Invited

Chapter 33: Lecture

"More tea, m'lady?" Basilisk asked, offering a pot of warm tea to Layla.

"Yes," Layla answered, her eyes refusing to look away from Kite during the entirety of breakfast. Every so often, Kite would look her way, which she quickly found a less interesting item to stare at to avoid his direct eye contact.

Layla's mind continued to race after she had entered the room. Minerva and Xander were in an engaging conversation, leaving her time to collect her thoughts about Kite.

How is he related to Solice Aion? Why would she send two people instead of herself? Who are they to her? Do I talk to Xander, or Kite? Xander talks more than Kite, so logically I should talk to him more, but Kite is just so handsome. I want to talk to him too. Would they know Nora? I wanted to ask Solice about Nora, but I have these two. Maybe Kite will start talking if I say something to him. He did talk to me when I brought him food.

"Uhm," Layla started, but her words trailed as Saber came up to her.

Saber bowed, "Lady Layla, Lady Charla requests that you see her immediately after breakfast."

Layla looked back to her empty plate she had been absently eating from. She quickly took her nearly full cup of tea and quietly sipped it as fast as she could.

"I will see her now," Layla said, standing up from her seat that Basilisk pulled behind her with a skill that could only be deemed as reflex. She followed Saber out of the dining hall.

The two went down a hall that led into a rather unused part of the estate. There, in the middle of the hall, a room with open doors emitted light from the inside. Layla knew where they were headed. She didn't go this way often, due to the lack of usage, but she had been in this estate enough to know each room.

"Mother, Father." Layla curtsied the minute she was within view of the room inside. Saber bowed in succession to her curtsy. Her parents sat quite the distance away from her on a couch, they were engaged deeply in conversation with Rebecca, to Layla's shock.

"Lady Rebecca." Layla quickly acknowledged the other lady as well.

Charla waved her hand forward to indicate the empty seat next to Rebecca. "Come, we must have an important conversation about your Council choices."

Layla slightly cringed at the thought of having to sit next to Rebecca with her parents present. It was the worst case scenario playing in her head. She quietly accepted her fate, still obliging to the request.

"We heard," Charla firmly spoke, "you invited outsiders to your Council Selection. A fuss was made over a seat. What do you have to say?"

Rebecca quickly interjected, "Not just a fuss, Charla."

"She dared to disrespect me. My son and those blasted Silvers were there to witness it too. I could not believe my eyes when Judah raised his hand against me. For all I have done to help raise your daughter into a proper noble, she repaid me with disobedience," Rebecca raised her voice higher with each word.

Layla hung her head as the two spewed out their frustrations over her choices, she looked to Soren for any sort of consolation, only to be met with him glaring stare at her. Her eyes returned to look at her lap, tears brimming.

"Layla, answer us. What do you have to say for yourself?!" Rebecca shouted, shaking the couch with her as her voice rose.

"I am terribly sorry for disobeying you, Lady Rebecca. I meant no disrespect. My choices have caused possible severe consequences that will harm the integrity of the Azure name. Please forgive me." Layla answered with a monotone voice.

Rebecca quickly stood facing Layla, she pulled Layla off the seat harshly. Layla allowed for Rebecca to touch her, knowing what was to come next. Rebecca released her hold on Layla, and swiftly raised her hand above her head. With one abrupt swoop, she slapped Layla across her cheek.