Knock, knock, knock!
Several minutes later, there's a soft rap on Alto's bedroom door. She breathes deeply, keeping her voice calm.
"Yes, what is it?" (Alto)
The door opens partially, and a young, black-haired maid sticks her head inside, her nervous eyes quickly finding Alto's. The woman's voice is somber as she speaks.
"Pardon the intrusion, Miss Alto, but Master Silver has called for you...he's in his office, along with Mistress Silver." (maid)
For a brief moment, Alto can't help but raise her eyebrows in surprise.
'So...Mother will be a part of this, too...'
That's...outside her expectations. However, her mother has been a relatively passive presence in her life, mostly deferring to her father where decisions about her are concerned. From what Alto understands, her mother was from a family of great status but declining wealth when they met, and her father essentially saved her from that looming descent into a 'peasant lifestyle'. Consequently, her mother has always been deeply trusting of him.
The point being, Alto doesn't think she has to worry about her mother significantly influencing her father's anticipated behavior. However, she can't help but be curious, almost fearfully so, of whether she's about to witness both her parents prove all her worst assumptions about them.
She rises from her bed, smoothing out her dress, and nods at the maid.
"Let's not keep them waiting, then..." (Alto)
She follows the maid through the hallways, mentally preparing herself for what's to come. Before she knows it, she's stepping through a familiar office door, her gaze instantly flitting between the room's only two occupants – a tall, blonde woman standing quietly in the corner, and a furious-looking dark-haired man seated behind the only desk.
As the door closes behind her, granting the three of them privacy, she bows slightly.
"Father...Mother. You summoned me?" (Alto)
A flicker of concern passes across her mother's expression, glancing at her father nervously. Meanwhile, her father is uncharacteristically quiet, sitting behind his desk, chin rested on his folded hands as he studies her. She just waits there patiently, silent, for what feels like minutes. Eventually, her father's hand slowly moves to his desk, tapping a piece of partially folded parchment.
"This...is a letter from Gilroy Stone. Would you like to guess what it says?" (Master Silver)
Her eyes move to the letter, pretending to study it in silence for several moments. After a few seconds, while she's trying to decide whether she might actually need to respond and what she should say, her father's voice interrupts.
"I'll tell you...it says, in so many words, that they have decided against any marriage between you and Tegan. Now, Gilroy didn't provide any clear reasoning beyond personal incompatibility, but what do you think could have caused this sudden change?" (Master Silver)
Sensing this particular question is not rhetorical, she lowers her head meekly, her voice as repentant as she can manage.
"I...apologize for striking him, Father. As I said, it was because he-" (Alto)
BAM!
Her father's palm slams the desk, cutting her off with a furious expression. He raises his voice slightly, his tone almost mocking.
"Because he touched you a little? Who cares!? You were inviting him to do it, and all of this could have been avoided if you just let him! It would have been enough to corner him into a marriage, at which point he'd have done far more to you than that anyway. Don't make excuses to me for your own stupidity, girl. I didn't raise you to be this useless." (Master Silver)
Hearing that, Alto can't help but note with some surprise that she doesn't become angry at her father, or feel a deep injustice over the situation, like she thought she would. Nor does she feel any shame or guilt like her father clearly thinks she should. Instead, noticing her mother's resolute silence, she just feels...empty, finally confronting the nature of her relationship with her so-called family.
She lowers her head a little further, her expression tactically hidden from her parents, and she speaks softly.
"I'm sorry, Father. I promise to work hard to atone for this inconvenience, and I'm sure I will find an equally suitable husband, in time." (Alto)
Her father scoffs.
"You will most certainly atone, but you will do so by remedying this." (Master Silver)
Although the comment causes a pit in her stomach, her suspicions already mounting about what her father has in mind, she raises her eyebrows, hoping to convey confusion.
"But Patriarch Stone has already rejected the proposal...me apologizing won't mend anything now." (Alto)
Her father slowly lowers himself back into his seat, fixing Alto with an expectant expression.
"Correct, but there are other ways to achieve our goal." (Master Silver)
She notices her mother glance away subtly following her father's vague comment. She furrows her brow, continuing to suppress any other expression that could expose her awareness of what he may suggest.
