The steward took her out of the closet and helped her to a chair that was next to the table in the room and said, "Sit," while sitting her on the chair. The steward then took the top off a tray to reveal a bright red apple and a knife. He took the apple in his hand and held it out toward Altair while pointing at it and saying, "Apple."
Altair looked at the red orb in front of her. It was something she had never seen before and she eyed it with interest. The steward pointed at it again and repeated, "Apple," several times in succession. After the fourth time, Altair got the idea of what he was trying to do.
She pointed at the apple and curiously asked, "Appole?"
The steward shook his head and carefully enunciated every sound as pointed at the apple and repeated, "Apple."
Altair spoke slower than before as she cautiously asked, "Apple?"
The steward nodded and replied, "Apple." He then set the apple back on the plate and cut it into eight slices. He picked one up and pointed at it while saying, "Apple slice."
He only had to repeat it twice before Altair said, "Apple slice."
The steward nodded in approval before setting the food back on the tray. He then pointed at himself and said, "Donel."
'Ah that must be his name.' "Donil," Altair said while pointing at him.
The steward nodded again and repeated his name for her, "Donel."
Altair repeated his name back to him, correctly this time, and it caused him to nod with satisfaction. The steward then pointed to Altair and said, "Aria Marnithok."
Altair frowned and shook her head vehemently. There was no chance she would accept another name for herself. Her name, Altair, was given to her by her parents. Even if they treated her like a monster she still couldn't throw it away because she still loved them. It was a name she had for so long and had grown attached to it as well. Her last name, Maxwell, was taken from the person who saved her life after she was tossed out. That man was also the person she had loved and she would not let that one go either because he had died so she could live. Both of her names contained the memories of what she had lived through. Some were good memories and some were bad, but they were still her memories and they were apart of her. She wouldn't let them go.
Donel's brow rose slightly as he pointed at her and repeated, "Aria." That was the name his Master, Renald Marnithok, had given this girl. He had told all the servants that she was an orphan that he was adopting and that her name was Aria. He claimed her parents had disappeared years ago and that's how she wound up in an orphanage. She managed to catch his eye because of the condition her body was in. She was severely weakened due to malnutrition and she had no access to Gene Stimulants due to poor management by the orphanage.
Overall the story Renald had made up was pretty convincing. The servants had no reason to doubt it as he was their Master and, even if they did, they had no way to confirm the contents due to their jobs. Renald would be able to brush her true origin under the rug and no one would be any wiser. So long as Altair played along.
The only thing left up in the air was what part of the family Aria would be joining. Would she be joining as a servant to the family or perhaps she would be joining as a guard? Maybe she would become a trained bed warmer for the Young Master? Perhaps a handmaiden for the Mistress? Donel had no idea.
But Altair wouldn't play along and had no intention of discarding who she was.
Altair shook her head vehemently again. She leaned forward and pointed at herself while speaking in a, agitated tone, "Altair Maxwell."
Donel's eyes widened slightly. Had his lord gotten the wrong child? But if that was the case then why didn't he say anything earlier? Dozens of other questions popped into Donel's mind but were instantly smothered as soon as they appeared. His Master's secrets were for him and him alone. He had this job long enough to know that questions resulted in disappearances. If this girl wanted to claim a different name for now then that was fine. He would simply report the details to his Master later and find out what to do about it.
Donel gave Altair a warm smile as he pointed at her and said, "Altair."
Altair sighed in relief as she sat back in the chair. It appeared she managed to keep hold of her name at least. She wouldn't let the God's here take everything from her. Just like with the Demi-Human Survival Coalition, she would resist losing herself to anyone.
Donel continued to teach basic words to Altair for the rest of the day. Everything that she was taught were the names of things in the room and basic food that was brought to her. She also learned the names of cutlery that was present when food was brought to her.
Donel then went and grabbed a another set of clothes from the wardrobe without addressing her and pulled her into the bathroom. He placed her clothes on a basket next to the counter and took out of pure white towel from inside a cabinet under the counter. He placed the towel on the clothes and pointed to the bathtub. Altair followed his gaze, which caused Donel to believe that his message was clear.
