The Duke’s Reborn Daughter Sometimes Chooses Violence.

"I'm not going to lose to you," Violet declared, and she declared it loudly at that.

For several long moments, nobody moved and everybody stared. Violet was pointing directly at Cordelia, and so there could be no doubt at all as to just who she'd issued her strange challenge to. The two girls at Cordelia's side reacted first.

Amelia Sunheart set her cup down on its saucer with a small clink. "Lady Indri," she said politely, "do you know what exactly you are saying?"

Violet either did not hear her, or chose to ignore her. Knowing Violet, it was almost certainly the latter. Shara Greengrass spoke next. Or she tried to, anyway. She opened her mouth, but Cordelia raised a hand, and so she closed it.

"Duchess Indri." Cordelia reached forward and took her own cup by the handle. She smiled, and it was a perfect smile. "Lose to me? I do not recall us being in any sort of competition." Then she brought the cup up to her lips and took the smallest of sips.

Violet frowned. She stepped forward, until her legs pressed against the table. "You know exactly what I mean. Don't act like you don't. Yeah, sure, maybe you're prettier than me, and you know all these fancy manners, but I'm still not going to lose to you. You'll see." Through all of this, her pointed finger never lowered.

I did not know what exactly she meant. I did not vaguely know what she meant either. There were murmurs at this. Murmurs all around.

"...What is this girl talking about? Has she gone mad?"

"Prettier? You don't think she means..."

Those were just some of the whispers. It seemed that people had started to understand just what was happening. The problem was that I still had absolutely no idea what was happening, or why. Vaelin thrummed in my mind. I thought that would be the end of it, but then he spoke.

Careless. Dumb.

Those words were almost certainly aimed at me. And just what did I do?! To this, Vaelin did not answer. If the Godblade had been in hand, I would have glared at it.

"I see," Cordelia said softly, and her voice cut through all of the murmurs. "Then perhaps we are competing after all." Her gaze searched through the crowd. It found mine, and she smiled. Then she looked back at Violet. "But I do not wish to compete with you, Violet. We do not need to, in fact-"

"Well, we bloody well are!" Violet shot back. "What are you, scared? Scared you'll lose?"

I saw Cordelia's perfect mask slip, for just a moment. Her right eye twitched, and the cup in her hand trembled, just once. When she spoke again, her voice sounded the same, but it did not feel the same. "I do mean it. We do not need to compete over-"

Alexander Bulwark chose that moment to rise. And the moment he did, Cordelia stopped speaking, as if she had never meant to say anything at all. The boy -for it was hard to think of him as anything but, despite his age and his frame- wore an easy smile as he moved towards Violet. "Ah. You are Duchess Indri. It seems I have been a fool. I should have come to greet you right away. Congratulations on your ducal investiture." And he bowed, one arm across his chest. Even bowing, he was a little taller than Violet.

Violet looked up at him, and she just looked very confused. That was good, for I wore the exact same expression. When Violet said nothing, Alexander Bulwark continued. "I believe I understand something of what is happening here," he said, rising back to his full height. He searched the crowd, and his gaze lingered on me before it moved past. "I know the ways of women, almost better than they know them themselves." He looked back down at Violet. "But I can assure you, there is no need for competition. In fact, there is-"

"Who the hell is talking to you?" Violet cut him off. Alexander froze. "Get hit with a rock growing up or what?"

Violet turned entirely away from him, and back towards Cordelia. "I've said what I wanted to say." Then she turned, and marched through the crowd. Adults and children alike parted for her as if she were made of fire.

That left Alexander Bulwark staring at her back with perhaps the most puzzled expression I had ever seen on anyone. And it left Cordelia, staring down at her cup. I could not even guess at what she was thinking. If I was right, then her betrothed had just tried to make a pass at someone else, in the middle of a crowd. The way it had ended did not matter. He had still done it. Anyone would be fur-

"So you have, Violet," Cordelia murmured. I would not have heard it at all if everyone had not gone so quiet. Then, oddly, Cordelia smiled and took another sip from her cup. She set it down, and her gaze found mine again. And hers was the small smile. The one just for me.

Vaelin, what in the hell is going on?!

The Godblade answered. Unfortunately, he answered with a laugh.

The crowd began to withdraw, all the people murmuring as they went. I turned to make my way back to our table, and as I did, my gaze happened to cross to the adults' side of the tent.

Lady Seraine Greenward was not speaking to any of the women seated around her. She was looking at her daughter. Her posture was flawless, her hands were folded, and she wore her perfect smile. It reached her eyes.

