As Ethan was about to embark on his gastronomic journey, Claire rode back to her family’s manor with a solemn expression. After leaving Alice back at her mansion along the way, their farewell left Claire with much to consider.
They were close friends, and Claire knew when there was trouble coming. And not just any trouble, but the trouble that Alice would cast no doubt as she set off to snatch Ethan up in whatever scheme she had come up with.
The best Claire could tell was that Alice saw an opportunity to attach Ethan to her house early and take him to the capital with her. After all, not every day you meet a non-guilder with two aspects seeds that could stand up to an adept rank beast, no matter how close the fight had been.
As for Claire herself, she had her own worries to take care of. The Ball of the Sommerstice was around the corner, and she had forgotten to commission a dress. Such a thing was not something she forgot these days, although she cared less and less over the years about the parties her mother forced on her.
What was worse, Benson was stuck in Willow for the night and could leave only tomorrow morning with the first light. How could we forget about Benson? Claire asked herself time and time again.
It was not like the house Shelford lacked servants who could take the carriage and bring Benson back. It was just that such a thing would be wasteful and make the man feel awful about himself. Claire knew that, as she had grown up with the butler and considered him a close friend, albeit he remained primarily professional.
It was Claire, after all, who had left him. And to be frank, she felt terrible and did not want to make it worse by ordering others to risk going to the small town in the dead of night. No, that would be just inconsiderate on her part.
Besides the ball and the dress, she did not look forward to the inevitable confrontation with her mother over the numerous invitations she had received from various boys from the noble court, such as it was in Veer.
Moreover, after meeting Ethan and going through such exciting events today, she loathed returning to the bleak tea parties and exchanging dull gossip. Living as a carefully sculpted flower had left her craving for real and tangible world experiences.
I should have invited him to the ball, Claire thought as the carriage drove itself toward the large metal gate the mansion had. A pair of guards her mother employed stopped her carriage, and she was quickly let through the entrance as they saw that Claire was in the carriage.
Claire found it interesting that women ran the noble factions in Veer for some reason. Such was not the case in Morwhea, as only Veer and its stock of noblemen stood out in the kingdom - in a wrong way. However, she knew her mother and Mrs.Latimer were devious, so it was no surprise that things were as they were in Veer.
That was why Claire found it comfortable to hang out with her father, as rarely as it was. She felt he was a kindred soul as opposed to her mother, as he could not care less about the games the various ladies played in this cursed city. Instead, all he cared about was his research and advancing what little remained of the legacy left behind by the grandmaster from the castle Gloom.
The road to the mansion was short, and soon Claire’s musings were cut short as she exited the carriage in the chilly evening air next to the main entrance. She expected to be met by her maids as usual but was surprised to see her mother standing beside the door with a frown.
“Where is Benson?” her mother asked without a preamble as Claire exited the carriage and approached her.
“Back in Willow,” Claire responded and went past her to get changed after a long day.
Her mother did not miss a beat and followed Claire, asking, “What do you mean, ‘back in Willow’? Why did you leave him there, and why are you late?”
Claire stopped and turned to face her mother, “Mother, I am not a kid anymore. I do not have to be back home before supper. As for Benson, we had to leave before he could return. We were attacked.” Claire finished and turned on her heel, resuming her stride to her room. She really wanted to get out of the damn dress she was in.
“What?!” her mother exclaimed and took after her. “What do you mean attacked? I said leaving without taking the guard with you was a bad idea, but you insisted! Claire, what would have happened if some beast attacked you on the way? How would your father react?”
Claire turned to see the look on her mother’s face and was internally glad she was right. She really does care about herself and the prospect of getting out of here, Claire thought as she saw what only one could interpret as a shock that they would not be getting the deal they had waited for so long.
After quickly ascending to the second floor of her family’s mansion, Claire opened the door to her room and answered, “Monsters? One also attacked. An adept rank.” Her mother shut the door behind her and paused, uncomprehending.
“What? Claire Marian Shelford, are you jesting?” the woman asked, straightening and throwing back her dark hair, a frown creasing her youthful face, closely resembling that of Claire’s.
Claire undid her gown, internally thanking the artificer who came up with the magical mechanism allowing a lady to take the damn dress off herself if needed, and slipped into a white casual shirt and dark pants. Then, peering behind the changing blinds, she answered, “No, Mother. I am not. I was late because a group of bandits attacked our carriage, and later an adept rank Antler Deer did the same on the way to Veer.”
Claire went to her desk and sat down, writing down a list of things she still had to accomplish in what was left of today and a plan for tomorrow as her mother flapped her mouth in shock. Then, gathering her wits, Mary Shelford coughed, shook her head, and calmed down.
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“Claire, dear. What happened? If what you say is true, how did you escape the trouble you mentioned? If Benson could not help you, that old goat, then who did? Did the mayor of Willow finally stop feeding his useless son and hire some damn guard?”
Claire turned to Mary and answered, “No, nothing has changed in that regard. A stranger we met in Willow jumped in and helped us. And we took him with us to Veer, as it seemed he was making his way here anyway. Turned out to be a good thing as he was the one who fought the deer.”
Mary’s browed creased at the mention of a man being involved with her daughter, a man she did not know; nevertheless. “And who might be this young man? I assume he is not someone from Veer or a Guilder? I do not know anyone from the city below adept rank who could defeat an Antler Deer alone.”
Claire nodded, returning to her writing, “Indeed, his name is Ethan, and he is new to the region. A son of a farmer who taught him the sword. Now he is looking to travel the world. I am grateful for his deeds, so I offered him a room to stay with us. Surely you understand.” Claire continued to write down the purchases she needed to make before the ball and a list of people she needed to invite Ethan to meet.
