Chapter Twenty-Five:

The Feast

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Three Days Later

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"Hold still," Sophia demanded, her words mumbled through a mouthful of hairpins as she wrestled with Clara's hair. Clara winced as Sophia tugged hard on a particular strand and had to fight to keep from heaving out a sigh.

Ever since Sophia decided that Clara would accompany her to the feast, Clara's life had been more than hectic. Between the antics of her siblings, the pressure of finding the right dress, the awkward conversations that she tried to start with Frederick, and the constantly energetic presence that was Sophia, Clara had not been having a good three days.

Harriet had actually broken a vase when she was practicing with her sword in James' bedroom, much to the amusement of Frederick and the horror of Clara. Clara had apologized repeatedly on Harriet's behalf to Frederick, but all he did was laugh and insist he had been trying to get rid of that vase for ages. Upon looking back, Clara could grudgingly agree that the vase was rather terrible.

The very next day after that, Clara was called in front of the Queen again, this time with Sophia with her, and barely got through the meeting without having a panic attack. The Queen had actually agreed, all the while looking at Clara as if she was particularly confused or puzzled. Clara didn't know what to think of the Queen's expression, but it made her uneasy.

On the same day, Sophia had taken it upon herself to drag Clara into her bedroom and force her to try on dresses that she had brought from Carigan. Unfortunately, Sophia was taller and curvier than Clara, so every dress dragged and was too big around the hips and chest areas. However, Sophia was determined to find Clara a dress "fit for a princess".

Eventually, Sophia "borrowed" a dress from one of the ladies in waiting that her father had appointed her, and she had been reasonably happy with the results, Clara was a little unsure about it though. She was having flashbacks to the ridiculous red dress Edina once wore.

"I'm still not sure about the dress," Clara said, earning herself a tug on the hair when she moved her head.

"Stop moving," Sophia said, tugging on her hair again, The princess had insisted on doing Clara's hair even though it really should've been the other way around with Clara doing Sophia's hair. "And don't be. The dress looks gorgeous."

"It's not exactly subtle," Clara responded.

"Good. If it was subtle no one would notice it. We want you to be noticed, we want you to be the only one who is noticed." Clara frowned at Sophia, meeting her eyes in the mirror. "Stop looking at me like that. Plus, the red looks lovely with your blonde hair, and really, the color isn't even that dark."

Clara still didn't agree with Sophia, but she let the princess do what she wanted to. Sophia probably knew best, it wasn't like Clara had much practice at events like this. Not to mention, Clara had only ever gotten ready with the help of magic so she didn't even have the slightest idea of how to go about doing her hair the right way or what was considered fashionable at court.

Though to be fair, Sophia wasn't wrong about how the dress looked on her. It did compliment her wavy blonde hair, and it brought out the color in her cheeks, making her look healthier than she had been in years. It was odd really.

"Alright. You're done," Sophia said, finally taking her hands away from Clara's hair. It was simply done, for which Clara was thankful for. If her hair had been extravagant as her dress, she wouldn't have felt very comfortable.

"How much time until we go to the feast?" Clara asked, getting up from her seat in front of Sophia's mirror.

"Not too long. Now, remember, make sure you talk with Frederick tonight. Did you manage to clear up the awkwardness between the two of you?"

"Not exactly," Clara said sheepishly. She had tried, she honestly had, but it seemed like after the situation in the throne room he was even less inclined to talk to her than before. "He doesn't seem like he wants to talk with me." Sophia groaned, and shook her head at Clara, rolling her eyes.

"Dear goodness. You two are going to kill me with all of this tension. I am this close to just locking you in one of the towers together and not letting you out until you kiss and makeup," Sophia said holding up her fingers about an inch apart from each other to demonstrate her words. Clara blushed at Sophia's words. She hoped Sophia didn't actually do that.

"Please don't actually do that," Clara pleaded, causing Sophia to raise an eyebrow at her.

"Oh don't worry, I won't," Sophia said, her dark eyes sparkling mischievously as she placed emphasis on the "I". Clara frowned. She definitely didn't believe her. "C'mon, let's leave now. It can't hurt to be early."

Sophia motioned towards the door, and Clara followed her, closing the door behind them. She almost had to trot to keep up with Sophia's long strides, as the princess was very tall, but once Sophia realized Clara was almost jogging, she slowed down.

