Chapter 22

"How dare you bad mouth my master?" Fione sneered, "look at yourself."

She leveled her gaze with Ria's. The once higher than her in position was now sitting on the cold floor.

Ria held onto the bars, "What did you feed me with? Monster!" She banged her head, "I'd rather serve the Faes than serve you!"

Fione clicked her tongue, "My Lady has important matters to attend to." She looked at the mad maid with disdain, "Don't include my Lady in your delusions."

FIone's face became recognizable through the flickering light. Ria's eyes brightened as she desperately grabbed her, "Fione! You'll get me out of here, right? Right?"

She looked down at the madwoman and scoffed, "We are not close enough for you to act like this."

The last glimmer of hope in Ria's heart vanished. She refused to acknowledge that the woman in front of her acted as if she was better than her.

It was all a lie, the respect that they showed her was because of the master she served. The smiles they flashed and words of praises that the little maids she passed were all masks.

"Ria, I'm here to ask how you're feeling. Think of it as my Lady's last grace," Fione said.

She snapped out of her trance and cried, "Tell me, what did I do wrong? I don't deserve this!"

She never overstepped her boundaries. The hatred in her heart was well hidden. Ria couldn't accept that she will close without explanation. Her eyes bore into Fione's inquiring look, "I did nothing wrong!"

Fione stood and crossed her arms, "Nothing? Really?"

She recounted Ria's doings starting from the moment she was noticed by the little lady. Ria exercised her newfound authority in many ways she could. Her act of dominance when they were still at the capital and until they arrived at the fief.

Ria hid the fact that she hired a few men to clean after her previous home, behaved as if she was the lady of the house when her Lady wasn't around, and her private meetings with His Grace. She thought no one would notice, but Fione closely observed her and reported her to Cailina.

If the former would know that her Lady's ignorance of her actions was true, then she wasn't fit to serve the Lady. The Grandis' residence has different masters, and Ria chose to serve both. Fione would never understand how nobles' think, but the thing a servant must have was complete obedience.

Ria's clueless face made Fione roll her eyes as she saw the woman's denial, "Remember the little maid? The one you caught having a close relationship with the footman you took fancy of but never admitted?"

The ruthlessness of her Lady's personal maid was something servants shouldn't have without the consent of their master. Ria's audaciousness to personally dismiss the maid has disregarded the head maid and the butler, and even the authority of the masters.

"I only did it because that trollop acted as if the world revolves around her!" Ria scoffed, the thought of the little maid's smile made her relieved she disposed of her. She looked up at Fione with a satisfied smile, "I stood at the right… Fione, you can't blame me because you and I are the same."

"No, because one of us will obediently stay with a master while the other…" Fione smiled, "Ria, how do you feel?"

Ria banged the chains on the floor, her laugh danced along with the clanging of the bars. She ignored FIone's question, "You're chatty today."

"You're always the one behind the rows of servants, but why is it that your fangs are showing today?" She taunted, "How I feel doesn't concern any of the beings inside this forsaken place."

Fione took a deep breath. This madwoman excelled in testing how her patience will last, but she has orders to complete, "The little wolf lay sick in bed."

At the mention of Aris, Ria's smile brightened. Hearing the suffering of the dog made her heart flutter. It was his fault that she became like this, "Really? Good! If he didn't pop out of the blue and attracted the little lady's attention, I wouldn't be here!"

The unstable state that Ria portrayed gave Fione hope that there was no redemption for the woman in front of her.

"Let me tell you, my nightmares came back because of the unpleasant feelings I had for that dog!" Ria shouted and grabbed the bars, "Tell them this, that dog will bring no good."

Ria's laughter grew menacing as she screamed her hatred. Aris made everything wrong in her life once again. Her Lady would never abandon her, but she did. It was because of the dog's influence.

The mocking words never disrupted Fione's expression. She brought out a vial, "Do you want to end it all?"

She could no longer gather results as her Lady wanted. Fione's heart leaped with joy, she could finally serve the little lady with all her heart without the presence of an obnoxious maid that was a former lady of the night.

The vial in front of Ria caused her to stiffen. She backed away and the faceless figure cushioned her back, she dare not turn around. A dagger on her neck and life of nightmare threatening her heart.

"What are you afraid of?" Fione asked.

Ria's eyes swelled as she gripped her scruffy dress. In this world, there were many things she feared. Not being able to have a roof above her head, a mistake that will cause her to lose her work, and returning to her family.

FIone offered the vial to Ria, "Take this or suffer here."

This was all she could do, give the former maid the easy way out of misery, "You have exhausted your purpose. It was nice working with you."

She turned her back and left the decision for Ria. Fione sighed, a maid has no right to oppose her master. Ria stared at the vial in her hand and glanced at the man beside her.

'Don't take it.'

'You'll be happier with us!'

Her grip tightened and smiled, "Really?"

The doctor gulped as he lowered his gaze. He was summoned by Duke Grandis about the medicine he had prescribed a maid a few years ago. He was sure it would be as His Grace's expectations.

The tea grew cold, he waited for the man in front of him to speak. Duke Grandis could extend his power to anywhere he wished. Errors such as this were never within his calculations.

The chains that bind this monster from spreading across to the very heart of the empire was the monarch itself.

A mystery between the two families that lasted for thousands of years.

"Dr. Karl, the medicine performed worse than anticipated," Duke Grandis said, his hands clasped together, "The patient experienced vivid hallucinations."

He got out a journal, "You'll find her emotions in this. I place great confidence in your work, doctor."

Karl flipped open the journal. The first pages were neat and eligible, but as he further read the thoughts of the woman he furrowed his brows.

"The Faes will be my salvation."

It was written with great conviction. A phrase that would cause suspicion of the Emperor. Karl noted the Duke's explanation of what happened with the patient.

Although it was a fail, this result would contribute for the common good.

He looked up and nodded, "I will not disappoint Your Grace."

Duke Grandis observed the scenery outside. After Dr. Karl left, he reorganized his plans. Failure was not an option. He might receive another reprimanding from the Sovereign, escape was and always be a dream for this family.

He could only hope that the trading route would soon be finalized and the Elven Kingdom would open its gates. The path may be long, but he wished his daughter would continue his punishment.

"Where's my daughter?" He asked without looking at his attendant.

"The young Lady is having tea with Her Grace."

The autumn breeze blew softly. Duchess Grandis smiled at her daughter with intelligence far from common nobles. Cailina sipped her tea as if the world never mattered. Aris' speedy recovery has put to rest her worries.

"I heard some interesting news while I was at the wedding," Duchess Grandis said.

A few gossips won't harm her daughter's mind, her sweetheart has acted more of a noble son than a princess of a Duke. She felt a sense of responsibility to have her daughter taste a little talk of ladies.

Cailina looked at her mother, "Please do tell mother."

This kind of information would make her return easier. Noblewomen were much trickier than men. They might not participate politically, but she knew what women would do behind closed doors.

She listened to her mother's voice, absorbing the happenings within the women of the noble circle.

A certain rumor caught her interest. She smiled at her mother, whose eyes filled with mockery to the nobles lower than her.

"The daughter of the Imperial Earl was reported as missing…"