Chapter 85: A Cup of Truth

Ariana walked silently through the hallway, just as Leah arrived. Upon seeing her, Leah bowed respectfully and said, "Queen Ariana, may I put this on you?" Ariana gave a small nod, and Leah stepped forward, gently placing a creamy hat atop her head. It matched her gown perfectly. Once she was done with the hat, she helped Ariana slip on her gloves. Now fully dressed, Ariana was ready. "This way, Queen Ariana," Leah said, gesturing ahead. "Two people have already arrived. One more is expected any minute now." Ariana gave a simple nod, and the two continued walking through the hallway. As they reached the main area, they entered through a garden path. The wind gently blew, and the noon sun blazed overhead. It was harsh, as expected at that hour, but thanks to the hat, it didn’t bother Ariana much. Finally, she saw the place—an open-air structure, like a garden pavilion. Flowers surrounded the area, blooming in every direction. Three maids stood nearby, dressed differently from the usual palace staff. They were most likely assigned to serve tea. Ariana’s eyes moved to the two ladies already seated. They both wore light purple dresses, though each had a unique pattern and design. From where she was walking, she could make out some details—one woman had rich brown hair, the other had pure black. The space ahead was elevated by three gentle steps and had no walls, just elegant shades overhead to block the sun. The tables were adorned with fine ceramics—luxury teacups and dishes that whispered refinement. The women appeared to be deep in conversation, not expecting the Queen to arrive so soon. When they noticed her, they stood abruptly, slightly startled, then quickly curtsied in unison. "Greetings, my Queen," they said politely. Ariana acknowledged the gesture with a slight curtsy and took her seat at the head of the table. She sat gracefully. Then, the brown-haired woman broke the silence calmly. "Your Grace, I’m Lady Rachel. It’s a pleasure to meet you." Ariana gave a soft nod. The next woman introduced herself. "I’m Lady Rhea." From the way they were dressed in matching colors, Ariana knew they must be quite close. Lady Rachel then spoke again after a brief silence. "I believe there’s one more left to complete the tea gathering." Lady Rhea nodded, her voice quiet yet sharp as she added, "As expected of her. This isn’t the first time she’s late to a gathering. I fear this is quite disrespectful to the Queen." She bowed her head slightly, turning to Ariana, who remained silent, simply observing. Lady Rachel chimed in again, "We shouldn’t blame her entirely. After her husband-to-be called off the wedding and cut off three ceremonial rites, things have clearly been hard for her. Her actions are understandable—yet it gives her no right to disrespect the Queen." Ariana knew women like them. She could feel the tension, the competition—the way they pretended to be civil, when in truth, she was certain they didn’t even like each other. "My Queen, you may sign. We understand sign language perfectly." Among royals, it was standard to be taught several languages at a young age in the royal school, including sign language—for the sake of diplomacy and communication with foreigners or others who used it. Ariana smiled softly, nodding in approval. Finally, a chance to speak her mind. She moved her fingers with elegant precision, signing her words: "That is wonderful to hear. I figured the weather is lovely today, and it wouldn’t hurt to enjoy the view and wait for the lady to arrive—rather than sitting here talking about her as though there’s nothing good in your lives. Besides, I don’t believe saliva is listed among the ingredients in our tea, is it?" Her eyes flicked calmly to the untouched teacup beside them. The ladies flushed with embarrassment, their lips tightening as they bowed their heads. "Very true, my Queen," they murmured in unison, and silence fell over the table. Soft footsteps could be heard, drawing all eyes to the entrance. To Ariana’s deep surprise, it was Lady Stephanie. She was dressed in a light blue gown adorned with a graceful hat perched perfectly atop her head. Coincidentally, her attire was almost identical to Ariana’s—though the colors differed, the styles mirrored each other. Her gloves extended all the way to her elbows, complementing the short-sleeved gown she wore. The resemblance was unexpected. As Lady Stephanie caught sight of Queen Ariana, a warm, wide smile curved her lips. "I apologize for my lateness, Queen Ariana. The carriage had stopped suddenly on the road," she said gently, her tone quiet and sincerely apologetic. Ariana nodded in understanding, and then, to everyone’s astonishment, she rose to her feet and extended her arms for a hug. Lady Stephanie’s eyes widened slightly, clearly surprised—but she stepped forward. The