Chapter 13

"Princess, there's a letter from a Countess Mia Gettysburg." said Arthur.

"Ah, yes. Please read the letter for me." I replied while closing a book I was reading.

Arthur nodded and started reading out loud.

'Greetings to Grand Duchess Isabella Heymann. My husband Count Gettysburg told me you wished to meet me today. I am honoured hearing about it. But I'm afraid that I won't be able to welcome you with my utmost respect in such short notice.

But, Duchess today I have a small tea party in my house. Though it might not suit your taste, I will still try my best. There will be other noble Ladies from other prestigious family. I hope you could greet them.

The schedule time for the tea party will be....................'

"Do you want to go there, Bella?" asked Elios sitting beside me. We were drinking tea.

"I think I should," I replied.

"You don't know any of them. It's not very safe for you to go there."

"I'm sorry Your Grace, but back in our country, if we already give words to someone, we cannot go back from that," said Lilly. Although Lilly looks quite shy but at this kind of situation she doesn't hesitate to speak up.

"Yes Your Grace. It was me who wanted to meet her at the first place. So now declining wouldn't be good. And how bad can it even get?"

***

I had no idea it could get this bad!!!

"Grand Duchess Isabella, please meet Lady Sara Smith, the young Lady from Marquess Smith's house. I think you have already met Lady Lara, the Crown Princess. She is her younger sister."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Grand Duchess," she said.

"It's a pleasure," I simply smile and nodded.

There were some other Ladies too. All giving me weird looks.

I thought Lara didn't liked me much, but looking at them I think I had a better time with her.

They were speaking, gossiping, fanning, eating and importantly ignoring, me of course.

To be honest, how much they dislikes the Princess, they aren't supposed to be in any position to offend me. And considering the fact that Elios actually like the Princess, they would had been in fear to even get on my bad terms. But none of them seemed to care about it much.

Suddenly a woman told me, "I never really thought I would had a chance to have a chat with a Princess in my lifetime. It feels so marvelous." She looked young, maybe in her early thirties. I simply just smiled at her. "Even when the Late Princess was alive,...... I was very young then. I never had a chance to have a good conversation with her." She must be talking about Elios's mother. She seemed a little nice to me. What was her name? Maybe Baroness Florida.

"You have to admit, The Grand Duke is a lucky man to live with two Princesses in a lifetime. Haha. Both mother and wife. Hahaha," laughed Countess Mia.

"I hope it's not too hard for you to adjust here Grand Duchess!" said Lady Florida.

"I'm getting used to it," I replied.

"It still feels unbelievable that you are our new Grand Duchess," said a young girl with a huge sigh. Everyone looked at her at once.

"That's true Lady Prim, we really thought Lady Sara would become the Grand Duchess. But now it's you. It's a huge responsibility too. I hope you understand what I mean." said another woman.

"Of course I do," I was replying that's when;

"Lady Prim and Lady Victoria, please apologise to Grand Duchess Isabella. What you are saying is very insensitive. It doesn't matter what was supposed to happen. But now she is the Grand Duchess and we must give her the respect!" coldly said Lady Sara.

"We apologise Grand Duchess. We didn't mean to disrespect you." both the Ladies said at once.

Oh! So that's how she's gonna behave. Lady Sara didn't talk to me even for once, neither greeted me much kindly and now pretending to support and respect me? Or is she just showing me that all other Ladies still respect and obey her.

I can be wrong. But I'll do what I think is right!

"There's no need to apologise Lady Prim and Lady Victoria," I said kindly. "What you both said is right, being The Grand Duchess is a very big responsibility. Moreover you all might have thought someone else was supposed to become so, as I was out of the frame in the beginning. It is better to be honest in the face rather than hating in the back."

They both just gave me an awkward smile.

"Still, you both should be more careful about what you......" I didn't let Lady Sara finish.

"Lady Sara, I have already told them what I think, so why are you stretching the matter further?" I naively asked.

"Ah,..... I....... I apologise Duchess," she embarrassedly replied.

"The tea has become cold. I'll serve more tea." said Countess Mia trying to change the topic.

"I think I should go now, Countess Mia. Thank you for inviting me," said Lady Sara.

"But so early?" confusedly asked Countess Mia.

"Yes, I have an appointment in boutique. So I have to leave early. It was lovely meeting you all. It was a pleasure meeting you Gr........"

"Bella," we all turned around at once. What is Elios doing here!!!

"What a pleasant surprise, The Grand Duke is here." excitedly said Countess.

"Yes, Greetings Countess Mia," Elios replied.

Everyone greeted Elios at once.

"What brings you here, Your Grace?" asked Countess Mia.

"I had to meet the Count so I thought I should greet all the Ladies too."

"That's really kind of you."

"Bella, could you come in a corner. I had something to tell you."

"Yes," I said and went near him. "What's the matter?"

"I'll tell you everything once I come back home. For now, try to go back home quickly. Sir Arthur is already with you but I have assigned another knight for more security. And I won't be at the palace for two days."

"But where...."

"Your attendees will tell you everything.  I'll try to get back as soon as possible. Don't worry much. It's nothing serious. Then I'll go now.."

I went back to the Ladies.

"It looks like His Grace is quite fond of The Duchess, hahaha" laughed Lady Florida.

"Then I'll take my leave," said Lady Sara and left.

"Then I'll also leave now, Lady Mia. Thank you for inviting me. And it was great meeting you all."

"Princess, you are back."

"Yes. Let's go back." I said I saw another knight. Maybe Elios was talking about him. "You, sir?"

"I am Ryan Archie, His Grace ordered me to be with you until he gets back, Grand Duchess."

"Yes, he told me so."

Sir Arthur sat inside the carriage with me and Sir Ryan was with the coachman. I thought it would be better to talk about everything once we head back to the palace. So I didn't ask anything further.

We are about the half way to our destination. Suddenly the carriage stop. I tried to sneak outside through the small window. "What happened suddenly, Sir Arthur?" I turned to him, "Are you sleeping, Sir Arthur?" I asked shockingly. It's not like him. I tapped him on his leg, "Sir Arthur!!!" he wasn't waking up! "Sir Ryan!! You are there, right? Sir Ryan??"

All of a sudden the carriage door opened, "Sir Ryan is that you?!??"

"Finally I found you, Isabella!" an unfamiliar redhead woman was standing there.