"Dialogue"
'Thought'
~Flashback~
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Clover Kingdom Capital, Noble District, East entrance.
'Stupid, stupid!' - the young girl touched the ground and quickly dismissed her broom. A look of urgency clear on her face.
'What time is it?' - she looked at her surroundings, attempting to find something that would tell her the hour. Unfortunately, she found nothing, thus leaving her wondering if she was already late.
'Shit, shit' - she was not one to use such vulgar language even in her thoughts, but even she found it appropriate sometimes.
One thing she was sure of is that she was behind on time, by how much was what she needed to know.
'What does it matter, just start walking'
She moved as fast as her legs allowed her to. She was angry she had to enter from that side, but at least it was a straight path rarely populated at the later hours of the day. She maintained the pace for some time. She ran past the empty walkway, reached a crossroad, and read the directional signs.
"Vartip North, Deadwood Scug" - she read.
Having spent most of her life walking these areas of the kingdom, she knew her way around better than any other place, as well as its inner workings. As long as there were no blockades she figured she would be fine.
'Deadwood Scug' - she looked at the pathway. It was narrow and dark, run-down and foreboding, it was a perfect representation of its name, except for the wood part. She turned around to look at the other pathway.
'If I only knew how much time I have left...' - she thought. "Well I don't think I have a choice then, gotta take the shortcut" — she steeled herself and moved forward, Vartip North.
The noble district tended to fool any would-be-no-gooders by misleading them with area names and visuals.
Deadwood Scug sounded creepy and looked that way at first, but it was actually the safest path. If one would choose it, they would find quickly that the rest of the way was not at all as it looked like in the beginning.
Vartip North was the complete opposite.
Her pace was quick, not as quick as before, but quick enough to get her through there without lingering too long in one spot. The area looked wider and much better maintained, but upon turning the corner, the deception was made known. The long path had some form of trash littered on each side as far as she could see, the horizontal brick pattern of the floor was uneven, propaganda on the walls, some doors were left open, some were closed and quite deteriorated, but the worst part was that it was not void of human presence.
She noticed the gazes of the men on her, most were discreet about it or attempting to be. She avoided any acknowledgment as she passed them. They were commoners that by some means, illegal and not, rose up the ranks and became nobles. By not having the experience or mana of a noble, these people did not have as much wealth as one of noble birth. This was their designated area as a means to separate and keep watch on them without breaking the law. It was better than a commoner's life, but not by much.
'This is all Nozel's fault, why did he have to pick the northern plaza of all places, and at night no less' - she frowned at her situation.
'No, this is my fault for not just using my valkyrie dress' - she scowled. 'I just had to go and listen to my stupid pride and use a stupid broom just because of that stupid Magna with his stupid bike-broom and his stupid comments about brooms and basics' - she clenched her fists.
"Isn't that a Silva?"
"Yeah, she's the youngest, what's she doing here?"
"She's a magic knight, don't draw attention"
She heard people whisper as she kept passing them. What caught her attention was that they knew who she was. Even though she was royalty, she figured she wasn't well known in the lower tier levels of nobility, and this was the lowest there was.
"Stop looking at her, she looks pissed, you'll get us in trouble"
"She doesn't look strong though, and they say she can't control her magic"
"Shut up, she'll hear you. She was a key figure in winning the war, she'll destroy you"
Although they didn't stop their covert staring, she did feel quite satisfied to hear how they feared her. A twisted pleasure that she allowed herself to revel in, if only just for this moment. 'Yes, that's right you borderline commoners'
"Lady Silva, wait!" — a voice called for her from behind. Noelle turned around to see a woman run-up to her with a child in her arms.
"Lady Silva, I'm sorry to bother you but I need your help" — the woman pleaded.
Noelle's magic knight instinct kicked in upon seeing the woman's desperate face. She was on full alert. "What is it ma'am?" — she asked, as she looked around for any hostile entities.
"I need a favor please, I know I am no one to ask for anything from someone such as yourself, but please at least hear my request" — the woman lowered her head in submission.
"A favor? So you're not in any danger?" — Noelle continued assessing the situation.
"Well... no, but..." — the woman tried to respond.
"I'm sorry ma'am, I'm in a hurry, if you're not in any danger then I must leave" — Noelle turned and began walking without waiting for a response.
"Please wait!" — the woman yelled, but the royal girl did not stop and remained in motion.
"My husband is a designer and tailor, his designs are ahead of his time but since he is a low tier noble, no one wants to give him the time of day" — the woman said while attempting to keep up with Noelle.
"I did not give you permission to speak" — Noelle responded without looking at her.
"If he doesn't make any sales soon we will lose our home, we barely have enough to buy food" — the woman continued.
"That is not my problem, now stop following me" — Noelle said bluntly and increased her pace, too preoccupied with her own situation.
