Territory

Adriana stared into the distance. Something was coming and it was different. She couldn't quite describe it, but it felt like her flat life was about to get a little more interesting. The rose petals in her palm fell in the wind. 

"The air is getting cold Princess, we'd better go in!"

  The beautiful girl named Adriana turned her head, her black hair swept by the wind. Anyone standing nearby could faintly smell the fragrance of roses from her body. Adriana looked at the waiter behind her.

"I'll be back in a moment," Adriana said. 

The maid behind her stepped back, letting the girl stand back to stare at the hills and the darkness, long enough for her mistress to feel the cold wind. 

Adriana's steps were heavy, a little slow. She was lazy to go back, not wanting to see the people in the big castle. Whether it was her father, mother, or older brother who had just been granted the title of count from the palace.

"Look who's here, how are you Adriana? I thought you were sick so you didn't come to have lunch together earlier."

Adriana stopped in front of the entrance. A single flight of stairs that was tens of feet wide came into view. In the center of the hall stood one of the people she didn't want to meet, looking at her condescendingly. Ferdinant.

"No, Brother, luckily I'm not sick. I just felt that I gained weight while I was at home, so I didn't eat breakfast. I'm glad you're so considerate," Adriana said, looking down. 

In her heart she said that it was better like this. Raising her head would only make her brother's behavior worse. 

"A woman has to take care of herself! Or else she'll be discarded like your mother, right?" the man said. Then he walked away, leaving Adriana still smiling and holding her breath. 

Once she was sure she was alone, Adriana closed her eyes in a moment of relief. She took a deep breath and said everything would be fine. With graceful steps, Adriana climbed the stairs to the second floor. Fortunately, she didn't run into anyone now. Crossing paths with just one person was tiring enough. 

"I'll prepare some tea, Princess!"

The servant who had been following Adriana spoke up. Adriana nodded, gave her scarf to the servant and sat on the sofa in the center of the room. Her gaze faced the small balcony, below the balcony was the garden.

"Bella, did the butler say when my father will see me?" Adriana asked. 

The teacups clashed instantly. Did Bella really think that Adriana didn't know anything about her? 

All this time Adriana had been silent, she did not want to interfere with her family's matters. After all, after marrying the crown prince later Adriana will not live in this castle at all anymore. Even now, if it wasn't for her father's call saying he wanted to talk about something, Adriana wouldn't have returned to her territory and stayed in the capital. 

She could trust the servants in the capital, most of whom Prince Algis had prepared after learning how Adriana's family did not consider her to exist. However, not Bella. This maid girl was assigned to watch over her by her father. Adriana could not afford to make any mistakes. Everything she has learned so far, from manners, self-control, and intelligence, must not be misused. So, it's not wrong for Adriana to ask Bella when she will meet her father. The maid would know. 

"I haven't heard that news at all, Princess!" Bella's voice trembled, as if Adriana was threatening her. 

"Really?" asked Adriana incredulously. 

"That's right, Princess. If I had heard it, I would have told you. However, I have been with the princess all day and even before." There was no more emotion in Bella's voice. Apparently, she thought that Adriana was so stupid that she was easily fooled. 

"Is that so?"

"Yes, Princess!"

Bella appeared with a teacup, placing it carefully. Then poured it very nicely. The scent of tea quickly wafted through the air.

"Then can you tell the butler that I want to see Father right away?"

Bella was surprised again. Staring at Adriana with a look: How could I possibly do that?

"Do it!" ordered Adriana with a smile.

"The butler will be angry with me, Princess!" Bella pleaded for understanding. 

Adriana touched the lip of the cup with her fingertips. "Then I'll be back tomorrow morning! The crown prince won't be happy if he knew I was returning to the fiefdom without his permission!"

"But, Princess ...."

Adriana stared into the distance. Something was coming, and it was different. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it felt like her flat life was about to get a little more interesting. The rose petals in her palm fluttered in the wind. 

"The air is getting cold Princess, we'd better go inside!"

  The beautiful girl named Adriana turned her head, her black hair blowing in the wind. Anyone standing nearby could faintly smell the scent of roses on her body. Adriana glanced at the waiter behind her.

"I'll be right back," Adriana said. 

The maid stepped back behind her, leaving the girl to stare at the hills and the darkness, long enough for her mistress to feel the cold wind. 

Adriana's steps were heavy, and a little slow. She was lazy to go back, not wanting to see the people in the big castle. Whether it was her father, her mother, or her older brother, who had just received the title of Count from the palace.

"Look who's here, how are you, Adriana? I thought you were sick, that's why you didn't come for lunch earlier."

Adriana stopped at the entrance. A single flight of stairs tens of meters wide came into view. In the middle of the hall stood one of the people she didn't want to meet, looking at her condescendingly. Ferdinant.

