Tina hid her face with embarrassment as Mia happily skipped through the streets of Lucrin in her knee length dress. Many people were staring and whispering amongst themselves. Tina knew exactly what they were thinking, although Mia couldn't care less. Her clothes had arrived and Atlier had given her permission to leave the estate (granted she had company with her). She was feeling pretty happy and pleased.
"Mia people are staring…." Tina whispered as Mia stopped at the arcade place.
"They have every right to stare. Let's go in here Tina! How does this place work?"
Tina began to explain as Mia dragged her inside. It was a large room filled with multiple small half walls, each designated to their own game. As the two walked along the aisles Tina explained that the vendors assigned to each game served as a referee; watching and keeping tally on the points earned. Depending on how many points you gained, you would receive a corresponding colored card, which could be tallied up at the back of the establishment to exchange for prizes. While you could play the games free of charge, you did have to pay money to receive your point card.
"I wonder if this is how arcades originated…" Mia thought as Tina pointed out a game.
"Look, Mia. This one is quite popular, but it's almost impossible to get any points. You should stay away from this one."
It looked to be similar to one that Mia played with her grandfather at a festival. There was a medium sized tub of water with miniature fishing rods lined up next to it. Floating in the water were long green leaves with lit candles on top. According to Tina, the goal of the game was to use your fishing rod to put out the flame, by only touching the leaf. If you put the flame out by pushing over the candle, or by splashing water onto the candle, you would not receive any points. "What an odd game." Mia thought before stepping into the 'arena'.
Tina's eyes looked like they were going to bulge out of her head and she grabbed Mia's arm, pulling her back away, "That's not a good idea." Mia shrugged, "It's free as long as I don't take the point card right? Then what's the harm?"
"Please Mia, you'll get people's attention if you play!"
"Are you ashamed of me? I don't care if I get people's attention, I want to play it."
Mia ignored Tina's please and stepped up the vendor, asking to play. He handed her one of the miniature fishing rods and re-explained the rules to her. Mia felt the fishing rod, it felt pretty light, and the fishing hook didn't even seem like real metal, but she would try anyways. She dipped her rod in, brought it up so the edge of the leaf and the neck of the hook met and swiftly pulled up.
The hook merely slipped over the leaf. "What?!" she exclaimed. She tried and tried again, each time failing. People began to form a queue and raising commotion stating that they wanted to play already. "One more try, one more try!" Mia exclaimed in response.
Finally, the vendor stood up and took the rod from her. "Okay missy that's enough for today."
"Yeah, someone get this hussy out of here!" someone from the crowd yelled.
"HUSSY?!" Mia thought, she turned swiftly on her heel, ready to start a fight with whoever said that, but she was reduced to nothingness when she saw the hoard of large angry men yelling from behind her. "Alright, I'm sorry. I will leave you all to play now." She took Tina's hand and they began to walk off when the vendor called them back. "Hey, hey, hey! You have to pay."
"What? I didn't get a point card though. I thought it was free to play until then." Mia tilted her head in confusion, as did Tina.
"You've played almost the whole day away missy. It's free to play but only to an extent." He continued to lecture her before finally giving her the total. Mia's face went pale. She didn't have that much on her. Tina pushed Mia towards the door, "Wait outside, I will cover it. This was my fault anyways."
Mia slowly exited, looking back to make sure Tina was okay. When Mia was finally gone, Tina leaned into the vendor and whispered, "I'm very sorry sir. She is Duke Montz's newest possession and she doesn't know anything about etiquette or how to properly behave herself….as I'm sure you can tell by how she's dressed. She's even too lowly for me to call her by anything other than her name and I'm only a maid. Please send how much we owe to Duke Montz, he will pay you. I apologize once again."
The men all smirked and cheered and the vendor nodded, letting them go.
Not much went on in the days following that debacle. Atlier paid the bill and laughed his heart out when Mia told him what had happened. Unfortunately, the bill was the least of their worries. As the two of them sat in the study chatting, one of the servants burst in, "Your grace! Duchess Te-" He was cut off as a busty, beautiful, brunette walked in.
She was wearing an exquisite, and obviously expensive, dress with a large hat to match. Not a single strand of hair was out of place and her posture was so perfect, you would think it was impossible for her to slouch at all. Her eyes were a gorgeous deep blue although they were filled with anger and disgust.
"D-Duchess Telna Grace." The servant finished what he was saying as he bowed in her presence. Atlier quickly stood and Mia looked up confused. "Duchess. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Mia glanced up at Atlier, who looked like he was biting his tongue and back at the Duchess who was standing there with a smug look on her face.
The Duchess looked down at Mia, glancing at her bare legs and scoffed. "Why, I'm moving in. It seems the rumors were true. How can I allow my fiancé to fool around with some whore?"
"FIANCE?! WHORE?!" Mia sat there in shock and Atlier stared at the Duchess with his jaw clenched in anger.
"Watch your tongue Duchess. This is house Montz you're in and I will not tolerate such behavior. You may not just move in here simply because you have decided that is what you want."
"Oh dear Atlier. Your parents have agreed that it's best that I move in and we move up the wedding. Don't you know the rumors that have been circulating? 'Duke Montz has a woman who saunters around Lucrin with her bare legs that he keeps as his possession. Even the help are above her in status.' Your servants have also informed me that you've been staying in her room. Your parents are aware of this too, so there's no getting out of it."
Atlier's nose twitched in annoyance. Mia jumped up, "Wait! He hasn't been staying in my room. He's a good man that has just taken me in for a while until I can get my bearings." Mia had been a fiancé once too after all, as crushed as she was, she didn't want to step on the toes of the woman he was about to marry. However, things went differently when Duchess Telna slapped her across the face. Mia kept her cheek turned and clutched her cheek with her hand, tears unvoluntarily formed in her eyes from the sting of the slap.
Atlier immediately grabbed Mia and pulled her behind him. "Do not forget your standing Duchess." He turned to the servant who was awkwardly standing there watching it all and biting his lip. "Escort Duchess Telna Grace to her resting chambers." The servant nodded and after lingering for a moment, Telna flipped her hair and walked off, head held high.
As soon as they were out of ear shot Atlier turned to Mia and lifted her chin with his hand. "Are you alright? I didn't expect that she would do such a thing. Let me see." Mia pulled her chin away from his grasp and blinked tightly, trying to force the tears to retreat. She kept her lips in a tight line and her nostrils flared as she fought the urge to cry. She wanted to tell him that she was fine, but she was unable to mutter the words out. Instead, she said nothing and walked out of the study to return to her room.
He began to follow her but stopped when he heard her sniffling from the distance. Atlier huffed in frustration and leaned against the doorway as he rubbed his temples. "What to do, what to do."