Types Of Disgrace

Keira's Pov

The banquet hall, with its luxurious furnishings and sumptuous offerings, exudes an air of majesty and grandeur. The great guests that have already arrived grace the space with their elegance and charm.

In the gallery above, musicians play lively tunes on lutes, harps, and violins. Their music floating down into the hall, adding a joyful melody to the bustling feast below. 

The palace servants are in their positions, ready to attend to the needs of the distinguished guests. 

Every one of us including Princess Lyna appears stupefied by the sheer opulence of the place. The servant girl in a princess's dress giggles at the sight of all the delicious luxury she is about to experience. 

My eyes search the room for Margaret's face. She is surprisingly nowhere within sight. But I recognize the faces of some of Lady Doria's fellow councilmembers. Their presence here means that they will be in watch for every one of Princess Lyna's actions. 

"Come, you will seat and eat with the governors." Lady Doria informs the servant girl.

"Thank you Milady." The girl appears greatly thrilled as she follows Lady Doria towards a grand table laid with tasty foods. 

Several guests turn to stare at the fake princess, some even making eyes at her. 

Princess Lyna keeps her head bowed in shame as she grudgingly follows. Her glamorous figure is unnoticeable in the oversized uniform. Without her makeup her face doesn't look very attractive either.

The young governors at the long table welcome the fake princess to sit by their side, some rising to kiss the back of her hand in an amorous manner. She waves her hand fan seductively in return, welcoming their attention. One of them pulls a chair for her and she settles on the soft cushion.

Lyna seethes quietly while standing with us in a line behind the fake princess. The girl engages in pleasant conversations with the governors, enjoying the special attention and their unrestricted, enticing display of attraction.

"Would you allow me to feed you?" One of the good-looking young governors asks the servant girl, picking up a tinny slice of bread from her plate to feed her.

The fake princess holds up her hand fan for Lyna to take as she gets ready to eat from the hands of the handsome governor. "Hold this for me while I eat. And don't stop waving." She orders Princess Lyna.

Lyna openly scowls in annoyance but takes the hand fan. She waves it slowly and too close to the face of the servant girl.

From the corner of my eye I can see Lady Doria and her fellow councilmembers keenly observing the Princess's actions. If I still had a reason to care about her performance I would ask her to drop her pride and simply follow the orders given to her.

"Your servant lacks manners." The young governor observes. "How dare she frown at your humble request? Has she not been taught how to behave?" 

The fake princess shrugs her shoulders. "She is a new one and seems to have a foolish temper. I will deal with it later." She answers.

"You're being too kind to it. Such an impudent servant is not worthy of standing by your side." Another governor states.

Lyna's anger seems to overwhelm her wits as her hands begins to shake uncontrollably. As a result, the hand fan she is waving smacks the fake princess on the side of her face.

"How dare you attack me? Did you not understand the rules of your test?" The servant girl furiously reprimands. "Fall on your knees and plead for my forgiveness, now!" She orders.

Lyna shakes her head. "I am not your servant, you ugly piglet!" Princess Lyna yells, startling all the guests in the room.

Lisa tries to calm her by patting her shoulder but Lyna is too enraged to feel it. She carries on with the unwise verbal abuse, desperate to salvage her reputation.

"You're nothing but a shameless puppet pretending to be me! Your ugly face is a disgrace to my good name! I cannot be forced to act like your lowly servant!" She explodes, tossing the hand fan aside before turning and storming out of the hall. 

Helen and Lisa runs after her. I remain to observe the reactions of Lady Doria and her fellow council members. They don't just look disappointed but enraged as well.

Our Princess just made a disgraceful scene in a magnificent banquet full of esteemed guests and friends of the angel kings. I don't see a way she can still get selected to become their beloved queen. Whatever virtue they were testing she failed terribly.

Lady Doria rises from her seat and gestures at her servant girl to follow her out. I also make my way out while striding close to them to hear what they are saying.

"I am so sorry, Silvia. We did not anticipate the princess to act so immature. You shall be rewarded for performing your role so well." Lady Doria says.

I feel sorry for Princess Lyna because the remarks of those men were extremely rude for a refined royal woman like her to bear. The shame must have torn apart her excessive ego. I wonder if we will be returning to Silverthorn or she will want to wait until tomorrow when she will have the chance to meet with the angel kings. 

Lady Doria and her servant walk down the path leading to the main palace. I cannot keep following so I halt and contemplate whether to go offer words of comfort to my mistress even if she is likely to unleash her anger and frustration on me.

I spot Helen and Lisa chasing after her as she is running full speed towards her guest quarters. I trudge after them, maybe this is the day that my mistress will appreciate my words of comfort for the first time. I do not have a way of changing what has already happened, but she hasn't lost everything, yet.

I hear her moans as soon as I get close to the door of her guestroom. 

"They have humiliated me enough!" She cries. "I have got all the good virtues they seek and a face more beautiful than the colours of a setting sun. I will not disgrace myself again for them!" She bitterly declares. 

"Very right your highness. You gave the angel kings their chance, they will regret their pride and arrogance when you marry someone else." Helen comforts. 

But the princess shakes her head. "I wanted to live in this palace . . . not in a wretched home of some poor alpha!" Lyna screams before bursting into tears once more. 

"My father will be so ashamed of me! How can I show my face again in Silverthorn after failing so badly?" She laments. 

"You still have the chance to meet the angel kings. They can change everything." I mention and she suddenly looks up, her interest piqued. 

"Yes, yes . . . the fight with the kings. You must dazzle them with your beauty. Then none of the tests you have failed will matter." Helen chimes in, acting like she had it all figured out. 

Princess Lyna wipes away her tears, hope returning to her eyes once more. 

"If they make me their queen I will punish all those who have humiliated me. That servant will live to regret the day she wore my dress." She declares, her jaws and fists clenching instinctively. "Prepare my most ravishing dress and jewellery, I will make the angel kings beg for my hand in marriage."