Early in the morning, the cool breeze from the North rasp my skin that leaves an entangling feeling of refreshment. It was the smell of a coffee bean that being extracted into a beverage for the workers in the manor. The horses started to whine, from the sound of their cries, I'm guessing that the servants are brushing their mane.

The sky was the usual color blue with puffy white clouds. I stretched my hands, trying my best to reach for the flying birds as they spread their wings and rule the heavens. Somehow, I would like to be like them. The feeling of being free yet seems to be impossible.

I decided to walk a little further of the estate. Where there is no disturbance that may happen while I close my eyes to breathe in the fresh air of the surroundings. Deafening silence as it was, refusing Celine to accompany me was the right choice, indeed.

Thus, I need some time to think and sort the conflictions inside of my head without someone watching me battling my inner voices. I can't just seem to adjust with the unexpected changes of the current household and it leads to me being suffocated. Rather, I need to get ahold of myself.

His sleeping face was peaceful, quite an alluring sight to behold. Laying down beside him was warm as he embraces me inside of his arms. He did spend the night with me after all like he always does and was still asleep when I left him on the bed, only to struggle to be able to slipped away from his intertwine hands around my waist.

Right, I was still wearing my nightgown and was only to grab a thin cloth to cover my bare shoulders. My lips must be paler today compare to the glimpse of my reflection that I took in the mirror earlier and my fingers are starting to tremble. But that doesn't even matter now as I remember something.

The Grand Duke said not to mind his concubine. Still, it was bothering me since last night. Was he believing that I could just turn a blind eye with the woman he suddenly brought? Seriously, I want to slap my cheek until it will become red, hoping that the pain will wake me up from my situation of going insane.

And what about yesterday at the carriage scene? What's with him, offering his hand to the other lady in front of his wife. In fact, I dare to never forget his absence on the day when I arrived here first. Though, I do not hold a grudge against him because I was also relief from that time and was being cautious. Simply, would it even hurt him to give me an excuse?

Reality hits me. As I recall the moment their palm touches against each other that seems like they have their own world. It was a beautiful scenario, as if there was an invisible flower on their background that were blooming around them. Then, my heart was shaken.

It was a feeling that I never encounter and couldn't identify. The only thing that inside of my mind was, wishing that I was supposedly the one who he was helping in stepping down of the carriage. Which I immediately regretted to have such terrifying thoughts.

A noisy flying bee made me snapped out from staring intensively on the rocks of the ground. I was too absorbed to recognize that beyond of the path that I was walking, leads me to the garden. And I appreciated, from afar the breath-taking flowers that can't be compare to anything.

I smiled as the calmness of the beauty soothes me and released me from caging myself. That's right, Madelaine. How could I forget? Aren't I, conquered plenty obstacles during my stay here? Despite the challenges, look how much I've grown to love these lands that I was frightened before. So much time has passed while I was living here that I should have put more focus in it yet, my relationship with the Grand Duke was still the same.

Why do I have to kill the mood with that kind of reasoning? I was already at the brink of recovering my self-esteem, only to destroy it once again. Moreover, it was already broken when a certain someone appeared. I frowned when a lady and her lackeys exited from the arch made of vines.

Her hair was elegantly a mess, with dried leaves on top of her head that seems to be an intentional appearance as she was able to still keep a dignified profile. She greeted me by shoving some tulips in front of my face with a big warm smile like how she got to fool everyone with her charade.

"This is for you," her annoying high-pitch stated.

I immediately took one-step backward when the symptom started to show. The pollens flow along with the wind and it only cause me to sneeze again. My skin can feel the rashes that was forming and so, I slightly tap it for me to reduce the itchiness.

"Oh, perhaps you don't like flowers?"

She must ask me that because I distance myself from her within a meter just to prevent this allergy. Thankfully, I didn't get expose for a long time to the point that I will find myself in a dire state that needs a healer unlike before. So, the reaction from inhaling those precious scent was just purely irritation.

"Look at her. She's being rude to our Princess," I heard her attendant murmured to the other maids that also came from Mazo. If I'm not wrong, Bisitsha was it?

My instinct was telling me that their plan is to cause a bad reputation of me around the people. Ridiculing my image for them to gain servants that will side Crystal against me.

I paused and slightly took her a glance. If so, I have to clear their misunderstanding about me. "You've mistaken me. It's j-just..."

