Tea Party Revenge(2)

Why even bother to respect my enemy?

While all of the girls, except me, stood up in a formal line to curtsy at the Duke Thornburg, I sat still, drinking my tea, ignoring the crowd.

All the girls stared at me as they watched only participants sitting down, not respecting Thornburg.

"Ah~ it seems like our princess has already became Empress right?" the same voice snickered at me that day. Thornburg... seems like you pricked the needle at the right spot.

Giggles were heard from the girls. Dirty insults came in direction as I continued sitting down. Why? Did this bastard think I would stand up and respect him?

Did he not know his status was lower than mines? I was a fool to believe he would help me be on good terms with that man.

"..." I stayed quiet until he said the word to break my line. This is my plan to take revenge.

"Lady Crest, have you forgotten your manners? Or do you want to be disqualified from this competition?" Thornburg boy said.

"..." I put down my tea-cup and gave him a smirk. Refusing to stand up.

Why indeed, do I bother to respect the enemy's best friend?

So he was the real culprit all along, wasn't he? Filling my enemy's ears with wax? Fine then...

"Lady Crest, I am warning you. Just because my status is lower than yours, I am still the Prince's substitute..." he ordered me. "If you chose to not respect me, you will be disrespecting the Crown Prince,"

"..." Disrespect? Did he not know who he was disrespecting? Why you son of a bitch! A sinister smirk filled on my face as I watched him insult me.

"Okay then, we shall leave you out from this Tea Party..." he said as he ignored me. He stood up and greeted the other girls.

The other girls started giggling to all of their rights.

"Hehehe... who was she thinking she was kidding? Did she know he was the substitute of the Prince?"

"Hehehe... she must be stupid to think that just because his status is one step lower than hers- she chose not to bow... not one step... they both were of the same status. Both Dukes. But he was the Prince's best friend."

How childish can youth be? Fortunately for me... I am not a child. I am not a maiden. I was a warrior going to war over my life and my family.

***

We sat in a round table... I sat right across- the farthest from my enemy's friend. Thornburg was talking attentively with all of the girls. I didn't even bother to even greet or say hello.

I was eating my snacks... waiting for Thornburg to make the next move. This brat was, unfortunately, a very impatient man.

If his words did not bother you, he would continue to pester you until you gave a good reaction. But of course, he was really good at pestering you- he could have made you cry when you first met him.

"Our Princess~ are you upset that your prince did not come to visit you?" he says sadly. Shut that mouth, Son of a Bitch.

"Which my prince?" I snap at him, I say blinking. A smirk filled my face.

"Ah... Prince Ares, the Crown Prince of the Empire. The sole and the only heir of this Kingdom."

"Oh... when did he become my Prince? I don't remember making him my prince... isn't he the Empire's Prince?" I say.

"But you belong to this Empire right?"

"Doesn't everyone else in the tea party belong in this Empire?" I ask looking around randomly for a weird reaction.

"Of course..."

"Naturally, he is your prince as well."

"Yes?"

"So? What? I was only disappointed that he made us wait for hours. It isn't good manners when a gentleman keeps the ladies waiting. Shouldn't it be the other way around?" I say putting my hands on my temples. "Not only that, even you came thirty minutes late...Ah... because of you coming late... I had my skin tan." I say looking down on my skin.

"What are you trying to prove?" he says, throwing daggers at my eyes.

This boy... he is not the easier one to challenge. But let me pester him more...

"... how should I put this... the Crown Prince... isn't worthy of being called a Gentleman," I say. "Same goes for you as well-"

"Bellrose? Are you challenging the Prince's authority?"

I squinted my eyes at him and shook my head: "Of course not... why should I? He is the future heir of the Empire. But I have to brazenly comment that if he arrives late on Tea Parties for Ladies... he will never find the right Maiden..."

"Of course... he will find the right one who is willing to wait for him for hours... unlike you-" He says as he picks up his teacup. The rest of the girls stare between us, feeling the battling atmosphere thicken.

"Hmmm... but I doubt that many people would be happy with Royal Discipline... but who am I talk? I am just a mere subject..." I say.

"Look at you... it seems like you got prickled at us."

"However you wish to put it."

"Lady Bellrose Crest... are you sure that you want to challenge the Royal Prince's authority?"

I raised my eyebrows. Authority? I think I had quite enough of that, didn't I? Being tortured... being misunderstood for years and years.

I think I had quite enough of his authority to the point of challenging him.

I am not a lovesick fool anymore. I am a warrior.

"Challenging? Lord Thornburg, what makes you think that accusing a Gentleman for some simple disciplinary manners would mean to challenge his authority? Do you think it's fit for any one of a Higher status to misbehave? I am just concerned..." I say as I knit my eyebrows. "Besides, you seem to have been growing a pestering loud mouth..."

"Don't challenge the Crown Prince..." he warns me.

I know enough to never challenge those who I cannot touch. But it's for my father. Revenge? How could I ever forget how that Bastard threw away an innocent man's life for some woman's misunderstood conspiracy?

Do you think that could be forgiven?

Never~ will I ever forgive him. Or you.

Scars. Pain. Betrayal.

A smirk fills my face.

"And what makes you think that you are a fitting substitute for the Prince? Your filthy mouth already tells a lot about your sponsorer."

"..." He doesn't say anything. I can a challenging look on his face.

"Lord Thornburg. Never overstep your boundaries~"

I won't hide beneath the curtains to find you.

I will face the frontlines.

Because I am a warrior.