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Leelathae pretends not to hear their whispers at the ball she finally decided to show up at.
("Is Jack really going to marry her? Does he not have eyes?"
"Have you seen that ghastly creature?"
"Horrible. She's horrible - the witch corrupted him.")
She didn't care.
Not one bit.
(Why would she care? It's not like they knew her.)
She could handle it peacefully …
Until she saw her. With Jack.
The woman - roughly twenty one - was an auburn-haired beauty, dressed in the finest of clothes, and dorned many jewels. What captured her attention, however, was the way the woman's cheeks were bright red and her smile was too flashy to be friendly.
Jack, oblivious as ever, seemed to not notice her advances.
Setting aside her raspberry cheesecake, Leelathae strolled over, trying not to pay any attention to the way the other nobles' gazes latched onto her.
She didn't waste any time trying to be friendly, as she pressed a long, sensual kiss on Jack's lips. He stumbled back in surprise, blushing heavily.
(Back at home, territory was fought with weapons. With force. But here? In the world of snotty nobles who thought they were too good to even pick up fallen parchment? No, she had to take a different approach.)
"Hi! Oh my stars," Leelathae put on her most astonished voice. "You must be the concubine I was hearing about! You're so pretty. I can see why he likes you."
The woman's face paled, and then flushed with anger, before she bit her lip and said in a faux-nervous voice. "N-no. I'm Blaire, of the Basketweave k-kingdom."
(Leelathae heard laughter from around the room. Even if she was the one people put their anger out on, they couldn't miss out on feeling superior.)
She didn't bother apologizing, as she tried to hide her smirk with her hands. "I'm Lilyth, of the pastel kingdom. The fiancé of my dear Jack."
Lady Blaine blinked rapidly, before she said in a defensive tone, "Well! Nobody told me."
"Really?" Leelathae took a step forward, like predator to prey. "They announced it just at the start. Do you have memory problems, girl?"
"How dare you!" She shouted, "you really are a nasty women-"
"Don't talk to her like that." Jack stepped in, adjusting his coat, "she was just correcting you, I think. She meant no harm, isn't that right, my love?"
"Yes," Leelathae answered, sounding sweet as the dessert she was eating earlier, pouting innocently as if the insult hurt her. "I didn't realize you were so sensitive about such topics. Memory loss is nothing to be ashamed of. Being a concubine, however…"
Lady Blaire fumed visibly.
"Let's go, Jackie," she purred, "how about a nice trip to the carriage? I'm feeling quite … famished suddenly."
("Did you hear what she said of Lady Blaire? And her reaction?"
"Oh my. How shameful. Do you think its true?"
"Perhaps - may it or not be, Lady Blaire behaved quite immaturely."
'That's true! How can somebody like that be a queen!")
What can she say? If you keep kicking a dog, sometimes it has to bite back.