"Sylvette," Maria began, her voice gentle but filled with concern, "we need to talk."
Sylvette's eyes narrowed as she crossed her arms, her tone laced with sarcasm. "Oh, Mother, what a surprise. Another lecture, I assume?"
Maria entered the room, her expression pained. "This is not a lecture, Sylvette. It's a mother's plea for reason."
Sylvette scoffed, her anger evident. "Reason? What reason is there when the princess insulted me, and the Duchess took her side?"
Maria took a deep breath, trying to remain composed. "Sylvette, I understand your frustration, but your actions were unacceptable. You cannot continue down this path of defiance. Regardless of what happened with Princess Andromeda, you shouldn't have been so rude to the Duchess. You have only made things more difficult for yourself."