To Love, Once Again

Chapter 81

"Save us, M'lady!"

"Please, save us!"

The brunette woman, plain features looking even younger with the lack of makeup, grasps Sera's hands, her eyes pleading.

"What-"

Many of the women kneeled before Sera, some with their hands clasped together as if they were praying to her. What was going on!? The proud nobles would never, ever do something like this usually. And in such a rough state too, as if they'd come straight from their beds to the castle.

Clearing her throat, Sera tried to ask them what was going on, but it was impossible to be heard above the begging pleas of all the ladies.

"Excuse me-"

Some of them begin to wail, holding silk handkerchiefs to their eyes as they bemoaned their fate.

"Uhm-"

Sera's voice was completely drowned out by their cries, while others tugged at her skirts. Goosebumps rose on Sera's skin, seeing the women so wildly distraught with hair flying everywhere. But with the way things were now, Sera wouldn't be able to ask the women what was going on. 

Craning her neck behind her as Sera looks to Fawn, Hilda, and the other maids for help. Though some of them entered the fray to prevent the women from completely overpowering Sera, the best they could do was support the nobles. Fawn had her hands full trying to calm an older noblewoman who was leaning towards the hysterical, with great, shuddering sobs. The way she was crying reminded Sera of one of the actresses in the operas Lucien took her to, heaving her shoulders up and down and blowing her nose in the handkerchief Fawn offered her.

Hilda had given up on trying to get the noblewomen to calm down, instead arranging for more maids to prepare some more fresh tea.

More tugging on her dress makes Sera look back down. "Lady Sera! Haven't you heard what happened in the capital last night! Please, save us!!" 

Sera was on her own. None of the maids, not even Hilda, the Head Maid, could help her. If this was Sera before, she would have waited for the noblewomen to calm down, speaking to them in warm gentle tones as was proper of a lady.

"Lady Sera!"

"Ladies-"

"Help us!

"Let's take a deep breath-"

"Lady Sera!!"

That was it. Lucien had said Sera no longer had to be bound. She had the authority to do as she saw fit. And Sera did not have the patience to wait for each and every single woman in this room to come to their sentence in their own time.

Wrangling her fingers out of the firm grasp of the noble lady in a blue nightgown, she brings two fingers to her mouth-

FWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!

A sharp, piercing whistles out between her lips.

Every face looks up at her in surprise, frozen mid-cry. 

Clank.

Even Hilda, who had been arranging the fresh pots of warm tea from the kitchen freezes, accidentally dropping a spoon. 

Withdrawing the fingers from her mouth, Sera's lips curve in a soft smile as she gestures over to the long table.

In a warm, soothing tone, "Ladies, now that I have your attention, may I suggest we converse over some warm tea?" Sera asks.

As if brought out of a spell, the women dry their tears, faces reddening in embarrassment as they get up from their positions on the floor.

"This way, m'ladies."