The murmuring did not die.
It grew.
Like rot spreading beneath polished wood.
The ruby crest glimmered beneath the candlelight as the panel woman held it carefully between gloved fingers, allowing the entire chamber to see the royal insignia embedded into the gold.
A royal riding crest.
Not ordinary jewelry.
Not something misplaced lightly.
One of the older men seated at the center panel slowly leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers beneath his chin.
"Well," he murmured. "This has become considerably more serious."
The room buzzed again.
Vanya could barely hear them properly anymore.
Her pulse pounded inside her ears.
"I've never seen that before," she said carefully, forcing her voice steady despite the dozens of eyes watching her. "I do not know how it got into my purse."
Lady Evelyn gave a soft sound from somewhere behind the observing tables.
Not quite a laugh.
Worse.
Sympathy pretending to be restraint.
"How unfortunate," she murmured.
One of the women beside her lowered her fan slightly. "Especially after last evening."
Another noblewoman leaned toward them openly now, no longer bothering to whisper discreetly.
"I knew there was something improper about her."
"She was practically displaying herself in that gown."
"Did you see the way she wandered the palace gardens alone?"
"At night too."
"Unmarried."
"And chasing after strangers apparently."
The court woman beside the panel struck the floor once with her staff.
"Order."
Silence reluctantly returned.
But only barely.
The damage had already begun.
The older panel lord looked down toward Vanya again.
"You deny ownership of the royal crest?"
"Yes."
"You deny entering restricted military grounds?"
Vanya hesitated.
"I entered accidentally."
A sharp scoff echoed somewhere behind the room.
"Accidentally."
"She rode there alone."
"On a royal horse."
"Like some wandering flirt from a tavern tale."
Vanya's jaw tightened.
"I lost my way."
"And yet remained long enough to entertain soldiers."
This time the accusation came directly from Lady Evelyn.
Smooth.
Precise.
Cruel.
All eyes shifted toward her.
Lady Evelyn rose elegantly from her seat, lowering her parasol gloves finger by finger.
"If it pleases the court," she began sweetly, "I witnessed Lady Vanya earlier today near the sparring grounds."
Her voice carried perfectly.
Not too loud.
Not too soft.
Practiced.
"She appeared quite comfortable amongst the knights despite such areas being forbidden to noblewomen without escort."
Vanya stared at her.
Evelyn continued.
"And after last evening's… display at the gathering, I confess I found the behavior concerning."
Another murmur.
The older panel woman narrowed her eyes slightly.
"What display?"
Evelyn lowered her gaze modestly.
"Perhaps I should not say."
Which of course guaranteed everyone wanted her to continue.
One of the panel members spoke sharply.
"You will answer plainly."
Evelyn sighed delicately as though reluctant.
"Lady Vanya drew considerable attention from married noblemen during the banquet. Some of us believed it unintentional at first but…"
She hesitated.
Perfectly timed.
"…her conduct became increasingly bold throughout the evening."
Vanya almost laughed from disbelief.
Bold?
She had barely survived the gathering without fainting from discomfort.
Another woman rose suddenly from the spectator tables.
Lady Catherine.
"Yes," she added quickly. "Several wives noticed it. Wandering alone through the gardens. Returning flushed and disheveled. Drawing eyes deliberately."
"That's not true," Vanya said immediately.
Lady Catherine ignored her.
"And today she appears within restricted military grounds before royal property is found hidden inside her belongings."
The whispers turned uglier now.
No longer curious.
Judging.
"She must have grown too comfortable."
"Country nobility always overreaches eventually."
"They come here pretending innocence."
"And then?"
A man near the back snorted quietly.
"Well… perhaps she steals for excitement."
Soft laughter followed.
Another voice joined.
"She lived secluded, did she not?"
"Yes."
"Maybe the girl developed strange habits."
The word came next like poison dropped gently into wine.
"Cleptomania."
Vanya frowned faintly.
One older noblewoman nodded thoughtfully as though discussing weather.
"It would explain the impulsive behavior."
"First attention seeking…"
"Then theft."
"A compulsion perhaps."
"How tragic."
The chamber blurred strangely around Vanya for a moment.
Not because she believed them.
But because they were building a version of her before her own eyes.
And people were accepting it.
The panel woman finally raised her hand.
"That is enough speculation."
The room quieted again.
She turned toward the assembly.
"These accusations concern both unlawful conduct and character. Therefore the court will hear testimony from those familiar with Lady Vanya Emeraldae before formal judgment proceeds."
Vanya's stomach tightened.
No.
The panel lord nodded once.
"Those acquainted with the accused may step forward and speak regarding her temperament, habits, and behavior."
For a moment—
no one moved.
Then slowly—
the stable boy stepped forward.
Thin.
Nervous.
Still rubbing the back of his head where he'd struck the beam earlier.
The poor thing looked ready to collapse.
"What is your name?" the panel asked.
"E-Edrin, my lord."
"And you work within the royal stables?"
"Yes, my lord."
The panel lord gestured calmly.
"Speak truthfully. What occurred today?"
Edrin swallowed hard.
His fingers twisted together anxiously.
"I was tending the west stable rows when the lady arrived," he began shakily. "She requested a horse for riding."
"Did she identify herself?"
"Yes, my lord. She said she belonged to the Emeraldae household."
"And then?"
"I prepared one of the white mares."
A panel woman frowned immediately.
"One of the royal mares?"
Edrin paled further.
"I-I thought she had permission—"
"You thought?"
"I panicked, my lady!"
A few nobles scoffed quietly.
Edrin hurried on before interruption.
"She rode toward the palace grounds. Later… later I found myself struck after one of the upper stall doors loosened unexpectedly."
"You were injured?"
"Only lightly, my lord."
"And the purse?"
Edrin swallowed.
"When I regained myself, I noticed the lady's purse near the stable corridor."
Vanya stepped forward instantly.
"Because it fell when I dismounted."
Several heads turned.
Edrin nodded quickly.
"Yes! Yes, I assumed so too, my lady, so I intended to return it—"
"But you opened it?"
The question came sharply from one of the officials.
Edrin froze.
"No—I mean—only because the royal clip was visible through the opening—"
"So you DID see the crest within her belongings."
The poor stable boy looked horrified suddenly realizing the trap tightening around him.
"I—I don't know how it got there—"
"But it WAS there."
"…yes."
The whispers surged again.
Vanya closed her eyes briefly.
God.
Meanwhile—
far below the court chambers—
Paddy was nearly running through the servant corridors.
Her breathing came unevenly as she pushed past startled workers and kitchen boys carrying baskets.
"Madam Theresa," she muttered desperately. "Where is Madam Theresa—"
"Paddy!"
Lina caught up behind her breathlessly.
"You need to slow down!"
"I can't!"
"She'll only panic if you arrive like this!"
Paddy turned sharply.
"They're accusing Lady Vanya of royal theft!"
Even saying it aloud sounded impossible.
Lina grabbed her shoulders firmly.
"Listen to me carefully. Find Theresa first. Then Joseph. If anyone saw where your lady truly went this morning, it's him."
Paddy nodded frantically.
Joseph.
Of course.
He would know.
He always tracked the horses personally.
And if someone tampered with the stables—
his jaw would immediately notice.
Paddy immediately turned again.
This time toward the servant barracks near the lower courtyards.
Please let someone sensible still exist in this palace, she thought desperately.