I looked away, and a chill walked down my spine anyway.

"Well, that's part of Violet being Violet, I guess," Damian offered as we retook our seats.

The crowd had dispersed, and we had dispersed with them. From the things I had overheard, it seemed that everyone had decided Violet was competing with Cordelia for... Alexander. The fact that Violet had then rejected the boy to his face did nothing at all for this theory. Some people said she was 'playing hard to get.' Some said she was 'upset about being outshone at her own event.' I decided I would simply ask Violet, once I could get a hold of her. Duchess Violet had marched straight over to her own retainers and sat down among them right after, as if all of this made perfect sense to her.

"Indeed, we should look on the bright side," I said, glancing across the tent. "Nothing has been set on fire. Nobody has been murdered. I don't believe anyone has even broken a bone."

Damian looked at me, and then he looked to Sere at his side. "Is she being... sarcastic?"

Sere nodded. Then she scribbled, and slid the notepad over to me. Was fun.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

I sighed, reached over, and ruffled her hair. "Oh, I know you had fun, you little dessert devil." Sere grinned and leaned her head into it. "Just how much did you even eat, anyway?"

Sere scribbled again. Lots.

Then she flipped back a page and turned the notepad around, and it seemed she had been busy during all of the commotion. She had drawn Violet and Cordelia. Violet as a giant, and Cordelia with a very big head. The two of them had seized each other by the arms, pulling in opposite directions. Above both of their heads floated a single enormous question mark. "You're getting better at expressions," I said.

The drawing only gave me more questions. Still, it was rather remarkable how quickly Sere could make my mood better. And I supposed none of that strangeness really mattered. Violet was still a Duchess. If tonight's gesture would ultimately be read as House Indri declaring enmity against House Greenward, then that had been going to happen sooner or later anyway. Yes, it didn't really matter.

It just confused me. Deeply.

Workers moved between the tables, collecting plates and refilling glasses, and I sat with my hands folded in my lap, and I thought. There was nothing else to do, not with every child so apparently afraid of coming over to our table. And with Violet apparently doing what she was supposed to in courting her retainers.

I had wanted to call for the Council to reopen and try to get the amendments through within a day or two of Violet's investiture. Before the first of the qualifiers, which were now only days away. With what I knew now, that plan was dead now. I needed to make preparations to fend off a monster attack, and that would take time. I would have to move after the first qualifiers were done now.

And in the meantime, I needed to talk to the three Counts. Count Sterling, because obviously the wall had to be at its strongest on the day, and only he could help me do that. Count Vance, because if these monsters were coming from dungeons outside the city, then maybe we could try to nip the problem in the bud. Count Calloway, because if there was a breach on the day despite my best efforts, then he'd know how to evacuate everyone around the District's edges. The orphanage I had built was around that edge. I needed to make sure they were safe most of all.

And at some point, I needed to send Duke Solair a letter. Strange, that I put this right up there with the tournament and a monster attack. But perhaps it was not so strange. Cordelia had never asked me for something before.

My gaze drifted across the tent, to the table where the four Dukes still sat. To Duke Wardell, sitting quietly in his plain black cloak. I had glanced his way many times, and not once had I seen him actually say anything.

I needed him most of all. Monsters hurling themselves at Aelheim's walls was not a House Veyne problem. It was everyone's problem. If people had to be evacuated, it would be his City Watch doing the evacuating. If we needed men to bolster the wall, then the Karr guards would be the fastest way to do the bolstering.

More and more people began to leave. I watched a baron and his wife make their farewells and slip out through the flap, and another couple followed close behind them.

I sighed, and rose from the table. Damian made to stand right along with me. I raised my hand. "I'll be back soon," I told him. Sere was rising too. "You too, Sere," I said. "I just need to talk."

I walked past them and crossed the now-pointless line between the adults and the children.

I was perhaps a dozen steps from the Dukes' table when a servant in red and black reached it ahead of me, pitcher in hand. She refilled their glasses one by one. I stopped. Elinalise Qivaris looked up, met my eyes, and winked. "Someone's popular," she said. Then she was gone, weaving away between the tables with her pitcher. I stared at her back.

Now what in the hells did that mean? This time, Vaelin did not say anything at all. I sighed and kept walking.

My father was the one still talking. He had been every single time I had glanced over. He paused when he saw me approach, and made to stand. "Father, it's okay," I said, moving to his side. The other Dukes all noticed me then.