"Please lady Silva you're our only hope" — the woman pleaded, in her desperation, she grabbed onto the white sleeve fabric of the young woman.
Noelle felt the tug and immediately swung her arm to release the woman's grip, this caused the woman to be pulled and lose her footing.
The woman fell forward, in her descent she managed to shift a bit to her side, and avoided landing on top of her child, resulting in an unprotected landing for her. The child wailed very loudly. Noelle grimaced at the sight and stopped to inspect if she was alright.
"Please lady Silva, all I need is for you to wear one dress so my husband can take pictures and present it. If it's you... someone beautiful and prestigious as yourself... then it's guaranteed he will succeed... please..." — she pleaded again as she made sure her child was alright.
Noelle knelt and helped her stand up. "Are you alright?" — she asked calmly and with concern.
"Yes... thank you" — she said. "Will you help? My house is right over there" — she pointed behind her to a nearby residence.
Noelle knew better than to simply trust a stranger, especially from the lower levels, but her stay in the black bulls had influenced her more than she was aware of, the biggest influence coming from the loud-mouth young man that wouldn't think twice to lend his aid. She followed the woman until they were in front of the house.
'It's an open door house' - Noelle hesitated and stopped as the woman walked inside.
"Please, come in..." — the woman said.
Noelle swallowed. A knot building and twisting in her stomach.
[...] Clover Kingdom Capital. Noble District, Northern Plaza.
Shops and restaurants, fountains and sculptures, decorations, and lights that illuminate to the most perfect angles. This is a display of the highest tier of wealth and living standard that is offered to only the most prestigious, powerful, and productive members of the kingdom, second only to the royal grounds.
This splendid area was also the busiest. Frequented by the middle to high-ranking nobles of the kingdom, it was a place to unwind from the arduous task of maintaining their standing among their peers and competitors.
Sitting on a bench, was the captain of the Silver Eagles and head of the royal household of Silva. Upright he sat, aloof he appeared, a sharp and confident look on his face, precise and graceful with his movements, the embodiment of excellence, except for one thing.
"Hello Noelle, I'm glad you could make it" — he said in a low voice, a moment later he closed his eyes and huffed. 'No that's not right, of course she would make it, there's no reason not to'
"Noelle, you are late" — he said in a stern voice, then clenched his jaw. 'Clearly, that is too aggressive'
"Noelle, may I ask as to why you are late?" — he frowned slightly. 'Not as aggressive, but still too forceful'
"Noelle, it is good to see you, I'm glad you're alright" — he said with a small smile, a chill ran down his back. 'That would look strange'
"Noelle, you look very lovely today" — he said in a calm voice, he raised his eyebrow. 'What if she doesn't' - he entertained that thought for a moment. 'That can't be, she always looks lovely'
"Noelle... you look lovely today" — he said in a lower, softer tone and gestured his hand forward. He frowned heavily. 'Certainly not! She would think me a deviant'
He continued his battle to find the best and most appropriate greeting for his youngest sister who he secretly esteems so very much.
"Dear, look, it's lord Silva" — a woman tells her husband after they moved outside of earshot.
"Yes, I believe it is, but, is he talking to himself?" — the husband questioned, slowing his pace.
"Why don't we go and chat with him, you said you had spoken with them about the vineyards" — she queried while giving quick side glances to the royal.
"No, Martha, I spoke with the eldest daughter, I've not exchanged a word with him whatsoever"
"Well then, maybe we should go talk to him, perhaps he might remember us in the future" — she insisted.
The man fully turns and looks at Nozel.
"Noelle..."
"Noelle..."
"Noelle..."
The royal said. Each time making a different expression.
"Noelle..." — Nozel attempted a wide smile, or what he deemed to be a smile.
"No... I think we should just leave him be..." — the man said and moved away while easily resisting his wife's pulling of his arm.
"But why? This is a good opportunity"
"I believe the man is occupied by himself at the moment" — he responded calmly as he walked away in a hurry, wanting nothing more than to escape that place.
Nozel remained deep in thought.
'I suppose there's no need to worry, Solid and Nebra have been instructed, all that's left is to ask Noelle' - Nozel took a deep breath.
'Everything will be fine, just don't scare her away, and don't insult her friends, and act normal' - he held his breath. 'I can do this, the practice with Dorothy should be enough for this meeting' - he exhaled.
'What if she declines, I'll only have wasted her time' - he began to doubt his arrangement.
His hand went to his pocket and pulled a picture and smiled lightly as he looked at it. It was the last picture they took as a family, he was in the middle, Solid and Nebra to his sides and Noelle was in front of him, he was holding her by her shoulders, she had just turned twelve. His smile faded.
