Daphne woke up the next day with a banging headache. She groaned loudly, rubbing her temple.
"My lady, you're awake," Agnes said, looking at her. She looks beat up, just how much did she drink? Daphne opened her eyes and she looked at Agnes in front of her. Her eyes were a bit blurry and she felt nauseous.
"I feel so tired," she mumbled with a hoarse voice. Daphne would have never thought this is how she would feel later after drinking. She loved the feeling of the alcohol, she loved how warm and carefree it made her, it definitely made her forget all her worries. But she hates the aftermath, her head felt like a stone and her neck couldn't bear the weight.
"The queens have invited you for breakfast, my lady," Agnes said, looking at her in pity.
"Must I go?" she asked.
"Yes, my lady. It's better if you attend," Agnes said and Daphne nodded her head. Looking at her princess, she wonders if she should inform her of what is happening in the palace. The gossip is going around, but she looks like she has a headache. The alcohol is still in her system, there was no need telling her yet, she would tell her after breakfast. Agnes just hopes the queen won't disturb her today.
"Help me, please," she said and Agnes smiled. She looks so much like a baby with her messy hair. But she helped her, taking her to the bath house. The bath didn't take long and soon, they were done and headed to the dining room. Daphne's head was still banging and she felt so lazy to walk. She wished she was allowed to stay in her room instead, she would have slept all through. She got to the dining room, ignoring all the stares and whispers to the servants.
The dining door was opened and Daphne noticed it was quiet today. Immediately she entered, they all turned to her and Daphne noticed all the harsh glares. She wondered why they looked at her like that, but she ignored it. She wanted to sit down before she fainted. A sigh left her as she sat down, closing her eyes shut.
"Are you okay, my lady?" Agnes asked, noticing the sweat on her forehead. She opened her eyes, nodding her head. But Daphne looked pale, her radiant skin lost color and she was sweating. The queens grew more angry, she only got here and so many things are already happening. They were all shocked to hear his majesty invited her for dinner, Madeline is on house arrest and the poor woman has been running crazy asking for his majesty's attention. And she is here, acting like she doesn't know what happened? Surely, the young princess is a sly fox.
"Here is the hangover soup," Agnes said and Daphne smiled softly in appreciation, drinking it. The soup burned her tongue but the hotness of it made her feel better.
"What's wrong with her lady?" Queen Aurora asked, looking at Daphne. Agnes bowed her head slightly wondering why she was asking, not like the Queen cares about her lady.
"My lady had too much to drink, your majesty," she said and Aurora hummed, turning to Daphne.
"I hope her lady feels better now," Queen Aurora said. She is the first queen of this kingdom and she has been married to his majesty for 13 years. She is not the one to talk much, maybe that's what makes her so devious.
"Yes, I do. Your majesty," Daphne replied with the same tone she used in addressing her. Aurora smiled.
"Of course you do, the entire palace has been talking about you after what happened between her lady and his majesty," she said and Daphne frowned. She wondered why the servants gossiped and she also wondered why they all glared at her, it was because of his majesty? But why?
"Is there anything special about spending time with his majesty?" she asked and they let out a scoff. What a naive little girl. His majesty has never invited any of them for dinner, they are the ones who always plan the dinner and hope to the lord he grace them with his presence. But this is her second morning here in the palace and his majesty already planned a dinner for her, carrying her to her chambers all this in one night.
"Her lady is surely naive," Aurora said, looking at her. Daphne was still confused, nobody was saying anything and they were glaring at her in hate. She breathed out, deciding to ignore the queen, eat her breakfast and head back to her chambers and that is what she did.
The servants in the dining room whispered at the utter disrespect, how dare she ignore the first queen while Daphne wasn't aware of what was happening and Agnes knew her young lady was so clueless. No one was eating except her and she wondered if she would ever survive in the palace, she was sure none of the queen's liked her. The door opened and his majesty walked in. He was in his official robe, looking refreshed from the amazing dinner he had in the night. They all stood up, bowing their heads to greet him and Daphne wanted to copy their movement only to fall back on their chair, her eyes turning. She is not drinking anytime soon.