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A quiet harmony fell over the keep, as if all the inhabitants and perhaps the castle itself were enchanted by the latest addition. The struggles between Shreniel and her lord ceased, and the child was not prone to crying or sickness of any sort. As Ardia progressed through childhood, this previously non-existant accord continued, much to the relief of the servants within the castle. Lord Talanth himself was also pleased by Shreniel's newfound gentleness and mellowness, and took to rewarding her with ever more sumptuous clothing and jewels, as well as more frequent gatherings within the keep. The seeds of discord did eventually begin to take root in the heart of only one - Shreniel, who had once again found reason to be dissatisfied with her lord. Magically bound to Lord Talanth as she was, Shreniel could find only fault in his unwillingness to formally make her Lady Talanth of Anemone Castle. Hearing herself referred to as Lady Shreniel or Lady Talanth about town, as the townsfolk generally would do, only added salt to the wound, serving as a reminder of her own precarious situation. Shreniel was fully aware that she was legally considered a slave, as was Ardia. This also meant that their daughter had no inheritance rights to her father's property, instead being part of the property that would be distributed to the remaining members of House Talanth should the current lord meet an untimely demise. This was a possibility that Shreniel felt could not be ignored as the years progressed by. The tentative peace that had settled over the keep began to quickly crumble as Ardia neared maturity. Seeing Lord Talanth's gaze upon their daughter, Shreniel quickly recognized his lust for what it was, having been his mate for nearly seventy years by this point. She immediately made clandestine arrangements to smuggle their daughter from the keep and to a new life beyond its confines, as Ardia had never been bound to her father in the way Shreniel had. One might assume Shreniel's concern was that of a mother protecting her child, although this assumption would be largely incorrect. Her now nearly-adult daughter had become a rival for the attention of the only mate available to Shreniel, who was not about to allow her own place to be usurped. Quietly sending their child away neatly solved this problem for Shreniel, but Lord Talanth was distraught at the loss of his only child and financed a search on her behalf. The investigation revealed to him his mate's duplicity, although upon discovering this aspect of Ardia's disappearance, he refrained from attempting to recover his daughter, instead granting her freedom from her slavery and transporting a substantial sum of wealth that she might have a means of establishing herself as she chose. Knowing his actions would enrage Shreniel, he left it at that and meeted out no further punishment. In fact, he was exceedingly pleased that she had gone to such lengths to keep him to herself. |
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