Guilt was a feeling he was very familiar with. He remembered that day. Noelle was smiling, it looked genuine, but her shoulders, concealed by his hands told the truth. Her body was stiff, shoulders tense, like stone. He remembers applying light pressure, attempting to unpetrify her. It worked but then she began to tremble, and he knew why, now and back then.
Entranced by the picture, he ignored the sound of footsteps closing in from behind. The footsteps drew closer until they stopped just right behind him, but he still ignored them.
After a moment the footsteps were heard again, moving around the bench and towards him, coming to a stop close to his side.
"Brother Nozel"
Nozel recognized the voice and quickly pocketed the picture, then slowly stood and turned.
"Noelle, thank you for coming on such short notice, I hope you are well" — he said, quite content with how he delivered his greeting.
"I am, thank you for asking, and I apologize for arriving late, I had to take care of something unexpected" — she decided to address him as she always had. They have not yet been able to talk in a casual environment, so her plan was to let him dictate the level of formality.
"Yes, well, no need to worry. As I said, my summon was quite sudden, but you are here now" — he responded.
"Yes, and how are you, brother?" — she felt relieved that he wasn't upset, he was always strict with punctuality.
"I am well, and so is Solid and Nebra. We have allowed ourselves to properly take advantage of the mandatory rest period"
"That is very good to hear, you all deserve it" — she smiled.
"Yes, and now that it's over, we have to catch up with our duties, which brings me to the reason I called you, but before we get into that, would you accompany me to dinner? We can talk more comfortably there" — he softened his expression but remained stoic.
Her eyes widened in surprise but quickly recovered. She had already eaten before heading out, but it would be stupid of her to decline his offer to spend time with him.
"Of course I would, please lead the way" — she accepted.
Nozel turned around and offered his arm while looking at her from the side. She moved to meet him and accepted it with hers then began to walk.
As they were on their way, the nobles who were fortunate enough to be present were treated to a display of majestic regality that one could only dream of possessing. The proud and powerful aura of the lord of the household, his beautiful and dignified youngest sister at his side and the lights that illuminate them as they gracefully walked towards their destination. Nothing short of stunning.
'I'm walking with Nozel and holding his arm! And he offered it! I can't believe it! I'm so happy' - she inwardly squealed in delight, unaware of the jealous and awestruck gazes around them.
'That went perfect, I must thank Dorothy when I see her, but I musnt fall into complacency, the stakes are high, I must do all I can' - Nozel was also in his own world, feeling quite satisfied with himself.
They walked slowly, enjoying the sights, and arrived later than they would have. They stopped in front of the restaurant and he motioned for Noelle to enter first.
"This place feels familiar" - she stated as she inspected her surroundings.
"We came here when Nebra and Solid received their grimoire, do you not remember?" - he assumed that she would easily recollect such events.
"Ah... yes..." — she frowned sadly.
"Is something wrong? If it is that you did not get a celebration then I apologize" — he quickly attempted to lift her mood as he felt a spike of remorse.
"That's not it... but it's nothing really, don't worry yourself about it, let's enjoy ourselves" — she shook her head and smiled.
"Very well" — he didn't want to pry any further. It was clear something happened and he needed to keep her away from those memories for now.
Once the staff noticed them they quickly tended to their needs and took them to their table. Nozel pulled her chair and motioned for her to sit. It was so strange of him.
'Hmmmm, deja vu' - she thought as she sat.
Nozel conversed with the staff about the menu, and Noelle waited patiently. Her vision was fixated on a nearby fountain.
[...]
~Um... congratulations brother on getting your grimoire, I have this gift for you~ - little Noelle hopefully extended her small hands holding a gift, a constructible figurine that she thought he would like.
~I never said I wanted anything from you~ - Solid reprimanded.
~I... I... thought you would... like this...~ - she quivered as her hopes of bonding with her brother diminished rapidly.
~Of course I would not want that stupid thing, you're useless and can't even get a proper gift. Anything from you is trash anyway~ - Solid grabbed her arm and pulled her towards the fountain with him then yanked the toy from her.
~Stop! I'm sorry! I won't do it again!~ - Noelle pleaded.
Once there, he took the gift, broke it, and threw it in. ~You'd better not. That's what your gifts are worth, and don't think this is over, we'll continue this at home~ - he said and returned to his table, leaving a teary Noelle who was reaching in to pull out her broken item. She spent the rest of the outing scared and ruminating over the terrible things he might think of punishing her with.
[...]
"Noelle, what would you like to have?"
Nozel's question snapped her back to reality. She didn't respond. Her attention remained on the fountain and her expression turned serious.
"Noelle?" — he asked in search of any confirmation.
The sudden traumatic memory, which sprung forth without warning left her shaken, embarrassed, powerless. The feeling of impotence and desire to change the outcome but would never have the chance heavily weighted on her self-esteem. The realization that she should have done something but was too terrified, angered her to no end. She was now awake.
