Pride & Humility

III

"Eh? I'm not clueless," King Bradley protested, but Mrs. Bradley only laughed at him.

The dinner was filled with merriment and laughter. King and Katherine were a remarkably adorable couple, and the two filled the entire room up with amiable hospitality. Time flew by faster than a rocket, and it was far too soon that Elizabeth had to bade everyone goodnight.

Dinner with the Bradley's became a regular occurrence. Most nights the führer would join them, but there had been a couple times where he was too busy with work.

After dinner, Selim and Elizabeth would play in the gardens for a couple of hours before someone would escort Elizabeth "home."

Although the heiress wished she never had to leave.

(óヮò)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Breakfast in the house of Luxanna was a bleak affair. The food was carried to Elizabeth's room, and she ate in silence at her desk in her nearly empty room. It wasn't that the Luxanna family couldn't afford niceties, or luxuries—it was an old wealthy family—so much as Grandfather Crow was a minimalist, and believed his granddaughter should be the same.

The only things of note that could be found in Elizabeth's room were piles of notebooks, and assigned textbooks on alchemy. The stacks were so high they towered over the girl.

Once Elizabeth finished her breakfast, she got dressed for the day and headed down to the musky library to begin her lessons. Mrs. Delve awaited her with a narrowed gaze, and a clipped good morning.

As with every day, the lesson was only made bearable by the fact that Elizabeth had something to look forward to at the end. It wasn't that Mrs. Delve was a bad teacher, per say—she explained things well enough Elizabeth could follow along—but there a prominent air of disdain in that stuffy library.

No... in that house.

Elizabeth could scarcely think to call it a home anymore. She saw what a home ought to be like with the Bradleys.

There was no warmth, or love in the houses of Luxanna.

There was expectations, and punishments.

Elizabeth wasn't a granddaughter.

She was a tool. A pet.

Her future was in the hands of a man who did not care for her wellbeing—who probably didn't even like her.

And what could she do about it?

Run away?

With his connections, she'd undoubtedly be found the very first day.

Refuse?

She wouldn't put it past him to lock her away until she starved to death, or submitted.

He'd get away with it, too.

Ask for help?

From who?

She didn't want to bring her only friend into it. Selim was too dear to her, and the very thought of him coming anywhere near her grandfather burned Elizabeth up inside. Mrs. Bradley, Katherine, was a possibility, but Elizabeth irrationally feared that if the kind woman came in contact with Crow she'd somehow become tainted and turn on Elizabeth.

Mr. Bradley? The führer, would undoubtedly support his retired general.

The servants didn't care.

There was no one Elizabeth felt comfortable asking for help.

Which left her with only one option: comply.