Time for Change

21

At the dinner Shelby is nervous for many reasons. Most of them her siblings and their family and the rest her children. For once her children seem to remember their manners and don't start any fighting. They sit still and don't speak unless spoken to.

Shelby gives a silent sigh of thanks. But that is short lived when her sister starts in on her.

She can feel Tyler stiffening up as her sister continues on. Finally Tyler has had enough, "Stop or you will be removed from Elvenhome. How dare you insult the queen on her wedding day? How dare you insult her period. She is far better than you will ever be. If this is how you are it boggles my mind how she has tolerated you for the time you have lived." His words are quiet, not heard by any but those closest to them, but their effect is obvious.

Shelby's sister Abby has always been jealous and catty, but she had been the favorite of their mother and Shelby could do nothing to defend herself. The others all knew of her cattiness but their mother could never see it. Once their father died, their mother began to see just how bad Abby was. It was only then that Shelby had been able to gain any kind of relationship with their mother. In the end Abby had a fight and never reconciled with their mother.

Shelby sees the smirk on her oldest brother's face. He likes the fact that the elven king had stood up for her. He had been hurt by the elves as well, but still he doesn't seem to mind the fact that Shelby has married the king.

The same couldn't be said of her other siblings. Some of them refused to even look at her. "I shouldn't have brought them here. If I had known I wouldn't have done so, Shelby, I'm sorry."

Shelby looks sadly at Tyler, "It's not your fault. Most of them will get over it, but my so called sister has had it in for me since the day I met her. Of them all, she's the only one I wouldn't have invited, but I couldn't resist. I should have known that she would do her best to ruin this for me."

Tyler doesn't ask he just sits and waits for Shelby to either tell him or not. "My mother died when I was young. My father was unable to deal with raising the five of us on his own so he remarried. She had four of her own, only the one girl." Shelby motions to her sister.

"We are only months apart in age, but she has always been jealous of me. Why? I have no idea. She has done her best to make my life unbearable. Every time I thought we could become friends she betrays me. Finally I've stopped trying. What makes me sick is that she pretended to be oh so sad and upset at my father's funeral, when in reality they didn't get along." Shelby gives a small snort of derision.

"My father got along with everyone, except her. All she had to do was walk in the room and his blood pressure would sky rocket. He bent over backwards to help her out and she only had words of derision for him. Until it came to others outside of the family, then her words were those of a loving, caring, daughter. Lies, that's all that she knows. She can't even be true to herself."

Tyler takes her hand and gives it a small squeeze for comfort. Shelby gives him a watery smile in return. She's learned a long time ago how to hide her true feelings and there was no way in hell that she'd give Abby the satisfaction of seeing her attempts to make her feel bad actually work.

"I'll end the dinner soon. Try to eat some more that will show her that you are unfazed by her words." Tyler whispers to Shelby. Indeed their entire conversation has been done in near silent whispers and try as hard as she could Abby couldn't hear a word of what was said.

Shelby is able to give Tyler a genuine smile and start eating some more. She feels more light hearted than she has in some time. Her ex had never bothered to defend her. Hell he'd added to what was said. For the first time in her life Shelby feels that someone actually considers her of some value. Enough at least to defend her.

She doesn't believe that he'd do that against an elf, though, so soon enough her smile falters. Oh well, it would be nice to be married to someone that cares enough to defend her against everybody. 

"I will defend you against my people as well, Shelby. You are now my queen, their queen as well. They don't have to like it, just like they don't have to like me, but they have to respect you. If they don't they will be punished for it." Tyler says and Shelby looks at him startled, how did he know what she was thinking?

Tyler smiles at her, caressing her cheek, "Your thoughts aren't that hard to follow. I will tolerate no one belittling you like your sister did. You are far better than any of them and deserve to be treated as such."

Just then her sister makes another cutting remark towards her. The anger sparks in Tyler's eyes and he has his guards escort the human away. There is silence in the dining hall as the elves look up to the high table with various degrees of curiosity and satisfaction.

"What will be done to her?" Shelby asks with trepidation.

"Nothing that shouldn't have been done before dinner started. She makes for a great case of indigestion." Tyler rubs his stomach as the acid boils from his anger. Slowly it calms down. "She will be returned to her home, safe and sound. She is banned from Elvenhome now."

Once the acid has calmed down Tyler ends the meal. "I can understand why your father's blood pressure went up when she walked into the room. I hope you don't mind me banning her from Elvenhome?"

Shelby smiles as she takes the kings arm, "Not at all. We haven't talked in years, actually. She's ignored me when our paths have crossed and quite frankly, I prefer it that way."

Tyler sniffs, "I can certainly see why."