Speaker Thomas looked sick, and Phoenix felt a strange sense of pity for him. It would have been cruel if it was happening to anyone else.
“Cast him out,” Phoenix murmured, echoing the suggestion that had once been thrown at her.
King Benedict tilted his head so that he could hear her better. “What was that my dear?”
“Send him home, your Majesty... Please.”
King Benedict looked at her kindly. His voice was serious and soft when he spoke. “Nothing more, Phoenix?” he asked. His eyes were soft as they regarded her. “You are well within your rights to demand more. It is almost improper to do otherwise, you know, and now that you have a name to uphold...” The King tilted his head towards Master Malcourt.
Master Malcourt just chuckled. “I’ve never really been a stickler for what’s considered to be ‘proper’...”
Phoenix felt a slow smile creep across her face. “May I be improper, Master?” she asked, almost pertly.
King Benedict burst out laughing, but Malcourt only smiled with delight. “You certainly may, Apprentice Phoenix. His fate is in your hands.”
Phoenix turned her full attention to Speaker Thomas. “You will leave,” she told him softly, with a small note of authority. “You will leave this room, and you will leave this castle, and you will never return. Seeing you, here, is an affront to me. You are no longer welcome in my home. Stay in your quarters tonight, away from the celebrations, and leave at tomorrow’s first light.
“Not only that, but once you do return home, you are to file the necessary documents with the Head Speaker at Avondale Proper so that he may decide on your consequences. You may be a Speaker, but you are not above the King’s law!”
King Benedict smiled at her. “You were indeed right about her, Tolen.”
Malcourt gave a little smile. “I know,” he said, simply. And Phoenix felt for a moment that a conversation between them had already taken place.
Speaker Thomas’s expression was bleak, but he acknowledged his task with a stiff bow to Phoenix. “Anything else... m’ Lady?”
Phoenix was unprepared for the title, but for once she didn’t correct it. “Yes,” she said simply, before he turned away. They all looked at her expectantly, but their curiosity didn’t weaken her resolve any. “Should another situation ever arise like that of mine; that someone is ‘stealing’ from you as I was - that they are a burden - I want it reported directly to Castle Angor and to me.” Malcourt looked at her with interest, but Phoenix continued to stare down the Speaker where he stood. “I never want to hear of you using anyone else in the way that you did me. Is that understood?”
Phoenix felt a certain bravado as she commanded the future conduct of her former Speaker. All of the resentment that she held of his previous treatment towards her was bubbling to the surface, and she knew it was time to get rid of it once and for all.
Speaker Thomas lowered his eyes and bowed again. “Yes,” he muttered.
Seeing that Phoenix was done, King Benedict waved his hand. “That will be all, then. Captain Rolf, escort our guest back to his chambers. I’m tired of looking at him. Afterwards… report back to me. You and I need to have a conversation.”
The Guardscaptain, his expression unreadable, bowed to King Benedict before grabbing the Speaker by the elbow - much as he had done to Phoenix earlier - and steering him from the room. Angrily, instead of knocking for one of the guards to assist him, he kicked open the set of double doors and marched through the waiting room and back out into the corridor.
Jobe, Phoenix saw, was still sitting on the floor next to Kit. A woman knelt next to him. Kit, for her part, seemed unharmed and was wagging her tail from the woman’s attention.
Jobe jumped up at the sight of the Speaker being led away by the Guardscaptain. He shot a confused look at Phoenix before hurrying to catch up with them.
Kit, upon seeing that the doors were opened again, stood up with a whine and trotted over to Phoenix. The dog wagged her tail in greeting and knocked her head against Phoenix’s knee. Phoenix dropped to one knee and wrapped her arms around the pup. “You all right, girl?”
“She’ll be fine,” the woman said, rising. She dusted her hands off and flicked her skirts before entering the room and bowing to the King. “Your Majesty,” she said respectfully.
“Healer,” King Benedict acknowledged with a nod of his head.
“Sylvia!” Phoenix exclaimed in delight and surprise. It had been months since she had seen the woman. She didn’t realize how much she had missed her kind face until then.
