Middle Ground
62nd of Vhalar, Arc 717
Stepping into the sunroom, Velaine Krome suddenly felt like she was a child once again. This used to be one of her favorite places to stay in. There were no walls here, only massive windows that offered the view of the sprawling gardens behind their estate. Sunlight streamed to the glass, chasing away all the shadows from the room. Lavish couches were arranged to face each other in the center of the room, littered with plush pillows. A memory came unbidden into her mind – Zara laughing at something, while Velaine braided her hair with flowers.
The image faded swiftly, replaced with a woman with snow white hair, clad in a fanciful dress. She was sipping tea, barely even looking up to her daughter’s approach.
“You asked for me, mother?”
It had been a slight surprise, the summons. Sophia Krome had been mostly ignoring ever since their dinner last season. The older woman had always been busy going around to meet her fellow nobles or attending parties. She also had made little comment about Velaine’s work as steward of the house, letting her do anything without protest. If the young woman had decided to sell all their slaves, she doubted her mother would have realized it until too late.
Sophia patted the empty space next to her. “Sit, my dear. There is something we must discuss.”
“Of course,” Velaine replied lightly. It wasn’t really difficult to guess what her mother had in mind. Her family only had one plan for her future, after all.
Her mother placed an uncharacteristically gentle hand on hers. If Velaine didn’t know any better, she would think that her mother was honestly concerned. “I have given you some time to settle back home, but I worry that you have spent too much time dealing with our household. You barely leave this house.”
Meeting her eyes, the female Krome smiled. “I do not mind, mother. This is why you wanted me to come home, isn’t it?”
It was as if Sophia didn’t really hear what she was saying. “You haven’t met any other nobles your age or socialize that much. How about your old friends here?” Velaine did not even have time to respond for her mother continued on. “I have taken upon myself to plan you for a meeting. Perhaps a nobleman sometime soon.”
There it was. “Meeting a nobleman?” The last thing she needed right now was to play a lady – especially with the whole trouble with the fighting pits – but there was no way of refusing her mother without completely infuriating her. Velaine could only deny her requests so many times. And something told her that if she did not cave in once in a while, things would not end well for her plans.
“Yes, I think it can be good for you and get you out of this house for a bit. It is nothing serious, but perhaps you might get to know someone you might be interested in.”
Velaine laughed lightly, letting a little tension leave her body. She thought Sophia would have prepared something a bit more extreme, but this was something she could handle. “So, you are setting me up on a date then? Have you someone in mind already?”
Her mother shook her head as she squeezed her daughter’s hand. “No one yet, but I promise I will find someone you might actually like.”
“Thank you for the offer, mother, but I am not sure when I can spend time for that,” replied the young woman, sounding disappointed. “There are a lot of work that I haven’t finished and I do not think father is very happy with me lately.”
Sophia rolled her eyes and made a dismissing motion with her hand. “I will talk to your father. Besides you already work hard enough. You need to do something suiting a woman of your standards from time to time.”
Velaine bowed her head slightly in a gesture of defeat. It would make her mother much more agreeable if she did not protest too much. “If it pleases you, mother.” Before her mother fully opened her mouth and dismiss her, the young woman continued. “There is something else that I want to talk you about, mother. Just for a moment.”
The image faded swiftly, replaced with a woman with snow white hair, clad in a fanciful dress. She was sipping tea, barely even looking up to her daughter’s approach.
“You asked for me, mother?”
It had been a slight surprise, the summons. Sophia Krome had been mostly ignoring ever since their dinner last season. The older woman had always been busy going around to meet her fellow nobles or attending parties. She also had made little comment about Velaine’s work as steward of the house, letting her do anything without protest. If the young woman had decided to sell all their slaves, she doubted her mother would have realized it until too late.
Sophia patted the empty space next to her. “Sit, my dear. There is something we must discuss.”
“Of course,” Velaine replied lightly. It wasn’t really difficult to guess what her mother had in mind. Her family only had one plan for her future, after all.
Her mother placed an uncharacteristically gentle hand on hers. If Velaine didn’t know any better, she would think that her mother was honestly concerned. “I have given you some time to settle back home, but I worry that you have spent too much time dealing with our household. You barely leave this house.”
Meeting her eyes, the female Krome smiled. “I do not mind, mother. This is why you wanted me to come home, isn’t it?”
It was as if Sophia didn’t really hear what she was saying. “You haven’t met any other nobles your age or socialize that much. How about your old friends here?” Velaine did not even have time to respond for her mother continued on. “I have taken upon myself to plan you for a meeting. Perhaps a nobleman sometime soon.”
There it was. “Meeting a nobleman?” The last thing she needed right now was to play a lady – especially with the whole trouble with the fighting pits – but there was no way of refusing her mother without completely infuriating her. Velaine could only deny her requests so many times. And something told her that if she did not cave in once in a while, things would not end well for her plans.
“Yes, I think it can be good for you and get you out of this house for a bit. It is nothing serious, but perhaps you might get to know someone you might be interested in.”
Velaine laughed lightly, letting a little tension leave her body. She thought Sophia would have prepared something a bit more extreme, but this was something she could handle. “So, you are setting me up on a date then? Have you someone in mind already?”
Her mother shook her head as she squeezed her daughter’s hand. “No one yet, but I promise I will find someone you might actually like.”
“Thank you for the offer, mother, but I am not sure when I can spend time for that,” replied the young woman, sounding disappointed. “There are a lot of work that I haven’t finished and I do not think father is very happy with me lately.”
Sophia rolled her eyes and made a dismissing motion with her hand. “I will talk to your father. Besides you already work hard enough. You need to do something suiting a woman of your standards from time to time.”
Velaine bowed her head slightly in a gesture of defeat. It would make her mother much more agreeable if she did not protest too much. “If it pleases you, mother.” Before her mother fully opened her mouth and dismiss her, the young woman continued. “There is something else that I want to talk you about, mother. Just for a moment.”