Lady Runa's satisfaction radiated as she absorbed Zara's triumphant report. Mila, it seemed, was a force of nature. Within a mere span of hours, almost the entire palace seemed privy to her artful divulgence.
And the following day, it was as if a transformative spell had been cast; not a single servant or maid within the palace walls was ignorant of the truth behind the lady in the swirling rumor.
Thea extended Lady Runa's heartfelt gratitude, though it lingered in her thoughts that this result might not be enough. What if the rumors still persisted, acting like ghostly chains that tethered people's perceptions?
The possibility of the rumor affecting attendance at the charity ball scared her. With this weight on her shoulders, Lady Runa knew that merely dispelling the rumor within palace grounds wouldn't suffice. The truth needed to reach beyond those walls, into the town, and further.
To ensure this, Zara embarked on a new mission, one that aimed to broaden the circle of influence.
Venturing into the bustling town square under the pretense of securing minor weekly supplies, she purposefully sought out the densely crowded vendors, determined to stir the currents of truth.
Engaged in casual chatter, those who had gathered around the vendor eventually brought up the rumor.
Zara, ever vigilant, awaited her opportune moment, her ears attuned to the discussions that carried the most impact, the ones exchanged between maids from major noble houses.
Timing was key, and when the right note of intrigue pervaded the air, Zara couldn't resist. Leaning in, her voice held the confident air of someone sharing a truth worth the wait.
"Oh, haven't you heard about the latest development regarding that rumor?" Zara interjected.
The other women, perhaps unaware of Zara's role within the palace, found themselves spellbound by her words. Like bees to honey, their attention zeroed in on her, their curiosity undeniably piqued.
Zara continued, "Lady Odetta von Henzler herself has confirmed that the lady in the royal blue gown at the masquerade party was actually Princess Eleanor."
"Goodness! That's astonishingly scandalous! One could never have fathomed Princess Eleanor being the center of that swirling rumor," remarked a woman clad in a simple brown cotton dress, her eyes widened.
Another, her hair cascading freely, turned her full attention to Zara. "Wait a moment, isn't Lady Odetta the queen's own lady-in-waiting?"
The first woman confirmed, "Exactly, that's her. And let me share, the lady I serve once recounted an encounter with Lady Odetta at a tea party. It seems Lady Odetta couldn't resist boasting about her esteemed position."
"If Lady Odetta herself operates within the palace, then there can be little doubt about the authenticity of this revelation! By the Saints! Can you fathom why Princess Eleanor would act so callously toward Duke Fabian?"
As the rumor swirled and spread like wildfire racing through a dense rainforest, the atmosphere crackled with a mix of shock and fascination. The gathered women had become unwitting conduits, each bound to carry the tale to their respective circles.
With a satisfied smile that hid the intricacies of her strategy, Zara extracted herself from the midst of the scene. Her mission, it seemed, was well underway.
Like a shadowy puppeteer manipulating the threads of information, she traversed through the bustling town square, employing her method of revelation on several other maids, sewing her seeds of truth with practiced precision.
It was only when the sun began its slow descent toward the horizon that Zara finally retraced her steps back to the palace.
***
After delivering her progress report to Yohana, Zara offered a polite departure and was excused for the day, leaving the chamber. Yohana released Thea from her duties as well, allowing her some respite. As the day's activities dwindled, the palace embraced the calm of night.
Wrapped in the soft embrace of her nightgown, Yohana settled before her vanity desk, staring at the complete stranger in the mirror.
Doubts swirled like hidden currents beneath the surface – was it ethically permissible to inhabit Runa's identity, free from the sins that had burdened Yohana herself?
A barely audible sigh escaped her lips as she pulled open the desk's drawer, the wood whispering in response. Her fingers brushed aside various objects until they closed around a particular piece of paper, hidden beneath the mundane. This was the list, the ominous roll of names that Fabian had unearthed from his investigation on Zamek.
As she scanned the list for perhaps the hundredth time since she had gotten this paper, her chest tightened with a mix of emotions. Each name etched on that paper was etched in her memory too.
They were the lives she had eliminated, the echoes of her dark past.
***
Today marked a pivotal moment – the first trial against The Tattler's Tales. Yohana, donning dark hues to respect the occasion, prepared to make her way to the courtroom. Henrie, his attire equally subdued, awaited her by the carriage.
As they arrived at the courthouse, a sense of gravity settled over the scene. The air was laden with anticipation, mixed with an undercurrent of morbid curiosity. Among the attendees were some nobles, who appeared to view the trial as an intriguing new spectacle.
Stepping into the courtroom, Yohana felt the weight of scrutiny from the nobles' suspicious gazes and hushed conversations. It was clear that Zara's revelations had not yet reached their ears, or if they had, they were met with skepticism – a predictable response given their tendency to dismiss those they deemed beneath them.
This was precisely why Yohana needed to lay bare her truth during this trial – to demand recognition, to assert her innocence, and to shatter their preconceptions.
Seated on the left side of the courtroom with Henrie and their lawyer, Yohana absorbed the scene before her. On the opposing side sat Sir Mauritz, the smug proprietor of The Tattler's Tales, accompanied by his esteemed lawyer, Carla Heidler.
The irony stung – Carla, possessed such formidable skills, had chosen a path that wreaked havoc on lives without a flicker of remorse. Her potential, if redirected, could have been a force for good, but here she stood, aligned with the adversary of the noble class.
Carla had an elongated visage, large eyes, and rounded nose. Her diminutive mouth seemed out of place for someone whose job revolved around wielding words as weapons. Yet, her eyes blazed with determination, a stark contrast to her otherwise unassuming appearance.
"Honorable justices and esteemed members of the court," Sir Raphael, the lawyer Henrie had engaged, commanded the stage as he began his opening statement.
"Today, we stand in this hallowed chamber with a plea to right a grave injustice that has inflicted unwarranted agony upon an innocent soul. It is our solemn duty to unveil the recurrent torment suffered by a lady whose honor has been sullied not once, but twice, by the reckless quill of Tattler's Tales," his voice carried with it a conviction that echoed through the room, reaching the very heart of each judge.
Turning his gaze toward the audience, he drew them into his rhetoric, underscoring that the scars from the previous unjust accusation of treason were still raw.
"Why, we must ask, should she be subjected to a second ordeal for actions she never undertook? Why should she be burdened with the weight of scandal yet again, merely because Tattler's Tales saw fit to exploit her innocence for their own gain?"
Sir Raphael's words hung in the air, a resonating echo that seemed to touch the minds of those assembled. Yohana observed a shifting dynamic among the nobles; some countenances softened, while others remained stern and unmoved.
"We beseech this court to recognize that a noble society is built upon the pillars of justice and truth," Sir Raphael concluded.
However, Carla Heidler launched a fierce counterattack, her words a formidable defense against the allegations.