The day after the incident, Ayda's mother dragged her to the Brack mansion. Ayda was way too lazy to go but she needed to get closer to Nifsara to put her plan into motion. While in the carriage, Ayda's mother continued threatening her:
"Don't you dare do anything of the sort again. Are you listening to me?"
Ayda continued looking out the window:
"If you pull the same crap again I am seriously going to kill you. Your corpse would be less trouble to me. Do you hear me? They won't find you even if they tried. You will be rotting at the bottom of our lake for all eternity.
-Good luck with that."
Ayda's mother raised her hand but Ayda caught it in the air.
"Let go of me! What do you think you are doing? Are you crazy?
-Oh my, God... I am so crazy... Oh no...
-You! You stupid! Why did you have to get born? I should have killed you when I got the chance!"
Seeing the mansion approaching, Ayda's mother sighed:
"You know what? Don't talk at all. That would be better. Don't you dare say a word. Did I make myself clear?"
Ayda didn't have time to answer because they reached the mansion. As soon as the carriage door opened, Ayda found herself face to face with blue eyes. She got so surprised that she stopped moving for a second and seeing her hesitate, Nifsara extended her hand towards her. Ayda looked down at the hand and stared at it for long seconds. Did she expect her to accept it? Did she want to help her down the carriage? Ayda didn't even see Nifsara for a second and she was already pissed off. Why did she have to be so nice? She just burned her hours before.
Ayda didn't accept the hand and got down by herself. Seeing her do so, Madame Maganti immediately screamed:
"Ayda! What are you doing?"
She turned to Nifsara and smiled before taking her hand.
"Thank you so much. I'm sorry... My daughter is really stubborn. Maybe it's because she never got a suitor but she isn't used to basic etiquette. I should teach her some manners."
Ayda immediately understood what her mother meant. Who was the stubborn one here? Her mother never got bored of that whip.
"It is okay, Madame. I shouldn't have made her uncomfortable in the first place."
Ayda frowned. Yes, she shouldn't have. She should stop pretending to be all perfect and finally start hating her. Why was she being so childish? Couldn't she frown just once?
"Please follow me. I prepared some tea for you.
-Oh, my. How thoughtful of you! Did you hear, Ayda? Such a well mannered, young Lady. Your mother should be really proud."
Ayda imagined how awkward it would be if Nifsara's mother had been dead.
"Unfortunately, my mother is no longer with us."
Ayda couldn't hold back a laugh.
"Oh, sorry. It was just well timed, I... Nevermind."
Seeing Nifsara smile made Ayda immediately lose hers.
"Oh, my! I am so sorry! I should have known. You must miss her a lot."
Nifsara continued smiling:
"Don't worry."
Ayda slowly nodded. Of course the hero's mother would be dead. How many heroes had living mothers? Ayda started wondering what it would be like.
"You can always come to me if you need motherly advice. Since the beginning I have felt that you were like my own daughter."
Ayda almost choked. Good luck Nifsara! She didn't know how horrible it was to have such a mother and she was very willing to let her find out.
"You are very kind."
Ayda rolled her eyes and followed Nifsara to the tea room. Nifsara helped Ayda's mother sit down before pulling Ayda's chair. Ayda stared at it with a grimace. Why the hell would she help her? Move away!
"Ayda?"
She turned to her mother:
"What?
-Sit down. You are making Lady Brack uncomfortable."
Ayda walked around Nifsara and went to a different chair before pulling it and sitting down. She knew that she must have looked childish but if that made Nifsara hate her then it was all for the better.
"Ayda!
-What? I am sitting."
Her mother turned to Nifsara:
"I am so sorry, she isn't yet used to life in society."
Ayda found this funny and pretended to feel bad:
"Oh, no... Were you pulling the chair for me? I didn't understand at all, I am so sorry."
Nifsara smiled before sitting down:
"No problem. I should have made it clearer."
Why the hell was she smiling? Ayda obviously lied. Nifsara however didn't seem to care and she lifted the tea pot before pouring Ayda some tea:
"I will serve you."
Ayda straightened up. Was she referring to the day before? Was she finally mad about something?
"I wouldn't want you to get burned."
Nevermind... She was just worried that Ayda was clumsy enough to burn herself.
"Speaking of which, how is your leg? Are you feeling better?
-Thank you for asking. I am perfectly fine, don't worry. Lady Ayda didn't hurt me at all."
Ayda frowned. Was this a challenge? She could hurt her if she really wanted to. Ayda immediately hit her tea cup and it spilled towards Nifsara. The latter however was quicker and jumped up just in time. She immediately turned to Ayda:
"Are you okay? Did you get burned anywhere?"
Ayda shook her head:
"No."
Nifsara sighed:
"Thank God."
Ayda continued trying to hurt Nifsara again and again for the whole conversation. She would elbow Nifsara while grabbing cookies, drop her cup while talking... Nothing could get at Nifsara and Ayda wondered if she was staying polite because her mother was there. Maybe if they managed to be alone, Nifsara would drop her act. Ayda looked up at her mother and suddenly kicked her under the table. Her mother jumped before glaring at Ayda. The latter just smiled:
"Mother? Are you all right? Is it your stomach again?
-You..."
She sighed:
"I am fine, thank you for worrying."
She kicked her again:
"Are you sure? You don't seem fine.
-Ayda... Stop whatever you're doing.
-Me? I am simply worried about you, mom."
Just saying it felt weird.
"Do you remember what we talked about in the carriage?
-That I shouldn't talk here and let you do all the boot licking? I never agreed to that.
-Ayda!"
Her mother suddenly looked at Nifsara:
"Haha... She is just joking.
-Why would I? I don't have time for that. So why don't we start being honest with each other? I want you to leave the two of us alone.
-Okay, that's enough jokes, Ayda. I think we bothered Lady Brack for long enough. She is probably tired. We should go."
Madame Maganti grabbed Ayda's arm but the latter pulled it away immediately.
"Ayda! What do you think you are doing?"
Ayda looked down at her fork. She knew what was waiting for her if she followed her mother home and she didn't feel like playing this little game anymore. Should she just go for it? If she attacked her mother out of nowhere then Nifsara would think her crazy. If a crazy person was getting too dangerous she would kill her right? Ayda decided that she couldn't know until she tried and just decided to go for it. She grabbed her fork but she didn't have time to lift it that Nifsara suddenly covered her hand.