The Empress (GirlxGirl)

Chapter 7 - Nobles Tea Party

  Adelaide's POV
 
  "What are you doing standing up, Aster? Get yourself a chair and sit next to me." I smiled at Lady Astoria who looks at me with confusion.
 
  "You're here as my lover. Sit, enjoy the tea and desserts. What are you waiting for?" A servant came with an extra chair for Lady Astoria to sit on. The ladies around the table seems surprised by what just happened. I am sure they're shocked to hear that I choose a Northern woman as my lover.
 
  "Your majesty, correct me if I'm wrong but did you refered to this Northern woman as your lover?" I smiled before nodding my head.
 
  "I'm sure everyone here knew that the emperor gave me his permission to welcomed a lover. He never gave me the specific gender so I choose countess Aspen." Yes, the plan is going well. By tomorrow, everyone will know that I decided to have a lady lover.
 
  I hope it spread through the Northern Territory as well. That way it would be rather easy to deal with the countess issues. Hmm, looking at the current situation, The lady seems to be having difficulty with noble etiquette.
 
  "It's true that those who came from the North has poor manner. But this is too much. Your majesty, there must be a better candidate for you to choose from. If you fancy a woman's touch, there's enough noblewoman in this empire to serve you. Why did you choose that barbarian?" Barbarian?
 
  "That barbarian went to the battlefield against monster at the age of ten years old. Tell me, what did you ladies did when you were ten years old?" I asked that question with a smile on my face.
 
  "Here, it seems you like scones more than I do." I gave some of my desserts to the countess. Even though everyone is commenting and looking down on her, she doesn't care much and continue to enjoy the tea and desserts. Does she even realised how everyone is judging her?
 
  "Your majesty, wouldn't this woman tarnished your good name? Just look at her! Expensive clothing is not enough to make her presentable. At least choose someone who knows what she's doing as your lover." I raised my hand to stopped the ladies from saying any more degrading things.
 
  Perhaps this is not a good idea. The countess suddenly chuckled while enjoying her refreshment.
 
  "Did something tickle your funny bone, my dear?" I asked with a smile. When the countess looks up, I chuckled when there's cream at the corner of her mouth. I took the liberty to pick up a handkerchief and wipe the smudge off.
 
  "It's not easy to come by such desserts in the North. I hope one day people of the north would have their own desserts shops just like in the capital. People of the South, the West, East and the Capital has no idea how much suffering and endless misery we have to face. What gives you the authority to look down on my people?"
 
  I leaned back to my seat when the countess finally speaks up about the mistreatment.
 
  "You noble ladies have no idea how a mother would volunteer herself to part of a monster subjugation just so her children would be able to eat! While you all here sitting, belittling people of the North, all men and women, the elderly and even children are doing their best to protect your life!" I open my hand fan before covering my mouth as I find this situation rather amusing.
 
  "You- you have no right to talk to us like that!" the countess look down on the ladies with such piercing eyes.
 
  "I apologise on behalf of these young ladies, countess Aspen. They are young and in need of proper education about thr North. All they ever did was listening the word of mouth from others." Oh- duchess Canterbury finally speaks up. But from ghr looks of things, the countess doesn't seems to care much.
 
  "Sure." I gather everyone's attention by slapping my fan against my hand.
 
  "I'm sorry for my lover's harsh words. And in her defense. You ladies started it all first. She was just trying to defend her people from your mockery. I hope this doesn't happen again in the future. She is my lover after all." I smiled at Duchess Canterbury before turning my attention to Astoria.
 
  So she does knows how to protect herself. So why did she choose to listen to all those scornful words in the first place? The moment the ladies called people of the North barbarians, she finally spoke up to defend her people.
 
  I leaned closer to the countess and told her that she manage to gain duchess Canterbury's attention.
 
  "What's so important about gaining a duchess's attention?" Ah- I forgot that the countess has never been to the capital before this. Of course she wouldn't know about the important hierarchy of the capital.
 
  "The duchess hosted this party. And as you know, the duchess's husband is related to the emperor. If you wish to revive the North, the Canterbury's support is a must." The countess finally stops eating and finally realised her mission. Seriously- how could she forget that the reason she's here in the capital is for her people?
 
  I guess food made her forget about the most important things.
 
  "Countess Aspen, would you mind giving me a portion of your time? I would like to apologise personally since this is your first time attending a party hosted by me." I gave the countess a nod.
 
  "And your majesty, would you mind accompany the countess? She doesn't seems to trust me just yet." I chuckled before nodding my head. The three of us went to a private lounge while the other guests continue to enjoy the party.
 
  "My daugther will be able to handle the rest of the guests for now. Again, I'm sorry for what my guests had said about you and your people, countess Aspen. As the host, I should have handle it better." The countess seems surprised that the duchess now her head to her.
 
  "Your highness- there's no need for you to lowered your head to someone like me. I should be the one who-" I placed a hand on the countess shoulder.
 
  "You have to compensate the humiliation my lover had to face. I'm sure your husband mentioned about the North's predicament. I would be very happy if the Canterbury would help my lover in rebuilding the North." The duchess smiled.
 
  "I see. So that was your plan all along. Well, even without such tricks, the Canterbury would surely help in rebuilding the North. My husband admire the North's courage more than anything. We were blinded by fake reports from the Northern representative all these years."
 
  I watched as the duchess went behind a table and took out quite an amount of files.
 
  "I thought the countess would like to read these reports provided by the representatives." I went to have a seat a watched as the countess read through the reports.
 
  "These- these are- these are not what is happening in the North!" Figures.