"Come now, Esra, I can stand well enough," he said, but a second too late, for I was already at his side before his walking stick could touch the ground. All the same, he put a hand on my shoulder.

"I wished to come and give my regards," I said, glancing at each of them in turn. Duke Thalos first, who offered me a small nod. Greenward second, and that was the smallest glance of all. His face was drawn up in its usual smile. Duke Wardell last. He only looked at me, though I got the distinct impression that he was looking through me instead.

"Ah, and I am sure you have all met my beautiful daughter," my father said. "I am told she handled herself well while I was... indisposed. Handled herself better, perhaps, than I would have myself. It makes a man proud, to know he has raised an heir who can do more than he did."

I blinked, and in the next moment I was very aware of how red my face had gone. "Father!" I protested. This was not why I had come over here.

"Yes, she handled herself well," Duke Thalos said dryly. "Better than you. That much is a certainty. She was downright reasonable."

"Come now, Aurel." My father shook his head. "We both know that is a low bar to clear." He said it jovially enough, which told me that Duke Thalos's comment had been no kind of insult. It seemed the two of them really did share some strange rapport after all.

"Indeed, you must be quite proud," Duke Greenward said. He was staring down at his glass, which he picked up idly by the stem. "To wake and find your daughter a Hero. And not just any Hero." He looked up and met my father's gaze. "But one who carries Illiana's blade."

My father stiffened. It was brief, and I only felt it because his arm was still around my shoulder. Then he straightened. "Indeed. I am quite proud." There was no joviality this time. None at all. I had not known my father could sound like that.

"Ah, but..." Julian brought the glass up to his lips. "We both know where that blade may lead. I simply hope that Lady Veyne meets a kinder fate than its last wielder did." Then he took a sip, and for a moment, I saw Cordelia in him. Though perhaps I had only ever been seeing him in her.

My father stepped forward. His hand came down flat upon the table, and I felt the weight of the mana rolling off of him. "Careful, Julian," my father said. "One might take that for an insult."

"Father-"

Julian shook his head, and his many emeralds caught the light. He set his glass down. "I mean no insult, of course. Only a fool would insult a Hero." He smiled at my father, and it reached his eyes.

"Perhaps we should all take a breath," Duke Thalos interjected. "Our bloods run too hot, and there are far too many eyes on this table. Under enough eyes, even a thing said in praise can sting like a knife."

He looked at my father, then at Julian. He was, I supposed, fulfilling exactly the role he had been given. Even here.

My father slowly relaxed. "Indeed. I apologize. Recent events have left me more...irritable." He looked at Julian, who stared back.

Julian Greenward eventually shrugged. "And I apologize in turn. I meant no disrespect. I should have had more care for Duke Veyne's condition." It was almost impressive, how he kept every last drop of mockery out of it. It was more impressive still how his smile reached his eyes. I wondered what the trick behind that was, and whether he had been born knowing it, or whether someone had taught him. The way he and Seraine had taught Cordelia.

"Let us put this behind us, then," I said, and I let my voice carry. "I wanted to greet all of you, but I will confess there was also another reason." I turned towards Duke Wardell, and I curtsied. "I would like the chance to speak with you soon. At your manor, if you will have my father and me. Our two Houses have always stood close, and now that my father has recovered, it seems only right that our first visit should be to House Wardell."

I caught my father watching me. He regarded me for just a moment, before he turned. "Of course. I have been meaning to come and see you, Corin. I feel well enough for it now."

Duke Wardell looked at my father. And he actually looked at him, rather than through him, as he had done with me. He nodded, slowly. "Someday soon, then," he said. "This week."

"I will hold you to it, Corin," my father smiled. I was quietly relieved. Given Duke Wardell's...strange state, I had half expected him to simply refuse me. It seemed my father could do things that I could not.

Then Duke Adrian Veyne turned toward me, and smiled. "It is running late, and while I do feel better... alas, I am not so hale as I once was. Perhaps we should ready ourselves to leave?"

I nodded slowly. A good fourth of the tent had already emptied. And while I had wanted to talk to Duke Wardell tonight, perhaps it was best done somewhere far away from any prying eyes. Especially with my father there. Though that meant I would now have to tell him everything I had learned, and where I had learned it from.

Not. Bad. Thing.

Vaelin murmured it from somewhere in the corner of my mind. I paused. And then I smiled, and took my father's left side, even as his walking stick held up the right.

It wasn't a bad thing at all, to have someone else to rely on.