At thirty past six, Elina sat in front of the mirror making her hairs. She tied her long hairs into a loose bun. She stood up and looked at her reflection in the mirror. She wore a black gown until her feet. It was a simple yet an elegant gown, the dress was gifted to her by her Uncle and Aunt on her Eighteenth birthday.

She crushed the rose petals and painted her lips with it, which complemented her dress. Looks never mattered to her but then the world was attracted by looks even though it was the personality which makes a person attractive. She took a last glance at her reflection and exited the room.

When she reached the main door, she saw the lord in a black suit with a clean white shirt. His hair combed back, allowing to see his intimidating red-brown eyes. He was looking breathtakingly handsome with his features like his high cheekbones, firm jaw and mysterious eyes. Manier times, Elina use to get confused whether he had brown or red eyes or whether it was a combination as sometimes it looked more like red whereas sometimes it looked more like brown. She stared at him to find out now which colour they looked like, his eyes drifted

to hers and she realised that the lord had caught her staring and a smile crept his lips. She quickly moved her gazes on to the woman who was standing next to him. The woman had blonde hair and she wore a Royal blue coloured gown. She had sapphires all over her neck, the woman looked like an elite member. The woman's grey eyes met her and she smiled at her. Elina smiled back and moved towards Stefan and Olivia who were arguing like always. Sometimes, she couldn't understand that why they fought so much but then they were two naive children always fighting with each other.

"Wow! Look at my sister, she looks so damn pretty" Stefan complimented looking at Elina.

"Indeed, You look Gorgeous Elina!" Olivia exclaimed.

"Afterall she is my sister", Stefan said pulling Elina towards him.

" What do you mean- your sister. She is my sister" Olivia said pulling Elina towards her.

Both of them started pulling Elina's arms towards them, with her stuck in between them. "Stop it both of you or else you will break my arms!"

"Sorry Elina", both of them apologised at the same time moving behind, releasing her arms free.

"See you copied me again"

"Shut up Stefan! We don't have time for your stupidness. See, Evan and Giselle are already waiting for us" Olivia yelled at him.

So she was Giselle. The one about whom the lord was speaking yesterday. She is pretty but something was weird about her, the smile she gave was a gentle one but it seemed a little creepy. Anyways she had to do nothing with it, thought Elina.

They moved towards Lord Evan and the lady named Giselle beside him.

"Hello, Let me introduce myself first" the lady spoke her dull grey eyes looking sharply at Elina "My name is Giselle Thompson. You must have heard about the Thompsons, my dad is one of the reputed nobles. Most importantly, I was the first assistant of Lord Evan. What about you?"

"She is my Sister. Do you have any problem miss assistant no.1?" Stephen defended jumping into the scene.

"When did you buy yourself a sister?" Giselle mused.

"Why? Do you have any problem?" he asked her smiling.

"Ofcourse not, why will I have a problem. Did you bring her from the streets just like Lord Evan brought you?" Giselle said only to flinch hearing Lord Evan,

"How dare you speak like that to my brother?!", he yelled at Giselle angrily.

"Calm down Evan. She is just joking, Right!" Olivia said keeping a hand on the Lord's shoulder and throwing a glare at Giselle. Lord Evan didn't speak a word and dashed out of the mansion.

Stephen who was talking happily sometimes ago now stood straight staring at the floor. "Stephen are you okay?" Olivia asked him with a worried expression. He nodded his head. Suddenly his expression changed and he saw straight into her brown eyes "So you care about me?" he teased her hitting the bullseye.

"Wh-What? I-I was just worried but how can I forget you will never change" Olivia replied fretting as he gave a questionable look.

"Don't lie, you care about me," Stephen wiggled his brows at her.

"No, I don't," Olivia rebuked, glaring at him.

"You do."

"I don't."

"You do-"

"We need to get going if you're done." Olivia deadpans, cutting off the banter.

Elina, Stefan and Olivia sat in the carriage with Stefan and Olivia sitting beside each other and Elina in front of them. The lord had left in his carriage, a few minutes ago and Giselle followed him in her carriage. On their way, Elina looked at Stefan and remembered the conversation that took place previously. She remembered Giselle's words,
"Did you bring her from the streets just like Lord Evan brought you?"

What did she mean? Stefan was Lord Evan's brother, then why did she tell like that? If Giselle was the daughter of a Reputed noble then why did she work for the lord? As far as she knew, Thompsons were one of the richest nobles in the empire. Then, what was the need for her to work?What the hell was happening! Thousands of questions roamed her head but she stayed quiet as asking for the answers now won't be right but she won't let it go. She would find her answers when the right time comes. Elina looked out the carriage till they reached the hall where the party was held. All of the three descended the carriage and moved towards the hall.

"I know you have a lot of questions to ask. Meet me at the terrace at midnight," Olivia whispered in her ears before stepping into the hall.

Olivia and Stephen stepped inside the hall. Elina's dress got tangled in her shoes and she was making it proper. As soon as she finished making it proper, she moved towards the hall only to be blocked by Giselle standing in between the doorstep and her. The lady smiled at her creepily.

"So you're trying to take my place?" Giselle said moving towards Elina, her grips tightened on her arms.

"What do you mean?"

"Just leave your job and get away from Lord Evan and the mansion," Gisselle stated with a glare.

Elina was not a person who would stay quiet or get frightened when someone would threaten her or talk to her rudely. She was a person who would bravely speak her opinion.

"And what if I don't?" Elina twisted her statement thus challenging her, she yanked her hand away from Giselle's grip and jolted towards the hall.

"You will pay for this!" Giselle muttered a curse under her breath and walked towards the wall.

