Chapter 1

7 years later

After the funeral, Astrid's life took a turn, not for the better it seemed. As she looked out the window at the approaching storm clouds she still remembered the days of the past vividly. Not because she wanted to but because she was plotting. As a child she could do nothing about it but she wasn't a fool like her step-sister made her out to be to others. In the 7 years that had passed her life had turned somewhat miserable. There were some things that she observed after growing up. Clear favoritism but her mother's advice still rang sound. "Bide your time Astrid. Good things come to those who wait, though taking action isn't out of the question either." So she waited, watched and calculated. Her mother didn't keep her position as Marchioness secured for so long in the Patriarchal society they lived in without being shrewd.

There was a knock on the door and then it opened a bit to reveal a shock of black hair peeking in. "Edwin," Astrid greeted as she ushered him in. In the distance the rumble of the storm could be heard. If Astrid had to pick a favorite out of her whole family then she'd definitely pick Edwin. Unlike Esmeralda and Rosalinda's dark red hair, Edwin sported black hair much like the father they shared. His personality was also a lot more amicable than the others in the house. Though he still was cautious around Astrid it wasn't for the fact that he distrusted her. No, that was another matter entirely.

"What brings you here?" Astrid asked as he took a seat while she stoked the fire. The room Astrid now lived in was bare safe for the necessities of keeping up an appearance. She had a canopy bed, a dresser, and a somewhat decent wardrobe.

"You're going with my sister to Lady Heather's tea party tomorrow right?" Edwin asked a bit nervously. Astrid just sighed and muttered "What is Rosalinda planning now?"

Edwin looked nervous for a moment, wringing his fingers like he habitually did when telling Astrid these things. "She's planning on 'loaning' you her pearl necklace," Edwin confessed. "I overheard her and mother talking."

"So it's that old trick again isn't it," Astrid sighed as she sat down. "Your sister sure is predictable. She did the same thing on my 12th birthday." Three years ago Astrid still had hope that she and Rosalinda could get along. When she was loaned some jewelry for her 12th birthday party she had been ecstatic. While her father had agreed to host the party for appearance's sake, as it wouldn't do for a Noble's daughter not to have one, it came swiftly to an end when Rosalinda had called her a thief in front of so many people, accusing her of stealing the earrings father had gifted her from his last business trip. Her father had been mad but her step-mother had been livid. Accusing her of thievery and then locking her in the attic for a week with only minimal food. It was then that she got to know Edwin better as well. He would sneak her extra food but he got caught by Esmeralda's personal maid on the third day. He never told her what his mother did to him when she found out and out of courtesy Astrid never asked.

"Maybe..... Maybe... sis doesn't have an alternative motive this time," Edwin feebly announced but even Astrid could see that he was quite unsure.

"Ed.... Can I ask you something?"

Edwin nodded as he looked at Astrid with those innocent brown eyes of his. Astrid just knew he would be a heartbreaker in a couple of years.

"In a week... if you had to choose between me and Rosalinda who would you choose?" She asked him with all seriousness.

"I.... I....." Edwin was at a loss of words. The 15 year old wrung his hands together more and more due to nerves. The boy had his own set of problems.

"Edwin, in a week things will turn around. I promise you that."

"A week?" Edwin muttered and then he realized "Oh your birthday!"

But before Edwin could say or ask anything else there was a knock on the door. Patricia, Esmeralda's personal maid, came into the room without even heeding the room's occupant. She ignored Astrid and directed her gaze at Edwin immediately. "Young Master, you are wanted in the dining hall. Madam has summoned you for dinner."

It irked Astrid very much that Patricia didn't even spare her a glance. Unlike the other servants in the house she had been hired not long after Esmeralda married her father officially. So she had been willfully ignorant of the late Marchioness Hofferson's position and just what that entailed in the long run despite knowing that the older staff had warned her.

"We will be in the dining hall shortly." Astrid stressed the 'WE' as the maid's eyes now turned to her. "Please advise the dinner staff to set a place for me. I will not be eating in my room today." She declared as she kept eye contact with Patricia.

"But you always eat in your room!" Patricia looked more shocked at the fact that Astrid had ordered her around than anything else.