When Altair looked back, Donel bowed deeply and quickly left the room, causing a look of confusion to come to her face. 'Wait,' she thought to herself, 'was that supposed to mean something? I don't understand. Don't just walk away thinking what you did meant something!'
Donel couldn't be blamed. The bathroom that Altair was left in was a standard bathroom throughout the Ordin Empire. Nothing in there was special or was something that should need to be explained. With the information that Donel had, Altair should know everything that was there. The only things she wouldn't know about would be things she shouldn't know about given her age.
Donel went to report to his lord immediately after contacting a tutor for Altair. It didn't take five minutes to get dozens of offers with the backing of the Marnithok name. As a result, Donel picked one he deemed appropriate and went to Renald's main office.
Donel knocked on the door several times and waited for a few moments before Renald's voice came from the other side, "You may enter."
Donel opened the door and walked into the lavishly decorated room. Renald looked up from the papers on the desk in front of him and asked, "How did the teaching go?"
Donel stood respectfully with his hands behind his back after he closed the door and said, "She now knows the words for everything within the room you have given to her. She also knows some food and silverware names, and some simple command words. I have left her to bath herself, I will return to her later with supper."
Renald nodded toward Donel as he put the paper he was focusing on down and leaned back in his chair. He took a deep breath before asking, "Did you find an appropriate tutor?"
Donel nodded his head, "Of course, my Lord." Donel was silent for a moment before he decided to hint at something deeper, "Is there any other requests other than picking one out?"
Renald's brow rose slightly and he crossed his arms. "What do you mean?"
Donel simply stated, "Secrecy or any of that, my Lord."
Renald's eyes narrowed as he leaned forward and put his hands together before his face. "Did Aria do something strange?"
Donel was silent for several moments before he said, "Yes, my Lord."
Renald focused a piercing stare onto Donel and was silent for a while before he spoke in a threatening voice,"…What did she do?"
Donel gulped as a cold sweat ran down his back. He just had to feign ignorance toward the act and that should be fine. But it was still nerve wrecking to do so before Renald when he was like this. Donel had seen how cruel Renald could be. "After I told her my name I pointed at her to signify her new position within the family. I was trying to tell her that she would now be Aria Marnithok but she stubbornly refused to accept her new sir name." Donel adopted a look of worry on his face as he said that and sighed heavily.
Renald's eye twitched slightly. He wondered what Donel was exactly getting at. He knew this steward was exceptionally smart since he had been in his family for a long time. He was also a very capable guard given his history as well. Renald put a lot of weight into the hidden advice Donel would offer him from time to time. He also had no idea that Donel deeply feared him because of some of his more reckless decisions in the past. Renald asked, "And?" He wanted Donel to get the point.
Donel continued, "Well, she refused the whole name. Not just the Marnithok part, sir."
Renald tilted his head, "Stop giving me pieces and say the whole thing already."
Donel gave a fake smile as he said, "She told me her name was Altair Maxwell."
Renald's brows lifted in surprise. He didn't take into consideration the possibility that she had her own name. He thought that, in hindsight, he probably should have figured that given her age. She couldn't not have a name at her age with the things she had when she was found. Still the information she possessed would be very useful. Now that he had a name to go along with it as well he figured he could do a full check and see if anything came up. Although her name was very strange and he had never heard it's like before.
This still put a hole in his plans though. Since she refused to accept the name he had given her then he couldn't let her come into contact with others until they were able to properly speak with one another. The risk would be too great of rumors getting out. He also knew there were some spies within the servants of the house. If they caught wind of the strange situation then it could be the end for his plan immediately. He quickly decided to change course to stop the ship from being sunk before it even left the harbor.
Renald nodded towards Donel, "I see. Well that's no problem. Continue teaching her until she can understand that she has a new name. Until I can have a proper discussion with her she is to have no contact with anyone of the lower positions. You are to take full responsibility for delivering her meals, seeing that she is properly dressed and taken care of. Hand off the duties you cannot handle with your new position to Mihael."
Donel nodded in acknowledgement and promptly turned to leave.
Renald watched him go and was once again glad that his great grandfather had found such a man to serve him.