The halls of the palace were nearly empty except for the occasional servant bustling past, and Clara could feel her anticipation growing. It was one thing to dance at a ball and only have to talk to your partner, it was a whole lot worse to sit down with said partner, their parents, their betrothed (albeit reluctant betrothed), and all of their parent's court. Clara would thank her lucky stars if she made it through the first course.

The day before Sophia had quizzed Clara on the proper etiquette of a dinner such as this one, but even knowing to work her way towards her plate with her silverware and not lean forward and not slurp her soup, Clara still couldn't shake the feeling that something would go wrong.

It seemed like something always went wrong when Clara planned something. It would be nice if something at least partially went to plan.

The feast was going to be in the Royal Dining Room, and Clara wasn't particularly looking forward to being stuck in a room with nineteen other people far higher in rank than her for two hours. Sophia had told her not to worry about people knowing she wasn't nobility, but Clara still did.

She hadn't told Sophia that she had once been Lady Clara Marie Corden, but she figured it was for the best. She wasn't nobility anymore, so it wouldn't make much of a difference.

The pair stopped in front of the doors to the dining room and waited to be announced.

"Are you sure you should be coming in with me? This is your engagement feast," Clara whispered to Sophia as they waited. However, Sophia just scoffed.

"It is not exactly a secret anymore that I do not wish to marry the prince. They should be lucky they could even convince me to leave the room." Sophia smirked. "Plus that was the agreement I had with the Queen once you left the room. If you were allowed to come, I would agree to come."

Clara nodded, still unsure, but went with it, as the doors had been opened and they were both being announced. Every single person in the room turned to watch as Sophia and Clara came in, Clara trying in vain to hide behind the princess. Some of them nobles didn't look so bad, but Clara caught a number of them looking at her in distaste. Could they really tell just by looking at her that she didn't belong?

"Don't pay attention to them," Sophia murmured in Clara's ear. "Don't let them know that their looks bother you. You let them know, and you let them win." With that Sophia grabbed hold of Clara's arm and tugged her over to where Frederick was standing.

He was already looking at them when they started towards him, and Clara felt like laughing at the sight of his expression. He looked as if his worst nightmare had come true, but then he quickly covered it up, aware of how many people were watching.

"You look lovely, my lady," he said to Sophia, kissing her hand before his eyes flicked over to Clara. He cleared his throat. "As do you, Miss Corden." He held her gaze for a moment and then looked back to Sophia. "I was not aware you were acquainted with Miss Corden, your highness."

"Oh yes, we just met the other day, but we have become instant friends," Sophia responded, her eyes glittering as they looked back to Clara's. "We definitely had a lot to bond over."

Frederick looked decidedly uncomfortable but chose to not ask about the statement. It was implied when Sophia stared at him rather pointedly what the princess was talking about as far as the subject of who they bonded over was.

"How nice," he finally settled on saying, and Clara could see Sophia's inner struggle to not smirk. "If you will excuse me, I believe my mother is calling for me." He bowed briefly to Sophia, nodded at Clara, and walked away as if he had the devil snapping at his heels. As soon as he was out of earshot the sound of an amused snort caused the girls to turn around.

"If he runs at the sight of two women, I'd hate to see what he would do if he saw a dragon," the person said, and Clara recognized him as Prince Leopold, Frederick's friend.

"Scream, probably," Sophia said with a smile. "Thank goodness there is no such thing as dragons."

"I wouldn't be so sure, but alas, at least we know dear Frederick will be spared from that fate. I believe he is facing more of a specific nightmare tonight, the kind that every man dreads," Prince Leopold replied. Sophia seemed to understand what he was saying instantly and let out a tinkling laugh, and Clara just laughed along. She didn't get it, but she didn't want them to know that.

"Am I right in assuming that you will be sitting across from me at dinner?" Prince Leopold said, directing his question at Clara.

"I believe so."

"Excellent. Then I will see you when the first course begins. If you will excuse me, ladies, I have a coward to go find," he said the words jokingly and left Sophia and Clara to go find Frederick, much to Clara's relief. She liked Leopold well enough, he just was a bit different from Frederick. He had a much more sardonic sense of humor, and he tended to be more intense, though still humorous when he wanted to be.

