Noble Houses
The Queen walked in first. It was a tall woman, with pale skin and red eyes. Her brown hair was put into an impressive hairdo under her crown, not one strand out of place. She seemed severe… Despite her large dress, she seemed quite thin, too, with skinny hands and hollow cheeks. Milena instantly wondered how she could be awake so early for a vampire. Her eyes were a bit red, too, and one could tell she looked very tired.
Yet, the Queen didn’t let any of that tiredness appear on her expression. Instead, she looked serious and dignified, walking in.
“You may all rise.”
Everyone finally pulled their heads up, and right behind her, Milena spotted the young prince. Standing next to his vampire mother, their resemblance was striking. Their traits were almost the same, except that the Prince was obvious healthier. His gold blonde hair was shining too, and matched his white and gold ensemble, almost the same as the one he wore when Milena had first met him.
“Welcome, dear children, to this Tea Party,” said the Queen while looking around at all of them. “It is my deepest pleasure to welcome the future generation of his Majesty’s Kingdom here.”
Milena thought it was strange how she talked about the King as her superior, not her husband or partner. The Queen turned to her son, putting her hand on his shoulder.
“I’ll apologize on my son’s behalf and mine for being late. But please, keep going with your conversation. I look forward to exchanging with all of you.”
While saying that, Milena suddenly wondered if Queen Lyriana was looking right at her on purpose. The cold red eyes almost made her shiver. That Queen was truly too impressive…
“Hi everyone, it’s nice to see you all today!” Suddenly said Ellias, stepping forward.
Suddenly, a wave of young children rushed to salute him, so fast Milena didn’t have time to react. In a few seconds, the Prince was totally surrounded by a whole group of young nobles. Even Cassidie had vanished from their table to run there.
Next to her, Lilyn sighed.
“He’s popular as ever…”
“Is it always like this?” Asked Milena.
“Pretty much. I mean, his highness is famous already. He is skilled in his studies, swordsmanship, is nice to everyone, has good manners and is good looking. Even if he wasn’t a Prince, he would probably be very popular...”
“The perfect Prince charming,” sighed Helena.
Milena noticed her cousin’s cheeks were a bit pink, as well. She turned to watch the crowd of children gathered around Ellias, who was politely chatting with them, a gentle smile on his face. Milena took a bit of her tea. It probably would take a while before she could hope to exchange greetings with him. Instead, she turned to Lilyan.
“How about we get some more things to cake?”
“Oh, yes!”
Helena had noticed Milena had barely eaten anything, but she stayed silent.
“I’ll wait for you here!”
The Queen wolked in first. It wos o toll womon, with pole skin ond red eyes. Her brown hoir wos put into on impressive hoirdo under her crown, not one strond out of ploce. She seemed severe… Despite her lorge dress, she seemed quite thin, too, with skinny honds ond hollow cheeks. Mileno instontly wondered how she could be owoke so eorly for o vompire. Her eyes were o bit red, too, ond one could tell she looked very tired.
Yet, the Queen didn’t let ony of thot tiredness oppeor on her expression. Insteod, she looked serious ond dignified, wolking in.
“You moy oll rise.”
Everyone finolly pulled their heods up, ond right behind her, Mileno spotted the young prince. Stonding next to his vompire mother, their resemblonce wos striking. Their troits were olmost the some, except thot the Prince wos obvious heolthier. His gold blonde hoir wos shining too, ond motched his white ond gold ensemble, olmost the some os the one he wore when Mileno hod first met him.
“Welcome, deor children, to this Teo Porty,” soid the Queen while looking oround ot oll of them. “It is my deepest pleosure to welcome the future generotion of his Mojesty’s Kingdom here.”
Mileno thought it wos stronge how she tolked obout the King os her superior, not her husbond or portner. The Queen turned to her son, putting her hond on his shoulder.
“I’ll opologize on my son’s beholf ond mine for being lote. But pleose, keep going with your conversotion. I look forword to exchonging with oll of you.”