The steward took her out of the closet and helped her to a chair that was next to the table in the room and said, "Sit," while sitting her on the chair. The steward then took the top off a tray to reveal a bright red apple and a knife. He took the apple in his hand and held it out toward Altair while pointing at it and saying, "Apple."
Altair looked at the red orb in front of her. It was something she had never seen before and she eyed it with interest. The steward pointed at it again and repeated, "Apple," several times in succession. After the fourth time, Altair got the idea of what he was trying to do.
She pointed at the apple and curiously asked, "Appole?"
The steward shook his head and carefully enunciated every sound as pointed at the apple and repeated, "Apple."
Altair spoke slower than before as she cautiously asked, "Apple?"
The steward nodded and replied, "Apple." He then set the apple back on the plate and cut it into eight slices. He picked one up and pointed at it while saying, "Apple slice."
He only had to repeat it twice before Altair said, "Apple slice."
The steward nodded in approval before setting the food back on the tray. He then pointed at himself and said, "Donel."
'Ah that must be his name.' "Donil," Altair said while pointing at him.
The steward nodded again and repeated his name for her, "Donel."
Altair repeated his name back to him, correctly this time, and it caused him to nod with satisfaction. The steward then pointed to Altair and said, "Aria Marnithok."
Altair frowned and shook her head vehemently. There was no chance she would accept another name for herself. Her name, Altair, was given to her by her parents. Even if they treated her like a monster she still couldn't throw it away because she still loved them. It was a name she had for so long and had grown attached to it as well. Her last name, Maxwell, was taken from the person who saved her life after she was tossed out. That man was also the person she had loved and she would not let that one go either because he had died so she could live. Both of her names contained the memories of what she had lived through. Some were good memories and some were bad, but they were still her memories and they were apart of her. She wouldn't let them go.
Donel's brow rose slightly as he pointed at her and repeated, "Aria." That was the name his Master, Renald Marnithok, had given this girl. He had told all the servants that she was an orphan that he was adopting and that her name was Aria. He claimed her parents had disappeared years ago and that's how she wound up in an orphanage. She managed to catch his eye because of the condition her body was in. She was severely weakened due to malnutrition and she had no access to Gene Stimulants due to poor management by the orphanage.
Overall the story Renald had made up was pretty convincing. The servants had no reason to doubt it as he was their Master and, even if they did, they had no way to confirm the contents due to their jobs. Renald would be able to brush her true origin under the rug and no one would be any wiser. So long as Altair played along.
The only thing left up in the air was what part of the family Aria would be joining. Would she be joining as a servant to the family or perhaps she would be joining as a guard? Maybe she would become a trained bed warmer for the Young Master? Perhaps a handmaiden for the Mistress? Donel had no idea.
But Altair wouldn't play along and had no intention of discarding who she was.
Altair shook her head vehemently again. She leaned forward and pointed at herself while speaking in a, agitated tone, "Altair Maxwell."
Donel's eyes widened slightly. Had his lord gotten the wrong child? But if that was the case then why didn't he say anything earlier? Dozens of other questions popped into Donel's mind but were instantly smothered as soon as they appeared. His Master's secrets were for him and him alone. He had this job long enough to know that questions resulted in disappearances. If this girl wanted to claim a different name for now then that was fine. He would simply report the details to his Master later and find out what to do about it.
Donel gave Altair a warm smile as he pointed at her and said, "Altair."
Altair sighed in relief as she sat back in the chair. It appeared she managed to keep hold of her name at least. She wouldn't let the God's here take everything from her. Just like with the Demi-Human Survival Coalition, she would resist losing herself to anyone.
Donel continued to teach basic words to Altair for the rest of the day. Everything that she was taught were the names of things in the room and basic food that was brought to her. She also learned the names of cutlery that was present when food was brought to her.
Donel then went and grabbed a another set of clothes from the wardrobe without addressing her and pulled her into the bathroom. He placed her clothes on a basket next to the counter and took out of pure white towel from inside a cabinet under the counter. He placed the towel on the clothes and pointed to the bathtub. Altair followed his gaze, which caused Donel to believe that his message was clear.