Sylvia laughed and embraced Phoenix warmly. “My goodness, child, how you’ve grown! And Kit, too! I hardly recognized her.” The Healer stepped back to examine Phoenix at arm’s length. “You look wonderful, dear. Truly wonderful. I think that castle life agrees with you.”
Master Malcourt and the King shared a look that made Phoenix blush.
“Well,” Sylvia amended, also catching their exchange, “hopefully most of the time, anyway.”
Master Malcourt chuckled and patted Phoenix on the arm. “Most of the time,” he said, relenting.
“Well, now,” King Benedict said. He stood and stretched his arms wide.”I think that that’s enough sitting in the stuffy room for one evening! I mean, it is my birthing day after all.”
“Of course, my King,” Master Malcourt agreed.
“Very good.” He took the few steps down from the dais and patted Kit soundly on the head. “I think it’s high time we move to another room and sit down!”
He was being comical, and Phoenix couldn’t help but laugh at his demeanour. He grinned at her from beneath his bushy eyebrows and extended his arm to her. “My Lady Phoenix. How stunning you look in your new gown. You do it justice. What excellent taste the person who commissioned it must have… whoever they might be.” He gave her a boyish grin. “Would you do this old man a favour and keep him company while he shuffles the halls? I would be in your debt - again.”
Phoenix smiled shyly and took the King’s offered arm. “It would be my pleasure, Your Majesty.”
The King patted her hand affectionately and led the way from the chambers. Master Malcourt offered Sylvia his arm as well, and, when the Healer accepted with a smile, the two followed behind the Phoenix and the King.
CHAPTER 22
The celebrations threatened to split open the brightly lit room. King Benedict watched with a mild smile playing on his lips as he puttered around the room, greeting various guests and making a point to thank the performers. A silent Master Malcourt trailed behind him; an imposing presence in the room of gaily colored outfits. He scowled when someone came too close to the King, his expression often severe enough to halt the offender mid-step, but Phoenix could tell that it was for show. His expression was unmoving except for his eyes which constantly scanned the area for threats, his gaze turning distant intermittently while he conversed with the gargoyles.
“There you are,” Rae declared, weaving her way through the crowd in order to get to Phoenix. “What happened? Are you all right?” Her light brown eyes assessed Phoenix, her lips pressing together into a scowl that seemed foreign on her face.
Phoenix gave her friend a smile and nodded. “Everything is fine.”
Rae weighed Phoenix’s response for several heartbeats before smiling in return. “Good! Your Trader friend was asking after you. He waited with me.”
“Are you sure that he was waiting for me?” Phoenix asked, feeling some small satisfaction when the girl gaped.
A lively tune picked up. Rae straightened as people began to sway with the music, but the dance floor remained empty. “Why doesn’t anyone want to dance?” She sounded disappointed.
“You could always see if Trader Alexandri is interested,” Elise said slyly, coming to stand next to them.
Rae blushed furiously and swatted Elise’s arm. “Shh!” she hissed as Elise grinned.
Rae huffed and Elise slid her attention towards Phoenix. “All right, Phoenix?” Phoenix n
odded and she tossed her head. “Good! Imagine the nerve of that man - accusing an Apprentice Caller of being a thief! What an ignorant-.”
“Uh-oh,” Rae said, looking off into the distance. Phoenix stood on her tiptoes to see Brianna, with Jenny and Alan in tow, barrelling her way towards them. “Someone must have found the present we left in her bed…”
Phoenix gaped at her friends. “You didn’t!”
They nodded. The slop bucket had found its new home, and from the look on Brianna’s face the girl was not impressed with its new location.
Sophie appeared before Brianna reached them. “We need to move,” she informed them. “Now.”
Phoenix groaned and closed her eyes. Dealing with Brianna was the last thing that she wanted to do today.
Trouble? Rorin asked her. The gargoyle leaned down to watch the dark-haired girl with interest, the tip of his chin barely visible in the light. She doesn’t seem too dangerous.
