Two months after her fourteenth birthday—the day she became a woman legally, if not physiologically—Selena found a way to leverage her new status.
For as long as she could remember, she had had to remain at home while her older brothers and sisters made the two-day trek from Castle Nelesti to Mongalith for the annual spring festival. For the men and women of Central Superius, the Mongalith Fair was the first hurrah of the year, an excuse to get out of their castles or towns after the long period of inconvenient, if not impossible, travel.
Riley had gone to the fair since he was twelve, which always struck Selena as criminally unfair. She would listen to her brothers and sisters’ excited recapitulations, feigning disinterest and swallowing the slew of questions that made it no further than the tip of her tongue.
This year, however—this year, Selena was an adult.
She knocked on the door of the drawing room where her parents were wont to rest after meals. When she entered, she was grateful to see Briarbridge was not there. Lately, the priest seemed to spend every available moment with the Duchess.
Maybe Father has scared him off, Selena thought with a smugness she dared not show on her face.
“Princess,” Godfrey said with a warm yet weary smile, “Your mother and I were just talking about you.”
Selena did not like the sound of that. When had her mother ever said anything nice about her? Nonetheless, she pressed on.
“Father, Mother, I was hoping to have a word with you about the Mongalith Fair.”
She studied them for any reaction. Godfrey steepled his fingers beneath his chin and waited for her to proceed. She had seen him do the same thing when in the company of distinguished guests and emissaries. It meant that he was prepared to hear her out. She had his undivided attention.
Charlotte, on the other hand, crossed her arms over the expanse of her bosom and regarded her daughter with a bemused expression.
“If I am truly a woman now and if my eventual marriage is of any importance to you, should I not allow myself to be seen by potential suitors?”
Charlotte Nelesti snorted either in surprise or amusement. Selena did not know which, but when her mother snorted, it was always one or the other. Sometimes, it was both.
“After witnessing the deplorable behavior you displayed at your last social engagement, I am not so certain another personal appearance would attract the right kind of man,” Charlotte said, her lips trapped somewhere between a smile and a frown.
Selena endeavored to look ashamed by staring down at her feet. “I have learned my lesson. I shall never drink alcohol again.”
In truth, the mere thought of wine was still enough to make her stomach squirm.
Selena glanced up at her father, but he had not stirred. Whatever he thought of Selena’s public drunkenness, it was hidden behind an impenetrable mask. The guarded expression had served the Duke well throughout his career for it never betrayed what he was really thinking.
Selena did her best to replicate the effect.
Before she could say anything more, her mother asked, “What makes you think any suitors worthy of your attention frequent Mongalith Fair?”
“Gabriel Zephyr attends regularly,” Selena replied without hesitation.
It was a gamble mentioning the Zephyr family. For her part, Charlotte did not think much of that family, which controlled the South Central Barony. Charlotte never tired of discussing the shortcomings of the Zephyrs, particularly the daughter, Lilac, who was more free-spirited than was proper.
Gabriel Zephyr was two years older than Selena. Although she had no romantic interest in him, she cherished a few childhood memories of Gabriel, Lilac, Evelyn, Riley, and her playing together. Even if Charlotte did not care for Lilac’s tomboyish ways, she could not deny that Gabriel’s pending initiation into the Knighthood was the “proper” course for a boy who would one day replace his father as baron.
But Selena had not mentioned the Zephyrs because she hoped to change her mother’s mind about them. Baron Zephyr was a longtime friend of Godfrey’s. From what Selena had overheard at dinner, her father had spent the past two months with Paris Zephyr at Castle Borrom. Both Godfrey and Paris were staunch supporters of King Edward Borrom III and the great strides he was making in foreign diplomacy.
Selena hoped her father would be delighted at the prospect of gaining Gabriel as a son-in-law.
And she knew her only chance of getting her way was to turn her parents against each other.
Charlotte snorted again—in amusement, this time.
“Gabriel Zephyr, you say? I would sooner permit you to be courted by a vagabond. Then again, both he and his sister tramp around like vagabonds, do they not?”
“And yet,” Godfrey interjected, his fingers still poised under his chin, “there are worse things than leaving one’s castle every once in a while.”
“From what I hear, Lilac spends more time on the road than at home,” Charlotte told her husband in a tone that put Daphene’s Gossipy Milkmaid to shame.
“But Selena does not,” Godfrey said. “And anyway, there will be other noblemen at the fair.”
“Lesser noblemen to be sure,” Charlotte muttered.
Godfrey smiled and said, “Lesser noblemen who might speak of our daughter’s beauty and wit to greater noblemen down the road.”
Charlotte paused to consider this but then shook her head. When she spoke, she stared directly at Selena. “Do not be fooled, husband. Selena’s interest in Mongalith has more to do with curiosity for the world than interest in any man.”
Selena hated how her mother spoke of her as though she were not standing right there, but she voiced no objection. This was the pivotal moment.
“Maybe so,” Godfrey said, “but the former can lead to the latter.”
Charlotte paused again. Now she fixed so sharp a look upon her daughter Selena thought it must surely pierce right through her and into the wall behind.
“If she promises to be on her best behavior, to act like a young lady worthy of her title—”
“I do, Mother!” Selena blurted.
“—and to wear a dress and decorations that befit a maiden of your station,” Charlotte finished.
Selena stifled a groan, recalling the constricting gown she had worn to her coming-of-age ball and the red marks the corset had left on her flesh for days thereafter.
“Well?” Charlotte pressed. She must have been addressing Selena now for Godfrey merely sat back in his chair, also waiting for her to respond.
“It is a sacrifice I am willing to make,” Selena replied with what she hoped was not too sly a smile.
She left her parents to whatever they had been discussing prior to her interruption. The days ahead would be full of trials and tribulation—enduring Briarbridge’s lessons, staying on her mother’s good side—but for now, she allowed herself to bask in her triumph.