Honey : The Empire's Treasure 76 Lady Vanya

The young maid stood waiting in Lady Vanya's bedroom to report her findings. The young maid thought back to when Kerala first approach her for information. She thought it was wrong, but with a bag of honey in hand and money deposited into her account, she found it wasn't so hard to share open information with Lady Vanya.

"What's going on outside?" Lady Vanya walked from behind her room divider.

"Today is Lord Tasar's archery tournament, aside from the young masters joining the contest Miss Mikaela joined in as well."

"Miss Mikaela? I heard she was sick and under treatment. What was she doing at the archery field?"

Vanya dislikes Mikaela from the first day she saw her. She was everything Vanya wanted herself to be, rich, beautiful and bright, she hated these types of girls the most.

With Lady Vanya's mood taking a turn for the worst at the mention of Miss Mikaela, Kerala signaled the young maid to rushed through her report.

"Miss Mikaela is undergoing post treatment but felt well enough it come to the field. Lord Tasar allow her to shoot a couple of arrows, then young master Joanos then arrive. He gave Miss Mikaela a personal demonstration before joining Lord Tasar inside his tent. Lord Tasar asked young master what he thinks about Miss Mikaela and he said..."

The young maid paused not knowing if she should really continue. Most of the maids knew that Miss Lixiss has a crush on Joanos, and Lady Vanya was trying to get Lord Tasar's permission for marriage.

"Why did you stop?... Continue, what did he say?"

The atmosphere in the room was getting intense by the minute. Lady Vanya's temper was slowly building with each sentence from the young maid's mouth.

"...young master Joanos said he found Miss Mikaela lovely...and Lord Tasar agreed."

"Lord Tasar agreed?...did he say anything about Lixiss?"

"No...everyone stayed clear from mentioning young miss....but Lord Tasar did say Miss Mikaela is like a daughter to him and that she should treat the Udava clan as her home." Lady Vanya slammed her hand on the end table.

Does this man have no compa.s.sion? Does he want to bring in this "Mikaela" as his new daughter?

"Is there anything else?"

"No, Lady Vanya."

"Kerala, pay her and see her out." Kerala presses a pouch into the young maid's hands and escorted out the back door.

Returning to the bedroom, Kerala found her mistress throwing a tantrum.

"Lady Vanya! please calm down." Pulling a vase out of Lady Vanya's hands, Kerala placed it down on the table only to turn around and see Lady Vanya holding a teacup.

"How can I be calm!?... Joanos is supposed to be my meal ticket to wealth. Now he is being seduced by that little c**t, while my daughter is locked away in her room!"

*crash*

Vanya threw the cup against the wall, it's pieces falling to join the other broken objects on the floor.

Kerala looked on, feeling a headache developing. She has been together with Lady Vanya from the time she married over into the Udava clan, she above all else knew how violent and messy Lady Vanya tantrums could be.

Not looking forward to the cleanup, Kerala sought some logic to stop Lady Vanya's actions.

"Young master Joanos and Miss Lixiss are childhood sweethearts, he wouldn't leave young Miss so easily."

Hearing Kerala's words, Lady Vanya did pause for a moment.

Childhood sweetheart...Lady Vanya thought back to all the times Lixiss would barge into her house crying because Joanos was ignoring her. It soon developed into his indifference towards her.

Thinking back, she thought Lixiss was being picky and needy, but maybe there is some truth to what Lixiss was telling her.

"Kerala...Do you think Joanos knows? " Kerala stopped sweeping to look at Lady Vanya.

"That's not possible my lady. The Vlacca clan made sure, to wipe all traces of themselves from that night. Even Lord Tasar hasn't been able to find anything."

"But Joanos was there! Maybe he remembers something, or saw us!?" Kerala gripped the broom in her hands tighter as Lady Vanya trembled at the thought.

"If Joanos knows we were the ones who ma.s.sacred his entire clan, it would explain everything, Kerala!" When Vanya thought more and more about it things started to make sense.

Lixiss' deteriorating confidence and insatiable behavior. Joanos' cold att.i.tude towards her and his interest in Miss Mikaela.

The night of the ma.s.sacre when Vanya saw Lord Tasar carrying a live Joanos, she thought it was all over. She was terrified that all of the Vlacca clan's and her actions would be known to Tasar.

Running around she packed all her valuables, ready to sneak out at any sign of trouble... but it never came.

She now knew Joanos had feigned his memory loss, and so gullible she believed it. Happily thinking she got away with the perfect crime.

Lady Vanya's body could no longer stand against this revelation. Stumbling into a chair, Vanya sat there in a daze.

"For four years, that boy has been watching and waiting...Kerala! Find a way for me to contact my brother...the plans have changed."

"Yes, my lady." Kerala left the room.

"Joanos...Joanos...well played. You were wise to hide, but your still too young if you think Lixiss is my only card."