Bonus Story 2:
Things Passed On
(Melia Larnach)
RAIN POURED OVER ME as I lay there, unable to move. The moment I understood I wasn’t long for this world, memories overflowed within me. Perhaps this was my life flashing before my eyes.
With difficulty, I moved my gaze to the side and saw a man reaching out to me.
“…Melia!”
Oh, Dole. My beloved Dole. I am truly blessed to have met you.
I was known as the “Iron Lady of House Larnach.” House Larnach was the household I was born to, headed by an earl. I was not very expressive as a child, but I was a quick learner. From an early age, I excelled in studies, etiquette, and magic. I was particularly good at using magic to fight, able to go toe to toe and then some with even the soldiers of the Royal Guard. As many found it ridiculous for a woman to wield such skill in combat, I was called the “Iron Lady” in mockery.
I always struggled to connect with others. I enjoyed talking to people, but the conversations were always one-sided. Being the daughter of an earl, I was never by myself—but even so, I felt alone. I threw myself into the glitzy world of high society and met many people, but even then, found few outside my family whom I could open up to.
Everyone I met would claim I was too fastidious. I considered my values normal for someone raised with the strict guidance befitting the daughter of an earl, but the other nobles I met called me inflexible. This went both ways—I, in turn, found them lax and couldn’t understand how they neglected their duties so.
If I were more experienced in interacting with others, then maybe things would have turned out better. Unfortunately, my time spent with other people did nothing to heal my sense of solitude. In what felt like no time at all, I’d grown convinced I would never find someone who truly understood me. I resigned myself to that fate. Even so, I swore to live true to who I was and be a proud Bauer noble. I grew even more isolated from others in the years to come, but I stopped caring.
At some point, a change in my relationships with others occurred. It began when I met three men. The first man was l’Ausseil, eldest son of the royal family and the man expected to be the next king of Bauer. He and I were able to connect over talk of a merit-based society.
“Melia, I do not believe people are meant to be divided based on the circumstances of their birth.”
The concept of judging people based on ability instead of social standing was a dangerous idea that could shake the very foundations of the aristocracy. It was impractical and terribly idealistic—and yet, it fascinated me. L’Ausseil and I met numerous times to discuss the feasibility and merits of his plans. He was already engaged, so our relationship never veered into the romantic, but for a time, he was the man I was closest to.
The second man who changed my life was Clément Achard. He was a citizen of Bauer as well, and hailed from a household that held the title of duke. He was a number of years older than me but always made an effort to talk to me in social settings.
“As a lady, you could do to conduct yourself with more grace.”
Clément was, for better or worse, your stereotypical old-fashioned noble. As a woman who fought with magic and debated politics with men, I was always rebuked by Clément for how unladylike I was. I would argue back, of course, never failing to earn a disapproving frown from him. Strangely enough, he never grew tired of having the same exchange again and again.
The third man to change my life was Dole François, the man I would eventually marry. He was a shrewd man who inherited the title of duke at a young age and acted as the kingdom’s Minister of Finance.
Our first meeting was far from cordial. At the time, the Bauer nobility were starting to show signs of corruption. Many nobles took advantage of their position to line their own pockets instead of working for the kingdom’s people like they were meant to. This was, at its core, an issue of money. I questioned—no, interrogated Dole on his opinion of the Bauer nobility, as the Minister of Finance.
“Hmm… How very interesting.”
His reply was short and simple. The look on his face was one of genuine interest. Even l’Ausseil seemed bewildered by me when we first talked, and Clément, of course, only ever had frowns for me. I worried Dole might be too naive for his position. He was already well into his twenties at the time, but he still felt green. Was a man like him really fit to be Minister of Finance, especially with all the vultures circling the treasury?
The four of us would often meet when the occasions arose. L’Ausseil would quietly listen to us speak, I would bicker with Clément, and Dole would try to calm us down. Things continued this way for years. For the first time, I felt as though I had gained friends.
Of the three, Dole captured my interest the most. He was the first man I developed a romantic interest in. One time, the two of us went for a stroll in town. We were talking and greatly enjoying ourselves when a boy bumped into him, falling to the ground. The boy was clearly a commoner. Any other noble would have scolded him severely, but Dole instead reached out to help the boy up.
“It’s good to be lively, but take care you don’t hurt yourself.”
A woman I would assume to be the boy’s mother ran over and apologized profusely before leaving with the boy as fast as she could. The boy, not quite aware of what was going on, waved goodbye to Dole, who smiled back. I stared at him, awed.