Genevieve stepped backwards, stumbling on the hem of her dress. Her concentration on his face was interrupted by balancing herself. The child would have jumped, but her training required her not to show fear. She tried to swallow a dry lump of fear, but it was stuck in her throat. Not that complete concentration would help her decipher his facade.118Please respect copyright.PENANAj0OSSD2mrj
“Forgive me, but my personal affairs are best kept that way. Your soldiers must be hungry after travelling this way in such a short period of time. If you acquire a list of their dietary requirements for me, I will prepare food to replenish their strength and morale.”
“You’re a good girl, Miss Lamb. Thinking of others at this hour. I’ll have a list compiled.” A shiver shot down her spine as he patted her shoulder with his hand. Genevieve folded her hands in her lap. “Moreover, I have compiled a list of ingredients to cook for myself.”118Please respect copyright.PENANA2heD55c8GS
“You don’t have to be so apprehensive. Come. I’ll introduce you to some of the soldiers.” Tranter extended his hand to her. He didn’t raise his voice or grab her like her father. “What’s that scalding look for, Miss Lamb? This is the kind of expression that I would expect from your sister.” Tranter asked as he took one last sip from the teacup. “Don’t worry. I won’t shackle you, strike or touch you inappropriately. I have some questions.”
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The eleven-year-old followed Tranter. Phillip Tranter. Not Randolph. Genevieve HAD to reaffirm the difference between them. Though there were physical similarities between them. Randolph was nothing like the Silver Tongue in front of her. Randolph was always kind, like Arthur Sheehan and all the friends she bonded with over the last three years. Why did she HAVE to play these games of entanglement? Her sister was useful for her brute strength and lust for violence. Genevieve was useful for her fairness and patience.
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The Fomorian soldiers turned to face Phillip and saluted him as he strode into the room.118Please respect copyright.PENANASNx0vBmyLd
“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Miss Lamb is preparing a meal to thank you all for your promises not to bother her. Why don’t you all introduce yourselves to her?”118Please respect copyright.PENANAPe4bcCJaIR
“This is the kid you were- Ow!” A Fomorian that looked Snowflake, but the size of a human child was elbowed by a centaur with long orange hair and gold and white fur.118Please respect copyright.PENANA0eqvtLRv4A
“Thank you, Dylan. Since Blizzard is so energetic, he can introduce himself first.” Tranter gestured to the half-man with blue skin, sharp, pointed teeth, windswept white hair, a long, pointed nose and insect-like wings. The half-man rolled his blue eyes.118Please respect copyright.PENANASA1MKhndzB
“I’m Blizzard. One of me’ parents was a Snow Imp. Do you know what those are?”118Please respect copyright.PENANAP0xL1NGaPL
Genevieve nodded, feeling Snowflake moving beneath her dress.118Please respect copyright.PENANAM40JwfwAHt
“Good. Next.” Tranter prompted.118Please respect copyright.PENANAWrqxuxEXQy
A gold and white centaur with orange hair touching his lower back bowed awkwardly.118Please respect copyright.PENANAlhDGVfhsze
“I’m Dylan. The son of the infamous Flintlock of Tooms Valley.”118Please respect copyright.PENANAR4SPDGlWG4
“His mother was a slave captured in Soleos, so he has an innate affinity with flames.”118Please respect copyright.PENANAaNnVoULLQe
“You don’t mean Soleos from…the genocide?” Genevieve gasped. “The city constructed entirely from gilda? Soleos is not on any of the maps that Arthur shared with me.” Soleos was on the Fomorian maps she grew up with. Gilda was identical to human gold.118Please respect copyright.PENANAjC7D38KZW8
“Yes. The same Soleos.” Tranter nodded.118Please respect copyright.PENANAm9eUM6NQ51
“I’m sorry for your loss, sir.” Genevieve curtsied.118Please respect copyright.PENANAurLWNfCkZz
Dylan’s expression shifted to one of shock.118Please respect copyright.PENANAffYgGDg8QK
“You saw Rogue at work earlier. He might not be the most intellectual, but he’s the second strongest in our ranks.” Tranter continued to introduce Genevieve to the Fomorians. “This Minos would be our strongest if not for Tarzali’s abomination. A few of our important members like Tradewind Canter, Trey Lute, Sally Smith, Sonata Weaver and Spinneret Weaver are out on errands, so I’ll introduce them to you another time.”118Please respect copyright.PENANAmmlLN5t8rP
Genevieve disliked the fact that Tranter was showing his powerhouses to her the same way that Arthur introduced new students to each other. This could only mean one thing.118Please respect copyright.PENANANu8WbZCH7K
“You have my permission to escape to the kitchen while we discuss adult business.”118Please respect copyright.PENANAbhQGBA378n
“Thank you.”118Please respect copyright.PENANA98HZgIj3Hv
“Choose an escort to make sure that you do in fact end up in the kitchen safely.”118Please respect copyright.PENANAZvYAUbJMCX
“Um…Dylan, please?”118Please respect copyright.PENANAvoOkN7KCpG
“You heard her.” Tranter clapped his hands. “It’s impolite to keep a lady waiting.”
