Keziah (18 years old)
Watching my brothers continuously look back at me as they left my room, I waved at them, unable to completely fathom the joy I felt at getting a second chance with my first family. I fell back onto my pillows, kicking my feet in happiness. I don't know which god answered my prayers, but I am so happy to have been brought back before I became irredeemable. Now, I can have everything that is most important—I can have my family and my art.
I don't care about romantic love in this life. I tried that in my last two lives, and both times I ended up dead. No thank you this time around. I found that I loved sex in my last life, so I'll wait until I'm established to set up a kept lover before engaging in those activities again.
My maid, Callie, came in to assist me with getting ready for lunch.
She appeared to be acting very cautiously as she assisted me, which made me curious about her behavior.
"Callie, is everything alright? Are you feeling ill today?" I asked as she styled my hair into some kind of elaborate design I couldn't possibly do on my own. She paused in her movements for a moment before continuing.
"No, Miss Keziah, all is well. If I have done anything to upset you, I will take my punishment when I finish preparing you for presentation. Since I was punished last night, I will be unable to assist you for the rest of the day, so I will take the pay cut to ensure I can assist you tomorrow."
She spoke neutrally as she clasped an emerald necklace around my neck and matching earrings into my ears. She looked me over with a brief smile before it disappeared when she noticed I was watching her.
She proceeded to a nearby cabinet, pulled out a switch, placed it on the tea table, then started unbuttoning her dress.
I leaped out of my chair, knocking it over in the process, and rushed over to stop her. Pulling the younger girl into my arms, I gave her a tight hug as tears welled up.
"Never again will I punish you or anyone else for minor infractions beyond your control. I am so deeply sorrowful that I have been a horrible mistress to you, Callie. You have taken all my anger, and yet you hold true as the brave woman you are. You never walk away from me. You always take care of me even though you are a year younger than I am. You are a treasure I have abused and used. I ask for your forgiveness even though I don't deserve it. I ask that you continue to believe in me as you always have. I'm not the same woman anymore. I've changed. I know it will be hard to believe, but what I say is true."
We were both softly crying and holding each other by this point.
"Thank you for all that you do. If you want to leave me, I understand. I hope you will stay, though. I hope you will continue to assist me as I move forward."
We stepped back from each other, holding hands and smiling.
"Oh, Miss Keziah, I forgive you. You have placed a lot of pressure on yourself, especially as of late. Your actions in trying to gain Prince Halcyon's attention have caused difficulties, but I believe if you just acted like your true self, he would fall in love with you naturally. I believe in my mistress. You can do anything you set your mind to. Now let me get your makeup set back to rights so you can go join your family for lunch."
Callie took me by the hand and set me back at my vanity table as she fixed my makeup and ensured everything was in place.
"Thank you, Miss, for all the nice things you said about me. Those were the sweetest words anybody has ever said to me."
Callie grinned as she pulled me up from my chair and gave me another hug.
"If it's alright with you, I will go ahead and take the rest of the day off nonetheless so I can properly heal and be in tip-top shape for tomorrow," Callie requested nervously, avoiding my eyes.
With a smile, I grasped her hands.
"Of course. I was going to suggest it anyway. I need my personal maid at her best. In the days to come, I will be busy, and I want you by my side every step of the way."
"Of course, Miss. I want to be there to see you finally accomplish your dream of marrying Prince Halcyon," Callie said with a smile and a curtsey.
I was shaking my head as she spoke, which caused her to frown.
"That is no longer my dream, Callie. I dream of having a long, prosperous life with my family by my side and becoming a Premier Artist."
I expected surprise, but I wasn't expecting this much shock. I don't even know if the girl is breathing right now. I waved my hand in front of Callie's face and even poked her cheek in an attempt to bring her out of her weird stasis.
"Callie, whenever you finish processing my words, enjoy your rest, and I'll see you tomorrow morning. We will have much to discuss so that I can start walking the path of an artist."
I smoothed some of her hair off her face before exiting my suite. Outside the doors, two maids and a guard waited silently with respectful apprehension. I really must have been a complete tyrant to not see how the household regarded me. Hopefully, it isn't too late to salvage my relationship with everyone.
