Hidden Favorite

Kamryn and Lulu helped their mother off the floor. Under the eyes of the family's contempt, they walked back to their courtyard.

Once they made it back, their mother's maids rushed in to turn down the bed for their mistress. With the help of her daughter, Kamryn and about five maids were able to get her into a comfortable position to lay down.

Kamryn ordered the maids to prepare some soothing honey, for Lady Jaelah body.

"Mother, just relax. I already sent the maids for soothing honey. It should be here soon." Kamryn tried to calm her mother pains.

Kamryn and Lulu had felt the pressure their father release, and they only received a portion of it. Kamryn was worried the soothing honey would be enough. Turning to Lulu, she sent her out to advise the maids to also get the fortifying honey for their mother's bones. Lulu ran out in a hurry. Leaving only Kamryn and Lady Jaelah in the room.

"Mother...what were you thinking?... How could you talk to father in that way?" Kamryn whispered as she swiped the sweat off of her mother's prone body on the bed.

"How could I not react that way. This will be the second time he will overlook me to take someone else. The second...*cough* *cough* ....time." Kamryn went to get her mother some water.

"You see the way Thalia's sons have benefited from her going last year. You cannot tell me she did not go and play up her sons!"

"Shhh...Shhh...mom...dont agitated your body. "

Kamryn knew her mother despised Lady Thalia's actions last year. In fact, she dislikes them too. It was just,... she dislikes the fact her mother couldn't work the room as Lady Thalia could.

Though at home Lady Thalia was loud and bunt, but to others, she is the life of the party. Her mother has gone multiple years to the convention and yet still there are no fruits from her labor. It only took Lady Thalia one time to bear fruit for her sons.

Still she rather her mother goes than someone else's.

"Mother!...Kamryn!...." Lulu came running in with jars of both soothing and fortifying jars of honey in her hands.

"Lulu, watch your manners. You are a young miss act like one!" Lady Jaelah couldn't understand how her youngest daughter couldn't act as refine as her eldest when she practically follows her like a shadow.

"Mother you don't understand...I saw father going to Lady Lyra courtyard."

"So, it's not the first time your father has gone there. If that was what you were running around for, that's not an excuse." Lady Jaelah abolishes her daughter in front of the maids.

"Mom, that's not all. I ask one of the passing maids of Lady Lyra courtya-"

"Stop!.... Everyone out." Kamryn quickly dismissed all the remaining maids out of the room before Lulu continued her story.

"Sorry...I forgot in my excitement."

"It's okay, continue....what did you hear?" Lady Jaelah overlooked her daughter's mistake in letting the maids hear her bad deeds.

"I asked one of Lady Lyra's maids the reason why father would go to their courtyard. At first, she didn't want to say, but after I gave her a bit money she said the reason why father went to Lady Lyra's courtyard is to invite her to go to the convention!" Lulu rush out the last bit of words in one go.

"WHAT!...." Lady Jaelah sat up right, cause her body a great deal of agony. Kamryn helped her mother to lay back down on the bed. "...ugh...he's taking that woman over me."

"Yes, mother. Can you believe it." Lulu smiled at gaining this sweet bit of gossip for her mother.

"This can't be happening....first it was that conniving woman Thalia. Now it's this lowly Lyra is going over me."

"Mom, it's better than Lady Lyra goes rather than anyone else. Look she hardly goes to any social gathering nor does she have a good family background. There is no way she will be able the push Mika up." Kamryn's reasoning was sound. Lady Lyra wasn't social, she mostly kept to herself. She didn't have any family left, so what good would it be to take her.

"No...something is not right." Lady Jaelah sat up in bed once more, after swallowing multiple spoonfuls of honey.

"Out of all the wives, he will take Lady Lyra... Who he has never taken before, right when Mika is about to start school."

"Mother you think father is trying to push Mika." Lady Jaelah nodded to Kamryn's understanding. "...but Mika gifts haven't even shown themselves yet..."

"Yes,... but from the time she was born, Mika has been beautiful....do not underestimate your father." The facts stated from their mother's mouth bloomed envy and jealousy in Kamryn and Lulu respectively. '

Finishing off the last of the honey in the two jars, renewed Jaelah's vigor.

"It seems your father has hidden his favorite child quite deeply....only this time he made a slip-up."

_____

Meanwhile in another courtyard...

Sienna was sitting in her garden reading a book. When Lady Delju rushed in.

"Sienna...Sienna... did your hear?.... Your father is taking Lady Lyra to the convention." Lady Delju said resentfully.

"Mmm...I've guessed something like this would happen sooner or later. " Taken back by her daughter words. Lady Delju grabs Sienna's book from her hands.

"What what do you mean, 'you guessed something like this would happen'. You know something?"

Irritated her book was taken, and that her mother wants to gossip Sienna explained her logic.

"If you would stop solely focusing on Lady Jaelah and Kamryn all the time. You would have seen the frequent nights' father has been staying at Lady Lyra's courtyard."

"...but that does mean anything besides he doesn't show any care for Mika..." Her mother poked at her logic.

"Even though he doesn't 'seem' to care too much for Mika. She not being neglected, nor does she get any less than we are getting. Father has been trying to move attention away from her and Lady Lyra,....all the while helping them."

"What can we do about this?... We have to come up with a way to stop this. We already have the other wives to deal with. If Lyra and her daughter move up. I won't be able to handle life here anymore."

"What won't you be able to handle?.... You are not living poorly, and father treats you well. Anyway, Lady Jaelah side will come up with something. All we have to do is just sit back and wait."