'I seriously can't believe you are just realizing this,' Lamya said in exasperation. 'You really are hopeless.'
"I'm sure you've heard of the… arrangement… the young master made?" Jacoby coughed. "Miss Trixie is the… benefactor."
"Ah, so you're the lady of the house," Arnwald's eyes twinkled with a merry sort of mischief. Trixie felt she might die as he bowed to her. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance madam."
Trixie was without words. All she could do was gape at the man as he kissed her politely on the back of the hand. She realized with some amazement where Emerick got his roguish charm, though to say she was uncomfortable with the situation was a complete understatement. Standing there in such casual and revealing attire, Trixie was so far out of her element, she felt she might just die of shame.
"Hi," She said, trying to force a smile while she made a clumsy attempt at a curtsy. Behind her, she could practically hear Jacoby's skin cracking he was pinching the bridge of his nose so hard in frustration. Arnwald, on the other hand, seemed to find her actions amusing and broke out in a boisterous laugh.
"There's no need for that!" He chortled. "You are quite fine as you are, young lady. My, my but you are captivating! Were I a younger, more single man, I might offer pay for your services myself!"
"That's… very kind of you to say…" Trixie felt like her cheeks might melt off her face they were so hot. His wink and devilish grin didn't help. Yep, she definitely knew where Emerick got it from.
"I thought I heard you, old man," The sound of Emerick's voice caused her to pivot.
As ever, he strode confidently through the halls in nothing but his trousers, his bare chest exposed. It made her all the more self-conscious about her state of undress. Even if his assumptions would be correct, it embarrassed her to think of the conclusions Arnwald might come to based on their appearances. The fact that Emerick wrapped an arm around her hip and drew her in close didn't help.
At once, she was painfully aware of his intoxicating scent. She had been boycotting him for so long, she had forgotten the way everything about him turned her own. She began to worry she might permanently turn as pink as Lorelei if she blushed any harder.
"Ah, here you are little lordling!" Arnwald boomed, clapping Emerick on the shoulder. "I was wondering when you'd turn up!"
Seeing them side by side, Trixie felt genuinely stupid for not having realized the similarities sooner. No wonder Hilda had made an effort to try and give her a heads up. No wonder the rest of her family had given her such a hard time. And, despite all that, she had still remained oblivious! Perhaps she was farther out of her league than she had previously anticipated.
"I could say the same for you!" Emerick chuckled. "Getting lonely are you?"
"Now why would I be lonely?" Arnwald's smile took an edge that sent chills down Trixie's spine. Emerick, however, remained un-phased. She wondered if he was that courageous, or if he was just that oblivious. "I just thought I'd check in on my troublesome brat and make sure he was minding his manners!"
"Still refusing to take down the corpses?" Emerick smirked. "You know, I'm pretty sure everyone has gotten the message old man. At this point, the demonstration is becoming excessive."
Trixie shuddered as she recalled the carnage at the gate. When they had arrived, the gates were still clear, but not long after that had changed. Feeling some misguided sense of obligation, she had attended the execution at the square of the imperial plaza, and while she certainly held no love or sympathy for the men and women being punished, the gruesome fates they were met with still turned her stomach.
Some of the images from the brutal execution haunted her when she looked at the horizon, red and hazy with the smoke from the fires that had purged the district. It was some small comfort to know that the innocents that had been living there, including the women of the brothel across from her orphanage, had been evacuated and relocated.
"I still feel they deserved worse," Arnwald said with a slight growl. "Never the less, my attendants have said as much, and the pikes and nooses are being removed as we speak."
"Finally starting to feel a little frisky are we?" Emerick teased. "No wonder you're trying to flirt with Trixie here. Hate to break it to you, but I think you're too old for her."
"Cheeky as ever, aren't you?" Arnwald pinched Emerick's cheek, then ruffled his hair affectionately. Trixie couldn't tell if he was proud of his son's sass, or if he was angered by it. They were truly a confusing pair. "But yes, I am missing your mothers. I hope they'll return soon, though knowing Esmyria it'll probably be another two weeks before they return, spiteful little vixen."
"You wouldn't have her any other way," Emerick chuckled.
"No I wouldn't," Arnwald agreed. "Though there are times I wish Lyra, Alicia, and Liliana wouldn't follow her lead so stalwartly."
"How many wives do you have?" Trixie exclaimed before she had the good sense to think better of it. It was actually a common practice for higher nobles—such as the regents—to take multiple wives. It helped strengthen ties with other powerful dragon clans, and it also ensured a strong lineage. That said, as far down the totem pole as Trixie was, plural marriage was still uncommon. For that matter, marriage in general seemed outlandish.
"Four," Arnwald replied, completely unperturbed. "Although, technically my lovely Lyra is a concubine. Confounded anti-interracial marriage laws." She couldn't look him in the eye as he grumbled. However she felt about it, his love life was none of her business.
"They love ganging up on him," Emerick confided. "It's actually quite fun to watch."
"If you say so," Trixie frowned. She couldn't fathom how such a relationship would work. There was absolutely no way she could ever share her partner with someone else, she was far too possessive.
They moved on from the topic with little fuss, though Trixie's thoughts were still occupied with it. Would Emerick take multiple wives as well? The thought troubled her. She hardly noticed when Emerick guided her to a parlor, seated her beside him on a sofa, and tea was prepared for them. She sipped on the warm liquid absentmindedly as she processed all of the day's events. She was dimly aware of Emerick making mention of a tea party scheduled to take place at the end of the week, which likely had something to do with his efforts to sell the items the orc brothers produced.
As the realization hit that he was talking with his father about the very subject she was still sore about, her anger was rekindled. At once, her focus began funneling in and her eyes fastened to Emerick. Seething, she had enough sense to wait until Arnwald excused himself before she confronted him.
"This is kinky," Emerick remarked with some amusement as she closed and locked the door after Jacoby and Sullivan exited. Now, it was just the two of them in the parlor, and she intended to keep him there until she got an apology out of him.