A/N:

This chapter is longer than usual.  I didn't really edit this that well, but I hope you will still like it.  I had fun writing it!  =)

Chapter Seven

Two Unforgettable Meetings and Lady Linelle's True Nature

"Oh, wasn't it magnificent?!" Antoniette said.  It was an hour after the departure of the last guest, and her eyes still shone from all the excitement.

"Yes, it was," Daria murmured as she brushed her mistress' hair.  It was 1:00 in the morning, and all she could do was think about her soft bed.

"I was the belle of the ball."

Daria's mind did not even bother to think of a witty comeback.  "Yes, you were," she agreed absent-mindedly.  She stifled a yawn.

"Prince Jerrold danced with me so many times."

"Yes, because you were the belle of the ball."  Perhaps Antoniette would kindly dismiss her if she was praised enough.

"I was."  Antoniette nodded seriously.  "Anyway, it's late." 

Daria's heart leapt up joyfully.

"But I don't want to sleep yet, so you can give me a foot massage."

Daria's heart sank.

*              *              *

It was fifteen days after the banquet, and autumn's frosty breath warned the people of Kyrria to prepare for another cold winter.

Daria was in the manor's kitchen, washing dishes.  Once in a while, her thoughts would wander away towards that girl.  Eleanor.

Daria sneered.  That girl thought that she understood everything.  Ignorant vixen.  Her life was practically perfect!  She went to banquets as a form of entertainment, and she was rich (her gown was practically shouting "My wearer is loaded!  Loaded, I tell you!").  She wasn't cursed with anything…her looks were appealing, her social status was respected, her—

"Daria!" someone snapped.

Daria broke away from her thoughts.  "Yes?" she said to Emily, who was the one who called her.

She didn't really like Emily.  That twenty-year-old woman was…well, emotionless at most times.  Her freckled face was always blank, and if she happened to have an expression on it, it would be either annoyance or boredom. 

"There's a visitor for you," Emily said.

Daria started.  "A visitor?  For me?"  She frowned.  "I'll be there in a moment."  She let go of the dirty plate she was holding and wiped her soapy hands with an old towel.

She didn't bother to hide her confusion as she followed Emily to the drawing-room.  Who was her visitor?  The only people she knew in Frell were a few vendors from the marketplace and of course, the servants.

Then she saw Eleanor, sitting on the comfy sofa, clothed in a green dress and her shiny black hair secured in a sleek bun.  Beside her sat two other people: a stocky man and an angel-faced woman, both around in their forties.

She narrowed her eyes.  "You," she said coldly at the girl.

Eleanor shifted in her seat.  "Yes, me."

Daria crossed her arms in annoyance.  "Can I help you?" she said with mock politeness.

Eleanor lifted an eyebrow.  "This is Lady Gina and Lord Ormond," she said as she gestured towards her companions.

"Nice to meet both of you," Daria said stiffly.

Lady Gina smiled uncertainly while Lord Ormond gave a deep, polite nod.

Eleanor cleared her throat.  "What's your name?" she asked the servant girl.

Daria scoffed at this.  "Excuse me?"

"We would like to know your name."

At first, Daria just peered suspiciously at the three visitors.  Then she lifted her chin haughtily and said, "Daria."

"That's a lovely name," Lady Gina spoke up.  Her dark blue eyes showed that she was nervous.

Daria forced a smile.  "Thank you."  There was no warmth in her voice.

"Would you like to go for a walk?" Lord Ormond said, his voice deep and naturally loud.

Daria's eyebrows furrowed.  What madness is this?!?!  What do they want?!? "Look," she began, "I mean no offense, my lord and lady, but I don't even know you.  What do you want from me?"

Eleanor spoke up.  "Daria," she said softly.  "Lady Gina and Lord Ormond here are two very loving and caring people."

Daria still had no idea why she was connected to that.  "I'm sure they are," she said dully, "but I still have a lot of work to do, so please cut to the chase."

Eleanor shifted on her seat again.  "Well, they've been married for almost thirty years now…and they're childless."

It was Lady Gina's turn to speak up now.  "I can't bear a child, Daria, so we've decided to sort of…adopt someone."

Daria felt her blood turn cold as realization came to her.  "Y—you mean…"

"Yes," Lord Ormond said with a smile.  "Would you, Daria, like to be our daughter?  Eleanor tells us that you're…well, parentless."  He looked very nervous, in contrast to how he was before. 

Silence.  The three looked at Daria, each waiting patiently (but uneasily) for an answer.

This was when Daria sent them the most vicious glare, and everyone literally backed off.