When Altair looked back, Donel bowed deeply and quickly left the room, causing a look of confusion to come to her face. 'Wait,' she thought to herself, 'was that supposed to mean something? I don't understand. Don't just walk away thinking what you did meant something!'
Donel couldn't be blamed. The bathroom that Altair was left in was a standard bathroom throughout the Ordin Empire. Nothing in there was special or was something that should need to be explained. With the information that Donel had, Altair should know everything that was there. The only things she wouldn't know about would be things she shouldn't know about given her age.
Donel went to report to his lord immediately after contacting a tutor for Altair. It didn't take five minutes to get dozens of offers with the backing of the Marnithok name. As a result, Donel picked one he deemed appropriate and went to Renald's main office.
Donel knocked on the door several times and waited for a few moments before Renald's voice came from the other side, "You may enter."
Donel opened the door and walked into the lavishly decorated room. Renald looked up from the papers on the desk in front of him and asked, "How did the teaching go?"
Donel stood respectfully with his hands behind his back after he closed the door and said, "She now knows the words for everything within the room you have given to her. She also knows some food and silverware names, and some simple command words. I have left her to bath herself, I will return to her later with supper."
Renald nodded toward Donel as he put the paper he was focusing on down and leaned back in his chair. He took a deep breath before asking, "Did you find an appropriate tutor?"
Donel nodded his head, "Of course, my Lord." Donel was silent for a moment before he decided to hint at something deeper, "Is there any other requests other than picking one out?"
Renald's brow rose slightly and he crossed his arms. "What do you mean?"
Donel simply stated, "Secrecy or any of that, my Lord."
Renald's eyes narrowed as he leaned forward and put his hands together before his face. "Did Aria do something strange?"
Donel was silent for several moments before he said, "Yes, my Lord."
Renald focused a piercing stare onto Donel and was silent for a while before he spoke in a threatening voice,"…What did she do?"
Donel gulped as a cold sweat ran down his back. He just had to feign ignorance toward the act and that should be fine. But it was still nerve wrecking to do so before Renald when he was like this. Donel had seen how cruel Renald could be. "After I told her my name I pointed at her to signify her new position within the family. I was trying to tell her that she would now be Aria Marnithok but she stubbornly refused to accept her new sir name." Donel adopted a look of worry on his face as he said that and sighed heavily.
Renald's eye twitched slightly. He wondered what Donel was exactly getting at. He knew this steward was exceptionally smart since he had been in his family for a long time. He was also a very capable guard given his history as well. Renald put a lot of weight into the hidden advice Donel would offer him from time to time. He also had no idea that Donel deeply feared him because of some of his more reckless decisions in the past. Renald asked, "And?" He wanted Donel to get the point.
Donel continued, "Well, she refused the whole name. Not just the Marnithok part, sir."
Renald tilted his head, "Stop giving me pieces and say the whole thing already."
Donel gave a fake smile as he said, "She told me her name was Altair Maxwell."
Renald's brows lifted in surprise. He didn't take into consideration the possibility that she had her own name. He thought that, in hindsight, he probably should have figured that given her age. She couldn't not have a name at her age with the things she had when she was found. Still the information she possessed would be very useful. Now that he had a name to go along with it as well he figured he could do a full check and see if anything came up. Although her name was very strange and he had never heard it's like before.
This still put a hole in his plans though. Since she refused to accept the name he had given her then he couldn't let her come into contact with others until they were able to properly speak with one another. The risk would be too great of rumors getting out. He also knew there were some spies within the servants of the house. If they caught wind of the strange situation then it could be the end for his plan immediately. He quickly decided to change course to stop the ship from being sunk before it even left the harbor.
Renald nodded towards Donel, "I see. Well that's no problem. Continue teaching her until she can understand that she has a new name. Until I can have a proper discussion with her she is to have no contact with anyone of the lower positions. You are to take full responsibility for delivering her meals, seeing that she is properly dressed and taken care of. Hand off the duties you cannot handle with your new position to Mihael."
Donel nodded in acknowledgement and promptly turned to leave.
Renald watched him go and was once again glad that his great grandfather had found such a man to serve him.
