Important Announcement and Lily's resolve

 CHAPTER THIRTY

"Where are you going?" Lily jolted slightly when she heard the voice of her sister from the entrance of her room, Sister Iris had a habit of barging into her room without prior notice, Lily glance up with a frown.

"Sister Iris," She muttered as she reached for the brush on the vanity table. "Would you please help me brush my hair?"

"Of course," she reached for the lad's hair and received the brush from her, "Tell me who you're going to see."

"Rain," She answered calmly, her green eyes fixed on her reflection in the mirror. "She had been sick for a while, but I have been too busy at the academy."

"Oh, I forgot you are quite acquainted with the bastard daughter of your father." She sneered, even though her voice was quite harsh, her hands did otherwise, she brushed through her hair softly.

"I already told you not to call her that, she is still our sister." Lily muttered with a frown hanging on her eyebrows. Iris simply chuckled, as she helped Lily pull her hair in beautiful braids. "I know you don't like her, but isn't nine years too much for you to reconsider?"

"It's not enough, Lily, you're still a child, that's why you don't understand." Iris voice became soft. "I am saying this because you are my little sister and it would pain my heart to see you hurt."

"I am not a child, my coming of age is only a few weeks away," Lily raised her face slightly, "You say this because you don't know who Rain truly is, she is so innocent that she can't hurt a fly."

"You can't always trust girls like that, she has had a lot of experience, considering the place she grew in." She explained even further, but it seemed to make Lily even angrier. "She is only acting innocent now, because it's convenient for her and she still has you on her side, but what do you think will happen when she has to rely on her ambition to survive?"

"I have had enough of filling my ears with dirt about my sister," Lily suddenly pushed, she angrily got out of her chair. "Rain would never hurt me or anyone, she is a good person."

"A servant will forever remain one even if you remove the rags and dress them in purple linen." She suddenly reminded Lily of a proverb their mother used to tell them while they were younger. "They will continue to be and act lowly. Do you know that your so called innocent sister has been visiting the Duke's offices a little bit too much recently?"

"What?"

"Even the young Duke seemed to have grown a keen interest for her," Iris laughed. "On the day he arrived from his three year journey, Rain was the first person he went after. Not even his mother, not even his father, but a child of lowly birth."

"That's not true." Lily denied. "Rain isn't even so close to the young Duke, she never sent him even a single letter in those three years."

"How naïve you are, Lily," Iris shook her head, she had given up on the idea of trying to advise the girl. She will realize it one day, but she hoped it wouldn't be too late by then. Tiredly, she headed back to the entrance of Lily's room, only to be stopped by Lily's teary voice.

"To think that Rain was the only person who believed you when you got accused of disclosing her identity," tears had well in Lily's eyes, she had tried to ignore all the things Rain was going through, but it had gotten to the part where she is unable to keep turning a blind eye.

 She also wanted to protect Rain from her family.

"What?"

"Rain told me she believed you weren't the one who told the Crowned Prince that she was an illegitimate child of the household." Lily yelled. "I didn't believe you, even until this day I still find it hard to trust your words, but that child you try so hard to pull down, realized it wasn't you because you are too proud to lie."

Iris eyes widened.

"Rain believed me?" She asked somewhat hopeful, but the hope crumbled. "Of what importance is the words of a servant?"

"Sister Iris, with all due respect, don't come looking for me again," Lily had made up her mind. "As long as you are not willing to accept Rain, you might as well forget about me."

 She wiped the tears that had fallen to her cheeks, maybe if she was like this since the beginning, she might have been able to change her sister.

Even though mother hated the girl as well, she was more reasonable than Sister Iris.

In anger, Iris turned on her heels and stormed out of the room, she wouldn't care about anything again, since everyone thinks she is crazy, very soon, Rain would begin to show off her true colors, she wanted to see what kind of expression Lily would make when Rain bites her hands.

"Where did she go?" Lily asked Marine, Rain's handmaiden, she looked around the house, and it was in bad shape, it's no different from a shed where horses nestled but the girl had been overwhelmed with joy when she was given to her.

It was probably because she had never had anything to call her own before, yet Rain didn't try to come to the main building, why will Sister Iris call someone like that greedy and ambitious?

Rain is just unfortunate.

"I thought the doctor had recommended a total bedrest to Rain, then why isn't she in here resting?" Lily's voice came back, she strolled to the table and picked up some of the books.

A small smile reached her lips when she realized the books where the ones she had recommended to her.

"She went to see the Young Duke, My lady." Marine answered with her head bowed slightly.

Lily twitched.

"Rain went to see Izekiel?" She asked again curiously. "What for?"

"She didn't tell me the details, she seemed to have something important to discuss with him."

