Chapter 10: Spills, Schemes, and Sass
The morning after the Harvest Ball, Tiara was enjoying a rare moment of peace in the garden. Lily poured tea with her usual grace, while Felix stood nearby, ever-vigilant with a plate of pastries that he refused to let Tiara eat too many of.
"I swear," Tiara muttered, nibbling a biscuit, "if Lilith's sugary voice were a dessert, I'd choke on it."
Felix smirked. "She does have a certain... stickiness to her personality."
Lily giggled, her brown hair bouncing. "My lady, you handled her masterfully last night. I almost felt sorry for her."
Tiara raised an eyebrow. "Never feel sorry for snakes, Lily. They bite when you're not looking. That woman has venom, and it's only a matter of time before she tries to sink her fangs into me."
Before they could continue their conversation, Chris strolled into the garden, looking far too smug for someone who had probably been lounging all morning.
"Lady Tiara," he greeted, "still recovering from our dance, are we?"
Tiara shot him a withering look. "Please, Your Highness. The only thing I'm recovering from is the headache of tolerating you."
Felix triedâand failedâto suppress a chuckle, earning himself a glare from Tiara.
Chris wasn't deterred. In fact, he seemed to enjoy her sharp tongue. "A headache, you say? How tragic. Perhaps next time, I'll offer my assistance as a cure."
Tiara rolled her eyes. "The only cure I need is distance from your incessant smirking."
Chris leaned casually against a tree. "Yet you never seem to take that cure. Interesting, isn't it?"
Before Tiara could retort, a loud commotion came from the far side of the garden. One of the gardeners was chasing a rogue goose that had somehow wandered onto the estate.
The goose honked aggressively, flapping its wings as it charged toward the nearest target: Chris.
"Ah, the prince's natural enemy," Tiara deadpanned, watching as Chris narrowly dodged the feathered assailant.
Chris glared at her, his composure slipping. "Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to help?"
"Help?" Tiara asked, feigning confusion. "Why would I interfere with such a majestic display of nature? Go on, Your Highness. Show that goose who's boss."
Felix was doubled over with laughter, and even Lily had to cover her mouth to hide her giggles.
Chris finally managed to shoo the goose away, though not without some effort. He straightened his coat, trying to salvage his dignity.
"I see you've all had your entertainment for the day," he said, his tone dry.
"Absolutely," Tiara said, still grinning. "You've done a great service to the kingdom by bravely defending us from that vicious creature."
Chris muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like, "Impossible woman."
---
Later that day, in the Everhart estate's drawing room...
Tiara had just sat down with Lily and Felix to review some estate matters when a servant announced an unexpected visitor.
"Lady Lilith Althea has arrived," the servant said, bowing.
Tiara groaned audibly. "Of course she has. What does she want now? Did the ballroom not have enough of her last night?"
Lily hesitated. "Should I prepare tea, my lady?"
"No need," Tiara said, rising with a wicked glint in her eyes. "I'll handle this personally."
When Tiara entered the receiving room, Lilith was already seated, her silver hair perfectly arranged and her expression annoyingly serene.
"Lady Tiara," Lilith began with a smile. "I hope I'm not interrupting."
"Not at all," Tiara replied, taking a seat opposite her. "I was just contemplating which book to read. Something light, perhaps, like The Art of Subtle Manipulation. Would you recommend it?"
Lilith's smile didn't falter, though her eyes darkened briefly. "You're so funny, Tiara. I actually came to invite you to a luncheon I'm hosting next week. It'll be a wonderful opportunity for us to... deepen our friendship."
Tiara raised an eyebrow. "Friendship? Oh, Lilith, I didn't realize we were pretending to be friends now. How quaint."
Felix, who was standing near the door, coughed to hide his laughter.
Lilith's fingers tightened slightly around her teacup, but her voice remained sweet. "I only wish to show my goodwill. After all, we women must support each other."
"How thoughtful," Tiara said, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "I'll be sure to check my scheduleâright after I consult a physician about this sudden wave of nausea."
Lily, who had just entered with a tray of refreshments, nearly dropped the teapot in her attempt not to laugh.
---
After Lilith's departure, Tiara slumped onto a couch, dramatically fanning herself.
"She's exhausting," Tiara declared. "I'd rather spar with Felix for an hour than endure another conversation with her."
"I'd be happy to oblige," Felix said, smirking.
Chris appeared in the doorway, his arms crossed. "Still tormenting poor Lady Lilith, are we?"
"She torments herself by coming here," Tiara replied without missing a beat.
Chris chuckled. "Remind me never to get on your bad side, Tiara."
Tiara smirked. "Oh, Your Highness, you've been on my bad side since the day we met. Consider yourself lucky I'm feeling generous."
As the group dissolved into laughter, Tiara couldn't help but feel a sense of camaraderie. For all her sharp words and exasperation, she knew she wasn't alone anymore.
And somewhere, deep in the shadows, Lilith was plotting her next move.
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