Kale: The Dryad Chronicles, page 7
“Well once they meet them, they may change their minds,” Lord Trevor said. “I would hate myself if I did not let it be known that noblemen can be horrible sometimes to the fairer sex. They would try to do things like Rodney did. Most poorer girls would go along with it, they would have visions of being some great lady going through their heads while the men would only be thinking about their gratification. If I were you, I would let this be well known to your sister and her friends.”
“I will,” Emma replied.
CHAPTER 7
EMMA
“Let me take a look at you,” Miriam said as she looked at Emma.
“Please leave me alone,” Emma replied. “I am happy with myself, if you aren't, I do not care.”
“I am just trying to help you out,” Miriam said.
“I do not want your help, Mother,” Emma replied. “Go help the daughter you actually care for.”
“This again?” Miriam said and sighed. “It is like you don't even want to have a relationship with me.”
“I don't and I have made that clear multiple times,” Emma replied. “I don't want anything to do with you. I can't trust you and I don't like you. It sounds horrid but those are my feelings. Now can you please leave me be?”
“All you care about is that stupid book,” Miriam said as she snatched the book away. “You have the chance to really set yourself up for success. If you do what you are supposed to, your children will never know hunger and wanting the way mine did when you were younger. You don't seem to care about any of it.”
“I do not need a man to make me happy,” Emma said angrily. “And I don't care what you want for me. All you care about is yourself, go bother Mary, she is your favorite and will allow you to talk down to her.”
“This should be a happy time,” Miriam said as she tossed the book down. “Twenty years ago I would have never thought I would be a guest in this house. I would have never thought I would have daughters and one of them would be taken seriously as anything other than a bed warmer for the men who live here. We should be nervous and gossiping about things you should do or say to land him, not yelling with each other.”
“I do not want your help,” Emma replied. “I do not know how to make that any clearer. I found Lord Trevor all on my own, without you or your precious help. He is interested in Emma, the person standing before you, not whoever you want me to be. My Healer’s book you just tossed down is a big reason because of that. Even if he decides he wants nothing more to do with me, I will still be able to take care of myself.”
“I know you don't need me!” Miriam snapped. “And it really hurts Emma, that you have never wanted or needed me. You would rather suffer than let me in. I am your mother, girls are supposed to love and depend on their mothers. You could care less and rather do it on your own.”
“So you want me to let you harm and disrespect me so you can feel better about yourself?” Emma asked. “Get real mother, you are not trustworthy and you could care less about my wants and feelings. You made it perfectly clear when you sided with father. You are not my champion and the only thing I have learned from you is how to not treat my children, even if I do not agree with them. When I have children, I am not going to give you the chance to minimize them the way you have done to me. Save your tears, they affect me as much as mine affected you. Why don't you go out and buy a new dress or a pony or something. That was supposed to mollify me. You can buy one and forget all about your feelings and feel happy forever.”
“Don't you talk to your mother like that!” Sam snapped. “I have heard enough of this. She is pouring her heart out to you.”
“I don't care what you have heard enough of,” Emma replied. “If a new dress or some pony is supposed to be good enough for me, then it should be good enough for everyone.”
“Your mother is in distress,” Sam said.
“And so am I,” Emma replied. “And I have been for years. I haven't done anything to either her or you. I do my chores, even the ones you have people for and my room is always clean without having a maid. You can't name one mean thing I have done to you.”
“You are ungrateful,” Sam said. “Plenty of effort has been put in to please you and you do not care.”
“So if I put in a lot of effort buying you things you have repeatedly said you don't want,” Emma began. “Like if I buy you a new dress, you would be happy and wear it repeatedly?”
“I am a man Emma,” Sam said.
“Doesn't matter,” Emma replied. “I have said not to buy me anything for years since it would never get any use and you buy it anyway to start arguments with me.”
“No we don't,” Sam said.
“Yes you do,” Emma replied. “I told you beforehand I do not want it and you buy it because you know it would irritate me. You do this so you can have something else to yell at me about and make me seem ungrateful.”
“That is, Emma we would never do something like that,” Miriam said.
“You do it all of the time,” Emma replied.
“We just want to see you happy,” Sam said.
“You want to see me in your version of happy,” Emma replied. “You have never cared what I liked or wanted and you never will. Now are you done screaming at me or do you need to mistreat me further for your own ego?”
“You really know how to get to me,” Sam said. “Come on Miriam. This is just upsetting you and I know how much you are looking forward to tonight. Maybe we can start new business partnerships or at least friendships. This will be easier if you do not spend this time fighting with Emma.”
Emma watched them go as Mary walked in. Emma had to admit Mary looked wonderful, nothing was out of place. She looked as perfect as Lacy did the day before but Mary pulled it off better. Something about her sister just wasn't right though, she seemed skinnier in some places and curvier in others. Her breast looked larger and fuller than Emma had ever remembered them being. She must be corseted, Emma thought. Corseted and helped out by a few extra silk handkerchiefs in a few sensitive areas. Emma could smell Mary as she sat down. Mary had a light smell of flowers about her, not too strong to make someone ill but strong enough that it was noticeable.
