"What brings you here, Felicia?" Alexander asked, irked to know what she wants this time. His face had this annoying smile that you could say that he really doesn't like Felicia being around them. Even Helena was smiling at her but it was fake. Too obvious.
"Ah, I have come to pick up the dirty handkerchief that I accidentally let go of," Felicia answered with a smile while having a faint blush on her cheeks. Young Lord Liam then blinked as he then grabbed something from his pocket.
"I see, are you talking about this, then? I saw this on the ground." Liam answered as hand over the piece of cloth to Felicia who softly placed her hands on the cloth and smiled towards Liam.
"Thank you, Young Marquis." Felicia thanked him as she bowed her head. Helena's face immediately turned sour as her eyes stared at how the Marquis smiled towards Felicia who suddenly acts shy all of a sudden.
"Well then... I'm sorry for disturbing your time, I'll be off now." Felicia said as she curtsied and turned around, waiting for the marquis to call her to join them in tea together. It will be quite fun if she can observe them.
As she was about to take a step on the stair, the marquis whom she was waiting to call for her, finally opened his mouth. "Wait, my lady. Would you like to join us in enjoying tea at the gazebo?" The marquis called.
Felicia turned her head and smiled at the marquis who finally did what she wanted him to do. "It would be my pleasure but it seems my brother and my sister oppose the idea of me, joining your precious time together." She said, acting pitiful, with teary eyes.
That made even Alexander furious as to how Felicia acted. It's like she's portraying how bad they were towards her when all of them just wanted to enjoy their time with his best friend. Even Helena gasp at what Felicia said.
"S-sister! It's not like that! I never did something like that... Brother..." Helena called as her tears started to roll down her cheeks, being accused of something. Alexander who saw Helena in her state immediately barked towards Felicia who was smiling inside at how shallow they were.
"You're accusing us, Felicia. We never told you anything like that. " Alexander said, glaring at Felicia whose tears started to run down on her cheek. Young Lord Liam who witnessed how sly Felicia was, couldn't help but grin. Deliberately attacking them in front of their guests is somewhat very strong for her to do it.
Liam was fascinated by how Felicia acted. What a splendid performance, it could garner her supporters but of course, the current social world is in favour of Helena, the Saintess of the empire.
"Brother... Am I, not your sister too? I too am your sister but you chose to not invite me to a tea party and proceeded to take Helena to meet your guest. If not for my handkerchief falling on the ground, I wouldn't be able to meet Young Lord Liam." She commented, spicing up the heated argument.
Alexander was really mad, he was getting embarrassed by Liam who witnessed their family drama just because of this damn Felicia. She should have stayed in that musty room!
"Alexander, let Lady Felicia join us. She seems eager to join our quality time. It's not that bad for her to join us. What do you think?" Liam said, adding gasoline to the raging fire. With Liam's request, Felicia hid her wide grin as Alexander gritted his teeth, staring at her like mad man and sighed.
Her eyes then glance at Helena, looking at Alexander with eyes opposing Felicia joining the tea. However, with the guest requested that it would be nice to have Felicia, he nodded his head out of frustration, making Helena's eyes go wide.
"Suit yourself. You're lucky Liam invited you in." Alexander said and heaved another sigh. Felicia smiled and nodded her head as he closed the distance between them. "Thank you, brother." She said happily like a child.
Alexander glared the last time towards Felicia as he escorted Liam to where the garden was. Helena and Felicia were walking behind them since it is against the etiquette of women to walk in front of men.
'Fucking social structures in favour of men.' She sighed. The Empire's social structure displays that men are in power to exert their dominance against women. A patriarchal society in which men lead the politics, social structure, and family. A biased institution where women have no power to control men.
The females' only role to play in this dominant system of men is to serve and be filial to their husbands, whether they're abusive, cheating, or addicted to gambling, women have no right to say no to them.
Noble women are given only a quarter of what a man's power has, considering that their noble titles are inherently recognised the moment they sign marriage.
But that differs from the noble titles that women have as the wife of a nobleman. Still has limitations compared to the empress, the mother of all citizens.
"Ouch!" A yelp came out from Helena's eyes that made Felicia look at her. She stumbled herself and landed on Liam's back, clutching his arms and looking at him with teary eyes. Of course, it's a plot, the lawn is clear and there are no pebbles for her to stumble.
"I-Im so sorry Marquis!" Helena said as she stood up properly, blushing at how she accidentally held him. Alexander who heard her yelp immediately turned his back towards her, checking if she was alright or not.
"You! What did you do?!" Alexander exclaimed towards Felicia who was just standing next to them in a refined manner. Funny, she was just standing at least inches away from Helena when that all happened. How bias.
"I did nothing wrong, Brother. I was merely standing there, following you both." She said as she stopped the urge to roll her eyes in front of them. She jested that Helena would aim this child's play towards her. It can't be a scheme since it's too basic.
'With novels, I read a lot involving plotting schemes, this is considered as child's play. How stupid.' She thought to herself.
"I-It's okay... I merely tripped because of my gown that stuck on my shoes. Please forgive me for my insolence, Young Lord Liam. For merely I am still studying etiquette." She said, bowing her head.
Surprisingly, she didn't blame Felicia, making Felicia more suspicious of how she acted. Or is it because she simply wanted the young lord's attention, the reason why she pulled that lame skill of hers?
'And yet, Felicia was ostracized with this lousy scheme of hers. It's unbelievable. There must be something suspicious that someone plotted.' She thought once again as it was very suspicious. If Helena has this level of scheme then there must be something bigger, helping her behind the curtain.
"No. I understand. The lady still is studying of course. I am simply in awe that your knowledge is quite broad that it fascinates me how you still have to comprehend your subject through years of living in the dukedom. I'm speechless." Marquis Liam said.
A smirk appeared in Felicia's mouth, almost letting out a snicker at how his insult was hidden through a compliment. He's basically saying that for years of her living inside, she still needs to study basic knowledge.
As someone who's very intelligent and a promising scholar, Marquis Liam downgrades her real bad with words that insults her. Even the heir to the duchy, Alexander has no clue that Liam just insulted his beloved sister.
Helena was blushing with the compliment that was thrown at her by the marquis. Alexander too was very proud of having Helena at her side as he glance towards Felicia who was staring at them with a smile on her face.
With his side glance, Felicia could tell that he was boasting Helena's knowledge towards his scholar friend that insulted Helena by merely hiding his insults in a compliment, spitting flower words to hide his real intention.
"Thank you, Young Lord Liam." She said, smiling wide as she curtsied that Liam couldn't help but grin at her response. As Liam glanced at Felicia, he could tell that the young lady understands his words as she was smiling towards Helena who enjoyed being praised.
"Of course, my sister is quite smart than anyone else. She's an intelligent lady." Alexander said proudly. Helena then blush even further after being boosted by Alexander himself.
He was implying that Helena is smarter than Felicia who had not taken any single lesson to learn. Yet in Liam's point of view, Felicia is smarter than it looks outside. She wouldn't be brainy if she hadn't understood what he meant earlier.
"Yes... Very intelligent. It's interesting." Liam said, chuckling as they began to walk to where the gazebo was. As they arrived, the refreshments were already served as there were only three seats in the round table.
Seeing this, Felicia sighed and almost let out a chuckle. Another scheme? Please, this is not even a scheme compared to the books that have heavy schemes and plots contained.