Chương 57: Chapter 56: Changes At Home

++It was around the onset of puberty, fittingly enough, that I began to exercise some level of influence over my household, but like most things in my early life it was all hard-fought. ++ - From the writings of Isabel Vornholt, 'The Great Lich'. 1, 891 A. E. The Vornholt estate was almost a pleasing sight to my eye, and if that does not convey how miserable the carriage ride was then I do not know what would. I was able to read, but only with the old man glaring daggers at me all the while.

Agrian, of course, said nothing. His courage in defending me from such things was limited only to those he was confident about bullying. My mother said less still, I do not think she actually believed I was being wronged. When we arrived, I was the first out of the carriage, shortly followed by my mother. Agrian and our grandfather exited at much the same time, with Agrian offering to help him out and the older man politely refusing.

"Some respect for your elders, then, it seems," he grunted. The man had a way of seeming irritated, no matter how pleased he was in actuality. I was not able to fully dwell on that however; my father was approaching.

"Isabel," he grinned, sparing me the more lengthy greeting I had already suffered at the Winzorth Institute.

"And Agrian my boy, damn it if you haven't grown again since last we met!" He had not, at seventeen I strongly suspected Agrian was past the bulk of his growing by now. That was not much of a loss on his part, he already stood north of six feet tall and was nose to nose with our father as they shook each other's hand.

"You've met your grandfather then," the Baron smiled with quite an obvious amount of effort.

"Earl Yilear."

"They have," the Earl cut in, "and—" —"I was asking my children," my father growled. The two men glared at one another like dogs fighting over the same kill. Oh dear, was I in the middle of some aristocratic ego-having contest? I did not like those at all.

"I have met him daddy," I replied. The childish term of address was unpleasant to use, but nothing was quite like it for soothing the Baron's temper.

"It was lovely to meet you grandfather," I added. Both men appeared to pause in their anger at that. I was using one of the smiles my mother had taught me, the vapid one that made the eyes appear twice as large and the head half as full. It had its intended effect of breaking up the tension.

"Let's not dally out here," my father said after one final, awkward moment.

"It's warm inside, and it's been an age since the family's been together." He led the way and the rest of us followed, though I noted that the Earl was not fully mollified. Nor was my father, for that matter. It was warm inside, especially in the living room. By now I was getting used to the difference between the Winzorth Institute and Vornholt estate's heating; the former was far more measured and consistent, while the latter more… organic.

We were warmed by a real fire crackling at one end of the room, just a few paces from our lounging chairs. I let the heat seep into my bones as I relaxed there, while Agrian outright sighed in content. That was where the next round of trouble began.

"What noise was that?" the Earl asked, without looking at his grandson.

"Sounded like some woman moaning." Agrian's face burned, and our father was speaking again before the boy could even reply.

"Sounded more like a man relaxing in his own damned home to me," he growled.

"Though it was difficult to tell over that little rattish squeaking sound, that one I can't quite identify. An old prick about to have his head twisted off maybe." Leave it to Baron Agrian Vornholt to escalate any situation into the threat of violence. Though I had to admit, this time I was rather on his side. I did not like hearing my minion disrespected in such a way either. Earl Yilear surprised me by not flinching back from my father's rage.

There were not many men the Baron could not bully, and even with their relative social ranks it was somewhat impressive to see the older man so unfazed. He must surely have known that, if my father wished, bursting his skull would only be a matter of reaching out with one hand and lightly squeezing.

"I see where the boy gets his manners from now," the older man sighed.

"As uncivilised as you were when you finally got me to cave and let you marry our Elizabeth." Things may have further degenerated, if the door had not opened at that moment to unveil a new horror hurling into the room. I had just enough time to recoil in terror at the sight of it, then Victoria was throwing herself onto my lap and wrapping me in a hug so forceful its grip might have been put to better use wringing the neck of chickens. Or cows.

"Isabel!" she squealed, rubbing her face against my neck as I flailed around in panic. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Unhand me!" I snapped.

"Off, off you demon!" But she did not, only hugged me even harder.

"I missed you!" she giggled.

"Did you miss me? Did you?"

"No," I growled.

"You are a repulsive animal and you keep touching me!" That only made Victoria laugh all the harder, and I looked around across the room at large to find…absolutely no sympathy. Agrian was holding Qaigor, ruffling the boy's hair with one hand while grinning over at me, while our parents seemed to be struggling with laughter. Even my miserable grandfather looked amused.

"She's been talking about seeing you again all week," my mother chuckled.

"She kept sitting by the door, waiting for you to return early."

"No I didn't!" Victoria was leaning back now, her face as bright as if the blood were being squeezed out from its pores. It was my turn to grin.

"That is adorable," I told her. I had hated being called that when my body was her age, and by the look on Victoria's face I could see that she hated it just as much as I did.

"Isabel dear, why don't you take your sister and play somewhere else?" My father asked.

