Lady Androda Crowel liked to keep things clean and organizedeverything in its proper place and sight. When news of an ill-bred child ca along but the child was a male, she loathed it. Him. Whatever.
There were certain dislikes that one couldn't exactly erase.
The House Crowel would have succumbed to a fall if she hadn't been around and yet where was the thanks that she deserved? Already, the title of becoming the head of the house would be given to her younger and less prepared brotherso it was fair that she spent most of her days outside of the House.
And yet sotis, no matter how insufferable the situation was cut out to be Androda had to think about it from a logical standpoint. It wasn't the boy's fault that he was born or that his mother slept with her father.
Perhaps it was a mistake that he was born, but he didn't ask for it.
If she really wanted to have avoided thisno, it was still unavoidable. This was that old man Gesth Carter's fault for sending a ssage to her father. The position was ant to be hers, she was respected and even slightly feared.
So it didn't co as a surprise that when she entered the household he encountered the annoyingly now taller young man. Timothy 'Cook' stood in front of himand that was despite her seeing a maid servant practically cower away from the hallway.
While Androda liked his resolve and attitude, that didn't stop her feelings.
"Hello there, dear brother. What can I do for you?"
"Is it true that you dole out punishnts to the servants?" he asked with a flat expression.
"Punishnts?" Androda tilted her head. She wished she could capture that expression and put it in a painting. He was starting to look like their father if he continued to be like this.
"When a servant fails to perform a task, they're treated unfairly by giving them even more work than what's required. A maid servant tasked to clean the stables, so of the stableboys asked to join the House's army to scout and hunt in the periter. Tasks that aren't clearly within their capacities?"
"Punishnt's quite a strong wordthere are so penalties and disciplinary actions, but we're not as terrible as you're making it sound to be."
"They're people tooyou just can't ask them to do sothing dangerous or too much more than what they're being paid for."
Androda raised a hand to her face. "Father will be so disappointed to learn about this."
"What do you an...?" Timothy frowned. The man was usually distant and yet never seed to have raised his voice in anger before.
"The plights of these people aren't that big of a concern of yoursperhaps when you're the Lord of the House you can make all of these changes you clearly want to do. But if you want to help them, then focus on doing what a young Lord like you are supposed to do. Prove yourself worthy of the family na."
"That's"
"I supposed the kind of young man who'd make promises like buying the necklace that he originally pawned off and insisting upon it would be like this."
"I'm not sure if you recall it, perhaps it's your age getting to youbut I gave it up in the end."
"Yes, to keep whatever you have in your possession." Lady Androda Crowel smiled at him. "So if you know what's good for you, quit bothering with those nonsensical requests. People learn how to perform better if they know what's at risk if they fail to dobeing kind and understanding will let other people take advantage of you. Surely you understand that much?"
.
.
.
Later at sunset, the Crowel House family gathered together for dinner. There were mage-lights that kept the dining hall lit up, the long banquet table properly arranged and lovely to look at but it was empty.
More than half of the table was empty, unoccupied save for the three seats.
Androda sat on the left side of Lord Crowel while Timothy sat on the right. Their dinner was a sumptuous al of a deer steak and served by the chef himselfno fancy magical carts to prepare it.
And yet the Lord Crowel complinted the chef for a fine dinner.
Over the past weeks, Timothy wasn't still exactly used to the silence and yet he also ate quietly. He made sure to check out the cutlery and that he used the right one, eyeing the one that his older sister, Androda was using just to be safe.
"How did the day treat both of you, Androda? Timothy?" Lord Crowel inquired after he set down his goblet of water. The man was much older than Timothy's mother, possibly by around five years or sohis hair was still dark and neatly arranged, but Timothy wondered if that was magical dye or sothing.
There were deep creases and worry lines on his forehead that didn't seem to disappear even when the older man smiled or laughed.
"Everything has been good, father. I've t up with the local village heads around the area and the Thistlethorn Forest's trespassers have been dealt with."
Timothy raised his head. "Goblins?"
Androda and his father both eyed Timothy in surprise. He was never one to offer a word in conversation and yet now he had. Timothy couldn't help but rember the ones that he, Old Man Joe and Han t up while travelling through Oaken Ashwoods and wondered if that was the sa.
"No," Lady Androda answered. She raised a napkin to her lips and shook her head. "There were so illegal acquisition of woods and other resources within our territory so the Thistlethorns were sent there to deal with the people."
"That's"
"What's your perspective on this, Timothy?" His father asked. After so weeks Lord Osbert Crowel finally morized his na.
Timothy managed an awkward smile. "Oh, I was just reminded of a forest back in my village it's near ours and we just take whatever we want there. Deal a little with the gigantic spiders and other monsters there, but all in all, it was just ours."
"Oh, yes. That isolated place almost like ours." The man murmured.
"Well, our territory isn't as far-fetched as theirs when people clearly still try to enter the Thistlethorn Forest in an attempt to stay there or take what isn't owned by them." Androda was quick to interject with a smile.
"That's true as well."
Timothy bit back a sigh and continued eating his dinner. He rembered what his half-sister said earlier If there was anything that he wanted to change then it was supposed to happen after he succeeded the man.
"What about the ball preparations, Androda?" Lord Crowel glanced at his daughter.
"Everything's going fine, father. Invitations were made and even Timothy's portrait has been made for the occasion."
"Wonderful." A tiny smile crossed on the man's lips before he continued dining with them. The man sliced the steak into porsels and chewed quietly. "This upcoming event is what a young man your age tends to be excited about and will be a chance to welco you to society. You're bound to make a great impression."
"Yes Lordfather." Timothy replied. "I'll do my best."
"You have to be or all those tutors who were hired deserve to get fired." Androda quipped. "We've already delayed it quite so ti to get you used to how our people work, but you need to put in so effort."
"Yes, I understand that much."
"Good."
Timothy really had to stop himself from sighing. He didn't want to complain about his situationbut landing himself with the eccentric and even elusive Crowel House wasn't doing him any favors. It was obvious from the set-up that this was sothing they were looking forward to more than himself.
Did he like this?
Obviously not.
But then Timothy cleared his throat. "By the way, have there been any responses to my letters? I sent a couple a few weeks back, but there's no reply."
Lady Androda raised her brow. "Then that's your answer, Timothy."
Timothy frowned but nodded. "Thank you." He didn't think that Han would suddenly just straight-up ignore him well, he had to leave extrely fast because of his sisterbut that didn't an the guy would bear a grudge, right?
As far as he could remberhe was the one who was supposed to be upset at the guy for selling his necklace to Lady Androda in the first place. And yet Han wasn't the only one who he was concerned with.
"By the way, I have another question."
"What is it?" Lady Androda asked.
"This upcoming event everyone from the Nobility to even the Royal Family themselves will be attending right?" Timothy drank his water and tried to seem interested for once.
"Yes, naturally." Lord Crowel answered. "The Sargon family is still related to us, no matter what they try to do. They have to keep up appearances by visiting us, or else it'd be a public opposition to us."
Lady Androda sent Timothy a look that seed like she was going to send her pet crow to gouge out his eyes. Timothy pretended that he didn't notice that at all and instead asked again. "So how related are we again to them? First cousins of sorts? Kind of like that?"
He didn't think they were going to be that close to Iola, right?
"You would have learned that if you were paying any attention to your lessons." Lord Crowel frowned. "But I suppose it must have slipped your mind it's vital for you to know how our relations stand amongst the rest of Nobility, Timothy and why the upcoming ball is a good reminder for them."
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