The oldest of the bunch stood up. He had been quiet throughout. The nobleman had been an old friend of the late governor. He laid his palms against the thick table, his orange eyes directing a deathly glare at Ro.
He had always hated the way she looked. The way she carried her head held high. The way she hardly seemed affected by what happened around her. The way she had been able to rein in the servants of her residence. And most importantly, the way the late governor had cowered in her presence.
The disgraceful woman herself seemed to run on pure sorcery he did not understand.
"You are a disgrace. A stain upon the very earth, the moment you came out of that wretched woman. Her disgusting blood rubbed off on you, and your rotten soul amplified it tenfold!"
Everyone went wide-eyed. Ro included.
She blinked once, twice, thrice, slowly. Then she rose. The heavy chair scraped softly against the marble floor, the sound far too gentle for the fury that brewed beneath her skin.
She remained standing, her expression unreadable.
Then she sat back down, clasping her hands on her lap.
"I did not know you were so pressed at being rejected. Being turned down by both mother and daughter must have been so devastating for you," she let out, her voice icy and harsh.
The chamber went deathly still. Even the lamps seemed to momentarily dim under the weight of her words.
She continued, "Has the ego gone so high up your heads that you do not…"
Ro paused, her jaw locking in place. Bad mouthing the Emperor so openly would be treasonous. Even if she was no longer in Erzi.
Unbridled fury bristled underneath the noble's reddened face. He would have very much liked to hit her. So would the other men in the room.
It had happened before.
Far too many times.
From her father, and from other men after that.
No matter how many had tried, no one ever succeeded in lashing the stubbornness out of her.
Even her tears, they never saw it.
Only one person did.
Her father was the first and last person to ever witness her break.
And it would remain that way.
Ro's lips broke out into a sinister smile. "I do not know what you have all planned. But trust me, it will fail."
There had to be another agenda behind this situation. The emperor and his aides would have never decided on something so foolish just for the fun of it. Fern would have most likely suggested sending her over in place of his sister, and for some strange reason, the old emperor had approved.
A twitch ticked at her jaw as her smile faded. Regardless of the outcome, she would be escaping soon.
Fern's forehead furrowed in annoyance. "Such blasphemy against the emperor—"
"What is he going to do? Drag me back to Erzi and look for another bride?" The nobles jolted in their seats, their faces reddening, but Ro continued. "It is shameful enough that you came in such small numbers for a diplomatic ceremony. Imagine now rescinding the offer, a mere day before the event. Do you even realise that you are acting in respect to this nation, not me?"
They bit their lips, refusing to say any more words. Ro traced a finger over the fine grain of the table. She was almost there, and they refused to bite.
She frowned. It didn't matter regardless. Letting pettiness rule her thoughts would backfire. If Iver was actually listening, all that had been said so far would be suitable enough to form a solid conclusion.
The fact that she had no power over the decision that had been made involving her.
Ro stood from her seat. "This might be taking too long. I will go—"
The doors creaked open. Iver stepped in, the heavy folds of his dark coat dragging faintly against the floor. His expression was unreadable, but the tension that followed him made everyone's spines stiffen.
Ro monitored their expressions closely. Most of them stared in horror. They had certainly never seen anyone that big, neither had they expected it.
He paused mid-stride and his lips spread out in a polite smile. "Please, forgive my delay. Welcome to Lispa."
All the servants of the castle strolled in, with Laire coming in to close the doors behind them.
The Erzi nymphs all stood to convey their greetings. Iver raised his hand, waving away the action.
"Please, be seated," he suggested, making his way to Ro's side. "I appreciate you taking the long journey to come here."
"It is no problem," one of the noble Lords stood up with a mixture of anxiety and politeness smeared across his face. "We are happy to be here and were most gladly welcomed."
Ro stilled as Iver laid a hand on her shoulder, the sudden touch catching her by surprise.
The servants got to work, uncovering the dishes and setting the plates. Thankfully, due to Ro's suggestions and advice to the other servants, the meals contained more fruits and vegetables than meat. The meaty broths and dishes looked soft and delicate, too, while steaming hot.
His gaze swept the table. "I trust the preparations meet your expectations?"
The nobles murmured affirmations. None met his eyes for long.
His hand lifted from her shoulder, and Ro took her seat. Fern tightly clutched his cup of freshly poured water.
"We are honoured to be received with such hospitality," one of the officials seated close to Fern added quickly.
Iver nodded and took his seat. "That is good. Please, enjoy yourselves."
The guests chatted, and much to their surprise, Iver included her a lot in the conversation. The disdainful glances from Tury and the other older woman soon turned envious, their attention shifting more to the man at her side. Ro felt uneasy through it all. Iver was polite, but his calm voice carried a consistently thin edge she had never noticed before. And the smiles he shared that evening also never reached his eyes.