Ordained

Chapter Thirty-One

Emmeline arrived ready for dinner exactly on time. Victor gave her a small apologetic smile as they entered but from then on she was ignored by everyone present. Several times she wondered why on earth Cassius had insisted she attend, when he and his family seemed dead set on pretending she didn't exist.

Eating her food in silence she let the sounds of polite conversation swell over her without listening. Focused instead on her delicious meal.

"Miss Elva, I asked you a question." Ottilie was smiling at her, her head tilted slightly to one side.

Emmeline blinked, realising with embarrassment, that she had been spoken to and not realised. Wiping her mouth and setting down her cutlery she apologised at once.

"Forgive me Lady Ottilie, I was preoccupied."

Ottilie's smile was a little too fixed as she continued grinning at her. She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something about that smile that unnerved her. Perhaps it was because it didn't reach Ottilie's eyes. It was obvious that she was keen to speak to her, even more so after their exchange earlier. Emmeline had had the upper hand then, but now, it was Ottilie who wielded the power. Emmeline knew she couldn't be imperious and haughty in front of the Duke and Duchess for they would rebuke her, and Ottilie, it seemed, realised this too.

"Forgive me Lady Ottilie, what did you say?" She asked with a smile that she hoped looked more genuine.

Ottilie shook out her long hair and grinned before repeating herself. "I asked if you found it very lonely here without all your brothers. I hear that House Elva has a great many children." There was something in her tone that implied excessive offspring was something dirty, unclean. Many of the higher noble houses only had two children, an heir and a spare. Yet her parents had had six children. It was so her father could sure up their family's position with multiple political marriages, and everyone knew it. "Perhaps that is why you were so easily sent to the pairing. I heard tell that your family didn't even bother to come and watch."

Delight coloured Ottilie's face as she hissed the final line like it was indecent.

Emmeline's fork stilled. Part of her wanted to argue that Carmen and Victor hadn't attended the pairing either, but everyone at the table knew that that was for a completely different reason. Unlike Cassius' parents, her father hadn't stayed away so as to not draw attention to their family's ties to the pairing. No, her father had stayed away because he had already written her off as a lost cause.

Summoning all her inner poise and her years of navigating polite society, Emmeline did her best to return Ottilie's smile. "My father is a busy man. I insisted he not trouble himself to come to my pairing when I know he has so much to do." It was a lie. One that she knew Cassius could and probably would call her out on, but strangely he remained silent. The only indication that he had recognised a mistruth being told was the glance he flicked her way at the words.

Ottilie looked unconvinced. "Really? I heard that it was because he has disowned you." Emmeline's surprise was real as it played across her face, Ottilie's look of triumph displaying just how pleased she was to have finally gotten a reaction out of her.

Carmen spoke across the table. "That is quite common. The children of noble houses sacrificed to the pairing are often cut off from their families to save them the shame of having their children married to commoners."

It didn't need to have been said aloud. Everyone at the table already knew this, yet Carmen shared the news like it was the hottest topic of societal gossip.

Emmeline lifted her fork and swallowed a mouthful with effort. Ironic, how tense it made one feel when trying to appear calm. "It is good then that I was not paired with a commoner."

Victor made a small amused sound that was quickly silenced by a look from his wife. Emmeline wondered if Victor might have been more welcoming had Carmen not been in the picture.

Carmen made an impatient face. "Yes I am sure that Killian will be most keen to profit from a tie to our house, however tenuous it may be."

Cassius and Victor both gave the Grand Duchess a look but she simply waved at the air, dismissing their disapproval. Killian Elva, no matter how much of a schemer, how much of a social climber he might be, still had the respect of the King. Emmeline's father had served the last king, Victor's father, and Cassius' grandfather well. His rewards and the respect he had earned were continued by the new King. While whispers would speak ill of him, to do so openly was impolite verging on improper.

Emmeline paused for a moment, but said nothing more, instead focusing resolutely on her food. She would eat, she would say thank you, and she would leave. Four on one hardly made for a fair fight, and she wasn't about to add fuel to the fire by arguing at dinner. No, she would just sit up, shut up, and eat up, and then go.

When Emmeline could finally leave the dining table, she flew straight out the doors and into the gardens. With immense relief she took in lungfuls of cold air, the night air blissful after the stifling atmosphere of inside. Ottilie Claude was clearly not afraid to prod and poke at her in front of the Grand Duke and Duchess. It was clear that she saw her as unwelcome competition and would act accordingly. 

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Author's Note:

So 'sit up, shut up, and eat up' is actually a phrase my grandma used to say when I was misbehaving at the dinner table as a kid.

Vote, comment, enjoy.

S x