Lily turned away slightly, Iris' words replaying in her head, but she shook the negativity away from her mind, Rain must have gone to see him because she had a good reason to.

But still going to see the Duke alone, she didn't have a guard but she could still take her maiden along.

"Alright, please don't tell her I came here." Lily answered before she turned towards her escorts. "Let's go back to the residence."

 "Lily?" She heard Rain's voice as soon as they reached below the stairs, a small smile was plastered on her face, and she ran to give her sister a hug. "I am so happy to see you, did you come looking for me?"

Lily's eyes softened when she realized just how pale she was, she seemed to have lost a good deal of weight as well, and she also noticed some bruises on her face.

"Are you okay? What happened to you?" The doubts in her mind disappeared as quickly as they came, Rain's eyes escaped hers.

"This is nothing, I simply got into a small accident." She answered with a small huff, as she tried to change the topic, her eyes fell on a well packed bag on one of the servants hands. "What is in the bag?"

"Some herbs and medication for your well-being, directly shipped from Shanna." She answered. "Shanna is known for their very potent medication, I hoped to give it to you so you could get better."

"Thank you…" she hugged her once more and suddenly, Lily felt bad for doubting her, she even wanted to leave and asked the maid to not tell Rain she passed by.

Her chest gnawed on by guilt, she hugged Rain tightly.

"I'm sorry, Rain. I should have come sooner."

"It's okay…" Rain pat her back softly.

"Would you mind coming over for dinner? I will talk to mother, no one will bother you." She offered and Rain smiled. "Please say you would come."

"The Young Duke invited me for dinner already, I will come, Lily."

"Who said the dog of the house could sit at our table?" Iris suddenly asked interrupting Rain and Lily as they discussed. "Rain, what are you doing here?"

"Sister Iris enough of this," Lily defended. "The Young Duke invited her over for dinner."

"Oh really?" Elias suddenly joined them, and all the girls stood on their feet to greet their father, Elias nodded at them and he took his position at the head of the table. "Izekiel did well, I had something to announced today as well, as a member of the family and the topic of the order, Rain should be present. I apologize Iris, but please sit down."

 "Can I skip this meal?" She asked her eyes filled with defiance and voice with rage.

"Like I implied earlier, it is a very important announcement, if dogs of the house should be present, what happens to the owner of the house." Iris's eyes widened slightly, father had heard her initial statement and he seemed to be offended by it, pushing her luck further would only anger him even more, reluctantly, she sat down.

Everyone was present at the dinning table, even though pressured, Rain raised her head highly like a true lady as she ate.

She wouldn't run away anymore, after all the Duke wanted someone who can fight back, and he promised to push her once he saw the signs.

"Father, I would like for a room to be cleared and specially cleaned for Rain." Izekiel broke the silence and everyone turned to him, except Rain who kept eating like nothing was happening. "I went to her residence not too long and it was in shambles."

"Tch…" Iris hissed. "I knew it, give them an inch and they would claim a mile."

"Sister Iris you are being unreasonable." Izekiel muttered. "That girl was attacked by thieves."

"Thieves?" Elias murmured as his green eyes turned in the direction of his daughter.

"Why didn't she say so?" Rebecca, the Duchess asked as she wiped her lips with her napkin.

"Would anyone have believed her?" Lily muttered. "Just like Sister Iris, I am sure you wouldn't take it serious too mother."

"The outer residence is too weak, there are no royal guards in the area too, is like keeping a piece of honey uncovered." Izekiel stated. "The flies would feast."

"Agreed, you can do whatever you want." Elias muttered, his eyes not once leaving Rain whose jaw clenched tightly. A small smirk reached his lips. "I also have my own announcement to make."

"I won't be surprised by anything at this point." Iris muttered underneath her breath, she felt disrespected but she was still unable to leave the dinning.

"In the coming of age ceremony, that will be held to celebrate my daughters, Lily and Rain." He dropped his wine glass, and his eyes narrowed. "I have decided to give my second daughter's hand in marriage."

"What?" They all chorused.

"Elias, the first daughter is supposed to get married first, that is tradition." Rebecca reminded and the Duke nodded.

"Agreed it will be officially announced but the marriage would hold unless Iris does." He concluded then he glared at his first daughter. "I hope you don't disappoint me."

Rain felt her heart beat wildly in her chest, by age, she was the second daughter of the duke, the Duchess glared at her.

What was the Duke doing?

"Yes, father." Iris muttered.

"So, who is the suitor?" The Duchess asked. "For you to be in such a hurry to get her engaged, he must be such a prominent man."

"The most dignified of all men," He muttered proudly. "The Nations pride, the person is none other than the crowned Prince of the Aubreun Empire, Prince Aryan. The prince has agreed to the engagement too."