"Hey... do you feel anything for the prince's knight?"
"Who?" as soon as they got on the carriage, she asked Boaife these questions.
The spirit in question was baffled as she raised a brow and crossed her legs while thinking of it. Wren let out a scoff and crossed her arms in front of her. Unbelievable, she already forgot the knight.
"Prince Zairon's knight, Theodore!"
Boaife's mouth formed an O in understanding. It seems like she was being misunderstood by her own master. Ridiculous, just ridiculous to think that there's something going on between her and the knight. Shouldn't it be Wren and Zairon?
"You... why are you like this huh?"
The Duchess smiled at their interaction, "What are you talking about? There's nothing about us."
the two of them are alike, both were oblivious. Yet she didn't say anything because the two may feel disgusted upon hearing it out loud.
Wren can picture it out already, her saying it and Boaife is disgusted. The Duchess remembered something quite like this in the past. Wherein Duke Vacarella doesn't know that she meant she likes him as a man and not as a brother. She chuckled at the memory because her daughter takes up after his father.
But she still doesn't want Wren to be involved with the Imperial Prince.
"Of all things you take after your father... " she sounded sympathetic with this as she sighed. Joelle claps happily, amused by her sister and her contracted spirit as they spat.
Suddenly Wren stood up and huffed while saying, "Listen here, men are stupid."
Boaife nods and agrees, "I know. I mean just look at Cervi." another time wherein Wren's mouth hung open once again and closed it. She can't refute what she said. She's right.
"You know what? Forget what I said." she gave up eventually thinking that it might be best if her spirit is the one who learned what she meant.
***
Everyone in the mansion can hear the loud thuds and slams inside the room followed by a high-pitched voice. The Marchioness again threw a nearby vase near a maid and she instinctively avoided it, but soon her face pales as she slowly glances over at everyone. They were shaking their heads as a sign.
The Marchioness looks at the maid. Everyone knows that even if it hurts, they shouldn't avoid it. Because... what she will do next is more painful.
At that time, something dangerous in her eyes pierced through the maid as she suddenly walked towards her. The other maids swallowed their saliva as they turned around, abandoning the other maid.
Helpless and growing anxiety is creeping up to her neck when Marchioness Farlon spoke in a chilling manner.
"Did I tell you to avoid it?"
This scene has been happening frequently after Lane's disappearance. With no one to vent her anger, the maids and servants of the mansion are the one who were receiving her wrath.
"Ever since the young master has vanished... she's more wasted," Marchioness pulls the maid's hair hard as she drags her across the room, where the broken shards graze her legs.
"My... my lady! Have mercy!" She wailed as tears started to roll down on her cheeks. She clicks her tongue and slaps her twice after being annoyed by her crying. Normally she would ignore this, but seeing her son is not around the estate made her more agitated.
What if he tells anyone that he was being abused? That kid should have just stayed quiet in that tower!
She never felt this kind of emotion that she just wanted to tear down something to make her feel good, right now though this made is making her more angrier. She tugged her hair, pulling it up to see her face full of tears, the maid also grabs her hair while sniffling around.
"Who was in charge of the child that night?!" everyone silently looks at the old lady who wore such an unfazing look at them, "I am, my lady. However the Young Master is heavily sleeping that night."
She has been asking this for weeks now and she didn't get any information. The Marchioness clicks her tongue once, gritting her teeth. Apparently, the Marchioness only noticed her son was missing around one week ago at night.
"Then how did he vanish in the middle of the night?!"
She lowered her head as she said, "That I do not know, my lady," this answer made the marchioness rage in fury, then Lia spoke once again, "I do not know since you only ordered me to give him food and not to help the young master."
she suddenly remembered what she said to the old maid as she turned around, indeed, she did tell her to feed the child. No more than what she had instructed.
Another frustration added as her grip on the maid suddenly tightened. She whimpered and begged mercy on the Marchioness, which she ignored the maid's plea.
"That damned husband of mine... where is he?!" she asked herself as she kicked the maid on her belly multiple times, looking behind at the horrified faces of the other maids.
she said, "GET OUT!"
they hurriedly left the room while the maid on the floor was desperately asking for help from her co-workers. The Marchioness sneered at the maid and stomped her leg with her heel, digging it into her flesh, blood oozed out.
"Ah, ah...huhu" Lia who stayed behind had her eyes open wide at what she just witnessed. The Marchioness smiled.
... she's smiling at the pain of others.
