Chapter 98 - Hostile Dining

Today Yvonne decided to dress in a simple but elegant dress she had brought from Clatoise amongst other things. Stace and the other maids helped Yvonne put it on since it had a very tight corset sewn underneath the top bodice. 

"That's a bold choice of color for today," Stace commented on Yvonne's sunny dress. "Are you sure you want to show up like that whilst everyone else still prefers to wear black?" 

Yvonne shrugged. Stace sighed.

"Okay, hair up or down?" she asked lazily as she brought Yvonne to the tall, chic mirror, a comb poised in the air. 

Yvonne thought for a moment. "It's too cold for an updo, so let's just style it down today."

At once, the maids got to work. Meanwhile, Yvonne decided to ask Stace about her schedule..

"What's on our schedule today?"

Stace, with a clearing of her throat, brandished a pad of paper from some hidden pocket and went over it. "First on our list is breakfast, as usual. After that we have to spend some time with the other mistresses in the Ladies' Room. In the afternoon, we have a light luncheon and tea with the ladies. You have plenty of time in between to prepare for the upcoming tea party event. We also have to attend a foreign reception here at the palace, held for the lovely diplomats of the Lands of Sovia, where we must also attend dinner at the grand table alongside the Emperor. There's a lot to do today. I hope you aren't too distressed."

Yvonne shook her head, her red, bouncy hair shaking with it.

"I'll be fine. But do you reckon we can make time in-between to visit Lady Neredras at the infirmary?" she asked with a worried look on her face. 

Stace studied the list and then pointed at the space between 'Breakfast' and 'Spend time in the Ladies' Room'. "We can go right after breakfast."

Yvonne nodded. "Great." she sighed. "Thanks, ladies, but I think that's enough combing." Wessey and Tmara retreated from their lady's head and conflated against the background in silence.

Stace tutted. "Come on, you'll be the last one to show up at the table, Your Highness!" 

Yvonne smiled sweetly as she stood up and away from the mirror after giving herself one keen look. "Alright, I'm going. Bring in my shoes, Wessey."

Wessey obeyed and brought back from Yvonne's closet a gorgeous pair of yellow slippers that matched well with her yellow dress. Though the Empire was still in mourning, Yvonne wanted to show today that all would get better. And she dressed this way because she really knew that the cunning princess wasn't even dead.

"Shall we head out then?" she beamed, applying a red rouge on her lips and on her cheeks. "I'm starving."

✿

Yvonne made her way through the corridors to the grand dining room, her head maid in tow to her.

"Are you still unfamiliar with the directions?" Stace asked, chuckling.

Yvonne frowned. "How could you tell? I'm struggling to find the dining room even though I've been there at least ten times now. Won't you help me?" She pouted and Stace had to give in.

"Yeah, yeah," she sighed. "Follow me, O' Great Lady!"

Yvonne laughed and followed Stace's footsteps as she expertly led her through the corridor and around corners until the double doors to the grand dining room were right there.

"Alright," Stace whispered as she touched up Yvonne's hair, her own a mess. "Run along now, go on. And don't forget to greet all the mistresses even if you don't like some of them."

Yvonne frowned. How had Stace known that? She had never talked bad about any of the ladies other than Elora due to her bursting outrage, but other than that, her tongue had been spotless. 

Stace gave her a nudge. "I'm off to the kitchens. I need sustenance as well. Go!"

Yvonne hesitated but sighed and curtsied to the two guards stationed on each side of the door after which she was let in. 

"Your Majesty, look who's here!"

Elora had been the one to speak up, and when both their eyes met, there was a jolt of hostile energy that passed in between. 

"Your Majesty," Yvonne said, curtsying. "Allow me to dine with you." It was a routine statement, and Yvonne hated asking for permission when she knew it was unnecessary.

"Yes, yes, dear," the Emperor grunted, his face behind a paper in his hand. "Sit wherever."

Yvonne stood up and sat down in an empty seat beside Elora. She didn't want to, of course, but it would have been awkward to let the seat remain unoccupied since all the other empty chairs were most farther away from the Emperor. Yvonne also did not want to indicate any hostility amongst her and the mistresses, since that would only cause problems for her.

"Good morning, Lady Obsilia," Yvonne said kindly, but there was a bitter undertone to her voice.

Elora smiled a smile which was clearly strained and forced. "Good morning. Would you like me to pour you a cup of my favorite blend?"