Mary was silent for a moment and said slowly, “A farmer’s boy and on the first name basis? Claire, I do not recognize you. But, to invite a nobody to stay with us? What will the others think? Surely you do not expect me to endorse this request, Claire.”
“No, mother. I do expect you to endorse it. What does it matter where the man comes from if he saved your precious daughter from vile men and certain death by an adept rank monster? Surely the public image of us being beyond reproach does not cost you more than my well-being,” Claire responded curtly.
Mary was about to answer in an outburst, but the part about the deer caught her attention, “Claire, you said the monster was adept rank, right? So how does a farmer’s boy defeat a monster of such rank on his own?”
“I do not know, mother, by skill and sword? You know that you have educated me mostly in courtly matters rather than applicable skills that would have saved me in such a situation,” Claire answered, not bothering to correct Mary on technicalities of rank, annoyance dripping in her tone. The day had been long, and she felt her mother pushed more than usual with her questions and control.
“Well, yes, that is true. There is no reason for a lady like yourself to learn fighting and other brutalities. They just simply hold no value in the capital. And what does it matter? You will soon leave with Alice. Mrs.Latimer has already made arrangements, some time after the ball. You still remember about the ball, right? The Boleyn boy came to see you today, but I had to turn him away - again. Nevertheless, he has extended a formal invitation and even written a poem!” Mary finished throwing her arms up with a laugh, quickly forgetting the part about the adept rank monster.
Claire sighed and stopped writing, putting the magical pen on the table. Then, turning back to her mother, she said in a tired voice, “Mother, you know that he is barely eighteen, which is more than a year younger than me. All he does all day is write poems. Is it someone you want me to be associated with? He is as annoying as they come.”
“Claire, dear. But what does it matter? Annoying or no spine, as you have mentioned before, his father has excellent contacts in the capital. Let the boy confess to you as much as he likes and accept his invitation to the ball. You have responsibilities, the same as all of us. Some of them are less pleasant than others. Why do you think father and I allowed you and Alice to embark on this wine-tasting business? Not everything in life is an indulgence,” her mother said scoldingly.
Claire’s face reddened with anger as she barely controlled herself to avoid exploding. Indulgence? That is what she thinks of what we are trying to accomplish? she thought, exhaling slowly before addressing her mother, which annoyed her more in the last ten minutes than the past ten years put together.
“You know I wanted to be a Guilder since I was little. But you would not let me, citing the great destiny I had as a bed warmer of some nothing noble in the capital you are looking to pair me with,” Claire started and got up from her chair.
“All my time, taken up by learning how to dance, read, and give compliments to people I hate? And the only thing that makes all my miserable and boring days easier - you call it an indulgence? Mother! I would rather live on the streets and learn to fight than wear the awful dresses daily and be reminded of the choices I was stripped of!” Claire half-shouted at her mother, pacing next to her.
Mary looked at Claire, not recognizing the carefully raised daughter that seemed agreeable and shared her goals of getting out of the hole Veer was. “Claire, what happened to you today?” she asked carefully.
“Nothing!” Claire snarled in a fury. “Nothing happened today. Same as the last fifteen years, mother. Me almost dying and being saved by a clueless fool who did not care about his well-being at all as he charged a monster far above his rank happened. That is when I understood how utterly wasted my life has been. Thank the gods I have been reading up on things, or I would have believed everything you say is true and be your patient little puppet!”
Mary was shocked at her daughter’s outburst and just sat on her bed for a moment, her mouth open. However, Claire did not stop her rant and continued, “I do not care what it takes, mother, but I am not going to Arganea. You can let Mrs. Latimer know today if you want. Also, I will not answer that snotty brat’s invitations or any other for that matter. I have my own plans for the ball, and I hope you agree to them because gods help me; I will pack my things and join the guilders, no aspect seed be damned. I have had enough!”
Claire breathed heavily as she dropped back down in her chair, turning around to look through the window next to her desk and seeing that the night had come as the stars were shining brightly, the moonlight casting a faint glow over the beautiful garden her family’s estate had.
Mary sat there, looking at Claire’s back, and contemplated before saying, “Claire, I understand that you are frustrated about how things have been lately and how father is busy, unable to see you much. However, do consider our position. The family’s fortune is not what it was due to the experiments and freebies your father has been giving out, as much as I am loath to say it. We simply have only one way forward: for you to go to the capital and establish new connections.”
Claire shook her head but said nothing, tears coming to her eyes at the absurdity of the situation and how little she could do to affect it. Could she leave her family behind and run away? Sure. But would it make a difference, and could she achieve her goals? No, most likely not. She would most likely die either on the streets or by some monster she would run off to fight in hopes of getting an aspect seed.
As it was now, Claire was bound by fate and did not have a way forward. All she could do was bid her time and hope that an opportunity would arise, enabling her to escape fate as unkind as it was. She sobbed softly as her mother got up from her bed and put a comforting hand on her head for a minute.
Mary was silent as Claire sobbed in her own lap, sitting in the chair, the beautiful moonlight shining brightly on her face. Then her mother patted Claire on her head and said, “It is all right, Claire. Invite this Ethan boy over, and let's not tarnish our image by not offering hospitality for his heroic deeds. As for the Ball, do as you want. It is not like it will make much difference if the Boleyn boy does not get to read his poems to you.”
Marie lifted her hand from Claire's head, slowly walked toward the door, stopped in the doorframe, and said, “But do think over Claire about what I said and about your responsibilities. You are not a little girl anymore, and it is not befitting to think like a spoiled child.”
And with that, her mother left the sobbing Claire in her room.