Chapter Two

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I left the party confused and weary. What was Liam hiding? I racked my brain for ideas. Could he be quitting the military? That was certainly something he'd want to hide from Girec. But it wasn't secretive enough. A letter to a sweetheart? That sounded much more interesting. But it still wasn't secretive enough. Oh! Perhaps he was eloping. A letter to a fiancée sounded much better.

Then, it hit me. Perhaps, Liam was eloping with one of my sisters! That would be something he'd definitely hide from Girec. I eyes my sisters in the carriage. One of the twins looked particularly suspicious. I'd keep my eye on her. But how much older was Liam than her. Girec was nineteen. And I believed Liam was a year or so younger. Hmm . . . a couple of sixteen and eighteen was nice. I smiled to myself, but kept looking at my sister.

I remembered Ava's task in finding a husband tonight. She probably needed support. "Ava," I said, "did you meet anyone special tonight?"

Ava gave me a sweet smile. She was always so mild-tempered. "Perhaps. There was this one man, but I'm not sure if he feels the same way about me."

"I'm sure he does," I replied. "You are the perfect lady. Any man would want to marry you." I realized I was clenching my jaw. But I wasn't so awful as to hate my sisters. I just didn't like being grouped with them.

"I hope so."

The rest of the carriage ride was quiet, for once. It was getting late, and we were all tired. I glanced at my sister. Or maybe some of us were already dreaming.

We arrived back at the finishing school with the other girls. One girl was smiling, showing off a final red rose to anyone that cared. In our culture, it was custom for a suitor to present his future wife with a dozen roses, one or two at a time. The girl would press her final rose, and the next time the two met, the suitor would usually give her the engagement ring. I wondered if, when eloping, a man did the same thing.

I hoped I was allergic to roses.

I fell asleep quickly that night, without any dreams. In the morning, it was time for my dreaded finishing school classes. I got dressed in a nice, simple, blue dress, which was much better than my gaudy festival gown, which I hoped to burn in the near future. I took the stairs two at a time to breakfast, where bread and honey was served.

I daydreamed through the morning classes and sketched during supper. I used watercolor during Painting Class to depict the night sky from yesterday's festival. If I had painted the Forbidden Lands, my teacher would have swooned, and I'd have been sent to the Headmistress. All in all, it was a rather uneventful day. Once the classes were over, I brought my dinner outside and laid down in the grass, looking up at the sky, drawing, thinking, and popping grapes into my mouth.

My brother visited the next day before leaving off to the military. He'd brought a friend.

"Hello, Squirrel," Girec said. "I wanted you to meet my friend Jon Travers here."

I looked to his friend. Jon was a shorter young man, about nineteen, like my brother. He had sandy blond hair and bright eyes. "How do you do, Mister Travers?" I said politely. He seemed like a good-natured person.

Jon smiled widely, displaying a nice dimple. "I do very well, Miss Fendway." He shook my hand instead of bowing. So he was from lower society. "It's a pleasure to meet a fine young lady as yourself." I nearly laughed at that, "fine young lady," but a serious look from Girec stopped me.

"Thank you, sir."

"So, Girec here tells me you've a fascination with those Forbidden Lands out there." He gestured to the west.

I nodded, raising an eyebrow at Girec.

"Well, I've had my own experience with those treacherous lands, you see. I was out there in the sea," he began, "with my father--we were overseeing his fishing business. I took my own little rowboat out by the Forbidden Lands, despite my father's cautions. I'm an adventurous lad, and I thought all those rumors were false. But, as I got closer, I could hear some screeching. It sounded human, but one couldn't be sure. The screaming sounded like a woman's, so I paddled to shore in order to help. But once I got in there, I saw a witch-like creature. She smiled at me, showing sharp teeth. I hightailed it out of there, with her chasing me. I'm lucky to be alive, Miss Fendway."

I crossed my arms against my chest. "Is that so?"

He nodded enthusiastically, missing my sarcasm.

"Well, thank you Jon, I'm glad to have heard that. If you'll excuse me, though, I should probably get back to my classes." I looked at Girec. "Nice to see you again, brother. I hope you stay safe."

I gave him a hug and headed toward my class, hearing Jon before I opened the door say, "Did you hear that, Girec? She called me by my given name! 'Jon,' says she, a lady!"

I shook my head and walked inside. Yes, Jon was definitely from lower society. Girec had only befriended him so I could hear that story. Irritable Girec. Father wouldn't want him to be truly friends with someone from Jon's class. But, I was happy that Girec cared about me so much that he brought Jon Travers to try to convince me to stop thinking about those Forbidden Lands. But alas, that story only fascinated me more. What was out there?

I tried focusing on my classes that day, but Jon's story ran through my mind. During Sewing, I accidentally (or maybe not so accidentally) embroidered the scene on my sampler, instead of roses like the rest of the girls. It was rough work, but one could make out the screaming witch and trees of the forest.

