The female relations of the Overking O'neill

There were four women in total. All the women stood and curtsied to them, so Kayleigh did as well. She knew who they were; all castle society circled around them. They were the closest female relations to the Overking O'neill, his wife, his two daughters (one married and one still a little girl) and his younger sister (a widow). They had never officially met or spoken to Kayleigh, but they introduced themselves to her now.

Though they were not rude to Kayleigh, they followed the lead of the wife of Overking O'neill in acting coldly and disinterested in her and making their disapproval drip from their clipped words and arrogant manner.

Kayleigh could not say why the Overking's wife had taken an immediate disliking to her. But she noticed that after the women had taken seats together, all the other women in the room ended up ignoring her presence as well. All except for Tara and Orlaith.

"That doesn't bode well." Orlaith whispered to Kayleigh.

"You still have us though." Tara said quietly.

"Just be careful, dear." Orlaith said in a hushed tone. "Do not give her anything she can use against you." She paused to check if anyone was listening to their conversation, before continuing, "She has acted with women like this before. But none as badly as the last young woman."

"Yes, the poor girl, hanged herself because she had no chance of leaving the castle and she made it so the girl was treated as a social outcast, for the most part." Tara whispered.

'She is really that horrible?' thought Kayleigh. She took a quick glance in her direction.

The rest of the afternoon, Tara and Orlaith filled Kayleigh in on the social politics of the castle.

Later, at the dining hall that evening, Ciara walked Kayleigh to her seat, before leaving to find her own. Laoise, (the wife of the Overking), sat not too far away. She was sat at her husband's side, with the tanaiste on her other side. Kayleigh had learned from Tara that the tanaiste was the eldest son of Laoise and Overking O'neill. (He also had a concubine). As the dinner wore on, Kayleigh began to suspect the reason for Laoise's hatred for her. During dinner, the Overking paid more attention Kayleigh than his wife, treating her warmly and making her feel uncomfortable. All the while, Laoise tried to pull the conversation to anything except Kayleigh and her interests. Although all the other men present also vied for Kayleigh's attention, they were careful not to step on the Overking's toes.

Kayleigh left dinner as soon as she could, while not seeming impolite. As she walked away, she could feel people watching her leave.

Just outside the door, Ciara caught up with her. "Miss?" She grabbed for Kayleigh's sleeve. "Are you alright?"

"I…I am just very tired, Ciara." Kayleigh said. "I am going to my chamber to retire for the night."

"Very well, Miss."

Ciara walked Kayleigh to her room, got her out of her clothes and into a clean nightdress before she left, leaving only a single candle burning.

Everything about this new life of Kayleigh's seemed so unjust to her the night before, and now, with all of the events of the day, it felt even more so. It hurt her to think all she would have to continue to live like this. 'This is not what a second chance at life is supposed to be like! I can't just go along with this. I may never get a third chance, so I am going to go all out! However things end, is however they end; I am done playing by their rules. It is time to make my own. I will not let others push me around and control me! I will change my fate, and those who think they can treat me unfairly, will not go unpunished! After all, revenge is a dish best served piping hot with righteous passion.'

Until she fell asleep, Kayleigh lay on her bed scheming about ways to undermine Laoise, starting with the fact that the woman was jealous of the attention her husband gave Kayleigh. Add in the fact that many men noticed her beauty, and Kayleigh could see a plan starting to take shape…

Ciara knocking on the chamber door the next morning, woke Kayleigh up.

"Come in!" Kayleigh called without bothering to care who was at the door.

Ciara entered, closed the door behind her and asked, "Still abed, Miss?" She walked over and opened the curtains while Kayleigh extracted herself from a tangle of sheets.

"Ciara," Kayleigh said to her, "I need your assistance in finding my clothes for today. I have a particular outfit in mind."

Ciara nodded. "Yes, Miss."

"The problem is, I cannot remember where it was packed." She gestured to the three large travel trunks.

"Oh, Miss, I know we will find it."

By the time they located the outfit and had Kayleigh dressed in it, she was already late for breakfast at the dining hall. But that was her intention exactly. She picked her best dress, which did not reflect her current class status of doernemed but was the best of what she had from her previous status. The only dress she had that reflected her current status was the one she wore yesterday, and she did not intend to wear it today. She paired the dress with simple shoes, and her best and most expensive jewelry- a set of pearls. The pearl set consisted of a necklace, earrings and a bracelet. The set was costly and was allowed to be kept in her possession because it was intended to be transferred over to her husband as part of her dowery.

'But for now, beautiful globes of white and black,' Kayleigh thought, 'I have another purpose for you.'

Kayleigh instructed Ciara to pile all her hair in curls on top of her head and pin and ribbon them in place. Having all the hair in an updo advertised her neck, and the pearl necklace on it.

Leaving her room, Kayleigh walked slowly with Ciara down to the dining hall. Every movement, every step was calculated. Holding her head high, she gracefully glided into the dining hall and near to the usual table. All eyes were on her.