“You look fantastic Mary,” Emma said. “I have to tell you something but I am not sure how you are going to take it. I want you to pass on the message to your friends as well.”
“What do you mean by you are not sure about how I am going to take it?” Mary asked and narrowed her eyes.
“I don't want you to take it as a put down,” Emma replied. “Even if you do, I will be happy knowing that I tried to warn you. If the worst happens you would only have yourself to blame.”
“What are you talking about?” Mary said annoyed.
“Lord Trevor told me that a lot of his friends seem charming, but in reality they are only looking for some silly girl to lay down somewhere,” Emma replied.
“So you don't think I can land my own noble?” Mary asked angrily.
“I did not say that,” Emma replied.
“You think because you got Lord Trevor that you are better than me?” Mary asked.
“Take it however you want!” Emma snapped. “Just remember if it blows up in your face I don't want you blaming anyone but yourself. Not the boy, not me, not Lord Trevor, just yourself. If you are too smart or if you catch a nobleman’s eye then good for you. If it happens to your friends I am going to beat the drum that they should blame you and only you. You have met Jamie before, she is ripe for some pretty face to mislead her. If it happens I am going to tell her it is your fault.”
“My fault?” Mary said shocked.
“Yes your fault,” Emma snapped. “Now go be outraged somewhere else.”
“You just don't think I could find someone like Lord Trevor,” Mary said. “You are jealous that I may find a man better than Lord Trevor.”
“Yes of course that must be it,” Emma said.
“Well don't get angry at me because I know your plan,” Mary said.
“Just remember when it happens to one of your friends, it is on you and I am going to make sure they know I told you,” Emma said. “They are going to know everything, including this conversation where you were so full of yourself that you failed to give my words importance and tell them.”
“You just, well I can, I am angry at you!” Mary stammered.
“For what?” Emma asked.
“For how you just spoke to our mother,” Mary said. “She is so happy to be here and you made her feel horrible.”
“Because I don't want her in my face trying to tell me how things should be done?” Emma asked. “It is my life Mary, as long as I am not doing something illegal or immoral, I am not going to let her dictate my fun. I will pack up my things and blow this whole party off before I do that. Lord Trevor will either understand or he will not.”
“She just wants to be a part of it all,” Mary said. “It would cost you nothing to let her.”
“I do not trust mother,” Emma said. “I am glad you do and that your relationship is what it is. Mine with our parents is different. If she is so sad and heartbroken, I told her to buy a dress or a pony. It is what she tried to give me to cheer me up.”
“Emma it is just that,” Mary began before she let out a sigh. “You are still wrapped up in those animals and you are not even trying to have a relationship with either of our parents. They want to see you smile and have fun. It pains them to see you hating them.”
“Then they should buy a dress,” Emma replied. “This is not worth talking about. They didn't care about me when I needed them and I would rather suffer than need them for anything else again in life. I told father and mother that a long time ago and they ignored me. Now I am ignoring them. I do hope you take what I said about noblemen seriously Mary. You remember how I met Lord Trevor. His friend was trying to pull me aside and thought I was some empty headed girl.”
“What did he say Emma?” Mary said annoyed.
“He told me that noblemen realize their status makes them seem more charming than what they are,” Emma replied. “If you think they want to court you, then be properly courted. Do not try to sneak off to some lonely place where you can be coerced. He also doesn't put it past some of the men coming to just take what they want once they have a commoner girl alone. Whose word are the authorities going to believe if the stories are conflicting?”
“I will let the others know,” Mary said as she calmed down. “Even Lacy Luberon.”
“Thank you,” Emma replied. “You really are looking nice.”
“I can barely breathe and I haven't eaten since morning once I heard I was invited,” Mary said. “I have done all of my calls to nature. If I have to go it will take at least one other person to get me out of this.”
“You haven't eaten?” Emma said shocked.
“I am going to nibble on a little food at the party so my stomach will not be growling,” Mary said. “Honestly, it is like you have never been to a party before.”
“I really haven't,” Emma said. “Or I don't care about them as much. Only ones I show up to are those when mother and father makes me go since the entire family is going. Even then I stay to myself and I don't care about impressing anyone.”
“You are going to embarrass yourself,” Mary said.
“I don't care,” Emma replied. “They either like me, or they don't.”
“It is a wonder you managed to snag him at all,” Mary said as a knock sounded. “Well it is time to go.”
Emma got up and went to the door. Lord Trevor was there and gave Emma his arm. Emma took it and thought he was dashing, he was as put together as Mary was. Emma for a moment felt out of place, she had done everything herself instead of having a team. When she saw the way Lord Trevor was looking at her, she knew she must be looking nice. He took her to his grand ballroom, there were already people there and Emma thought the place would continue to fill despite being so massive. Lord Trevor showed her over to where a group of men were standing against one of the walls. Emma recognized Rodney immediately, he flushed red for a moment and then gave her a big smile.
“You lucky dog,” Rodney said as he then looked at Trevor. “She is even more beautiful than I remember. If I wasn't being such an ass, it could have been me she has her arm on.”
