Confrontation

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴇxᴀᴄᴛʟʏ ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘʟᴀɴɴɪɴɢ?" Agnes asked me.

I answered with a suppressed voice, "I'm planning a lot, but I don't know if it will work or not."

"ᴍʏ ɢʀᴀɴᴅғᴀᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴀɢʀᴇᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪs, ᴛᴇᴀᴄʜɪɴɢ ᴀ ᴘᴇᴀsᴀɴᴛ. ʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ʟɪᴋᴇʟʏ ʙᴇᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ sᴛɪᴄᴋ ғᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʀᴀsʜ ᴅᴇᴄɪsɪᴏɴ."

"You might be surprised by what has changed in these past few days."

"ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ, ᴀɢᴀɪɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴏʀᴅ," she humphed, "ᴀʟʟ ɪ'ᴠᴇ sᴇᴇɴ ᴜᴘ 'ᴛɪʟʟ ɴᴏᴡ ᴡᴀs ʏᴏᴜ ʟᴀᴢɪɴɢ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ, ᴛᴀʟᴋɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴇᴏᴘʟᴇ."

I sighed, "why does no one understand that I have been setting stuff up for the past few days? It's not my fault that it takes this long."

She shouted, "then what is your end goal? What are you trying to achieve?"

"End goal, that's a good question," I repeated, "I want to help you, in turn I help myself. Say, what do you desire, what is it that you want?" I leaned forwards, "if you wanted to, I could even make you the queen, you know? Not just any queen, I could make you the Empress of a golden age, do you believe me?"

"ǫᴜᴇᴇɴ?" She muttered.

"You just have to let me do what I want."

"ɪᴛ's ɴᴏ ᴜsᴇ. ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄʜᴀʟʟᴇɴɢᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀᴡɴ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴅɪᴇ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɢᴏᴀʟ. ɴᴏ, ɪɴ ғᴀᴄᴛ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴅɪᴇ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɢᴏᴀʟ. ᴛʜᴀᴛ's ᴀs ᴄᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ ᴛᴏ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜᴇ," she said matter of factly.

I frowned, "you don't believe me? I was sure that would tempt you."

"ɴᴏ, ɪ ᴅᴏ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ. ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜʏ, ʙᴜᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘᴏssᴇss ᴀɴ ɪɴᴇxᴘʟɪᴄᴀʙʟᴇ ᴀᴜʀᴀ, ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴋᴇs ᴍᴇ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴅᴏ ɪᴛ. ɪғ ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴀs ᴀɴʏ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴛɪᴍᴇ, ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀɢʀᴇᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛʙᴇᴀᴛ. sᴛɪʟʟ," she stared me right into the eyes, "ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ᴅɪᴇ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴀɴɴᴏᴛ ɢᴏ ᴀɢᴀɪɴsᴛ ᴛʜɪs ᴇʀᴀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪs ᴊᴜsᴛ ʜᴏᴡ ɪᴛ ɪs."

"Hey, what is it that you are so terrified of-"

My words were cut short by a knocking on the rustic door.

I realized that Celestia was still sitting in front of me and we both stared at the origin of the sound. She was as surprised as I am, since we were not really expecting company.

Not that I wanted to brag, but I did not have the quality that made others want to visit me.

"Enter," I said.

The person who entered was a male, a servant to be exact.

He had his blonde hair cut short, almost like a buzz cut but if it was left out to grow. The guy walked with a pride, not often seen by those in his occupation. He held his chest high and entered with a presence that excuded authority. His brows were slightly furrowed and I was not sure if he always looked like that or if I was the cause.

He nodded slightly, a common courtesy extended towards those he saw as equal, "Miss, your cousin Raya, is calling to meet you."

"Eh, Raya," my eyes brightened up and I smiled, "she is finally calling me. Seems like she still has some filial piety. Not even giving me a call after I treated her so well. Ungrateful child."

The servants eye twitched upon hearing what I said.

Celestia tugged my sleeve and when I looked at her, she shook her head, in a way that I could only see. Her eyebrows pointed upwards, and she was watching me worryingly.

'Don't follow him, they have bad intentions', is what her expression said.