"Are you kidding me?" she hissed furiously.  "You pity me, is that it?!?!"

Lady Gina jumped up.  "No, Daria!" she cried.   "We—"

"No!!" Daria screamed.  "I do not want your sympathy!  I'm doing just fine!"

Eleanor stood slowly, anxious and worried on where this might lead to.  "Daria…" 

"Shut up!" Daria yelled.  "Don't bother me again!" 

With this, she wheeled around and fled.  She didn't look back and while her feet trod rhythmically on the marble floor, she gathered up her skirts below her knees in order to run faster.  She passed confused servants, but ignored them.

I don't need their sympathy, those good-for-nothing nobles, she thought furiously as she pushed the door open and was greeted by a cold breeze. 

She didn't care though.  She ignored the biting wind as she ran away from the manor and headed to wherever her feet took her.  They pity me…I don't need their pity.

She ran, her breaths becoming sharper and heavier.  Her leg muscles and sides began to complain. 

Finally, she slowed down, and soon, was walking.  She let go of her skirts and took a long, deep breath.

Calm down.  Calm down. 

She looked at her surroundings and was startled to see that her legs carried her near the palace.  It looked magnificent as it shot up towards the sky…the towers looked as if they could pass the white, puffy clouds.  The Kyrrian flag flapped in the breeze at the top of each tower.

An entrance with an opened iron gate caught Daria's attention.  She headed over to it, and when she crossed beneath the threshold, she found herself crossing a bridge, and then in the royal menagerie.

Creatures of all sorts came from every angle.  She saw a caged dragon at her left, an ogre in his shelter farther off at her left , centaurs at her right (they were far from the dangerous creatures), caged birds farther off at her right, a unicorn and its foal near the exotic birds, and many more.

Daria shrugged to herself.  Oh well, visiting these creatures wouldn't hurt.  Wait…maybe it could.  She might lose her job if she stayed here.  She didn't actually ask permission to leave the manor.

Right now, I don't care.  I'm not going back there.  At least not yet, Daria thought.

She proceeded to look and admire the caged birds.  She didn't smile or nod at the very few passers-by (most were richly clothed), even though they smiled or nodded at her.  She knew that she must have been branded rude and ill-mannered, but she didn't care.       

She smiled a little when she watched and listened to a parrot with bright green feathers and an orange beak.  It spoke a language that she didn't understand and she was amused at the sounds it made.

"It's Gnomic," said a deep voice beside her.

Daria turned and her heart almost leaped out of her mouth when her blue-green eyes met brown ones.  She didn't expect this to happen.  She absolutely didn't.

She curtsied only out of respect.  "Good morning, your majesty," she mumbled.

Prince Jerrold, future ruler of Kyrria, smiled.  "Good morning.  Lovely day, isn't it.?"

"I suppose so," Daria muttered.  She needed to get away.  If she just said "Excuse me" and leave, would that be considered rude?  Was she allowed to turn her back on the prince?  Wait a minute…did he even recognize her?  Did he know that she was the girl in Antoniette's banquet who was covered with disgusting soot from head to toe?

He raised an eyebrow.  "You look troubled.  Are you all right?"

Daria shrugged.  "Peachy."  Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.

Prince Jerrold didn't know what to say to this.  "Well…err…is this your first time in the menagerie?"

Daria shot him a cold look.  She couldn't help it.  "I have to go," she said icily.  She didn't care whether she was rude.  She was not going to associate with this person.  She turned and walked away from him.

He controlled his laughter.  "Is this the way to behave towards the future ruler of Kyrria?" he said with pretend authority.  He was only joking, of course.  He wasn't angered at the least by this girl.  In fact, he was rather amused at her attitude towards him.  He was sick of those ladies who always cooed and flirted whenever they saw him.  It was tiresome. 

This girl was different.  Her voice was strong and full of emotion.  It wasn't syrupy and thus, wasn't annoying.  She didn't giggle with her dainty hand placed in front of her mouth.  She also didn't try to show off her…feminine charms. 

Unfortunately, Daria didn't sense the fact that he was only kidding.  She turned back to him, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"Look, buddy," she snarled, "I wouldn't care one bit if you were the king or some sort of powerful fairy, or a pauper, or my long-lost brother.  My day is not starting off very well, so please leave me alone before I lose control of myself."  She peered at him, her mouth fixed into a sneer.  "It won't be pretty, trust me."

Prince Jerrold stared.  "Wow," he said as he gazed down at the infuriated girl (the top of her head only reached half of his neck), "You look odd.  I didn't realize that it was possible for someone to turn that red.  " 

Daria's eyes widened.  "I didn't know that it was possible for a scoundrel like you to exist," she shot back.

