Cosima sat across from Jessa, staring down at her tea. "It's gonna get cold"Jessa frowned looking concerned. "I'm not thirsty..."Cosima mutters Betta taking the tea away. Jessa blinked in surprise, since Cosima had never given up the opportunity to drink tea no matter what flavor it was or how it was brewed. Her sister had grown up drinking tea when she became able to, Jessa had always been present and it brought a smile to her face seeing her sister so happy. Yet, the Cosima in front of her wasn't like their usual sister. "Cosima! you have a guest!" Betta looked over, staring at a young girl surprised. "Hello Lady Cosima, I am Ayaka, Ayato's younger sister, I wanted to see you for myself." Cosima stared with wide eyes, Jessa glancing at her. She forced a smile, Betta frowning behind her. "Hello Ayaka, it's great to meet you"Cosima greets standing up. "You must have another reason to visit me correct"Cosima chuckled walking over. "I was wondering if we could get to know each other better"Ayaka responds.

The woman stared down at Ayaka, trying to weigh her options in her mind. Either receive a punishment or avoid the girl who knew nothing of what was going on. Ayaka started up at her, looking a bit hopeful that she'd accept her request to hang out. As much as she wanted to say yes, she didn't wanna risk angering Caleb and being punished just for hanging out with with her future sister in law. "I apologize, Lady Ayaka, I am very busy today, so I cannot"Cosima chuckles smiling down at her, feeling a bit guilty when she saw the hope vanish from the girls eyes. "Oh...I see, I didn't wish to get in the way"Ayaka mutters doing her best to hide her disappointment. "Maybe next time, if I have the time"Cosima promised. "Understood"Ayaka nods looking up at her. She walked past the girl, Betta trailing behind her as the two left the room. "Hmph, that man most likely sent her!"Betta huffed carrying Cosima's capelet. "Tomorrow, I'll be going to live with him..."Cosima mutters looking down. "I can't believe your parents!"Betta growled irked.

She glanced down and sighed, understanding Betta's anger. Her parents had thought it'd be best for her to live with Ayato and his people until the wedding drew near, in which Caleb had protested to and grew furious when the others had voted against him. So tomorrow she left this godforsaken household and was being sent to a possibly even worse one. She looked up, noticing Caleb walking over to her. Of course he appeared now. He must've heard about Ayaka visiting from one of the maids that help him punish her. "Cosima-"Caleb begun lifting his hand. Betta threw herself in front of the woman, blocking Caleb from touching her. "Betta"Caleb greets lowering his hand. "The lady is tired!"Betta spat glaring at him. "...the dog continues to bite the master, soon she'll have to be put down"Caleb warns Betta standing her ground against him. "Betta, let's go.."Cosima says faking a yawn. She walked away, heading to her room feeling the anger waving from Caleb.

Even if he beat her now, she'd be gone soon, so it'd be hard for him to continue to do so. At least one thing would come out of her marriage. "I feel stupid..."Cosima says suddenly getting her best friends attention. "Why!?"Betta gasped looking worried. Both stopped in the hallway, a bitter smile appearing on the woman's lips. "I was so excited to get married...I forgot that if I told Ayato anything about Caleb, he'd think I'm crazy.."Cosima chuckled tears falling down her cheeks. "It's making me regret saying yes..."Cosima mutters continuing to walk again. She rubbed her eyes and sniffled. "BETTA!" Cosima sighed at another disruption to her peace, Jeni storming over. "How dare you! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!?"Jeni demands glaring at Betta. "I am going with Lady Cosima, and that is final Head Maid..."Betta huffed. "You are MY daughter and you won't be going with some wannabe wife!"Jeni spat her hand flying up. A slap echoed through the air, Cosima standing in front of Betta.

"What are you doing?" All eyes went to the voice, finding a shocked Ayato standing there, an orange haired male behind him with an equally shocked expression. "L-Lord Ayato!"Jeni gasped startled to see him here. "What are you doing here!?" Ayato walked over and gently touched Cosima's cheek. "Are you alright?"Ayato asks gently prodding the forming bruise. "Please don't touch me without permission"Cosima mutters not wanting to get attached to false hope. She moved away and walked past him, her eyes narrowed. A hand grabbed her wrist, her eyes wide as she looked back at the man noticing his look of concern. His hand gently touched her cheek once again, leaning close to her his eyes on her turning gentle. "Tell me if it hurts.."Ayato says gently poking the bruise to see how bad it was. Cosima winced at the third poke, Ayato's hand flying back. "Thoma can you tend to her, I have to have a talk with Lord Hammel..."Ayato asks beckoning to the orange haired male. "I got it"Thoma smiled lifting a hand.

"Show me your room or we can go to a common room"Thoma asks looking at Cosima and Betta as he stepped closer. Betta threw him a murderous glare, stopping the man in his tracks a look of shock on his face. "I shall take care of the lady"Betta retorts taking Cosima's hand feeling her trembling. Thoma raised his hand looking stunned then quickly stepped forward. "Wait, I just wanna help..I won't do anything"Thoma promised looking from one to the other. Betta stared him down, perking up when the woman beside her sighed. "Very well..."Cosima mutters her hand trembling. He smiled in relief and nodded. "Where should we go, you should be able to sit down and relax"Thoma asks looking around. Both glanced at each other deciding to put him to the test. "My room, Betta will get you supplies"Cosima responds turning away and walking down the hall. Betta walked after her, fiddling with the dagger underneath her dress as she glanced back at Thoma with a glare.

~~~~

Cosima started at Thoma, fiddling with her dress nervously. Thoma gently touched a vase looking impressed. "The design is amazing, was it made just for you"Thoma complimented looking over at her. She perked up in response, since nobody really cared about her things before. Caleb had always smashed most of her things and then proceeded to tell others that she was being clumsy and knocked it over or dropped it. "Yes..it was"Cosima mutters glancing down. "It suits you, it matches your personality!"Thoma smiled her eyes widening slightly. Betta returned with what she was asked to grab, handing the cream to Thoma. "Here, you can watch, if you apply the scream correctly it can heal faster, I'll show you!"Thoma smiled, pulling up a chair. He unscrewed the top a grin on his face as he applied it to her cheek being gentle as he did so, Betta watching in amazement before quickly fixing her expression to one that made her look unbothered by the lesson. "There"Thoma grinned. "..thank you"Cosima says.

Cosima smiled as she walked with Thoma and Betta, giggling as the two engaged in friendly bickering. She watched the two, glad to have a rare familiar feeling of joy and not being scared all the time of other people. Betta huffed as Thoma chuckled when he won their bicker battle. "You have a wife, Mister Thoma?"Cosima asks smiling warmly at him. "Yeah, her name is Fina"Thoma nods looking a bit embarrassed as he started rubbing the back of his head. "How'd you manage to make her fall for you?"Cosima giggled amused by how bashful he was being. "Well it was the other way around, I liked her, she hated me but we started to grow close"Thoma corrects scratching his cheek with his index finger. "I had to go through tests in order to prove myself and marry her." Betta snorted covering her mouth and released a muffle giggle at the sudden reveal. Thoma chuckled, the trio walking through the garden as cherry blossom petals fluttered down to the ground. Cosima brushed her hair behind her ear, smiling slightly feeling safe for the first time.