"She cannot wait for long, so I urge you to make it fast," the servant butted in, a bit annoyed that I wasn't budging.

"I see, she's a busy woman, let's not make her wait then," I laughed, "Celestia would you accompany me?"

She grumbled, as I did not follow her advice, but agreed, "it would be my pleasure to do so."

"Alright, please guide us," I asked of the servant.

He didn't say anything and only turned away, his cold shoulder facing me.

Ah, how nostalgic. It had been too comfortable. Living here the past few days, I chatted with Vera and Celestia all the time, both people who did not harbor any ill intentions towards me. Not that it was bad, but still.

If there was no prey, how would I sharpen my fang?

That was how it should be. Ridicule, humiliation, degration. All piled on top of me, the bastard child who had her engagement annulled. It would be much more fun that way, when I return that to them.

"ʏᴏᴜ ᴘᴇʀᴠᴇʀᴛ."

"Don't say that, it's normal. Watching people fall off their high horse is fun, right?"

Agnes didn't answer. Probably because she agreed with me, but didn't want to admit it.

We began taking our steps, a silent gloom loomed above us.

"ᴡᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴀʀᴇ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴀᴛ ᴅ'ᴀɴᴇʟé ᴛᴇʀʀɪᴛᴏʀʏ, ʜᴜʜ?"

I turned to her and asked in a suppressed voice, "you didn't know until now?"

"ɪ ᴅɪᴅ, ɪ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴀᴄᴄᴇᴘᴛ ɪᴛ. ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴀᴍ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ɪɴ ᴛʜɪs ʜᴇʟʟ ᴏɴ ᴇᴀʀᴛʜ," she clicked her tongue, "ʟᴏᴏᴋ ᴀᴛ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴍᴀɪᴅs ᴀɴᴅ sᴇʀᴠᴀɴᴛs. ᴅᴇᴘʟᴏʀᴀʙʟᴇ."

"What do you have against that job," I asked her in surprise.

I thought she would be the type of person to hate indiscriminately. So it was quite a shock for me to hear her single them out like that.

"ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴋɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀᴇ. ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ, ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ," she gnashed her teeth and spit on the ground. The girl then corrected herself, "ᴀʜ, ɴᴏᴛ ᴄᴇʟᴇsᴛɪᴀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴠᴇʀᴀ, ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ. ᴛʜᴇʏ ʜᴀᴅɴ'ᴛ ʙᴇᴇɴ ʜᴇʀᴇ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ɪ ʟᴇғᴛ, sᴏ ɪ ʜᴀᴛᴇ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴀ ʙɪᴛ ʟᴇss."

"What happened to you, to be this way?"

She looked at me, "ᴍɪɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴅᴀᴍɴ ʙᴜsɪɴᴇss," she replied and clicked her tongue again.

As we arrived, I was immediately greeted with a surprise.

The servant opened the door, and a bright light blinded my eyes. I squinted subconsciously and when I was able to see again, I was met with a tiny garden. A garden that could not compare with the one my grandfather had shown me. Neither by size, nor by beauty. The grass was vivid, but slightly flattened, and the flowers were a colorful mess.

Nevertheless the air was fresh, and whenever sunlight entered, the greenery seemed to dance.

In the middle of the garden, stood a lonely gazebo. It was supported by sturdy, white pillars and the wooden rooftop provided shade for anyone who stood below it.

Inside it, was a small assembly with ages ranging from 12 and capping at maybe 25. Almost all of them had black hair, and most had blue eyes. They were chattering quietly and enjoyed an afternoon tea, but when I had arrived, everyone had stopped.

In the center sat Raya, staring at me with a complicated gaze.

Behind Raya stood an older guy, resting his hands on her shoulders and his eyes were like daggers piercing me.

"Oh, wasn't that the person I bumped into, while I was walking with Vera," I mumbled.

My mutters were drowned by the shouting servant, "miss Raya, your guest has arrived!"

"I can see that, " she answered, and lifted her cup from her plate.

I missed her voice, felt like it had been a while.

I was led by the servant standing in front of me, guiding me towards the gazebo while sharp gazes and various expressions of disgust were shot at me.

It was like I walked towards a noose, or I was entering the center of the town to get flogged by the masses.

All their faces darkened, and they hushed at each other silently.

