Lola folded her hands calmly in front of her, willing her heart to remain steady as the man before her looked her over with disdain.
"What can I help you with?" she asked, her tone clipped but polite.
The soldier sneered. "So you're the whore the emperor brought to the palace?"
Her breath caught. It wasn't the word that shocked her, but the venom behind it.
Her expression darkened as she straightened her spine. "I beg your pardon…"
"Save it." He raised a hand to cut her off. "Just make sure you stay in your place."
Before Lola could muster a response, a smooth, composed voice interrupted the tension.
"I don't believe that's how a gentleman addresses a lady, Commander Ryker," said Lord Caspian as he approached, hands clasped behind his back, his voice sharp as polished steel.
Ryker narrowed his eyes. "How about you mind your own business?"
Caspian offered a small smile, one that did not reach his eyes. "I would, but I highly doubt the emperor would remain so silent if he heard how his guest was being treated."
A muscle in Ryker's jaw twitched. With a sharp breath and a muttered curse, he turned and stalked away.
Caspian turned to Lola, his brow furrowed with concern. "Are you all right?"
Lola nodded once, her eyes distant. "Thank you. But next time, I would appreciate it if you did not invoke the emperor's name on my behalf."
"Lola…" he began, but she was already walking away.
She did not look back. "He wouldn't care if I were hurt or not," she murmured, more to herself than to him.
Caspian watched her retreating figure, sorrow pressing into his chest. He sighed quietly, then turned and walked in the opposite direction, the stone path eerily silent beneath his steps.
In the Rose Chamber, where delicate sunlight filtered through lace curtains, the Empress Dowager sipped her tea with practiced elegance. The room was hushed save for the quiet clinking of porcelain.
The door opened, and in came Duchess Aurelia, swathed in crimson silk and confidence.
"Greetings, Your Majesty," she said, dipping her head as she took a seat.
Victoria's gaze did not lift from her teacup. "I don't recall asking you to sit."
The duchess merely smiled, unbothered. "Forgive me. It isn't such a crime to wish for your company over tea, is it?"
Lady Calantha stepped forward from behind her, poised and quiet, and began to pour tea into the duchess's cup.
Victoria's eyes shifted, finally settling on the unfamiliar face at the duchess's shoulder.
She set her teacup down with a gentle clink. "And this?" she asked, dabbing at her lips with a cloth. "Your new maid? I don't believe I've seen her before."
Lady Calantha froze, the teapot trembling slightly in her hand. But before she could reply, Aurelia laughed.
"Your Majesty, you always have such a delightful sense of humour." She gestured lazily to Calantha. "This is…"
"I do not care who she is," Victoria interrupted coolly. "Nor do I have any interest in finding out."
She folded her napkin neatly and met the duchess's eyes with a subtle warning beneath her calm veneer.
Aurelia's smile faded only slightly, but her silence was telling.