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IT WAS THE DAY OF THE SPECIAL BANQUET, held in the red rose room. people surrounded princess astrid ── she's the life of the party, who wouldn't want to be around her? duchess tuania stayed by her side, whispering things to her, making the funniest remarks at everyone in the room. there was a sudden commotion as astrid turned and noticed the head of the royal guard enter and whisper something to sovieshu.
sovieshu suddenly got up and made his way out of the red rose room. astrid furrowed her brows as duchess kalliste instinctively made her way over to the princess. "why did the emperor leave?" astrid asked quietly, whispering into kalliste's ear.
"it's miss rashta," kalliste said, quietly, "odessa sends news that rashta collapsed out of shock at seeing viscount lotteshu,"
astrid's eyebrow raised, "how interesting," she whispered, "i must see this show," and in a swift move, astrid and kalliste sauntered out of the red rose room and into the grand banquet hall.
when they entered, odessa and verena rushed over to them, "your imperial highness! your imperial highness! you won't believe what is happening! please, have some dessert ── this is the icing on the cake!" verena exclaimed excitedly
astrid smiled and took a plate of cake and began to slowly eat it as the two girls began to fill her in on what had just happened. "it turns out rashta really is a runaway slave ── she belonged to viscount lotteshu's family!!" odessa said dramatically, "viscount lotteshu showed up and blurted out the truth to everyone!"
astrid frowned and put the plate down as kalliste took it into her grasp, "It was bound to happen," astrid decided, "the truth will always come to light,"
─── astrid furrowed her brows as the emperor's valet ─ one of her spies began to recall what he had overheard later than evening when navier visited sovieshu. "and now, the emperor is seeing viscount lotteshu," she frowned as she dismissed the butler. she leaned back into her seat and rubbed her forehead. just then, kalliste entered.
── walking down the halls, duchess kalliste did not expect to see viscount lotteshu enter rashta's chambers ─ kalliste couldn't help but smirk, her mistress would love to hear about this. she returned to the palace of pearls, excited to share the latest tidbit to her mistress.
when kalliste returned, she brew some tea and prepared treats before making her way to the princess's bedroom. the maids at the doors opened them and kalliste entered, she set the stay of tea on the table where astrid was seated. astrid looked and noticed the excited look on kalliste's face, "what? why are you smirking?" she demanded kalliste's smirk widened and she curtsied.
"your imperial highness," kalliste nodded as she then whispered something in astrid's ear. astrid's eyes widened and she turned to kalliste.
"see what's going on," kalliste nodded and curtsied before leaving the bedroom and making her way back to where the newest concubine resided.
when she entered, everyone bowed and curtsied in respect as kalliste was not only a lady-in-waiting but an esteemed duchess. "you," she said, pointing to an unowned maid who hurriedly moved forward and curtsied, "take me to your mistress,"
the maid nodded and obliged in fear of the older woman, kalliste was lead to a room and dismissed the little maid who hurried away, but before she could enter, she heard an alarming thing, "taking care of your baby is not easy, i have to pay for food, clothes, and servants─ my son can't handle all of that," kalliste let out a loud gasp and covered her mouth in shock. this was huge.
── astrid was in shock as kalliste recalled everything she heard. verena and odessa were fuming and they instantly started to ramble on and on about the silver-haired mistress. "how could someone just abandon their child?" odessa wondered angrily, "she's a horrid person!"
verena nodded in agreement, "it's just horrible ─ the poor child,"
kalliste shook her head, "but doesn't that mean rashta is using her jewels bestowed to her by his majesty? isn't that a crime?"
astrid nodded, "it is, it's worthy of death," astrid said as the ladies gasped
"what do we do, your imperial highness?" verena asked
"nothing," astrid replied, "we'll just wait and watch the show. it's been a while since i've seen such a wonderful one ── now come, i'm going on a walk,"
── as she and her ladies-in-waiting wandered around the imperial gardens and not her own garden. she stopped dead in her tracks because the sight she saw had her faltering, a standoff between the emperor and prince heinrey, and standing in between them, the empress.
"what do you think is happening?" verena wondered
"something big," odessa agreed
"ladies, mind your mouths," kalliste said fiercely, cutting the girls off. they watched as the emperor had wrapped his arm over the empress and led her away, sending prince heinrey a mean glare.
astrid stayed silent ── she was right, this was going to be such a wonderful show she couldn't wait to see how things would turn out.