'I didn't deserve that, I did nothing wrong. I feel so pathetic...' - she thought while slowly looking towards her brother. She stopped just short of making eye contact, held her gaze as if looking at something unpleasant behind him and her face went neutral. 'He is not without fault. That's right... I'm here to show him who I am...'
Nozel was about to speak but she turned to look at the waiter, calm and focused.
"A crepe will be fine" — she stated and turned towards Nozel.
"You need not worry about indulging, please, I insist" — Nozel politely offered.
"I already ate back at home, and I must say that no dish here would come close to Charmy's culinary skill. I ordered the crepe only out of consideration to you"— her response was calm but with disdain.
Her change in demeanor was not subtle to Nozel, leaving him to wonder what provoked this sudden shift.
"That will be all then" — he instructed the waiter and were promptly left by themselves.
Silence followed, Noelle remained calm as she looked around the establishment. Nozel was glancing towards wherever she was looking, then to her, back and forth.
Seconds passed and the ambiance had changed.
Noelle was pensive, detached, and calm. Seeming to be content to sit and wait for her meal.
Nozel was tense and at a loss on how to begin a conversation, he wondered if he should simply tell her what he needed to and hurry things.
'Is this punishment, I wonder. Or what the eastern lands call karma...' - he was about ready to give up. With his limited knowledge of her, and his early negligence, he was at a loss. He did not know how to properly breach that barrier. 'I can only do my best, I have limited time, I must not fail'.
"What a coincidence" — Noelle said, looking at another table.
The shattering of the oppressive silence was a welcomed relief for Nozel. He turned to observe said table.
Noelle placed an elbow on the table and rested her cheek on her hand. "They're having a grimoire celebration" — she said calmly.
"Yes, it seems to be the case. I believe that is the Abinne family, they have their position with the purple orca" — he said.
"I remember Solid's celebration" — Noelle immediately responded without even a gap of a second as she looked on.
"Is that so..." — he now understood the why of her current behavior.
"It is so" — she said matter-of-factly. She still did not look at him. "It was... eventful, to say the least" — her eyes twitched as if she was trying to contain them from narrowing.
"Yes, I also remember. He was quite eccentric, no doubt very happy about his achievement, he was young, after all" — he attempted to maintain the topic in a lighter tone.
"I remember you scolded him, near the fountain, right there" — her voice was commanding but respectful, she turned to look at the exact area which she mentioned.
Nozel was no stranger to pressure, he received a large amount of it as the house Lord from a young age, but it hardened him, and now he was the one dishing it out. Rarely has he encountered a situation he was intimidated by, and the times he did, he had the means to handle it. He was not weak, socially or mentally.
"Do you remember why you did so?" — Noelle asked, her voice growing colder.
Today, however, his repertoire of tools were severely lacking for the psychological barrage his youngest sister was assailing him with.
Nozel swallowed, he was battling on two fronts, one was getting Noelle to drop her line of questioning in order to attempt to lift her mood. The other one was pinpointing the reason he felt so intimidated by her.
"Yes, I do" — he responded but did not elaborate, his mind was there but also somewhere else.
"Why" — she stated bluntly, her tone now demanding.
He knew she knew the answer to that, and the fact that she asked anyway was like a clamp crushing his head slowly, then alleviated only to be crushed again. He remained silent, attempting to find the best response, he knew very well what she was referring to.
"Well?" — Noelle pushed from a lack of an immediate response, her tone shifted to calm but impatient.
She turned to look at him, and then her anger dissipated rapidly.
Nozel was looking at her, his expression was guilt-ridden, sad. Realizing it was her doing caused her to understand how far she allowed to bury herself in her own resentment and regretted it.
"He was behaving inappropriately in front of the guests, that was why" — he answered.
"Exactly, that was your only reason" — she stated, softening her tone.
"I saw what he did" — he responded, knowing well what she wanted him to address.
"I know" — she said as carefully as she could.
"I did not correct him when I should have. You did nothing wrong" — he concluded.
Noelle looked down, happy and ashamed at the same time. "Thank you, brother" — she looked at him softly and with a warm smile.
Nozel smiled in return. Perhaps there was more that should be said, but neither of them were prepared to address it.
There was a comfortable silence, and the tension disappeared immediately. Moments later, their meal arrived.
"Well then, let us begin, and please feel free to ask for anything else" — Nozel said.
"Yes brother" — she responded as she began her meal.
They focused on their dinner and kept silent for a few minutes.
'That was no way to talk to him, he's the only one making an effort and I go and treat him like scum' - she reprimanded herself.
'I'm sure I've damaged our relationship further, and it was already delicate enough' - her mind was devouring her.
She kept dwelling on her behavior until Nozel removed her from her own mind.
"Noelle, there are some matters I need to discuss with you" — Nozel said.
"Yes... but wait for a moment" — she interrupted.
