The court chamber had grown warmer.
Or perhaps it only felt that way to Vanya.
The candlelit air pressed heavily against her skin while voices continued weaving through the chamber in hushed waves. Every whisper seemed louder now. Sharper. Curious eyes no longer looked at her with interest, but with fascination tinged by scandal.
Like she had become tonight's entertainment.
The ruby-crested clip still rested atop the velvet cloth before the panel.
Untouched.
Damning.
Vanya stared at it helplessly.
She had never seen it before in her life.
Yet there it sat inside her purse as though placed there deliberately for all to find.
And somehow that frightened her more than the accusations themselves.
Because somebody had planned this.
Carefully.
Patiently.
The older panel lord tapped one finger lightly against the arm of his chair.
"We will continue."
The chamber quieted again.
His gaze settled on Vanya.
"Lady Vanya Emeraldae, several accusations brought before this court concern conduct beyond theft. Improper court behavior. Provocative enticement. Questionable interactions with military personnel."
The wording alone made her stomach twist.
The panel woman beside him adjusted her spectacles.
"Normally such matters would remain private social concerns among noble households. However, given the presence of stolen royal property…"
Her eyes flicked briefly toward the crest.
"…the court must determine whether these incidents suggest intentional misconduct or deeper instability of character."
Instability.
Vanya nearly scoffed.
Instead she stood straighter.
"You speak of me as though I am not standing here."
A few surprised glances lifted toward her.
The older lord regarded her calmly.
"You are standing here precisely so we may hear your defense."
"Then perhaps you should allow me to defend myself instead of listening to women who dislike my dress."
A ripple moved through the room immediately.
Some shocked.
Some amused.
Lady Evelyn's expression sharpened.
The panel woman lifted a brow.
"You deny behaving inappropriately at the banquet?"
"I deny seducing married men simply because they looked at me."
That earned several muffled reactions.
One younger nobleman near the side table actually choked into his wine.
Another hid a smile behind his hand.
Lady Catherine flushed furiously.
"How shameless."
Vanya turned toward her fully now.
"No," she said quietly. "What's shameless is building accusations around gossip because you dislike someone."
The tension shifted.
Subtly.
For the first time since entering the chamber, a few people looked uncertain.
Lady Evelyn noticed it too.
Which meant she moved quickly.
"Then explain your behavior in the gardens," she said smoothly. "Alone at night. Returning flushed. Wandering restricted grounds this morning. One coincidence may be ignored, Lady Vanya. Several become concerning."
"And how exactly was I behaving with the knights?" Vanya asked calmly.
Evelyn blinked once.
Vanya continued before she could answer.
"Did they claim I touched them? Seduced them? Offered myself?"
A faint murmur spread.
Lady Evelyn's lips tightened slightly.
"You were seen laughing amongst soldiers."
"I was asking for directions."
"That is still inappropriate."
"Then your kingdom must be terribly fragile if conversation ruins its knights."
A startled sound escaped from somewhere behind the chamber.
Half laugh.
Half cough.
Even one of the clerks lowered his head quickly to hide amusement.
Lady Evelyn's face darkened.
"You think this is humorous?"
"No," Vanya replied softly. "I think this is cruel."
Silence fell briefly.
Real silence this time.
Not performative.
Something about the way she said it landed heavier than expected.
Because unlike the others
Vanya truly looked confused.
Not manipulative.
Not sly.
Just increasingly wounded.
The panel woman observed her carefully now.
Noting every expression.
Every reaction.
And that made Lady Evelyn immediately pivot again.
"Then perhaps the stable workers misunderstood as well?"
Her gaze swept toward Edrin.
The stable boy nearly jumped.
"You spent considerable time amongst the soldiers, did you not?" Evelyn pressed. "Enough to attract attention."
Edrin looked deeply uncomfortable.
"I well the knights were only helping calm the mare"
"So they gathered around her?"
"Yes but"
"And she remained there."
"For only a little!"
"But she remained."
Edrin faltered again.
Every answer seemed to worsen things.
The poor boy looked moments from tears.
Vanya noticed immediately.
And despite everything happening
she felt guilty for him.
Because he was frightened too.
The panel lord sighed faintly.
"Enough. The stable boy is clearly overwhelmed."
Relief flashed across Edrin's face.
But before dismissal
one of the observing nobles suddenly spoke.
A heavyset older woman draped in emerald velvet.
"I have heard rumors before now regarding the Emeraldae girl."
The chamber shifted attentively.
Vanya frowned.
The woman continued.
"They say she was raised unusually freely for noble blood."
Theresa would have hated that sentence.
"She spends time with servants."
Another murmur.
"She reads excessively."
A pause.
"As though that were a crime," someone muttered dryly from farther back.
The woman ignored it.
"And there have been whispers that the girl behaves… intensely."
"What does that even mean?" Vanya asked before stopping herself.
The noblewoman looked vaguely uncomfortable now forced to elaborate publicly.
"Emotional attachments. Odd fixations. Excessive curiosity. Wandering habits."
"She likes books and gardens," Vanya said flatly.
"And snakes," another voice whispered.
Several heads turned.
Vanya blinked.
Oh God.
Mr. Jones' stupid earthworm conversations.
Someone near the back laughed quietly.
"Perhaps she truly is strange."
"She certainly doesn't behave like court ladies."
"No," another voice murmured thoughtfully. "She behaves like someone who forgot to fear them."
That one lingered strangely in the room.
Meanwhile
deep within the lower servant corridors
Paddy finally spotted Joseph near the outer stable archways.
He was arguing with another stable hand while tightening a saddle strap aggressively.
"Joseph!"
He turned immediately.
And froze.
"Paddy?"
The moment he saw her face
his expression changed.
"What happened?"
Paddy grabbed his sleeve breathlessly.
"It's Lady Vanya."
His face drained instantly.
"What happened to her?"
"She's in the court chamber!"
"What?"
"They accused her of stealing!"
Joseph stared at her as though she'd spoken another language.
"…stealing what?"
"The king's royal horse crest!"
For a full second
Joseph simply blinked.
Then:
"That's impossible."
"I know!"
"She wouldn't even know where such things are kept!"
"I know!"
Joseph cursed under his breath immediately.
A rare thing for him.
"Where's Madam Theresa?"
"We can't find her!"
Joseph began moving instantly.
Fast.
Paddy hurried after him.
"When did this happen?"
"Right after she returned from riding!"
Joseph's jaw tightened dangerously.
"The horse."
Paddy looked at him quickly.
"What?"
"The white mare she took."
His expression darkened further with every passing thought.
"That horse wasn't supposed to be available today."
Paddy stopped abruptly.
Joseph did too.
Slowly
they looked at each other.
Understanding creeping in simultaneously.
Someone had arranged this.
And suddenly
the royal crest appearing inside Vanya's purse no longer felt random at all.