A lady? To the stallion, she was not old enough to be considered more than a filly. Blizzard, who happened to be his closest friend, elbowed the stallion while snickering. Dylan snorted and followed Genevieve to the kitchen, glancing resentfully at his boss.
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When he walked past the child, Genevieve could not help but notice Dylan’s tail. It was not shaped like that of an ordinary centaur. His tail was flesh coloured, ending in a single tuft of fur that matched his hair, like her own. When he flicked his hair over one shoulder, she noticed that his ears were long and pointed like hers. He did not try to strike up a conversation with her. Once they arrived, Genevieve bowed to him and walked inside. Dylan scoffed and shrugged in acknowledgment while shutting the doors.
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Dylan had no experience with children. He was separated from his herd at a young age and raised by the Fomorians. His father made it no secret that Dylan was birthed by a slave woman for one purpose. His father allowed the Fomorians to pass through Tooms Valley. The price was…thinking about it made him grit his teeth and balled his hands into fists at his side. What about Genevieve? Dylan was immune to his own upbringing and unethical work, but even he could not hold back his empathy for a fellow Halfling.118Please respect copyright.PENANAbTN7L0JtkZ
***118Please respect copyright.PENANAoSQy0YsdF1
After hours of conducting business, Phillip walked to the kitchen to find Genevieve.
“Why did you ask me to bring you raw ingredients? Are you trying to poison yourself Ma-?” He stopped himself from referring to the Halfling by her mother’s name. “Miss Lamb.”
“It’s easier for you to poison me if I have to identify poisons amongst the flavour notes of something like even the simplest broths and stews. While it’s not impossible for raw ingredients to be tampered with, it would be easier for me to notice said tampering.”
“You remembered your training well.”
The Halfling did not respond to Tranter’s goading. Instead, she focused on washing and slicing the vegetables. She set aside a small portion for Snowflake.
“Would you rather have a soup or a stew, Snowflake?”
“Um…” Snowflake glanced at the lurking Silver Tongue and then back to Genevieve.118Please respect copyright.PENANAcN7EqYPg3Z
“He won’t lay a finger on me.” Until I come of age. Genevieve pet Snowflake’s head.
Genevieve was already eleven. They only had to hold onto her until she turned thirteen.
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What if she could find Impatiens’s cauldron and destroy it? If she could manage that, then perhaps she stood a chance? Against two powerful and wise fairies like Tarzali and Tranter? Not even if she replenished her mana. 118Please respect copyright.PENANARG9ALhSIH6
“What makes you so sure, my dear?” Tranter smiled.118Please respect copyright.PENANAkwyZWJ0Bje
“You know how old I am. I asked you to bring food to me because while you do scare me, I trust you more than my father, Mr Tarzali and any fairy marked by an Ebony Sigil.”118Please respect copyright.PENANAHeWlS3Co0F
“You are afraid of me?”118Please respect copyright.PENANAfwpanVFZmK
The fact that Phillip Tranter remained so controlled was more terrifying than her father’s violent, drunken outbursts and the unhinged behaviour of Raphael Tarzali combined.118Please respect copyright.PENANAVoHqFIooFS
He snickered without changing his pitch. “You are a smart girl. Unlike your sister.”118Please respect copyright.PENANAzAujja4OJi
“You can start eating, Snowflake. Would you like a stew or a soup, Mr Tranter?”118Please respect copyright.PENANAV0IXkRxlGW
Snowflake warily clambered down Genevieve’s arm and down to the table to eat what the brunette set aside for her. The metaphorical tension between Genevieve and Tranter was heavy enough that the Snow Imp felt it physically crushing down on her.118Please respect copyright.PENANAWObdKxkIFx
“A soup would be a welcome change from stews made from leftovers, thank you.”118Please respect copyright.PENANAfwOfAknPrJ
“You’re welcome.” She smiled.118Please respect copyright.PENANARXU89S6ybx
If she kept cooking for them, then the Fomorians would think twice about poisoning her. Their bodies might have been marked by Ebony Sigils, that did not mean that all of them were despicable like Tranter and Tarzali. She too had an Ebony Sigil once.