden! It's so nice of you to come visit with me today," Penelope smiled. She had her hand resting on her stomach as if instinctively protecting the growing life in her belly already.

Kayden could tell she was excited about the baby. Harrison had been ecstatic when he'd rushed over to tell Damien. He sat down next to her as she fanned herself with the peacock feather fan that he had made for her as a wedding present. It wasn't very hot, and he worried that maybe she wasn't feeling well.

She obviously saw his look of concern and smiled, waving the fan idly. "Oh, don't worry, I'm fine. My hormones are just wreaking havoc on my system right now. I'll be hot one minute, cold another, nauseous and then starving."

Kayden quirked a brow. "Is that normal?"

Her laughter was light and airy. "Oh, quite. And this fan you made from Azule's feathers has been a godsend."

He blushed slightly, feeling both elated and embarrassed at the complement.

The door chime rang, and Penelope grinned. "That must be the tailor that Harrison hired," she said excitedly. "He's visiting from the Southern Isles, and he agreed to come by and show me some new styles he has. Apparently, they are more comfortable than the corsets, especially if my belly is going to be expanding soon. They say his wares are perfect for expecting mothers, looser and more forgiving then the tight dresses I usually wear."

"The southern isles?" Kayden asked, not sure of where that was.

"Oh, yes, it's the islands to the south of Marsten. It's much warmer there and they have some rather exotic fruits and animals as well. Oh!" she suddenly gasped, as if remembering something. "The peacock Oliver sent to Damien last fall--"

"Azule?"

"Yes, Azule. He came from the southern isles."

Kayden's eyes lit up, now excited to meet someone from where their new pet peacock had come. Oliver Druet had sent the bird as a gift to Damien, and Kayden remembered being so excited at seeing the colorful, exotic bird that he had literally pounced on the poor thing wanting to pet it. And then Damien had said it was supposed to be part of their Fall Festival dinner, and Kayden had almost darted back into the poultry corral to free the bird. But then Damien promised not to harm the bird, and that they would keep the peacock as a sort of pet instead.

Kayden loved watching Azule and his beautiful blue and green feathers, and Azule didn't seem to mind him now that he didn't think Kayden would try to eat him. Kayden had collected the feathers that the bird plucked and had made a fan for Penelope as a wedding present. Of course, he'd had to fight Ysmenia for them. She kept taking them too to attach them to a stick. Ysmenia called them her feather dusters, Kayden just called them dust spreaders.

A servant appeared in the doorway. "A Mr. Baudin is here to see you, my lady."

"Please, show him in."

A tall man appeared with a male slave carrying a trunk behind him as well as a young woman at his side.

Penelope stood to greet the exuberant man. The slave took the man's scarf, and Kayden vaguely wondered why he had one on in the first place. It was spring, and it was more than nice enough outside that a coat, let alone a scarf, shouldn't be necessary. But it looked more silky than warm, so he thought maybe it was for show.

"Welcome, Sir Baudin," Penelope waved her hand toward the parlor.

"I am exzited for zu to zee ze bootiful itemz I haz for zu from zee zouthern isles," the man said cheerfully.

Kayden frowned at the odd man in the brown coat, embroidered with gold thread. His skin was darkened by the sun and his white-blonde hair stood out in contrast to his dark skin tone. Kayden tilted his head, pricking his black ears forward as he strained to understand the man's odd accent. Obviously, they spoke funny down in the southern isles.

"And I am very excited to see what you have. I've heard your outfits are so much more comfortable than these corsets during pregnancy."

"Oh, me lady, yez, theyz zo much bettur thanz thoze tightz corzets. Iz reallyz thinkz that zu will luv ze bras andz skirtz I haz to zhow zu."

Kayden frowned. "Zebra? What's a zebra?"

Both Penelope and the man laughed. The male slave and female servant who had accompanied the man dropped their heads to hide their smirk of laughter. Kayden flushed, upset at being laughed at.

"Oh, Kayden dear, he didn't say zebra. He said the bra," Penelope explained. "It's like, well, like a short corset, for um..." She glanced down at her chest, obviously trying to determine how to put it delicately. When Kayden cocked his head trying to figure out what she was trying to say, she finally lowered her voice and placed a hand on her chest. "It's like a small corset for ... "

"Forz a womanz boozum," the man said proudly.

Both Kayden and Penelope flushed slightly, although, Kayden was probably redder than she was, but it was hard to tell. Kayden unfolded himself from the corner of the couch, figuring now would be a good time to leave.

"Ah, I think, perhaps, I should be going," he said politely, still feeling the flush up his neck and ears. Penelope just smiled, knowing he wanted to escape this conversation.

The man smiled gently. "Zorry, me boy. Myz aczent iz hard toz underzand zumtimez."

Kayden just nodded, not wanting to embarrass himself anymore by speaking up any more than he had to. "It was nice to meet you, sir," he said, then turned, nodding to Penelope. "My Lady."

The man zeroed in on Kayden's bare feet as he stepped toward the parlor exit, obviously surprised by the fact that he had no shoes on. "Zwhere iz jour zhoes, me boy?"

Kayden narrowed his eyes at the man, not wanting to be chastised for that at well as not understanding what ze bra was. "A broken shoelace," was all he said in way of explanation as he made his escape back outside where Finn waited with the horses.

He'd never been so glad to leave the East Wing in his life.