(Not) a clichéd fairy tale

Chapter 4

Liarya

"Luna, Celi, you two are next. Imagine you've been invited to the king's court. How do you behave?" I asked my two best students.

They had really mastered the etiquette that I had taught my class perfectly. I had now been with the Phoenix family for almost two months.

My students were all really great and I couldn't imagine living any other way. Most members of the family still didn't seem to really like me, but at least Ophelia's husband seemed to find me less repulsive because he no longer gave his wife scathing looks when she took me to the dinner table with them.

Although that could also be because it didn't help anyway. Ophelia and I had also become really good friends. I didn't meet the creepy head of the family again during this time. I had just asked my students to demonstrate the knowledge of good behaviour that I had taught them during that time.

As always, Luna and Celi mastered the tasks perfectly and I told them so, which made them both smile. I just loved these children.

No matter how different they may look and be, they treat each other like the family they were. Speaking of family, according to the letters from Anakin and Elora, the king only noticed my disappearance after I didn't turn up to the 'apology meeting' with Prince Orion the next evening. My brother had been right, my father had considered my behaviour in the situation to be wrong.

Even after Andrius found out what Orion had said to me, he still demanded that I apologise to him.

But the worst part was when Elora wrote to me that my father even thought it was right the way Orion spoke to me. When I asked what exactly was in that message that made sure I was allowed to stay here, Anakin just said again that everyone had their secrets.

But before I could sink any further into my thoughts, I finished the lesson and went straight to my room. Ophelia was waiting for me there.

"So, how were the lessons? A few more years and you'll be my son's teacher too. I can hardly wait!" she exclaimed excitedly and I could only manage a wry smile.

"By the way, today we're discussing whether and when you'll be fully accepted into the family," she continued, triggering a queasy feeling in me.

It was true, I wasn't part of the family and was therefore excluded from all celebrations and the family council, which was annoying because it was always rubbed in my face that I was a stranger here. On the other hand, I wasn't sure if I really wanted to be part of it because the rules were a bit strange.

Firstly, you had to get married as quickly as possible and then have children.

Secondly, I would have to attend the family council once a week, which meant that firstly I would have to stay awake for a very long time and secondly I would probably just sit there and listen, as I don't know much about politics or magic.

The only advantage would be that people would probably not stare at me so hostilely, but I'd got used to that by now.

"Forgive me for asking, but what would be the point? I don't want to get married and I certainly don't want to have children. Besides, I would be superfluous at the family council," I replied to Ophelia and she stared at me, stunned.

"I'm sure he'll understand. I'm sure they can teach you magic and politics. You can just get married a few months later and have children if you ask the head politely," she said and I got the feeling that she just didn't want to understand.

"For the hundredth time in two months: I don't WANT children! Even if I could delay marriage, I certainly wouldn't marry someone and have a child just like that!" I shouted and then pushed Ophelia out of my room.

Of course I had overreacted, but it annoyed me to have to tell her the same thing over and over again.

I spent the rest of the day in my room.

Sulking.

If it was up to me, I didn't want to be part of the family at all. It was more than okay, but knowing Ophelia now, she would bring it up tonight anyway. I just had to hope that someone would object.

I lay awake in my bed until late at night. I usually waited until the session was over and Ophelia stormed into my room to tell me the results. Because even though I wasn't supposed to know any of that boring stuff, she always told me every single detail, and sometimes she even mimicked the voices of the other members, or at least she tried to.

But this time it went on for a really long time, so I decided to just go to sleep. If Ophelia really wanted to tell me everything in detail again, she would certainly wake me up.

But she didn't show up for the rest of the night...

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The next morning, I opened my eyes in confusion. I wasn't normally allowed to sleep this late, was I?

Nobody had woken me up and it was eerily quiet.

Dead quiet.

No one had lit the torches in the corridor, so it was still pitch black. Normally that didn't bother me, but today it made me feel even more uneasy.

As I still didn't know what was going on, I made my way to Ophelia's room without further ado. "Ophelia? Are you awake?" I called out and knocked softly.

But I got no answer, so I knocked again, with the same result. So I slowly put my hand on the cold door handle and pushed it down as slowly and quietly as I could.

"Ophelia? Are you there?" I asked and opened the door fully, but only cold, eerie darkness greeted me. No one was here, not even her husband or her son, and the whole house was silent and dark.

Next, I headed towards the dining room, hoping that yesterday's session had lasted so long that most of the people living here were simply still asleep.

The large door to the hall seemed heavier today than usual when I opened it. But even in the room behind it, it was dark and not a soul was to be seen. "Is anyone here?" I called out as a precaution, but as I had expected, I got no answer.

Now that I was really at a loss, I ran into the last room I could think of.

The room of the head of the family and also the meeting room. It was very unlikely that the meeting was still taking place, but if not, I wanted to at least speak to the head of the family, because the man always knew incredibly well where everyone was.

Not wanting to be rude, I knocked first, but again received no answer. I had made up my mind and opened the door slowly and carefully. If they were angry with me for entering the room without permission, I would simply say that I was worried, as there was no one in the whole house.

Inwardly, I was already preparing myself for all the adults to stare at me with hostility and disdain, including the Head.

And if I had known what was really waiting for me in there, I would have wished in retrospect that I had ended up in the situation I just mentioned.