Phoenix Child

Chapter 2

The earl was obviously in need of a good bloodletting.
His mind was bogged down by a demonic possession,
surely. She couldn’t conjure up any other reason for
his behaviour. Calida stepped back and tried to make
her escape. However, Lord Dominic’s hand wrapped around
her arm and kept her from running out the door and all the
way home. Her lips tightened in a forced smile.
There were an endless number of things she would love to
say to this dorbel of a man.
“It would please me greatly if you would accompany me
as I mingle with the guests,” Lord Dominic said.
“Milord, I do protest. I don’t think you thought this
through. Someone of my status shouldn’t be on the arm of
one of our kingdom’s more eligible young nobles.” A frown
deepened on her face.
If he wants my presence, maybe I should just graciously accept? He
was obviously not of sound mind, which was concerning.
Maybe somehow having a dutiful person nearby would save
his soul from being consumed. Not that I can truly save him if he
is already so far gone.
Dominic peered down at Calida with a brilliant smile,
amused by something unseen by her. She couldn’t help
considering he was likely a narcissist and loved to be in the
company of those he viewed as less intelligent.
“Just stay quiet and be polite, you ungrateful child.”
Calida inhaled to will away her mother’s voice in her head.
“Oh nonsense, anyone who has something to say is
obviously not worth our time,” Dominic said.
Why does he insist on entertaining the idea of associating with me, a
common maiden?
With that, he dragged her along as he went to chat with
the nobles about nonsensical topics. There were various topics
from the benefits and side effects of blood leeching to others
how many sugars in your tea were the best for full effectiveness
of the favour. She tried to add her input at certain moments,
but she was either ignored or laughed at. Her feeling of being
an outsider built up the more she socialized. How do they never
feel this ostracizing mockery?
The earl migrated to another group soon after finishing
the last conversation about show horses. The next group was
two older noble women. Each had on jewels and fabrics that
said everything about their higher status and fashion
sensibilities. Lord Dominic introduced Calida to Lady
Meredith and Lady Karin. Lady Meredith was apparently a
very distant relative of the Queen’s nephew, and Lady Karin
had just recently moved from Mirynd.
“I cannot believe they haven’t gotten rid of those pests
yet.” Lady Meredith continued her earlier conversation with
Lady Karin, her chin tilted up, showing the disdain on her face.
“Pests? What are you talking about, Lady Meredith?”
Dominic said.
“A swarm of pixies upturned the Dale’s carriage,” Lady
Karin said.
The old women shook their heads in disappointment and
their faces were frowning in disgust. Neither were happy, but
not surprised by the news. Lady Meredith’s face crinkled into
a sneer.
“Isn’t it just like pixies to take a simple affair too far?”
Isn’t it like nobles to blame a simple creature? Unfortunately,
pixies were typically troublesome creatures. They would swarm
a person and cause so much trouble that they leave the
encounter with nothing but their undergarments. Not to
mention their pixie circles… Most people avoided their
swarms, not that the trouble was the pixie’s fault.
When Acalikon was still mostly undiscovered, settlers
were adventurous and found the heart of the pixies’ domain
to be the perfect place to settle down, pushing them out of
their normal life. No longer could they have whatever they
wanted to eat or play cute pranks on their friends. The pixies
had been forced to share their food supply with settlers, and
the pranks the pixies played only made the settlers upset with
them.
Lady Karin rolled her eyes. “Lady Meredith, we both know
that we can’t truly blame the pixies. They are simple creatures.
They repaid the Dale household for their actions. Acting
nothing like a noble family should. They adopted that filthy
sewer rat.” She fanned her face aggressively. “I cannot even
speak that abhorrent boy’s name. He has muddled the Dale’s
family lineage ever since.”
Calida inhaled sharply. Someone needs to put these women in their
place. This is completely unacceptable of Lady Karin. Do they seriously
think that it is alright to gossip openly like this? The Dales have raised
a respectable young man.
Calida hated those who would gossip about others without
the person being present to defend themselves. It wasn’t right
to judge someone harshly without even talking to them first.
“I beg your pardon, but shouldn’t a lady of the court
converse with the guilty before falling victim to prejudice? I
hardly think the Dales deserve such spite,” Calida said.
Her anger grew, her eyes burned, and her lips tightened.
As the heat wave radiated o! her skin, her body shuddered and
her palms warmed until flames sparked in Calida’s veins. But
as fast as it appeared, it disappeared.
The group blinked at her like they didn’t even realize she
was there. Dominic’s eyebrows rose in surprise, none of them
expecting her reaction. They took a pregnant pause before
Lady Meredith suddenly changed the subject. Calida stepped
back, disgusted by their nonchalance.
Did they feel so entitled that if they are called out, the
noblewomen would rather ignore her than face the truth?
What made them think they could say whatever they want
without defending their comments?
Absorbed in their new topic, the two women walked away.
They did not utter another word on the subject about the
Dales. Calida did not get to defend them in their stead. She
knew the Dales personally. Jetta was the sister of their adopted
son. Her friend barely talked about that time in her life, but
from what Calida knew, the lord and lady adopted her older
brother but had left her behind. The Dales were generous and
kind folk, unlike other nobles. Lord and Lady Dale did not
deserve the insults of two busybodies.
Jetta had explained to her once when they were younger
that the orphanage rarely adopted out the girls under their
roof. Lord Sullivan funded the orphanage, so it made perfect
sense that the Dales had no way of adopting the pair. It was
rumored that he kept the girls behind to be his “wards” at his
personal home, women who were sheltered in his home “out
of the goodness of his heart.” She had never met her friend’s
brother, but Calida had many interactions with his adoptive
parents because of Jetta.
Calida sighed in resignation. It would do no good to chase
Calida sighed in resignation. It would do no good to chase
down those noblewomen and set them right.
“That is rather interesting,” Lord Dominic said.
Calida whipped around and glared at him.
“Rather interesting? They just blatantly insulted a noble
couple! In Poramun Creek, you would get slashings for doing that!” Her cheeks warmed with a fiery temper. He did not even
try to defend the Dales. What an arrogant oflati!
“Milady, this isn’t Poramun Creek. I am the earl from the
shire Weommadran, Calida Rhodes. The court is all about
knowing other’s perception and political leanings and how to
use it to your advantage.”
Calida studied Lord Dominic, seeing him for the first time.
He crossed his arms over his chest and relaxed his strong
shoulders. She hoped to "nd at least one more noble, like the
lord and lady who could be kind. Yet again, she was
disappointed. Her hidden hopeless romantic side hoped he
would have been sweet and cared at least more than other
nobles she had met. It wouldn’t be the first time Calida was wrong.
“Milord, it’s wrong to gossip without giving the person a
chance to defend themselves! Do you even have a selfless bone
in your body?” Calida said. She clenched her teeth at the
snobbery of Lord Dominic Goldwyn. Not that she should be
surprised. Calida had not encountered many selfless nobles.
“You will find that people here are not the type to care
about sympathizing with the less fortunate. It may make me
sound arrogant and rude, but Calida, you are not in the
backwaters of Eleari anymore. This is High Court.” He
offered her his arm. With a sharp inhale, Calida reluctantly
took it. The nobles expected it of her as a polite guest.
Doesn’t mean I cannot seethe on the inside.
Dominic paused for a moment and gazed at her, appearing
disappointed and confused.
“Do you really not remember me?” he asked.
Calida squinted at him. What was he talking about? This was
the first time they had met.