Chapter 34

Things didn't go as planned for the next two days for Astrid. She had to deal with a backlog of documents, as well as sorting out the issues in her fief. That couldn't be delayed as the people were suffering. However, thanks to Lady Cami and the Merchant guild belonging to her family, the procurement of supplies went smoothly. Soon a large convoy would depart the capital with the supplies needed to ensure her peoples' livelihood. Meanwhile, things with Lady O'fair had not progressed smoothly. After Eret's defiance, Lady O'fair had stormed out of the room. Half an hour later her father had barged into her office demanding how she could humiliate the Lady so. Astrid rightly concurred that their guest must have gone to complain about the whole situation. She had just sent him on his way, fuming, but it left her in a sour mood for the rest of the day. Dinner that night wasn't much better as Samuel was gushing about Lady O'fair's qualities as a wife to Edwin, who was still recovering. Rosalinda was also still holed up in her room and Esmeralda simply let her husband talk. Franky, it put Astrid off of her appetite for the night. She excused herself early though she felt bad for leaving Edwin alone in the dining hall.

For the following days, Lady Gretchen actually kept a low profile. Astrid pondered if her father had laid it out too thick at dinner that particular night but Astrid had heard not a peep from her and her entourage except for the need for basic necessities any Noble Lady would want. Even with the work piled up, Astrid planned. She had a steady correspondence with Hiccup and the twins. Her coachman delivered the letters diligently. She had also kept up a correspondence with Lady Heather and Lady Camicazi. The lather she wanted to thank for her contribution while the former wanted to talk with her on some manners pertaining to High Society. So it was that Astrid had organized an impromptu tea party. It was the height of the Social season after all, though she was hardly interested in watching the men peacock to get a lady's attention.

A knock on her office door jolted her out of her musings. Thinking it was Minden she paid not much mind when she uttered "Enter,".

"Excuse me, sister," A decidedly-not-Minden-voice said.

"Edwin," Astrid stood up when she saw the young man. "Come sit," She gestured to one of the plush chairs in the office. Edwin looked decidedly nervous. Surely Lady O'fair hadn't been making any unwelcome overtures when Astrid wasn't around.

"Astrid, I want to thank you for helping me break this engagement," Edwin began. "But I didn't come here for me,"

"Oh?" Astrid raised a brow.

"It's Rose," Edwin said while holding his breath as if Astrid might kick him out any second.

"Oooh," Astrid now muttered. Honestly speaking she hadn't given Rose much thought. At first, she was mad that her order to stay in her rooms had been disregarded. Then she had learned that Rosalinda had snuck out. Which made her even angrier. When she learned what had happened to Edwin on the way back from the fief she wanted to take an axe to a tree repeatedly. Rosalinda tested her sanity in ways that had Astrid contemplating bloody murder at times.

"I think she needs help," Edwin continued. Astrid looked at him with a frown and her half-brother must have sensed her incredulity. "Astrid please, I'm sure she didn't mean to push me," he pleaded. "Everything was all in the heat of the moment. I pushed her when she wanted to be left alone, I get it. It doesn't make right what she did, but I get it. Honestly speaking if I was her I'd have done the same thing."

"What do you mean?" Astrid asked with a frown as the way Edwin worded it had her become suspicious.

Edwin looked somewhat sheepish, though he took a deep breath before uttering "Rosalinda and I aren't really twins," He confessed. "She shares no blood with you though mother made it seem that way,"

Astrid's eyes widened and she slammed her hand on the desk. "What did you just say?!" She wasn't sure she heard it right.

Edwin took another deep breath and confessed "Rosalinda is not my twin sister. She's a year older than me. I was too young to really understand what mother was doing and she swore both of us to secrecy. She said that this nice rich Noble would take care of us if we said we were twins,"

"Oh Thor help me," Astrid uttered while rubbing her forehead in frustration. Only Esmeralda could be that devious.

"Uhm...." Edwin mumbled which turned Astrid's attention back to him. "I think my sister is depressed. She doesn't want to talk to me but I'm sure she'd talk to you,"

"Me?" Astrid was once again baffled. "She hates me!"

"She considers you some type of rival I think," Edwin stated. "Haven't you noticed that she's been trying to constantly one up you in almost everything."

"In a decidedly annoying way." Astrid muttered. Whether it was the harpsichord, horse riding, dance, or calligraphy, Rose always had to have the same subjects and tutors Astrid did. When she thought she was finally free from her step-sister for one lesson.... Nope.... There Rose was.

"Mother is just going to be mean to her again, Father doesn't seem to care and she won't even see me out of guilt." Edwin sighed. "Please, try to talk to her? She needs to get out of that room."

"What do you suggest? That I bring her to the tea party?" Astrid asked with a raised brow and upon seeing Edwin's face light up at the suggestion she groaned.

So that was how Astrid found herself in the corridor walking to Rosalinda's rooms. When she got closer she saw Patricia standing in front of the door banging. "Young Miss, let me in! Your mother has ordered that you eat!" The maid shouted in frustration and Astrid guessed that she had been at it for a while.