"No, brother, fortunately, I am not ill. I just felt like I put on weight while I was at home, so I didn't eat breakfast. I'm glad you're so considerate," Adriana said, looking down. 

In her heart, she said it was better this way. Lifting her head would only make her brother's behavior worse. 

"A woman has to look after herself! Or she'll be thrown away like your mother, right?" the man said. Then he walked away, leaving Adriana still smiling and holding her breath.

Once she was sure she was alone, Adriana closed her eyes in a moment of relief. She took a deep breath and said everything would be all right. With graceful steps, Adriana climbed the stairs to the second floor. Fortunately, she didn't meet anyone now. Crossing paths with just one person was tiring enough. 

"I'll make some tea, Princess!"

The servant who had been following Adriana spoke up. Adriana nodded, handed her shawl to the servant, and sat down on the sofa in the middle of the room. Her eyes were fixed on the small balcony, below which was the garden.

"Bella, did the butler say when my father will see me?" Adriana asked. 

The teacups clashed instantly. Did Bella think Adriana didn't know anything about her? 

All this time Adriana had been silent, not wanting to interfere in her family's affairs. After all, once she married the Crown Prince, Adriana would no longer live in this castle. Even now, if her father hadn't called and said he wanted to talk about something, Adriana wouldn't have returned to her territory and stayed in the capital. 

She could trust the servants in the capital, most of whom Prince Algis had prepared after learning that Adriana's family did not consider her to exist. But not Bella. That maid had been assigned by her father to watch over her. Adriana could not afford any mistakes. Everything she has learned so far, from manners to self-control to intelligence, must not be misused. So it's not wrong for Adriana to ask Bella when she will meet her father. The maid would know. 

"I haven't heard that news yet, Princess!" Bella's voice trembled as if Adriana was threatening her. 

"Really?" asked Adriana incredulously. 

"That's right, Princess. If I had heard it, I would have told you. But I was with the princess all day and even before." There was no emotion in Bella's voice anymore. She thought that Adriana was so stupid that she could easily be fooled. 

"Is that so?"

"Yes, Princess!"

Bella appeared with a teacup and set it down carefully. Then she poured it very nicely. The scent of tea quickly wafted through the air.

"Then can you tell the butler that I want to see Father right away?"

Bella was surprised again. She stared at Adriana: How can I do that?

"Do it!" Adriana ordered with a smile.

"The butler will be angry with me, Princess!" Bella begged for understanding. 

Adriana touched the lip of the cup with her fingertips. "Then I'll be back in the morning! The Crown Prince won't be happy if he knew I was returning to the fief without his permission!"

"But, Princess ...."

"You're backing out on me, aren't you?"

Adriana did not blink as she looked at Bella. Who had ordered Bella beside her father? Compared to Bella, Adriana's power in this house was greater. Her threat would have Bella banished immediately. 

"No, Princess! I will inform the butler immediately!" Bella retreated, clutching the tray to her chest and heading for the door. 

Adriana gracefully lifted the goblet, took a small sip, and hurriedly put it down. 

I must drink the antidote again, she said to herself as she poured the contents of the cup into the vase in the middle of the table. Nothing consumed in this house is safe.

She looked at the snacks, which were arranged attractively. Well, attractive, but also dangerous. Adriana didn't like wasting her own life. It was true that it wouldn't happen right away, but slowly, as the people in this castle liked to do.

"If I tell Algis, what will he do?" Adriana asked quietly. 

She left the chair and walked to the balcony, the cold wind blowing in from the mountains. Soon winter would come and the parties would begin. 

The door creaked open, catching Adriana's attention again. She didn't turn to see who was coming. Her gaze remained on the gray glow in the distance, the towering mountains. 

"Princess, your father has asked you to dine in the main dining room."

Obviously, it was Bella who came. 

"Alright... get my clothes ready!" ordered Adriana. 

"Yes, Princess!"

Adriana took a deep breath. The cold wind made her chest chilly, but fresh. Even though the air outside and inside the house was the same, why did she always feel claustrophobic inside this castle? 

"Princess, let me help you get ready!" 

Only then did Adriana turn around and look at Bella, who was waiting for her orders with her body slightly bent. 

The dress Bella had provided was a soft fawn color, with lace and ribbons at each corner of the hem of the dress. The dress fell beautifully on Adriana's body, hugging her warmly but not so comfortably. However, Adriana could not choose another outfit, she did not want to make a mistake and earn her father's wrath. 

She remembered her first dinner with her father, when she was 15, on her brother's birthday. She had never been there before. Innocent Adriana was so happy, paying no attention to herself, just wanting to meet the people she called family. But her father didn't like the way she looked, so he slapped her and said something hurtful: If you weren't so pretty, I would have sent you far away from here!