The following day arrived swiftly, but the atmosphere held an undertone of darkness. "Yes, the situation appears to be progressing well. Perhaps we can expand—"
"Deidelia, dear…" Duke Steinbet interjected, abruptly drawing his guest's attention. Turning to his guest with a forced smile, he said, "Duke Hanon, do you remember my precious daughter, Deidelia?"
A feigned warmth crept into Deidelia's face as she cast an anxious glance at Listeria, her excitement tainted by a sinister edge. "Watch this!" she whispered to Listeria, who, though bewildered, simply observed in silence.
"Father!" Deidelia called out with a calculated affection and walked up to the two men, executing an elegant but disconcerting curtsy. "Greetings, Duke Hanon, greetings, Father," she greeted with a smile that held an unsettling beauty.
"Lady Deidelia, you seem to become more alluring with each passing day. Your father must have his hands full," Duke Hanon remarked with a disconcerting smile.
"Nonsense! Deidelia has been such a well-behaved daughter. I am proud to have her betrothed to the crown prince," her father explained with an undertone of coercion. "Isn't that so, dear?" He asked, his words laden with a looming threat.
"Of course! I exist to please, Father! The crown prince is a remarkable gentleman. Anyone in my position would be the happiest person in the world," she stated while clutching her father's arm.
"There, there," Duke Steinbet said with a disconcerting gentleness as he patted her head softly.
"You are unquestionably a fortunate man, Steinbet. My own daughter holds nothing but disdain and insolence for me," Duke Hanon sighed fondly. "When is the wedding date announcement?"
"Three months from now. We will have everything arranged and ready for the announcement," the Duke replied.
"If only my child trusted me so," Duke Hanon revealed.
"Think nothing of it. Deidelia had her moments of rebellion as well," her father spoke with an unsettling love and care, causing Listeria to lower her head even more in response.
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her plan was to avoid any form of eye contact with anyone unless specifically summoned. She felt a tinge of pity for Deidelia in that moment; she looked like the most pitiful person in the world at that moment, trapped in a web of manipulation and lies, nobles were truly a different breed, perhaps her status as the daughter of a lowly Baron was truly a blessing.
"You merely need to remain by her side and remind her that you will always be there for her," Deidelia's heart raced at the words.
'I relish visits from guests; they allow me to feel Father's love...' She thought to herself as she closed her eyes and leaned her head against her father's chest, feeling the eerie warmth that was impossible to explain.
"Have you eaten yet, Father?" Deidelia asked with a veneer of normalcy as she removed her head from his chest and looked up at her father, concealing the turmoil within.
He put his arm around her shoulder gently before smiling at Duke Hanon, an unsettling tranquility in his gaze. "I apologize about this, my friend. It seems my daughter wishes to dine with me. I would offer you to join, but…" The Duke didn't finish his sentence as Hanon just smiled.
"No, no. I would have loved to stay and converse, but I must return to my territory," the man replied. He turned and walked away, giving a brief wave and a smile before disappearing from sight, leaving a lingering sense of unease.
A hand suddenly pushed Deidelia aside. "I suppose you could have at least spared me from that dreadful situation," Duke Steinbet said with a sneer as he walked away, his tone oozing with resentment.
Rubbing her shoulder, she turned to Listeria with a disconcerting smirk. "See, I told you, didn't I? Father does love me."
Listeria, unsure of how to respond, merely bowed, her unease palpable. "I shall never doubt your words," Listeria finally said.
With a grin that held a hint of cruelty, Deidelia nodded and teased, "You'd better not," before turning to walk away. Listeria was left behind, too stunned to utter a word, grappling with the unsettling duality of her mistress—childlike yet harboring a darkness within.
Three months had passed, and during this time, Listeria had gained a new, chilling understanding of her mistress.
**Knock, knock.**
"Mistress?" Listeria inquired, her voice laced with trepidation.
"Come in."
