The dinner table was one of the few places where the Kumar family would talk to one another without interruption. It had been stated early into their marriage from Lord Kumar that there was not to be a single disruption during meal times except for dire emergencies. It worked for seventeen years, and he wasn't about to make any exceptions. Not that he needed to. There were a few rules that he had implicitly stated were necessary for the inhabitants of Kumar Manor. Knowing that he took the rules he did require seriously, most of the household respected his wishes and chose not to challenge them. Even Aria, as stubborn as she could be when she was upset, would silently follow his orders because nobody wanted to see Lord Bhuv Kumar angry.

Despite this, Aria was tempted to challenge his rule on the same weekend during which she had discovered her best friend's betrayal. She was angry to even think for a moment that she had believed his worthless words. He could have been lying the whole time he spoke to her the other day. She put her trust in him instead of the group that had protected her since she was a teenager. Nothing Kazuki or Sterling said could have helped the fury that released like a pressure cooker in her stomach. She was determined to end his life and lies, tossing out years of wasted friendship for the sake of other innocent people in the country.

She wanted to stay in her room and brood; concoct a plan to squeeze every last bit of information from Edward's foolish body, but she relented when she heard her uncle's footsteps pounding up the velvet staircase. She was in no mood to get on his bad side, especially considering the numbing resentment that had already settled like a virus in her.

It was immediately visible, to the occupants of the table, that something was bothering Aria. They could see it from the vexed lines that damaged her lovely, circular face and the spoon that was subject to the incredible pressure of her fist. She said nothing, but her body said everything. However, the family was reluctant to pry.

"So...I hear it's going to rain tomorrow," Tamasa attempted to begin a light conversation.']

"Is it?" Her husband cleared his throat. "I shall have to tell Hiram to finish the garden today, then. I wouldn't want him to get sick while working in the rain."

"Has he planted the roses already?"

"Yes, but they have thorns. I requested him to remove them. I don't know why it's taking so long."

"Thorns are like leeches, uncle." Aria stabbed her food, speaking in a deathly low tone. "They stick onto something beautiful and you don't recognize that they're there until you're bleeding out onto your clothes."

Tamasa blinked. "Well, as morbidly as you put it, I suppose that's the truth. Tell Hiram not to worry about the thorns. I can maneuver around them."

"For now," Aria muttered. "Until they trick you and bleed you dry."

"You're in a good mood today," Noah jeered, earning horrified stares from his parents. He had just poked the bear, and now they were all going to suffer the consequences because of his stupidity. However, because he had nothing in his brain but a little fly buzzing around, Noah continued gaily. "Did something happen between you and Edward? Ooh, did you guys kiss? Was he a bad kisser?"

"Noah!" His mother hissed, pleading with him to shut up, but Noah ignored her.

"Maybe you were the bad kisser," he laughed. "After all, you've never kissed anyone, right? Perhaps he's disgusted and won't come calling for you again? Doesn't that upset you?"

"I have a fork," Aria said coolly. "And it has three prongs. Each prong will sink into your hand one by one, and then I'll do the same to the other. Do you want me to do that?"

"You're not answering my question," Noah sang, oblivious to the fact that Aria would indeed perform her threat. "Is it that you're not affectionate enough? Well, we all knew that. You can't even hug us - hey!" He jumped back, his chair careening backward when Aria tossed her fork at him. With a clang, it stabbed the table and vibrated for the longest time, tossing the dark juice of meat around like blood. When it finally stopped, the room was silent, and Aria was staring at her plate with one of the meanest glares she had ever procured.

"Well..." Bhuv hesitantly spoke. "Noah...stop teasing your sister. Aria, play nice. Don't kill your brother."

"Oh, I won't kill him," Aria murmured darkly, her eyes hooded by the shadow her bangs created, giving Noah the fear-inducing image of a hunter stalking its prey. "Not yet, not now, not when everyone is here. Watch your back when you're alone, little bro."

"M-Mommy...?" Noah scrambled to his feet and inched toward Tamasa

The older woman sighed. "Aria, do please tell us what is bothering you? We haven't seen you smile since your outing with Lord James. Was he unfit to match your standards? Did he displease you in any way?"

"Did he do anything wrong to you?" Her uncle added in a low growl. "I have no qualms about teaching that boy a lesson, higher social class or not."

"He did nothing to me," Aria stated plainly. She manifested a bored poker face and took the fork she'd hurled at Noah, stabbing her meat again. "Rather, I'm concerned that I may not be a good fit for him."

"Oh, nonsense!" Tamasa shrilly spoke. "Aria, you are not worthy of any man on this planet. They are all fools compared to your striking intelligence and beguiling beauty. If anything, Lord James is not fit for you. You are much stronger than he is, and much wiser as well."

"And you have a clean record," Noah added, returning to his food as though Aria's threat had already gone in one ear and out the other. "I heard some nasty things about Eddie. Did you know, some guy at the temple said he was actually captured by the enemy and trained under their command?"

Aria's fork clattered on the plate. "What?" She managed to find her voice, although it was still hoarse from the days that she chose to remain silent. "H-How do you know that? Who told you?"

"Yes, who's spreading these atrocious lies?" Tamasa added haughtily. "I can imagine it being some poor drunkard blaming the government for his poverty instead of his lust for the bottle."

Noah shrugged, indifferent to the rumor. "Some guy at the temple told me. I think it was the priest or something. I'm not sure. Anyway, Mum's probably right. I can't see Eddie being a spy or something. He's too chicken to do that."

"Lord James is also very loyal to his country," Bhuv added. "Surely, he would not scheme with those bastards against us. Not after what they did."

"Huh? What did they do?" Aria peered at her uncle. "What are you talking about?"

"Do you not know?" Bhuv was baffled. "Goodness, what do they teach you in that school? Had I been paying money for nothing?"

"The education was merely conservative," Aria said quickly. "Now, what were you saying about our history with them?"

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So...Aria's definitely not happy with Edward right now. What does Noah know? Will her family be able to figure out why she's so upset?

VOTE/COMMENT/ENJOY :D