11 'What about money, my lady?'

The butler and head housekeeper looked at each other before returning their attention to me with a half confused, half bewildered look. A dowry wasn't mentioned in the letter Leon sent me when he asked my hand in marriage and there wasn't time to send a messenger to clarify things, so everything's a little hazy in that department. 

Normally, the one requesting the marriage should set the terms whether the other party should give equal the amount he or she had set, or lower, maybe even higher for some. But there's no mention of such thing in the letter. Back at home—since there wasn't much time—Quinn, Ingrid, and I assumed that when I get here money talks between our families would be discussed before the wedding.

The wedding's in three days, and where's my future husband to discuss this? Nowhere.

"What about money, my lady?" It was Jane who asked because Alestair seemed to be in a foul mood yet again."

"Leo—I mean, Count Astor didn't mention it in his letter, and we didn't have the opportunity to discuss it, so I'm a little at loss. I don't know if this is normal for members of nobility." I highly doubt it though. I had a few so-called friends who asked me to vouch for them at the bank for the loan they requested to be used to get married. "Also, since I will be managing most of the affairs of the estate after our marriage, I would like to look at the ledgers. I believe you're in-charge of overlooking most of the castle's expenses, Alestair?"

"I am," he simply said in a rather ominous tone. He must've thought that of all the things to prioritize—like my wedding—I'm asking for ledgers and talking about money instead. "What about it?"

"Alec, where's your manners? Don't talk to our lady like that!" Jane elbowed him on the side.

"I want to see for myself how I should be running this castle." Also, since no amount was set as my share in this marriage, looking at the Count's current financial status would give me an idea as to how much I should put in.

"I'll see to it that you get it this afternoon, my lady."

"I want it in an hour. They're ledgers that gets updated every now and then and I believe your room's not that far here. It shouldn't take you the whole morning to get it, should it?" My usual smile's back again. There's no way I'm backing down against this overly protective butler.

I get that he practically raised my husband-to-be but that doesn't give him the right to be such a stuck-up and give me headaches like this. As much as possible, I want to get along with everyone here—but I can't do that when he's breathing down my neck this early in our relationship. "What are you, the wicked mother-in-law?" I couldn't help myself muttering.

"Pardon, my lady?" he asked, bewildered and confused. I saw Jane stifled a laugh when she turned her head away from us.

"Oh, nothing." I waved my hand lazily. "I just want the ledgers as soon as possible. That could be arranged, right?"

"Of course, my lady. You can have one of your maids come with me so she can bring it back to you at the soonest time." The ridicule in his tone made me smile even sweeter.

This old man is testing me my buttons so much I might snap earlier that expected. I should cut this conversation soon or else I'll be at the receiving end of a very awkward and not good disposition. I might even be sent back home—which I don't mind, really, but my pride simply won't allow it.

In short, suck it up for now, Isadora Montcroix. Just a few days more.

I inhaled discreetly and looked past Jane, dipping my chin a little to signal my maid. "Viola should suffice," She bowed her head and my eyes shifted to the door. After that, Jane and Alestair stood and excused themselves.

Alone with Marie, we quietly continued to sort the remainder of my things. Unlike Viola who often initiated the conversations, Marie's a little reserved. She answers when asked and asks when she's having trouble understanding. Other than the work in front of us, she didn't talk much about her life, of others, or asked about mine.

"Were you born here Marie?" I asked. She's younger than Viola, so it's either she was brought here when she was about five or six years old, or she's from Ozryn.

"We're originally from town, but my father's a blacksmith and found work to do here in the island, so they decided that we moved here."

"Are you familiar around town?" If she is, maybe she'll be able to tell me about the important people living in Ozryn. Businessmen, councilors—or maybe not since she would hardly have any sort of idea at such a young age. Might as well stick to Viola then.

"Not really." She hid her embarrassment with a giggle which I found adorable. The little crease at the lower part of her right eye when she smiles was adorable too. I almost sighed. With a beauty like mine, I'm expected to uphold the highest standard of being... well, someone incredibly beautiful. I sighed the second time. Etiquette, manners, speech, language—I can't even sneeze out loud or burp in public. I always have to do things with the grace and elegance befitting my face.

I almost sighed the third time but Marie asked what bothered me and I couldn't muster to answer that my beauty was what's bothering me. "Aren't these ledgers?" Finally, a change in subject as my maid raised a leather-covered book. "Everything in this box are ledgers?"

"Yes. They're ledgers for my businesses. I brought them along because I haven't fini—" I wasn't able to finish my sentence when I saw Marie's astonished look.

"You have a business? And not only one, but businesses?" she clarified, staring at the leather-bound books one by one.

"Yes, Marie. Businesses." I chuckled. She just seemed so innocent that I wanted to grab her arm and squeeze her.

"But how? Men I know can hardly keep a job. And you're a... woman."

