It did not take long for my health to recover. However, to make Catherine’s crime seem more heinous by making myself seem more pitiful, and at Mother’s insistence, I took a few weeks off to relax and spend time with my family. It was quite nice, now that we didn’t have destined doom hanging over us, though it felt like Damian paled by the day. Well, I’d done all that I could, and surely when Catherine was gone for good he would come back to me sane. She was safely locked up in the Tower, and even he could not penetrate its defenses to sneak in and see her without being noticed. At least, I was fairly sure he hadn’t yet.
Nevertheless, it was time for my return to society, to show everyone that despite Catherine’s wickedness, I had not been harmed too severely. They may be allowed to pity me, so that they may resent Catherine, but they mustn’t dare think I had been weakened. How perfect that I shall demonstrate this by tormenting my nemesis!
“Happy birthday, Your Highness. What a fortune to the kingdom that you’ve survived another year! I wonder what new havoc you shall bring upon us in your adulthood?”
“Taking out the scum, I hope,” Elizabeth scowled. Queen Josephine, who stood beside her daughter, smiled with her lips tightly pursed.
It was a beautiful afternoon. Sunlight streamed through the windows of the largest drawing room in the castle. Everybody who was anybody was there, celebrating the eighteenth birthday of this useless princess. Her dress looked like someone pried all the elegance of the design from it forcefully, and her bird’s nest of a hairstyle was laughable.
Unfortunately, I could not ridicule her for long in such a public space, with a line growing behind me to greet her. Thus, I went to meet with my own followers, to praise them for a job excellently done in condemning Catherine, and to assure them that I, their backbone in society, was back and stronger than ever.
“Lady Valentina, I’m glad to see you well enough to come to an event as pleasant as this.”
“Thank you, Lady Delilah. I would not have missed it for the world. After all, we only get this kind of entertainment once a year.”
“You’re finally back, Lady Valentina! Why, we’ve missed you terribly. Society has been absolutely bleak without you.”
“I’ve missed you all dearly too, Lady Annalise. Now, before we go join the festivities, catch me up on all the news.”
“Oh, certainly! Of course, the horror and disgust at that creature who I will not stoop to even name was all everyone spoke of. Lady Bryant made her stance clear in supporting you. She’s moved back to the Bryant Manor now that vermin is gone, and is doing all in her power to persuade the baron to give up on defending her. But surely you have already heard all that, on the other hand…”
We had corresponded regularly by letters, and I’d seen them a few times privately with just us, the ones who held the power within the group, but it was much more fun to be out together. Gorgeous in appearance, surrounded by a loyal, doting entourage, and enjoying great tea, it was the peak of aristocracy, the very opposite of what the star of today’s show stood for. God, she must hate it so much! The thought made me smirk wide.
The tea party commenced as any other. It was grand compared to Catherine’s, being a royal birthday, after all. The delicacies were delectable, especially since I could enjoy them without the detail that deadly nightshade coursed through my veins.
I sat at the head of the table with the royal family, being the future sister-in-law of the princess, with Oscar next to me. Elizabeth, of course, was at the head of the table, her naturally disgruntled countenance being forced peculiarly into a half smile that seemed more like a grimace whenever someone approached her, under her mother’s glare.
My fiance and I had exchanged the usual greetings, and had resorted to the usual silence after. We had exchanged only one letter over my leave, and I would’ve almost been worried that he’d forgotten about me, if not for that the only threat to me was gone now. Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised when he spoke to me first.
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“Welcome back, Lady Valentina,” he said softly.
“Thank you,” I smiled sweetly. “Was my absence as inconvenient as to be noticed by Your Highness?”
“Yes,” he said, after a brief hesitation. “The deprivation of your company was regrettable.”
That was good enough for me, for today, both for my plan and to warm my heart. We had all of time to enjoy ourselves, but presently my influence required attending to, so I did not spare long with him and quickly swept myself up among friends and those who could become useful friends.
