"Then I won't."

"I think that's enough kitchen duty for one day. Back to your room with you."

"Yes, Soph. Thank you again. You're a good teacher."

She sighs again, rubbing her forehead. "Again with the praise. But I suppose someone has to teach you these things."

She sets off down the corridors towards Isabel's room, with a backward glance to make sure she's following.

Isabel follows, quiet and reserved.

At the door of Isabel's room, Soph pauses, and looks at her.

"... Good luck," she finally says. And then she's gone back down the hallway.

Isabel makes herself at home in her room again, and settles in to try to read some more. She thinks she'll go back to the simpler books for now.

The next morning, Maxwell is back again...

... and he's brought a blonde-haired woman in a simple silk dress with him.

"Isabel, this is my niece Aria. She's going to be your tutor. 'Niece', in this case, means she's my unlanded sister's daughter."

"Unlanded?" Isabel tilts her head.

"Something to ask her, I think." He bows to the pair. "I have work to attend to. Please be gentle with her, Aria."

"Of course, uncle. I'll do my best."

She curtseys back; then she frowns slightly. 

"- Could you have a chair brought in? I don't have anywhere to sit."

"I'll inform the staff. Have fun, you two."

And he's gone again.

Aria walks across the room, and leans against the dresser. "So... I think we should get to know each other a little bit better, before we get down to the lesson. Please tell me if I'm going too fast or if you don't understand something in what I'm about to say... In any case. I'm Aria Latea; I'm from a cadet branch of the Lateas, which means that I'm not rich, but I get looked after by my wealthy family in exchange for favors l do them, like tutoring you."

She taps a thumb against her collarbone. "I'm... not precisely a noble, but not precisely common either... I think our situations are a little comparable, actually."

"What's a noble? Maxwell said noblewomen should learn how to read... it's clearly some kind of person. It's not like being human, though... Maxwell implied I could be noble and also special..."

"A noble is..." Aria rests her chin on her hand for a moment. "Someone who rules over other people, generally through wealth, particularly the holding of land, slaves and magic... Usually it runs in families, so if you're born to a noble you stand to inherit their wealth. Commoners are the kind of person who aren't born into ruling. I'm associated with a noble family, but I'm not actually wealthy or powerful; that's what it means to be part of a cadet branch."

"Land? Slaves? Inherit?"

"Land is - just, you know, places. Owning it means you get to control who uses it for what - so if you own forest you might be able to control who gathers herbs or hunts there, if you own plains you get to control who uses it to grow food, and usually that means that people pay you for that usage... There's a thing called taxes where commoners pay the nobility money and in turn the nobility keeps them safe from monsters and bandits. Inheritance is when you give part or all of your estate to your children, most often when you die or retire."

She frowns. "My uncle might not want me to tell you about slaves, but I think they're necessary for you to understand your situation properly. Slaves are people who are owned by other people. If they disobey their masters or attempt to run away, the slave will be recaptured and punished. Usually they're kept by use of a slave tattoo, which is a black collar of ink that rings their neck and prevents them from disobeying orders unless they would endanger the slave's life."

Isabel blinks. "... am I a slave?"

"That's a very good question. It's ambiguous. Because you were created by Maxwell, legally you're his - so technically, yes. But the tattoo at your neck isn't a slave brand - see, let me try telling you something silly - kneel!" 

Isabel remains standing. "So if I'm not a slave and not not a slave, what am I?"

"Somewhere between Maxwell's daughter, lover, and slave. He wants you to have a higher education; that's already better than most slaves get. But your life is decided by him; you're living in his mansion, being protected and looked after by him, and in turn serving him. Going by the collar on your neck, you're a servant - not quite a slave, but someone dedicated to making others happy and being ruled, rather than ruling."

"I see..." Isabel tilts her head. "That doesn't sound so bad. I think Maxwell's been telling me roughly that all along."

"It's not so bad, living like us, at the whim of a noble who provides for you. But it has downsides, too. Like my being called in as a 'favor' and knowing that I can't honestly refuse it if I want to keep my comfortable life."