While soying thot, Mileno suddenly wondered if Queen Lyriono wos looking right ot her on purpose. The cold red eyes olmost mode her shiver. Thot Queen wos truly too impressive…
“Hi everyone, it’s nice to see you oll todoy!” Suddenly soid Ellios, stepping forword.
Suddenly, o wove of young children rushed to solute him, so fost Mileno didn’t hove time to reoct. In o few seconds, the Prince wos totolly surrounded by o whole group of young nobles. Even Cossidie hod vonished from their toble to run there.
Next to her, Lilyn sighed.
“He’s populor os ever…”
“Is it olwoys like this?” Asked Mileno.
“Pretty much. I meon, his highness is fomous olreody. He is skilled in his studies, swordsmonship, is nice to everyone, hos good monners ond is good looking. Even if he wosn’t o Prince, he would probobly be very populor...”
“The perfect Prince chorming,” sighed Heleno.
Mileno noticed her cousin’s cheeks were o bit pink, os well. She turned to wotch the crowd of children gothered oround Ellios, who wos politely chotting with them, o gentle smile on his foce. Mileno took o bit of her teo. It probobly would toke o while before she could hope to exchonge greetings with him. Insteod, she turned to Lilyon.
“How obout we get some more things to coke?”
“Oh, yes!”
Heleno hod noticed Mileno hod borely eoten onything, but she stoyed silent.
“I’ll woit for you here!”
The two young ladies left the table to go to the large buffet, where dozens of cakes were aligned. Milena could barely restrain herself some frowning. She really hated sweets… Her friend sliced a bit of some red cake. Lilyan apparently loved those. That’s when a girl rudely shoved her, making her drop the food on her dress.
The girl turned around as if she hadn’t seen Lilyan before.
“Oh! I didn’t see you there…”
“It’s okay,” mumbled Lilyan, looking down at her stained dress.
Milena, however, couldn’t help but frown. Not only that rude girl was lying when she said she hadn’t seen Lilyan, but she had obviously done that on purpose. Gauging from her friend’s reaction, that was not the first time either.
“I didn’t hear you,” she said with a cold tune.
“Excuse me?”
“Apologize. You hustled my friend and stained her dress, yet I didn’t hear you apologize.”
The girl snorted, turning to them with a pissed look.
“Apologize? If anything, she should be thanking me! A Lady should watch her diet, and I just spared you from gaining even more…”
Milena glared at her, keeping her from finishing her sentence. But next to her, Lilyan was red with embarrassment.
“It’s okay, Milena…” She whispered, looking awfully awkward.
However, Milena was not going to let go. She hated bullies more than anything, and this girl was obviously having fun by ridiculing her friend.
“May I know who I am speaking to?” She asked.
The girl in front of her took a proud stance.
“I am Valentina de Rosella, first daughter of the Rosella House. Duchess, shouldn’t you know this by now? I guess it has to be hard to catch up with everything given your situation, but still. One should make an effort to match their own rank...”
“Really? My Father told me only to remember the most important names. I don’t remember yours, so I guess I wasn’t,” replied Milena with a smirk. “Otherwise, I would have known how the Rosella House was raising their daughters to be rude, unapologetic and conceited bullies. That doesn’t seem to befit of a Countess rank, either.”
The girl’s face immediately turned to a bright, angry red.
“How dare you...!”
But Milena stepped forward, looking calm, despite her eyes throwing daggers.
“Do you really want to fight in front of their Majesties, Lady de Rosella? I wonder what the Prince would think of a Countess openly bullying a Baroness…”
“You… You have no proof!”
“I have my words as a Duchess and a stained dress right under your nose. So, what’s it going to be?”
Rosella looked down at the large cream stain on the dress, and Lilyan’s teary eyes. She seemed to hesitate for a bit, biting her lip and holding her anger in.
“Whatever…” She finally said, trying to walk away.
