Lady Rina got up from her seat, meeting Laina at eye level as she spoke, "I came at your invitation out of the respect I have for the title you hold, your Highness. Nothing more. But I will not stand for such an insult!"
"Insult?" Laina echoed, "Please enlighten me, Lady Rina. How have I insulted you?"
Lady Rina's lips twitched a little. In terms of age, the Crown Princess was young enough to be her own daughter yet she was speaking to her as an equal. Indeed their social classes were different but she was not about to let Laina walk all over her.
"Where do I even begin, your Highness? I can overlook your lack of appreciation for the traditions this Kingdom is built upon. After all, it is impossible to have progressed in our Kingdom without new ideas.
But taking in an unknown feral child as your ward? You might as well have spat in all of our faces."
