Chapter 8: Attending A Ducal Tea Party

"Lady Eshiavar? She's the famous daughter of Duke Monique? " Kiana remain silent before she looked at her father once more. "A ducal tea party? " She asked in excitement making her father nod in assurance.

House Monique is one of the legendary nobles who once fought alongside the hero. However, they are unrivaled to House Byrne, while House Byrne is both famous for their businesses, investment, political relations, and military knowledge, the House Monique is different.

House Monique specialized from a blacksmiths family, they are the honor as well as the sword of the Rosemary Empire. Though that depends on their achievements of the past, the House Monique has now become famous for baring splendidly beautiful daughters ever since the curse led to House Byrne took place.

They might be different from House Byrne but House Monique once crown one of their daughters as a queen, the former empress.

Now they seem to have reached the news that House Byrne's daughter, Lady Kiana will soon take part in the Queen's Race but before she could even enter the palace, the Lady of House Monique decided to have her on the day of her tea party to meet the rumor lady.

Lady Eshiavar was one of the ladies that humiliated her when she was a queens candidate, Lady Eshiavar was not fond of her because she's taking what was once belongs to her and that is beauty as well as fame.

Though she never invited Kiana before, what could have possibly change for the events of the past change as well? No matter how she looks at it, she's not even acquainted with her in any formal ways but guessing to her personality, she might have heard the ladies who knew about Kiana and she decided to see it for herself so she's not completely shocked.

"Well then, will you accept the invitation? " Her father asked.

She looked at the envelope wrapped in a more detailed design, with decorative vines and creative fonts on the back of the envelope with flowers and ribbons.

She would refuse this foolish tea party but knowing the ladies invited might help her from the business she'll start to build. Of course, what she mostly need is 'ally' and 'fame' to reach the ladies heart to have them on her side.

She smirked a form of an evil smile on her lips. "I'm expecting my 18th birthday soon, it will be beneficial to have some allies and friends around my age. "

"Then I'll send a letter of confirmation to inform your appearance. " The duke himself said but Kiana couldn't shrug the feeling of uneasiness over this party she will attend to.

'Lady Eshiavar, what are you up to? '

*Knock* *Knock*

"Your tea has arrived, milord. " A maid said at the outside of the huge planked door with few slides of silver details and texture.

"Come in! "

Now that you think about it, there are few servants in Castle Byrne who never left Kiana's side even when the owner of the house was the unfitting baron who happens to be a brother of the duke.

Kiana was grateful for their service until the day she dies, they even died with her for protecting her over her useless uncle. 'If only happiness wasn't taken from us, we could live in peace. '

She could be happy without the thoughts of having her happiness unfulfilled. There's no doubt and point of thinking about it now that her only goal is to make everyone involved with her death pay the price.

"Father, I wonder, do you have any connections with uncle? " The duke glare at her.

"Whom you talking to? " He asked making Kiana think if her father has many brothers for him to ask who when he knew that he has only had one brother.

"Baron Mondell, " the duke looked at her but his expression shook her unexpectedly. It was rather confusing, it's not even shocking but confuse.

"I was born as the only son of House Byrne, I do not have any siblings. Why do you think that Baron Mondell is my brother? He's not even a bloodline of Byrne. " Kiana's eye widened and her pupils become wider while her lips curled in surprise to the revelation she had only heard now.

'So father didn't have any siblings!?'

Then how can a stranger like that fake baron be able to manage the ducal estate without even filling his filth blood with the blood of Byrne? So who is he? How did he manage to fool everyone? What's happening?

Her lips suddenly turn to pale pink and she looked at her father. "Father, have you chosen your heir? " She asked thought it was like she's also doubting the identity of her nephew, she couldn't just let it be.

"I guess it is time for you to know the truth. " The duke put down the cup of tea and he looked straight right at Kiana's confused eyes and he smile. "I love your mother so much, he was worth my price, you know that. However, I've been longing for her even now that death separated us. " He stood up from his chair and pace over the room with both of his hands rested in his back.

"Whenever I see you, I've been reminded of your mother, over and over again. It's like my guts started to felt guilty. So I went to a bar unnoticed and drunk myself with liquor until I had no senses left in me to think. That's when I meet, Matilda the woman who's spoken to me with no hesitation even if she knew I was the duke, but our conversation ended up in one night stand and that morning I left her pregnant. " The atmosphere suddenly turns to silence and her lips curled in disbelief, but her eyes have become swollen to the disclosure that even her heart can't comprehend.

"Father, what could mother say if she knew this? Did you sleep with someone? Why did you do that to us? " The duke flinched but he didn't look at his daughter.

"She's dead, how can she say something? Besides she left us first! "

"Even if she's gone, she's still my mother! I'm your daughter, I could accept someone to step up as my mother if you could only have told me over these years! You could have fulfilled your duties as a father but no instead, you avoided me, neglected me for no reason and I can only see you if I go to your office but never I felt as if I had a father! You could have been a good father, you know. Mom will want that to happen but you never did! " Kiana stood up and her voice was cracking with every word she said, her face has become a river of water that shed from the sadness as she speaks.

"Mom would never want to leave us, but life is not that easy. We only have each other now, because mom always supported us but you have gone too far as such to curse her! I only have you now father, but you couldn't also understand a daughter longing for her father's love... If you can't become a good father then stop spreading to everyone that I'm your doted daughter because the truth is, you've never doted me nor look at me... I shall take my leave now, your grace. " The footsteps of her daughter are starting to walk away but the only thing he can do is to listen while his heart curse in pain but what can he do?

'Am I really not a good father, Mellena? '

-----♣️-----

The day of the party came, however, Kiana didn't quite prepare as much because of her father. She couldn't believe that her father would have done that but no matter how you look at it there's no value in him doing this to her.

It's like fate is messing with her life, if only he knew she was suffering too, he could have done something to comfort her but she was merely developing and her mind is mature enough to endure any kind of hardships.

"Are you okay? " Raele asked though he already knew what happens.

"I don't think I am but I have no choice, today is a big event that I needed to conquer. " She said and gaze upon the dark ceiling of her family's personal carriage, within the ceiling is an artwork made of paint.

It has the structure of two human, angel and demon fighting against each other while holding two both swords that has a flash of bolts of lightning and silver lines.

"I told you many times, do not fret fear or my power will no longer be edible for you. "

"I'm not scared, I'm just sad, please don't mistake sadness as fear, it's disgusting," Raele sneered and he looked outside of the window.

'Tsk, you liar...'