As morning came, Felicia expected that she would be returning back to their Manor, however, there were plenty of letters addressed to her, asking her to join them in their tea party.
She was about to reject them all since she hadn't brought a dress. And honestly, she was tired of dealing with these ladies she just wanted to be alone for the whole day and process what just happened last night.
Yet as she observed the letter being placed on top of the raging letters, it was stamped with royal insignia, together with a new dress to wear as well as some pairs of jewellery.
"Who sent this?" She asked, picking up the letter that was placed on top of the other letters, and studying the insignia of the letter. "The Empress had sent you the invitation to attend her tea party together with some of the noblest ladies, while the Emperor sent you the dress to change." The female servant answered her, keeping her head down.
"Right..." She muttered as she had figured out that the Empress had sent her a tea party invitation today. Her royal insignia was marked on the letter, addressing the need for her to join their social party.
Which would then become a trap for her. Like a web with the spider ready to suck her blood dry. For what else is the reason for the Empress to invite her other than drinking and acting like close friends?
She was glaring at her last night, this ain't not a friendly conversation happening between them. She sighed, not really wanting to go but it would be disrespectful not to show up and would end up like she's challenging the authority of the Empress.
She doesn't care about the backlash if she were to receive one but she's powerless right now. If she dared to offend the Empress, she would end up earning her hate and would make her life like hell.
She doesn't need another drama in her life. She hasn't solved all the issues back home, what more if the Empress started to target her? However, it's not her position to earn the Empress's favour or play favourites as she had already made it clear last night that she's hateful towards her.
"Where is my brother, by the way?" She asked the servant as she placed the letter back on the table and turned around to face the servant looking at her.
"The Young Master had some things to attend, My Lady. Although he wished for you to return immediately after you wake up." She responded to her question, making Felicia frown.
So he just left here?! In the midst of people having anger issues leaning towards her? But anyway, it's not his problem since as the Duke's heir, he had so many tasks and responsibilities to do.
So she sighed, massaging her temples. At least he should've bid his goodbye first before leaving her here in the middle of the sea filled with different kinds of prey waiting for her and being consumed.
"Please prepare my bath and call someone to help me wear the dress." She said, commanding the servant as she then went to pick up some stationary material. A pen, paper, and a letter to give towards the Emperor.
She needs to relay her thank you towards him for a thoughtful gift.
As she finishes writing the paper, she then folds it, out inside the letter and signs it with her name. She even almost made a mistake when she wrote her otherworldly name. Good thing she noticed it first, making it easy to deal with.
At the same time, the door bursts open, revealing servants who have come to assist her bath. They all bowed at her presence and started to prepare everything for her.
"You there." She called, making the female servant step in and bowed her head. "Yes, my Lady?" The servant asked politely yet very sternly, strictly to follow on how they should act towards guests.
"Deliver this letter to His Majesty." She instructed, giving the letter towards the servant and turned her back, walking towards the group of servants, waiting for her to undress what she was wearing right now.
"Yes, Miss." The servant responded, leaving immediately while Felicia was being assisted by a lot of servants allocated to her. She wonders as to why there were a lot of them when she's just a guest residing in the Emperor's palace.
However, she couldn't deny how fast they ended up dressing her, working together to make her pretty. The dress that the emperor gave complimented her look, but it was nothing fancy or something very daring.
In fact, it's a design that she commonly sees being plastered in every boutique. However, that soon will vanish since she's sure that the noble ladies will invest in what she wore last night.
As soon as she was set to go, she picked up the letter that the Empress gave her, in case everyone would try to look for her invitation.
As soon as she left her room, she immediately was then assisted by knights which made her frown as she didn't want to attract any unnecessary attention from others. Also, this feels too much and suffocating. What's with the knight? It's not as if she's going somewhere when she'll be walking towards the Empress' palace.
Well actually, ride a carriage since the Empress palace is quite far from the Emperor's palace. "There is no need to follow me, I am alright." Felicia addressed them as she was starting to get the attention coming from the servants and other guests, amazed at her but at the same time questioning why she had knights stationed for her.