“Well I am happy,” Lord Trevor said.
“So this is the girl,” a red haired man said as he looked Emma up and down. “Tiffany is going to be angry once she lays sight on you, Lady Emma. If I were a girl, I would be angry too at seeing someone like you on the arm of a man like Trevor.”
“Like me, Milord?” Emma asked.
“Someone beautiful with brains to match,” the redhead said. “I hear you spend your free time healing the less fortunate practically for free. Very hard to hate someone like you, the only thing you can get is jealous. I for one am jealous. Rodney told me how beautiful you were wearing practically rags. Now that I see you for myself, all I can do is insult Trevor behind his back for being so lucky.”
“Stop trying to sweet talk Emma,” Lord Trevor said with a smile. “Emma, these are my friends. I am sure they will actually introduce themselves to you since they have heard a lot about you.”
“And we will definitely ask for a dance,” the redhead added.
“And they will want a dance,” Lord Trevor said. “If anyone at this party is making you uncomfortable and I am elsewhere, feel safe with any of them.”
“That is big trust to be putting in the likes of us,” Rodney said. “Seriously though Emma. There are bound to be some angry people here. I think you, your parents and your friends are the majority of the few commoners that were invited.”
“Thank you,” Emma replied.
“Might I steal Emma away from you?” Lady Margaret said from behind Emma. “Her name is bound to come up early and often from all the women here wondering about the commoner that landed herself a noble. The sooner they see her beauty, the sooner they can know their daughters and other family members cannot compete. Especially since Her Grace is bound to have hurt feelings.”
Emma smiled and left with Lady Margaret. On her way to a grand table she saw something that made her blood run cold. It was a dryad, it had to be a dryad. She was tall and shapely, her womanly curves were on full display despite the uniform she was wearing. Her hair had small branches growing in it along with leaves and flowers, no human would have that feature. The most telling were her hands, the uniform dress covered almost everything but the back of her hands had bark around them. Emma was so shocked looking at the dryad that she did not notice Lady Margaret had grabbed her by the arm and led her over to a table containing her mother, sister and father.
“Are you alright?” Lady Margaret asked Emma.
“I think she sees your dryad, Milady,” Sam said. “She has weird notions about how they should be treated like humans instead of the animals they are.”
“Well rest assured we do not mistreat our Menials here,” Lady Margaret said. “Breaking them in can be a bit of a pain, but once that happens they are treated as well as can be expected. They eat better than most poor people and always have a warm place to sleep. They do their jobs and they can expect me to take care of them always. I also do not split apart the families of any of my Menials. They of course need my permission to marry, but once they have it, their children can stay for as long as they want. Well, provided they give the same level of effort as their parents.”
“You found out how to get the dryads to produce seeds?” Sam asked excitedly.
“That is a tough one,” Lady Margaret said. “The short answer is yes. My water dryad has taught me much. It has nothing to do with punishment, the more you punish the less likely it will be that they produce a seed.”
“I have been wracking my brain to figure out the answer,” Sam said. “If it is a secret, I will not think ill of you for not saying anything Milady.”
“Dryads have to be happy in order for it to work,” Lady Margaret said. “The happier they are, the more likely they are to reproduce. If you have a male dryad of the same type, this would be a lot easier but they are difficult to find and easy to displease.”
“Displease?” Sam asked.
“If a male tree dryad is sad, they will wither and die,” Lady Margaret said. “No amount of beatings can stop that. Fortunately it is possible for female dryads to produce seeds on their own. It depends on what state their minds are in. I was actually hoping to pick your brain to find out more about the Tree dryads.”
“Well I can tell you some of the many things I know,” Sam said. “Dryads can have children the natural way. They seem to like the act just as much as their watery cousins.”
“They can?” Lady Margaret said and raised an eyebrow.
“They can, Milady,” Sam replied. “But the babe almost always looks like a human unless you know what to look for. Maybe they will have a patch of bark somewhere or bleed blood and sap. Not worth doing, if the babe runs out, they will be free. Hardly anyone would see them as anything other than human.”
“Not worth the time then,” Lady Margaret said.
“They are not beholden to a tree like their mothers are,” Sam said. “Some can have a little magic, not as useful as a true dryad. How many true dryads have you been able to birth from seed?”
“Two and that was difficult,” Lady Margaret admitted. “The bigger the tree, the older the dryad.”
“The stronger she is as well,” Sam replied. “It is why I have moved all of my vegetables and fruit orchards to be around the older ones. Their trees would not survive an uprooting and moving them is difficult.”
“Older ones also have a greater range,” Lady Margaret said. “Behind this place is a row of dryad trees. The issue I have is that I can not let the trees get too big and unruly. They would damage my home so I have to keep their branches clipped. This hurts the dryads who want their trees left alone. They are not happy so getting a seed is difficult. Those that have had a seed tried to hide it but I have both of them growing well. They are at my son’s home. The middle of his home is actually open air and built for two big trees and a small garden. The babes are adorable, much better behaved than a puppy.”
