Noticing an opportunity, Lady Odetta came up with a vicious suggestion, "Your Majesty, shouldn't we destroy the gown?"
"How do you suggest we do that?" Queen Emma raised one of her eyebrows. Despite trying her best, everything Lady Odetta said sounded doubtful. Queen Emma found it hard to easily believe in Lady Odetta the way she did in Lady Heidi.
"Zara must sneak into her chamber and tear the gown apart," Lady Odetta turned to Zara, who kept her head down as if she was reluctant to do the task. "You must do it right this time! Her Majesty will punish you severely if you slip up like last time."
The queen disliked Lady Odetta's behavior, riding on her power to bark orders to those of lower status. Lady Heidi always knew her place and would not overstep her authority. But Queen Emma decided to give Lady Odetta a chance.
"Your Majesty, what about having His Highness meet with Miss Katja in the palace before the party? That sounds like a better and safer option than to resort to an underhanded method," Lady Rafaela intercepted.
This was why the queen doubted Lady Rafaela's suitability for the right-hand position. Although she currently held the closest position to being Queen Emma's confidante, the queen had not yet made a final decision.
While Queen Emma appreciated Lady Rafaela's wit, she often found her to be a hindrance to her plans against Lady Runa. Consequently, Queen Emma had to carefully consider which of her ladies-in-waiting deserved to replace Heidi's role.
"I appreciate your concern, Lady Rafaela. However, I prefer a bolder move. Zara, do as you are told! Sneak into her room and destroy the gown," Queen Emma commanded.
After some contemplation, Queen Emma made a modification to her order, "Wait! Don't go yet! If we were to destroy the gown today, Lady Runa will have time to fix it. You should do it the day before the party. Better yet, do it during dinner. By the time she returns to her room, all hope will be lost."
Lady Odetta was quick to express her approval of the plan, exclaiming, "That's a great idea, Your Majesty!"
Zara, still looking at the floor, nodded in acknowledgment, saying, "I understand, Your Majesty."
Feeling regretful for her role in the conversation, Lady Catharina whispered to Lady Rafaela, "I shouldn't have said anything."
The tension in the palace continued to escalate as Queen Emma's scheme took shape. The fate of Lady Runa's chances at the masquerade ball now rested in the hands of Zara, who struggled with the weight of the task assigned to her.
The stage was set for a night that would determine the course of events, revealing the true colors of those involved.
***
As the day of the masquerade ball drew closer, tension filled the palace. The atmosphere was heavy with anticipation, and everyone was busy with their own preparations.
On the eve of the ball, Zara carefully executed her mission as instructed. Under the cover of darkness, she sneaked into Lady Runa's chamber, which was left empty for the moment.
The gown was easily found, placed prominently in the middle of the room, serving as a centerpiece.
However, as she stood there, a wave of doubt washed over her. Was this truly the right thing to do? For a fleeting moment, a rebellious thought crossed her mind – what if she didn't go through with it? What if she spared an innocent woman from unjustified hatred?
But fear quickly replaced her doubt. Zara knew the consequences of failure; she had already paid a heavy price for a previous task gone wrong. She couldn't afford to repeat the same mistake.
With a heavy heart, she began to tear the dress and skirt apart, unraveling the carefully crafted work of the dressmaker. However, just as she was about to complete her task, she heard a sound from outside the room. Afraid that someone had returned, she hurriedly left the scene.
Throughout the night, Zara was haunted by doubts and anxiety. She knew she hadn't done a good job, but she desperately hoped that nothing would happen to anger the queen. If anything were to go wrong, she knew she would be the one solely blamed for it.
As the morning light broke, Zara's heart was still heavy with worry, unsure of what repercussions her actions might have on the upcoming masquerade ball. The fate of Lady Runa's gown now hung in the balance, and the events of the night would soon unfold.
***
Yohana woke up to an empty chamber, and a sense of anxiety filled her. Usually, Thea would already be there, gently waking her up. Fearing the worst, Yohana quickly checked the surrounding rooms – the bathroom and the sitting room were also empty.
Questions flooded her mind. Was Thea still outside? What was she doing now? And what about the dress? Yohana couldn't shake the feeling that Thea must have failed to fix the gown, considering her absence in the palace.
As she sat at the vanity desk, brushing her silver hair, her mind wandered elsewhere. Thea had always been in charge of braiding her hair or putting it into a neat bun. Since being resurrected in Runa's body, Yohana hadn't had to style her hair on her own in a long time.
Just as she contemplated seeking Henrie's help to find Thea, the chamber's door burst open, and Thea rushed in.
"My Lady!"
***
A wide, proud, and satisfied smile bloomed across Thea's face as she moved aside, making way for the knight who accompanied her last night. The knight entered the room with a royal blue dress in his hands.
Yohana was certain it was the same dress that Mrs. Lo made for her, but it looked very different now. The silk that previously covered the whole dress was reimagined – the collar, previously rested just below the chin, was lowered, almost touching her chest bone.
"I undid the stitching and only put the fabric in good condition on the outer part of the dress. I filled the inner skirt with other available fabrics. But there wasn't enough to make the whole skirt, so I used patterned chintz with a similar tone to fill the gaps," Thea explained, her hands trailing along the patterned fabric at the front of the dress.
She further explained that she had to lower the neckline and shortened the previously long sleeves to ensure there was enough fabric to make the sleeves, which were now elbow-length. Long laces adorned the collar and edges of the dress, as well as covering the patterned cotton part.
An acquaintance of hers sold expensive fabrics on the black market, mostly fabrics with minor damage that wouldn't be noticeable once made into a dress. Since black markets usually operated at night, Thea's plan worked perfectly.
She told Yohana that she also used taffeta to create a magnificent tail at the back of the skirt. "The glowing finish of the fabric resembles silk, and it was the best option I could find in the time of emergency," Thea continued.
With large bows scattered all over the tail, no one will realize that it was patched at the last minute.
The laces added a fun touch to the overall appearance while still maintaining the dress' original elegance. Yohana was surprised at Thea's capabilities and approached the dress, feeling its surface. Now, she could still wear matching outfits with Henrie and preserve the beauty of the dress.
Suddenly, Thea dropped to her knees, both fists clenched tightly. "My Lady, I beg for your forgiveness. I did save the dress, but you are now in huge debt. I haven't paid for those fabrics, and I don't have enough money to pay for them. Please, My Lady, forgive me."
Yohana helped Thea up to her feet. "Don't worry about that. I have enough money to pay for this."
"I'm sorry, My Lady."
"You have done a good job. Thank you. Did you sleep at all last night? I was worried sick about you. I thought something must have happened to you," Yohana said.
Thea smiled in relief. "I will sleep once you depart for the party, My Lady. Even though I have finished with the dress, we still have a lot to do. I must make you the most beautiful lady in the hall of the party, so whoever tried to sabotage you will cry."
That was a decent payback, Yohana thought. She could already see the person behind this. The main suspect was none other than Queen Emma. Despite her obvious connection to this sabotaging act, the queen blatantly did it anyway.
"Alright. Please do. We have to rub this in the face of the people who wished to see our fall," Yohana declared with determination. She removed her nightgown, ready to show her strength to the queen. This would teach the queen that Yohana was not an easy opponent.