Chapter 86: The Taste Of Understanding

All eyes rested on Lady Rachel as she tried her best to act as normal as she could, but her face had already drained of color. Her hands moved to her gown. Lady Stephanie, who had only just noticed the sudden quietness, gently raised her head from the teacup she had been focused on all this while. Her eyes shifted to Lady Rachel, and as she realized what was happening, they widened. Then she spoke. "This is the first tea gathering that has a sweetener. I hadn’t expected it," she said. Though her words were true, she hadn’t said them just for that; she also wished to ease the tense atmosphere. Lady Rhea gave a soft nod. "Very true, Lady Stephanie. They dont usually serve black tea—my favorite," she added. Stephanie smiled, and slowly, the atmosphere returned to normal. Lady Rachel, meanwhile, was steeped in regret—almost guilt. She hadn’t expected Lady Stephanie to help her. She raised her head, and her gaze locked onto the Queen’s. Her body froze, shame consuming her. The same friend she had just backbitten earlier had stood up for her—while the other hadn’t done a thing. "Queen Ariana, this place is beautiful. The ambiance is truly unforgettable," Lady Stephanie remarked sincerely. Ariana nodded, taking a gentle sip of her tea. She set the cup down delicately, then raised her hands and signed slowly so Stephanie could follow, noticing she wasn’t quite fluent. "To tell you the truth, it is also my first time coming here. There are so many beautiful places in this palace that just when you think you’ve seen the most stunning one, another appears to take your breath away." Lady Stephanie laughed softly, raising her hand to cover her mouth. Ariana’s smile widened. She recognized that look—Lady Stephanie was holding back her laughter, trying to remain ladylike. That alone made her smile grow even more. At least she wasn’t the only one who did that. Minutes passed as the three chatted while sipping tea, though Lady Rachel especially fell into long periods of silence. When she was addressed, she would simply respond with a smile and a quiet nod. Finally, it was time to leave. As they stood, the carriages had already arrived waiting at the castle entrance, and the ladies bowed. Lady Rhea then finally spoke, a small smile on her lips. "Your Grace, it was the greatest pleasure meeting you," she said as she curtsied gently. She had not expected Ariana to be kind, and the way she carried herself... she would be lying if she said she didn’t feel bad—guilty even at what she had said about Lady Stephanie. She wanted to apologize, and what made it sting the most was how calm the Queen had been all through. Ariana raised her hands and signed gently, "I hope you enjoyed today’s tea gathering." Lady Leah’s smile widened. "I very much did, my Queen." Her smile turned weak as she added, "My Queen, I apologize for my earlier words. I’ve not only been a bad friend, but selfish." Ariana’s lips curved up. She was glad—at least Lady Rhea had admitted her mistake. She nodded and signed, "Apologize to your friend. Apology accepted on my part." Lady Rhea nodded, curtsied again, and turned to leave. Rachel curtsied as well, and Ariana returned it. The two walked out together, leaving only Lady Stephanie behind. She approached Ariana, a bright smile spreading on her lips. "Queen Ariana, I have delightful news to share with you," she said, her face glowing, eyes glimmering with excitement. "I’m not going to marry him. I spoke with mother and she understood—which truly surprised me. And not to mention, all this happened because of you. I can’t imagine what would have happened if I hadn’t spoken up." In a lowered tone, she leaned in. "I would have been living in a loveless marriage," she confessed softly, then added, "Thank you so much." Ariana nodded. She then signed, "How about spending the night here?" Lady Stephanie’s face lit up even more. She nodded quickly before clearing her throat and trying to compose herself in a more ladylike manner. "That would be a pleasure, My Queen." Ariana’s eyes glinted with amusement as she held back her smile. She nodded, and her smile finally broke through as Lady Stephanie giggled—only the two of them understanding what was truly going on. Not far away, Leah stood waiting for further instructions. Lady Stephanie leaned in and whispered, "I really wanted to drink that tea—it’s my favorite—but I had to take various sips, and trust me, my Queen, that was not the best feeling." Her voice was quiet, careful not to be loud. Ariana nodded—she understood her perfectly. She hadn’t expected anyone to understand her to this extent, much less a born royal. Ariana slowly moved her hands, signing so Lady Stephanie could keep up, "Lady Leah will take you to your room. How about you join us for lunch? I’m sure that tea did nothing to satisfy your