The Sewing teacher looked at each of our samplers, saying things like, "Smaller stitches," and "Nice work, Joanne." But when she looked at mine, she screamed.

"Miss Evelin!" she cried, "what is that?"

"Um . . . " I said articulately. "A banshee?"

"Young ladies do not embroider banshees!" she said with horror. "These samplers were supposed to be gifts to young men! Why would a young man want this?"

"Because, " I said matter-of-factly, "if I had a suitor, he would love me so much, that he would cherish this to the day he died. It would be a test. If he liked it, I'd like him."

The Sewing teacher had no reply to that.

But the Headmistress entered the room and looked at me distastefully. "Evelin Fendway," she said, "follow me."

I smirked at the girls in the room, satisfied by the smiles on some of their faces, and followed the Headmistress out the door with a salute to the Sewing teacher--a nice touch, in my opinion.

Once in the Headmistress's office, however, my smile disappeared. She scared me. I noticed a pocket knife on her desk. I gulped and sat down. The Headmistress looked at me and frowned. She was a tall, lean lady, with streaks of gray in her blond hair, which was put up in a tight bun. She had a sharp nose, and a pair of spectacles around her neck.

"Evelin Fendway," she started, "you have become a very troublesome young lady. But I don't think you have to stay this way. You use to be better behaved, but I think you've changed because you are afraid."

I snorted. "Afraid? Of what, you?"

"Perhaps a little, but, no, I think you are afraid of being the same as one of your sisters. You're afraid of not being your own person. So you turned into this . . . " She moved her hand dismissively towards me, expressing her disapproval, "wild girl."

"You're wrong," I said indignantly, clenching my fists.

"Whether or not I am wrong, which is very unlikely, might I add, I would like to make an agreement with you."

I folded my arms. "A deal?"

"Yes, a deal," she looked down and straightened her stationery and parchment on her desk, as if she didn't care much for our conversation. "If you act as a young lady should for the rest of this school year, I will take you to the castle come summer."

"The Castle Twein?" I gasped.

"Yes, and the royal family will be there."

I had always wanted to visit Twein. But the fastest trip was by boat, and my father had never wanted to pay the fare. My brother had visited many times-he had been to all the castles of Krialle. When I was little, I constantly asked Girec to describe the royal family. I especially asked about Crown Prince Artair. "I accept your deal, Headmistress," I said icily.

She smiled. "I thought you might. But if you make a single mistake, the deal is off. You must act completely proper."

She held out her hand. I glared at her, then shook it firmly. "Very well, madam. I'll be your best pupil."

"That's what I hoped to hear."

Shooting an extra glare in her direction, I stood and left through the door. The Headmistress was a manipulative lady indeed. Back in class, I had to start a new sampler, this one with roses. I chose yellow roses, to be untraditional, but they were roses nonetheless, and acceptable.

The Sewing teacher wanted me to throw my banshee one into the fire, but I decided to save it. Maybe it would come in handy.

The next day, it did come in handy. We were to give our samplers to suitors in town. I didn't have a suitor, so I gave mine to my sister's suitor. I thought he might become my brother-in-law soon, anyway. As we were walking back, however, I saw Liam. Suddenly, I had a good idea. He was waiting to board a carriage and leave, probably back to war. As I walked past him with my sisters, I brushed my shoulder against his, and Betha said hello to him. While his head was turned for a moment, I stuck my ugly banshee sampler in the bag at his foot. Then I kept walking with my sisters. Liam hadn't even noticed.

I hoped my banshee would put a dent in his cockiness. I hoped he opened his bag in front of other men, so they'd see him scream when he saw the banshee. I couldn't really imagine him screaming like a girl, however. I'd pay to see it, though.

I walked back to the finishing school with a smile. Served him right. But that look he'd given me at the dance kept popping into my mind, much to my annoyance. The way his wide eyes had looked deep into mine . . .

But he was eloping with my sister, I reminded myself.

I woke up early the next day. Breakfast was a creamy porridge that day, and I didn't have much of an appetite. I was troubled by a dream I'd had about Girec. I was a afraid he might get hurt someday in war. I scowled at my porridge and slurped some up. After breakfast, Headmistress called me to her office again.

She spoke a mere seventeen words  and didn't look up at me the whole time. "I do not believe Liam Duval will like your unladylike gift. I'll give you one last chance."

"What--how? I didn't--" I spluttered.

"Leave," she commanded, pointing to the door. I did as she said. How did she know I snuck out? I shuddered. She scared me.

I didn't regret giving that sampler to Liam. I could just imagine his face when he opened it. But now I would act proper. I wanted that trip to Twein.

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I'm excited for the next chapter! Vote and comment! I hope you are enjoying the customs of Krialle, the kingdom!

Have a lovely day!