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He continued to look at her with pensive eyes, until she completely disappeared from his eyes yet he stayed alert for a long time.
It took a long time for Hazel to return back to the palace. Everyone looked at her with disdain when she walked in. her dress was torn badly and her feet were full of mud. She dirtied the whole area when she walked in.
"Even if you did not know that you are a noble. A commoner also knows how to behave like a lady." her steps halted when she heard the sarcastic remark from her back. If it had been past, she would have shivered at the cold tone and bowed her head and apologized but that hazel had died and they were the killers.
She turned with a wide smirk on her face as she looked at the countess. "Ah! You mean we should have a foul mouth instead of dirty feet to be a lady?
I would let the title go then. I can not bear the smell." she made a nauseated face looking at the countess. As if she could not bear the smell coming from the countess.
This was the first time that the weak and meek Hazel had opened her mouth brazenly in front of the countess. She was dumbfounded and did not know how to reply as she continued to look at hazel with shocked eyes.
Hazel turned and walked towards the kitchen. She did not waste her time in changing clothes or cleaning herself since she knew she was going to be dirty in a while anyway.
"I need meat. A lot of meat.'' She did not waste a single moment in greetings, since she knew that they did not respect her anyway. But she was still the daughter of the count to be denied for the meal.
"Would you like steak or grilled meat?" the elder chef asked with a kind smile while the other staff just ignored her existence as if they could not see or hear her.
"Any would do. But I need a meal for more than 10 people.`` Her response only brought snorts from the staff who were ignoring her all this while.
But the elder chef still continued to look at her with kind face. His face brightened at her statement.
"Did the young miss make friends? Why don't you invite them to the palace. I will serve them personally." he replied with a smile, but hazel was too numb to these feelings.
She did not feel the hatred or disdain of the staff. Neither did she feel the kindness and concern of the old man. She was just thinking about the wolf. She did not know why but she felt a connection from the animal. As if they were facing the same fate. And if she would be able to save him then there might be a chance she would be able to save herself too.
She chuckled at the absurd thoughts, her mind was forming.
"So, when are you inviting them?" the old man asked again with patience when Hazel did not reply.
"You should not see so many dreams or people will take you as a delusional person." other chuckled at the sarcastic reply of the assistant chef. But the old chef looked at him with a frown.
"They will not come here. And I do not need a variety of dishes. The meat would do and add some raw meat too.'' There was no change in the expressions of hazel which surprised the whole staff who were waiting for her to cry or shout. But she stood there silently. She was just looking impatient as she continued to urge the old man to hurry.
The old man did not want to hurt her so he nodded and packed all the meat they had in the kitchen. Cooked, grilled, baked and raw. He added all types of meat in the baskets and passed it to her.
"Here you go, my lady. Do tell me if you need anything else." she nodded as she took the baskets and ran again. She could hear giggles and snorts but she was way past caring about them.
"Sister, are you going anywhere?" her steps halted when she heard the sweet voice. The only person who talked to her nicely and showed care towards her.
Her sweet little sister, Amelia. If she did not know her true face, her heart would have melted when Amelia called her so sweetly.
"Yes. I am going to the dark woods. Would you like to come SISTER!!" Hazel asked with the same sweet smile. Until she did not find the way out of this golden prison she would not let Amelia know that she knew her true face. So, she acted like she always used to be around her.
"Oh, that is not a safe place, sister. You should not go there alone. I will ask my knights to accompany you." she looked back at the pair of knights who nodded and walked towards me. That was the difference. Where she had two knights with her, Hazel had none, where Amelia had a pair of personal maids too, Hazel had none. She was a noble only be name but now she did not even need them. There presence made her suspicious.
She looked at both nights with pensive eyes then shook her head. This was not a concern, but Amelia was trying to spy on her. Now that she knew, she felt vary of their presence as she did not know how Amelia would use everything against her in the future.
"No, i could not do that Amelia. Or mother would be angry with me." Hazel shook her head as she faked the sadness and fear in her eyes when she bowed her head. She saw Amelia gritting her teeth with anger and disdain. Only then did she realize how naive she was in the past.