Percival arrives late.

There was a knock at the tavern door. Gideon paused to glance at Anna who shrugged, before walking to the door. Unlocking and opening it a crack he said "Hey there, sorry we're closed."

There was a muffled reply from the night. Gideon shut the door and glanced at Anna. "There a fancy looking man in the rain asking for you."

Anna jumped up with a start, "Percival!"

"You know him?"

Smoothing her clothes and running her fingers through her hair to try and get rid of the look of a barmaid who'd worked a long shift she headed to the door and opened it to reveal Percival being covered with an umbrella being held by a finely dressed butler.

He was dressed in well fitting and expensive attire as usual, though this time looking more like he was dressed for an evening meal.

"Anna, my dear I cannot apologise enough for my lateness. Please come right this way I know it's late but you'll still dine with me I hope?"

Barely with the chance to nod her affirmation he took her wrist and walk them out into the night. A carriage lay waiting. The butler opened the door and Anna was swept up inside the plush red interior.

Soon they were on their way. "Anna, how rude of me to keep you waiting." In all honesty Anna had forgotten he had promised her dinner. "I was dealing with my brother, it was a whole big deal, the court is awful at the moment, you wouldn't believe what the Duchess' chambermaid did the other day-" Percival launched into a tirade of details and gossip. Most of it was alien to Anna and would have gone over her head at the best of times, but at midnight after a shift at the tavern Anna found herself drifting off. She realised her head was now resting on his shoulder and his arm was around her. It felt comforting.

The carriage slowed and came to a stop. Leaving the carriage the cool night air woke her a little. They were in the grounds of what Anna could only imagine was a mansion. The garden was lush and well maintained and the building was large enough to house Anna's entire village.

The butler led her inside.

Image Credit: Bash-a