He snorted, which surprised her a bit.  "My lady, calm down," he said. 

She glared.  "How am I supposed to calm down with you here?"  She crossed her arms.  "Leave.  Now."

The prince snickered.  "You are forgetting that this is my menagerie," he said.  "I'm the prince, I live in this palace, so why don't you leave?"

It was Daria's turn to snort, and this surprised (and greatly amused) Prince Jerrold as well.  "Do you always use your title and heritage in order to win arguments?"

"I—" He stopped.  He was surprised at himself for not having a comeback.  He had bickered many times with his two younger brothers, yet he couldn't think of a retort to say to this young lady, who had eyes that burned like fire.

Daria sneered.  "One point for me," she said haughtily.

"I wouldn't brag about it," Prince Jerrold snapped.

Daria gave him an impish look.  "One point for me, one point for me, one point for meeeee…" she sang.  She grinned when she saw the prince flinch.  Ha!  She had discovered how to get in his nerves.  She knew perfectly well that she was being annoying.  "There's a dance that goes with the song too."

"Please don't dance," Prince Jerrold replied.  "If you dance as bad as you sing, then I don't think I'll live past my eighteen years.  And by the way, that's why I flinched.  You sounded like a braying donkey."

Daria gave him a fierce look.  "Why you little…" She trailed off and huffed angrily.

He grinned and swept a ridiculous bow. 

Daria glared.  "I'm leaving," she announced.

"Fine.  Good day, my lady," Prince Jerrold said without wiping off his grin.  He was about to take her hand and kiss it like a true gentleman, but suspected that she would have pulled away immediately and caused a scene.  Therefore, he made no move.

Daria gave a curt nod.  Then she raised her chin and did a dramatic turn.

Prince Jerrold watched the raven-haired beauty march off.  Then he decided for one last remark…

"By the way, Daria…"

Daria stopped dead in her tracks.  She didn't introduce herself.  Curious, she turned and met his mocking eyes.

"Yes?" she said with a quizzical look.

He smirked.  "I'm glad you managed to take all that soot off."

The glare that shot towards him was the deadliest and most vicious one he had ever received. 

He just laughed at her impressive daringness.  He couldn't wait to see her again.  In the mean time, he was going to think of comebacks and retorts for the next squabble.

*          *          *

Daria was almost afraid to enter the manor.  She had been gone for three hours, which meant nothing but trouble for her.

After her memorable encounter with Prince Jerrold, she marched off to a corner of the menagerie where she could keep a long distance between herself and him.  In other words, she marched off to a corner of the menagerie where she could hide from him. 

After she was tired of avoiding the future ruler of Kyrria, she left the menagerie and wandered about the city of Frell, admiring all the spectacular sights that presented themselves before her.  The green rolling hills, the lush forest near the palace, and River Lucarno's clear blue waters were all breath-taking.   

Daria walked to the back door, praying that it wouldn't creak.

Her prayer wasn't answered.  The moment she turned the knob and cautiously opened the door, a loud creak echoed.  She winced but still entered, praying that no one heard the creak.

Her prayer still wasn't answered.  The moment she stepped in, Daria found her own self looking at Anita, Babelle's twin.  The commander of the servants was glaring, her dark brown eyes menacing.

She wasn't really Babelle's twin.  She just acted like Babelle.  Her commands were almost as plentiful as Babelle's commands, her sneers were similar to Babelle's sneers, and her weight was Babelle's weight.

"Where have you been, wench?" Anita hissed.

Daria replied, her voice dull and lacking emotion.  "Out."

Anita glared.  "I should cut off that insolent tongue of yours, you lummox!"  Then she sneered.  "We'll see what Lady Linelle has to say about this.  Your absence has been informed."  She smirked and turned, and Daria knew that she had to follow the obnoxious woman.   

The next few minutes were pure torture.  Daria didn't know what the mistress of the manor was going to do to her. 

Maybe I'd just be deprived of certain privileges, Daria thought.  Then she smirked.  What privileges?

She was led to the enormous library.  Daria was surprised since she didn't think that Lady Linelle would know that a library existed in the manor.  She entered by herself (Anita didn't bother to go in and just shut the door right after Daria came in) and blinked a couple of times to adjust her eyes.  The library was one dark place. 

"There you are," came a sharp voice (but was still syrupy).

Daria groaned inwardly.  Of course the Lady Antoniette would be looking for her.  After all, she had been gone for three whole hours!  Three hours that were filled with so much fun and went by too quickly, Daria couldn't help thinking.