With a kind smile to them, I gestured for them to lead the way. You would have thought I had hit them with the way they all stumbled back before they corrected themselves and led me to my mother's sunroom. Ah yes, it must be summer, right after I turned 18. Mother always liked to take the midday meal there during this time of year since the lake nearby ensured cool breezes would blow in through the windows.
We arrived, and the maids opened the door wide enough for me to walk in. One maid joined me, and the guard entered with me. My guard, Reed, joined the other guards along the wall. I gave the guards a grateful nod before joining my family. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw how the guards all narrowed their eyes at me, likely preparing to whisper about me the moment I was out of earshot.
Even though it was a short distance from the door to the table, it still took a minute to get there with all these heavy skirts. If nothing else, I will look forward to not having to wear these heavy dresses all the time. Without the maid holding up the train, it would take eight whole minutes to walk to the table and get seated.
Finally settled in my chair, I glanced around to see my family enjoying tea and small pastries while waiting for me.
"Greetings, Father, Mother, elder and younger brother. My apologies for the delay. It seems the wine I drank last night put me into a deep sleep, so I missed breakfast and would have likely missed lunch as well if my brothers hadn't come to wake me up."
I gave my apologies to my family, then gestured for my teacup to be filled as well. After a pause, a maid filled my cup and began to add sugar. After the first spoonful, I covered my cup with my hand.
"One spoonful is enough for me. Thank you, Iva. If you'd be so kind as to put a few savory pastries on a plate for me, I'd appreciate it. Unless lunch is ready to be served, in which case I'll just eat the prepared meal."
Iva seemed to falter, looking at me, then at my family, and finally at the other servants.
"Umm, Miss Keziah, lunch will be a few more minutes. We also weren't sure if you'd want to order something specific or if you'd be eating what the rest of the family has selected. I'll prepare your plate and will be back to take your order."
She hurried to the sideboard, muttering barely audibly, "She knows my name?"
Turning my attention to my family, I saw they were all staring at me as if they didn't recognize me. Choosing to ignore their stares, I accepted it would take a good while before those in this house stopped looking at me like that.
"What did you decide we'd be having for lunch today, Mother?"
I tried to move things along just as Iva placed a small plate in front of me. I gave her a grateful smile and received a small, curious smile in return.
"Ah, well, I chose a salad, soup, and fish dish for lunch today. Are you wishing to partake in this meal with us today?"
Mother handed me the menu so I could see in detail: we would have a mixed greens salad with olive oil and lemon dressing, a chilled cucumber and dill soup, and poached white fish.
"Yes, I will partake. This pairs well with the tea you've selected, Mother. At times, I wish I had your talents in house management. The best I can hope for is to have Callie trained well in such matters so that when I leave this house, I can still be a good hostess. Do you think Callie can start training with the head maid and you maybe in a week or so?"
I handed the menu back to Mother while making my earnest request.
"Well, it would be more effective if both of you took lessons with us, but from your wording, it sounds like you'll be focused on other things. I understand you might feel that household management is beneath you and should be left to the servants, but it is just as important as other skills a lady must have—especially if she wishes to marry into royalty," Mother advised softly, holding my hand with pleading eyes.
"Mother, you would prefer I let go of my pursuit of His Highness, yes?" I asked directly in a similarly soft tone, with a hint of sadness.
"I want you to be happy, my daughter. I believe you can accomplish anything you set your mind to—even if that is becoming queen, should His Highness become crown prince and ascend the throne. I just don't know if this path will truly make you happy. All your childhood, you wished to claim the title of Premier Artist like your late grandfather and grandmother on my side of the family. It made them so proud before their passing that you wanted to carry on their legacy."
Mother cupped my face, looking deeply into my eyes, making me feel as though she was looking into my soul. She has always been a bit intimidating, known for her wisdom. While she isn't a Premier Writer, her books are well-known and found in almost every noble and common household. If she weren't so busy managing the dukedom for my father, she likely would have gained that title by now. Perhaps when Father steps down and my brother takes over, Mother will have time to return to her passion for writing.
"After you were introduced to Prince Halcyon three years ago, you stopped improving your craft and began chasing him instead. You can understand my concerns, yes, daughter?"
Mother seemed to have found something in my eyes that made her sit back and look at me in wonder.
"Yes, I do understand, which is why I wanted to let you all know that I will be stopping my pursuit of the prince and will instead pursue my dreams of becoming a Premier Artist of painting and sculpture."