Post by Grace Shahrizai (I) on Jul 17, 2008 14:08:26 GMT -5
Being sixteen is rough. Being a Shahrizai at sixteen wasn’t a picnic, either. Having two older brothers who had just come back from their first trip to the City of Eula was torture. But here I was, standing in the front entryway, staring at our black coach and my grinning brothers as they jumped off the top steps. I’d been in quite a bit of trouble since they left a few months ago, but I blamed them, completely. They’re the ones who went off to have fun and left me here, bored out of my wits and no one to entertain me. I’d only just been relieved from a two month restriction to the grounds. That came on the heels of being caught watching the neighbors explore each other. Or, I thought it was the neighbors, at the time. Apparently, the husband next door had been in town about as long as my brothers had been and his wife was quite bored. My mother claimed he was hardly the type of husband who truly believe Blessed Eula’s precept, at least without his knowledge. Honestly, I think Mother confined me to the property simply to keep me from tattling on the neighbor.
Lucian and Martin were here, now, though. They’d keep me out of trouble. “Hey, brat,” Lucian laughed as he walked through the door. “Miss us much?” His eyes were dancing and I ground my teeth to keep from answering. He wouldn’t hear what he wanted from my lips! “Ah, well, we would’ve missed you, too, if the Night Court wasn’t so blessedly entertaining.”
“Lucian, stop teasing her,” Martin said, shaking his head at our brother. “She’ll only hate you for it, later. You aren’t doing yourself a jot of good.” He smiled at me and hugged me close. “Now, tell us everything that you’ve been up to and I’ll tell you about The City of Eula. Lucian we’ll leave to deal with Mother, as she looks like she’s a bone to pick with him, anyway. Come, come… tell me. Loona says you’ve been a bit of a hoyden and you’re restricted to The Reserve. What did you do?”
I sent him a look as he pulled me out of the foyer and into a parlor, leading me to a couch before heading for the sideboard. He came back with a pair of glasses and I was loathe to find out how much he’d watered the wine. My brothers both knew exactly how old I was, yet they continued to treat me like I was twelve. It annoyed me greatly. “Mother caught me playing with the neighbor’s farm boy and thought I’d be better to stick with servants who would understand my tastes. Tell me about the City, Martin. What is it like?”
“Farm boy, Gracie, really?” He said, settling next to me on the couch. “I had thought you’d have better taste than that.”
“Oh, stop it, Martin. You know I was lying. I caught Madame Persu having a rather clandestine interlude with one of her servants and Mother was afraid I’d tattle. Now, tell me about your trip…” The glass was curled in my hand and I clenched it tighter waiting on him to reply.
“That makes more sense, brat,” he laughed, setting his glass aside. “Now, the City of Eula is a beautiful place, with gleaming walls and smiling faces everywhere. You can find everything you need within a short ride and the best of everything is easily obtainable. We played games in the Palace, which you’d have loved, and we met many wonderful people, some of whom were even our relatives! I know you don’t believe that after Aunt Hilde’s last visit, but it’s true!”
He took a drink and I sat waiting. Finally, when I thought I’d scream, I set the glass aside and balled my fists in my lap. “What about the Night Court? Is it truly as wonderful as everyone makes it sound?” My curiosity about that area of the City was what slipped into my dreams at night. I’m sure Father would understand, even if Mother didn’t. They were very different, our parents.
“There’s more to the City of Eula than the Night Court, Gracie. I know it’s hard to imagine with your hormones in a twist the way they most assuredly are. You’ll just have to believe me when I say that even the Night Court gets a bit boring after a while.” He sounded serious enough, but I wondered if our more lighthearted brother would agree. I didn’t have long to wait to find out.
“Poppycock, brother!” Lucian laughed, having finally freed himself from Mother’s scrutiny to join us in the parlor. “I believe it’s the Night Court that Grace will enjoy the most! If her last lesson with that flechette was any indication. Tell me, sister, have you tested it while we’ve been away?”
I sniffed indignantly and looked away, picking up my glass and sipping it lightly. I refused to answer his questions and my refusal was all the answer he needed. “Mother forbade it, didn’t she? She just railed about our education of our dear sister prior to our departure, by the way, and made me promise not to encourage her further. What Father ever saw in her is beyond me, truly. If not for Blessed Eula’s precept, I believe she’d force him to put down his whips and stay in her bed eternally!” I had to smile, at that. He sounded so disgusted by the concept that it nearly made me laugh. “I believe we should remove our dear sister to the City as soon as possible, Martin. I fear she will grow up much like her mother if we allow her to remain here much longer.”
“She’ll never let me go,” I whispered, dropping my eyes. “She fears what I will do as much as she encourages you. How do you propose to remove me from her watchful glare?”
“Easy, puss,” he laughed, sitting on the arm of the couch next to me and running his hand down the back of my head affectionately. “Refuse to marry anyone until you’ve spent time in the city and she won’t have a choice.”
“Brilliant, brother, but how long do you think that will take? I’m only sixteen and my patience is wearing thin as it is.” I couldn’t keep the sarcasm or the hopelessness out of my voice this time.