appetite." Lady Stephanie smiled softly and nodded. They began to walk toward the hallway, with Leah following behind. "I love cupcakes! I can’t wait to devour them—even just a little," Stephanie chirped excitedly. Lady Emberg had always been worried about her intake of sweet foods, claiming the calories were too much for a lady. So she hadn’t had cupcakes in longer than she could remember. And when Lady Emberg finally did allow her to have them, they were either too plain, or lacked the sugar and ingredients that made them feel like real cake. If you asked Stephanie, she’d say they were simply plain bread in cake form. As they walked, they reached the dining hall doors. The moment the doors opened, the sweet, mouth-watering aroma of food floated into the air. There was no denying it—Lady Stephanie was quite similar to Ariana. She loved food too. Ariana’s lips curled up in a knowing smile as they reached the dining table. She calmly took a plate of rice pudding and soup, then placed it gently in front of her. They began to eat, and Ariana noticed Lady Stephanie’s eyes flickering repeatedly toward the chocolate cake—though she tried not to make it obvious. But Ariana, ever observant, had already noticed. Quietly, she reached for the cupcake and passed it to Lady Stephanie. Her eyes brightened instantly. She nodded respectfully as she took a bite, her face glowing with joy. "By the way, Queen, I brought some tea," she said. Ariana nodded—curious and eager to hear more. She was glad Lady Stephanie had come. She couldn’t wait to spend more time with her. Stephanie’s eyes darted to the few maids standing nearby and to Leah as well. She moved her hand discreetly and signed to Ariana, "Later." Ariana nodded, fully understanding her. They continued eating as Lady Stephanie spoke again. "My Queen, do you know what a concoction is?" Ariana shook her head. Lady Stephanie grinned. "It’s when you mix different fruit drinks together to see how it tastes." The moment those words left her mouth, Leah’s head raised, her eyes meeting Stephanie’s. Stephanie’s lips pressed together tightly—she had gotten too comfortable and had forgotten she was still in the presence of a Queen. She needed to keep her etiquette intact. Ariana, who noticed her hesitation, turned to Leah and signed: "You don’t have to worry, Lady Leah. I’m very much okay with it. Besides, I want to try it out myself." Lady Stephanie’s face lit up again as Ariana gave her a nod of approval. She smiled and then said, "You will need to take an empty glass cup." She reached out and took the glass cup, placing it carefully on the table. Leah, who had been curious all along, lifted her head as she watched Lady Stephanie move her hands toward the apple juice. "I’ll be testing pineapple juice and apple juice," she said as Ariana watched silently. Lady Stephanie poured the pineapple juice into the cup, her movements graceful. After a moment, she added the apple juice as well. She raised her hand taking the cup and gently stirred the mixture, being careful so the drink wouldn’t spill. Once done, she reached for two smaller glass and poured the concoction into it. Then she took a sip. Her smile widened. "How about you try it out?" Ariana nodded and reached for the cup. Stephanie angled her head slightly, holding her breath in anticipation of the Queen’s reaction. Even Leah seemed to still, eyes watching closely. The moment the liquid touched Ariana’s tongue, her eyes widened. She hadn’t expected it to be that sweet. She took another small gulp, then gently placed the cup back on the table. With a quiet nod, she brought out her thumb and gave a thumbs-up. She had not expected it—it had a unique and delightful taste. Lady Stephanie’s face lit up even more as she clapped her hands together. "How about you try your own concoction?" she asked eagerly. Ariana nodded. Her eyes scanned the juices until they settled on the orange juice... then moved to the peach juice. She took the glass cup and carefully poured both juices into it. Lady Stephanie watched with keen interest—she had never tried that combination before. Ariana swirled the drink exactly as Stephanie had done, and Stephanie blinked in surprise. This Queen of hers really was a fast learner. Ariana took a soft gulp. Her lips parted in a smile—there was something about the flavor that stirred nostalgia. She didn’t know what it reminded her of, but the taste was familiar and comforting. Lady Stephanie took a sip as well and exclaimed, "Wow, I must say this is an interesting combo! And to shock you—I’ve never tried it before. I’ll definitely do this again when I get back home. Who knows, it might just become my favorite." Ariana nodded, a small smile resting on her lips. Her thoughts drifted to Zavren—she couldn’t wait for him to return. And when he did, she’d make sure he tried every one of her concoctions.