Unfortunately, an Isvorian ambassador monopolized Elizabeth in a heated debate. I caught pieces of their conversation occasionally, and it seemed that the foreigner was outraged that our lovely princess had berated one of their recent policies when he had simply offered pleasantries. It must’ve been his first time dealing with her obstinance, as his nostrils flared and his face flushed red. The princess, too, was frustrated to be restrained by the public setting, especially her mother’s surveillance. I enjoyed the show from afar, occupied with my own, much more productive socializing.
The afternoon passed by merrily. Gradually, the liveliness began to wane, and guests began to trickle out after bidding the princess farewell. Elizabeth, always the barbarian, obviously despised this etiquette. Thus, at the first available chance, deeming that her role for today was done, slipped out of the room. I shot a look towards Annalise and Delilah and exchanged a knowing smile. Saying a quick goodbye to our followers, we went after her.
Elizabeth did not get far, likely unused to such heavy dresses that we wore with proud elegance. We found her in the garden right around the corner from the drawing room, kneeling by some flowers. Our cloaks shielded us from the frigid air, but the flowers in the garden grew vibrantly without shelter.
Annalise coughed, pretending not to notice the princess. “Such a lovely party, wasted on such an unsuitable centerpiece!” she exclaimed to us.
“Despite all Her Majesty’s ministrations, if the Isvorians regarded our princess as an example of our people, they must think us savages,” Delilah sighed.
My laughter pierced through the sky like a true villainess. “Indeed, ladies, I fear it shames me that my future sister-in-law has such eccentricities!”
“Good,” Elizabeth said, standing up and approaching us, her eyes ablaze. “I hope you’re so ashamed that you crawl into a hole and never come out. I’d rather that the shame was from all the crimes you’ve committed, but I know you aren’t capable of morals.”
“Ah! How brazen, Your Highness. First, let me apologize for not seeing you,” I mock curtsied. “You simply blended right in with the weeds. Second, your words wound me so that I might just have to tell your mommy.”
“You think I give a shit?” She took a step forward. I stared right back into her golden eyes, the same tint as Oscar’s, but much less charming. “The only reason I’m still here is to bring you down, and believe me, I’m getting closer. Every day that passes is one day closer to your demise, Lady Valentina.”
“Oh no, I’m so scared!” I swooned into Delilah’s arms and smirked at the princess. “Is Lady Catherine not enough of an example for those who wish to cross me? Or is Your Highness merely too thick to learn by example? I shall have them reserve a room for you at the Tower, if so.”
“Quit the bullshit,” she bristled. “That girl’s innocence is apparent to anyone with a brain, which is sadly few around here. Everyone’s heads are all stuffed with the airs they put on, you most of all.”
“Is it then, because you don’t put on any airs, that your head is in the ground?” I asked. Annalise snickered.
“You think this is funny, Valentina?” Elizabeth clenched her fists. “Mark my words. You will not get away with it this time!”
“Oh?” I tilted my head. “Are you threatening the saintess? My, that won’t do. Perhaps my first act after I marry your brother will be to marry you off to some distant kingdom whose coarse habits will suit your own.”
“You can marry my brother over my dead body,” Elizabeth retorted. “The very fact that you’re here right now, taunting me for the joy of it, is my point itself. That Catherine girl is ten times whatever you are, simply for not having done the heinous things you have, and I’ll make sure the kingdom learns of that!”
I laughed at the absurdity. Oh, how good it felt! All these threats were empty now, nothing could stop me now! Sure, it may be impudent of me to jeer at the princess purely out of amusement, but after all that I’d been through, rewriting my own fate from what was set down in words from another world, I ought to be allowed to gloat. And gloat I did, making up for the peace of my recovery period.
Elizabeth apparently did not appreciate my good humor. She scoffed, “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to actually attend to things that matter. Kindly fuck off, and I hope I never have to see you again.”
With that, she stomped away, almost tripping over her dress, earning another round of laughter from my friends and I.
Oh, that silly princess! I smirked. I had dealt with fate, and next to that, she was nothing.