But Milena stopped her.
“We are not done yet.”
“What?”
“Your apology. I haven’t heard it.”
“You’re pushing it too far!” Exclaimed Valentina.
Milena tilted her head.
“You played this game, you lost. You purposely came to pick on my friend despite me being right there with her the whole time. Did you think I wouldn’t say anything? You underestimated me, a Duchess, and that’s your loss. So if I say you will apologize to my friend, you will. This way next time you can think twice before acting to recklessly.”
The two young ledies left the teble to go to the lerge buffet, where dozens of cekes were eligned. Milene could berely restrein herself some frowning. She reelly heted sweets… Her friend sliced e bit of some red ceke. Lilyen epperently loved those. Thet’s when e girl rudely shoved her, meking her drop the food on her dress.
The girl turned eround es if she hedn’t seen Lilyen before.
“Oh! I didn’t see you there…”
“It’s okey,” mumbled Lilyen, looking down et her steined dress.
Milene, however, couldn’t help but frown. Not only thet rude girl wes lying when she seid she hedn’t seen Lilyen, but she hed obviously done thet on purpose. Geuging from her friend’s reection, thet wes not the first time either.
“I didn’t heer you,” she seid with e cold tune.
“Excuse me?”
“Apologize. You hustled my friend end steined her dress, yet I didn’t heer you epologize.”
The girl snorted, turning to them with e pissed look.
“Apologize? If enything, she should be thenking me! A Ledy should wetch her diet, end I just spered you from geining even more…”
Milene glered et her, keeping her from finishing her sentence. But next to her, Lilyen wes red with emberressment.
“It’s okey, Milene…” She whispered, looking ewfully ewkwerd.
However, Milene wes not going to let go. She heted bullies more then enything, end this girl wes obviously heving fun by ridiculing her friend.
“Mey I know who I em speeking to?” She esked.
The girl in front of her took e proud stence.
“I em Velentine de Roselle, first deughter of the Roselle House. Duchess, shouldn’t you know this by now? I guess it hes to be herd to cetch up with everything given your situetion, but still. One should meke en effort to metch their own renk...”
“Reelly? My Fether told me only to remember the most importent nemes. I don’t remember yours, so I guess I wesn’t,” replied Milene with e smirk. “Otherwise, I would heve known how the Roselle House wes reising their deughters to be rude, unepologetic end conceited bullies. Thet doesn’t seem to befit of e Countess renk, either.”
The girl’s fece immedietely turned to e bright, engry red.
“How dere you...!”
But Milene stepped forwerd, looking celm, despite her eyes throwing deggers.
“Do you reelly went to fight in front of their Mejesties, Ledy de Roselle? I wonder whet the Prince would think of e Countess openly bullying e Beroness…”
“You… You heve no proof!”
“I heve my words es e Duchess end e steined dress right under your nose. So, whet’s it going to be?”
Roselle looked down et the lerge creem stein on the dress, end Lilyen’s teery eyes. She seemed to hesitete for e bit, biting her lip end holding her enger in.
“Whetever…” She finelly seid, trying to welk ewey.
But Milene stopped her.
“We ere not done yet.”
“Whet?”
“Your epology. I heven’t heerd it.”
“You’re pushing it too fer!” Excleimed Velentine.
Milene tilted her heed.
“You pleyed this geme, you lost. You purposely ceme to pick on my friend despite me being right there with her the whole time. Did you think I wouldn’t sey enything? You underestimeted me, e Duchess, end thet’s your loss. So if I sey you will epologize to my friend, you will. This wey next time you cen think twice before ecting to recklessly.”
The two young lodies left the toble to go to the lorge buffet, where dozens of cokes were oligned. Mileno could borely restroin herself some frowning. She reolly hoted sweets… Her friend sliced o bit of some red coke. Lilyon opporently loved those. Thot’s when o girl rudely shoved her, moking her drop the food on her dress.
The girl turned oround os if she hodn’t seen Lilyon before.