When I took the first steps into the gazebo, —my foot connecting with the squeaky wooden boards— the people parted like the red sea. They avoided me as if I was a plague and their brows furrowed in discomfort.

"ɪs ᴛʜɪs ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏғ ᴏɴᴇ ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴘʟᴀɴs?" Agnes asked me.

I told her it was.

"ʜᴏᴡ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴏғ ɪᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇᴅ?"

"Hmm, about half," I whispered.

She lifted both of her hands and formed a one on each finger. She placed them together, to form a two, and separated them again," I sᴇᴇ. ʜᴀʟғ. ᴡᴇʟʟ, ɪ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍᴀɴᴀɢᴇ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴄʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇɴᴅ, ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ɪᴛ ɪs ᴛᴏᴏ ʟᴀᴛᴇ, ɪ ᴍᴇᴀɴ," she said and then dissapeared into the background.

I took a seat, opposite of Raya, who was the only person at the table. Celestia supported me by pulling the chair, causing her to scratch the floor. That was the only noise resounding through the stifling atmosphere.

"You wanted to meet me I heard, for what purpose?"

I felt the sparks flying between me and the group. Just a little push and a fire might've broken out.

Raya shook her head and showed me her palm, as if saying stop, "would you like some tea first," she asked.

The crowd gasped at her sudden query.

"Thank you, but I am not thirsty," I replied, a bit baffled by her question.

"That is too bad. Who knows when you will be able to taste such great tea again."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She twirled her cup, "did you know that pap- I mean, my father is still searching for my sister? It's a mess, who knows when he will return."

"What can I say, she seems very passionate," I laughed, "something you sisters have in common."

She stiffened up, but swiftly got a hold of herself.

"You should thank her. You get to see the light of another day, only because my sister allowed you to do so. It must be hard not knowing when your judgement falls, right?"

"Actually, not at all. The tension keeps me alive. It makes me giddy," I joked.

"I see, great for you then," she added a piece of sugar into her cup and began to swirl it with a spoon.

"Alright, let's stop the chitchatting," the guy behind her suddenly said.

The tension rose to another level when he said that. He smiled at Raya amiably, but she shot him an irritated glare.

"Are we finally gonna have some fun," I asked.

"Yes, it will be fun for you, alright," he laughed, his voice scratching my ears. The guy stared at me ferociously with a cold smile plastered on his face, "that's what you get for ignoring me."

"Isn't that great? I was getting a little bored, nobody was calling me after all. Hey, aren't we family," I turned towards the crowd and they scurried away.

"Yes, keep talking like that. Keep your pride for as long as you can. It won't be long, before you come begging at me to stay alive," he shouted, "who knows, when the time comes, maybe I will let you warm my bed."

A part of the crowd started laughing. They were a group of males, but they giggled like maidens. I guessed that those were his friends.

Eh, weren't we family? Wasn't that kind of disgusting?

"Sorry, you aren't my type," I told him bluntly, "I like people with more backbone."

His smile froze in place.

"You really did have a venomous mouth," he said, "why don't we find out together whether I suit you or not?"

No that really didn't have anything to do with it. It's a normal reaction.

"I don't think you can satisfy me," I rolled my eyes, "instead, if you were Raya I'd consider it," I leaned on the table and grasped my hand out. She in turn flinched.

"Alright," he replied in a guttural tone, his fist was tightly clenched, "let's see if you can say the same thing after we are done here," he faced Raya and said sweetly, "if you would."

Raya sighed and rubbed her forehead. She seemed slightly indignant about whatever idea they had, but when she looked at me, her brows furrowed.

He egged her on, "you aren't telling me you forgot what she had done to you two days ago? How humiliating, if it was me I wouldn't have rested until I got my revenge."

"Shut up," she replied in irritation, but it seemed to have worked, "Agnes, my father may be away, but I won't let you off for free. As long as you stay here, no one will be sleeping in peace." The people around her nodded, "so I will punish you in my fathers stead."

"Hmm, what are you suggesting."

She placed the cup down, the sound of porcelain hitting together rung through everyone's ears, "I'm challenging you to a magic duel," she said, "if you lose, you are to never associate yourself with the D'Anelé name."

Ah, how great.

The wheels of fate had finally began moving again.