Upon entering the bed chamber with multiple maids, they all bowed, their movements almost ritualistic. "Is my dress ready?"
In the royal palace, Melody's voice pierced the air. "Ian, dear," she called out, capturing the prince's attention. He turned to her, his demeanor cloaked in calmness. "What do you need, dear?" He asked as he placed his hands on her shoulders.
"What dress do you believe will transform me into the most enchanting woman at the banquet?" She asked, causing the prince to raise an eyebrow.
"Isn't it evident?" He inquired. She tilted her head in puzzlement. "Anything you wear will outshine all the ladies in attendance," he declared, his words that made her blush for reasons she couldn't comprehend.
"But tonight is dedicated to you and Lady Deidelia. It's the announcement of your wedding date! How can I possibly appear more splendid than the bride-to-be?" She asked cautiously, her voice trembling.
"Monster Deidelia? That unstable woman? Regardless of what she wears or does, she will never truly be a lady. This is merely a formality my father is compelling me to attend; otherwise, she would have managed this facade on her own," the prince remarked with a cold dismissal before pulling Melody closer.
"In fact, I can think of numerous alternatives we could engage in," he whispered seductively into her ear, his words laden with a sense of intimacy.
Melody lowered her gaze, her cheeks flushing with a mixture of desire and dread. "We..." She began but faltered, leaving the prince to lift her chin gently with his finger beneath her chin.
"We?" He inquired, his voice laced with curiosity.
Noticing her hesitance, he turned and glanced at all the servants in the room. "All of you, depart," he commanded, his words leaving no room for dissent. They bowed obediently and exited, leaving only silence behind.
"Now you may speak your mind," he said with a smile.
"Why can't you and I be wed?" She asked, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
The prince let out a weary sigh before drawing her closer, his embrace suffused with an unsettling possessiveness. "For us to be united, I must ascend to the throne," he explained, his gaze penetrating her soul.
"Once I have harnessed the Steinbet's influence to solidify my dominion, I promise you will become the empress, and you won't have to endure Deidelia any longer. In fact, she will suffer for the torment she has inflicted upon you; that much I can guarantee," the prince assured, his promises carrying an ominous weight. He sealed his words with a haunting kiss, leaving a sense of foreboding in their wake.
After the kiss, they continued their quest for the perfect dress, but as a prince, he bought the entire catalogue, his actions veiled in an aura of opulence and excess.
Meanwhile, Deidelia stood before a grand mirror, her entourage of maids surrounding her like silent sentinels. She was adorned in a resplendent purple dress, her royal purple hair bedecked with an array of gemstones and jewels, crowned by a meticulously tied red ornament.
The maids, too terrified to speak freely, remained silent, captivated by Deidelia's otherworldly beauty. Their fear of her was palpable, yet even they couldn't deny the ethereal allure she exuded. Listeria managed to offer a hesitant smile as she finally spoke.
"You are the most captivating lady in the entire empire," she praised, her words somewhat shaky. The other maids, trembling in the presence of their mistress, nodded in reluctant agreement.
"Of course, I am! It would be wise for all of you to etch that into your memories!" Deidelia declared with a chilling sense of entitlement, her elegant curtsy bearing a sinister edge.
Deidelia extended her hand, anticipating the presentation of her favorite fan. A maid reached out to offer it, but Listeria swiftly slapped the maid's hand away with a chilling precision.
"Lady Deidelia accepts nothing from anyone except her personal servant," Listeria reminded them with a hint of defiance in her tone.
Smirking, Deidelia turned and condescendingly patted Listeria on the head. "Good girl," she said as she accepted the fan from Listeria, her smile harboring a cruel edge that sent shivers down their spines.
"Luckily for you, you get to keep that hand." Deidelia smiled as she glared at the insolent maid.
In a shadowy chamber, a man sat with a malevolent smirk, his eyes glinting with anticipation. "Tonight is bound to be a fascinating spectacle."