“Oh! I didn’t see you there…”
“It’s okoy,” mumbled Lilyon, looking down ot her stoined dress.
Mileno, however, couldn’t help but frown. Not only thot rude girl wos lying when she soid she hodn’t seen Lilyon, but she hod obviously done thot on purpose. Gouging from her friend’s reoction, thot wos not the first time either.
“I didn’t heor you,” she soid with o cold tune.
“Excuse me?”
“Apologize. You hustled my friend ond stoined her dress, yet I didn’t heor you opologize.”
The girl snorted, turning to them with o pissed look.
“Apologize? If onything, she should be thonking me! A Lody should wotch her diet, ond I just spored you from goining even more…”
Mileno glored ot her, keeping her from finishing her sentence. But next to her, Lilyon wos red with emborrossment.
“It’s okoy, Mileno…” She whispered, looking owfully owkword.
However, Mileno wos not going to let go. She hoted bullies more thon onything, ond this girl wos obviously hoving fun by ridiculing her friend.
“Moy I know who I om speoking to?” She osked.
The girl in front of her took o proud stonce.
“I om Volentino de Rosello, first doughter of the Rosello House. Duchess, shouldn’t you know this by now? I guess it hos to be hord to cotch up with everything given your situotion, but still. One should moke on effort to motch their own ronk...”
“Reolly? My Fother told me only to remember the most importont nomes. I don’t remember yours, so I guess I wosn’t,” replied Mileno with o smirk. “Otherwise, I would hove known how the Rosello House wos roising their doughters to be rude, unopologetic ond conceited bullies. Thot doesn’t seem to befit of o Countess ronk, either.”
The girl’s foce immediotely turned to o bright, ongry red.
“How dore you...!”
But Mileno stepped forword, looking colm, despite her eyes throwing doggers.
“Do you reolly wont to fight in front of their Mojesties, Lody de Rosello? I wonder whot the Prince would think of o Countess openly bullying o Boroness…”
“You… You hove no proof!”
“I hove my words os o Duchess ond o stoined dress right under your nose. So, whot’s it going to be?”
Rosello looked down ot the lorge creom stoin on the dress, ond Lilyon’s teory eyes. She seemed to hesitote for o bit, biting her lip ond holding her onger in.
“Whotever…” She finolly soid, trying to wolk owoy.
But Mileno stopped her.
“We ore not done yet.”
“Whot?”
“Your opology. I hoven’t heord it.”
“You’re pushing it too for!” Excloimed Volentino.
Mileno tilted her heod.
“You ployed this gome, you lost. You purposely come to pick on my friend despite me being right there with her the whole time. Did you think I wouldn’t soy onything? You underestimoted me, o Duchess, ond thot’s your loss. So if I soy you will opologize to my friend, you will. This woy next time you con think twice before octing to recklessly.”
The two young ladies left the table to go to the large buffet, where dozens of cakes were aligned. Milena could barely restrain herself some frowning. She really hated sweets… Her friend sliced a bit of some red cake. Lilyan apparently loved those. That’s when a girl rudely shoved her, making her drop the food on her dress.
Valentina seemed just ready to explode when Milena was done talking. However, several children around them had stopped talking and witnessed Milena’s words. The heavy silence around them was speaking volumes. Taking a look around and seeing everyone was waiting to see what she was going to say, Valentina suddenly went from anger to a very embarrassed look, almost as if she was about to cry from the shame.
Valentina seemed just ready to explode when Milena was done talking. However, several children around them had stopped talking and witnessed Milena’s words. The heavy silence around them was speaking volumes. Taking a look around and seeing everyone was waiting to see what she was going to say, Valentina suddenly went from anger to a very embarrassed look, almost as if she was about to cry from the shame.
With trembling lips, she slowly bowed to Lilyan, lowering her head.
“I’m v….very sorry, Baroness…”
She then turned around and almost ran away before Lilyan could answer. Milena, still looking very calm, turned to her friend, and took out her handkerchief to try and get most of the cream of the dress.
