The first thing that came to my mind was Athy. Someone must have pissed off that little monster. I turned on my heel and rushed inside without saying anything to Graciella who followed me inside.
The people were all looking on the side where a little girl's dress was drenched in wine. She was wearing a baby blue dress and has a head of curly blond hair. She looked like she was about to cry.
In front of her was a middle aged woman in a frilly dress. Her fan covered half of her face as she looked down at the little girl.
"Oh my." The woman said sarcastically. "You should watch where you are going girl. Did your parents not teach you manners? Or they aren't able to afford anyone to teach you? How embarrassing."
The little girl looked at the lady in horror. She could not even refute her to protect herself.
"With a father who is a captain of the royal knights and a mother who is friends with the archduchess, aren't you speaking to lowly to her?" A soft voice spoke from behind. "A lady old enough to be a grandmother is bullying a girl of five. Aren't you even more embarrassing?"
Athy came out from the crowd and walk towards the little girl who was looking clutching her wet dress.
"Also, instead of apologizing to Susan for bumping into her, you even pinned the fault to a child. Tsk." Athy added while shaking her head softly.
The woman clutched her fan tightly and fiercely pointed it towards Athy.
"You uneducated little girl!" The woman shouted. "How dare you blame me?!"
"I'm not blaming you." Athy said monotonously. "I am merely stating the facts as many people saw the entire thing."
The people around started whispering and mumbling about how it was true that the lady bumped to Susan and not the other way around. This caused the woman to turn red in embarrassment.
Athy gave the woman a menacing glance before she took Susan by the arm and led her away.
"That bastard!" The woman shouted after who just ignored her and led the youngest Rutchel child away.
I was stunned at what happened in front of me. Athy just let a woman who insulted her go? That was new.
Just as I was thinking it, the woman suddenly dropped on the ground writhing in pain.
'I guess not.' I thought.
I was about to turn back when I noticed a pair of eyes staring at me. I looked on the other side of the hall just in time the silver-haired boy withdrew his.
"Mel?" Graciella called my name as she noticed that I stopped.
"I need to go see my sister. I'll be back." I said to her before following where Athy disappeared.
Athy and Susan went to one of the resting lounges where women can sit and take a break from the banquet.
Susan was standing in front of Athy who was trying to wipe the stain of wine on her dress. When I came in, Athy looked rather relieved.
"Sister, can you do something about this?" Athy asked.
"Sure." I answered and raised my hand. The wine slowly separated itself from the dress and even the stain was nowhere to be seen. "There."
Athy and Susan took another look at the dress before smiling at each other. We all went back to the banquet hall after they thanked me for my help.
"Is everything fine?" Graciella asked me when she reached my side after seeing me walk back to the banquet hall.
"Yes, it has been taken care of." I nodded in reply as I looked around the hall. "Where was that woman?"
Graciella glanced around before whispering; "She was sent back after the little stunt she pulled against the Rutchel child."
"How lucky." I mumbled low enough for Graciella not to hear.
We stood at the back of the banquet hall with a glass of drink each as we talked. I actually chose to stand here because I could see everyone from where we stood.
Athy was talking with Susan and who I believe are her brothers. Uriel was with the crown prince on the other side of the hall, talking with some older men wearing colorful clothing and round hats decorated with colorful silk. She seems to be doing well with her own mission: to widen her influence and connections. Father was standing with the other noblemen on the side, they seemed to be talking about something serious. Mother on the other hand was surrounded with her lady friends, who we always see during her tea parties.
I shifted my gaze at the man sitting on the throne with a golden cup on his hands looking lascivously at my mother. The queen was sitting beside him with an unamused look on her face as if she never wanted to be here in the first place.
"Are you also wondering why the queen married him?" Graciella asked, which caught me by surprise.
I shook my head. I honestly don't understand why she was married to a man who looked at other women besides her.
"It was a political marriage." She whispered. "It was her father who married her off. She was actually engaged to a baron before the king offered an amount that her father could not decline."
"How pitiful." I said as I looked at the hay-haired woman sitting beside the king.
"It was said that she drank poison in order for her to never carry a child." Graciella added. "It was her last act of defiance against the king."
"Then what about the princes?" I asked with a frown.
Graciella leaned a bit closer.
"They were born of the mistresses the king has brought from everywhere." She whispered.
I raised a brow at the information.
Amusing.