"You didn't understand the joke, did you?" Sophia asked out of the corner of her mouth as she and Clara began to make the rounds of the room. Clara shook her head, causing Sophia to sigh. "Alright, after this, we are definitely going to need to give you a lesson in subtle humor." Clara glanced at Sophia in confusion but didn't get her answer as the King suddenly called for everyone to be seated.

Sophia hurried Clara along by pushing her ahead of her, and Clara found herself sitting across from Prince Leopold in very little time, Sophia on her right side. On the other side of Sophia were diplomats from Carigan, while on Clara's left was a lady she had seen around the court the past few days. Clara was just looking over to where everyone else was seated when the King tapped his knife on his glass.

"Welcome everyone! Tonight I have called you here to celebrate the engagement of my son, Prince Frederick, to Princess Sophie of Carigan." Clara frowned. Her name was Sophia, not Sophie, but clearly, the King hadn't realized he made a mistake. "I bid them good luck and well wishes, and I ask you to do the same. May their union be particularly beneficial and fruitful for all involved." He raised his glass and everyone at the table followed suit. "To the Prince and Princess! Let's begin!"

The words were echoed down the table and they all drank, but when Clara glanced at Sophia she wasn't surprised to see she didn't look happy.

"Did he really just basically say that he hoped he would benefit and that I would produce children?" Sophia whispered in Clara's ear, "Or did I imagine it?"

"Unfortunately, no you didn't, Princess Sophie," Clara quipped, smiling slightly as Sophia visibly fought to contain her signature eye roll. Their conversation was interrupted by the serving of the first course, and Clara was relieved to see it was just soup. Soup she could handle.

Following Sophia's lead, she took the spoon farthest from her plate and used it to try the soup, pleasantly surprised to find that it was slightly sweet. "It's a common dish in Carigan," Sophia explained in Clara's ear. "However, for some reason, here it is considered a delicacy. Even I know how to make it."

"Well, it is very good. What is in it?" Sophia didn't get to answer as suddenly the woman on the other side interrupted their conversation.

"What is your name, girl?" She said, her voice carrying down the table, and Clara turned to her hesitantly.

"Clara Corden."

"Ah, that explains it. You are clearly not nobility. Any person of high standing would recognize Carigan's Celeri-rave Soup." Clara swallowed uncomfortably at the woman's words. They had the attention of the whole table now, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw the King and Queen watching the exchange closely.

"If you are not nobility, then why are you here?" The man across from the woman asked. Clara flushed.

"She is my guest," Sophia answered, for Clara, laying a hand on her arm. "She is a good friend of mine."

"I see. Well, I must know who your parents are. Surely the Princess of Carigan would not spend time with a peasant," the woman laughed, as did a few of the other occupants at the table. "Are they part of the merchant class? Some of them are terribly wealthy."

"No, my lady," Clara answered, trying to keep her face straight and her voice from shaking. "My parents are Samuel and Katherine Corden."

"Oh, that is a pity, to be born to peasants. Well, your family must be very proud of you to have gained such a high-ranked friend." Clara's jaw clenched with the effort to keep tears from her eyes, and she felt a foot nudge hers under the table. Assuming it was Sophia's she nudged it back, thankful for the subtle action to try and distract her.

"Her parents were not peasants," A quiet voice at the other end of the table suddenly called, causing her head to snap upwards. Her eyes widened as she realized that it was the Queen. "On the contrary, actually. She did not include their titles." The Queen was now looking at her with a curious expression on her face. "Her parents' full names were Lord Samuel Corden, Duke of Endershen, and Lady Katherine Corden, Duchess of Endershen."

Everyone in the room was now looking back and forth between Queen Marianne and Clara. All the while Clara was silently praying to whatever god would listen, begging them to just let her sink into the ground and never return. She didn't want to have to answer the question she knew was coming next.

"Why didn't you say just say so, my dear?" The woman on her left said, her spoon placed on the tablecloth, despite the fact it was considered improper etiquette.

"My apologies, but-" Clara was suddenly earned a swift kick in the shin by Sophia, stopping her from finishing her sentence.

"But she is ever so modest. She is funny that way. She spends a lot of time helping out the people of Endershen, so she isn't entirely used to calling herself Lady Corden," Sophia smoothly finished for her, her grip on Clara's arm tightening to signal to Clara to not say a word.

