*Pamella*

It had been a couple days since I’d heard from Lili, after she walked out of the wedding, storming away from her father society was bustling with fake news. The headline of the paper in my hands was ridiculous, “Trouble brewing among the new Duke and Duchess.” They’d been running with all sorts of rumors as i recall yesterdays headline, “Duke Sable disowns the new Duchess.” 

People just didn’t know when to stop. I’d gone to see Lili just the day after but she’d left for the honey, I didn’t know if she’d be back next week or in three months. on the other hand the trip with Marcus was just a few more days away. Every time i mentioned pushing it back till Lili came back he seemed almost scared. 

“Ella!” I heard my name being called, and the doors to my room flung open. 

My mother stood at the door tears welled up in her eyes, “Mother?”

“Ella.” She sobbed, “I heard from your father, you’re leaving us for months! You’re unwed, what madness is this young lady.”

“It’s just with a friend Mother, it’s Marcus you know him well-”

“Well of course, I know him better than you.” the tears streaming down her face where one thing but the tone she held was another, her hand pressed against her chest, “He is also unmarried, and what more, what would Lili think?”

I felt guilty, “Lili-”

“What would Alyssa say.” she held her head avoiding looking at me, “I don’t even want to-”

“I already told Lili.” I said, the words coming out before I knew what I was doing, “She’s fine with it.”

“Then she lied.” My mother looked me in the eyes then, the gaze that made me want to shrink, “Did you really tell?”

“Yes.” I lied, pushing out a smile, “Lili wished me well, she asked me to bring her a gift.”

Although I spoke as calm as I could, the gaze she held on me didn’t waver, “Ella, when did you get the chance to talk with Lili?”

“Day after the wedding, I caught her just before she left. Right on time.”

I felt like i was a kid caught with my hands in the cookie jar, “Ella, Lili left on the trip the same day of the wedding. It’s why everyone can’t stop talking.”

I felt her hand on my shoulder, “Now tell me Ella, did you tell Lili you’ll be gone for half a year?”

I held my head low, “No.”

Her hand brushed along my hair, “Are you still going to go?”

Lili would never let me live it down, but shes married now, it should be different, “I want to go see beyond the capital.”

“And then what?” my mother sat on the seat besides me and looked me in the eyes, “You’ll be back and tell Lili you spent half a year alone with Marcus and nothing happened.”

“I’ll bring her presents, I’ll send pictures and letters-”

“Do you think she’ll trust you by the end of it?” She let go, stopped staring at me, “You’re going knowing Lili had to have this marriage without her choosing, and when she’s back… Let’s say shes moved on from Marcus, that she’s happy. Do you think it’ll be fine.”

In all reality, no. “I can’t put everything on hold for her.” Saying that when I know how much mother treasured the past Duchess, how many times that woman held me in her arms.

Feeling her stare on me again made me feel even smaller than before, “It’s not all about Lili, you can’t just up and leave Ella, this families reputation is at stake here. What will people say when the barons daughter is off with a merchant. Word spreads fast, everyone will know its you after a single rumor.”

Looking at the headline in my hands, I had no doubt about it. But instead of just dragging my name across he floor everyone I’m acquainted with will be dragged with me. 

“Father said-”

“Your father won’t ever say no to you even if it ruins you.” She pinched the bridge of her nose, the eyes that stared at me where cloudy, “At the end of the day my family’s the one flipping the expenses in this house, and your father will simply manage it.” 

“It’s not all about money mother-”

“Of course it’s about money!” She yelled, standing up, “This marriage was about money, my father paid for me to be wed, it was a good investment.” The eyes that stared at me softened a moment, “And I, I got the most wonderful child out of it.” The eyes that looked at me hardened the next second, “And while merchants like Marcus don’t lack the money they lack class, unless he decides to become some war hero or knight, he is going to stay that way.”

I hesitated to open my mouth, feeling that intense gaze on me, scrutinizing every second I was quiet, “I-”

“Why can’t you be more like Lili?” Words I dread, and try hard to avoid, the voice of mother just rung in my head, “I’ll be picking some fine Lords for you to meet, you are not going on that trip.”