Three

The party was filled with upper class guests and somehow I was welcomed gratefully inside. Cassia's husband wished to have words with me, sit with him as an equal, talk and drink with the men. It turned out to be a grueling interview, but soon the men grew weary and lingered elsewhere as the young boys who were invited brawled, the women gossiped and ate, and Aemelia looked weary and bored.

I snuck up behind her. "You don't look very happy for a little girl turning thirteen."

Aemelia spun about, her eyes wide with amazement and then she sighed. "I'm perpetually bored with these dull witted women. All they talk of is wine, money, and men."

I smirked knowingly. I had felt out of place as a lad—all men wanted to be was rich and lazy. "Show me the gardens, Aemelia."

Standing, Aemelia took my hand and led me to the gardens. I did not wish to see the flowers, but gaze at my child as a man should, to see how she's grown and want all the best for her. I sat while Aemelia named the flowers, telling me which ones she liked and which she could have done without. I laughed at Aemelia's cleverness. She was smart and everything I could not have given her.

"How do you know so much about flowers?"

"Hours of being bored." Aemelia replied as she rested on a nearby bench. "I must keep my mind amused with something, so I go through the scrolls."

I smiled gratefully. Thank the gods she could read. "It must be nice living here."

"I'd rather have no home at all than sit here being bored out of my mind all day." Aemelia replied rolling her eyes and looking at me with interested. "What about you, Proximo? How exciting your life must be! Traveling all the time—getting to fight and do what you wish and never be punished for it."

I frowned. "Yes…but there are prices to pay. Friends are rare and if you have any there's a chance you're going to have to kill them sooner of later."

Aemelia stared at me for a moment. "We'd better get back to the party before they start wondering where we are."

I nodded in agreement, but paused. "Your father Aemelia, is he a good man?"

Pausing, Aemelia stared at me for a moment, knowing the question was odd, but then she shrugged. "A lot of people like him. He's nice to me when Mother's around. He likes my brother's better."

"Come now, that can't be true."

"He's told me so." Aemelia shot back. "He's not my real father anyway."

Had I not waited so long I may have told her, but Cassia came then and spotted the two of us. "Oh there you are." Cassia smiled, then turned to me. "A man has come to retrieve you, Proximo."

I stared at Aemelia, her mother enclosing her in her arms. "Be a good girl." I said to Aemelia and moved toward her, handing her a golden cowry shell necklace. "Happy birthday."