"Ah..." I nodded understandingly. This part of the Roamont Kingdom is basically the countryside, so it's to be expected that they'd be more patriarchal especially this island—far from the inclusions and the glitz and glamour of Reka. If there's some certain glitz and glamour in Ozryn, it would've been minimal at best. Monopolized by some attention-hungry noble or whatnot. "I came from a family of businessmen, so it was only natural for me follow."

"Were they okay with it?" there was an unfounded concern in her voice that I was slightly offended—not for myself, but for them.

Why would people—their parents, especially—instill such... self-doubt? Men can't do everything by themselves. They don't have the power or the last words over everything. Whoever came up with that idea sure has some inferiority complex to heal from.

"Of course. I grew up studying what my father and uncle studied before. I learned horseback riding so I can come with my uncle to inspect our mines. I even stayed and observed at our goldsmith's workshop just to learn how our jewelries were made. The old man there made me hammer ingots into thin sheets for the—" I stopped. Marie's wide eyes were boring a hole in me.

"You're amazing, my lady!" She looked at me like I trekked the highest mountain or dived in the deepest part of the sea. "You're really amazing! Ah..."—she clasped her hand together and swayed side to side—"...I'd like to learn a lot of things too. My father schooled me basic reading and numbers in the hope that I might land a higher position as a maid. My mother was a maid for a noble in Ozryn before we moved here, and it was expected that I'd take over my mother's work when I'm ready..." Marie continued to tell me about her family which was a surprise because I thought wrong about her being the quiet kind, but nothing registered.

A maid, really? Why would a maid's daughter follow in her mother's footsteps and become a maid as well? Shouldn't they aim higher? Well, his father did teach her to read so she'd have an advantage over the others. But still... really? Why?

"If you're given the chance, what would you want to learn?" It took Marie a while to answer but her pursed lips and furrowed brows told me she's seriously considering it. 

"Well..." she started, "My younger's brother studying to become a squire. The master gave a number of boys an opportunity when they all returned so every other boy in this island is training and studying to become one. Father even made him a small sword."

"So, you want to be a squire too?" Not the kind of learning I was expecting but if there's a want, then that's a start.

"What?" Marie blushed and waved her hands in front of me, "I can't possibly think of such... such a thing. No, no, no. Father won't approve, and mother would have a breakdown. Plus, training with a sword will make all your muscles big. No one would want to marry a muscled girl." 

I mentally threw my head back and screamed to the top of my lungs. All these talks about what a girl should and shouldn't was making my blood boil. I want to grab Marie by the shoulders, shake her so hard that all those thoughts fall off her brain. Then I'd shout so close to her ear that she can be anything she wants; do everything she wants to do. That this world has endless possibilities for everyone.

But I told myself to calm down. This is just my, what, third or fourth day? I lost count because I've been doing the same sorting and organizing since the day I arrived. It's too early to start revolutionizing the mindset of the people here.

"Well, if you—" I wasn't able to continue my sentence when Viola opened the door, hugging a number or ledgers in one hand, and holding another three on the other.

*****

When I told Alestair that I wanted to see the castle's ledgers, I thought, given his personality, he'd be more... organized and precise. But these—these aren't organized and precise at all!

It's bad! Some writings were neat, some were ineligible; some pages were clean, the others, not so.

There's barely any inventory on food supplies. The medical ones are all over the place with the medicines being mixed with how many cloths are left or the number of available antidotes. I have to sort out the list of which are medical herbs from poisonous herbs. I'd have Jane call for a doctor if there's even one in this island.

I shook my head slowly, as I try to maintain a positive thought. Maybe there's a ledger here somewhere that's perfect?

As I opened and run through the pages of the ledgers one after the other, I came across another one that gave me a bit of a headache. It's the ledger for the inventory of the castle's properties like paintings and statues, and alike.

There's no doubt that most of these hold value at some point but based on what I've seen while roaming around, everything's hardly even accounted for. I closed the said ledger and picked up another; a separate list for housekeeping, another list for jewelries and heirlooms sent from the palace, a list of personnel and knights. There's also a registry for everyone in the island—well, at least this looked like it's being updated regularly.

I stopped at the last written page.

'Isadora Montcroix-Astor - Twenty-two - Town of Vlona - City of Reka - Countess Astor - Married - Leon Salvatore Astor - Twenty-six - Vervin, Ozryn - Count Astor', it read.

"Astor..." I whispered to myself.

I know shouldn't feel emotional, but I couldn't help it. The days here were mundane compared to when I was back in the city, but the tasks I've given myself have kept my mind occupied during the day and my body exhausted by nightfall. Still, seeing my name written in vivid black ink made me think that I'll really be a married woman in a few days. I've left home for days but I've always come back—this time, after I seal my vows with a kiss, this is where I will belong to. This island is where I will have to go back to whenever I think of wanting to go home.

"My lady? Are you alright? Your staring at the page for a while now."

"Huh? What?" I glanced at Viola then to Marie, then to my thumb sitting on my name at the registry. "Oh, uhm, I... I think I'm getting hungry. Shall we take a break and have tea in the garden? We've been so cooped in here the whole morning" I said, closing the book and placing it above the other's that I've checked.