Cornelius was walking Niala down the corridor, arm-in-arm, and had positioned himself between his daughter and her boyfriend.
David followed as the catkin alchemist rambled on, seemingly unbothered by the need to breathe in between sentences.
“...And that's how I explained your absence! Once they thought you were off on a voyage to Sonnel across the sea to study their alchemical practices, all of your so-called suitors declared a sudden need to go explore the same continent! It was a sight to behold; so many ships chartered, all jockeying for departure!” He turned his head toward his younger daughter. “Wasn't it funny, Angeline?” Without waiting for her reply, returned his attention to the front. “Ah, and all of those not-so-subtle attempts at social events to figure out where exactly you'd gone. I had quite a bit of fun letting slip different ports and towns to all interested. Last I heard, the Amberfall embassies in Sonnel have been frantically sending messages back to know why they suddenly had to deal with dozens of young noblemen trying to suborn their spies and intelligence staff into working for them. Glorious! I'm telling you, my precious daughter, your fame and desirability have done nothing but explode in your absence! You would have the pick of the litter, should you so choose. Ah, here we are, my study. We will be able to have a proper reunion in private!”
Ahead of them, a house servant stood to attention and opened the ornate red-and-gold door. They were led into a large room with a vaulted ceiling, imposing bookshelves lining three of the walls, a couple of massive wooden desks along the last wall, and a mix of couches and armchairs surrounding a round coffee table about two metres wide. The wall with the desks had several large floor-to-ceiling windows that opened up on an inner garden that overflowed with plants, herbs and flowers of all kinds, looking as if a platoon of painters had gone into a colouring frenzy. The windows were opened, their curtains billowing along a refreshing breeze, and brought in a fragrant mix of smells.
Cornelius brought Niala along to go sit on one of the couches, but his daughter untangled her arm from his and, under his crestfallen stare, went to grab one of David's, bringing him to sit down with her, on a couch opposite her father.
Angeline, smirking, glided past the catkin and gently directed him to sit with her hand planted on his back, before taking a seat herself, a few hand spans away.
Cornelius' eyes remained locked on Niala's and David's intertwined arms, before he cleared his throat and regained his composure.
“Right! Refreshment and snacks!” He said, pulling out a small slab of crystal from a pocket, and tapping it a few times. After a few seconds, a voice rang out from the slab. “Yes, Sir?”
“I am in my private study. Please bring refreshments and hors d'oeuvres for four.”
“Right away, Sir,” the voice answered. Cornelius nodded and put away the slab, returning his attention to his guests.
“Niala, my dear! I must once again tell you just how overjoyed I am at having you back home! I can finally right my wrongs and apologize properly! Oh, I have waited for this moment for so long. Believe me, everyone will remember how humble and repentant I am over the whole ordeal!” The over-eager catkin declared, eyes twinkling.
And then, silence. David looked at the sisters in turn. Angeline looked a mix of amused and disappointed, while Niala exuded a sense of dread, both physically and through their link.
“Excuse me,” David said, “But it sounded as if you were going to apologize later?”
Cornelius blinked. “What? Well, of course! I must organize the event! Invite the relevant guests! We will need two or three days! And then, when everyone is present, I will march out and declare my unending shame and guilt at having driven my daughter away, and publicly ask her for forgiveness!” He answered, as one would answer a child's unwise question.
It was David's time to blink. He turned his gaze to his girlfriend, who had tightened her grip on his arm. She was staring at the table, her ears tucked back. The link was only confirming what he saw.
He leaned to his side, bringing his mouth close to her ear. “Go ahead, tell him. I'm right here.”
She flinched as he spoke, but then turned her head to face him, a warm smile drawing upon her lips, her eyes thanking him.
She drew in a deep breath and straightened her back, properly looking at her father, who was still beaming her his most jovial smile.
“Father.” She began.
“Yes, my dear?” He asked, eyelids fluttering.
“You're doing it again.”
Cornelius arced a brow. “Doing what, my sweet?”
“You're doing what you want, just like you said in your letter.” Niala reminded him.
Her father leaned back slightly. “What... What do you mean? Do you now want an apology? I... Oh! You want it to be published to the masses as well! I understand, my daughter! Your father will no-”
“NO!” Niala shouted, surprising everyone, herself most of all. She reined in her surprise and continued. “I don't want public apologies! I don't want a social event, or an announcement! I don't want any of that! I just want...” Her tone deflated, as her eyes moistened. “I don't need an apology from you, Dad. I just... I just want to be your daughter. Please.”
