Evil Duke, Please Be Gentle!

"I accept it." came the calm and clear voice of Evan, who looked at Olivia confidently even after looking at the worried faces of Eve and Eli.

A smirk formed on Olivia's face when she looked at Eli and Eve's worried faces. they had humiliated her before in the party, now it was her turn to humiliate the whole family. She would show them how they were taking a rough stone as a gem and throwing away the precious gem.

"Then let us go to the music room and ball room of the palace." Olivia advised and Evan nodded. But she did not know where the ballroom and music room was! She didn't even know that there were two separate rooms for both of them. Couldn't we dance and play music in the same room? 

Looking at her blank face, Olivia commented. "Oh, I think you do not know the way. It is okay, after all you are new to the palace. It is obvious that you did not know anything about the palace. Why don't you call the head maid and ask her to help you.'' Though the words sound understandable, Olivia was telling everyone that she did not even know the palace and the people living there, yet she had the audacity to call the palace hers. When Evan still stayed silent, Olivia widened her eyes exaggeratingly and covered her mouth with her hands as if she was shocked.

"Don't tell me that you didn't even know the name of the maids till now." though she faked surprise, her eyes filled with mirth and disdain was clear in her eyes.

"It is fine too, let me lead the way. I know every part of the palace by heart." Olivia offered as she took the lead and finally Evan chuckled, surprising everyone present there who had believed that she had already lost the battle.

"I knew the name of the maids but I wanted to see how much you know the palace. As a guest you surely treat this palace as your own. If I did not know any better I would have thought that you are trying to covet the palace." Eve burst into laughter listening to the sarcastic comment of Evan and Olivia glared at her and then at Evans.

"You do not need to lead the way. As a guest, you shall follow the host to the palace. Eve, would you be kind enough to take us to the music room?" Evan replied as she moved in front of Olivia blocking her way.

Eve looked at Eli who sighed and then nodded. But her sharp look made Evan and Eve gulp. It was her way to inform them that they both are going to be punished later for the mess they had created.

All the guests followed both of them to the music room. They all sat on the chairs while waiting for a show to start.

"Are you sure that you will win?" asked Eli when Evan sat on the stool near the piano while Olivia sat on the other side. She had a smirk on her face as she looked at the piano and roamed her fingers on it leisurely. Even random pressing of keys created a beautiful tone that guests could not help but applaud loudly for Olivia who looked at Evan with disdain.

Evan shook her head, that was a tone even kids can play in her town. What was there to be so proud about? She looked at the worried eyes of Eli. She knew that the name and respect of her family was everything for Eli and she was playing with it since the start of the party. 

Evan felt guilty towards Eli and Eve but it was for their well being too. They did not want her as their sister in law and she was making sure that they did not need to force themselves to accept her. Soon they will forget about her and the mess she had made. Right?

She did not reply to Eli as she closed her eyes and then opened it and looked at the piano. In her life, it would be the first time that she was going to press the wrong keys.

"Shall we begin?" asked a lady as she stood up from her seat.

"The rules are simple. Both of them play the same song so that the guests could judge who played better. The notes will not be given, only the name of the song will be told. All the guests would judge the performance by the flow of the song and lack of mistakes in the song.`` She looked at both of them who nodded their heads.

"Alright then let us play the famous song of these days "where my sweet days had gone, by Martin. K. Wiorsky." they all nodded their heads. It was a very popular bittersweet song that was sung by people of every age. You can hear it playing in restaurants and public areas too. So, both of them could not claim that they had not heard the song.

But as popular as the song was, it was hardly played perfectly. The song had a lot of notes that were high at start but then turned soft and melancholic. The song was difficult to grasp and played perfectly.

"Let me play it first so that she can not say that she did not know it as she is from a small village." said Olivia as she smiled sweetly at Evan. but it only created further disdain in the mind of everyone.

She closed her eyes and started playing the song. Her face was filled with seriousness while she played it. The guests turned silent as the music filled the room. Eve and Eli exchanged their glances as they looked at Evan with worried eyes. Evan's face was contorted, it was looking like she would burst out of anger any moment and they became even more worried. 

"Think of a way to cancel the competition."