“She’s not dangerous,” Phoenix replied, her voice carrying easily, “just problematic. She’s been a thorn in my side ever since I arrived.” Her friends gaped at her, and Phoenix straightened her shoulders against their incredulous looks. “And, honestly, I’m tired of her bullying me. It won’t work anymore. I’m not going anywhere.”
Phoenix felt the truth of her final statement resonate within her.
Elise blinked as a slow smile slid across her face, and Rae looked equal parts delighted and impressed. Neither had the chance to say anything, however, as Brianna descended upon them a scant instant later.
“Well now,” Jenny said haughtily, appraising Phoenix’s clothing with a critical eye. “Whose chambers did you have to visit in order to get those?”
Brianna smirked. “We all know she stole them.” Her eyes raked Phoenix up and down. “There’s no way she would be able to fetch such a price.”
Alan and Jenny laughed at Brianna’s cleverness. The boy gave Brianna an adoring look, and Phoenix was reminded of Millie and Jobe from Avondale. It made angry, but not enough to explode in the way that they wanted.
“Unlike you,” Phoenix said distinctly, with what she hoped was quiet dignity, “I do not have to throw myself at every passing noble to get whatever it is that I want.” Her current run-in with Speaker Thomas was unfortunate, but it had afforded her the opportunity to secure herself a place in Angor of her own accord.
Brianna’s face darkened but Phoenix continued. “Since I arrived I’ve had to endure your constant spite towards me. You feel threatened by me because I am different, and that is unfortunate, but I no longer care. You are a child and a bully, and you have no place here in Castle Angor. You are a guest. Perhaps you are even an honoured one - you certainly have rank - but you are only a guest all the same. I, on the other hand, live here. This is my home, and you have no say in what I do while I am here - Blood or no Blood.
“Furthermore, I will never serve you. I am out of your reach, and I will do everything in my Power,” she emphasized the word, holding Brianna’s gaze, “to ensure that my friends are as well.”
A long silence stretched between them. Jenny, and Alan gaped at her, their mouths hanging open and their eyes wide. Rae, Elise, and Sophie looked surprised, but there was no mistaking the deep satisfaction in their expressions. Brianna, as angry red splotches grew on her pale cheeks, opened and closed her mouth a few times to say something in response, but no sound came out.
They locked eyes, staring at each other silently until Phoenix could see the shift in Brianna’s gaze. The exact moment that the girl realized that Phoenix wasn’t going to back down.
“There you are,” a deep voice interrupted, breaking into their standoff. Phoenix felt a delightful tingle in her spine at the sound of it, causing her body to go hot and cold all at once. Prince Hallan strode towards them, cutting through the crowd easily as people parted to bow or curtsy to him.
“My Prince,” Brianna said sweetly. Her voice was honeyed even as she cut a glare at Phoenix. “I did not see you earlier.”
Prince Hallan’s brow furrowed as he inclined his head. “Lady... Brianna,” he greeted her, momentarily forgetting her name. He nodded to the others before turning his full attention to Phoenix. “My dear Lady Phoenix,” he greeted her, bowing to her respectfully. “I’ve been looking for you endlessly, but the anticipation did not disappoint. May I say how lovely you look this evening?”
Phoenix gave an awkward curtsy. “T-thank you, Your Highness. You look lovely as well.” The last part tumbled out of her mouth before she realized what she was saying, and Phoenix’s cheeks flamed with embarrassment. She could hear Rae cough beside her.
Prince Hallan laughed and smiled at her. “I’m delighted that you think so, Phoenix.” He reached a hand towards her, but a warning snarl from Kit caused him to jerk it back quickly. “Ah, yes,” he said, somewhat disapprovingly, “it seems that your little friend still hasn’t taken to me.”
“Kit!” Phoenix hissed, tapping her lightly on her head. “Stop that! I’m so sorry, Your Highness. She’s not usually like this.”
Prince Hallan shrugged off his irritation. “She has good reason to look out for one such as you, my dear.”
He smiled, and Brianna glared at her with such an open hatred that Phoenix wondered if it could be seen from across the room.
“Do you think it would be possible, maybe, to get her to just watch you from a distance? I was hoping to have a talk with you privately. I promise I won’t keep you long - or steal you away, for that matter. Unless you let me, of course.”
