Page 8 of The Searching Songbird

Chapter Five

Lily waited impatiently for her father to finish reading his correspondence over breakfast the next day. Her knees bounced up and down beneath the table, her food sitting untouched on the plate in front of her. Rosemary raised an eyebrow at her from across the table.

“What's with the fasting? You feeling alright?”

“I'm fine.” Lily glanced over at her father, as he took a sip of coffee, eyes still locked on whatever he was reading. “Just not hungry. All of that rich food at the party yesterday, you know?” She patted her stomach. Rosemary looked skeptical, but shrugged and turned her attention to Violet, who was pushing her own food around her plate with a look of consternation.

“What about you? Don't tell me you're not hungry, either, Vi. Cause I happen to know breakfast is your favorite meal of the day.” She leaned forward, pointing a fork at their sister. “Not to mention your complete lack of reading material. When was the last time you ate breakfast without a book in your face?”

Violet bit her lip, looking back and forth between Rosemary and Lily. “Actually, I have something I'd like to speak to you all about.” She looked down the table at their father, who had finally set down the letter he'd been reading. “I received some rather exciting news the other day, but I didn't want to bring it up until after the wedding.” She hesitated, fidgeting in her chair.

“Well, don't stop there. Spit it out all ready,” Rosemary prodded.

Violet took a deep breath. “I've been accepted to the University of Eldour, in Gardeen. I'm going to start studying there this fall.”

Lily gasped, clapping her hands in excitement. “Oh, Violet, that's amazing! Congratulations!”

“That's wonderful, Vi!” Rosemary chimed in, reaching across the table to give Violet's hand a squeeze.

“The University?” Their father stared at their sister in confusion. “I thought they only accepted male students.” He raised his hands in defense as three matching glares turned his way. “I'm not saying I agree with the policy, I'm just saying... well, you know.”

“As it happens, that archaic policy has recently been revised,” Violet said primly, folding her hands together in her lap and giving their father a superior look. “Thanks to our new queen, who is both wise and wonderfully progressive. My class will be the first to include women, as well as men. It will be quite historical, really.”

“Will there be a lot of other women attending, then?” Lily asked, forgetting her own news as she got caught up in the excitement of Violet's declaration.

“Well, no, not really. Only a handful of women applied. Out of those, I believe there were only four others, not including myself, who were accepted.”

“So you'll be one of only five women on a campus full of young men?” Rosemary grinned. “Maybe I should apply for next term. I like those odds.”

“As if you'd make it past the initial exam,” Violet scoffed. “They don't test you on flirtation techniques, you know.”

“That's a shame. I would have aced that test, for sure.” Rosemary leaned back in her chair, looking across the table at Lily. “So I guess that just leaves the two of us, huh? We can hardly be The Four Flowers, anymore. The Two Petals, perhaps...”

“Well, as it just so happens...” Lily swallowed, glancing over at her father. “I, uh... I was hoping to... that is, I'd like to...”

Everyone was staring at her now, and she felt her courage falter under their gazes. She clenched her fists under the table. Just say it.

“I want to go to Roshka. The city of Flores, to be specific. I've heard the music there is the finest in all of Lehi, and I... I want to make a name for myself there. As a singer.”

It wasn't a lie, per se. She would like to stretch her wings as a performer, see if she could hold her own without her family paving the way all the time. The fact that there was a potentially dangerous man there that she'd be on the hunt for didn't need to be mentioned.

“I'm twenty years old, more than fully grown. It's time I made a life for myself that wasn't dependent on my family.” Her shoulders fell, and she looked around the table. “Not that I don't love performing with everyone, but things are changing. I'm ready for a change, too.”

There was silence for a beat after this announcement, and Lily held her breath, waiting. Finally, there was a creak as Rosemary pushed her chair back from the table and stood up.

“Our little girl is all grown up.” She clasped her hands over her chest, pretending to sniffle. Violet bumped Lily's shoulder with her own, a slow grin forming on her face.

“You'd better write to me at the University. I want to hear all about the adventures you're bound to have.”

“Ooh, me too. I want to hear about the handsome, young men you meet. I may have to visit you there sometime,” Rosemary added, dropping back down into her chair with a grin.

Lily smiled at her sisters, grateful for their support. Her father, however, was being awfully quiet. A quick peek at his face didn't help things. He looked like a storm cloud getting ready to let loose. She steeled herself for the coming blast.

“You want to travel to Flores. By yourself.” His voice was even and measured, but there was a tremor of something else brewing just beneath the surface. Anger? Fear? It was hard to tell.

She lifted her chin. “Not completely alone. I'll have Suzu with me, don't forget.” She looked him in the eye, her gaze steady. “I'm not a helpless child, father. I'm going to Flores. Hopefully, with your blessing.”

He held her gaze for a moment before shaking his head and standing up. “I don't like it. You're too young. It's not safe.”