Chapter 5: Chapter V

Meeting the Family

The table was long, it had around 20 chairs. It had a satin cloth over it to look fancy. If I recall well, Astelle only had a brother and a father. So, why the huge as hell table?

 

The duke sat at the head of the table, so I walked over and sat at the second chair on his left. He flipped a page on his book and placed it down.  

 

The pages fluttered close on their own and eventually, the book closed shut. I looked up at him, and he was looking at me.

 

Oh god, he's Astelle's dad, I am Astelle, he's my dad now, but he's so pretty. Fuck, this is what I come to?  

 

The maids removed the silver dome that covers food. It looked good. It was a steak that was cooked just right, with the cooked marks looking like a football net.

 

Glazed over with some kind of sauce. I'm not sure barbecue sauce existed right now. Of course, on the side, there were mashed potatoes and peas. The drink was simple water, a request I had made to Marianne earlier.

 

I started cutting the steak with the knife and held it with a fork. Luckily, from Astelle's memories and her muscle memory, I remember table etiquette. I will have to practice it, just in case.

 

I don't want to make mistakes and make life tough as it is. The door opened and in came another man.

 

He had long midnight blue hair that he pulled up into a ponytail that reached to the middle of his back. He had a strand of hair out of the ponytail and was flowing in the front.

 

Once again, he had red eyes, similar to the ones the Duke and I had. That is Sirius Asterion. Astelle's brother, he showed up once in the novel.

 

When Astelle was being executed. He didn't even talk to her. Just apologised to the prince and left.

 

Why are the men here pretty? No wonder Astelle is, looking at her father, the genes are strong in this family.

 

"Astelle, you're here?" Sirius asked very blankly, but there was a hint of something there. Another emotion that I cannot name right now.

 

"Yes, brother, I thought it would be nice to stop eating in my room for a while," I nodded at him, and he sat in the chair in front of me.

 

Also, holding a book. Nice, they're bookworms.  

 

...That's kind of cute though.

 

I finished up the food and the maid took the now empty plate and glass away. I looked over at the two of them and sighed.  

 

Both were holding books with the left hand and drinking tea with the right. At my sigh, Sirius looked up at me, we caught eye contact.  

 

Crap.

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I nodded and looked down. This is so awkward, I screamed inwardly.

 

"Are you alright? I saw an unconscious maid, the guards told us she died, do you know of this?" Sirius questioned me as he kept the book and teacup down.

 

I forgot the guards would report everything to them. Though they didn't tell of my "assassination", I should assume that they wanted me to tell them, or the guards also secretly despised me and hoped to make my image crueller than it is.

 

"Ah, yes. Diane was the maid that you saw, she committed suicide," I looked Lucius in the eye. He didn't show any emotion so far.

 

There was no reaction from both the men and that bothered me. "Why?" The duke asked

 

"I had caught her doing something unforgivable and well wanted to punish her for it, however before I could, she fell unconscious and then reported dead." I turned my head to the duke, and he hummed.

 

"Why are you being so vague?" Sirius raised an eyebrow. "What did she do exactly? The full truth, Astelle." He said calmly but looked aggravated.

 

"...She gave me rotten food that contained small doses of poison for the past 52 days, I already received reports of the poison I had ingested, and it was not as fatal in little amounts as it was all together," I looked down at my lap. I'm scared that they'd still show no emotion.  

 

In her memories and the novel, Astelle's family were cold and uncaring towards her. I don't want to see that kind of coldness again.

 

Suddenly, a slam was heard throughout the room. Sirius had slammed his hands against the table. I flinched at the loud noise and the duke massaged his forehead.

 

"And why did you eat rotten food for 52 days?" He was angry but his voice was still constant, Sirius, now standing up, had his palms straight against the table and his arms slightly bent.  

 

"As if it would pain me, brother," I said coldly. Shit, I didn't mean to be cold, but I didn't know how to answer because I don't know why I ate rotten food!

 

Astelle, what trouble have you brought me?!

 

He stumbled back from the comment, "This is why we can never have proper conversations," he walked away, looking upset.

 

The doors opened and then slammed shut once again  

 

"Astelle, I presume you already have a prescription of medicine?" The duke said normally, ignoring the elephant in the room.  

 

"Yes, Father. I have. I... shall take my leave now. It was nice to see you," I said as I got up, bowed and left the room.  

 

The two maids waited silently for me and then we made our way to Astelle's room.

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