The Prince’s eyes were a piercing emerald as he winked at her. A small warmth crept along her spine, and Phoenix wondered what it was about the man that drew her to him so.
Brianna’s expression became murderous. She moved her eyes to see Rae smirking at her, and, surprisingly, her large eyes filled with tears. She turned around hurriedly and plunged into the crowd to get away from them as quickly as she could. Jenny followed looking confused, and Alan looked sullen as he stomped along behind them.
“I’ve got to, um, go check on that thing,” Rae said, vaguely. “Elise, can you help me to check on it? Sophie, you too?”
Elise blinked and Sophie jabbed her quickly in the ribs. “Yeah,” she said. “No problem.”
The two linked arms with Elise and dragged her off across the room. Elise glanced back at Phoenix with confusion, but she allowed the girls to drag her away.
“Now then,” the Prince said, offering her his arm. “Are you thirsty? I’m positively parched myself.” Prince Hallan led her grandly to a refreshment station across the room. Everyone stopped to bow as he walked past, many of the Ladies paused to look at Phoenix appraisingly and Phoenix wondered silently if he was purposely taking the most indirect route possible.
“So tell me,” Prince Hallan said, pouring her a cup of wine and handing it to her despite her objections. “How are you enjoying your first royal ball? You certainly look the part. All of the women here are seething inside with jealousy over you, I can tell.” He smiled at her handsomely and poured himself some wine.
Phoenix felt giddy as she sipped from her glass. “People always stare at me, Your Highness. I don’t think that it has much to do with the clothes I’m wearing - I think it’s just a distrust for Callers in general. No one seems to ever want them around.” She surprised herself with her candor, and she hid her embarrassment by taking a large mouthful of her drink.
Prince Hallan was studying her over the rim of his glass. “You know, Phoenix,” he said somewhat sadly, “I do believe that you’re right.”
They walked slowly as they talked. A pungent, bitter aroma wafted towards them, clearing Phoenix’s head momentarily, but it faded quickly as she followed the Prince.
They stopped before one of the small side hearths that helped to heat the large room, and Prince Hallan leaned against the stonework with a soft sigh.
He set his glass on the high mantle and silently offered to do the same for hers. She accepted with a nod.
“Sometimes I miss my homeland,” he admitted in a murmur, and Phoenix found herself leaning in in order to hear him properly. “I don’t talk about it much… I don’t talk to anyone much, if I’m being honest. I feel as though there’s no one here that I can really confide in; no one here that I can trust.” A private thought tugged at his expression, making it unreadable. “I will always be seen as an outsider here. My friends are only interested in what I am - not how I am.” He looked at her for a time, silently, his expression soft.
Phoenix couldn’t help but notice how easily the light of the fire played off of his body, the shadows accenting the broad shape of his shoulders. The Prince caught her eye, and she knew that he had seen her watching him. She quickly averted her gaze.
“You must know what I mean, Phoenix,” he probed. “I feel like we’re the same, you and I. I feel like we understand what the other is going through.”
The Prince moved closer, and Phoenix felt a whisper of his fingers against the hem of her sleeve. “It’s a shame that people here are so closed-minded. They get so caught up in their preconceived ideas… but maybe it’s finally worked to my advantage. Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise, that they are unable to see a truly beautiful thing when it’s right in front of them.”
Prince Hallan reached out to tuck a thick curl behind her ear, his fingers trembling slightly with the movement, and Phoenix stared up in surprise, finding it hard to catch her breath. His face was much closer than she’d realized. She was acutely aware of the brush of his fingertips against her hair, and the current that shot through her scalp with a jolt of excitement.
“You know,” he continued softly, “Callers are highly revered where I come from, Phoenix. I would love to take you there so that you may experience it sometime...”
Phoenix opened her mouth to respond, but the sound died before it reached her lips. Prince Hallan chuckled and extended a hand to her. “We can discuss it at another time. But for now… Dance with me, Phoenix.”
Phoenix looked at his expectant hand and cleared her throat. “I’m not much of a dancer…”
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