The moment Daria stood in front of Antoniette and her mother, she felt someone roughly grasp her from behind.  Shocked and angry, she turned to see who it was. 

His face was concealed with black cloth. 

"Is this necessary?" Daria asked Lady Linelle with a glare.

Lady Linelle didn't answer.  Instead, she stepped forward and started to yell.

"I DID NOT HIRE YOU SO THAT YOU CAN LAZE AROUND, YOU STUPID BLUNDERING OX!!" she roared.

At first, Daria was taken aback.  She didn't think that the lady of the manor had the nerve to act so…unladylike? 

She took a deep breath.  "My lady, I—"

"AND ANOTHER THING…HOW DARE YOU TREAT THE GUESTS WITH DISRESPECT!  I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY WANTED FROM YOU, BUT HOW DARE YOU RUN OFF LIKE THAT!  REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE, WENCH!  YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A LOWLY SERVANT!"

Then she stopped and everything became dead silent.  Daria secretly breathed a sigh of relief.  She was sure that that was the end of her mistress's outburst.  She was relieved that that was it, and nothing else.

But she was wrong.  Oh, how she was wrong!

Lady Linelle wasn't finished.  "Antoniette," she whispered hoarsely at her daughter.

"Yes, Mama?" Antoniette piped up, her voice still as girlish as ever.

"You remember that whip that we secretly bought?  Fetch it."

Daria's eyes widened.  She wouldn't dare!  It was illegal!  She desperately looked around for some witnesses.  There was no one and the library was tightly closed in.  She knew that not even the slightest noise could escape from the thick walls.  Wait…what about the scars and gashes from the whipping?  They could be proof.

"Yes, Mama," Antoniette replied, her voice filled with glee.  She walked out the room.  Actually, she skipped out the room.

Daria turned to her mistress.  "You wouldn't dare," she whispered.  She struggled to get free, but the man was too strong.  A memory flashed before her eyes—the one of the time when she was held the same way while that young man robbed her.

Lady Linelle smirked.  "Aren't you honoured that you're the first one to experience the whip?"

"It's illegal."  Daria's voice was stronger and louder.

"Like I care about that law.  You deserve the whipping."

"I can have you jailed," Daria hissed.

An amused smile cross the woman's beautiful face.  "Really?  How?"

"You don't think that the whipping won't leave some scars, do you?"

At this moment, Antoniette walked in, a brown sack in her hand.  She joyfully handed it to her mother.

"Ah, thank you, dearie."

"You're welcome, Mama."  Antoniette shot Daria a triumphant look.  Who knew that this girl who was supposed to be just plain annoying was actually evil?

Lady Linelle opened the sack and took out the dangerous whip and some ropes.  "Tie her up," she ordered the man.

With his strong hand still grasping Daria, he took the ropes.  Then he yanked her towards a column.  Daria kicked and struggled, but to no avail.  She even screamed, but no one entered the library to see what was going on.  At that point, she couldn't help but wonder if this room was designed for this type of thing.

After a few seconds, the masked man managed to tie Daria up.  She was now bound to the column.

"I will have my wounds as proof!" Daria yelled.

Lady Linelle chuckled.  "Dear," she said sweetly, "I'm not that careless.  This whip is fairy-made.  A very good friend of mine made it for me.  Every wound that this whip gives will heal instantly.  Not one scar or wound, dearie, but don't worry—you will still feel pain."

Daria was too shocked to speak.  There was extreme silence as Lady Linelle raised her whip in the air.

Then after one swift motion, the back of Daria's dress tore up and she felt excruciating pain.  She gasped at how it severely stung her back and she even stopped breathing because of the pain.  Tears unexpectedly formed in her eyes. 

Now she knew why Lady Linelle always bothered her.  The question used to cling to her like an impish shadow, but now she knew the answer. 

Beneath that beautiful, girlish, and innocent-looking façade, she was the most vile and ruthless creature.

A/N:

Don't forget your review!  By the way, I changed Daria's reaction when she first meets Lady Linelle in the fourth chapter, "An Opportunity".  At first, I compared Lady Linelle with Lady Valene, but I changed it.  I changed it so that it will go well with this chapter.  This is how it is now:

"That settles it, then!" Lady Linelle said. She turned to Daria with a sweet smile. "You are hired."

"Uh…thank you, madam," Daria said uncertainly. She forced herself to smile. Somehow, this beautiful woman brought severe chills down her spine. What was it about this woman's eyes that made her body turn cold? What secret was this woman hiding? What was her mystery?

The answer didn't come to Daria at that moment, and until it did, the question clung to her like an impish shadow.