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/Chapter Two/ A Feast To Remember/

I walked to the door and opened it to find Alexander waiting against the wall. He held out his arm and I took it. As he led me to the banquet room, I couldn’t help but notice how comfortable I felt beside him and on his arm.

Looking to my left, I saw my mother walking with us. I tried to slip my free hand into hers but she simply let go and told me ‘you’ll look strange holding thin air.’  Even though I felt the slight pain in my chest for my mother’s rejection, I did understand; the humans won’t be able to see her and I would look like I was clutching thin air.

The room was regal white with silk red drapes on each of its four corners and on both sides of the large window. There were paintings of landscapes and people again; I should ask for the name of the painters, it would make father happy if I could get some for our house.

“Mercy, this is my family. My mother and father of course,” he pointed to the couple I had met the other day. I curtsied and addressed them politely. “This is my aunt, Eliza and my cousin Heather.” I curtsied to the woman as well.

Alexander pulled my chair out and allowed me to sit. I smiled and thanked him as he took a seat to my right.

“Shall we feast now?” Heather asked rather grouchily, as if she had been waiting for long.

“My father has not arrived-” I started to say but he then walked in. He bowed to the duke and duchess and to the rest of Alexander’s family then walked over to kiss me swiftly on the cheek. “I do apologise for my lateness, my work hours got the better of me.” He took a seat on my right side.

Half way through our meal I remembered that my mother was still present, just as she’d said she would be. I felt her beside me. From the corner of my eye I saw she was floating behind my father. I expected her to look sad or be looking at him with love in her eyes but she didn’t. Her eyes were cold and her face was in a scowl. That was strange.

“My son, Mercy, we have arranged the date of your wedding,” announced the duke.

Alexander started to choke on his food. I tried to help him but he pushed my hand away. He was still choking. The maid he was talking to in the gardens yesterday rushed towards him and hit him on the back. He smiled and nodded at her when he finally swallowed.

“My apologies everyone, I tried to eat a piece too big for my throat.”

The duke paused for a few moments then continued, “three days from today you will have Mercy’s hand in marriage. Everything has been arranged and all is well.” My father and Alexander’s cousin and aunt clapped both Alexander and I. My fiancé’s face turned as red as a tomato and so did mine.

“Albus, I was wondering how many people were in your family? I’m rather cautious of bloodlines you see-” The duke asked my father but he interrupted him.

“My friend, you have nothing to worry about. I am an only child; my parents and thier's are deceast. Mercy’s my only child and my wife passed. We are both one family. You should let your mind rest, we don’t want you’re condition getting any worse.” My father said sweetly.

“Ah Albus, always so noble! My days are numbered; I’m not sure how long I’ll be alive. I just really want to see, well, I mean attend my only son’s wedding.”

“You will,”

Agatha, the woman who helped me dress, was coming into the room, with more drinks and fruit platters for desert that she could handle. The tray she carried them on was much too much small and too heavy for her to handle. I got up to help her.

“No Miss Thompson. I can handle it,” she tried to tell me but I took the tray from her anyway.

“Please, you were so kind to me at my first arrival, I must help!”

The duchess nodded at me, she hadn’t spoken to me at all these days. “How sweet of you Mercy, our Alexander is lucky to have you as a bride,” Her eyes were the exact same colour as her son but with much more wisdom in them.

I smiled at her sweetly though hated how she talked to me as if her son owned me.

Alexander’s cousin snorted at me, “It’s not ‘sweet’ of her. She probably did serving all the time in that dirty old village.” Heather’s nose wrinkled as she looked me up and down. How dare she!

“Heather! We do not share horrible opinions at the table!” her mother Eliza told her, though she didn’t sound too stern.

‘She insulted you, I think she should be our first victim’ my mother had wandered over to me and whispered in my ear.

I nodded and instead of unleashing the rage that had boiled up inside of me, I forced a smile. Heather looked around thirteen but that wouldn’t excuse her ignorance.

“It’s quite alright. Heather, I’m from a well off village. My father worked hard to provide me with a good life and I am ever so grateful,” I smiled at my father and back at Heather for affect. “I have never served in my life.”

“I do not recall asking for your life story, give me my drink!” She demanded. With a steady hand, I placed her drink in front of her and she snatched to start drinking.

Little did she know my mother and I had mixed up a ghastly potion before bed. If I was correct, my mother had poured it into the same glass Heather was drinking out of.

I had moved to give Aunt Eliza and the duchess their drinks when I heard Heather cry out. All of our heads snapped towards her and saw why she had screamed. Her face was growing disgusting black warts and her face was swelling up.

“What on earth-” her mother started to shriek.

My hands flew to my mouth and I let out a muffled shriek as well. “What witchcraft is this?!”

I felt Alexander and my father move to my side. Looking between them, I saw their faces were frozen in the state of fear.

Heather was screaming as she grew bigger. Her stomach expanded, making her orange dress rip open at the back; I assumed. “What’s happening to me?!”

The duke couldn’t see what was happening since he was blind so the duchess hurried to explain.

I couldn’t believe this! The potion had worked so quickly and much better then I’d thought! I think I deserved a reward of some sort for not falling to the ground in laughter!

My father moved forward and tried to help Aunt Eliza get her daughter out of her chair but the legs of them gave in. Heather crashed to the floor. “Get her up and out of here. Get her to a doctor immediately!” my father told the mother. Aunt Eliza seemed to be able to handle her now swollen daughter. She forced her through the door then rushed in to curtsy to the remaining guests.

“Dear lord,” I muttered. “She must have eaten something rotten, or had fallen ill,” I was trying hard to sound as shocked as was believable.

“Or maybe her foul mouth made her grow such foul warts. How dare she insult my fiancé so,” Alexander added, placing an arm around me.

Our meal had came to an end and it was no surprise I still pondered on the event that just took place. I had caused that mishap to a young girl, a few years younger than me. She had been rude to me but doing what I did made me just as bad. Guilt was creeping in on me. I should have explained to her and moved on.

‘Don’t feel bad Mercy, she deserved it!’

Despite my mother’s reassurance, I still felt bad. I hope she got better.

The duke and duchess were the first to leave; the duke needed some help. My father left the room with us but he didn’t leave straight away. “Alexander, may I have Mercy for a few moments? I would like a word.”

What did he want to talk to me about? Was he suspicious over the family meal?

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What does Albus want to say to his 'innocent' daughter?

Find out in the next chapter....

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