Lily was stunned to hear a very loud scream coming from Ariana.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" Ariana questioned even though it was not important right now.
"Is that too surprising? I thought you at least knew that as it's a tradition for a fiancee to live in the same compound even before marriage. Or why do you need to be here? It's basic knowledge..."
Ariana's shoulders fell down instantly. The information really took a toll on her. She does not yet know everything!
"That's the problem, Lily. I don't even have the basic knowledge now. Damn..."
Things are getting more complicated than she is thinking.
~~~~~~~~~~
Next day,
Ariana stood in the third-floor hallway which is built like a bridge that separates her residential area on the east side of the Silver Castle and the west side which is the residence of Zayn, the Duke who had never seen since the incident that day in her private garden. Well, it's not like she wanted to meet him anyway.
Here, she can see the entire palace grounds full of greenery besides seeing the workers doing their jobs cheerfully. This kind of scenery, surprisingly helps her feel calm.
After talking to Lily yesterday until night, Ariana's mind didn't stop thinking even once. It seems like, life here is not easy at all. If she misses one step, her life will be in danger.
But that's not all. Even though Lily has told everything, she knows she won't be satisfied until she does something because the person who knows the most about what happened here, in the end, is Ariana. The real one who originally lived here.
"Seems like I need to follow your step to know more. You are the center of everything that happens anyway. If I want to live peacefully in this world, I need to know you better. " Ariana spoke slowly to herself.
At that time, a big carriage with the crest belonging to the duke's family was seen moving in from the main gate approaching the building on the west side. The Duke, who had a job outside the district overnight is now back after finishing his duties.
Ariana just stared blankly at the body that started to come out of the carriage.
Without being forced, her mind continued to flashback to her conversation with Lily last night.
"Your name is Ariana Rose Conrad. You are the fifth child of five siblings and the only daughter of Marquess Alexander Conrad and Marchioness Adeline Conrad. The Conrad is a very influential family that is feared by everyone, even by the royal family due to the success of winning repeated wars and also from every corner of education, business, and medicine, just said it, all people know Conrad rules everything even if they are not royal and they are people who move the economy of this country in behalf of the King." Lily started the story.
"So who is the King at the time?" Ariana started to get interested after getting past the last shock of knowing she had a fiancee.
"At the time, the one who rules this empire is King Richard Kayd Edouard. He is a wise person and cheerful person. He is also your father's best friend since childhood. But after he got married to Queen Dione Lesly Oswald, who comes from the Count's family and has been enmity with the Conrad family for many years, you can say that, the relationship between the two is a bit strained but still, they maintain their political business well. The royal couple has two princes and one princess."
Ariana remained silent as a signal for Lily to continue talking.
"Your life is just the same as any other happy child back then until you are 5 years old. Suddenly, there was a split in the Conrad family. To be honest, I don't even know why the split happened when I was still small and I just heard all this from my parent who was still working with Conrad at the time. But the beginning betrayal, embezzlement, murder, and all sorts of things began to be raised inside the organization. It puts pressure on your family each day and your father accuses the mastermind behind it all which is the royal. The Edouard. So that there is no family in this kingdom that is more liked than the royal bloodline. Of course, even though Conrad is influential, people are more directed to the king, they love than a cold-blooded person even though Conrad always wields war with royal orders."
Ariana did not expect that this is the story she will hear. It's too heavy to process...
"So, who is Zayn actually?" She still didn't hear his name here.
"Zayn Raeq Basileious. He is the nephew of the previous King. He got the title Duke after his father, Duke Raymond Zakir Basileious died in the war that your father started. Basileious is a royal family from a foreign country who does the political marriage here with his mother Hermine Adler. She is one of the siblings with the king and with a different mother. She didn't inherit the last name of the King or princess rank, but still considered royalty by people as she was treated as a saint because of her good-doing and faith. Still, their relationship with the royal family is very close."
Ariana sighed right now.
"Now I know where the hate comes from."
Lily drink some water before continuing. Too much talking began to make her mouth dry.
"After that, there were too many absurd and even mysterious events that I don't even know in detail how to tell you until Alexander Conrad declared to cut ties with the royal and started challenging the empire, that is the throne. As he knows, the royal won't last long without Conrad's support as all this time, Conrad basically the royal in terms of raising the empire."
This time Ariana couldn't hide her surprised face.
"At this point, your father and mother's relationship is not good as she doesn't like what he does. She didn't want a war, especially not because of fighting for the throne. Your father didn't listen. Until a dark incident happened." Lily looked at Ariana then as she knows, the previous Ariana will tremble in fear each time she remembers that. But as she already promised to speak...
"You and your mother are being abducted by a bandit when the war began between the Conrad and the Royal. They are not famous or whatever, but still hold a very cruel reputation. Your father is enraged, but he can't stop his main focus. He directed a group of knights to go searching for both of you. I don't know how but your mother managed to escape and take you away, but the bandit stabbed her in front of you just a few moments before the Conrad Knights arrived in the area. Your mother's body fell into the river and was carried away by the current. Until now, her body could not be found."
"So, my mother is dead?" Ariana felt something sting in her eyes now. Even if this is not her real life.
Lily held Ariana's hand now to give her some strength.
"Your life changes instantly. You become a quiet child and shut people off. You also ignore everyone, including your four brothers. Your father, probably because of guilt, cannot look into your eyes properly, but sometime when he is drunk he will accidentally blame you who is back alone, not with his wife. Slowly, your existence seems to only exist in the family registry paper, like a princess who was thrown away. After a long fight, your father finally kills the king and obtains the throne. Because Basilieous's family abroad advises the obedient, the duke's father swore to be helpful to Conrad even though they each other are not very friendly after what happened. That's the end of the story. You know the rest."
"So my marriage is basically political?" Ariana wanted to know this.
"It is but you are the one begging the King for Duke Zayn's hand."
"I... I what? " Ariana seems not listening well.
"That's everyone's reaction at the time my lady. After so many years you shut yourself off from people, and you are suddenly standing in front of the King, asking to be tied with Duke Zayn. You said you only wanted him as your husband or you never married anyone else."
"How old was I then?"
"16. So, the King fulfills your wish and that's how you start living here."
"Why am I asking for him? Do I love him?" Ariana wanted to know even if she is the one who is supposed to know more about that than anyone else.
Lily keep silent for a while before continuing.
"It's hard for me to say my lady but you always act like a woman who madly in love and that's also make the Duke feel annoy with you. But sometimes your eyes hold some sadness that no one knows about whenever you look at the Duke in silent. That's make me wondering what's really on your mind."
Then, Ariana comes back to reality. She still can see Zayn from above, chatting with someone.
"I think, you have a lot of reasons to hate me. Probably there's more than what I know of."
As if he could hear what she was saying, Zayn looked up. Their eyes met for a moment before Ariana turned her gaze away.
"I know, you know something deeper which makes your life miserable aren't you Ariana?"
Seeing the girl stealing glance to him, Zayn finally decides to confront her. Slowly he came up and approached Ariana, who was still in those hallways.
"Do you have anything to say? Why are you staring at me like that?"
Ariana is actually not ready to face him, but since he is here anyway...
"Hey," Ariana sounds colder than him now.
"What?" Zayn began to look dissatisfied.
"How about we cancel this marriage?"