Nozel kept eating as he waited for her to continue.
"I want to apologize for my previous behavior, I should not have talked to you that way, I felt overwhelmed and acted out of emotion" — she said formally.
Nozel took in her words, taking his time to find the best course of action. He could not deny that he was angered by the fact that he was pushed so heavily like that. His pride demanded satisfaction, but he could not keep taking the same path as before. He needed not any more proof that it was a failed method.
"Sometimes it is necessary to speak from emotion, but there needs to be a balance. I took the route of logic, and you know the result" — he took a drink of his wine. "Temper it with wisdom Noelle, and you should be alright"
She was very surprised with his answer, she expected some rebuttal in the form of a threat or warning at the very least. Her admiration of him increased.
"I will, thank you for the advice" — she smiled. She felt that weight on her had been lifted, but not completely.
"Well then, moving on, the first matter is the royal ball. Your attendance is required, same day and time as always, and I took the liberty of informing your captain so there should be nothing impeding you from participating" — his serious personality took over.
Noelle simply nodded. 'He's back to his usual self" - she noted.
"However, things will be different this time. You will be an important figure, as this will be your debut. You will be the focus of many" — he said.
"My debut? I have spent my life being hidden away from any notable interactions, sometimes I was not even allowed to converse with Mimosa, no one pays me any heed in those events, why would you make that my debut?" — she was baffled by her brother's lack of foresight as he was the main culprit for her lack of presence.
Though not her intention, her words were daggers to Nozel.
"I can guarantee that shall not be the case. Which brings me to the next matter" — he took a drink of water.
'How do I tell her without breaking the agreement with the foreigner' - he wondered.
Noelle noticed and decided to patiently wait for him to organize his thoughts.
He sighs.
"Noelle, you... what experience do you have in dealing with nobility?" — he asked curiously.
She looked to her crepe and raised an eyebrow as she thought about her answer.
"Leaving out my experiences as a child with other children, I would say that it was mostly small talk and formalities expected in any interaction. I would also say my experience would come more from being a magic knight, and..." — she trailed off as she remembered her encounter in the lower noble grounds.
'That...' - she felt the knot in her stomach tighten like it did on the house steps.
"And what I have observed from you and others" — she finished.
"Word of your exploits in the war, your service to the Heart kingdom, and closeness to their queen have reached the ears of many, your reputation is no longer how you remember it" — Nozel continued.
"I see" — Noelle was surprised and intrigued.
"After the captain's meeting today, the nobles insisted that you be at the royal ball. I did not decline as I see this as an opportunity for you to make a debut without dealing with the full pressure of an official one"
"Wait, by debut, you mean debutante?" — she questioned, making eye contact as she leaned forward slightly.
"Yes and no. No because this is a royal ball, not your debutante ball, so the event is not about you. What I mean with debut is that you will be allowed to socialize and establish connections as you see fit" — he paused and allowed her to interject if she needed to.
"Alright, so far I follow" — she responded more so to indicate for him to continue
"And yes because even if you are not a debutante, many nobles will attempt to covertly court you, or overtly if they feel brave enough" — he more so warned.
"I see..." — she said.
"Which brings me to the second matter. Arranged marriage"— he paused again and waited for her response.
Noelle immediately frowned, falling prey to her emotions, dictating her actions once again.
"I do not want an arranged marriage" — she stated firmly, being a quick learner she stopped herself there, her previous trance still fresh on her body and mind.
"Calm yourself, I am not marrying you off. Even if I wanted to, I can't, you know the law" — he stated calmly.
"We both know how it can be circumvented. It hasn't stopped them from happening" — she countered, still wary of her brother's intentions.
"Noelle, I have never intended to arrange your marriage, nor Solid or Nebra's" — he indicated forcefully, as he was beginning to grow irritated. He never indicated any intention of having her engaged by his will.
"I have never given you a reason to think otherwise" — he needed to make that clear.
"That may be true, but I have no reference not to think otherwise either. You were never open and seemed to want to be rid of me at any opportunity should it have arisen" — she noted his change in demeanor and concluded that he seemed truthful, but her memories kept the fog of doubt alive.
Nozel was growing tired of dealing with the subject of their past and his treatment of her. He wanted nothing more than to force his reasoning down on her and end the conversation. 'No, that is exactly why she is insistent' - he admitted to himself.
"I did not want to be rid of you, I wanted to protect you" — he corrected her, knowing well that he was putting his head in the lion's mouth.
"Can you fault me for thinking that marrying me off is the same thing when it comes to you?" — she said sharply.
'Since when does she have the gall to speak to me like that?' - his patience was wearing thin.
'No, in part I deserve it but I cannot let this go on or my plan will be ruined' - he thought.
He frowned and closed his eyes as he rested his forehead on one hand.