"I see. Well, that's lovely of you dear," the woman said, finally turning back to her meal. Almost everyone else did as well, but Clara looked up to see Frederick staring at her. She shook her head at him. She would have to somehow explain later.

"Why didn't you tell me you were a lady?" Sophia hissed in her ear as the servants set down the next course.

"Because I'm not!" Clara whispered back. "My stepmother took the title barely a month after she married my father." Sophia stared at her and then scowled.

"Do you know nothing of social rank? It doesn't work like that. You would still have the title of Lady. All children of Dukes get titles that can't be transferred. The only title your stepmother would've gotten is the title of Duchess, which wouldn't have been your title to give anyway."

"I don't understand," Clara said. "My father's lawyer said she took my title."

"Then your father's lawyer is an imbecile. Courtesy titles, the titles given to children of high-ranking nobility, can't be transferred to anyone."

"Are you saying I'm still technically a Lady?"

"Yes!" Sophia hissed at her through her teeth. "I don't know how you could've believed otherwise."

Clara sat back in her chair, staring at her plate. She was still a Lady? How- But- Her father hadn't said anything, he hadn't argued. Had it all been a misunderstanding?

"Sophia," she whispered. "Then why wouldn't my father have said something?" It was now Sophia's turn to sport a confused expression.

"I'm not sure. All I know is that the Queen clearly knew about your parents. I think your best bet would be to ask her."

"But wouldn't she have known about my parentage before and not let that whole fiasco in the throne room happen?" Sophia just shrugged and turned back to her meal.

"Maybe she didn't recognize you." Sophia's face suddenly brightened. "Well, I guess you could say you definitely accomplished the "proving to a certain idiot you are an actual option" part of the plan."

"What do you mean?" Clara asked, her voice lower than Sophia's, not wanting said idiot to overhear her.

"Princes marry ladies all the time!" Clara stared back at her in shock as Sophia went back to her food. She was still quiet when the next course was set in front of her, having not touched a single item on her plate before.

"You know, Lady Corden, the food isn't going to leap off of your plate if you stop watching it," Prince Leopold said to her, causing Clara to look up at him and laugh a little, albeit weakly.

"Are you sure? It looks rather... red." The current course was a type of meat that didn't look entirely cooked, and Clara really wasn't sure if it was safe to eat. Prince Leopold laughed at her words.

"I'm positive. Try it, I promise it is rather good," Prince Leopold said, taking a bite of his own meal.

"I'd advise you to eat it, Lady Corden," a voice on Leopold's left called, and Clara looked up to meet Frederick's eyes. "It is the second to last course and the next isn't all that large."

Clara nodded, in answer, looking back down at her plate in silence. Those were the most words Frederick had said to her since that day in the attic. She hesitantly placed a piece of the meat in her mouth and was glad to find it wasn't nearly as bad as she'd thought it would be.

She didn't participate in much of the small talk of the table, instead favoring listening. She had just been overhearing a particularly interesting story from one of the noblemen about their travels abroad when suddenly a loud choking noise was made from the corner of the room.

Everyone turned in their seats to watch as servants swarmed around one of the servers, who was slowly turning purple. Clara kept her widened eyes focused on the choking man, even as she heard the lady beside her swoon in a dead faint as blood started to dribble out of the serving man's mouth. She was just getting out of her seat when someone grabbed hold of her arm. Turning back around she saw that Frederick had reached across the table to stop her.

"Don't go near him, you don't know what he has swallowed. If he were to cough it up, I'm not sure it would be safe."

"What he has swallowed?" Clara asked, once Frederick let go of her arm.

"He's one of the food testers," he told her, before moving over to stand by his parents.

"Someone get him to the court physician," the Queen said, shepherding the servants along. "Go, tend to him, we'll be fine." The man was carried out swiftly by all of the servants but one, who was standing in front of the king.

"Whose meal was he tasting?" The King demanded forcefully. "Hurry boy, tell me!" The servant paled, stumbling over his words.

"My ap-apologies, your highness. The meal he was t-testing was P-Prince Frederick's."

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What did you think of this chapter? Did it surprise you? Are you glad that Clara is still technically a Lady? Tell me in the comments!