"So… who might you be exactly?" Melody asked.
She knew Mari's name now, but not her family. For someone to attend a gathering like this, she had to belong to a household of some standing.
Mari shrugged lightly. "I'm the Freders' eldest daughter."
Melody blinked. She hadn't even known the Freders had more than one daughter. In truth, she had only heard of the family two days ago when the invitation arrived.
"So you're the older sister?" Melody asked.
"Yes. And before you ask, I didn't have a grand coming-of-age party like this."
"Oh? Why not?"
Mari made a face. "Because I didn't want one. All this glitter and chatter and pretending. It's too much for someone like me."
Melody nodded slowly. "I can see that."
Before she could say more, two elegantly dressed women approached.
"My Queen," they greeted in unison, curtsying. They nodded politely at Mari as well.
"Mari," one of them said sweetly, "the ladies are gathering for a small after-party in the sitting room. We would be honored if you joined us. And of course, Her Majesty."
Melody almost declined.
But Orionn's voice echoed in her mind. Make a good impression.
The last thing she wanted was to return to the palace only to receive a lecture about social diplomacy. So she agreed.
They led her to a smaller, richly decorated room where several women were already seated in a circle, gossiping about gowns, jewels, and the newest fashion trends from neighboring kingdoms.
As Melody entered, whispers fluttered through the room.
"The Queen is here." "She's even prettier up close." "Look at her dress…"
Hollow admiration. She could hear the insincerity beneath the sweetness.
A seat was offered to her, and she sat gracefully. Mari took the seat beside her.
"I never thought I'd be sitting this close to the Queen," a woman introduced as Felicia said with a breathy laugh.
"She's just a queen. It's not all that," another voice muttered.
The words carried quiet venom.
Mari leaned slightly toward Melody. "That's Bella," she whispered. "She's insufferable."
Melody's lips curved faintly. "I've dealt with worse."
The conversation drifted toward husbands and men, topics Melody had little interest in. Thankfully, Mari seemed equally uninterested, and the two of them began quietly discussing swordsmanship instead.
Then—
"Your Majesty."
Melody turned.
A red-haired woman with freckles and sharp, curious eyes leaned forward. She looked almost underfed, as though gossip sustained her more than food.
"I know this may not be appropriate," the woman began, though her tone suggested she did not care, "but what is it like with the king… in bed?"
Gasps and hushed laughter rippled across the room.
Bella, who had looked bored moments earlier, suddenly leaned forward with keen interest.
Melody was clearly uncomfortable with the question.
Bella waved dismissively. "She doesn't have to answer."
Melody felt the shift in the room. If she refused, speculation would grow. And speculation among wealthy women spread quickly.
She straightened slightly.
"My husband," she began calmly, her gaze drifting deliberately toward Bella, "is fine. He is good. And he has… quite a lot of energy."
The room erupted into scandalized laughter and exaggerated gasps.
"And your first night?" someone pressed boldly.
Melody arched a brow.
"We've all had one, haven't we?" she replied smoothly.
The women eagerly began sharing their own stories. Some shy. Some dramatic. Some clearly exaggerated. The conversation spiraled.
But Bella circled back.
"We truly want to know about your marriage, Your Majesty. This is a safe space. Only women here."
Safe? Hardly.
Melody chose her words carefully.
"For starters," she said, "I am not married to an ordinary man like the rest of you."
She let the statement settle.
"I don't think the king would appreciate me discussing personal matters. And I would hate for him to hear that certain ladies were spreading stories about him." Her smile sharpened slightly. "You've all heard about his temper, haven't you?"
Silence.
Fear flickered across several faces.
"I would hate," Melody continued softly, "for him to misunderstand and think someone intended disrespect. He can be… unforgiving."
The room went utterly quiet.
No one asked another question about her marriage.
Satisfied, Melody leaned back as the gossip shifted awkwardly to safer topics.
She tuned most of it out, focusing instead on Mari, who animatedly described how she had secretly trained in swordsmanship despite her parents' objections.
"They already have perfect Isabella," Mari said lightly. "Pretty. Obedient. Everything they want. I'm the disappointment. So they stopped trying to shape me."
Before Melody could respond—
Bella spoke again.
"My Queen," she said sweetly, though nothing about her was sweet. "Did you know His Majesty had a woman before you?"
The room froze.
Even the air seemed to tighten.
Melody frowned slightly. "No. I didn't."
She truly hadn't.
Bella tilted her head. "Strange. I thought you would know. They were very close."
"That's enough," Mari snapped sharply.
All eyes shifted to her.
"I don't know why you're being cruel, Bella," Mari continued. "The Queen has done nothing to you. If the king never looked your way, that's not her fault. Whatever jealousy you're nursing is your problem."
Bella's face flushed.
"Mari," she said tightly.
"No," Mari cut in. "This is pathetic."
Then she stood and turned to Melody. "Shall we?"
Melody rose with her.
As they walked out, she felt a flicker of gratitude toward Mari. Not because she couldn't defend herself, but because Mari had done it without hesitation.
Still, Bella's words lingered.
The king had a woman before you.
She had never heard anything about it.
And if she ever encountered Bella again, she would make sure the girl remembered her place.