Verena was exhausted. She laid her head down on her arms, ignoring her dinner. Her father had dragged them all to the announcement of the crown prince, which meant they were forgoing dinner with the court that evening. Being at court that morning meant that they’d been up at midnight the previous night in order to get dressed and ready to be among the small percentage of the lower court that squeezed itself into the throne room.
Verena didn’t know why she should care who the new crown prince was. She hadn’t been able to see anything over the adults in the crowd anyway. “Ver, eat your dinner.” Mislav frowned at her.
“I am not hungry, Father.” Her voice slurred and she just wanted to close her eyes right there at the table.
“I told you we should have left her here,” Avalyn snapped. “She is only ten, Mislav. What does she need to be at court at such a horrendous hour for?”
“Why did we have to go?” Milisen whined. She poked at her food. “And why did we have to get up at midnight just to find out who the new crown prince is? It is not like it affects us at all.”
“The power dynamic is going to shift drastically now that the crown prince has been announced.” Mislav gave his daughter a stern look. “The power brokers are going to be trying to get him married to their daughters or their sisters, assassination attempts on the Imperial family are going to increase, opportunities for upward mobility are going to open up as those bankrolling the assassins are caught and executed for treason. Of course we needed to know who the crown prince is.”
“It also looks good for us for you and your sisters to be there, Mili.” Avalyn smiled soothingly at her oldest daughter. “You looked lovely this morning.”
“They looked as plain as ever, and the sour expressions on their faces certainly put a lot of people off.” Niklas countered his mother’s words. Astera, who’d started eating with the family two years earlier, tiredly ate her dinner. “No one thought they looked lovely except you, Mother.”
Avalyn glared at Niklas. “Verena, if you are not going to eat, go to bed.”
“No.” Mislav gave his youngest daughter a stern look. “We do not waste food in this family. You will eat your dinner, Verena.”
Verena sat up and pulled her plate back in front of her. She nibbled at the dishes on display, but they stuck in her throat. “Mislav, the child is obviously exhausted. She does not have the energy to eat.” For once Avalyn was on Verena’s side. “Let her go to bed. One plate going to waste is hardly going to matter.”
“I do not want her waking up in the middle of the night looking for something to eat.” Mislav glared at his wife.
“I do not think that is going to be a problem, Father.” Niklas had been watching her with growing concern. “Verena is so tired she has tried eating the same bite three times now and she just puts it up to her lips and puts it back on her plate.”
“Ver, are you really that tired?” Mislav asked.
“I am very tired, Father.” Verena put her fork down and stared at her father.
“Then go to bed. Just remember you do not get anything else to eat until breakfast.” Mislav gave his daughter a warning she didn’t need because Verena knew she wasn’t going to wake up.
“I understand.” Verena slid off her chair and stumbled into her bedroom. It was still the tiniest room in the suite, her mother refused to let her move into Niklas’ vacated room even though he’d been out of it for years now. Her excuse of him needing it for his own children didn’t hold up to scrutiny because he had his own suite with two extra rooms for his children. Avalyn just didn’t want Verena to move out of her tiny closet of a bedroom for some reason.
Verena changed into her sleep suit, shook her hair loose from the elegant style she’d put it in that morning, and crawled into bed. She was asleep almost instantly. She woke up briefly at one point in the night, but realizing it was too early to get up she went back to sleep and didn’t stir again until her usual time the next morning.
She got up, showered, and dressed. She joined the rest of the family for breakfast. “Are you feeling better this morning, Ver?” Mislav asked.
“I am fine, Father.” Verena smiled at him.
“Good. I expect you to eat all your breakfast.” Mislav nodded at the plate in front of her.
“I will.” Verena’s plate was piled with food, and she ate everything she was given.
“What is everyone doing this morning?” Mislav asked.
“Walking in the gardens.” Milisen and the others rarely ever did anything else on fine days, so that wasn’t a surprise.
“Meeting with my tutor.” Verena was excited about that.
“Are you enjoying your lessons, Ver?” Mislav asked.
“I am.” Verena smiled. “I like learning new things.”
“Excellent.” Mislav smiled at her.
“If you want to cut expenses, you should get rid of her tutor,” Avalyn muttered.
“Verena is an avid scholar, and I will encourage that.” Mislav glared at his wife. “I see no reason to cut her lessons out. The teacher I found for her came highly recommended for being both an excellent educator and not asking too high a price.”
“Mili, Fari, Issy, and Dee never had a scholar in to teach them,” Avalyn protested.
“Yes, and they are useless lumps of flesh who are working on sleeping with every man in the lower court.” Niklas regarded his mother with some disdain. “You need to quit pushing that to the side and do something to stop them before they get pregnant.” Avalyn looked away from her son. “Or have they gotten pregnant?”
