Violetta looked up at Heath and caught his eyes staring at her. She remembered what she saw at the entrance hall of the celebration building. A picture of the current king. Tarragon Arbutus Echinops Majus. Arbutus. Heath Arbutus Moyer. Among nobility, the second name always came from the father. She knew he would have seen the picture at his ten-year.
She looked at the stars from within the workshop overhead door wanting extra courage from the thing Heath liked most. The stars. She vowed secretly to build a rocket once again. She swallowed.
"I saw the picture of the king," she said solemnly.
"Yeah…" he replied.
"He doesn't look like my dad"
"No he doesn't"
"Do you think you look like him?"
Heath smiled at her. "Just the hair," he said, and they laughed.
They got quiet. "You could have warned me," she said.
"Yeah…"
…
…
Violetta was now able to go out into society with her mother. Until a child had their ten-year their education was handled at home. Now she had to attend events and tea parties the entire month leading up to when she would start school. During this month, her mother said it would be easier to move to the second villa. Laura used this as an excuse to her daughter, but she had no intention of moving back with Amistad. It was obvious that Amistad was not cheating on her with the maid, but he was still keeping things from her. The second Villa didn't have a workshop. Violetta frowned. For the move. Her father and Heath would be left behind. She rarely saw Meiri the maid anymore as Meiri never worked near the main family area's. Only Heath was welcomed there, and it was mostly Violetta that brought him to those areas.
Laura was happy she never got the chance to install a second workshop in this second villa. If she had, no doubt Violetta would have been in the workshop all day and might have come out to greet the guests wearing grease. She had read her "Apology" to the spoiled little classist brat and her mother. During this time She was full of grace and emitted a charm that was a little different from the other ten year olds.
Victor Faulks Rouser, Ruby's older brother, was present for the apology. He was 11 this year. He was in the first week of the year, and though his sister had her 10 year she was only going to turn 10 at the end of the year and was still nine. He had greeted Violetta with the rest of the family including his other older brother. He noted that she was very beautiful, and the air around her was more like that of the girls a year older than him. Seeing the way she reacted to the actions of those around her he was solidly impressed.
He knew that his sister would likely not survive the party without making some scene or another. He also knew that to get a graceful girl like Violetta to bite her, Ruby must have done something really bad. He was not mistaken about his sister's behavior. He was also not mistaken about his own behavior. He knew that had the young lady not met him, and had not tried to repair the relationship, then he would have destroyed her before she got a chance to live at the school. After all he could pick on his sister, but no one else could.
So Victor felt a little guilty looking at this young lady who was leaps and bounds ahead of his sister in conversation. She read her apology that listed the various ways in which her bite could have harmed Ruby, and ended the letter by stating that she would no longer bite others as a form of retaliation. She curtsied, and looked Ruby in the eye. According to the etiquette classes taught to them, a noble who was ahead of you in status, did not have to apologize at all if they wronged you in any way, and though the letter did not state the actual words I apologize, or I am sorry, It did state that she would not bite anymore. This showed more than anything that the young lady had reflected upon her actions. This showed the young lady Violetta, had a great character. The letter was shown to have great eloquence. Was this angel really 2 years younger than him?
Ruby narrowed her eyes at Violetta as she read. She noticed Violetta didn't say she was sorry. Violetta's letter had so many big words in it though that she wasn't entirely certain there wasn't an apology. She also didn't know if Violetta was making fun of her or not. She saw her older brother making eyes at Violetta, and knew he would be no help. Then she looked at her mother. If there was anything insulting in the letter, her mother would automatically let her know. At least she had one family member who was absolutely on her side. There did not seem to be anything bad in the letter.
Ruby nodded to Violetta when she was done reading, and curtsied. Her mother had explained that Violetta's family was a Count family, so they were higher in rank than the baron family of her mother and father. Her mother had taught her to place heavy importance on rank. In order of importance, the king was highest, then grand duke, duke, marquis, earl, count, viscount, baron, and finally baronette. Of course commoner's were below all of them. The grand duke title was reserved for the immediate brothers and sisters of the king, and could not be passed down. After that generation the title turned into the title of duke. Because of this importance, she knew that the status of Violetta's father did not affect her inheritance. Violetta would still be a Count when she grew up. Violetta did not have to apologize at all to Ruby. Ruby understood this best. The fact that Violetta apologized meant that their parents valued the relationship. Ruby had no choice but to accept the apology. Since Violetta said she was sorry, then everything was ok. It would be sooo much better if Violetta had a more suitable father though.
The non-apology was over, and now the kids had to wait for the rest of the guests. Ruby understood from her mother that it was wrong to offend the count family, but as she had not confessed, and as the count family had not said anything, she decided she didn't have to either. No-one in the family would make her apologize without knowing what she was apologizing for. Therefore she decided her initial judgement of Violetta's father was correct. He must be a horrible nobody. She would not repeat the thought out loud though. Not in front of Violetta at least. She now knew Violetta could not get away with biting her, but who knows what the feral child would come up with after that. She was her fathers child after all. Commoner genes just weren't up to par. Her tutor's were all top of the line. Her parents could afford to get their kids the best. Only the marquis families and higher status could get better tutors. ALL of them emphasized the importance of rank. Ruby decided in her heart that Violetta was NOT her better. If anything Violetta was her equal. "Please, enjoy tea with me and my brothers."
'Brothers and I,' Violetta corrected in her mind. She smiled sweetly at Ruby. "I accept your invitation." Violetta knew the rules. She had more status, and thus she could be as rude to Ruby as she wanted to and none of them could say a thing. But she also remembered Heath's warnings. One of these little boys had a lot of friends in school, and a lot of monetary influence on the other students. If she were to be rude here, he could spread bad rumors about her, and when she started school she would be at a disadvantage. She would follow her fathers advice, and bide her time, and start gathering her information network since now. She did not notice the stare of the slightly older boy. He was already smitten.