You won't believe that Calix actually came for my hand in marriage just the next day would you? Well you have to.
"My daughter Astoria is the youngest of all my children. I don't think I can let her get married before her sisters," father deadpanned. Something told me that from the way he was behaving, he was sure he can decline the Arch Duke's son openly.
"I am just here to ask for her hand in marriage, meaning betrothing us," Calix pointed out coolly. Everyone in the family were gathered at the hall, all shocked at this proposal. Calix is one of the top handsome men in the whole Kingdom, here he was, asking for a pathetic me's hand in marriage.
Of course I was sneaking around, just so I could evesdrop. In all honesty, I didn't feel it, the marriage thing. It just doesn't feel right. It could be because I am potentially depriving Calix of chances to find true love.
There was silence when Calix said that.
"Are your parents aware?" was the sigh I heard from father. There was silence, yeah I remember, the Arch Duchess doesn't like me.
"The Arch Duke knows. He sent me here, Count Edgar," there was some warning reminder in Calix's tone. There was also descending in it. There was a tense silence but I could see Verbena fidgeting, she wanted to speak out but still had to care for her reputation. Poor thing was having it hard.
"I am only looking out for the Arch Duke's reputation. How can a prostitute's daughter who has no face, no education and no respect be the future Arch Duchess?" there was a different type of embarrassment I felt when father said that. He sounded so disgusting and pathetic while saying such bullshit.
"And she is still your child, you gave life to her," Calix reminded him. Verbena who was looking at the floor, biting the hell out of her lips looked up, her eyes shimmering.
Gosh, she is crying! She is crying?
I wasn't planning on staying for long, so I made to leave, but Verbena suddenly talking made me stay.
"What do you even see in her? She has nothing interesting!" finally the beauty cried out. I shook my head with a pitiful sigh. Why did she have to be like this? She could get any man she likes, if she changed her behavior and attitude altogether that is. But she decides to just be pathetic.
"Lady Verbena," it sounded as if he was acknowledging her presence for the first time.
"She is ugly, she has no reputation, she has no education background, she has no manners and she is most certainly not lovable!"
Was she describing me? For some reason, she reminds me of my cousin back in 21st century. She studied at Harvard actually, so she always used it against me. I could also have studied there, just that my brain still didn't know how to work. Doesn't mean I was dumb, psht.
"I don't know what you are all talking about, a hand in marriage Count Edgar and the marriage might happen after your other daughters' "
"Why not me? I am pretty and everything else!"
It seems as if she won't let it go. But from my understanding of Calix, he will just keep on ignoring her.
"Fine," finally the Count gave in. Sena was trying to shush Verbena so she won't continue making herself a laughing stock. "But you are not allowed to see her today."
Why? Oh, I still have to finish off my punishment today.
"As long as she is my fiance, I am in no rush," was Calix's words before I climbed up to my room. I thought someone found the letter and I would be in major trouble. I was just overthinking I guess. Thank God.
It had been three days since I became an engaged woman. Woman, an eighteen year old is more what we call a woman. Ah, the past era really isn't the same as 21st century where I would have considered marriage at thirties.
Will I ever forget my hate? My past? And totally devote myself to someone else's revenge and life?
No.
Is this even my life or Astoria's? Will she one day take it away from me? I highly doubt the last one, but the others gives me a headache.
Is my uncle running rampant now? I was too eager and filled with hate that I lost everything, and as a punishment or something of second chance, I got deported into a less luckier body.
You won't even imagine where I am heading while thinking about all this shit. I am heading over to a whorehouse. Wait, it's rude to term it that way, am heading to my mother's origin. That sounds much better.
I walk inside the same place I had come to the night before Calix's ball. I took myself to the manager's room. I don't know if they call themselves managers in this era.
"Matilda!" I call out when I saw her going out of her room. She turned to look at me and immediately rushed towards me, pulling me away into her room. "You seem eager. Why did you call for me?"
She bit her lip. "Someone came to look for you after your performance," she says. I didn't have a reaction, I would be surprised if no one came to look for me, I mean, I was the main event. Cocky much? Don't worry, am boosting my confidence.
"So? I thought you told me you will cover up for me. You told me you would tell anyone that came for me that I am a traveller dancer."
She sighed, slapping her thigh. "That is what I said, not even the ladies you were with know you!" she assured me.
I raise a brow. "What actually happened?"
"The Duke came over personally. He threatened to close down my business if I don't produce you to him!"
Who? Duke? Huh? Was he at the party? Obviously, why am I even asking. "The Duke?"
"He says I must look for you and take you to him, he has a ball four days from now. He says he can fulfill your wishes, even if you want to become the Duchess."
"Why would I? I am engaged to the the future Arch Duke," I decline.
"How do you expect him to know that?" she sighed before she stiffened. "You are engaged to who?" she sounded surprised in a dreadful way.
"Arch Duke's son?"
She gasps. "Your mother..... deary.... Astoria!"
I already know she used to work with mother before mother was taken away by the Count. I understand if she thinks I will suffer the same fate, I mean I got a reputation just like my mom's anyways.
"Mother will be assured I can take of myself," I reassure her. She shakes her head.
"I don't know what to say, so I'll leave it to you, but if you run into trouble you know where to run to. Your mother was my best friend, I'll take care of her daughter," she whispers. I could hear hesitation and disapproval.
"Now about this Duke," I start. I possibly couldn't put this business into trouble when I was the one who convinced her to get me to dance. It took alot of words for her to understand I wasn't following my mother's footsteps.
"Don't worry about this anymore. I'll just face him, I am already tired, it's time to retire," she sighs.
"If he uses such methods, I have no choice than to meet him now do I?"