"Then, what should I do with these? I thought I would make you my friend. So, I picked them up intending that you would like it. I didn't know that the Grand Duchess was meticulous highly of herself," Crystal cut me off.

Her maids look each other in the eye and I could clearly see their evil grin plastered on their lips. It feels like they were communicating through their gazes as they nod their heads that they've agreed on something. Then, they began to whisper that it will reach to my ear.

"I know right. The Princess was correct. That woman always gave off the vibe of being spoiled."

"Oh my, you felt it too? I thought I was the only one. Did you feel irritated the first time you saw that blond hair?"

Panic wrapped my soul with my mind being clouded in hysterical thoughts. I clench my teeth as my stomach were churching. Hands that were shaking due to the cold atmosphere, quiver even more because of their comments.

No, I should stay calm and never let them influence my emotions. The teacher once said that I should not show how affected I am to the words of the other people nor speak rashly. Stay silent, that will make them weary than to retaliate with petty reason.

Her maids might be disrespectful to me as if they owned the world with their princess' backing them up, they've been intently attacking me with harsh criticism. Though, I decided to follow what I learned and keep my mouth shut. I have the same level of authority with the Grand Duke; therefore, I shall never falter even at the presence of his first concubine.

If Celine was here, she might blow them fire like a dragon and cause such ruckus. I laugh at that imagination of her and was enough to put me at ease. Crystal was only lucky to found her prey, alone. There were four of them, hungry beasts surrounding a lonely rabbit.

"Oh my, you must not speak ill of her. She's the Grand Duchess you know," she stated with concern yet her eyes were full of mockery.

Really, how does people do things at the same time? Would someone tell me? If a third party would be able to hear her, they'll thought that she cares for me. Hence, her face shows the opposite. Since, I was able to clearly saw how she throwed a disgusting glare.

"That's life-threatening! What might the Grand Duchess do with her mouth sealed like a puppet?"

"That's funny Bisitsha, let's tell the others."

The maids behind her chuckled as if they find my status a ridiculous rank. Truthfully, I would never give them the satisfaction in replying their provocation as they badmouth my existence. I should just leave them, seeing their faces will only prolong my stay.

They were fortunate that they serve under Crystal, if they'll become workers of the household, they will be punished for insulting a noble. One-hundred whips on their back for every grave crime that they will commit. The Grand Duke might not let this off too and just instantly behead them.

I was about to walk away, back to the mansion when she shouted to make me stop. "Wait! Why don't we talk a bit more? Might be that you're mad because His Excellency found a new wife?"

Wanting to release a heavy sigh and massage my temple in front of her which means that I would lose all of my compose that I build up to her foolish assumption. How could I even compare my pure sister to this fake one? Now that she asked for it, perhaps she wanted revenge to what happen yesterday during our tea?

"Of course, it's not something I restricted him," I smiled at her.

Rather, I don't care anymore. We agreed in the terms of conditions that we settled. That I would not interfere to his decisions nor to his, I look at her from head to toe- preferences.

Her palm went to touch her cheek as she tilts her head. Pouting while her eyes are roaming around the sky. The leaves stuck on her hair fell on the ground. "Then, why are you avoiding me?"

I didn't give her an answer for it was already obvious. Why does this situation remind me of a person pretending to be an infant that needs to be spoon feed even though the plate was already one-inch reach away? I pressed my lips as I stare at her like she was the most ignorant lady I ever met. Such impossible woman.

Who would be in the right mind want to be close to you when you just shove those flowers that you were still holding in my face? I never once knew a person that would risk their lives in walking a hot lava path with the countless books I read. Does she really want me to be dead by all means? Seriously, how deep her hatreds towards me? Not to be mention, we just met yesterday.

"Just what I thought. Perhaps, you're afraid that I will steal your position."

Oh no, and it could only get worse. Perhaps, if I let a moment of silent passed through between us and didn't dare to look away from her stare. Hoping that she would realize what she said. That she would knock her senses up.

She loosens her control grip to the stems that she grasps. As the result, some of the flowers drop on the soil and its unattached petals began to part ways to its body, trying to blend in the wind.

A grinned was shaped. "What's wrong with that idea? Aren't we both his wife?"

She must be delusional that I came up with different background theories. Perhaps, she smites her head along the way here. Or the scene of abuse by her father, probably. In any case, I confirmed that she has a few missing screws.

"Isn't obvious that I should be also treated as the Grand Duchess?"