Page 65 of Villainess's Redemption
“Embroidery!” Seraphina chirped.
“And Painting!” Rosalind chimed in.
Go to hell both of you! Why don’t we just host a ‘Let’s Humiliate Ilyana and bury her alive’ festival while we’re at it?
The Queen beamed. “Splendid ideas! Does anyone else have suggestions?”
As more women offered up various handicrafts which I was terrible at too, I sat there, sweating enough to water half the plants in this blasted greenhouse. Even Laurel must be cringing. She knew very well how terrible I was at all of these suggestions.
My mother, who was sitting a few chairs away from me, must have sensed my distress since she knew all about my wonderful talents which should be kept hidden.
“If I may, Your Majesty,” she interjected, “handcrafted items take considerable time to create. With the Spring Ball approaching, we’d have at most two weeks, not accounting for other event preparations.”
Well done, Mother!
But my relief was short-lived. The Queen’s brow furrowed. “What else can we do if not handcrafted work? We need something to sell, otherwise it’ll simply become a donation camp.”
A heavy silence fell over the gathering.Think, Ilyana.So, without thinking, I blurted out, “Cooking!”
As expected, every head swiveled in my direction, eyes wide with shock. I cleared my throat, willing my voice not to waver. “I mean… I can cook. I could set up a stall and sell food.”
The horror on their faces would have been comical if it weren’t so insulting. After all that was how I provided for my family in exile. Queen Felicia’s eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t know you could cook, Ilyana.”
I didn’t dare look at my mother. I could feel her stare burning into the side of my face like a branding iron. No noble ladies knew how to cook. Even I didn’t, only learning this skill to survive.
Lady Seraphina’s tinkling laugh cut through the tension. “Isn’t that… beneath us?”
Beneath us? That ungrateful, good-for-nothing cow. She had the audacity to say this while munching on a cookie.
I lifted my chin, meeting her gaze with steely determination. “Food is important, be it for the rich, poor, or noble. No one should be ashamed to know how to cook,” I paused, allowing my words to sink in. “In fact, I’d argue that understanding the art of preparing a meal gives us a deeper appreciation for the sustenance we often take for granted. It connects us to the very essence of life and reminds us of our shared humanity. After all, even kings must eat.”
A murmur of agreement rippled through the gathering. I caught a flash of admiration in the Queen’s eyes.
To my surprise, Rosalind spoke up. I tensed, preparing for an attack that didn’t come. “If I may, Your Majesty. I think Lady Ilyana’s idea is quite innovative. In that vein, I could offer to play the violin at a stall.”
As if a dam had broken, ideas began to flow freely. One lady offered to dance, another to recite poetry, and yet another to write personalized verses for customers. With each suggestion, Seraphina’s smile drooped a little more, and the vestiges of evilness in me smiled a bit too much at that.
Queen Felicia clapped her hands together, her face alight with enthusiasm. “I’m so proud of you all. This is truly a brilliant idea. We’ll showcase the many talents of our noble ladies while raising funds for a worthy cause. This will truly be a unique charity event.”
As the chatter around me grew, I allowed myself a small, triumphant smile. Not bad for a day’s work, Ilyana. You might just survive this time after all.
“Lady Ilyana,” Rosalind’s voice pulled me from my reverie. “Since this cooking idea was yours, perhaps you’d like to give us a little taste of your skill? I’m sure we’re all curious about your culinary skills.”
“Yes, I’m very curious indeed. Isn’t that right your Majesty?” Seraphina chirped in with a smug smile.
While my smugness evaporated faster than morning dew under the scorching sun. Oh, shit.
As I caught sight of Rosalind’s knowing smirk. It was then that I realized why she so readily agreed with me - this had been a trap. And I’d walked right into it.
Well played, Rosalind. Well played indeed.
It wasn’t that I couldn’t cook but without any preparation and for so many people, it would be hard even for a seasoned chef.
Queen Felicia took a sip of her tea and nodded. “Yes, yes. I would love to see what Ilyana can cook up but let’s enjoy the tea right now. We’ll have plenty of time to witness her culinary skill later, won’t we, Ilyana?”
I was shocked when she looked at me with a conspiratorial smile. Did she just help me out right now?
“Yes, of course. I’ll be glad to show my skill.”
