Queen of Mean

CHAPTER 33

THE ARISTOCRATS stood from their seats when the door to the dining area opened. Tori entered with her head held high and smiling face, walking behind her were Marchioness Susana, Chieftain Keiran Arin, and Lily. Tori knew that the elusive king of the north was the focal reason why they answered the call, but it would not matter since she would navigate this meeting to her liking.

House of Helisos, House of Harum, and House of Larat did not answer her call to talk about their next move to save the second prince though the key proponents of the game plan that they would be discussing were all here. Count Sozeni who got the weapon trading as his main point, Baron Wolfgang who owned the largest pharmaceutical business in the empire, and Count Tofera who led the food trading industry across the continent were all here.

Heading at the head table, Tori addressed them all with a radiant smile. "Shall we begin?"

LADY SABINA, the rumored future crown princess of the Eckrett Empire, stepped down from the Rozonreff Duchy's carriage with eloquence and grace which amazed the commoners who were waiting for her late arrival. She did it on purpose to make them remember the face of their future queen. Not daring to look at the common folks, Sabina walked towards the Marchioness who was clad in her mourning black-colored dress.

"Marchioness Susana, pardon my tardiness." Sabina curtsied to the Marchioness. She could not wait for the time that she would not need to bend her knee in front of anyone.

She hated wasting her time, but the act that she would put up in this wretched charity façade would make her the saintess that she was known for. The higher echelon, no, the king would approve of this since she was also dragging the first prince's name.

The masses knew that the one sponsoring this charitable act would be their future king, Prince Lauren. And I, the future queen, will be the one handing the foods to their wretched hands. Such honor it is for them to be fed by someone like me.

"It is quite alright, Lady Sabina. Your arrival is perfect. We can now begin distributing foods. The left tent will be my station. The one in the right will be yours." Marchioness Susana walked away from her after smiling at her as if she was a child which irritated Sabina the most. She would be queen! Why did she have to soil her hands for some commoners? They are just my empire's fodder anyway!

Clenching her hand, Sabina was about to head to her station when Marchioness Susana spoke, stopping her in the process. "Don't forget to smile, Lady Sabina."

Sabina forced herself to smile sweetly as she handed the bowl of vegetables to every rotten commoner. Their cries of gratitude and the protruding smell made her recoiled to gag but Shena kept on whispering at her that she needed this to strengthen her political standing in the masses. Every time that her finger grazed their dirty hands, Sabina would flinch or wince. Shena kept on wiping her hands with clean towels every time she would spin.

I hate politics. It is not my thing. Ugh, it is such a sin to make me do this work.

The next commoner in the line was a scrawny child who could barely reach the table that separated her from the commoners. The child's toothy grin frightened her. Sabina was about to give the child the bowl of food when she froze midway upon hearing his words. "I know your mom's house, princess! I like you a lot! I want to be like you too!"

Shena perfectly read her mood. Indeed, she was about to lash out in front of them all. Shena took the bowl from her quivering hand and gave it to the child. "My lady, please rest for a while."