Crimson Wonderland

Ch. 2

Sallette sat in the armchair before the blazing hearth.

She watched as little glittering sparks erupted into ash particles that stained the marble flooring. She was one to notice the little things, she was an observer and a dreamer and an adventurer.

Sallette's world had slowly become a cage, and she a Duke's daughter had become a bird trapped behind rough metal bars. In over her three centuries of life she had mastered many things, and although she could be considered the most knowledgeable lady in Pirnacia, she was keenly aware that one could never stop learning.

She surveyed the room she had grown up in,, and her heart began its unstoppable sinking. The room had been stripped of everything she was; the books had been already stashed away in suitcases, the majority of her Spring and Winter clothes with them. Only the pots of poison ivy and foxglove remained at their usual spot.

It had taken her over a week to realize that her life had been ripped to shreds, she would never taste freedom because all that awaited her were uncomfortable gowns and stupid seduction. She would never be the true ruler, even if on paper it stated otherwise.

Women were not bred for politics or ruling, they were taught to master the art of flirtation and to secure a husband, in addition, the lower rank ladies learned the art of cooking and mending. As a Duke's daughter, she had not been taught how to cook nor clean, only to sew.

She wrapped a marshmallow strand of hair around her golden finger, she whom could read and ride could not cook, it was truly a laughable thing.

Sallette decided to get ready for the next day, for she would say her farewell to the students of the Rosemarr school. She had enjoyed teaching the rascals that stumbled through the oak doors, she did not particularly care if they were of red or golden rank.

She only believed that society was and would always be selective and judgy. The so-called “ranks” were labels that had been stamped on the mind and heart of each witch and wizard, golden being the highest and red being the lowest.

Sallette Adiar did not sleep, instead she watched the dark shadows waltz along the colored windows of her room and the sun paint the world in hazy hues of orange and red.

She sucked in a shuddering breath as her maid helped her get dressed. Her dress had been hand sewn by her wretched mother, the dress covered both of her shoulders and neck, and it reached all the way to her ankles. It covered her completely in blood-red, a dreadful color to meet your betrothed with.

The maid, Wilzara, did nothing to her hair and Sallette was silently grateful, she absolutely loathed those tight buns and weird hairstyles the High Ladies wore. She wore no jewels, except her butterfly hair pin, a gift from her father for her three centuries.

She did not eat with her siblings, it would be too painful, too heart-shattering, so she sat in the drawing room and waited.

After twenty minutes of tapping her heels on the stone floor, her siblings pushed the oak doors open and filled the room with gigantic skirts and tall legs.

Aleksandera, clothed in lilac, threw herself on Sallette, sobbing. “Papa has gone insane! How dare he give your hand to an utter stranger? A monster!” she hid her golden face in the crook of Sallette's neck as she sniffled.

“I knew Father had lost it, but I had no idea he would go to such lengths to save his skin,” Fieditch added as he crossed his arms. He had always despised their father for driving their mother away, and now that he would send Sallette away… There was no telling when the young Heir burst.

“He's over a million years old, so it is perfectly normal. But this” Marthyana shook her head, her red hair crumbling over her face.

“Papa is perfectly sane, he's trying to protect you," Sallette pronounced the words with a sweet smile on her lips as she rubbed Alekandera's back.

“He isn't protecting you, sister,” Kandare said, her violet eyes scanning her eldest sister with worry and doubt.

“I do not need protection” Sallette admitted, raising her chin a few centimeters higher.

“Sal, we are perfect and dare I say painfully aware that you are a violet rank witch? But that does not mean, in the slightest, that you are protected,” Rodenan retorted.

“I'm perfectly capable of handling a situation without a fight, we learned to use our tongue for a reason,” Sallette countered, flicking both of her brows up. They were all testing her patience, she did not want to leave her home, but if she had to, then she would.

“What if they knock you out?” Fieditch asked, batting his long lashes as if he were an innocent child.

“Sometimes I truly believe you are stupid” Sallette grumbled as Alekandera lulled on her hair, the youngest child was the most unruly of the Duke's children. She enjoyed taking her clothes off in broad daylight and skidding along the streets with only her knickers.

“I'm just saying,” Fieditch raised his hands, “Men are capable of those things” he finished his sentence and earned a fuming glare from Marthyana.

“So are women,” the girl announced, her beautiful face now drawn into a hideous scowl as she stalked toward her elder brother.

“Women are weaker than men” Jazzich said, taking a step forward and becoming a shield for Fieditch. The boy admired his brother greatly, that very same admiration would get him skinned by his elder sister, surely.

“Pardon?” Sallette coughed out, awfully surprised.

“I do not mean to be sexist, but men are stronger and brighter than women”

Sallette clenched her jaw so tightly, it began to hurt, her ears were ringing, and she barely kept her rage at bay as she calmly said, "That is utterly absurd, women can be just as strong as men and dare I say even brighter than some"?

The Duke waltzed into the room, his hair was disheveled and stubbed covered his chin and jaw as he said, “The carriage has arrived to take you”

A ghost of silence passed through the room as everyone stared down at their fancy shoes. Sallette sadly kissed Alekandera's temple, setting the child down. She hugged each one of her siblings, leaving her father for last.

“I shall miss you a great deal, my lilac,” her father whispered, stroking her back.

“As shall I, Papa,” she whispered back, kissing the man's cheek before gathering her skirts and walking out of the room.

Sallette did not turn back, not because she wanted to be unkind but because she would run back to her family. She would crash upon her knees and sob and plead her father to let her stay.

But Sallette Adiar would not be regarded as weak, so she raised her chin, straightened her spine and walked out of her home.