"We received an order from the Emperor. Therefore we can't do that, Princess." The knight responded, talking to her and didn't stop following her until she reached the outside where a carriage was waiting for her.
God, the Emperor is showing her so much favor that it will end up becoming a big issue. Especially since the Empress is hostile. What the hell is he thinking?
"Are you still going to follow me?" She asked as she entered the carriage, assisted by the footman while the servant closed the door, making her look through the window of the carriage.
"Yes as it is commanded by the Emperor." The knight who answered gave her a cold response, nodding his head. Andrea nodded her head, turning to face the empty seat in front of her.
The Emperor is showing favourites huh? Could it be a clash of interests between the Emperor and the Empress? Clearly, the Empress must be favouring Helena and now, the Emperor is giving her the type of favour Helena receives from the Empress.
But this is all just speculation, nothing else but just her brain overthinking some possible concepts that will likely be proven false or maybe true once she steps inside the rabbit hole.
As the carriage arrives at the palace of the Empress, it stops towards a red carpet part that leads to a big glass palace, a gazebo filled with plants and flowers. So the tea party is held at the door inside her personal garden.
She got out of the carriage, trialling the red carpet while trying not to be bothered by the knights on her side. "Please, remain outside. This is the Empress's palace, therefore it's disrespectful to enter inside." Felicia reminded them as she turned around to face them, stopping them from following her.
"Yes, Princess." They all said in unison and stopped from ever following her, making her turn around and sigh as she entered the gazebo. Surprisingly, no one was tasked to ask whether she had her invitation and such. Such a scheme usually takes place in this kind of setting.
"Felicia Vivienne Del Montague from the ducal house of Del Montague greets her Majesty." She greeted the woman sitting in the centre part of the long table, along with some noble ladies staring at her.
She didn't have to greet them since she was of high status therefore it would be their responsibility to greet her, not her. Her eyes didn't escape Helena sitting next to the Empress, looking at her as if her eyes started to belittle her and kept on shooting her glares that seemed to brag about her closeness with the Empress.
But does she even care if the Empress is close to her? She can monopolize her, it's out of her business anyway.
'What the hell? Why is it taking so long for her to let me raise my head? My back is hurting.' Felicia complained through her thoughts, wanting to disrespect the Empress for how evil she was.
"Raise your head, Lady Del Montague." The Empress said with such formality yet her tone is not different from what she heard yesterday. Felicia did raise her head, meeting her glare which she wasn't scared of.
The Empress' eyes then look up and down at her, giving her a stare that seems to judge her whole existence. Silence was growing inside the glass house as the Empress refused to let her sit with them.
"You are wearing such... Simple outfit, Lady Del Montague. Have you run out of dresses that are too skimpy for you to wear?" The Empress asked her, making some of the noble women snicker at her.
So the Empress had chosen to attack her. Well then, why not give her a reply then?
"It's actually a gift from His Majesty, your Majesty. He gifted me these things and wished me to wear them. Such thoughtful gifts from His Majesty should not be turned down, My Empress. That would be disrespectful." She responded, smiling as she looked at the expression of the Empress, faltering from her mocking state.
'Trying to bring me down, eh? Even your sister or whatever Tyren is so you couldn't bring me down. You chose this path, Empress.' Felicia thought to herself, hiding the smirk that was trying to escape from her lips.
Everyone was silent as she answered, scared as the Empress had insulted her dress that was a gift from his Majesty. Even the Empress's expression couldn't be painted, as well as Helena who bared her fangs in discreetly, wanting to bite Felicia off.
'Sorry not sorry, dearest sister.'
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AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Hi cuties! Sorry for the massive delay of updates. I am currently drowning in school projects and I think I can't breathe. Just joking, next week is our examination so expect another disappearance from me. Other than that, after the examination, I will be able to update two chapters a day now since my other story is finished since yesterday. Hooray! But here it is! Two updates for everyone! Good luck and goodluck to me!
Ps. I'm stressing over my debate so yeah, drowning in academic stress.