It was a grand hall, lights that burnt luminously on the walls and also from the large crystal chandelier that hung at the centre of the ceiling. Elina had never visited such parties as her family had never been invited.Many people had already arrived at the party, women in their designer dresses and men in suits. Attending a party like this was something new to her. She wished she could bring her relatives here but she wasn't here for enjoying, the real purpose was business. The people greeted The Lord of Veneton with respect. Lord Evan's mood had changed since they reached the hall and he was in a good mood right now. She walked to where Stefan and Olivia were standing.

"What took you so much time, sister?" Stefan asked concerned.

At the same time, Elina saw Giselle passing in front of them.
"Don't worry Stefan. You know, there are flies all around blocking your path" she said satirically waving her hands as if trying to shoo away flies, she looked at Giselle with a smirk.

Stefan who was standing, caught her smirking at Giselle. He understood that Elina indirectly was teasing Giselle and he added fuel to the fire,

"Yes, There are too many flies wandering. There she is, the Queen of the flies!" he clapped his hands in front of Giselle's face, making her flinch"Missed it". Olivia giggled slowly covering her mouth.

"What the hell Stefan! When will you grow up?!" Giselle yelled at Stephen, all the people in the hall now stared at them.

"Giselle! If you scream any louder, people will think that you are a monster" Stephen joked making her fume in anger. She dashed away from there saying something which they couldn't hear.

The Moment Giselle left, both Elina and Stephen started to burst out into laughter.

"What was that Stephen? And Elina you too?" Olivia asked disappointed "Clapping your hands exactly in front of her face making her flinch, It isn't a good behaviour for a prince, it will affect your kingdoms reputation. Don't you know?"

"But that was fun. Did you look at her face, she looked like a cock. Damn! I have never seen her face like that. Thank you, Elina!" he giggled.

"Yes, it indeed was funny" Elina covered her mouth to control her laughter.

"Elina!"

"You won't understand, how fun it was, You know Old people don't understand things like this. You Old Lady," Stephen said in a sarcastic tone annoying Olivia but her expression changed instantly and she spoke,

"You are calling me old, then what to say Everyone is old for a dumb child like yourself, Stephen" she chuckled.

"But Olivia, we really had fun teasing that bitch," Elina said siding with Stefan and laughing "Come on, even you had fun, I saw you giggling when he clapped in front of her face"

"You saw that?!" Olivia tried to control her laughter but couldn't, all of them started laughing. People in the hall started staring at them "I think we should stop laughing" she giggled.

"So at last you laughed, Old lady"

"I am not old, Understand!"

"That you are, Old lady!"

"Stefan!"

"Old lady! Old lady! Old lady!" he teased her.

"Stephen!" she kicked him on his stomach, making him fall to the ground.

"Ouch!" he groaned "Why do you always become violent? See you get angry so fast like Old.." he stopped seeing Olivia widen her eyes "Okay, okay, Now at least help me get up" Olivia extended her hands so that he can hold them and stand up but when he was about to hold her hand she took it away, making him fall back again. Olivia started laughing looking at him. "How did I expect you to help me? But my sister, she will help me" he said putting his tongue out and showing it to Olivia.

Elina extended her hands only to pull them back. Thus, making him fall again and this time both Elina and Olivia started laughing doing a high-five.

"What?! You too, Elina. This Old lady is putting a bad effect on you and I can help myself" he said getting up, dusting his suit. Elina and Olivia still kept laughing making Stefan annoyed. He walked away ignoring them, showing his tongue. He didn't notice the juice fallen on the ground and slipped and again fell down. Elina and Olivia started bursting out into laughter. Stefan stood up annoyed and walked away.

Elina had laughed so much after a long time. The last time she laughed so much was two years ago when she had fallen into the dirt. Now, she was happy that she stayed in the mansion instead of leaving. Although she didn't like the people around, she really enjoyed every moment with Stefan and Olivia. She didn't annoy anyone in her life, today she annoyed two people. A servant ringed the bell for everyone to come on the dance floor. The bell indicated the 'Twirling Dance'. It was a type of dance in which every person had to twirl their dance partners thus changing their partners till one was back with their own partners. Elina saw Lord Evan going towards the dance floor holding Giselle's hand.Then she saw Stefan coming towards her.

"Sister, if you don't mind, let's go to a dance. That Olivia, I am sure she won't come" he said in a bored tone making a baby face. She nodded and they moved towards the dance floor. The servant ringed the bell, everyone started dancing.
"Elly, I am warning you, stay away from that Olivia. I am sure, She is jealous of me because I am smarter than her," he said in a serious tone making her giggle.

"When will you both stop fighting?" she asked in a sarcastic tone.

"Never!"

Tringggg....the bell rang. Stefan twirled Elina and everyone changed their partners. She felt soft hands hold her hands, It was Lord Evan. She looked up into his eyes, she was surprised to see that his eyes looked golden. She stared at his eyes to check whether she was mistaken but no his eyes actually looked golden. She had seen his eyes red or brown at times and also once she had seen them as green but she never saw golden eyes in her life. She kept on staring to check whether there was any other colour as well. Lord Evan caught her staring,

"Already falling for me?" He smiled, the dimple on his cheek deepening. Her face flushed into a beet red at getting caught staring. She kept quiet instead of speaking, afterall, it was her fault. She shouldn't have stared like a foolish duck. The Lord spoke trying to break the silence and make her speak,

"I hope you didn't get into a fight with someone in the party," he said giving a trickster smile.

"I do have other work to do rather than fighting, Milord"

"Oh! is that so, I didn't really know that"

"Really?" she asked in an annoyed tone.

"Yes" was his immediate response. He then pulled her closer to him and whispered,

"You look beautiful"

___

Author's Note

I wanted to write a small chapter but this turned out to be the longest chapter with 2353 words;)

What do you think about Evan?

Why did Giselle tell like that?

How will the party be for Elina?