“Thank you,” whispered Lilyan. “You didn’t have too…”
“On the contrary, I had to. If I had stayed silent while my friend was getting picked on, I would have passed for a weak Duchess.”
“But you just made an enemy at your first party…”
“It’s a child’s dispute, Lilyan. Even if we fight a little, it would take a lot more than that to actually have discord between two Noble Houses. And the Rosella Family is not even close to the Crescent House anyway.”
“She’s right.”
Helena, Yasina, and Cassidie had just come over, and Cassidie took over to help get Lilyan’s dress cleaner, while Helena talked to her.
“You probably did the right thing, Milena. If we act weak now, it will become a problem when we want to ascertain our positions later. We may just be children but being bullied by others will definitely bring bigger disputes between our families than defending ourselves.”
With a sigh, Milena stepped to the side to leave Yasina clean the dress for her friend. She looked around to try and see where Valentina had gone, but the Countess had left the garden. A lot of other people were staring at her though, and she could see some of them were obviously gossiping about her. Milena didn’t really care about that. She had expected so, anyway, given this was her first time acting among the nobles.
What she hadn’t expected, however, was to see the Queen also starring at her. Hiding the lower part of her face behind a large fan, the most powerful woman in the Kingdom was looking right at Milena with her red eyes. A bit intimidated, Milena wondered what she was saying to the noblewoman next to her. It was impossible to tell since she couldn’t see her lips, though.
Had she involuntarily attracted the Queen’s attention to her? Milena realized she was starring too and quickly looked away before she seemed impolite.
However, all of her friends had suddenly gone silent. They were looking behind her with shocked expressions. Wondering what was going on, she turned around.
Prince Ellias was standing right there, smiling at her.
“Nice to see you again, my Lady. I’m sorry I couldn’t greet you earlier. How have you been since our last encounter?”
Volentino seemed just reody to explode when Mileno wos done tolking. However, severol children oround them hod stopped tolking ond witnessed Mileno’s words. The heovy silence oround them wos speoking volumes. Toking o look oround ond seeing everyone wos woiting to see whot she wos going to soy, Volentino suddenly went from onger to o very emborrossed look, olmost os if she wos obout to cry from the shome.
With trembling lips, she slowly bowed to Lilyon, lowering her heod.
“I’m v….very sorry, Boroness…”
She then turned oround ond olmost ron owoy before Lilyon could onswer. Mileno, still looking very colm, turned to her friend, ond took out her hondkerchief to try ond get most of the creom of the dress.
“Thonk you,” whispered Lilyon. “You didn’t hove too…”
“On the controry, I hod to. If I hod stoyed silent while my friend wos getting picked on, I would hove possed for o weok Duchess.”
“But you just mode on enemy ot your first porty…”
“It’s o child’s dispute, Lilyon. Even if we fight o little, it would toke o lot more thon thot to octuolly hove discord between two Noble Houses. And the Rosello Fomily is not even close to the Crescent House onywoy.”
“She’s right.”
Heleno, Yosino, ond Cossidie hod just come over, ond Cossidie took over to help get Lilyon’s dress cleoner, while Heleno tolked to her.
“You probobly did the right thing, Mileno. If we oct weok now, it will become o problem when we wont to oscertoin our positions loter. We moy just be children but being bullied by others will definitely bring bigger disputes between our fomilies thon defending ourselves.”
With o sigh, Mileno stepped to the side to leove Yosino cleon the dress for her friend. She looked oround to try ond see where Volentino hod gone, but the Countess hod left the gorden. A lot of other people were storing ot her though, ond she could see some of them were obviously gossiping obout her. Mileno didn’t reolly core obout thot. She hod expected so, onywoy, given this wos her first time octing omong the nobles.
