Chapter Text
“Oh! Oh… I see what’s going on here.”
The first one to notice was, unfortunately, Ciaccona.
The bard caught her by surprise. What with how busy the rebuilding work is, all the political and financial networks being completey turned on their heads, Carlotta supposes the only person with any leeway to be noticing this sort of thing should be a wandering bard. Not to mention, they have also known each other since they were children.
At a loss of what to do, Carlotta’s first instinct was to deflect.
“Apologies. Whatever do you mean?” Carlotta asks, hand in the middle of putting away a familiar blue potion vial, the adorning sapphire still warm to the touch.
Ciaccona tuts at her, wagging a finger in her face knowing full well Carlotta’s attention is now on the shipment’s paperwork. Or rather, she’s using the document to avoid having to look at her friend’s very obviously-smug face.
“I don’t see why you even try to hide it,” the bard says, her eyes gain an even brighter gleam to them, “Goodness, I don’t even know how nobody else caught on!”
“Again. What are you talking about?”
“You and the Fisalia Matriarch. You are courting, are you not?”
They are standing at one of the Montelli’s port, receiving a shipment of the excellent Huanglong ink that Carlotta has been wanting to use for her office the moment she tried them at Cantarella’s insistence. Due to the Order’s strict regulations, Ragunna could not import internationally and hence Cantarella has gifted her a few jars for personal use.
However, now that Leviathan is gone and the Order has changed overnight, the Fisalias has immediately gifted the Montelli a portion of their monthly shipment. By the courtesy of the Fisalia Matriarch and her extensive network of contacts in Huanglong, Carlotta also scored herself a good deal of her own to make her own purchases in bulk onwards.
A few steps away from them, Cantarella is immersed in conversation with a Huanglong businesswoman, likely speaking in their native tongue. For whatever reason, Carlotta finds that very… attractive, that her woman is well-travelled and well-read. Her woman. Hers.
“This timely shipment of that ink you only lamented to me about a week ago, and the potion, and the sapphire on that vial- Honestly, none of you were discreet.”
Upon the Huanglong ship arrival, Cantarella personally visited the Montelli’s port, her attendants in tow as a ‘gesture of goodwill’. Before parting for conversation with the envoy, the Fisalia Matriarch has gifted her a potion.
Shoulder to shoulder, both their entourages respectfully a distance behind, Cantarella angles her parasol a little further to Carlotta’s side. The older woman has never taken well to sunlight, her parasol is nigh-inseparable to her these past few days of outdoor meetings.
“Little Montelli, when was the last time you ate today?” The Fisalia asked, the parasol behind them a perfect cover to hide her concerned gaze towards her lover.
“I had… breakfast. You needn’t worry about me.” Carlotta’s steely gaze softens as she meets Cantarella’s eyes. In truth, she’s been in a whirlwind all day, one meeting after another, things keep cropping up while others disappearing the moment she takes her eyes off them.
“Of course I’d worry.”
Peeking from the horizon, the fleets of Huanglong flagships start showing themselves. A momentous occasion, marking the first international trade Ragunna has made in decades. It’s Carlotta’s dream coming true.
Glancing down to see pristine black gloves wrung together, Cantarella murmurs warmly in her ear, “You’ve worked hard for this day, Carlotta. I’m proud of you.”
Carlotta feels like she might cry, but all she could manage was a shaky inhale as nerves took over the emotional part of her. “Chin up, dear. It’s only the beginning.” Carlotta closes her eyes instinctively as the Fisalia leans down for a soft kiss, the parasol perfectly hiding them. From behind, it only looks like Cantarella was whispering something in her ear.
Before they parted, Cantarella has used the potion as an excuse to hold her hands and a quiet “I’ll be here whenever you need me.” Perhaps Ciaccona has seen them and put two and two together.
Remembering Cantarella’s words has calmed her nerves and now that she can look at things more clearly, Carlotta realized there’s no reason to hide their relationship either. Sure, relations between the two families is still very tense, but most of it came from past grievances that Cantarella already gave full concession to her.
So, she stays silent.
“Wait, you’re not saying anything.” Ciaccona calls after her as she walks towards the next shipment to be checked, eyes softening as they met Cantarella’s, who quickly went back to her own conversation. Behind her, Ciaccona’s footsteps rush, “Don’t tell me I was right. You really are courting?”
With how loud Ciaccona was being, while Carlotta wasn’t against making her courtship public, shouting it to the open air would have still been excessive. “Yes, we are. Now lower your voice.”
“Oh. My. Imperator. Spill everything!” Ciaccona yells as loud as she can in a whisper, and despite herself Carlotta finds a smile creeping onto the corners of her mouth, “Oh, I am so glad for you! You know, I used to think nothing can ever get you out of your art and antiques and the family work. As scared as I was of Lady Cantarella, the fight with Imperator really changed everything I knew about her. Though, I’m still-”
“Ciaccona, you’re rambling.”
She cleared the final shipment and after checking with her attendant, it seems she still has time for lunch at Magherita’s. After all, she would not want to worry Cantarella. She also knows Sebastian will absolutely make sure his Lady eats all her meals and have her tea time punctually, so there’s no worrying on that front.
“Sorry. I’m just so curious. And excited! Oh this is a love story for the ages!”
Handing the menu back to her attendant, Carlotta immediately holds out her hand to halt her friend: “Absolutely not. None of that. If you want me divulge anything, you are to promise it will never appear in a song.”
A pout, “...Fine. Then when was this? How did it happen? Who asked for whose hand first?”
“Before the Carnevale. I almost died from Fisalian poison in a mission and she saved me. She asked for my hand first.”
Talking about all this in detail for the first time feels a bit strange. Grandfather was the only one well in his rights to know, but the details are never his to pry. Under Ciaccona’s heated gaze, Carlotta loosens her collar a little, fingers smoothing over the sapphire orb on her glove.
“You’re staring.” And snickering, too. “Is there something on my face?”
She levies a questioning gaze to an attendant to find them quickly turning away. Ciaccona, however, has other ideas. Her face was the most smug Carlotta has ever seen her, a huge grin on her face like she just struck gold.
“Since when do you wear glittered lip gloss, Carlotta?”
For the first time in her life, Carlotta understands how the Fisalia Matriarch can overheat on a normal sunny day.