A smile with such an angelic face, but then her eyes are full of malice and glee after hearing the cries of the maid. "How wonderful." she exclaimed
followed by her heels into her upper thigh, the maid violently shook her head and said, "... have mercy, my lady!"
again and again, despite her begging and pleas she was ignored and was being used for the Marchioness to relieve her anger. Lia then walked beside Marchioness Farlon and lowered her head, "my lady, at this rate she might die..."
the marchioness stops and looks at her, a slight glint of madness for a second, enough to make the old woman hold her breath. Then she smiled as she finally pulled her heels out of her flesh.
Blood coated her heels as she looked at Lia, "Treat her then,"
"Understood, my lady," Marchioness Farlon suddenly looked at her coldly while she had her head lowered, after raising it, she smiled and patted her shoulders.
"..." Lia left the eerie room as the Marchioness watched her with something like
Stealthly and quietly, Cervi watched the scene up on the tree. The leaves swayed along the cold wind as raindrops suddenly fell down from the sky. His cloak is slowly being soaked by the rain as he vanishes there.
---------------------------------------------------
"Mom... tell me why I should go to another tea party?" I asked my mother in her office after she sent Noland to my room to give me a letter from House Bates from South.
Apparently my appearance at the Marchioness' tea party made an impression on everyone and so they want me to attend their party. I always throw the letters in the fire since I do not have any interest in it.
"It is time for you to make friends outside the mansion," I never thought that my mother would be so invested in this. "Besides, It will be great if you meet and learn more about other people."
"..." oh yeah, now that I thought about it, those lavender candies I have before can be only bought there.
To get to the south we have to travel early and to be honest I am not fond of long travels. But for the sake of candies, I have to go there.
"not too much sugar, alright?" it seems like she knows what I am thinking, "You will bring Milla and Asa with you."
"I have--"
"You still need to bring them when you travel to the South." mother sternly said leaving no room for argument. I can understand her after all I did faint most of the time and there's so many danger around.
Especially the part where my intruder had successfully escaped. They cannot find his track.
So, today I packed some things. Boaife is the only one who can come with me while Adara, she is having her time at the spirit realm playing with the other spirits.
The party is 2 weeks from now. I have never heard of this family, except that mother said that the Bates has the highest quality gem mining in the empire.
We will travel early since we want to explore South before attending the tea party.
"Just what did they see in you guys?" Boaife asked.
"Our pretty genes." I answered while acting innocent in front of hwr which she showed plainly disgusted by my answer.
"Anyway, are we supposed to leave now?"
Mom said to take a rest if we arrived, since it will be a long journey which will take 2 days. Other than that, I told her I would roam around to see the said tourists spot there.
"The South is a beautiful region filled with lively people." Boaife said as we headed down. Yessenia is already down below with Anna.
Nothing new, she still has her poker face, "Hey, Wren!"
She is also going to come with me since she also received a letter from House Bates. It appears that they have a daughter who might be around our age.
"Did you know that House Bates has so much wealth?"
"Yes."
"Apparently they have no son," I smiled wryly at her comment, it does seem to me that she only came to find a boy there.
"By the way Wren, there is something I'm meaning to ask you." and here we go with her never ending questions. I hope it isn't related to Prince Zairon.
"What is it?"
"You know Colton right? The kid I brought back with me," ah, the kid who was harshly being trained by Sir Antonio. I haven't seen him for a while, "Apparently he was part of clearing the mountains."
"Huh?"
"eh? There are monsters sighted at the mountain. Have you heard?"
damn it, suddenly there are monsters appearing. "Oh, I did not know you were close," that's the only thing I replied, "Well, he heard that I will be going to a tea party in the South. He said that I should be careful."
Why... why do I feel like there is something going on with them or is it because of Zairon's knight and Boaife that made me like this? Ah, I felt a cold shiver passed through my body just by remembering it.
"Anyway, The kid you also brought is weird."
"Why?"
"I called him several times and yet he didn't answer me. He keeps staring at the window!"
hmmm... maybe he's missing Lia? It is what he was talking about for days. I should take her away if I had the chance. The kid seems to know more things, but keeps his mouth shut.
"Another thing, I haven't seen Cervi where is he?" this cousin of mine is asking all kinds of things, "I hope you have a safe travel Young Miss's."
I did not realize Noland is right behind us, as he helped us ride the carriage.
"The Duchess and Duke are currently busy and the reason why they cannot see you off"
I nodded and sat down. Yessenia leaned over and whispered, "Let's buy sweets there. I heard there are many delicious foods there."
Yessenia nodded and added, "Pretty dresses too." I should have known that she will not let this opportunity to buy dresses pass.