Chapter Text
Well, this ought to be fun, Talia thought once she got her niece settled in the second room of her suite. Thank the Lady this happened after I got my Whites. Alright. Who do I go to first? Kyril or Selenay?
She tranced down enough to impress on Rolan what she needed to know. He responded a moment later with the knowledge that Kyril was with Selenay at the moment. Perfect. That will make this easier. She poked her head into the other room. “Dahlia, I have to go see the Queen. Remember how I told you about my position on the way up?”
“Yes,” Dahlia said. “You're the Queen's Own Herald, so you have to report to her and help her a lot.”
“That's right, and Rolan just impressed upon me that she needs to see me right now. If you need anything at all, there's a rope in the living area. Just pull it, and a servant will come, and you can tell them what you need. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” She hated telling her niece even a small lie, but it was the best to keep Dahlia from feeling like a burden again.
Quickly, she fixed her hair and took off to Selenay's quarters, taking advantage of her ability to enter without question as the guards let her in. She found Selenay and Kyril in Selenay's office. “I need help.”
“What's going on?” Kyril asked.
“Did Vrisa come with you?” Selenay asked.
“No, but Dahlia did,” Talia said. “Vrisa shoved her at me. Apparently her husband, Fletcher, does things to his daughters. Well, did things. He tried to come after us, and I had to kill him to defend both myself and Dahlia. And now my eight-year-old niece is in my second bedroom, because I determined that it would be less traumatic for her than to let her believe herself to be a burden on me by telling her I killed her father and dumping her back on her now widowed mother to be either abused by her older brothers or to be taken in by one of Fletcher's brothers to be abused by them before being forcefully married off.”
“So you saw signs that abuse is still going on,” Kyril said.
“I have no doubt that they hide it well when a male Heralds is there in Circuit,” Talia said, “but they still underestimate females, and likely didn't bother hiding anything out of a belief I could do nothing, and I could hardly arrest each and every person on my own. I suggest we start sending female Heralds on Circuit and showing them that they have to listen and follow the law no matter who it is talking to them. I also need to figure out how to handle ensuring Dahlia is taken care of when I leave on my internship.”
“Let's focus on the more immediate issue first,” Selenay said. “Tell us about Dahlia.”
“Like I said, she's eight. Her birthing day was a month ago. Like most Holderkin girls her age, she can do some basic spinning, weaving, sewing, and even a little cooking.” Talia sighed. “She's like I was. Worse in some ways. She’s functionally illiterate because the Holderkin still aren't following the law on education, either. I intend to rectify that, obviously. But she has no interests of her own, and I don't know how to handle this.”
“Well, for schooling, you can choose a temple school or enroll her as a Blue like you arranged for Robin,” Kyril noted, “but a temple school might be better.”
“I thought as much,” Talia said.
“As far as your internship,” Kyril continued, “you’ll just need to trust your brother and sister Heralds here in Haven.”
“I’ll work on introducing her to the others,” Talia said, “but right now, she's as man-shy as I was.”
“Not exactly helpful,” Selenay said, “and unlike you, she's not Chosen. She won't have the constant love and support of a Companion. But don't worry so much. No matter what, Dahlia will be well cared for while you're on your internship. As for your observations while you were in Holderkin territory, I think you have the right idea with your suggestions.”
“Now then, you said you killed Fletcher only in order to defend yourself and Dahlia?” Kyril asked.
“Yes,” Talia said. “Whether I made the best decision or not in my actions up until this point remains to be seen, but I believe I did. Dahlia needed stability, not to be shoved back and forth multiple times in the same day.”
“We believe you,” Selenay said. “Well, best go get her needs seen to. Talk to anyone you need to in order to make it happen. Right now, Dahlia’s needs come first.”
***
Dahlia wasn't sure of what to do while waiting for her aunt to return. The last two weeks had been frightening. First, Father had begun looking at her in ways that scared her, and had begun touching her in ways she didn't like. Then a Herald had shown up, and Mother had shoved her into the Herald’s arms, told her that the Herald was Mother's sister, and begged the Herald to take Dahlia away.
Along the way, Dahlia had asked her aunt many questions, but hadn't always understood the answers. She was fairly certain she now understood what a regular Herald did, but she didn't feel she fully grasped the concept of the Queen’s Own.
Suddenly, the door flew open, and another, older girl flew in, immediately speaking. “Talia, I’m sorry for not knocking but-” She paused, looking at Dahlia. “Oh! Hello! I’m Elspeth. Who are you?”
“D-Dahlia,” Dahlia said, her voice trembling. Elspeth. That was the name her aunt had used for the princess! What was she supposed to do?
“How do you know Talia?” Elspeth asked.
“She's my aunt,” Dahlia said. “She said I could stay here while she meets with the Queen.”
“Would you like some company?” Elspeth asked.
“But, aren't you the princess?”
“Yes. And hopefully I’ll be Chosen, soon.”
“And you want to keep a lowly farm girl like me company?” Dahlia asked.
“Why not?” Elspeth asked. “I’m friends with Talia. There's no reason I can't be your friend, too.” She sat on the couch next to Dahlia and smiled. “What's your favorite color? Mine is yellow.”
“I… I don't know. Holderkin don't have a lot of color. But Mother once pointed to a flower, and said I was named the same as the flower. It was purple, and very pretty.”
“Then purple, unless you change your mind later, and that's okay,” Elspeth said. “Do you like to play?”
“I’ve never played. Not really.” Was that the right answer? Because Elspeth looked surprised, and perhaps a little angry.
“Then I’ll teach you how to play,” Elspeth said. “And then you can decide what you think is fun. What would you like to try first? We could go fishing, or go look at the Companions.”
“But Aunt Talia said for me to stay here.”
“Oh. Do you like stories?”
“I’ve never heard any,” Dahlia admitted.
Elspeth looked surprised again, but then grew animated. “That's alright. I’ll tell you the stories your aunt told me when I was eight. We can start with Vanyel.”