"I implore you to listen to reason. I could have denied you entry to the magic knights with a simple mandate, and with that, I would have prepared your partner long before. You would have been married already" — he said slowly.
Noelle lowered her head, she couldn't find any fault with his statement. Her defensive disposition was broken under her brother's annoyance with her.
Nozel sighed.
"Magic knights cannot be forced into an arranged marriage unless they agree to it, you know this, and with your reputation, all it takes is for you to decline and you would be supported instantly, so there is nothing I can do" — he went back to his meal.
"I see. I suppose my achievements are nothing to scoff at, even the wizard king wants to meet with me" — she bragged, attempting to lighten the mood and evade admittance to another burst of emotion.
"So I've heard..." — Nozel said under his breath.
"You have?" — she heard.
"Ah... I mean..." — he scrambled to answer, he did not plan to let her realize he knew about it.
Nozel cleared his throat.
"He mentioned it to your captain, I don't know of any more details, and I would like to be done with this issue then we can continue with the main topic" — he said dismissively and disinterestedly to attempt to hide his slip up.
"Yes brother" — she responded. 'Looks like he's not impressed. Not even curious. Perhaps it's not as important as I thought" - she thought dejectedly.
"You are of age to choose a partner who you deem worthy. There will be many nobles attempting for your hand. Should you choose one, I will require to meet with him before any developments are established, and we will decide any further action from there. Is that understood?" — he said seriously.
'Someone worthy of me...' - she frowned. Her heart tightened as if her blood ceased to circulate and it was desperately trying to squeeze as much as it could.
She felt fear instead of embarrassment for the first time when thinking of the possibility of having a significant other. The simple fact that Nozel approved that she begins searching changed everything.
'Worthy...' - her worry increased as she realized she had no idea how to measure a suitor. Her only experience in that would be him. She half denied and accepted the image of the young man most likely fast asleep at the base.
'No, that's not true, no one's ever chased after me' - the fear now mixed with sadness and resentment. 'A would-be suitor is the one doing the chasing. I have no clue' - she realized.
"Is that understood?" — Nozel asked once again.
"Understood" — she chose to move the topic forward.
"There will also be nobles who will seek to gain your favor, and establish either friendships, alliances, or negotiations, some may also attempt to discredit and undermine you for their sake and those of mutual interest, and as such I will instruct you in effectively dealing with them. You will need to learn much in a short span, but I'm sure you're more than capable" — he said in the same tone.
The permission for her to choose a suitable partner and Nozel's intimidating shift in personality left Noelle dizzy and struggling to maintain focus. She could barely pay attention to the rest of the information her brother bombarded her with, much less explore her own feelings on it. She felt lost and with no control over things.
"Yes... I believe so too" — it was all she could say. The tables had turned and now she was the one under heavy pressure.
"Before you continue brother, I need to use the ladies' room, excuse me" — she said before he could continue as she smiled and stood to leave.
"Ah... yes, go right ahead" — he was slightly surprised by her hasty retreat and it released him from his cold personality.
Noelle was glad she remembered where the restroom was. It was actually difficult to forget, since she spent as much time there as she could, hiding from everything and everyone at Solid's celebration event.
[...] Silver Eagles base, Solid's room.
"I'm not thrilled about this either, but I do prefer staying here than at home" — Solid said from under his bed covers.
"That's because your room doesn't have a wall anymore, my room is perfectly fine" — Nebra retorted as she walked back and forth in front of his bed.
"Just go back and stay there then, if you go now you can get there before Nozel sees you"
"No! I'm not going to agree to his ridiculousness just because of Noelle" — she said in frustration.
"You already did by coming here" — Solid turned to his side and closed his eyes.
"Come with me then, you can stay in one of the guest rooms" — she looked over to Solid.
"No... what if she uses the same one I'm in" — he dully responded.
"She has her own room" — she deadpanned.
"And It's blocked off" — he countered.
She sighed and proceeded to sit on his bed.
"She can go around the rubble, I'm sure she wouldn't mind. You've seen how brutish she's become, no doubt from staying in that horrid squad"
"Nebra, let's just go to sleep" — he buried his head with the cover, indicating he wanted nothing more of the conversation.
"Even if she doesn't, the chance of her picking the same room is abysmal" — she said knowingly.
Solid didn't respond, he shifted to set himself in a comfortable position.
Nebra frowned in annoyance. Her younger brother usually went along with her requests as long as he felt like the odds favored him.
But now she had another weapon to use on him when she didn't get her way.
"Wait... are you perhaps afraid of her?" — she teased him, knowing well that he had not mentally recovered from his loss against her.
"Of course not!' — he snapped back as he adjusted to the side to look at her.
Nebra smiled mockingly, which frustrated him even more.
"I just don't want to anger Nozel, he's been very irritable these past days. I'm sure you've also noticed" — he quickly added, trying to divert the conversation away from his younger sister.
