In a darkened room a cloaked figure had five robots being reprogrammed. These robots were built nicely and had humanoid characteristics, but it was still obvious they were robots. There was a certain book he needed. This book would have strange circular symbols on it. The person who had the book would have that same circular symbol on their hand. The robots were programmed not to reveal to anyone the details of their search. But once the book and the hand were found, they were to bring them over to the cloaked figure immediately. It didn't matter if the hand was attached to a body.
…
…
Violetta was now attending her Ten-year. She walked into the Elaborately decorated hall with as much grace as she could muster. She was elegantly dressed in a teal colored dress and matching shoes. During their ten-year one parent had to be present. It was not wise to stick a hundred or more ten year old's into a big room all by themselves. This was the only celebration that had people of other ages attend. Violetta attended with her mother. Laura wore a yellow dress that highlighted her features. It was an adult version of Violetta's dress.
She always seemed to glow when she wore yellow. Laura might not like the class system, but she knew both she and her daughter benefited from it. The way to pave a future among these nobles was for Laura, and not her husband who was a commoner, to introduce their daughter. Laura knew who in society would benefit their daughter. She did very well in navigating these shark infested waters. The Noblis family was not the highest ranked family. But they were well respected because of the academic value they brought to the world. She brought her daughter to meet other well respected nobles. They had met quite a few people already, and Violetta was always so well behaved. Laura was really proud of her daughter.
There was one instance that Laura was meaning to ask Violetta about when they got home, but the next sequence of events completely pushed it from her mind.
"Hi Laura!" The shrill cry was loud enough to jolt everyone in the nearby vicinity.
"Arritaaaa'' Laura laid on thick the pretense of being happy to see someone, drawing out her name.
Arrita looked at Laura and smiled sweetly, while her eyes held a hint of disdain. "Laura, It's so good to see you here. Your daughter and mine share a ten-year. Isn't that sweet." It wasn't a question.
"Arrita James Rouser" Arrita curtsied to Violetta, "and this precious gem of my life is Ruby Faulks Rouser."
Lower nobility always had to greet first, and introduce themselves first. It was ok for higher nobility to simply ignore them and not divulge their name or greeting. If they did return the greeting or introduce themselves, it was a sign that you were able to continue the conversation.
Laura introduced herself to the child. Just because she didn't like her mother didn't mean the child was bad. And the Faulks and Rouser families combined made up almost a third of the entire kingdom's wealth. In other words, Even though in Status, Laura's family was higher, this family was richer. It would be okay for Violetta to keep ties with them.
"Laura Dione Noblis, and my daughter, Violetta Dione Noblis, Why don't you girls go play." The two ten-years went off to go play with others for a moment.
"Dione...Noblis?" Arrita stammered on the name. She had known Laura had married a commoner, but to stoop so low as to marry and orphan?
"Yes." Laura was not ashamed of her husband's status. There was nothing wrong with his status. Status didn't matter if a cheater was a cheater. Right now she was just done with their marriage though. She had decided to have Violetta's ten-year and then move out. He wanted his so-called sister to live with them, then so be it. She would take Violetta half the time, and the other half she could go with Amistad. But none of this was due to his status. A person could not help the luck of their birth, or the lack thereof.
"How is... that...going for you?" Arrita didn't know how to reply to such a straightforward reply. If Laura had been a bit embarrassed, she could have held it over her. But there was no way to emotionally blackmail this woman. Laura was still the same Laura. It was so frustrating how she could never deal any emotional blows to her. If they hit a soft spot, Laura never showed it. It was aggravating.
"Aaaah!!!!" There was a high pitched shriek. "She bit me!!!" Ruby came crying to her mother, tears streaming down her cheeks pointing at a very angry looking Violetta.
…
…
When they got home Violetta tried to explain to her parents why she had bit Ruby. Ruby had told one of the other children there that Laura was so ugly the only person who would marry her was a commoner. It was such a disgrace to the nobility. Violetta didn't want to say what that spoiled little brat said. She hated that spoiled little classist brat.
"I hate that horrible spoiled little classist brat!" Violetta finally cried out. "She said horrible things, and did not deserve my dignity! So I bit her."
"Violetta Dione! No matter what happens, you do not just bite people! Give me a one page essay on the consequences of biting others. I want this done by the morning."
Violetta turned her head away from her mother.
Laura sighed and said softly, "Violetta, you don't have to apologize. I know she said bad things, that you don't want repeated. I am very proud of you for standing up for yourself. But biting is definitely not the answer. I need you to think about why it is not the answer. After your dad talks to you about this situation go write the essay."
Violetta looked at her mother when she said she didn't have to apologize. She thought her mom would make her write a letter of apology, so she was indiscriminately angry. But those words softened her heart. She would write the essay. Laura retired to her room. Her father and mother haven't slept in the same room since Meiri came along.
"Violetta," Amistad began, so he wasn't angry with her. She knew her mother was only angry with the tone she had taken earlier. "You are about to embark on a new journey. This journey will enable you to learn many things. I want you to watch what your classmates do on a daily basis. They will make many mistakes. And when they try to come at you with biting words, you can use their mistakes to bite them instead of your teeth." He needed to teach her to navigate the way his mother once taught him. "Build a network of your peers, and collect information from them. Both those older than you and younger than you. Don't trust them completely. People, no matter what age, will always hide the darkest parts of themselves. Sometimes this darkest part of them secretly wants to bring you harm out of jealousy. When you do this, no one can threaten your status."
"What about my mistakes," Violetta asked. She was young, but not stupid. She knew she would also make mistakes.
"Fix what you can, Destroy evidence of what you can't fix."
Sound advice. "Remember," he continued. "You are my princess. So because you are a princess, you should act like a queen." He pat kissed her forehead before leaving the room.
After she left the company of her father, she went to find Heath in the workshop. The garage-like overhead door of the workshop was opened, so they sat on the edge of the overhead door. She explained the situation to him. He knew the little girl had an older brother from school. He knew that older brother would definitely spread bad things around the school and cause trouble for Violetta. He told her it was better to fix the situation by apologizing for biting her, by reading a copy of her essay to the other girl. It was apologizing without apologizing.
Violetta leaned on Heath's shoulder. "I love you Heath. You're smarter than other people. Let's get married when I have my twenty-year."
He smiled down at the little angel leaning her head on his shoulder. "Okay V"