Stepping into the Great Hall, Crow made his usual sweep for Penelope’s familiar face. Even though it was going to be a laidback day for him, he knew she was probably going to be busy preparing for the party until tonight. Breakfast was the only chance he was likely to have with her for most of the day. He wasn’t even sure if he could speak with her much once the party started, since the point of it was for her to convince the other nobles that the war needed to end on peaceful terms with Younis. Everything was riding on this one event, so the last thing he wanted to do was become a distraction to her. If that meant keeping their interactions to a minimum during the festivities, then that’s what he would do.

It didn’t take long before he spotted the knight walking over to one of the empty tables on the edge of the room. A smile tugged at his lip as he navigated the thin crowd to catch up to her before she could sit down. “Morning, love,” he greeted as he smoothly fell in step beside her. Though he kept a plausible distance between them, his eyes swept over her fondly. Since they had been spending so much time apart lately, he relished any chance they could get to be alone, even if it was just for a few seconds.

[i]If this thing goes well, that could change soon,[/i] he thought eagerly as he reclined on the bench across from her. Aside from the end of the stagnant war that had been devastating the outer villages for a year, he was excited that their seasons of secretive meetings and feigned disinterest could finally be coming to an end. That was, if her father agreed to allow him to court her. He and John seemed to have been getting along better recently, but that didn’t necessarily mean the older knight would give him his blessing. He was still a former criminal and he doubted any father would call him a good influence. If John chose to hold his past over his head, there was nothing he could do to change the other man’s mind.

Putting the disheartening thought out of his mind, he flashed Penelope a warm smile and leaned forward to cross his forearms on the table. Underneath, he brushed his leg against hers, wanting to be as close to her as he could get away with in the public space. “So,” he started, his good mood about having a day off and potentially changing the outcome of the war infecting his voice. “Big day, huh? How are you feeling?”