Sitting at the family dining table felt… weird now. The awkward silence didn’t help as the maids served us food. Huh, I don’t see the old lady anymore. And Angela isn’t here either… I thought, taking notice that my younger sister had apparently been excused from this meal. 

“Emilla,” Rineheart cleared his throat as he addressed me, though I noticed he didn’t bother turning his head. 

“Rineheart.” I replied bluntly, much to my older brother’s annoyance.

“You…” he jumped from his seat only to be stopped by Gabriella who silenced him with a wave of her hand. Surely, he was about to chastise me for my “improper” address of our father; but I’m not going to call my own father “sir” or “lord”.

Then again, I’m well past calling him Father at this point. They have made it painfully clear that I’m not part of this family… It still hurts if I think about it. But it is getting better. 

“Jonathan, we are at the dinner table. control yourself.” Gabriella chastised her eldest son who continued to glare at me with the same steely eyes our father had.  

Well at least he’s looking at me now. I scoffed as I met his glare with one of my own. 

“Yes mother.” I could hear his teeth grinding from here. 

I didn’t smirk as I waited for someone else to talk, I swear. Just the way neither of my “parents” would even glance at me as they slowly ate their food, or my eldest brother glaring at me from across the table, not even the nervous shifting of Edward… I may have smiled a little. But it wasn’t out of any sort of joy, or amusement. Here I sat with my “family” yet none of them will even acknowledge me… it hurt a lot more than I thought it would…

Finally, Gabriella sighed, “This is getting us nowhere.” For the first time in what felt like forever my mother looked at me, her bright green eyes felt… hollow, as she spoke. “You have been summoned to the capital for the annual introduction ball.”

I couldn’t help but sigh, “I see.” I shook my head, “and I guess I don’t have a choice in the matter?”

“An invitation from the capital!” Jonathan’s second outburst was… expected as he thrust a finger towards me. “Just who do you think you are! a lowly…”

“Enough!” Rinehart’s voice boomed through the room silencing Jonathan in an instant as he was slammed back into his chair. “Emilla, you are a member of this family and as such have duties to uphold, one of which is answering a summons from the royal capital, am I clear?”

“Father you can’t be serious?” Edward finally cut in, “we will be a laughingstock if she…”

And I couldn’t help myself as Edward found himself suddenly on the receiving end of both Reinhart and Gabrella, I laughed. “Dearest brother, and how would it look if I didn’t go?” As both my “parents” turned their eyes on me I stopped with a sigh. “Whatever. I’ll try not to embarrass you all.” I said dropping my fork into my untouched food. “Let Reily know when I’m expected to leave.”

No one stopped me as I stood up and excused myself. 

I didn’t cry all the way back to the guest house. Not even once I got inside, or during my bath. Not a single tear was shed until I managed to crawl into bed that night. It… It was another long night.