"Hmmm, that is true, but is that reason for us to be kicked out just for her commodity? Like she's now better than us?" — she knew all his tricks and pushed on.
"She probably does think she's better" — an image of Noelle looking at him with disgust and superiority formed in his mind, he clenched his fists and grit his teeth.
"I'll show her..." — he said. His expression was filled with frustration, embarrassment and determination somehow all at once.
"Then let's make our stand, we don't have to do anything rash, we simply need to show Nozel that we're not going to agree with such preposterous orders'' — she shifted the attention back to what she wanted. With her brother clouded with emotion, she figured he would more easily agree.
Solid was slowly recovering from his self-inflicted memory. He closed his eyes and thought about his sister's words, then very quickly a different emotion set in him, overriding all others.
"No... I just want to sleep" — he returned to his former position under the bed covers.
Nebra was fuming, her strategy failed, and what was worse, her elder brother would get his way without any resistance.
"He's meeting with her right now. They are most likely talking about us, and not in a good way, I'm sure you agree" — she gave it one last attempt.
Solid frowned under his covers, tuned his sister's voice out, and said nothing.
Nebra sighed in frustration.
"Alright then, I'll let it go this time" — she said and got up and left his room.
'They're probably having a great time' - she scowled as she walked through the hallway.
[...]
~Nebra, Solid, I was instructed that we will be resuming missions soon, and Julius wants the royal families to be the most active in order to inspire confidence and trust in the kingdom's stability among the population. Since all orders are lacking manpower, most missions will be joint ones. I only need to dedicate one~ - Nozel said sharply.
~I would like to be the one, brother. I will not disappoint~ - Solid interrupted him, as he immediately volunteered.
~Your duty here is much more important, you will stay~ - Nozel declined him.
~Then it falls to me then~ - Nebra said confidently.
~No. Just like Solid, you will continue your duties here~ - Nozel declined once again.
~So you will be going on the missions?~ - Solid asked surprisedly.
~No, let me finish. I am bringing Noelle to represent our family, she will handle all missions that require our presence~
~Noelle? But she is a black bull, she will only damage our reputation. Reconsider brother, I can handle things far better~ - Solid exclaimed, wanting to prove his capabilities.
~No. That is final. I will meet with Noelle to inform her tonight. I need her to feel comfortable so she can perform to her full capacity, so I want to bring her to stay the night and converse. Can I trust both of you to behave?~ - he questioned, but making it sound more like an order.
~If she needs to be coddled like that for her to be useful then she's already a detriment to us~ - Nebra snided.
~She can most likely handle this and your duties better than you. I have received your answer, I want both of you to stay at the base for tonight~ - Nozel coldly retorted.
~What!? You can't just kick us out for such a silly reason~ - she argued.
~I can, you are both still under my watch and will do as I say. We will discuss no more of it~ - Nozel's tone was raised to a threatening level and his gaze was intense.
Both Solid and Nebra remained silent.
~I have an announcement, or more along the lines of something I need to say, and I was planning on all of us having dinner, but I will leave that for until you can both make an effort~ - Nozel scolded.
[...]
Nebra replayed the scenario as she lay on her bed. 'Insufferable' - she thought as a feeling of impotence drifted her to sleep
[...] Northern Plaza restaurant.
The young Silva returned to the table after recomposing herself.
"Are you alright?" — Nozel said with concern.
"Yes brother, I was quite overwhelmed with the amount of information" — she said calmly.
"Yes, it is difficult to take in, I admit. Let us resume that for another time, the next piece of news is much lighter and more important, I feel" — Nozel was about finishing his dish.
"I would prefer that, yes" — she smiled.
'Calm yourself, don't go overboard' - Nozel evaluated his behavior while Noelle was away and realized he was the cause of her discomfort.
"I will make this brief, I was informed that we must begin missions right away and as such the royal families are to be at the forefront. That will give our citizens trust and lift their spirits. Solid and Nebra are handling important tasks at the estate and at the headquarters, so I need you to represent our family in the missions that require a royal" — he said.
Noelle didn't answer and looked very conflicted. She didn't want to decline, but she also didn't want to accept. She didn't know what accepting would incur.
"Are you sure, I mean I would love to do it, but do you want someone who's not in your order to represent you?" — she questioned, trying to gather more information.
Nozel was extremely tempted to invite her to switch orders but mustered the willpower to not do so. 'Stupid foreigner' - the vision of her captain vividly entered his mind.
"You will be representing our family, not our order, so it does not matter" — he stated.
"Well, I would need to let my captain know first, is that alright?" — she still wasn't sure.
"He already knows, but that is fine, let me know as soon as possible" — he said.
'He knew? Why didn't he tell me then? I guess I'll ask him about it'. "Alright then" — she gave a sincere and bright smile.