“I don’t know, Gracie, I just don’t know. Chin up, though. Martin and I will continue your education regardless of Mother and her promises. We can’t have a Shahrizai walking into the City ill prepared for what she’ll find there, right?” Lucian sent a look to Martin, who nodded gravely. “We’ll just need Father’s help hiding it from her, that’s all.”
He smiled again and I knew better than to doubt him. He’d see that I was well versed in using the tools of our heritage. I looked at Martin for a while, too. Martin would make sure I knew my place and how to act once I was in the City, too. Between them, surely I could keep my head above water someday when I reached the City of Eula. Surely.
Lucian and Martin were here, now, though. They’d keep me out of trouble. “Hey, brat,” Lucian laughed as he walked through the door. “Miss us much?” His eyes were dancing and I ground my teeth to keep from answering. He wouldn’t hear what he wanted from my lips! “Ah, well, we would’ve missed you, too, if the Night Court wasn’t so blessedly entertaining.”
“Lucian, stop teasing her,” Martin said, shaking his head at our brother. “She’ll only hate you for it, later. You aren’t doing yourself a jot of good.” He smiled at me and hugged me close. “Now, tell us everything that you’ve been up to and I’ll tell you about The City of Eula. Lucian we’ll leave to deal with Mother, as she looks like she’s a bone to pick with him, anyway. Come, come… tell me. Loona says you’ve been a bit of a hoyden and you’re restricted to The Reserve. What did you do?”
I sent him a look as he pulled me out of the foyer and into a parlor, leading me to a couch before heading for the sideboard. He came back with a pair of glasses and I was loathe to find out how much he’d watered the wine. My brothers both knew exactly how old I was, yet they continued to treat me like I was twelve. It annoyed me greatly. “Mother caught me playing with the neighbor’s farm boy and thought I’d be better to stick with servants who would understand my tastes. Tell me about the City, Martin. What is it like?”
“Farm boy, Gracie, really?” He said, settling next to me on the couch. “I had thought you’d have better taste than that.”
“Oh, stop it, Martin. You know I was lying. I caught Madame Persu having a rather clandestine interlude with one of her servants and Mother was afraid I’d tattle. Now, tell me about your trip…” The glass was curled in my hand and I clenched it tighter waiting on him to reply.
“That makes more sense, brat,” he laughed, setting his glass aside. “Now, the City of Eula is a beautiful place, with gleaming walls and smiling faces everywhere. You can find everything you need within a short ride and the best of everything is easily obtainable. We played games in the Palace, which you’d have loved, and we met many wonderful people, some of whom were even our relatives! I know you don’t believe that after Aunt Hilde’s last visit, but it’s true!”
He took a drink and I sat waiting. Finally, when I thought I’d scream, I set the glass aside and balled my fists in my lap. “What about the Night Court? Is it truly as wonderful as everyone makes it sound?” My curiosity about that area of the City was what slipped into my dreams at night. I’m sure Father would understand, even if Mother didn’t. They were very different, our parents.
“There’s more to the City of Eula than the Night Court, Gracie. I know it’s hard to imagine with your hormones in a twist the way they most assuredly are. You’ll just have to believe me when I say that even the Night Court gets a bit boring after a while.” He sounded serious enough, but I wondered if our more lighthearted brother would agree. I didn’t have long to wait to find out.
“Poppycock, brother!” Lucian laughed, having finally freed himself from Mother’s scrutiny to join us in the parlor. “I believe it’s the Night Court that Grace will enjoy the most! If her last lesson with that flechette was any indication. Tell me, sister, have you tested it while we’ve been away?”
I sniffed indignantly and looked away, picking up my glass and sipping it lightly. I refused to answer his questions and my refusal was all the answer he needed. “Mother forbade it, didn’t she? She just railed about our education of our dear sister prior to our departure, by the way, and made me promise not to encourage her further. What Father ever saw in her is beyond me, truly. If not for Blessed Eula’s precept, I believe she’d force him to put down his whips and stay in her bed eternally!” I had to smile, at that. He sounded so disgusted by the concept that it nearly made me laugh. “I believe we should remove our dear sister to the City as soon as possible, Martin. I fear she will grow up much like her mother if we allow her to remain here much longer.”
“She’ll never let me go,” I whispered, dropping my eyes. “She fears what I will do as much as she encourages you. How do you propose to remove me from her watchful glare?”
“Easy, puss,” he laughed, sitting on the arm of the couch next to me and running his hand down the back of my head affectionately. “Refuse to marry anyone until you’ve spent time in the city and she won’t have a choice.”
“Brilliant, brother, but how long do you think that will take? I’m only sixteen and my patience is wearing thin as it is.” I couldn’t keep the sarcasm or the hopelessness out of my voice this time.
“I don’t know, Gracie, I just don’t know. Chin up, though. Martin and I will continue your education regardless of Mother and her promises. We can’t have a Shahrizai walking into the City ill prepared for what she’ll find there, right?” Lucian sent a look to Martin, who nodded gravely. “We’ll just need Father’s help hiding it from her, that’s all.”
He smiled again and I knew better than to doubt him. He’d see that I was well versed in using the tools of our heritage. I looked at Martin for a while, too. Martin would make sure I knew my place and how to act once I was in the City, too. Between them, surely I could keep my head above water someday when I reached the City of Eula. Surely.