"SEE YOU SOON SAHARA!!" Freya waved at Sahara who's standing next to her Father the Count smiling and waved back at Freya.
The trip was silent, no one bothered to talk, until Felix decided to.
"You seemed to make the Counts's daughter like you." He uttered still looking at the window with his arms and legs crossed.
"She's a sweetheart, I like her."
The silence between them grew, making Freya feel quite awkward. She suddenly remembered the brooch she had bought for Felix, which she always carried in her pocket, hoping for the right moment to give it to him. Deciding that now was the time, she reached into her pocket, pulled out the brooch, and handed it to Felix.
"It's yours." She stated extending her arm to give it to Felix. "My arm hurts, just take it," Freya said, a hint of annoyance in her voice.
Felix took the brooch, his confusion evident as he examined it. "What's this?" he asked.
"A brooch, obviously," Freya replied sarcastically.
"I meant, what's this for?"
Freya rolled her eyes. "I just wanted to give you a gift, nothing else."
Felix was still hesitant and confused. The old Freya had been so scared of him that she wouldn’t even go near him, likely because Felix had made his hatred for her quite clear. But this new Freya was different, and he had to adjust to her.
"Thank you," he finally said.
Freya's face lit up with a wide smile. "Finally, you said 'thank you' without any other words!" she exclaimed.
Felix just glared at her and went back to what he was doing, while Freya couldn't stop smiling.
"Thank you for giving me something I already have." He added that made Freya's jaw dropped and anger started to creep into her.
"How can you not be just grateful for once?!" She said madly, she even grew mad seeing him to not listen to what she was saying anymore.
Damn ungrateful brat.
THEY returned to the manor late in the evening. Freya was exhausted and decided to have dinner in her chamber. After eating, she got ready for bed.
"I gave Felix the Brooch we chose for him earlier." She said, as Tia brushes her hair.
"Does Lord Felix like the brooch you gave him, milady?" She was curious about all this.
Freya frowned. "He's being ungrateful again, like I don't get why he can't just be nice to me for once." With both arms raised she added. "I don't care whether he likes it or not, I gave him a gift and that's all I care about."
Tia couldn't help but think that Freya was just a girl yearning for her brother's love and affection. The rumors were twisted—Freya was a real sweetheart.
"Thank you, Tia. I'll be sleeping now. You can go. Goodnight!"
"Goodnight milady, please rest well." Tia said before leaving Freya's chamber. She headed to the servants' quarters in a different building.
As Tia approached her room, she heard her roommates talking about Freya. She stood behind the door, eavesdropping.
"She is so scary! I will never want to walk on the same path as hers!"
"She's not scary, she's just a brat. Haven't you heard? She would throw a tantrum everytime something displeases her."
"Oh my! Is the lady still like that?" The other woman asked curious about such gossip.
"A person can't change overnight—" the woman speaking was cut off midway after the other woman tapped her on the shoulders to inform her about Tia's presence.
Tia just walked passed them without regarding about their behavior, she thought that she wasn't in the position to have a word at them.
They did have a point. You cannot change a person overnight, then how can she expect Freya Lavine Yeovil to change her ways so abruptly?
THE day before the Duke's birthday banquet, everyone in the Ducal manor was busy preparing. Freya was ensuring everything went smoothly.
"Yes, put that there. Wait, a little bit higher," Freya instructed a maid on a ladder. "Perfect!" she exclaimed, looking at her clipboard with the list of tasks.
Tia approached with a glass of water. "Milady, why don't you take a rest?"
"I'm not tired. If I stop now, I'll lose all my motivation," Freya said, drinking the water Tia brought her.
"I'll be close by, milady. Please call me if you need anything," Tia said before leaving.
Freya looked around the hall, feeling joy at how it was turning out. She used royal blue and creamy white for the decorations, matching the diamond brooch she gave to the Duke.
Then it began to struck her again, the thought of Aurelia's coming. She couldn't just shake it off without notice as this is where everything will go down south for her.
Please be nice... Please be nice.. She kept repeating that to herself, wanting to be nice for tommorow's event. Freya couldn't possibly ruin this event for the Duke.
"Freya." She flinched hearing someone behind her, seeing it was Duke made her flinch even more.
"F-father? What are you doing here?" She asked panicky as the Duke roamed his eyes around the large Hall. "Is it to your liking?"
It took him a few seconds to formulate a reply. "Yes, it is to my liking."
Starting to feel relieved, Freya took a deep breath and smiled sweetly at the Duke. "I was worried you might not like it very much, I'm glad—"
"You said I might not like it?" He asked with a stern face.
Shaking her head she replied. "No one, I just thought of it myself."
Everything should be perfect, that is what kept Freya running and organizing everything for this Banquet. All the nobles would be present and the Duke should be given far more than perfection.
Being a single parent isn't an easy task so he deserves nothing less than perfection. "You need not such thoughts." The Duke stated.
Eh?
"Refrain yourself from such negative thoughts, you could damage your head once more."
Oh he was worried. She smiled. "Thank you, I will listen to you now Father."