Times Of Adversity!

The breakfast table could not be any colder. The maids tried their best to shrink their heads and be invisible.

Henry was eating the piece of bread as if he was nibbling on the neck of someone while his cold eyes were staring at Penny every now and then. His expressions were so cold and vicious that anyone would have felt the coldness seeping through them.

Penny feigned ignorance. She sat there with her meek personality and kept eating her food as if nothing had happened. Kelvin was the one who was looking more agitated.

He kept staring at Penny and when he did not feel her getting worried or scared. He gritted his teeth and stood up from his seat with some force.

The chair screeched on the ground with force with a lot of sound.

"Kelvin!" her mother frowned and stared at him with disapproval but he just ignored her looks and scoffed at Penny and left the room.

"He must be so excited that he was not able to control his emotions." she said with a smile as she looked at Penny. "Your uncle and I have an announcement to make." she started with a grin on her face when Penny paused.

Her heart sank as she tried to force a smile on her face and looked at her aunt who was waiting for the approval of her husband.

Henry stared at his foolish wife and useless son who had already left the room. A good ship did not sink with the attack of the enemies but due to the foolish allies that created a hole in their own ship.

He did not know whether to spend his time handling Penny or deal with both of them first.

"Honey!" She looked at Henry without understanding the mood when he scowled, shocking her.

"Penny, if you are done. Go back to your room. I have appointed a new teacher for you. She will be there any moment." Penny nodded, relieved that the storm was postponed no matter what the reason was.

She left the room with hurried steps.

"Did you not hear that Kelvin had brought a girl and she is waiting in the hall. If you need to announce the marriage of your son, at least make sure that he is not with another woman at that moment.'' The voice came out with so much pressure that it felt one of his teeth would break the way he was grinding them.

Jane was shocked. She looked at her husband with horror and stood up immediately.

"How could he bring his lovers home. I will talk to him at this moment." with that she left.

Not even once did she say that she had a problem with him having lovers but she did not want them in her house. What a hypocrite woman!

Penny who was still leaning on the pillar and eaves dropping like always scoffed.

She hid behind it when her aunt came with a huff and walked past her.

Should she go too?

Her uncle was alone in the room. Who will he talk to! She decided to leave when she heard her uncle cursing out loud.

This was rare! He must be too agitated with the events of last night. She felt happy even when she had felt since it was rare to see him in a bad mood.

"Jack! This is taking too much time. Contact Adam and tell him that we are ready for any kind of condition but this should be done as soon as possible. I want to cut her wings before they grow up fully." she paused and looked back into the room.

She did not realize when a man had entered the room and was standing behind her uncle. He had a cold and rough look on his face as he nodded respectfully at the instructions of his uncle.

She felt sour as she walked back to her room. Sitting on the chair in the balcony, she looked at the training of knights and the hustle and bustle of the manor.

The daughter of the marquis, the fifth in power in the whole empire, she should have been one of the strongest people but here she was.. Like a caged bird because she was a woman and women did not hold any power in the empire.

Her eyes sank as she cursed the rule again. If it was not for the rule, she would have claimed her father's position and run the palace and her fief proudly.

But now.. She was just a puppet in the hands of her uncle who was greedy. She was sure he was not even sad about the death of his brother but thanking god that the hurdle of his life was removed.

Her hands clenched into a tight fist. But she promised that she was going to take revenge. She would never let him go.

The knock on the door brought her attention back to the present.

"My lady, i am your new maid." said the woman as she knocked the door again when Penny sighed and opened the door.

A pretty maid with a smile on her face. She looked bright and cheery.

"Your maid is on vacation due to some urgent work in her family. So, I am here to replace her. I hope you will be kind to me."

"...." kind! This time she would not be a fool to be kind and trust them when she knew her uncle had sent them.

She just nodded halfheartedly and went to sit on her seat when the maid followed.

"Do not be that disheartened, my lady. His highness had said that you are a woman of valor. At least, you should be a bit hopeful even in times of adversity."