Herald of Steel

Chapter 930

"Gelene, let's go. I set up an afternoon party at the Queen's chambers."

Two days after the fateful talks with Philips and Camelia, Ophenia suddenly intruded into the other's room at one to inform her of this.

The duo had already come up with a basic plan on how to try and twist the queen's hand into laying with Alexander, and the time had come to put it in motion.

So at the call, the ebony beauty wordlessly got up from her divan and quickly got dressed.

And soon the two were sitting opposite the former Queen of Tibias.

The meeting was only between them three and they sat close to the open veranda in the Queen's private quarters, thus letting the autumn sunlight soak their bodies in bright, warm light.

There was a variety of confectionery laid strew across the small tea table they sat across.

It included various meat and fruit pastries, sugar and honey biscuits, many small handmade pies, and lastly, a type of custard or porridge made with baked wheat grain, milk, and butter.

It was a local delicacy.

All the items laid in full access to the trio, along with large pitchers of the finest, sweetest wine, and as Ophenia very frankly took her cup, she greeted,

"Thank you Your Highness for taking the time to meet with us on such short notice. We are honored."

"Lady Ophenia is being too courteous. I am but simply a humble lady. Please eschew the 'Your Highness'. While the other said reciprocated with equal humility.

Holding the title of Queen for close to thirty years, Lady Parthia was anything if not very refined in her manner.

Following this, the trio then began to slowly talk, about anything and everything, with nothing particular in mind.

Their topics ranged from the weather, how it differed from here and Zanzan, about the city itself, the food they were served and many more.

Until finally Ophenia got to the main point of why she was here.

"Queen Parthia, I will not beat around the bush. The reason why I wanted to meet was not only for a social meeting."

"I… we" Ophenia corrected herself to include both her and Gelene, "primarily wish to talk to you regarding what happened with your daughter yesterday."

"I believe no one will argue that yesterday was not exactly the best day moments for your royal family. Frankly, we expected better from a royal family." Ophenia taunted a bit, as she then stated,

"My lord might not have shown it, but he was certainly very dissatisfied over how your daughter reacted. So as his wives, we want to ask- can we count on your daughter on being obedient? Or will she continue to be a problem?"

As Ophenia hawkishly glared at the queen after she finished, she quickly noticed Lady Parthia blush a bit in shame.

If it had been anytime else, Lady Parthia would have certainly very vocally contested the claim.

But after what her daughter had pulled off, not just once but twice. she found her skin too thin to react.

"Of course, she will be obedient! I will personally see to that!" Thus instead, Lady Parthia quickly replied so quite forcefully, repeatedly nodding her head.

At this point, she even half thanked Alexander for choosing her to take her to Zanzan as a Gaia priestess.

This way she could keep that girl from causing trouble and getting herself killed, she reasoned.

"Hmmmm." But Ophenia seemed dissatisfied with the answer as she only lightly snorted.

The reason was of course because her true aim for coming here was never this.

Whether Camelia would or would not be troublesome was a different matter they could discuss later.

Right now, however, it was only an excuse.

So pursing her lips in indignation, the beautiful lady indignantly posed,

"That remains to be seen. And even if she is re educated, that still does not erase the things she had done. I believe as her mother, you must take responsibility for her actions, too Lady Lady Parthia!" Ophenia narrowed her eyes glassed with anger and cold.

However Queen Parthia was to be so easily intimidated, as placing her cup down, the lady slightly frowned her brows to remind the duo,

"Lady Tayin, I believe you have being unreasonable here. We have already apologized sincerely enough. And my son has already paid the appropriate dues for any imbroglio we might have caused the great Pasha. So what more responsibility are you talking about?"

To her, it seemed the other side was asking for an inch but taking a mile.

But Ophenia and Gelene had come prepared.

This was not enough to stump them as brushing her hands, Gelene decided to join the conversation, pointedly claiming, "The price that Prince Philips paid was only to absolve princess Camelia of her mistake and convince my lord to take her in as her concubine."

"He did not pay for the shame your family has caused him. Neither for your failure to properly educate your daughter."

"To do that we believe that you, Lady Parthia, as the matriarch of the royal family should be responsible!"

"...." Towards this forceful explanation, Lady Parthia found herself unable to respond.

Because there was nothing to respond to.

The sacrifice of all those nobles dealt enormous harm to her family and thus the blood price in her mind was certainly adequate enough.

But the other party did not seem to think so and was demanding more.

She felt she was being swindled by a couple of extortionists, thus hardening her face, she cold threw out, "Are you two on behalf of the Pasha? Is this what he wants? Is this an official meeting? If not…."

Her meaning was clean.

If Alexander did not approve of this, she would not continue this talk.

And she had reasons to believe Alexander did not know or approve this because otherwise, the man would have called her himself.

That was his style, not sending out two girls to do his bidding.

"We wish to offer you two choices." Ophenia however did not give a yes or no answer to the answer.

Instead, she posed so,

"One is Lady Parthia, you end the talks right here, right now."

"But know that we would not advise you to. Because then we will not look at the princess favorably."

"And neither will our mistress- our lord's main wife, after she learns of this and sees the hair, I promise you."

"And if it were to happen, such a turn of events would be truly tragic. I believe you know that." Ophenia narrowed her eyes threateningly.

And Lady Parthia could not help but shiver a bit.

Although she never had a harem to manage given Tibias's monogamous culture, she could certainly the potency of this threat.

The venom of a woman was deadly, especially a jealous and vindictive woman.

And somehow her daughter, whose status was only a concubine, had managed to antagonize 3 out of the 4 wives of the man she was supposed to service, including the main wife.

In a way, it was truly impressive.

And if was to truly come true, Lady Parthia knew her daughter's life in the harem would be truly miserable, a hell on earth.

She could be denied the proper food rations and issued only cold and stale items.

She could be made to sleep in leaking dilapidated houses that let rain in during the summer and cold, freezing winds in the winter, and not even afforded a thin quilt to shield herself with.

She could be made to wake up at the crack of dawn to wash clothes in the freezing cold water.

She could be denied medicines and healthcare.

And she could be denied a whole host of things, all of which filled Lady Parthia's mind.

And then to add to her horrors, Gelene quickly added with a snark,

"Do not take my lord's great benevolence for granted. It was immensely magnanimous of him to agree to not send your churlish daughter to the capital. But that does not mean he cannot use her in Zanzan."

"Let me tell you, whatever happens in the capital, happens in Zanzan too. My lady should already have some proof of that from that 'victory' party the Zanzan nobles held one night, right?"

Gelene's voice was mocking.

And Lady Parthia was of course aware of the infamous acts committed in her very house.

And when she had first heard of it, it had shocked her to her core.

Because although she had heard of such things occurring in Adhania, she half did not believe it.

Because to her it was so incredulous.

Hence the confirmation was world shattering.

And if her daughter was made to…. Lady Parthia felt her hands go cold at the mere thought of the possibility. while Ophenia helped complete her nightmare, "If such a thing were to happen to your daughter… hehe. Your daughter's life will be very different."

"..." And as she finished, Ophenia watched Lady Parthia go from pale to paler at the implied threat as if she was envisioning all the terrible scenarios in her head.

Until finally, in a low, mosquito like voice, she muttered, "What is the second offer?"

But this was not a question.

This was Lady Parthia tacitly accepting the second offer, whatever may it be.

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