The Most Beautiful Eyes Ch. 12

Muriel forgot to be humble. She wanted the stupid thing.

After some helpful sketches were made, a design was chosen. Two round and pale diamonds would be placed on each side of the lengthwise sapphire. The gold band itself would be simple, but thick so the inscription could be more easily carved. That inscription would be inside the ring so that the outside would keep its smooth appearance.

For a moment, Muriel dreamily held her bare hand up and imagined she already had the expensive thing. As she sighed, Princess Arya tapped her shoulder and said, "Now that the betrothal ring's been ordered, we can focus on more playful things."

Muriel had assumed they were going to do some early shopping in preparation of the Capital Season. She nodded towards the princess and asked, "Are you going to order any jewelry for yourself?"

"I might," Princess Arya said as she tugged on one of her gloves, "but now we should focus on you."

Muriel sighed as her whole figure lost some vibrancy. "Did His Highness request something else?"

With a smile, the princess said, "He gave me enough cash and promissory notes to have his princess consort dressed for any occasion." She let her hand slide across the air above a display case. "If we don't order jewelry, clothing, and other pretty things for you, then my dear son will be highly disappointed."

Muriel put her fingers to her covered bosom and argued, "I'm not a princess consort just yet."

"But you've promised to become that, haven't you?"

Muriel looked down at her fourth finger and rubbed it with the middle and index finger of her other hand. "I ... well, I suppose I'm not in a position to refuse."

***

Muriel was allowed to see Vidar's doll workshop. There was a fine layer of wood shavings on many sections of the floor. Materials of nearly every kind were kept safe in tall bureaus. Tools that looked deadly were hanging on hooks. There was a window in this room, but a thick curtain was hanging over it. Vidar said he had to be careful when allowing daylight into the room. He needed the light, but he was afraid of anyone outside seeing him.

Well ... that wouldn't be a problem for long, or so they hoped.

There was a worrying moment where one of Vidar's discolored hands pulled some of the curtain back and let the light shine on Muriel's face. "I want to see your eyes," he had said.

That meant Muriel had to look at him.

Even though she loved him, actually looking at him often bothered her. She inhaled, looked at Vidar's sour face for a few seconds, and then she looked at a carving tool as she exhaled.

"Muriel, you have the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen."

She barely smiled. "I'll never want for compliments again, now that I'm engaged to marry you."

"I'd hate for you to want for anything." One of his unusual arms left the safety of the cloak, and he patted the top of her head. "Would you like for me to show you my music room?"

Muriel nodded as the arm returned to the cloak. "I'd love to see that."

It was a small room filled with instruments, mostly in storage. There was a piano ready for service, however. Muriel didn't have to watch Vidar play the piano in order for her to understand how he made the complex music. She only stood and listened, closing her eyes and imagining rainbows floating in a bright sky. This odd form of his had at least one advantage. He had multiple hands. He could touch so many keys at once.

When the song was finished Muriel gave honest applause. "Your music is enchanting, Vidar. I'll never be fully satisfied with any other pianist."

Even though the fact that he had so many hands was still alarming in Muriel's mind.

If he ever touched her with more than two hands at once, she knew she'd react negatively.

But he was her life. She was committed to him.

No relationship is perfect. She understood that.

"This is only something I do to keep from turning mad," Vidar said as he left the piano.

"Perhaps soon," Muriel said, "you'll have the Royal Court as an audience."

"I don't ..." Muriel watched Vidar's big feet move on the floor as he went to a wall and leaned on it. His voice was diluted. "I want to see everyone in the outside world, even the dirtiest street beggar, but I'm frightened."

Muriel stepped closer to him. "Frightened? Do you imagine a mob would come after you?"

Under his cloak, there was shuffling and the general rearrangement of limbs. "I don't fear something so extreme, but the unsympathetic eyes of the public, especially the elites in the palace, I'm afraid of them. I'm not the cultured man I once was. I'm no longer a match for anyone in the Royal Court."

Muriel put one of her gloved hands on the cloak. She felt one of the limbs there. "You have your mother's wise counsel and my love. Don't doubt yourself. You're fairly ugly, but that's not important. You have the mind of a man and the knowledge of a prince." Even though his body wasn't smooth or comfortable, she leaned into him and closed her eyes. "If you'll have me as your wife, then I'll marry you, even if the king won't accept you, even if you have to run away to some distant place. I'll stay with you. I promise."

Vidar sighed and rubbed her back with one of his palms. She felt his breath swell up in his body and then rush out.

***