Nozel was dazzled and in awe of it. He wanted to see it forever, to have her stay that way for the rest of her days. He was captivated, and he was reminded why he asked her to dine with him.
"Noelle, there is something much more important that I need to ask of you" — his tone was soft and warm as he smiled.
Noelle was shocked that he could generate such an inviting aura, it was the first time he's done it and it felt like he had been that way for her entire life.
"Of course brother, please tell me"
"I am going to hold a family dinner and I will tell Solid and Nebra the truth about our mother. I would appreciate it if you would be there, you are family. You deserve and are entitled to be involved"
"I would be honored to be there, let me know when" — she said confidently.
"Thank you, Noelle" — he placed his dinnerware to the side.
"If you are finished, I think we should get going, it is getting late" — he said.
"I am ready to leave" — she smiled.
Nozel paid and they proceeded to exit the establishment.
"Noelle, since it's late, would you like to stay at the mansion? It is currently empty" — he offered, purposefully omitting the reason as to why it was empty.
Noelle thought about it. She was exhausted, physically, emotionally, and mentally, and she did not want to run into any more issues while walking out of the area. On the other hand, she wanted to return to her familiar environment. As much as the Silva household was her real home, she felt much more attached and comfortable with the black bulls.
"Brother, I am grateful for the offer, but I would like to return to the base, and so I am likely asking for too much of you but, could you accompany me to the district exit so I may fly home?" — she asked shyly.
The sight of her sister showing that innocent face left him flustered, he wished he could have been different, and maybe then he would have seen more of that.
He was also saddened by her refusal, but he did not have the energy to attempt to convince her. The night was equally draining for him as well.
'There's nothing to do anyway, the dinner is postponed and she probably has things to do tomorrow' - he reasoned.
"I will do something better, I will escort you to your base myself" — he immediately created his mercury eagle.
"Get on" — he extended his hand.
"But this is the noble district, what about the no flight law?" — she asked.
"I will say it is work-related, it will be fine" — he maintained his hand towards her.
"Thank you again" — she smiled softly and took his hand then hoped on.
The journey was quick and neither said a word, they both simply enjoyed the moment. Upon arriving they exchanged goodbyes and Nozel waited for her to enter the residence before he left.
Noelle was very thankful no one was awake. She quietly walked up to her room, changed into her nightwear, and threw herself on her bed, with no energy to process the night's events she quickly succumbed to slumber.
Nozel, upon arriving at the household, walked slowly through the empty passages, hallways and rooms before arriving at the floor steps that lead to the second floor.
Instead of heading to his room, he located an empty chair. He walked clumsily to it, and threw himself, the force of his body tilting it backward then returned to its intended position.
He sat and closed his eyes, the room was empty enough to hear his own breathing.
'Cold, empty, uninviting' - he said as he opened his eyes halfway and fixed his gaze on nothing in particular.
'Tired'
He thought about his mother, then his siblings one by one.
The combination of exhaustion and idleness gave him no control over his subconscious tearing away at him. That moment where it screams at you that something is wrong and you need to address it, but it is so unclear and vague that no one ever realizes that it is that way on purpose.
It is an alarm that can be stopped but never destroyed, it does not hand you the answer, it forces you to introspect heavily to understand what it is telling you, and it is even less merciful as it demands that you take action upon realizing its petition. Only then will you be able to be rid of it, and that is the most terrifying thing for a human being to face, thus they choose to remain in denial, and will be forever tormented, never able to be at peace with themselves.
Nozel looked around the vast and wealthy room, truly fit for royalty. Evidence and fruit of his ability to command and lead an entire lineage on his own.
'I should have insisted that she come stay...' - Nozel thought dejectedly.
The vast, wealthy, empty, cold, lonely room.
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Notes:
Thank you so much for your support and comments, it gave so much motivation.
I make long chapters and I read and reread them often, not just the one I'm writing but the previous ones as well, adjusting things to make it more interesting, avoid and correct any errors or contradictions in logic, set up things much better for the next chapters, translate to spanish, and really explore and write what I love.
I'm sorry for the long wait, I will definitely try to have a 12 to 15 days of constant updates from now on. I hope this chapter was worth the wait and thank you, I put much effort into them for myself and for all of you.
About the romance, it's difficult to write, but I did want this to be a romance focused story first and foremost before switching it to family focused. So I also took the time to plan it out, and I must say it's looking good and interesting from my perspective. So I apologize if the romance is not to your standards, but I think you will like it. I'll take my time with it though, it's not going to be a quick get together. I'm keeping the pairings secret but anyone who's seen me around will guess what my favorite is. Will that mean that it will be a pairing though, who knows :)
Also, I love dialogue, but sometimes I think I go overboard so let me know what you find boring or interesting and let me know if any of the characters are too out of character.
'-')b