... I want her gone now!"

Freya who had very little interaction with women other than his aunt didn't know how to deal with this situation. Whenever her cousin was being a pest she would usually resort to violence. She wouldn't hit him but putting him in a headlock would solve everything. His cousin would be fake wailing begging for forgiveness.

Freya somewhat knew putting this young woman into a headlock wouldn't work and it would only invite trouble. She just stood there looking at Isabella with little to no reaction.

Isabella took out her fan and with a soft swoosh it opened before she began to fan herself. It was obvious from her milky white skin that she wasn't used to being in the sun for so long or standing that long either.

She fanned herself aggressively while tugging at her collar with beads of sweat on her forehead. She was struggling with the heat but she still interrogated her.

"From which hole did you crawl from, huh? Based on your appearance you must be a low class maidservant playing dress up. No matter how expensive you dress you can't get rid of the lowly aura surrounding you," she said as her maidservant rushed over with a lace umbrella to shield her from the sun.

"How pathetic... his royal highness would never pick you so stop dreaming already and walk away," she continued to say her anger at its peak. That's because talking to this girl was like punching cotton.

Because she was being ignored she was starting to look like a crazy dog barking at air which was incredibly infuriating.

Out of desperation she stepped closer and whispered, "Don't bother yourself. This selection is rigged and I will be chosen as the crown princess of Odessa," with a sly smile on her face thinking she had hit Freya's sore spot. Who wouldn't be devastated when they hear that their dream of getting out of poverty was a dream made of sand and was easy to be blown away by the wind.

If Freya hadn't seen Roan in person she might have believed it. This woman was indeed being pushed forth by forces behind the curtain but in truth there was a chance Roan wouldn't be willing to have his hand twisted.

Tired of this senseless bird's chirping she finally said, "Then this young Miss shouldn't waste her time with a lowly person like myself and roasting in the sun like the rest of us," her words were self deprecating but her tone was flat like she didn't care for anything.

Isabella's eyes reddened as she clenched her fist. Her chest rose and fell deeply like a beast on the verge of erupting. She wanted to slap her like she does her servants but thinking of where they were she restrained herself and turned to walk away into the middle tent.

Matron Dour was sitting at the long table with other women instructing a girl to strip when Isabella barged in seething in anger. "I want her gone!" she yelled and the matron was a little puzzled.

Who exactly did this spoiled young ancestor want gone? The women looked at each other and then at matron Dour waiting for her to respond.

The girl who was stripping her clothes shivered in fright as she moved aside fearing this young Miss' wrath.

"I mean that... that," she said having realised she had forgotten to ask for her name, "that slave girl his highness spoke to. I want her gone now!"

The matron stood up and walked over to her. When she tried to touch Isabella and calm her down she screamed, "Don't touch me," moving her body to the side.

Matron Dour was at a loss at this point. Even she knew that that girl who she had come to know was named Freya couldn't be ridden of easily for the simple fact that the crown prince asked for her name personally.

She couldn't afford to offend this mistress but at the same time she didn't want to stir the pot further with the crown prince. She had to somehow convince Isabella that keeping this girl for the next selection round was the best choice.

Struck by a bolt of sudden inspiration she said, "She offended you miss Martin, didn't she?"

"Of course she did. Why else would I be screaming like this," replied Isabella trembling with anger. Who in this world had dared to speak to her like that?

Seeing her opening the matron said, "Then wouldn't it be good to keep her around and you can torment her to hearts content? After you are done with her no one will want her... not even a beggar on the street. Young miss, I don't think you realise the shear amount of power you wield."

After saying that Isabella's anger was soothed. She seemed to realise the feasibility of this plan thus she smiled menacingly.

"Then I will start now. As the prime minister's daughter I will preside over this selection," she said and immediately sat down in the matron's seat with her maidservant trotting behind to fan her mistress.

Matron Dour secretly gritted her teeth. If they didn't need this wilful girl to consolidate their power she might have severed ties already. Who could handle her aggressive disrespectful behaviour?

One of the women got up and gave up their seat for the Matron. As soon as she sat down she called the girl huddled in the corner to come over and the girl shakily got up her complexion pale.

Who would want to be here after overhearing that conversation? She was just a young girl from a fish merchant who supplied seafood to half of Odessa. How could the daughter of a fish monger survive the treacherous world of the royals and nobles.

"Strip," said Isabella and the girl tremblingly pulled her inner garment down revealing her upper body.

Before she could finish she heard Isabella say, "She stinks of fish. I won't be able to stand that stench. Leave."

As though granted amnesty the girl put her clothes back on and rushed outside. She had faint traces of the smell of the sea on her body but it seemed Isabella's nose was so sensitive that she smelt it. She wasn't sad at all. Instead she felt pity for the girl they had been discussing earlier.

The matron was very displeased. Fearing that this entitled girl would get rid of their own people as well she said, "Miss Martin let this matron deal with things here. You may comment however you like but you can't give the final verdict."

Isabella didn't fight her on this as long as she could stick around and tear into the girls self esteems.