Esme's POV
Getting home, my princess was curled by the door and instantly latched on my legs when she saw me. Was there anything cats did other than eat, sleep, and rule the house when we weren't in? She did those perfectly though.
I looked at the warm house, and a small grin spread to my lips. "I'm finally home!!" A wild laughter escaped my lips as I danced around. At home where I can be myself without judgy people around me.
"Ah, Denim!" I swung her around. "Today, I didn't bring anything from the event, but I can make you something quick." I took off my outside shoes, grabbed the apron, then swung off the dress I wore, having my shirt and black shorts underneath. "Let's get to work!"
If my Uncle had seen me, he'd ask, "what lady wore shorts and shirt inside a silk dress?"
Me. His niece. The one he raised to wear her first dress when she turned fifteen so all dresses felt very formal and restricting. Also, the weather was cooler these days and I didn't have friends to huddle with at events. Silk was too light.
"Oh, Levine returned." I said to my cat, making her food. "Damn him, but he looks better now. Taller too." I dropped the plate in front of her. "He said he came to celebrate my nineteenth but he obviously came back to get married." I shook my head.
"Which unfortunate did he lay his eyes on? Does she know he nearly killed us thrice in his adventures?" I glanced at Denim eating and went back to the kitchen. "Better her than me, for sure."
Talking to myself—and Denim— had kept me mostly sane for the last few years. Uncle became a popular baker, earning even the Baron's respect and a chance to serve Earls and Marquesses. He had less time for me, except when I had to help him make his order counts.
Levine travelled in and out of the region to train with his Uncle since he turned sixteen, in hopes that his werewolf genes kicked in as he was a rare half-elf too. This last trip was the longest, but soon he'd be married and leave forever.
For me, I might just look for a proper male cat for Denim so I could get kittens. It'll just be us soon enough.
~~~
The dishes were done, the kitchen sparkly neat, and the leftover cookies were 'cleaned out'. I belched. "What is that? Orders?" I lazily asked the cat that held a letter in her mouth.
She didn't move, so I rolled to grab her. She meowed in displeasure but didn't move away. "Peeking at Uncle's private letters." I said, seeing the letter wasn't a pastry order. "You are truly my child, Denim." I tore it open, knowing fully well it wasn't a love letter.
I sat straight. Why was this empty letter addressed to me? "Oh, for my birthday? Wait, in three days?" I covered the date with my palm. Did Uncle lose his memory? Or did he regain them? He'd never known my birthday and we picked a day close to his guess. Why did he have an exact date written down all of a sudden?
I had picked the fourteenth of the second month since they were annoying people celebrating that day. "My birthday is on the tenth of the first month." I said fondly. "Ah! He always took me to ring fights on that day and said it was a family holiday. We used to swim, fish..."
So it's actually my birth date? Why did he hide it from me? Amongst other things I knew he hid from me. Like why my parents had actually abandoned me. It couldn't just be because I was wolfless as humans existed and still fit in society.
"I'd be turning nineteen sooner than I thought." I returned the piece of paper where it had been.
Would something happen when I turned nineteen? Would he send me to my parents? I had doubts but I grew used to this place. It was easier staying alone within a familiar place.
My shoulders slumped and I dropped Denim. The thought that Uncle might abandon me made the knot in my stomach tightened. Would I be lonelier than I planned?
"I'm sure my parents wouldn't approve of you, Denim. You shouldn't have found this letter and hoped uncle forgets it." I scolded. She purred sadly and stared at me with big eyes. That cuteness couldn't help us now.
We could be separated and uncle could leave her in the street. If she's lucky, Levine would take her but his wife might not approve as many young ladies disliked cats for being 'lazy' and 'dirty'.
"Let me know when he gets back. I'd be in a better mood and act like I didn't see anything. Who knows? It could actually be nothing serious."
She replied by going to the door. I inhaled and exhaled. Goddess help me.
My birthday came—the actual date, on the family holiday.
Uncle started with an unusual gift, a black velvet dress with a jacket. A ruby jewellery set that matched my blood-colored hair and brown eyes. He also told me that they'd be a painter at the lake we'd be fishing at.
My body had shook terribly. My uncle always raised me to be strong, capable, and mold my own path because I was made for greatness and leadership. Inadvertently, he never indulged me in feminine hobbies because he said it didn't suit me.
Yet here I was swirling around in my dress. This suits me!
"Denim, don't I look like that lady's daughter during her engagement party?" I struck a pose identical to her. Keeping a hand on my waist, my left shoulder forward, and angling my head.
Denim yawned. I took it as a 'yes'. I stared at myself, long enough for my smile to fade. Was this really a parting ceremony? Did Uncle want to get a painted image of me because he wouldn't be seeing me for a while?
He might've raised me to be tough but he'd never been tough on me and I felt every win or pain I experienced. Was all this so he could move on? "Are we really going away, Denim?"
The door slammed as uncle arrived, angry, possibly because the neighbour's dogs were barking at him, as always. "Young lady, let's leave. The painter would arrive any minute." He said, back turned to me.
My smile returned and I hurried to him. "The dress is beautiful. Thank you."
He turned to me and dropped the baskets he held. "Hmm… make a spin."
I frowned but did as he said. I faced him, with a raised brow. He nodded as if he approved of something. "You're welcome." He continued packing the baskets of bread and fruits.
"Cost you a fortune, didn't it?" I teased.
"Yes, and it's custom-made. Costs half of my livelihood."
My jaw fell to my legs. Half? Was he playing along with me? Did he really customize a dress for his one and only niece? My eyes fluttered furiously. "Really?! I didn't know I meant that much?" I was only half-teasing. "To be fair, I am your only niece but you're also the best Uncle I could ask for."
"Stop your chattery and pack the cat." He scolded, but I knew he liked it. "And do that in less than twenty minutes."
I swirled in the dress again and grabbed Denim. "Yes, sire!"
We left afterwards and for some reason, I hoped no one saw me in this dress. It was pretty and all, but I couldn't help but think it probably didn't suit me. We arrived just before the sunset and my uncle arranged for the picnic. We were alone as the painter hadn't arrived.
I helped arrange and stayed at one end of the mat, waiting for the bad news he'd drop as we were ready. "What?" He asked. "We can't start fishing right away. You could stain yourself before the painter comes."
"I know." I looked away. "Why... are we doing all these though?"
I tried to sound cheerful. "There's a big event coming and you want to sell some paintings? Or am I travelling somewhere with you?"
"Don't we always do this on this day?"
"Yes… but without the dress and painting. Why are they important today? Why does everything feel… different?" Was it only because it was my last teen year and transition to adulthood by law, so it was more notable?
He made a long sigh, and looked up. He wouldn't give more excuses after that. I braced myself. Would I be sent back to my parents? Sent away to another location to run a bakery? Or worse, married off to a merchant?!
"The Seven Princes of the Deity would take you today."
Silence.