Villainess From the Stars

8. A Love Story

After his term as tutor expired, unrenewed, Frey Rhodon didn't leave the Thorne Estate.

It was then that the bombardment of tutors started to trickle.

It felt to Vienna like the lady tutors who came only had one mission, to capture the heart of the elusive Duke Thorne.

Frey became preoccupied. Vienna would often find him visiting the tenant farmers that were at the rear of the estate.

He and Vienna would still meet for tea and Ezzie's biscuits.

He would go on about 'Haizea' this, and 'Haizea' that.

It seemed he was smitten.

Vienna had found it odd that he'd begun to court this 'Haizea'. She'd seen his longing glances toward Ezzie.

One day it became all clear.

Vienna was sneaking around the house trying to escape the notice of one particularly annoying new tutor. It was a lady from the capital, from one of the 'old' families, a legacy with an inheritance of an arrogant stride and a false smile.

The day before, Vienna was forced to sit as the Terran aristocrat put upon a little 'play' for Pop. The woman tilted her head at the sound of footsteps coming down the hall to the library. Holding back a sigh, Vienna watched the lady pat her head as Pop stepped into the library.

The Terran lady straightened, patting down her shiny larimar-tinted hair. Light blue piano fingers tucking luminescent curls behind her ear. A coy smile upon her lips as she looked down upon Vienna, "Oh my if only I could have you as my own daughter."

Vienna wrinkled her nose but still looked toward her father, who had his own fake smile on his lips.

The lady had turned toward him with bright eyes. She seemed oblivious to the way his eyes narrowed as she continued to gush about Vienna's qualities. But Vienna could see his hands starting to clench and unclench.

Vienna decided then and there that she would show the lady what it would be like 'to be her daughter'.

Vienna made her move when the lady had gone to the nearby town 'to see what this little countryside could offer'.

As Vienna was making her way out of the storeroom by the kitchen, she heard some unfamiliar giggling coming from the direction of the hall.

Her hands grasped the small bottle of dye in her hands as she peeked around the corner.

The bottle dropped to the ground rolling behind her as she covered her mouth in surprise. Quickly she leaned back out of sight.

Eyes wide, she peeked once more to find Ezzie against the main entrance hall wall. She had the brightest smile Vienna had ever seen upon her lips.

Ezzie's smile only brightened further when she tilted her head up to meet the eager lips of none other than Frey Rhodon.

Frey's voice was tender as he whispered 'Haizea' over and over as he bent down to kiss all over the face that he held in his hands.

A dark blush rose in Vienna's cheeks when she flattened herself again against the hallway's wall. As Ezzie's laughter continued, a slow smile fell across Vienna's young features.

She couldn't wait to tease the housekeeper about it later.

The night following, Vienna smiled mischievously at Ezzie as she tucked her in. The woman seemed absentminded, not noticing the knowing gaze in her charge's eyes.

Vienna looked up from beneath her eyelashes, as sly as a fox, at the woman who'd raised her.

"I didn't know Ezzie was your nickname."