two ladies embraced. The other women’s faces shifted in shock. They hadn’t expected the Queen to know Lady Stephanie—let alone offer her a hug. Not after what they had just been saying about her. If they had known, they wouldn’t have said anything at all. Panic briefly flickered across their expressions. Then Stephanie turned gracefully to the group and spoke, "Lady Rachel, Lady Rhea, Queen Ariana... these are my friends." Ariana watched her quietly, a small smile tugging at her lips. The ladies’ bodies shivered faintly with dread, but they managed to hold their expressions. Ariana, watching from her seat, couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for Lady Stephanie. She was a good person—if only she knew these women were not truly her friends. The room grew still. The face of Lady Rachel looked almost pale as her body shifted slightly in her chair, discomfort now faintly visible. Noticing the matching set, Lady Stephanie smiled and said, "Wow, your gowns look truly exquisite. Was it the same tailor who made them?" Lady Rhea managed an awkward smile as Lady Rachel nodded gently. Ariana, seated calmly, merely watched the exchange. They gave off the vibe of let’s wear purple and not tell her. Ariana lifted her hand. At her signal, a maid stepped forward and began to pour different teas carefully into the various cups. Then Stephanie turned to the Queen, her voice soft and sincere, "My Queen, it has truly been long. I’ve missed you—deeply." Shock flashed across the faces of Lady Rachel and Lady Rhea. They hadn’t expected the Queen to know Lady Stephanie so well—let alone share such warmth. The air shifted. Their assumptions, their earlier words, all now hung in the silence, exposed. Ariana’s gaze remained on Stephanie. With a faint nod, she then turned to the two women, a small smile resting on her lips, her eyes glinting faintly. "I had even thought I came a little early. Lady Rachel had told me through a letter that the gathering wouldn’t hold until later in the afternoon." The moment those words left Lady Stephanie’s lips, Ariana turned her eyes slowly toward Rachel. The color drained from Rachel’s face. She shifted in her seat and responded quickly, her voice low and almost panicked. "I... I had no idea. I wasn’t sure if it would still hold, and before I could tell you—I wasn’t certain if the letter would reach you in time..." Ariana raised her fingers—delicately, but with firm intent—and signed: "It’s quite the surprise to see you here, especially when you told your ’friend’ to come in the late afternoon." Rachel and Rhea’s faces blanched even further. They had been caught, and it showed. Neither of them knew what to do. Stephanie, on the other hand, tried to follow Ariana’s fingers. She wasn’t skilled in sign language, most of her time had been spent studying musical instruments rather than diplomacy—but she understood enough. Just enough to feel the weight of the moment. The wind blew softly, carrying a subtle tension in the air. The maids had finished pouring the tea; they bowed and stepped back, though a few remained standing in case they were needed. Ariana slowly reached for her teacup, just as Lady Elle had taught her. She brought it gently to her lips, careful not to burn herself on the hot liquid. "Lady Rachel, I thought you mentioned you don’t drink coffee," Lady Rhea said softly when she noticed Lady Rachel takingbtye coffee cup. "Didn’t your physician warn that too much of it isn’t good in the early stages of pregnancy?" Lady Rachel’s face paled instantly, but she let out a soft laugh to cover it. "Oh, you remind me of my mother. Very strict. It wouldn’t hurt to take a sip," she said gently, though a flicker of panic danced in her eyes. Ariana simply observed them. ’So, these gossipers don’t even like each other... just as I thought.’ "Doesn’t that mean you’ll be wasting the tea?" Lady Rhea asked with a faint smile. "As you always say, prevention is better than cure. And I must say, if your mother were here right now, she would probably say the same... or is there something you’re not telling us?" The air grew still. Ariana managed to maintain her composure, though a tiny smile betrayed her calm expression. She didn’t need to say a word—these two were already exposing themselves. Stephanie, who had remained quiet, offered a gentle smile as she picked up the smallest jug filled with thick, sweetened milk. She gracefully circled it over her tea, pouring just enough, and unknowingly added fuel to the fire. "But Lady Rachel," Stephanie said lightly, "you told us about this three months ago... and I’m not seeing any baby bump." All eyes shifted to Lady Rachel’s stomach. To make matters worse, her gown—the same color as Lady Rhea’s—was cinched tightly at the waist, clearly revealing her flat stomach. The woman froze as every gaze in the room landed on her.