"I would rather not," I told him.

"I insist." He smiled, still, though his voice was firmer. That was what I got for even socialising with the little rodent. I could have argued, but I knew I would only lose. Better to pick my battles and make sure they were winning ones.

"Come on Victoria," I said through gritted teeth.

"Follow me." I gently pushed her off me and got to my feet, then made my way from the room with as much dignity as I could retain.

"She loves it secretly," I heard my father laughing as I went.

"She can pull a mean face all she wants, that girl was born to be a mother." What a horrible day to have ears. Victoria, as always, had a great many things she was eager to show me, and I had nothing to do but humour her in the moment.

"Father got me a new dollhouse," she grinned as she rushed me into her room.

"Do you like it?" I did not know what to make of it. It was about the size of a small table and was already opened when I entered, revealing an interior filled with, as one might have expected, dolls. Each looked expensive and well-made. I got the impression Victoria was spoiled compared to my own childhood, though it was more likely that she simply enjoyed more of her requests being fulfilled due to asking for more ladylike things.

"It looks very…functional," I told her. Victoria giggled again.

"Why do you talk like that?" she asked me. I froze.

"Like what?"

"Like all…I don't know, all silly."

"I do not think I speak particularly…silly," I was walking carefully on this ground, now, as I always did when the topic moved to my particular speech patterns. Victoria was only a child, but children could be oddly perceptive in ways that adults rarely were.

"You just did it again!" she laughed.

"Mother doesn't talk like that, father doesn't, why do you?"

"I suppose I just learned how to speak differently from somewhere," I said at last.

"Your guess is as good as mine." Victoria was guessing, I thought. That was the one major problem to having a younger sister as intelligent as her, she did a lot of guessing and a lot of thinking around those guesses. I would have to keep an eye on how she developed. In the meantime, I would need to first give her a better reason not to think about this.

"Perhaps it is from reading so much," I added, as if I were merely thinking out loud.

"I do not think father, mother or anyone else in our family does that as much as I do, I probably picked up the way I speak from there." My sister's face fell at that.

"I don't read that much either," she scowled.

"Father won't let me."

"What?" I asked her. I was surprised by the anger in my own voice. Then again, this was a blow.

"He says it's not for girls." The girl was not meeting my eye now, like she was embarrassed. I for one was both confused and enraged. I had assumed until now that Victoria would be treated similarly to me, due to her own magical talent, but…ah, no. Of course, I had been a fool. How much of my own work had it taken to be treated as I had been?

"Father says that I should focus on…on religious studies, and sewing, and other things." She scowled.

"None of it's as fun as magic though. But he doesn't like me practicing my magic." My temper was shortening, my heart turning into a war-drum that sent pulses of hot blood rushing up through my ears, pounding in my neck, my temples, behind my eyes. I had to concentrate just to speak. Organic bodies registered everything so much more keenly, and I did not like the distractions that brought one bit.

"So you have not been practicing your magic?" I asked her.

"For three months, you have not gotten better?" Victoria still did not look at me.

"I'm sorry…" she mumbled. I had to fight again to control myself.

"I am not angry with you, Victoria. I just need to know the truth." I needed to know the extent of the damage. Those months could never be regained once lost, a permanent, slight reduction in how much power she could wield for the rest of her natural life. This was what led magicians to train so exhaustively. Fortunately, the disaster was not quite as great as that.

"I did train," she said at last.

"I did it at night, every night like you said." That took even me by surprise.

"Every night?"

"I couldn't do it in front of father, but I did it when I could. I didn't keep up with your schedule though, I'm sorry," the girl was speaking fast and close to tripping over her words. Apparently three months had not been enough time for her to get over that habit.

"Show me your magic," I said after a moment. Victoria hesitated.

"You promise you're not mad?"

"I promise." This was tedious, but I had no choice but to make allowances. One day she would remember these interactions, and genuine affection would leave her loyal to me. Or so went my plan. Victoria's face scrunched up and she focused, though I noticed she was not trying nearly as hard now as she had in the past. A few moments later, mana sprang from her fingertips. It was a small but steady stream, surprisingly well controlled given her age. It helped that she was not trying to do anything physical with it.

"Can you feel that?" she asked eagerly. Her uncertainty was fading away, now. I realised she was just excited to show her older sister how much power she had amassed since the last time we met.

"I can," I told her, forcing a smile as I nodded encouragingly. It was a formidable amount, considering her age. But I could see that she had not grown quite as much as I would have expected. A fraction less, only that much, but that fraction stuck in the back of my mind like a hot needle driven into my skull.

"Excuse me Victoria, I need to go and do something."

"I'll come with you," my sister hurriedly suggested.

"It is adult business." She frowned.

"You're not an adult."

"It is relatively-adult business."

"What does relatively mean?"

"Shut up, I am leaving now." I did so, and started making my way straight for our father. I would have words with him.