"Young Miss! The Mistress is very displeased with you right now! She said that if you don't eat you will not have any energy to meet the new suitors!" Patricia continued shouting while banging on the door. Astrid's brows shot up in surprise. New suitors? Surely Esmeralda was joking. Her daughter got her heart broken just a few days ago and now the woman is already wanting to parade her around like a prize pig at the fair.

"That is enough Patricia," Astrid announced her presence as she approached. Her step-mother's personal maid froze mid-bang and looked towards the voice. First with an annoyed look and then recognition as she straightened herself and stepped back. Astrid never liked this maid. She put on airs in the household just because she was a personal maid. The amount of jabs this maid took at her when she had no title still caused Astrid to seethe though she couldn't fire someone just for that. "Leave. I will make sure Rosalinda eats."

"The Madam has ordered me to watch her finish the meal," Patricia spoke up and then regretted it as Astrid glared in her direction. "Are you saying that the Master of the House's orders are lower than your Masters'?"

"Forgive my rudeness. I will go now," Astrid had never seen Patricia scurry away like that.

Astrid walked over to the cart that had the tray on top and opened the lid out of curiosity. She frowned when she saw the meal however. It was just some pea soup, two slices of bread and a glass of water. She knew Rose ate heartier meals than that and the girl practically abhorred peas.

"Rose," Astrid called out as she knocked tentatively on the door.

"Leave me alone!" Came the muffled sound from inside the room.

"Look I'm just here to talk," Astrid began. "I'll be honest with you. Edwin is worried about you."

"Is that the only reason?!" Rosalinda called out.

Now Astrid was met with a dilemma she could lie and say that she was worried too but honestly she hadn't given a spare thought to this girl. She decided to go for honesty and answer "Yes,"

A somewhat strangled laugh came from inside. "Well you were always one to be curt," There was some shoveling and rattling before the doors opened. Astrid noted that while Rose was holed up she had changed into one of her more floral house dresses.

"I think I would have a heart attack if you said you were worried," Rose huffed. "We both know that's a lie,"

"While not worried I am somewhat concerned. Why are they giving you pea soup? You hate peas," Astrid asked. She hadn't expected Rose to actually start laughing cynically.

"By Thor, you really don't know what happened the night our parents came home do you," Rose's laugh tapered down as she looked through the set of large bay windows. "I've only been given that pea soup to eat the last few days on mother's orders."

Rose sat in front of Edwin's rooms with her knees to her chest and her arms around her bunched up skirt.

"My baby!" She could hear being shouted and stood up to see her parents approaching.

"Mother... Father..." Rose uttered but the only recognition she received was a slap to the face by Samuel. Rosalinda fell to the carpeted floor cluthing her reddening cheek as tears began to form. "Father I can exp-..."

"Shut up you goddamn cur!" Samuel hissed as he towered over her. "How dare you lay hands on your brother like that. Not only did you get your engagement broken but you injured your brother as well?! You're a stain on t his family!"

"It... it..." Rose's voice wouldn't come out as the intimidating aura of her father seemed to be strangling her.

"Samuel I'll deal with it," Esmeralda stated calmly as she had a cold look in her eyes. That cold look sent shivers down Rose's spine as her mother ordered her to wait for her in her room. Rose fled from the scene as her parents started to argue. She hadn't heard what was said but it couldn't have been good.

Rose had been nervous ever since her mother had sent her to her rooms. When the clock stuck ten was when the doors to her rooms finally opened. Her mother still had that cold gaze upon her and Patricia was there behind her. The maid shut the door as Esmeralda approached.

"Mo-Mother I'm sorr-...," Rosalinda tried to say as fear crept up her spine. Her mother however shushed her.

"Do you know what an utter disappointment you are?" Esmeralda asked. "Of course you don't." She continued, not waiting for Rose's answer. "I should have drowned you when I had you,"

"Mother, please, it was an accident!" Rose got down on her knees and clutched her mother's skirts. "I didn't mean to!"

"Was it also an accident that your engagement got canceled?!" Esmeralda hissed. "Honestly your ineptitude astounds me. How can you be my daughter if you can't even seduce a single man!" She then spat. "Strip!"

"Mother please no!" Rosalinda pleaded as tears fell down her cheeks.

"Patricia," Was all Esmeralda uttered. The maid made a grab for Rose and started forcefully taking her dress off as she cried.

"You know what comes next Rose. Face the wall," Esmeralda ordered as she produced a black whip from her skirts. Patricia was all too gleeful in forcing the young lady against the wall.

"Mother please..." Rose begged. She flinched as a whip crack was heard.

"Three lashes for having your engagement broken, six for harming your brother, and another three for being such an utter disappointment." Esmeralda coldly declared as Rose started sobbing.

Astrid gaped as Rosalinda told her what had transpired that night. "And... And then mother said I was only allowed pea soup as I wasn't worthy to eat anything else because I damaged Edwin who was the future of this family." Rose was near tears again and Astrid did the only thing she could think of. She embraced the young woman. Totally caught off guard by this action Rose panicked for a moment before realizing that Astrid wasn't going to hurt her. She returned the embrace oddly and cried on her shoulder.