This riled up the old woman again. “What did you say, you stinkin’ brat! Don’t think I didn’t hear you just because my ears are not what they have been. I can hear you fine, I tell you!”

              Enver tried to placate the old woman. “Good evening, Mrs. Avner. We haven’t seen each other since the last council meeting.” He flashed her his magnanimous smile and Theon couldn’t help snicker at his side.

              Rhetta harrumphed at him. “Pardon me for my rude behavior, Mr. Harbin. I was only concerned for my foolish niece’s future, which I came to realize is a pipe’s dream.”

              Seren silently watched her aunt as she admonished her stubbornness; after hearing it for more than ten years, there was a sense of immunity from the gravity of her words. She’s got used to it after hearing it five times. Seren took a bite of the pastry and tasted the tart cherry in her mouth, silently relishing it.

              “She should have a family of her own by now, did you know? By her age, her oldest should be out of the schoolroom and into the Capital City's university. She should be taking care of her family and let her husband provide for her.” At this Rhetta sighed dramatically, smacking her lips as she took a bite of the sweets. “Just look at my daughters, Helah married right after she got out of the schoolroom. She had three babies now. And you know, Mira’s getting married next year. You received the invitation, right?”

              Enver nodded dutifully. “Yes, it was tastefully designed.”

              Rhetta smiled gratefully and continued with her rant, “I even took the liberty of introducing her to Mr. Arnard’s son. They are a merchant family, but she would not want for anything after marrying him. I don’t understand why she must reject him before even getting to know him—”

              “He told me he wanted a dozen children—”

              “What’s wrong with that? Having a lot of children is good for a merchant family—”

              “With different women.” Not before trying to cop a feel at my bottom, Seren thought with disgust.

              Rhetta smacked her mouth shut and stared incredulously at her niece; the young woman always tried to run away from her matchmaking but with good reason. “Then you should have told me so I could smack some sense on that dunce! How dare he!”

              “Was this the sleazy dandy with the mustache? Or the doddering old fool who’s older than Old Man Elid?” Theon teased. Old Man Elid is the oldest living man on Mistral, still energetic at hundred and nine years old.

              “I think it was the garishly dressed man that almost eloped with the barmaid at the pub after knocking her off.” Mira suggested helpfully while sipping tea.

              “Ah, a tasteful selection of men, as expected of Madame Avner,” Theon smirked at his aunt and was rewarded with a kick in the shin underneath the table. “Ouch! Aunt Rhetta, don’t you think a background check would suffice before throwing your niece into the lion’s den?” Theon rubbed his shin but smiled sweetly at his aunt.

              “With the dwindling numbers of bachelors on this island, do you think I didn’t think of that? I even tried to reach out into the Central City but that dunce turned out to be an immoral duck.” Rhetta eyed Seren with a knowing look. “Just know that your youth won’t hold out much longer if you continue holding on to that dream of yours. If you didn’t reject all the men that tried to woo you before, you wouldn’t be a spinster stuck in this island with no prospect.”

              Seren silently sipped her tea. Marriage was only the prospect available to women on the island of Mistral. It was expected of everyone after finishing school to marry, but she’s the mole in the society of Mistral. She was an exceptional student as a child, her father didn’t listen to rigid society’s view on women and pushed his daughter to further her education in Central City. She was the first woman to enter university from Mistral; the only woman who vied a position at Doxa, which was unheard of.

              Her father’s dream was for her to be the first woman magistrate integrated by Doxa for Mistral. A dream that took her eleven years to understand was futile. She could sit for the exams; she knows she passed it all. But her credentials have no way of standing in the way of connections. She doesn’t have a powerful family that would back her ambitions, and that hinders her dreams. Her capabilities could not be questioned, but intelligence in women is viewed as a flaw in their society.

              All the men that asked her hand for marriage wanted her to give up her dreams and become a housewife. She doesn’t view domesticity negatively; women have innate strength that shines through in being a wife and a mother. She doesn’t lack in this department too; she could cook, sew, clean and take care of children as was expected of every woman in their family.

But she was not cut out for it.

Her admirers cannot look beyond her physical attributes and qualities that would make her a wonderful wife. If she voiced her opinions, she’s narrow-minded; if she’s meek and accepted their opinions with a smile, she’s boring.

So, she decided marriage was not an option for her either.

“I’ve decided to give up on entering Doxa.” She announced resolutely.

“But, sister—” Theon was stunned at his sister’s decision. She used ten years of her life doggedly pursuing her dreams and now, she’s decided to give up. Since they were children, he looked up to his sister’s resoluteness in pursuing her dreams; no matter what their family said about her foolishness, she stood firm on her belief. Their father's pride shone through while supporting her; they are like-minded and would always get into arguments over it but their father was adamant in letting his children freely choose their paths.

Enver clapped Theon’s shoulder and shook his head at him, telling him to let it go.

Seren smiled resignedly at her brother; she knew it was not only her dreams she was giving up on and it breaks her heart to let her brother down. He was her biggest support in the decade that she wasted on persistently following her fruitless dreams.

Hurried rapping on the door echoed through the empty room. Mira silently stood up and opened the door; a man in his early thirties wearing a burlap cloak entered the threshold. He shook his wet hair; water droplets fell on the floor in dollops.

He scanned the room and upon finding Enver entered the room while politely taking his cloak off. He bowed his head; his thick eyebrows scrunched as he tried to even his breath. It was evident he rushed in getting there. It was Enver’s subordinate at the magistrate court. “Sir, you must make haste. There was a disaster.”

Enver stood immediately and wore his cloak hurriedly.

“Well, what has happened?” Rhetta asked aggressively, not wanting to pass up the opportunity at getting the news.

“Well, you see, madam. Um—” the subordinate mumbled, unsure if he must divulge the information.

“You can tell her, or she would chase you with her cane until you tell her. Your call. Ouch!” Theon smirked but was swatted by Seren.

“The thing is, Master Arryn, Master Harbin, ladies…the Head Priest was expected to arrive this evening for the offering ceremony, but the boat carrying him and his entourage capsized. All thirty-six of them are missing at the moment.”

A/N: That's Enver Harbin below.