"My daughter never had an affair," Marquis Antoine Blackwood, my previous absent and heartless father as Eleanor, yelled, probably worried about his family's name being dragged through the mud.
"Yes, she was!" Rosalie cried, louder, making of this a stage for whatever she is planning. "She has an affair with Archduke Nikolai, Countess Sofiya saw it herself. And she has an even older affair with the Imperial,"
"Rosalie!" Maximilianos screamed at her, through tears. "What do you think you're doing? This is my wife's funeral, I will not let you slander her!"
"Brother, I adored her," she cried, feigning sadness, "but she was cheating on you. Sofiya saw with her own eyes as she found her having sex with Nikolai in the balcony of the ball two weeks ago, and you know she's been exchanging love letters with High Imperial Highness for years. She definitely died after her heart stopped when you confronted her, you were innocent!"
There was no holding the mocking laughter from chest as I saw her stupidity, which was stupid, since their eyes turned to me.
"You are pathetic, Rosalie Whitethorn, pathetic, everyone knows you've always despised the Blackwood blonde because you always had a sick sexual attraction for your brother here. You never liked her, you're just slandering her because you wanted to be fucked by the men who was fucking her, and you're taking advantage that she isn't here to defend herself no more. And for all that's worthy, Sofiya has always hated Eleanor, and might very much have lied about the whole thing, the Archduke did have a fame of forcing himself on woman that wanted nothing with him!"
"Diana," my parents and my brothers gasped under their breath, and I knew they were holding in the laughter because of the terrible moment.
All the voices died and all the eyes came to me, probably shocked with my audacity, "Please, bear with what I'm about to bullshit them with," I breathed only for my family to hear, barely moving my lips at all.
"How dare you say anything about this, you filthy northern slut?" Rosalie screamed, embarrassed. "What do you know? You've always hated Eleanor more than anyone, because you wanted Max."
Ew. "I never wanted Maximilianos," I exclaimed, making sure I liked disgusted and more than a few people gasped, "I hated them together, but I didn't like him at all, he's not my type, I like blondes. The one I wanted was Eleanor, I just hated how she liked him, because I wanted her for myself!"
"What?" When he yelled, I knew it was Maxim.
"You're no attractive, Duke Whitethorn, sorry if it made it look like I was ever into you, I have no memories of how that even came to be a thing, all I know is what I feel, and I've never felt anything for you. And you, Rosalie Whitethorn, should think twice before slandering one of the Imperial Princes," I glared at her and she paled. "Accusing one of them from having an affair with Eleanor is the worse of the slanders, and if you cannot prove it, you could be executed for it. Am I right, father?"
"Yes," he said firmly.
"Diana," Sofiya hissed striding closer to me, "what do you think you're doing?"
"Countess Vasilache, I don't think we're close enough for you to call me by my name, as if we were ever intimate!" I draw the line and she halted.
"What?" She barked. "We are best friends."
"With all due respect, Countess Vasilache, I don't think you are the type of friend I would ever be close to. I would never befriend someone of a lower rank than me, who believes she has the right to bark and order me around. Given all the rumors about you, that's the type of person that you are, no? So, you shall refrain from speaking to me like this, it's unbefitting, uncomfortable, and I do not like it."
Her pale skin reddened, "What... what are you talking about, Diana? We've been best friends for years. We are inseparable!"
"My brothers, was she my best friend?" I asked.
"She was never a friend of yours," Andrey said.
"I don't know why you think we've ever been friends at all, Countess Vasilache, but I am warning you calmly. Do not call me by my name, you do not have permission, we are not intimate, we have never been friends, and I do not feel comfortable with your Ladyship barking at me or trying to corner me over anything. Please, refrain from approaching me, it's bothersome."
"We were talking two days ago, Diana," she gasped, confused, "what is going on with you? We even agreed to have tea tomorrow!"
I frowned, "What? I have no memory of that."
"What? You spent two days out and now you don't want to be my friend anymore? Don't bullshit me, Diana. Stop faking it!" She screamed stressed and I made myself physically flinch.
My family shielded me, all four of them, glaring at Sofiya, and it was hard to hold my grin, "Lady Vasilache, my daughter has made her desire clear to you in a well-mannered way, you do not need to be aggressive on her, we will not allow!" Mother snapped protectively.
"But she is lying," she yelled, "we all know it!"
"My sister is not lying, call her that again and you will pay for running your mouth like that!" Andrey snapped.
"My daughter was attacked a day ago while asleep," father said and everyone seemed shocked, "it was a failed attempt of murder, but the culprit wounded her head bad enough that it caused some kind of amnesia, she doesn't remember many things, only the most important ones, such as about her family and about people she cared about. The wound was healed by our healers, however, the mage said she might never regain those memories back."
"Someone tried to kill her?" Viscount Krish Makkar gasped, he's also under the north, I know because I've met him and his daughter in a ball I attended as Eleanor with Max.
"Yes," father sighed, passing his hands over his hair, "we are still searching for them, but once we find them, they will pay with their lives!"
"How could you forget me?" Sofiya gasped.
"You are making my daughter uncomfortable, Countess Vasilache, you should stop with your unladylike behavior while we are still asking," Mother hissed.
"Memory loss," Archduke Nikolai chanted and I felt dread down my spine, "certainly is unfortunate."