Aunt Bianca gave Elsie the update of everything that had happened. Ariana just stayed in the shadows, laughing at the funny comments Elsie was making. It was obvious she and Lily, also didn't get along as much.
"You have to treat that cold blooded snake the same way I do," Elsie said to Ariana. "You need to put her in her place she cant keep pulling you around like some little child. Besides, why does she want to ruin your marriage plans with Calhoun?" Elsie cried out.
"I don't know," Ariana managed to chip in.
"I think she only wants to destroy it because she is a very sad woman," aunt Bianca said.
Elsie giggled at the answer before tapping Ariana's shoulders. "You have the snake after you. You need to be strong less she bites your head off," she said as she waltzed out of the kitchen.
Aunt Bianca had a long smile on her face, even long after Elsie left. She and Ariana continued with the cooking in a very comfortable silence. But even as they were silent.
"Mom?" They both turned around at the sound of the sweet sound. It was little Rosa.
"Yes, honey, what is it?"
She walked closer to her mom who was by the counter. "I am actually very hungry, is the food ready yet?"
Bianca pulled her cheeks playfully. "The food will be on the table and you shouldnt be so impatient. I know we are running a couple of minutes late but we will eat soon."
Rosa smiled and then turned to Ariana, "I know she is doing good now because you are helping. Can I help too?"
Ariana found little Rosa too cute. She smiled as she helplessly tried to find the best answer to give the little girl. She didn't want to refuse her anything but then she didn't want to do something that might make aunt Bianca feel like she had been spoiling her child. So, Ariana turned to aunt Bianca for help. Aunt Bianca nodded her head in approval and Ariana whispered a thank you.
"Come, let's go set the table so long," Ariana said.
"Yay!" Little Rosa rejoiced as they walked hand in hand towards the dinning room.
"Don't forget to send in some of the maids to help me here!" Aunt Bianca called out from kitchen.
"Sure, mom!" Rosa yelled back in excitement.
She and Ariana got to the big dinning Hall where the family shared their meals together. It was bigger than an average dinning room. This was best described as a hall due to the size of the room and the numbers of chairs available. Even when they were all seated on the chairs, it was still not fully occupied. Ariana set the golden plates and tea cups on the table while Rosa took her time to readjust the utensils and cutlery one after the other.
"Aunt Ariana, I need to go check on the maids. They are taking too long," she said. She didn't even wait for Ariana's response before disappearing from the large hall. Ariana remained smiling as she watched her go. The plates were already done and not long after Rosa left, the trays of food started coming in. Ariana wanted to go to her room and change her outfit. She had been in the kitchen all day and she was starting to fell like an old kitchen staff in the dress. She was about moving to the exit area, when Lily stopped her.
"And where do you think you are going?" She asked as she walked into the large eating hall.
Ariana thought she was asking her this because she saw her leaving. "Oh, I have been in the kitchen for a while now. I want to change quickly before we starts," she said innocently.
Lily looked at her from head to toe in anger. "You think we care about how you smell?" Lily was using that voice that made you confused. One couldn't really tell her tone. Was she angry or not? Was she happy or not? Ariana was confused.
"I —I just don't feel comfortable," she whispered.
Lily stared closely at Ariana and moved daringly into her breathing space. "Rags like you dont deserve anything at all... comfort is far from what should come out of your filthy mouth girl!" She spat.
There was a mischievous smile on her face as she made to walk away from Ariana but she felt something stop her. She turned back around with shock in her eyes as she wondered what had dared to stop a queen like her. Her eyes almost fell off as she found a bunch of fingers around her arm. She followed the fingers to its owner and was flabbergasted to find Ariana holding unto her arm.
"Whats the meaning of this—" she didn't even get to finish her statement before Ariana started speaking.
"Don't you ever call me a rag anymore. I might not know you but my humble background is far better than where you come from!" Ariana hissed and worked away from her before she could think of a good comeback.
It took her atleast five minutes for Lily to get herself. She couldn't believe Ariana had said that to her. Where did she get it that audacity from? The words soaked deep and pierced her heart over and over. First because Lily never believed Ariana would have the strength to speak to her like that and because her background was truly bad. She even feared imagining it herself. She didn't even want to remind herself of where she came from. It made her scared of thinking about her past. How she had to sleep under cartons of used milk; how she had to beg for food. It was scary and shameful. If anyone found out that she had faked her life till she got to marry Benson. If it ever got out, she would be ruined.
"Aunt Lily?" Rosa asked as she passed a pale looking Lily.
Everyone was already coming into the hall and Lily kept standing there like she had seen a ghost.
"Will you join us or keep standing there?" Grandfather asked with his brows raised.