Outburst

Inja pressed on, her voice dripping with malice and accusation, her words hanging in the air like a challenge. "So, should we believe that the village girl has brought snakes in her basket and did this to scare us all? And she has included Vanessa in this too?" Her eyes sparkled with malevolence, her gaze fixed on Elianora and Jædana with an unnerving intensity, as if daring her to contradict.

"Which village girl are you talking about, Inja? Are you talking about me?" Elianora asked, her voice calm and collected, her eyes narrowing slightly as she regarded Inja with a mixture of disdain and annoyance. Her tone was laced with a hint of amusement, as if she found Inja's accusations ridiculous.

Inja's smile was sugary sweet, but her eyes betrayed a hint of cruelty, a glimmer of satisfaction at having stirred up trouble. "I am sorry, but who can talk about you? I am..." She pointed towards the light, her gesture vague and dismissive, as if she was trying to deflect attention from her own malicious intentions.

Elianora's expression turned icy, her voice dripping with sarcasm and contempt. "So, you mean to say that you are accusing your future queen of doing this just to get rid of you after hearing your unnecessary blabbering? Does she need to? We will simply decline the invitation, saying that we are not interested in joining this group of so-called noble, calm, and civilized ladies!" Her words were laced with venom, her tone biting and dismissive, as if she was swatting away a pesky insect.

"And then we will see when Crown Prince Kaidën Darkhaven and Prince Uriel Darkhaven come back," Elianora continued, her tone dripping with disdain and superiority. "Then we will talk to them about this and also ask all your future husbands to inform them about their wives' behavior with outsiders. All of you are going to reach high positions in the future. All of you will become wives of some high-ranking officials." Her voice was laced with a hint of warning, as if she was cautioning them against crossing her.

Elianora's gaze swept across the group, her eyes flashing with indignation and outrage, as if she was surveying a battlefield. "You should know that the government is for the people, and not the people for the government. And you were making fun of the farmers just now. You know what situation they are going through. Most of the farmers live in the border areas, and they are growing food grains for all of you even while fighting their situation with the constituents." Her voice rose, her words tumbling out in a passionate torrent, as if she was unleashing a pent-up storm.

"And you are just being tasteless, doing this. So, you have been throwing away grains just like that. You should know that the clothes you wear, the jewelry you wear, or the makeup you have done, someone has put in hard work behind it, and you should learn to respect that hard work." Her words were laced with a deep sense of conviction, as if she was speaking from the heart.

Elianora's eyes blazed with intensity, her voice cracking with emotion, as if she was struggling to contain her anger. "If you can't like it, then keep your big mouth shut and seal your tongue." Her words hung in the air, a stark rebuke to the group's behavior, like a slap in the face.

The room fell silent, the only sound the heavy breathing of the girls, as if they had all been punched in the gut. Elianora Moonwhisper's harsh words had shocked everyone, her outburst unlike anything they had ever seen before. Ah, Elianora Moonwhisper herself would have been surprised, because she herself never spoke so much. Today, she had spoken more than she usually did in many days, her words pouring out like a dam burst, leaving everyone stunned and speechless.

Elianora's voice was firm and commanding, her words dripping with an air of authority that was impossible to ignore. "I think Jædana, we should leave from here now," she declared, her tone brooking no argument. Her eyes flashed with a hint of annoyance, as if she had been pushed to her limits by the group's behavior.

Jædana stood up immediately, her movements fluid and deliberate. She cast a lingering glance at the group, her eyes flashing with a mixture of disappointment and disdain. Her gaze swept across the room, taking in the stunned faces and the scattered remains of their abandoned snacks. Then, she turned and followed Elianora out of the room, leaving the group to stew in their own embarrassment.

Vanessa watched them go, her mind reeling with questions. She sensed that something was amiss, that Elianora's actions were not entirely driven by her role as future queen. Vanessa knew that Elianora was destined for greatness, that she would one day wear the crown and wield immense power. But she also knew that Elianora was not one to let her emotions get the better of her, not in public, at least.

As she pondered Elianora's motivations, Vanessa's eyes strayed to the empty chair where Elianora had sat. She noticed the subtle way the fabric had been creased by Elianora's weight, the faint impression of her fingers on the armrest. It was as if Elianora's presence still lingered, even after she had departed.

Vanessa's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of whispers and murmurs from the group. They were discussing Elianora's outburst, speculating about her motives and wondering what had driven her to speak out so forcefully. Vanessa tuned in to their conversation, her ears picking up snippets of gossip and speculation.

"...can't believe she spoke to us like that," one of the girls whispered.

"...must be stressed about the upcoming wedding," another girl ventured.

Vanessa listened to their theories, her mind whirling with questions. Without any official background or authority, how had Elianora managed to command such respect and obedience from the group? Why had she chosen to intervene so forcefully, and what had driven her to speak out against the group's behavior? Vanessa's curiosity was piqued, and she couldn't help but wonder what secrets lay beneath Elianora's calm and composed exterior.