The study was dimly lit. The sun, desperately trying to peek through the heavy crimson curtains, wasn't much brighter than the sconces and a low fire crackling in the hearth. All of which washed the room in a dramatic, warm glow and made it stiflingly hot.
Duke Alonso sat at his stately desk near the far wall. His chair was carved wood, and so high-backed that it looked to me more like a throne than anything I would have used for work, but I put his questionable furniture choices aside. The only goal of this conversation was to get what I needed.
I stepped up in front of the desk, and gave him a polite curtsy.
"Good afternoon, Father."
He said nothing; the feathered ink pen continued to scratch across the letter paper he'd been writing on. I didn't rise to the annoyance of being ignored this time, instead I continued as if he had replied.
"I enjoyed the rose garden. I even ran into your guests. Today has been such a busy day for me..."
Still nothing.
Fine, straight to the point. Not like I was making small talk because I enjoyed his company, anyway.
"I think it would be beneficial for both of us to make an arrangement. An equitable arrangement," I said plainly, "since there is clearly something you want from me, but you haven't told me what it is."
"Can you not guess?" He asked in that same dark tone I remembered from the kitchens. It sent a shiver up my spine, but at least he was talking.
"I would never presume to know your mind."
He glanced up, the pen finally coming to a stop. I'd managed to get his attention.
'I would never presume to know my lord father's mind', was a line I had read in the novel. It was Kenric who said it. I don't remember the context, but I suddenly felt incredibly grateful for all the long nights I'd stayed up reading fantasy novels.
From now on I would make sure the Duke never ignored me again.
"You met the Prince." He said.
"We introduced ourselves, not much more."
"Dressed like that, you met the Prince."
Inwardly, I winced. I kept forgetting how dirty I was from scrambling around in the bushes.
"Unfortunately, it was unavoidable. I bumped into him on my way inside. Only our staff saw us together, no one from the palace." He didn't seem convinced by that, so - thinking on my feet - I quickly added: "Besides, does it matter? He'll be named the Crown Prince soon, I doubt he'll have any interest in our encounter after that."
I was testing the waters.
I wanted to see what the Duke may or may not know about Orion's situation. The novel had made it clear that they knew each other well, maybe I could get something useful without him realising.
He paused briefly, possibly considering what I said, and then set his pen down.
"...That's true enough," he eventually mused, and...what was that? A slight shift in his tone?
The darkness had disappeared from his voice, almost like he was talking to a normal person and not an invalid monster unworthy of his time..
And based on his reply, he definitely knew what was going to happen. He knew the prince would be named heir soon, so he had no reason to worry. Did that mean he was going to have a hand in it? Before I could ask any more questions, he added: "Kenric had mentioned you've changed."
What? Kenric said that? Based on what?
"I'm grateful he thinks so highly of me," I said, and meant it. If Kenric wasn't actively against my very existence, it would make my life much easier.
"So, what do you want?" The Duke asked, staring straight through my eyes and into my soul. I decided it was better to start with the easier task. I could always bring up leaving another time, I needed to get what I wanted and get out.
"I would like to attend the Equinox Festival."
"No," he said, and started rummaging in his papers. "If that's all, I'm busy."
...Don't snap. Don't snap.
"I wasn't making a one-sided request, Father. I was putting my half of the arrangement on the table. I'd like to attend the Equinox Festival, and in exchange, give you whatever it is you want from me. I think that's a fair trade."
He looked up at me again, motioning at me with the feather end of his pen.
"You, who can't even maintain your appearance for an afternoon in your own home, would like to attend a public engagement?"
An angry heat rose in my cheeks, but I forced my face to stay calm and still.
"The festival is mainly for the common folk and merchants, and they already whisper about me anyway. It would shut a lot of mouths if I showed up and behaved perfectly. The people will think I've been well educated and entirely rehabilitated in your home. They'll only think more highly of House Rune as a result. That's what you want, isn't it?"
He considered it for a moment. And while he did, I was starting to realise that the Duke might be much easier to deal with than I expected. For someone whom the other nobles referred to as 'The Lion of the North', he was a surprisingly simple man.
He wanted to maintain the appearance of a perfect noble household. That seemed to be his only priority, and Evra, as a person, had already created a crack in that image. In that case, my offer of bringing honour back to the Rune name must have been pretty enticing to him. Instead of refusing again, he said:
"Your first debut in public cannot be at a commoner's festival."
From a drawer in his desk he pulled out a stack of unopened letters on floral and colourful paper. They were all stamped in shimmering ink and tied with ribbons. Not the kind of letters a stern businessman usually receives. He started sifting through them, unceremoniously discarding most into a haphazard pile on the floor.
"What are those, Father?" I asked.
"Invitations. To tea parties, to birthdays, the noble ladies send them out of courtesy."
"What?" I was clearly missing something, "But why would they invite you to -?"
I stopped mid-sentence as the realisation dawned on me. The Duke glanced up with a single raised eyebrow, but then went back to the letters without commenting.
They hadn't been inviting the Duke to their events, they'd been inviting Evra, his daughter...
But instead of teaching her how to speak and behave, and sending her out into society, he just locked her up in the attic, and confiscated the letters without answering them. I clenched my fists so tightly I could feel the nails digging into my palms.
Don't lose it. You're so close to winning. You can't change it now, just -
"Here," the Duke said, interrupting my thoughts, "the daughter of Baron Keld is holding a tea party on the first day of the festival. They are low nobles, but a decent place to start for your first function among the peerage."
He placed the letter out on the desk and pushed it towards me, tapping it with his middle finger impatiently. I didn't take it right away.
"So you..." I tried to keep my voice steady, "...you want me to go to an aristocratic party instead of the festival? Wouldn't it be even worse if I make a mistake in front of - of other ladies of noble birth?"
"Here is my half of the arrangement: Behave perfectly at this tea party, and I will allow you to attend the Equinox Festival the following day. This is your first, and only, opportunity."
There it was. I had won.
The exhaustion hit me all at once. I let out a long sigh.
"Thank you, Father," was all I could manage. I took the letter, and bowed stiffly.
Back in the hallway, the air felt chilly in comparison to the stuffy sauna of a study. Margo was waiting next to Samuel when I stepped out. The others must have told her where I was. She gave me a nervous once-over, and said: "Miss, would you like me to run you a bath?"
That must be her polite way of telling me I looked like an awful mess.
No words came. I just nodded dumbly, and followed her down the hall, back to my room.
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