Truth and Consequences

Back in the Hrodger family mansion, Mirabelle felt... oddly composed as she searched for Sophia.

This is strange. I've tried to talk to Sophie for years, but I've never been able to gather the courage to make the first move. She's been sensitive for as long as I've known her. 

Approaching her with a soft touch only resulted in misunderstandings. As for more aggressive tactics… Sophie seemed delicate, and she seemed to grow more fragile by the day. I didn't want to risk deepening her pain.

That's what I told myself, at least. Now I'm going to engage her when she's at her lowest and meanest, but now I'm not scared of making things worse at all. Is it because little Gar believes in me? There she is. Perfect, it looks like little Rad is playing outside.

"Hello, Sophie. We've put off our troubles for far too long. We need to have a chat."

What's that woman talking about now? Strange... I can't muster the anger to drive her off.

"Then speak."

"Not here in the hall. The tea room is empty, let's go there."

"...I don't have the energy to argue with you. I'll bring Conrad, of course."

"No. Just us. This enmity between us can't continue. If we want to reconcile, we need to talk openly and honestly about our problems. Do you want Conrad to hear what you have to say?"

"... No. Very well, we can speak until dinner." 

I'm so tired. Maybe I'll sleep later, just for tonight.

So, after nearly five years of trouble and strife, Sophia and Mirabelle sat down to have a direct conversation.

Mirabelle started the discourse.

"I think we should start by taking this opportunity to talk about our relationships with Eddie, without interruptions or petty insults. Then we should try to understand each other's feelings without resorting to insults. We don't have too long before dinner, so you'll go first."

Sophia had no reason to object. Thinking about her husband would make her angry enough to stay awake, anyway.

"I've known Edward since we were children, our fathers were business partners, so we grew up in the same social circles. I'm not sure when I started having feelings for Edward. Maybe it was after our parents announced the betrothal, but I couldn't have been happier.

"Edward seemed self-conscious about the engagement, so I did what I could to soothe his cold feet. He maintained the same familiarity we always had, so I thought he was happy too. Then, mere weeks before our wedding, he announced his engagement to you at that party. my heart broke."

Sophia could tell that Mirabelle was wholeheartedly listening to her tale.

Was Mirabelle always so sincere?

Sophia continued,

"My father was ready to kill Edward when he caught me crying in my room. I had to beg my father not to call off my engagement. After a thorough conversation in private, my father convinced Edward to make me his first wife."

Sophia's face shifted from sorrow to anger,

"Edward didn't even ask for my permission to court you, and you didn't even have the decency to talk to me before you seduced my fiancée! I don't know what you did to make him propose to you in secret, but I'd never felt so dishonored in my life.

"Then he gave your son the right to challenge my Conrad's position as heir apparent. I don't even know why he despises me, but he doesn't even look at me anymore!"

Sophia found tears running down her face as she finished her recollection. She took a moment before addressing Mirabelle.

"Now you know everything, your turn."

Mirabelle had a better understanding of Sophia now, she wiped away the moisture collecting at the corners of her own eyes and took a moment to organize her thoughts before she began,

"I met Eddie when he started using my family's laundry service. He was sweet and charming. Eventually, Edward became a daily customer at the store, which was strange.

"I just knew that he was dirtying clothes on purpose to have an excuse to stop by..." She trailed off, smiling gently at the memory. 

"One day, when I was out sick, he came by and asked where I was. After hearing about my illness, he ran off and grabbed the most talented healer in the district without getting any details."

Mirabelle's smile became mirthful at the memory.

"It was a common cold. After getting an earful from the doctor, he paid an extra fee for wasting the physician's precious time. Then he caught another lecture from my old man about jumping to conclusions, and the importance of being frugal with money."

Mirabelle's smile fully blossomed as she started talking about her courtship.

"After that, he confessed his feelings for me and we arranged to meet later. We started going on regular dates.Then one day, he took me to the big fountain over in the Northwest shopping district, kneeled down, and offered a heartfelt proposal. I was overjoyed and he was so excited to tell his family that I accepted his offer. He told me he wanted to introduce me to them at the party being held the next day."

Mirabelle's smile shifted into a rueful frown.

"That was when I learned my awkward little Eddie had an empty little head-y. The look of pure shock on your face and the reaction of the families clued me in. I couldn't believe that not only was he engaged, but he hadn't even told his fiancée about me. Then, right when I believed I would be able to close the distance between us, Eddie's naming blunder took my faith and ground it to dust."

Sophia seemed to have trouble registering Mirabelle's words. Gareth's recognition was… an accident? Then what has she been suffering for the whole time?

Mirabell saw the mixture of surprise and unease on Sophia's face, and decided to address it.

"That's right, he swore to me it was an innocent slip of the tongue. I told him it didn't matter, that he was on notice until he made things right with you. He seemed so clueless as to how you felt that I believed it was best to keep him away from my own little one. I don't want little Gar to become as clueless as Edward.."

Known to few, Sophia's Gift contained a boon that allowed her to see the general emotions of people as colors. It wasn't exactly lie detection, but she made do. She was shocked to feel determination, honesty, and sadness in Mirabelle's aura.

"...Then it sounds like we need to have a similar talk with our husband."

"I know, right!? Now that we've cleared the air, can we please be friends?"

She's telling the truth, but why didn't I see her innocence before? Was my vision clouded by anger?

"Yes. Let's be friends, Mirabelle."

"Yay!"

Mirabelle seems so defenseless right now, a far cry from the way she seems when she's serious.

Mirabelle broke into a sinister smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Now that we can talk freely, we should begin planning how we will educate our empty-headed Eddie"

There's the sharp look I remember. I'm glad I didn't manage to make her my enemy, Mirabelle definitely becomes terrifying when provoked. With her on my side… I believe I can… finally get a straight answer out of Eddie… I can feel my tension draining away... I'm not sure I can stay awake....

"Sophie!" Mirabelle shouted and raced forward to catch her new friend, who had just passed out in front of her.