Chapter 22 #2
“Let the crossling in, Acrion, and let’s get on with it,” the hazy-eyed scholar said.
Calling Darragh a crossling pissed me off. I wanted to unleash a barrage of unsavory words on them, telling them how I felt about their beliefs. My face warmed, but I held my tongue. The fire within me would only make matters worse and unsafe.
“Fine. But I don’t want to hear a word out of him,” Acrion grumbled. Quick as a flash, his voice changed to warm and sweet. “We are here to listen and learn from you, Lady Aurora. Thank you for indulging our insatiable need for knowledge. Your story is invaluable.”
Darragh and I sat across from all three scholars. My stomach turned. I didn’t eat before leaving in haste to get to the library before Torrish decided I was more trouble than I was worth and tossed us to the streets.
“Lady Aurora, this is Epicuro,” he gestured to the hazy-eyed scholar, “and this is Zeno,” he flourished a wave to the stern-looking scholar. “Thank you for coming in to speak with us again.”
Like I had a choice.
I would be truthful, but I wouldn’t give them anything beyond answering their questions.
They didn’t deserve my stories, personal thoughts, or details of my life.
They deserved to be punched by Darragh. I would keep my voice steady and emotionless.
Men loved to use a woman’s emotions as a weapon to dismiss the validity of their voice. I had to disarm them.
Acrion began, “Aurora, could you please tell us about your childhood through your adult years? The highlights mostly.”
“What do you want to know?” I kept my voice dry and direct.
“Well, for starters, where did you grow up?” He asked with a smile.
“Tellisonuh City.”
Acrion continued, scribbling a quill across a roll of parchment. “You grew up in nobility?”
“Yes.”
“Your parents’ names?”
“Eliza and Fionn Alwine.” At the mention of my parents, my leg started bouncing up and down under the large table. Darragh lightly brushed my arm with his hand, unseen to the scholars. It helped anchor me.
“Do you have siblings?”
“No,” I said, maybe a tad too clipped. Keep it together, Rory.
“Let’s move on to human society in general,” Zeno gruffly pushed, but I remained silent. “What would you say are the greatest strengths of humans? I mean, we know humans are not strong in comparison to seraphs, but where do you believe humans excel?”
Heat built in my chest, and I clenched my jaw at the underhanded insult within their question, but my voice stayed calm and steady.
I had to keep my responses polished, as was expected from a noble.
The only way I could verbalize my disdain was through digestible words of calm intellect.
“Humans may not be as physically strong or have enchants, but we have ingenuity and adaptability. We built our entire society without the enchants and physical strength that you have limitlessly here. Things that you take for granted.”
All three scholars frowned at my pushback.
“I see,” Epicuro cut in. “What are the humans’ greatest weaknesses?”
I blinked and briefly looked over at Darragh.
There were several things wrong with human society, but many were the same issues that were wrong in Tironaill.
I wondered if they would even see their own societal reflection in what I revealed or if they would feign ignorance of their wrongdoing.
I decided to hold up the proverbial mirror to them. “Classism, inequality, and prejudice.”
Acrion scoffed, and Zeno leaned back in his chair with folded arms, but they immediately moved on.
For an hour, they asked me questions. Some were about myself, but most were about our military, wars we had, humans in power, weapons, and the like.
I became increasingly more uncomfortable as the hour dragged on, and the scholars became increasingly more irritated.
Especially when I didn’t know specific things or didn’t answer how they liked.
“Alright, Lady Aurora. I suppose we have enough to document for now. Should we have any further questions for you, we will send word.” Acrion’s previous warmth and excitement at my presence had chilled.
Darragh and I stood and turned without another word. I wanted to leave here as quickly as possible, and Darragh kept to my side, matching my quickened pace.
After retrieving our horses and putting some distance between us and the library, Darragh slowed Astorath. I hadn’t realized he led us to a more wooded area near the city’s edge. My thoughts gripped me too much to notice.
“Are you alright?” Darragh dismounted Astorath, and I followed suit. There were a few homes and a tavern down the street, but the trees provided a secluded and private setting for conversation.
I let out a breath. “Yes. What was with that questioning? It seemed so…so…”
Darragh raised his brows. “Excessive?”