10 Learning Etiquette

As I slept, I had this dream.

I was once again in the blank room and there was a voice who spoke to me. It was the voice I heard when I just died.

'You need to separate Alex and Anastasia. If you don't you'll die.'

'Why? Why would I die? Explain!', I shouted out to the blank room.

No response. I sat down and held my knees together. With one last thought I disappeared again from the blank room, "I don't want to die."

ᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢᓚᘏᗢ

I woke up with a jolt. Lisa who was in the room jumped at the sudden movement and looked at me.

'My lady! Is something wrong?' she looked at me with wide eyes. For a moment a stranger might've thought that she cared about my well-being. But I knew the truth.

'It's nothing. Prepare my bath.' With that she bowed to excuse herself and left the room. Suddenly I felt a headache. It must be because of the dream.

What was that? I shook my head and prepared myself for the etiquette lessons that are about to start soon.

Today is going to be a long day.

After I got dressed, with Lisa help of course, the things these people wear are so complicated, my tutor came into my room to start the lesson.

I learned how to walk like a princess with books put on my head. Didn't really think they do that, but oh well. It wasn't as easy as people think, every time I made a mistake the tutor mercilessly scolded me. I wish I could bash his head in a bucket.

But I learned a lot of things. How things work between nobles, which people are important and which aren't. Apparently Elaine's mother also told the tutor to reteach me basic etiquette lessons as it seems I have forgotten them. Well she's not wrong.

After hours of cramming so many information in my head, I felt like I needed a break. So I went out on the balcony of my room and saw that the sun was setting down. I took in the fresh air and sighed in relieve thinking that at least when the day is coming to an end, so will the lessons.

How long must I take these lessons? I need to meet Cedric again to finish our deal. This family will probably need that money in the future.

I thought about Elaine in the book. How she always held herself in high regard and boasts about her family, her rank as the daughter of a marquess. She knew they were poor, yet she held her chin up and can still act the way she does. She's actually one heck of a gall.

'Lady Elaine, we must finish our lessons for today!', that cranky tutor will get what's coming to him eventually. Maybe I can put something in his tea.....

'All right, all right. I'll be right there.' I went back inside my room and continued to try and walk with books on my head for another hour before the tutor went home.

He didn't get a chance to drink his tea.

As it was late, Elaine's mother invited me to dinner with Elaine's father as well. I dressed up a bit more formally for the dinner as apparently it wasn't a normal occurrence to eat together with the family since the Marquess is normally busy with work. At least that's what Lisa said.

I don't know how I should feel about her. Obviously I don't trust her completely, but for now she's acting like a proper maid and is not treating me like before, so I can accept that for now.

I went to the dining room in a light blue dress. Formal enough for dinner, but not so formal that it creates a distance between family members.

'Elaine, you're finally here,' that came from whom I assume to be Elaine's father. I noticed he never really looked at me, he knows I'm here, but he doesn't really pay attention to me. I wonder how Elaine felt never getting her father's attention.

I really do feel sorry for her. However, I'm not Elaine.

'Yes, I am. Shall we eat?' Honestly I just wanted this dinner to be done and over with so I can finally rest in bed after the day I had.

'Before that, there is something I want to talk to you about. It's about your engagement,' well that doesn't bode well for me. I can tell by the tone of his voice this wasn't something good.

'Not everybody knows about our financial... situation. And so I must ask that you keep up appearances so that your engagement to Duke Magnus's son is not being questioned.'

Wait, who does he mean by "everybody"?

'Keep up appearances for who father?', if it is who I think it is, we might be in trouble.

'Of course, Duke Magnus does not know yet.'

Well this is bad. Why? Because in the future, it can be used by Alex as a reason to break up our engagement and if that happens, will I die again? Of course, there must be other ways to break them up. Was I a bad person for wanting to do that? Screw love! This is my life we're talking about here!

'Of course father. I understand.' He then nodded in my directions and ordered for the food to be brought in.

As I ate the chicken in front of me, thought of my impending doom made it hard to swallow. I left the dining room and went back to my room and sit once again in front of my dressing table.

The dream told me that I had to prevent Alex and Anastasia from being together. Then that's what I'll do. I have to be the villainess in order to live? Then so be it.