"Are you, a mere maid, suggesting that I cannot partake in dinner with my family?" Astrid asked with a raised brow which caused Patricia to sputter and then make a hasty retreat. Astrid frowned. Just what had her step-mother filled Patricia's head with. Did the woman actually forget that she was a Noble's daughter? Did they think she was a pushover just because she had bided her time. In this coming week things were going to change a lot. She looked at Edwin who was looking back at her with an expression of awe.

"Edwin, are you up for a show?" Astrid asked as a mischievous grin made its way onto her face.

"A show?" The teen asked with a bit of worry.

"Nothing bad I assure you." Astrid smirked. "It just seems that I need to set the record straight in this family on who is in charge."

"Huh?!" Edwin exclaimed as Astrid opened the door to her room.

"Are you coming?" She asked and the teen dashed off of his chair and towards her. Edwin was of a curious nature so Astrid knew there was no way for him to sit still.

Almost all eyes turned towards Astrid when the pair entered. The other members of the household were already seated. Her father sat at the head of the table while her step-mother sat to his right with Rosalinda next to her. On the other side of the table two empty places were set. It seemed Patricia had indeed heeded her for once and seemed to have rushed to set an extra seat.

"What are you doing here?" Esmeralda asked her with a frown and Rosalinda's gaze was none too welcoming. In fact her step-sister looked like she had swallowed a lemon.

"Is there a law that forbids me from eating in the dining room of my own house?" Astrid quipped back.

"Well you never joined us before," Rosalinda quipped.

"I just never had a need to. That is until today. There are some matters to be discussed." Astrid said as she approached the table. The butler pulled out the seat closest to her father while Edwin took the one next to her.

"That's Edwin's seat," Esmeralda remarked pointedly.

"It is etiquette that the heir to the house is seated to the left of their parent," Astrid stated. "Edwin can only sit here if I am not able to attend. Surely you know this by now."

"Enough!" Astrid's father finally looked up from the papers he had been reading at the table. He put them away and then glared at his daughter. "Do not speak to your mother like that,"

Astrid gripped the hem of her dress under the table just to stop herself from punching the man. How dare he still try to make her see Esmeralda as a mother figure. Any chance of that ever happening was tossed out of the window years ago.

"I was just informing your Mistress of the social etiquette we all must adhere to as Nobles, father." Astrid took a sip of water from her glass before she continued after the food had been served by the maids. "It should especially be noted with my Coming-of-Age ball next week."

"Ah yes. Your Coming-of-Age," Esmeralda said while looking straight at Astrid with a smirk. "Your father and I have been meaning to talk to you about that."

"Astrid, since you will formally be an adult at 16 Esmeralda and I have been looking over marriage candidates for you. We have found some suitors with good backgrounds." Astrid's father stated as he cut his steak, not even looking up at his daughter.

"Mother, you must have outdone yourself." Rosalinda stated dramatically. "Astrid tends to dress so plainly it is a wonder anyone even noticed her."

Astrid's eye twitched at the comment. Her mind was shouting 'Who's fault do you think it is that I only have plain clothes to wear Ms. I-can't-be-outshined-by-my-sister.'

"Don't worry sister," Rosalinda said with a smile. "Even if you get married to a country Noble you will still have more influence if you mention my name. Once I am of age I will be named the Crown prince's fiance.

Astrid frowned at that. Didn't the Crown prince already have a fiance? And isn't the prince 10 years older than Rosalinda and her. Personally she wasn't so keen on marrying a man with such a big age gap. But now wasn't the time for Astrid to comment on it. She decided that she would observe more.

"So Astrid I'm sure you're quite curious about the suitors. We shall set up meetings before your ball so that you can meet them." Her father said with a glib tongue trying to sell the situation to her. "There will likely be someone that is a good match for you." She had her reservations on that statement.

"I'm sorry but I respectfully decline," Astrid said decisively, stopping her father in his tracks with his plan. Oh she knew what he was plotting but it wouldn't work. Even as a child her mother had thoroughly informed her of what she could and couldn't do.

"Excuse me!!" That wasn't her father yelling but instead it was Esmeralda who was clutching the wine glass tightly in her hand and looking like she was ready to slap Astrid for her comment.

"You heard me. I said I respectfully decline." Astrid repeated. "Not so respectfully I say you can shove those proposals where the sun doesn't shine." She took a sip of her own drink as Esmeralda's glass shattered, spilling wine across the table. A small smirk played across Astrid's lips at this. It seems it was about time to start the show.

AN: Why is Astrid so confident? What angle is she playing? Stay tuned for more.