Chapter 121   – Anyone but Her (1)

“I heard you were alone so thought it would be nice to have some tea together,” said count Glacia.

Amethyst thought. “But don’t you have a meeting to attend to?” asked her.

“Well… that’s true,” said count Glacia, “but it’s regarding a topic irrelevant to me so it’s alright even if I am not there for a while.”

“Ah, I see,” said Amethyst. She instructed Roman to bring in some tea and snacks. Amethyst still was an aristocrat and knew how to accommodate her guests.

“I’m sorry about before,” said count Glacia, “I wanted to apologize again.”

“It’s quite alright,” said Amethyst.

“I know how it sounds,” said count Glacia, “but I just wanted to help you. There wasn’t any other meaning behind it.”

“Help me?” asked Amethyst.“Yes,” said count Glacia, “It was the first tea party you were holding, was it not? So, I felt like I should check things to make sure everything was perfect. I used to be in charge when your seat was vacant, so it is an old habit. I went to the glass house and the decorations seemed excessive, so I did what I did. Sometime less is more.”

“Is that so?” asked Amethyst, appearing nonchalant, sipping the tea Roman had poured for her.

“Yes,” continued count Glacia, “So I told the florist that it was too much, but it is her business as well, so she didn’t listen to me. I offered to buy the baby’s breath so that the decoration would be saved, and the florist got paid, as well. If my actions upset you, I sincerely apologize.”

Amethyst was tired. Perhaps count Glacia expected her to naively accept it and be grateful to her. But she knew that count Glacia wasn’t all that she seemed. And making Alexcent appear at the tea party with a bouquet of baby’s breath had been the last straw. It seemed like count Glacia had been mocking her, pushing her to the edge to see if she would break.

“Every person has their own standards and definition for beauty. Perhaps you did what you thought was right thing to do. But I would appreciate it you didn’t concern yourself with my affairs,” said Amethyst, “You are a count and I am sure you have enough things to worry about, enough responsibilities to fulfill. I would not think about infringing on your responsibilities, so please do not do so in mine either. Besides, I don’t want to put unnecessary burden on you and your work.”

Amethyst made it very clear. A distinct boundary. No more games. Count Glacia sipped her tea and smiled.

Count Glacia smiled and took Amethyst’s hand’s in her own. “Oh, don’t say such things,” she said, “After all we serve the same Lord, don’t we?”

Amethyst looked into count Glacia’s eyes unwaveringly. “I think you are mistaken,” said Amethyst, “I don’t ‘serve’ anyone, count.”

“Oh my,” said count Glacia, “I just… forgive me, it’s just that I heard you don’t have that kid of relationship. I heard you don’t even share the same room.”

Amethyst felt her embarrassment and anger flare. “What is the meaning behind all this?” she asked coldly, restraining herself.

“Nothing!” said count Glacia, “I was simply concerned.”

“What are you so concerned about, might I ask?” asked Amethyst, “I failed to understand why other people are so concerned about someone else bedroom habits.”

“About the heir, of course,” said count Glacia, “As someone who serves him, it is only natural to be concerned.”Count Glacia’s words made Amethyst plunge into a memory she would rather have forgotten. Her mother-in-law used to call her.

“It’s me,” she would say when she picked up the call.

“Mother,” she had said, “Did you sleep well last night? The weather is pretty cold please take care of yourself.”

“Go and see a doctor,” her mother-in-law’s brisk response.

“Why?” she would ask, surprised. “Why so suddenly. I am fine, really.”

‘I had a dream yesterday and it feels like a premonition for a baby. I saw a large dragon flying in the sky and I got an unusual feeling…’ her mother-in-law would say.

‘Mother….” She knew about her dreams and premonitions without any basis in the truth. “It can’t be.”

Her mother-in-law always would call her now and then. She would spare no greetings or any warmth of any kind. It used to be the same thing. A baby. Her premonitions and dreams.

“This time it’s real. Don’t question me and just go and see a doctor tomorrow. Do you understand? I’m hanging up now.”

She had always been pressured this way, for a baby. Made to feel like a failure. She had dreaded those calls and those questions and the insistence to visit the doctor. Count Glacia’s mention of the heir did the same thing for her. It reminded her of all the times she had dreaded the calls and the questions.

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