Yvonne scoffed to herself. She knew that if Elora was to pour anyone tea, she'd surely spill it on someone's dress on purpose, or shall we say, 'accidentally'. 

"No, but thank you," Yvonne replied as she put a napkin on her lap. "I'd rather not have tea today. Lady Rovan, may I trouble you to pass me a glass of orange juice?"

Lorelei, who had been buttering a slice of bread, perked up.

"Oh, yes. Of course," she mumbled and passed her the glass after pouring one. "Here you are."

"Thank you." Yvonne smiled as she reached over the table. Elora scoffed.

"Lady Sumner, may I ask you something?" Elora asked with a fake smile on her face. 

Yvonne raised her eyebrows. "No, you may not."

Elora frowned. "What?"

Yvonne put a slice of meat and bread on her plate beside some gravy and started to eat. "Has nobody ever taught you that talking whilst one eats is the height of disgrace? No good lady would disturb others at the table. I'm disappointed, Lady Obsilia, really, I am."

Everyone stared with wide eyes of shock at Yvonne who calmly continued to slice into her meat. Elora, though, was offended. 

"Are you kidding me?" she spat, her voice low so that the Emperor wouldn't hear her. "Don't you try to mess with me, you despicable woman. I won't have anyone talk down on me, especially not a newbie."

Yvonne chuckled. "You're still talking, Lady Obsilia?" she said loud enough for the Emperor to hear.

Elora went silent in her seat, her face as red as a beet. She had never been disrespected before, not like this. This vermin dared to talk to her like she was better than her? Elora couldn't stand this. She was outraged. She stabbed a fork into her meat and seethed with bubbling anger. 

Everyone continued on with their meals silently. The atmosphere was uncomfortable, perhaps that's what the Emperor noticed because he spoke up with a whole-hearted laugh. 

"Ho-ho! How are you all finding the tasks I assigned to each of you this morning?" he asked, putting down the piece of parchment in his hand.

Nobody replied at first, but then Odette spoke up from down the table.

"I believe it is a good opportunity for all of us to showcase ourselves in society again, especially after everything that happened."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"But won't a much too grand tea party be inappropriate considering the circumstances?" Lorelei asked before biting into bread.

Yesenia raised her hand from the front of the table. "We can't always be living our lives in the past. We must show everyone that everything will be fine in the coming days. A tea party is a genius idea, Your Majesty."

The Emperor beamed with happiness. "I'm flattered, my dear. But remember, ladies. I have decided to trust you all with this task knowing that you all can handle what is assigned to you. But in case you have forgotten, we have a reception tonight, so I hope you would pay mind to that as well. You must dress for the occasion, not too grand, but also not too plain."

"Yes, Your Majesty," they all responded in unison. 

"We won't disappoint you!" Elora squealed, clapping her hands together. "Ooh, this is going to be so much fun!"

Yvonne rolled her eyes. Then she turned her face to her other side where sat Christabel Virak, silently staring into her plate of meat and bread. She had yet to touch her meal, and most strangely, she hadn't spoken a world yet. Was something wrong with her?

"Lady Virak, are you alright?" Yvonne asked, touching her arm gently. Christabel didn't even flinch.

"Let her be," Lorelei said from across the table.

"What?"

"Please. Just let her be for the meantime." The grave tone of Lorelei's voice led Yvonne to believe that something was going on. But she decided not to prod further since that was extremely unlady-like. 

Everyone finished their breakfasts and headed outside after curtsying before the Emperor.

"What's the matter with her?" Yvonne asked Lorelei once they were outside, her face bearing a worried expression.

Lorelei sighed, leaning against a wall. "She stopped talking after the princess's funeral. And no matter how much I try to soothe her and ask her to relay her grief to me, she never speaks. It's the most concerning situation."

Yvonne frowned. Was this really true? If yes, then it indeed was a situation worth worrying over. 

"How long has she been like that?"

Lorelei shrugged. "Since the funeral. I told you."

Yvonne nodded. "Hmm. Was she taken to the infirmary?"

Lorelei nodded. "Yes. But there was nothing they could do for her."

"What about some mental institute?"

Lorelei gasped. "God, no. She hates those places. I'm just hoping that time will heal all wounds."

They both looked at the floor in silence. Yvonne couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had seen people lose loved ones numerous times, and the after effects lasted for a long, long time. But nobody was ever this bad.

"It sure is taking a long time, huh?" Yvonne muttered.

Lorelei smiled sadly. "Yes."