"Empress, I was carrying our cups and making my way back to you when a Lady stopped me, thinking I was a tutor. She tried to take your tea from me. She did not believe I was worthy to serve you. I wishes to follow your orders so I denied her. Honestly, I am not sure what happened. The dancer was passing behind me, someone hit my hands and the tea spilt on my chest." Kyera replied honestly. There was an icy glare shot her way but she kept her eyes on the empress who seemed annoyed by the event. Did she believe her? Kyera wasn't quite sure if she would. These women had more rapport with the Empress.
"I see. Who is this Lady who decides who is worthy or not to serve me and mistook our Visiting Lady of the Shadow Veil Kingdom as a tutor?" The Empress asked her voice quite cool as she awaited an answer. Kyera blushed looking down at the ground.
"I don't want to start trouble, Your Grace." Kyera tried to gently sidestep this question. The way the woman had introduced herself was not something Kyera wanted to say aloud. She did indeed want to hold the woman accountable for spouting such nonsense, but at the same time it would not look good coming from her. She wasn't blind, she knew Clovis had considered her and so had the Empress. This was not a moment she wanted to seem as though she was vying for the position or being petty. Nothing could take Raina away from her faster than Clovis loathing her.
"Lady Kyera, you are not the one causing trouble. Despite how she introduced herself to you, she is only the daughter of a minister. Mother, it was Lady Ramira." Alexi offered putting a hand on Kyera's shoulder to take the pressure off of her. Though, he didn't excuse the way Ramira had introduced herself he didn't want it to seem as though Kyera was being a snitch. It was best coming from him.
"Oh? What do you mean by how she introduced herself?" Empress caught his wording and called it out instantly. The fact that it made Kyera embarrassed to say aloud was enough to make her curious. A healer was often the hardest to make blush, what had this woman called herself? It couldn't be vulgar… perhaps it was offensive in another way? Though even with that being said she wasn't sure how else it could be offensive.
"She introduced herself as Fourth Prince Clovis' future Wife." Alexi replied and Kyeara frowned slightly. That was not exactly what the woman had said but the fire in the Empress's eyes was instantaneous.
"Is that true?" She demanded her eyes landing on Kyera who sighed softly. There was no staying out of the cross hairs on this one. She was either going to have to lie to the Empress or she was going to cross a Lady of the court. There were so few choices and if Clovis actually married the woman, Kyera would surely be done for. Still, she knew in her heart she could not lie.
"No, My Lady that is not what she called herself." Kyera replied and Alexi frowned at her. It was clear that was not what he had expected her to say. The Empress raised an eyebrow as Clovis sighed in relief. He had hoped his childhood friend would be more tactful than that.
"Of course not, My lady I do not know how I offended the Second Prince but he obviously misheard me." Lady Ramira added trying to smooth this over before it became anything more. The fact that Kyera knew her place was so gratifying for her. She did her best to look like a pure white flower before the Empress as well as Clovis who seemed to be disturbed as well.
"I am afraid Lady Ramira spoke before I could finish my words." Kyera spoke softly her words were harmless but the tone indicated she had been wronged. "She had said she was 'The future daughter in law' meaning your future daughter in law. I did not wish to put words in her mouth by saying Clovis' future wife." Kyera replied honestly. She saw the Fourth Prince's face darken as the Second Prince grinned.The look on Empress Evelyns face was so cold a glacier would have gotten chills from her stare.