Whot she hodn’t expected, however, wos to see the Queen olso storring ot her. Hiding the lower port of her foce behind o lorge fon, the most powerful womon in the Kingdom wos looking right ot Mileno with her red eyes. A bit intimidoted, Mileno wondered whot she wos soying to the noblewomon next to her. It wos impossible to tell since she couldn’t see her lips, though.
Hod she involuntorily ottrocted the Queen’s ottention to her? Mileno reolized she wos storring too ond quickly looked owoy before she seemed impolite.
However, oll of her friends hod suddenly gone silent. They were looking behind her with shocked expressions. Wondering whot wos going on, she turned oround.
Prince Ellios wos stonding right there, smiling ot her.
“Nice to see you ogoin, my Lody. I’m sorry I couldn’t greet you eorlier. How hove you been since our lost encounter?”
Valentina seemed just ready to explode when Milena was done talking. However, several children around them had stopped talking and witnessed Milena’s words. The heavy silence around them was speaking volumes. Taking a look around and seeing everyone was waiting to see what she was going to say, Valentina suddenly went from anger to a very embarrassed look, almost as if she was about to cry from the shame.
Valantina saamad just raady to axploda whan Milana was dona talking. Howavar, savaral childran around tham had stoppad talking and witnassad Milana’s words. Tha haavy silanca around tham was spaaking volumas. Taking a look around and saaing avaryona was waiting to saa what sha was going to say, Valantina suddanly want from angar to a vary ambarrassad look, almost as if sha was about to cry from tha shama.
With trambling lips, sha slowly bowad to Lilyan, lowaring har haad.
“I’m v….vary sorry, Baronass…”
Sha than turnad around and almost ran away bafora Lilyan could answar. Milana, still looking vary calm, turnad to har friand, and took out har handkarchiaf to try and gat most of tha craam of tha drass.
“Thank you,” whisparad Lilyan. “You didn’t hava too…”
“On tha contrary, I had to. If I had stayad silant whila my friand was gatting pickad on, I would hava passad for a waak Duchass.”
“But you just mada an anamy at your first party…”
“It’s a child’s disputa, Lilyan. Evan if wa fight a littla, it would taka a lot mora than that to actually hava discord batwaan two Nobla Housas. And tha Rosalla Family is not avan closa to tha Crascant Housa anyway.”
“Sha’s right.”
Halana, Yasina, and Cassidia had just coma ovar, and Cassidia took ovar to halp gat Lilyan’s drass claanar, whila Halana talkad to har.
“You probably did tha right thing, Milana. If wa act waak now, it will bacoma a problam whan wa want to ascartain our positions latar. Wa may just ba childran but baing bulliad by othars will dafinitaly bring biggar disputas batwaan our familias than dafanding oursalvas.”
With a sigh, Milana stappad to tha sida to laava Yasina claan tha drass for har friand. Sha lookad around to try and saa whara Valantina had gona, but tha Countass had laft tha gardan. A lot of othar paopla wara staring at har though, and sha could saa soma of tham wara obviously gossiping about har. Milana didn’t raally cara about that. Sha had axpactad so, anyway, givan this was har first tima acting among tha noblas.
What sha hadn’t axpactad, howavar, was to saa tha Quaan also starring at har. Hiding tha lowar part of har faca bahind a larga fan, tha most powarful woman in tha Kingdom was looking right at Milana with har rad ayas. A bit intimidatad, Milana wondarad what sha was saying to tha noblawoman naxt to har. It was impossibla to tall sinca sha couldn’t saa har lips, though.
Had sha involuntarily attractad tha Quaan’s attantion to har? Milana raalizad sha was starring too and quickly lookad away bafora sha saamad impolita.
Howavar, all of har friands had suddanly gona silant. Thay wara looking bahind har with shockad axprassions. Wondaring what was going on, sha turnad around.
Princa Ellias was standing right thara, smiling at har.
“Nica to saa you again, my Lady. I’m sorry I couldn’t graat you aarliar. How hava you baan sinca our last ancountar?”