As the queen announced the budget for the charity ball, everyone's attention turned to Yohana. Her task was to manage the 100 Kroners allocated for the event. The other ladies couldn't help but giggle at the seemingly meager amount, and Yohana knew it wouldn't be enough, though she had no idea what would be ideal.
"Your Majesty, you do know how to have fun," Baroness Monica teased with a playful laugh. "100 Kroners wouldn't even be enough for this tea party."
"Baroness Monica, I would assume it is because Her Majesty is serving us the most exquisite snacks there are in the kingdom," Landgravine Natali chimed in with a touch of humor.
The conversation flowed, and Lady Felizia couldn't resist her curiosity, asking directly, "Lady Runa, what did Duke Fabian do to you that made you lash out like that?"
Yohana began to explain, "It was a misunderstanding, Lady Felizia. Duke Fabian didn't do anything—"
But before Yohana could finish, Margravine Ester interjected, "He probably made inappropriate advances at you since you're so beautiful."
Yohana couldn't hold back her emotions when it came to Fabian. "He would never!" she retorted passionately.
Margravine Ester's comment gained support from Baroness Yasmin, who stated, "Indeed! A man with that kind of face usually has a dark personality. At his age, still single, he must have been hiding something sinister."
"No!" Yohana snapped, quickly realizing her mistake and trying to regain her composure.
Lady Beatrice bravely interjected, defending Duke Fabian, "Mother, I don't think Duke Fabian is such a man. I have met him before, and he was kind." She gently held Margravine Ester's arm.
Margravine Ester was known for her tendency to look down on men, including her own husband, which now led to undue criticism of Duke Fabian.
"You're still young, my dear. You don't understand the world as well as I do. Men like him are the worst," Margravine Ester remained firm in her opinion, unmoved by her daughter's defense of Duke Fabian.
Lady Beatrice looked apologetically at Yohana, knowing how uncomfortable the situation had become.
Yohana, feeling her frustration rise, bit her lower lip to suppress the urge to lash out at Margravine Ester for insulting her brother right in front of her. The boiling tea in the pot seemed tempting as a means to express her discontent, but she managed to restrain herself and maintain her composure.
Queen Emma sipped her tea with a self-assured smile, saying, "Oh, my dear Lady Runa, it's quite unfortunate how these rumors have been circulating. I hope you understand that it's all just out of concern for your well-being and reputation."
Baroness Monica leaned in, her eyes gleaming with curiosity, "Lady Runa, I must say, the recent events have caused quite a stir. Tell me, was there any truth to the gossip with Duke Fabian at the ball?"
From the moment she accepted the invitation, Yohana knew she was walking right into a trap set by Queen Emma. The queen had cunningly gathered her closest allies, using this occasion to solidify the false rumor and turn it into an irrefutable fact.
Yohana couldn't afford to make the same mistake again. No one present knew that Fabian was her brother, and if she wanted to emerge victorious, she had to bury her emotions deep within.
After composing herself, Yohana gracefully replied, "I assure you, Baroness, there was no truth to those rumors."
Baroness Yasmin raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Really? You deny any involvement with Duke Fabian at the ball?"
The tension in the air was palpable, and Yohana knew that she needed to tread carefully in order to navigate the treacherous waters of deception and false accusations.
***
"I danced with Duke Fabian, yes, but there was nothing untoward about it. I treat all the guests at the ball with equal courtesy," Yohana explained calmly.
Countess Laura expressed visible doubt, "I find it hard to believe that such rumors would have no basis at all. The Tattler's Tales, after all, has a reputation for uncovering secrets."
"It is not a secret if it happened in front of so many people, Countess. Unfortunately, misleading or incomplete testimonies could potentially hurt those who were directly involved," Yohana responded tactfully.
She knew that The Tattler's Tales had a reputation for sensationalism, and she didn't want to let their unreliable reports dictate the truth of her actions.
Some people set The Tattler's Tales as their standard of truth without bothering to verify the facts. Even when they confirmed the rumor with the subjects involved, they might still choose to believe the gossip over the actual truth, like the countess did.
Countess Laura retorted, "Are you saying those people lied? Why would they even lie about someone they don't know? Don't tell me, Lady Runa, do you truly have such vile thoughts?"
Yohana calmly clarified, "I'm not calling anyone a liar, Countess. What I'm saying is that we can all have different perspectives on the same incident. It is true that I attended the ball in that royal blue gown, but I changed into another dress later that same night."
She emphasized the importance of considering multiple viewpoints to arrive at a fair judgment.
Baroness Monica's skepticism didn't waver. "The timing of the incident and your sudden change of attire do raise suspicions, don't you think?" she inquired, her tone laced with doubt.
Taking a deep breath, Yohana composed herself before responding, "I must clarify that Princess Eleanor approached me for a favor regarding the dress change. I had no idea that such rumors would circulate."
As the conversation continued, Yohana noticed the queen growing visibly agitated with the direction it was taking.
"By the Saints! Was it Princess Eleanor?" Baroness Yasmin clasped her mouth, her expression showing a sudden change of mind. Yohana could sense the baroness wavering.
The atmosphere took an intense turn, and Queen Emma started to panic. "What are you saying, Lady Runa? Such words could have fatal consequences on innocent people," the queen exclaimed, clearly anxious.
"Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I am only telling the truth. It seems to me that you would rather have me become the scapegoat to protect Princess Eleanor," Yohana calmly responded, further putting pressure on the queen.
Desperate to shift the blame away, Queen Emma retorted, "Please, Lady Runa, enough with that! You're blatantly smearing Princess Eleanor's reputation to escape your verdict, aren't you?"
Yohana refused to back down. "Worry not, Your Majesty. If it is revealed that I have spoken lies about Princess Eleanor, I will be jailed. Oh, did I forget to tell you? Henrie has filed a charge, and there will be a trial on this matter. I suppose we will learn the truth sooner or later."
Deliberately omitting the 'His Highness' title when referring to Henrie, Yohana emphasized her close relationship with the crown prince, causing the other ladies present to hesitate before further attacking her with the false rumor.
***
"He's going to trial for that woman?" Queen Emma paced back and forth, trying to regulate her anxiety.
Nothing seemed to go smoothly for her. Eleanor's continued seclusion from visitors and her refusal of dinner and afternoon tea invitations only added to the queen's frustration.
"Where is the dress? Have you discarded it?" Queen Emma inquired sharply, turning to Zara, who once again bore a heavy responsibility.
"It seemed that Princess Eleanor had kept it in a place only she knew. I couldn't find it anywhere, and Hanne also claimed that she didn't know the whereabouts of that gown, Your Majesty," Zara replied, her gaze directed at the floor.
In a fit of rage, the queen threw her facial powder box at Zara, hitting the bridge of her nose. The container and lid separated from each other, and the powder spilled onto the floor.
Blood dripped from Zara's nose, and tears streamed from her eyes, but Queen Emma ignored it. Her frustration and desperation seemed to get the better of her.
"No one can prove it. Find the dress and put it back in Lady Runa's chamber. That will prove Eleanor's innocence," Queen Emma ordered.