“I do not know what you are talking about, Niklas.” Avalyn refused to meet his eye. “Your sisters are doing no such thing.”
“Avalyn, even I know what they are doing.” Mislav glared at her. “I also know you have taken Mili and Fari to the doctors to get abortions at least once. I do see the bills and what procedures are done. I like to know what I am paying for.” Avalyn turned red. “Now, ladies, you will either curtail your activities, or I will send you back to your uncles on Henebore.”
“You would not dare.” Avalyn stared at him in horror. “How will they find noble husbands if they are back with Egil and Julian on Henebore?”
“They will not.” Mislav shrugged. “They will be married off to tradesmen or some other wealthy person that those two pick for them. It will mean a setback to my plans, but I will take that over the four of them ruining my reputation at court.” He got up and left the table.
“Mother,” Milisen protested.
“I will talk to him.” Avalyn watched her husband go. “You four go enjoy your walk.” Milisen and the others got up and left the table.
Verena went into the side chamber that sometimes served as a meeting room for her father and also doubled as her school room. She sat down and read until her teacher arrived. “Ah, I see you’re making good use of your time.” He smiled. “Now, where shall we begin?”
Verena dutifully paid attention to her lessons throughout the morning and when it was time for lunch, her scholar teacher left for the day, leaving her with work to do. After lunch, Verena did her work and then sat and read until dinner. This was the normal pattern of her days. Occasionally she’d go out into the gardens in the afternoon, but for the most part, she spent her days studying.
“Ismat, you were seen in a compromising situation with a young lord today.” Mislav looked at the third of his older daughters sternly. “Did my warning this morning mean nothing to you at all?”
“I do not know what you are talking about, Father. I was not with any young lords today. I was in the gardens with Mili and the others all morning and then we came back to the suite in the afternoon.” Ismat attempted to look innocent as she looked at her sisters for corroboration.
“You were not here this afternoon, Ismat.” Astera refuted her statement. “I was here with Avalyn, discussing some personal business and I saw Milisen, Zdena, and Nefari come in. You did not come back until just before dinner.”
“You must have missed her,” Milisen began.
“I watched her walk through the door, Milisen.” Astera fixed Milisen with a cold stare. “No, I did not miss her. I saw her quite plainly.”
“Ismat, I have it on good authority you were caught by the young lord’s father. He does not know if he caught you before the act or after you had already finished.” Mislav was unrelenting and his voice was cold. “He said he sent you packing as soon as he realized what was going on.”
Ismat scowled and stabbed at her dinner. “We were just talking. We were not doing anything.”
“Ismat, your dress was unfastened, and you were in his bed.” The look on Mislav’s face told his daughter that she was going to have to try harder to convince him. “That is not ‘just talking.’” Ismat’s scowl deepened, and she stabbed her food again. “Ismat, you are confined to the suite until further notice.”
“What?” Ismat demanded. “That is not fair.”
“It is perfectly fair. Be glad I am not locking you in your room for the duration.” Mislav turned his attention back to his food.
“Mother,” Ismat whined.
“You were caught in the act, Issy.” It was obvious Avalyn was reluctant to accept Ismat’s punishment. “I cannot do anything about it.”
“What was Verena doing all day? I notice you are not accusing her of improper behavior.” Milisen glared at her youngest sister.
“She is ten, Milisen.” Mislav looked at his oldest daughter incredulously. “She studies with her teacher and then spends the rest of the day locked in her room working on her studies. What kind of improper behavior do you think a ten year old girl will be getting up to?”
“You never call Verena out for any misbehavior.” Nefari scowled. “Yet you are always telling us what we are doing wrong.”
“That is because you do not see Verena’s indiscretions.” Mislav glared at his older daughters. “The entire lower court knows about your proclivities, and it is damaging my reputation.”
“You make her sound perfect.” Zdena glared spitefully at Verena.
“Verena is not perfect. She does get into trouble, when she does something wrong.” Mislav countered his daughters’ comments. “You do not usually see it because I scold her at the time it happens. Your wrongdoings do not usually come out until family meals because that is when I see you. You take great pains to avoid me during the rest of the day.”
Milisen and the others fell into a sullen silence. Verena didn’t like the looks they were shooting in her direction. She did get into trouble. More often than her sisters saw, in fact. It was true. They spent their days outside the suite. Verena was often scolded by Mislav and Avalyn for various things. It was a good day when she managed to avoid doing something that would irritate one or the other. Avalyn was quicker to scold her than Mislav was, and Mislav often told Avalyn she needed to be kinder to Verena, but Mislav was just as quick to point out her faults if she did something he didn’t like.
