Chapter 33: Ulterior Motive For Coming

Chapter 33: Ulterior Motive For Coming
Maria was sitting outside having tea with Martha when she was informed that Alicia Lee, the prime minister's daughter, was outside.

Maria was surprised since Alicia has never visited her before.

“Send her in” Maria said to her head maid who went to inform the guards at the gate to allow her in.

“Isn’t Alicia a friend of Damian?” Martha asked.

“Yes she is, they were childhood friends”

“She is one of the capable young ladies in the capital” Martha said as she anticipated speaking to Alicia. She only gets to see Alicia during the yearly arena game and has never seen her close enough or spoke to her.

Alicia walked to where they sat outside and bowed her head with a smile on her face.

Martha looked at her from head to toe and smiled then nodded to her greeting.

Maria also responded to her greeting 

“I’m sorry for coming unannounced and without informing you first” Alicia said.

“You are already here so just have your seat” Maria said. 

Alicia smiled and sat down. Tea and snacks were brought for her too.

“I know you are wondering why I came all of a sudden when I have never visited you before”

“Yes I wonder why you are here” Maria said to her”

“Well, as a childhood friend of Damian I got to know you through him so I also consider you as my aunt. And today I thought about the past and realized it is bad of me not to have visited you all these years. I came bearing gifts” Alicia signaled her maid who immediately brought three boxes and placed it close to Maria.

“What’s this?”

“My merchant had brought these items along with many other stuff from the continent across the ocean. These are well made fabrics with high texture fabrics, you can check it”

Maria opened it and was surprised when she saw the expensive fabric. It is very rare and hard to find, one cost a fortune and yet she was given her three “This cost a fortune, I can’t accept it” A woman of her caliber can afford more than this but then she can’t just accept something like this from Alicia just like that.

Martha looked at the fabrics in owe, she is an old woman born into wealth so she knows an expensive fabric when she sees one. What she doesn’t understand is why Maria was rejecting something this beautiful.

Alicia felt wrong but smiled “please accept them, like I said I regard you as my aunt too. I know this is nothing to you, but please accept it” Alicia pleaded.

“Maria just accept it” Martha said to her.

Maria sighed and nodded “I will accept it then” she signalled to her maid to take it inside.

Alicia smiled happily “I heard Damian got married and I had told him when we met in the palace that I would love to be close to his wife just as I am his friend. She is a foreigner so he will need a close friend, someone like me to teach her some things and he has agreed but is yet to invite me over. I just hope he agrees, I can’t wait to get to know the Baroness, I heard she is very beautiful and special, he must have seen something in her to have picked her to be the Baroness” Alicia said with a warm fake smile.

When she saw the frown on their face, she immediately spoke again “I’m sorry if I said something I was not supposed to say” she bowed in apology.

“No you did not, dear, it’s so nice of you to want to be her friend and help her learn our ways. Imagine it’s been close to 2 months since she was married but she is yet to pay any of us a visit and bring forth gifts but look at you doing something she hasn’t” Martha said in regards her gift.

Alicia smiled "This is one of the reasons I want to be her friend, she sure doesn’t know these things. She is a princess who is used to receiving gifts and might never have been taught to give gifts”

“Her mother did a terrible job of raising her then. She isn’t even fit to be Baroness, sooner or later we will get a replacement for her” Martha said in annoyance.

Maria signalled for her not to speak any further as Alicia is still an outsider and the prime minister's daughter.

Martha rolled her eyes at Maria. 

Alicia saw what Maria was trying to do and frowned. She sensed that Maria for some reason doesn’t really like her.

Alicia faked a smile “I understand your worry Lady Martha, since she is a human, I wonder if she will be able to produce the next Baron who is supposed to possess a beast like that of Damian. She being a human is quite a disadvantage, but as Damian’s choice I wonder what anyone can do to replace her since the Baron is someone who hates it when people interfere in his personal life” Alicia said in worry.

Maria looked at her, she sensed that Alicia must be doing this on purpose. 

Martha nodded “That is the problem, Maria here has spoken to him and said he might think about it”

“Really? I wonder who he will decide to take as a wife if he later allows her to leave or take a second wife. If he needs to pick a new Baroness he needs to pick someone very capable, someone that is the best in the land that will bear him a child that will continue the family lineage and be the next Baron that will be feared” Alicia said this with a smile on her face. She virtualized herself giving birth to a little Damian that will be just as capable as his father.

Maria could finally see Alicia’s aim of coming here and bringing gifts.

Martha looked at Alicia in admiration and nodded with a smile "Of course she will be replaced and the best young lady will be picked”

Alicia felt satisfied, coming here was surely fruitful. 

“In a month's time the arena games, I will be fighting as usual and I hope you both will be there to watch me fight” Alicia said as she stood up and bowed her head.

“Ofcourse we will,” Martha said. 

“You are leaving already” Maria asked her.

“Yes, I have another place to be I just thought to stop by”

“Okay, have a good day,” Maria replied.

Alicia bowed her head to them again before walking out of there.

While she walked away she over heard Martha say “She looks like a perfect pick for Damian” 

Alicia smiled but frowned when she heard Maria say “I do not think so”