Angeline's surprise turned to a proud smile, while Cornelius...
Had turned to stone, not a single muscle twitching, as he stared, mouth open, at his daughter.
And then something broke, and he shot up, his face contorting, tears overflowing. His mouth opened.
“I'VE DONE IT AGAIN!” He exclaimed, his voice cracking, as he covered his face with an arm, turning and running toward the door.
“I AM A FAILURE AS A FATHER! MY DAUGHTER HATES ME! MY LIFE IS WORTHLESS!” He moaned as he ran.
Just before he reached the door, it opened on a servant pushing a small cart loaded with drinks and food bites. Cornelius, trailing tears, shoved it and the servant aside, sending everything clattering to the ground, as he fled the room. His wails echoed back to them for a solid minute.
David watched as the servant got back up, dusted himself, and began picking up the mess, completely unfazed at the event, as if it were a regular occurrence...
Angeline sighed. “Right, I guess I'll go dig him out from under his bed-sheet fort of anguish.” She said as she got up.
She beamed a genuine smile. “Niala, sister, I'm so very happy to see you again. You did well standing up to Dad.” She threw a glance at David as she said so, dipping her head, before returning her focus to her sister. “Remember, this is your home. It never ceased to be. The staff will listen to you, and you're allowed everywhere. In fact, I suggest you visit them. I know for certain that Mahala will be delighted to see you again.”
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Niala returned the smile. “Thanks, Angie.”
Angeline nodded and turned after her father, apologizing to the servant along the way, who brushed it off but thanked her nonetheless.
The door closed, and only David and Niala were left. She looked up to him, a timid smile on her face. He pushed his thoughts away and smiled back, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her in.
She leaned into him, and he felt her tension fade away.
“Thanks, David. And welcome to my home, I guess.”
“Hmm, it's a very nice home. Your father seems... interesting.”
She snorted. “More like, a catastrophe and a spectacle rolled in one.”
“I wasn't going to say it.”
She rubbed her face on him a few times. “...I know he can be a lot, but... he's my father, and I do love him. He's just a bit... overbearing.”
He rested his head on top of hers. “For what it's worth, I would rather have had a father like him. It's evident he loves you.”
She sighed, “I know. I just wish he didn't insist on making sure everyone around him knew it as well.”
They remained on the couch for a few moments, the only sounds those of their breathing and the rustling of the curtains fluttering in the wind.
David's voice cut the silence. “So, who's Mahala?”
Niala's ears flicked upward as she untangled from him. “Oh! That's my father's business partner! She's basically our aunt! She's been around for as long as I can remember! We need to go say hi to her! Come on!” She said, getting up and pulling him along.
David let himself get dragged along. If he had to be honest, he was looking forward to exploring his girlfriend's home.
Especially right now, while her father was indisposed and unable to ambush him.
They walked through a few corridors, eventually exiting the house through the garden that bisected the walled compound. The staff they met along the way all nervously looked behind Niala, before smiling and expressing how happy they were to see her again. His girlfriend apparently remembered everyone by name, and asked how they and their close one were doing. Not only was her tremendous memory in full display, but so was her natural empathy, as she sounded like she truly cared.
And David knew that she did. The link told him as much.
He sighed internally. She really wasn't cut out for mingling with high society, where half-truths were worth blood, and lies were given out freely.
They eventually reached the other side of the garden, where a large and imposing three-story building stood. Guards were at the door, but they quickly recognized the little catkin and welcomed her back, just as everyone else had so far.
Niala brought David along on a tour of the facility, which turned out to be a mix of industrial-scale potion brewery, packaging shop, warehouse, research laboratory, business office, and storefront.
She explained that everything ran in triple shifts, the business never really stopping. Brews ran throughout the day, every day of the week, before being tested, packaged and shipped all over the kingdom, and further out.
The brewing facilities were especially noteworthy. A huge open room, with vats standing two stories high, and a mess of pipes and valves going in all directions. They had to remain within the viewing corridor; anyone entering the clinical environment had to wear special clothing that kept contamination to a minimum.