Verena finished eating but Mislav wouldn’t let her leave the table until everyone else finished eating. Verena sat there uncomfortable under her sisters’ glares. Mislav didn’t seem to notice. Niklas did and he kept a close watch on all his sisters. When everyone was done eating, Verena shot off to her room and resumed reading until bedtime.
The next morning, Avalyn looked at Ismat. “You look as if you are going somewhere.”
“I am going out into the garden with Mili and the others.” Ismat pulled on her jacket.
“No, you are not.” Mislav pointed back towards her room. “You are confined to the suite, remember?”
“But Father, we are not likely to have many more fine days. It is fall,” Ismat protested.
“You should have thought of that yesterday.” Mislav looked over at his youngest daughter. “Verena, your teacher sends his regrets. He has fallen ill and cannot make it. You will have to find something to entertain yourself with today.”
“Yes Father.” Verena sighed. After breakfast, everyone disappeared to their various pursuits.
Verena pulled on her jacket. If her sisters could spend the morning in the gardens, so could she. She saw Niklas and told him where she was going. “You are telling me why?” Niklas was amused by her approaching him.
“You are the only adult around.” Verena’s logic was perfectly sound. “Mother went off to talk to someone and father is in a meeting. I have to tell someone before I go outside, so you are the one I am telling.”
“All right, Ver.” Niklas looked at her seriously. “Watch out for Mili and the others. I do not think they will be particularly nice to you if they catch you out there.”
“I will avoid them if I can,” Verena assured him. “The gardens are huge. I should be able to stay away from them.”
“All right. I will tell father where you have gone when he comes out of his meeting.” Niklas patted her on the shoulder.
“Thanks Nik.” Verena headed outside.
Verena spent the next few hours wandering the gardens, listening for her sisters’ voices and avoiding them by virtue of slipping into another part of the area when they got too close. She enjoyed the fresh air and was thinking of going back to the suite when a sharp blow to the back of her head caused her to stumble.
“Thought you would spy on us, did you?” Milisen asked.
“No.” Verena rubbed the back of her head. “I was enjoying the gardens. I have not been anywhere near you all morning.”
Milisen struck her again, sending her sprawling. “Do not lie, you little brat,” she spat. “I know father sent you out here to spy on us. Well, we will teach you a lesson you will not soon forget.” Zdena and Nefari closed in around her along with Milisen.
They hit, scratched, and kicked her, mauling her to the point she was left a broken, bleeding mess on the ground. Her sisters walked away, leaving her alone. A moment later, gentle hands helped her sit up. “Those vile vermin,” a woman gasped. “Beating a child near to death. Do you know who they are?”
“My sisters,” Verena managed to get out past mangled lips.
“Your sisters? Who are your parents, child, that they would allow such a thing?” The woman was appalled by their behavior.
“Lord Mislav and Lady Avalyn Kelcrag.” Verena winced in pain. “I do not think they expected them to do that.”
“Come on.” The woman helped her to her feet. “I know where Mislav keeps his rooms in the palace. I will take you back and give him a piece of my mind over his older daughters treating you so poorly.”
“Lord Mislav Kelcrag?” another woman asked. “My sister Astera married his son. I will go with you. I am certain more than one witness to this will be helpful.” The older woman ended up carrying the child when it became obvious she was too badly injured to walk.
Niklas answered the door when Astera’s sister rang the chime. “Verena? What in the name of all the stars happened?”
“Your sisters happened,” Astera’s sister told him. “They beat her horribly in the gardens.”
“What?” Mislav asked, coming to the door.
“You have three very appallingly horrible older daughters, Mislav,” the older woman informed him angrily. “They beat this poor child near to death in the gardens and then left her there to die. She needs the attention of a doctor and soon or she will die from these injuries. Farzana and I saw the whole thing happening. I think we were just in shock that three grown women would assault a child. We did not know what to do.”
“Niklas, take your sister.” Mislav nodded to the two women. “Thank you, Ester. I will most assuredly deal with my older daughters.”
“See that you do,” Ester snapped. She and Farzana walked off.
“Avalyn, call for a doctor. Now.” Mislav shouted at his wife. “Tell them Verena has been beaten near to death.”
“She probably just fell in the gardens, Mislav.” Avalyn turned around. “Oh, that does not look like she fell.”
“No, and I have two witnesses who saw the whole thing happen.” Mislav had never spoken in such a low, dangerous voice to anyone in his family before. Avalyn blanched. “If you do not want to find yourself divorced and sent back to your family in disgrace, call the doctor and tell them she has been beaten near to death right now, Avalyn.”
“Yes, Mislav.” Avalyn pulled out her pad.
