CHAPTER #22:Tea Party.

My father received the guests with the head butler while my mother searched for me around the mansion with the servants of the house. I missed my nanny for she always knew that the stream behind the mansion near the peach trees was my hiding spot.

-"Why does she always bring up marriage?"I grumbled.

To me, marriage was the worst and the most complicated matter of life. In short hearing this word made me feel insecure in many ways.

What if that person turns out to be twisted and intolerable?What about the lifestyle? His family.His background.His wealth and income. What if he is a trashy cheater and has an overbearing and ignorant personality?What if he is abusive and looks down on me as his property who claims that he has rights over me? What if... he abandons me after taking advantage of me?

I have had enough of this in my previous life.

I buried my head in my arms resting on my legs.

"Is life too hard for you little lady?"

I heard a gentle yet stern voice that bore elegance.

I looked up startled. Thankfully it wasn't my mother and it wasn't any of the mansion servants either.

The figure cleared as it approached me. To my surprise, it was someone familiar. Someone I met but only in my dream.

"This can't be real," I said wide-eyed.

Those bewitching eyes that were ranging from purple to silver looked like gems of mystery that reflected under the warm sunlight and same hair. Everything was the same.

"This is no dream. And we met before on a winter night." She pointed out.

"Night Queen?" I furrowed my brow.

"As I expected." She smiled.

"The heirs are intelligent like their ancestors."

"What are you saying?" I demanded an explanation of her words.

"Do I need to go on about explaining everything?" She argued.

"Little girl. Maybe you have the freedom of talking like that in your house but I tell you to watch out for your behavior with other people.

" This is the part of my mansion. And you who claim to be a queen of God knows who trespasses without the owner's consent."I argued back.

"There is no place in this continent where I cannot go."She poked my forehead which is always exposed like my mother's. I hate the fringes covering my forehead. Thus I never asked for a haircut other than trimming the hair from the back.

" Don't!"I tried to move her hand away but she withdrew before I could even lift my arm.

"You are quite a mischievous lady." she giggled.

Her smile was mesmerizing to see. The lips were red like blood. This time she did not wear the dark purple lipstick like in my dream. And her laughter was like a nightingale singing in the spring that could enrapture any human mind. She wasn't having pointy and long elven ears and was wingless.

"Maybe it was a dream back then."I thought as I tried to compare the two appearances I witnessed so far.

-"Why do I feel so relieved when I see this human girl?"She looked at the small figure into the breathtaking eyes that were nearly transparent and silver like fading moonlight in the night sky.

I stared at her waiting for her to say something. The moment I decided to break the awkward silence with another series of questions the silence shattered by itself by the soft sounds of rustling leaves in the cool breeze and footsteps from behind.

"Luna!?"

I heard familiar voices call out my name. Startled I looked back if they have yet discovered us.

"Looks like we will continue the conversation some other time." She smiled and vanished into the mist once again without a trace.

"Lady Luna! There you are." A servant ran to where I stood breathing heavily they tried to inquire me.

Despite their genuine kindness and worries, I was in no mood to reply to them.

-"Why should I?"I glared at them without a word leaving them terrified.

"Go back.No one told you to follow me." I bore my fangs as I stared at their worried and confused expressions.

Without another word of protest, they silently left the garden's premises. As I watched them leave I noticed something odd behind a tree.

Long silver-grey waves, most probably hair flowing in the wind.

"Eirlyn?" I called out.

I saw the girl shyly peek from behind the peach tree.

I looked back one last time to ensure that woman wasn't there anymore.

My stern face softened after seeing the worried look on the girl's face.

Eirlyn despite being the only child of Viscount Beauregard was extremely sensitive and quite like a rabbit. She easily got scared or anxious which made her an easy target for bullying. This is why even children of nobles teased her and frightened her with their pranks and gossips.

"Luna? A-are you alright?" She stammered as I approached her.

My brows creased without realizing and I let out a distressed sigh.

"Nothing much," I replied and strolled back with her to the main gardens where the guests enjoyed the lavish tea party.

The mothers seated around one big round table decorated with various types of sweets and tea of choice.

"Where is the mother?" I abruptly asked a servant passing by holding a tray that contained a new batch of pastries.

He informed us that she was still searching for me.

As I anticipated that she'd still be searching for me in a mansion as big as a castle.

I ordered him to escort her back to the party and let her know. of my presence.

Later I joined with Eirlyn and other young ladies who were busy chatting over the table drinking their tea.

"Greetings Lady Luna." They stood up in my presence.

My mood swings got better of me. The look that I bore was full of pride and emotionless as I looked at them.

"Have a seat ladies." I furrowed slightly.

Abigail as usual was talkative. Eirlyn's cousin who I met at her birthday was engrossed in her gossip with ladies of other families. Eirlyn was silent as ever sipping her tea with elegance. But I could see her trying her best to hide her nervousness.

As the servant served me tea I refused to accept any sugar in my cup. To me, it felt like a crime to drink sweetened tea with sweets.

When I picked up the cup I noticed that the voices around me lowered.

I glanced at the far end of the table only to find their gaze fixated upon me.

"What?" I questioned them if something was strange.

"Lady Luna." Abigail mustered out.

"Do you not add sugar to tea?"

"I do not. Since it interferes with the original taste of the tea.Although some tea flavors are enhanced by adding sugar." I replied as if it was common knowledge.

But I could see their faces say that "it is the first time I heard of this."

"Lady Luna you..."

"Hmm?"I lowered my cup after a sip.

" YOU ARE SO KNOWLEDGEABLE!"

They squealed aloud which almost led me to choke on my tea.

"What is wrong with these brats?"