"How?" (Alto)
Her father leans forward, drumming his fingers on the desk as he stares at her pointedly.
"It's simple, really. Regardless of what this letter says, it's clear from the timing that the proposal is being suddenly rejected because you slapped Tegan, rebuking his advances and disrespecting him. He is a young man, after all, and I'm sure his pride is deeply hurt.
"So, I will invite the Stone family to be hosted at our estate, under the pretense of putting this matter to a close. They won't be able to politely decline my invitation after sending such a letter, after all. And once they're here, on the night they arrive...you will slip into Tegan's room, sincerely apologize for your reaction before, and offer your body to him without reservation. As long as he accepts, that's enough leverage to link our families and business empires." (Master Silver)
The words leave his mouth so casually, his demeanor one of cold indifference, of someone expecting unconditional obedience, that even though she was somewhat expecting it, Alto's blood can't help but run cold. The ease with which her father's asking this of her...no, demanding this of her...is worse than she imagined. Painful, even.
Because it's not just that he's telling her to effectively sell her body like it's worthless, or the complete disregard for her feelings as he does so, it's the deeper meaning behind exactly why and how he's asking her to do it.
Elven culture is not the same as human culture, even among nobility and otherwise wealthy families. There's not the same puritanical fixation on chastity, nor the default expectation that a man is permanently responsible for any woman he sleeps with. If two elven nobles' children fall prey to a night of passion, the families' reputations will not, on principle, be damaged if the two children do not wed.
However, in the case of the Stone and Silver families, where there was a lengthy courting phase pushed for by the Silvers, followed by a very recent termination by the Stones, her father's plan could take advantage of the circumstances. Given her age, and the Silvers' well-documented desire for a marriage, if Tegan really sleeps with Alto so close to the Stones' rejection, it would appear like he enticed her with a promise of marriage just to 'claim her innocence'.
If Tegan did not marry her after that, her father would have significant leverage to damage the Stone family's reputation if he so wished. Of course, the damage would be far from catastrophic, and probably not even enough to force the Stones into accepting the original marriage proposal. However, whatever else she may think of her father, she knows he's not dumb enough to overlook this fact. Which means...
She looks at her father incredulously, a trace of the pain she's feeling at the implications of his request seeping into her voice.
"And...after? What do you expect us to gain from me...doing that?" (Alto)
He leans back in his chair, raising his eyebrows.
"Well, marriage is off the table...you've certainly made sure of that. But, we should have enough leverage to have Tegan take you as a concubine or something. It's not ideal, but our families will still become one, especially once you eventually have a child. Of course, it simply won't do to have a concubine as the next head of the Silver Medallion Trading Company.
"However, having a son-in-law as competent as Tegan take over until your child becomes of age is an acceptable compromise. As for your personal drop in station, you only have your own foolishness to blame." (Master Silver)
Her father continues watching her idly, a calm, calculating expression on his face. Meanwhile, despite her best efforts to manage her expectations before this meeting, having them met and even darkly exceeded...hurts.
The complete disregard for her own wants and feelings, the absolute vulgarity and humiliation of what she's being asked to do, the utter lack of appreciation for her hard work and everything else she could offer as a daughter, and the blatant lack of gratitude...the audacity, to ask her to endure all of that just to have her place in the family stripped from her. It hurts her in a way she hadn't thought possible.
At the same time, she feels a sense of bitter understanding that she was naive to think this situation was ever avoidable. From what she knows of Tegan, she was never going to win him over. This letter from the Stones, phrased exactly as it is, was always going to come. Her father was always going to blame her for it. She was always going to be given this vile request, and she was never going to be able to fulfill it. And, as much as everything about this situation hurts, there's also a kind of...unburdening, in that realization.
As if on a final whim, she glances towards her mother, wondering if, just maybe, at least one of her parents is not so cold. That she matters more than this to someone. That she's more than a tool to anyone here. But...her mother won't meet her gaze, and remains silent.
That's the last thing Alto needs...or perhaps, can bear...to see.
"I refuse." (Alto)