“Milisen, Nefari, Zdena,” Mislav roared. His three older daughters came out. “Niklas, put her in my bed for now. Her room is too small for a doctor to work on her properly.”
“Yes Father.” Niklas carried her into their parents’ room. Verena didn’t hear what her father said to her sisters, but she heard their shrieks from her father’s room.
“They will just do it again,” she muttered.
“What was that, Ver?” Niklas asked.
“Father punishing them. They will blame me and do it again.” Verena wanted to weep, she was so tired of it all.
“Father is furious, Ver. They will not dare touch you again.” Niklas looked at his sister with a mixture of shock and anger on his face.
“They will do it with no witnesses next time.” Verena shook her head painfully. “Wait and see.”
The doctor arrived and went to work. Regenerators were placed on Verena’s injuries, and she waited patiently for her wounds to be healed. It took quite a while. “I can’t do anything for your lips. Regenerators don’t work well on mouths unfortunately.” The doctor packed away the regenerators. “Beyond that, get some rest and you should be fine.”
“Thank you.” Verena tried to smile but it hurt too much with her broken lips. The doctor patted her on the shoulder and left.
Verena rolled off her parents’ bed and walked out of their room. “Feeling better, Ver?” Mislav frowned. “Could he not do something about your mouth?”
“He said regenerators did not work on mouths.” Verena knew it must look awful.
“I see.” Mislav shrugged. “Well, we will just have to wait for it to heal naturally then.”
Avalyn glowered at her youngest daughter. “She is going to be an embarrassment in public with her mouth torn up like that.”
“If you had done better raising Milisen and the others she would not be in this condition.” Mislav seemed almost as angry with his wife as he was with his older daughters. “This is as much your fault as it is theirs. You spoiled them, Avalyn. You gave them the impression that there would not be consequences for their actions. They are learning that each spiteful thing they do they will be punished for.”
“It is not as if Verena is all that important anyway,” Avalyn muttered.
“Avalyn, if I hear that kind of talk from you again, I will pack you off back to your family so fast the stars will tremble at the speed of your passing.” Mislav’s tone was so cold it sent shivers down Verena’s spine. “Verena is equally as important as Niklas, Milisen, and the others. That discussion ended eight years ago.”
“Yes, Mislav.” Avalyn turned away from her husband and youngest daughter.
Verena privately wondered why there needed to be a discussion about her importance in the family. She was as much Mislav and Avalyn’s daughter as Milisen and the others. There shouldn’t have been a conversation like that. Perhaps it was because she was so much younger than Zdena. She might have been a surprise baby and Avalyn might not have been ready to take care of another child when the rest of her children were so much older.
“Did the doctor say anything else, Ver?” Mislav asked.
“He told me to rest.” Verena wanted to go lay down again. She still hurt even if the regenerators healed the injuries.
“He told you no such thing,” Avalyn snapped.
“Actually, he did tell her to rest, Mother.” Niklas gave his mother a cold look as chilling as their father’s. “I was in with her the entire time and heard his instructions to her.”
“Go read, Ver.” Mislav patted her on the shoulder. “Just be out here in time for dinner.”
“Are you going to let them out then?” Avalyn asked.
“No. I will have their food taken into them. I do not want to look at them for the next few days.” Mislav dismissed his older daughters as if they were of little importance to him.
“A few days? That is hardly fair, Mislav.” Avalyn glared at her husband.
“What they did to Verena is reprehensible, Avalyn. They could have killed her. They are lucky Egil and Julian said they could not take them right now due to the riots, or I would be sending all four of them back to Henebore.” Mislav glared back at his wife.
“Ismat had nothing to do with Verena’s injuries,” Avalyn protested.
Verena escaped to her room, so she lost track of the thread of the conversation. She really hated listening to her parents arguing all the time. They argued a lot over what was to be done with Milisen and the others. Verena wished her father would send them back to Henebore like he kept saying he would. That way the fighting would stop.
Verena settled down on her bed with her pad. She felt lucky that her father had given her a pad of her own. Milisen and Nefari had to share one, and Ismat and Zdena had to do the same. Niklas had his own pad, but that was because he needed it for business purposes. Avalyn had thrown a fit when Mislav bought Verena her own pad. He’d felt it was a sound investment given how much of a scholar Verena was. Her sisters barely used their pads for anything except keeping up on fashion.
Verena pulled up the book she was currently reading, a biography on the first emperor, and picked up where she’d left off. She found his story fascinating. He was a complex man who’d made many hard decisions in the early days of the empire, some favorable and some not, and had almost single-handedly pulled humanity back from the brink of self-inflicted extinction. She didn’t understand everything she was reading, but she caught enough of it to realize how remarkable a man he really was.
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