The number of workers they passed by boggled David's mind, far outnumbering the staff he'd ever seen walking the Wardenfel estate, and Niala, his little genius, remembered everyone that had been here four years ago, even if only by name.
And, quite evidently, everyone remembered her. She made the mistake of stopping by a resting room and chatting up a few people. Before long, the room filled up with people who had apparently been informed that the prodigal daughter had returned, and everyone wanted to welcome her back.
It became a veritable barrage of hands and faces, Niala struggling to answer before a new set of well-wishers rotated in. They were being surrounded by a wave of people, and, just as David decided to flare up his mana to create some space, a loud woman's voice barked.
“EVERYONE STILL IN THIS ROOM IN ONE MINUTE WILL HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO MR. ALL BREW, FACE TO FACE, WHY THEY WERE ABSCONDING FROM WORK TO SWARM HIS DAUGHTER!”
The room was suddenly filled with stone statues, before a stampede out of it erupted, people pushing and shoving each other to escape what was apparently a fate worse than the blood pits.
David turned to Niala, only to find her grinning ear to ear, her eyes bright and her tail swishing. She was trying to look through the throng of thinning people, eventually catching a glimpse of what she was looking for, waving excitedly, and dragging David by the sleeve as she marched ahead.
Their destination was a middle-aged, straight-backed woman, a few inches taller than Niala, with nascent crows' feet at the corners of her eyes and mouth, and sporting shoulder-length straight black hair with few strands of silver interwoven.
The woman's gaze was locked on Niala, a wide smile on her face, mirroring the catkin's.
Niala let go of David's sleeve and walked up to the woman, as they wrapped their arms around each other, hugging tightly.
Niala pulled her head back, “Mahala! I'm so happy to see you!”
“And you, my girl! It looks like some time away from home did you good!” The woman, Mahala, said as she began pressing her hands over Niala's rather muscled shoulders and arms.
The catkin blushed. “Ah! I, huh, I've been training...”
“I can see that! You look amazing, girl! I guess you've already seen your father? Ever since we got your letter saying you were coming back, he's been insufferable. He's had us clean everything, every day. I can see my reflection on the tiled floors.”
“Ah! Yes, I have! He... he wanted to hold a gala to announce how sorry he was to me...” Niala said.
The older woman snorted. “I know, I'm sorry, I tried talking him out of it, but you know how he is. Still! With you here now, maybe we can talk some sense into him!” She said with a smile, before pulling Niala into another hug. “Oh! It's so good to have you back!” She declared, before letting go and taking a step back.
Her attention turned to him. “And hello, sir. I'm guessing you are a friend of Niala?”
David nodded, “I'm -”
“He's David, my boyfriend!” Niala cut in, exclaiming proudly.
The woman's smile didn't fade, but it transformed into something else.
“I see. And what kind of man is he?”
“Oh, David is amazing! I can't wait to tell you about all the adventures we've had! I think I have more stories to tell from the past three seasons than the four years I've been away!”
Mahala looked at the excited catkin before returning her piercing gaze to him. “How has this amazing man been treating you?” She asked, her tone flat.
David rolled his eyes. He knew exactly what this was about...
“Really good! He-” Niala began, stopping when David put a hand on her shoulder. She turned her head toward him.
“Kitten, can I...?” He asked. Her ears lopsided, but she nodded.
David turned to face Mahala. “I know what you're trying to figure out, what you're afraid of. Anybody who cares about Niala feels the same. We all think about how we need to protect this girl who'd let herself get convinced by a mama bear to be fed to their starving cubs.”
Mahala's eyes widened, her smile flattening.
David nodded.
The older woman's smile returned, wider than before. She took a step and offered her hand, which David took and shook, as they recognized each other as people who had taken the oath to protect Niala.
On the side, the catkin in question had her eyes glistening, her lips thin, and her ears flat.
David glanced at her and sighed. “You're thinking about the starving cubs, aren't you?”
His girlfriend nodded.
He walked up to her and opened his arms, waiting. She took small steps toward him and buried her head into him. She was soon rubbing her face against him.
Observing them, Mahala felt a knot untie in her heart, only to be replaced with another, bigger one.
She's found a good one. Now, I need to make sure Cornelius doesn't drive him away.
...
Oh, bleeding pits... He's going to poison the man, isn't he?
If you had been in Niala's shoes growing up, would YOU have ran away from home?
