The Stained Lilly

“Announcing the arrival of Lady Sayuri of House Warbell!” 

The many Ladies and Lords in the room fell silent only for a moment as I stepped into the ballroom. I straightened my back and held my head high.

My fiancé, the Crown Prince of Laherion, gave no sign of acknowledgement. At his side stood a beautiful young woman, her blonde tresses fell in wavy turrets down her back and framed her most perfect face, from which peered doe brown eyes. I felt a pang in my chest at the sight.

Only a month prior, she had appeared seemingly out of thin air, claiming to have come from “another world”.

At first, I had not been bothered. The girl's wild claims were surely a result of some form of mania and I needed not dwell on that unpleasant matter. However, when my fiancé, Giustino, became entranced by this strange woman, I could no longer put the matter out of my mind.

Not only had the woman managed to ensnare Giustino in her clutches, but she had then proceeded to do all manner of improper and unladylike things.

Today, I would put an end to this absurd act of hers. I made my usual rounds about the ballroom, greeting and socializing as I had done for many years.

As I made my way toward my fiancé, and in doing so, toward the woman for whom I held nothing but rage, I reflected on the many things she had done to earn my wrath.

She had improperly approached Giustino first, and, after not even abiding by proper etiquette, she had demanded things not only of Giustino, but of other women's fiance’s as well.

I had at least thought Giustino would have the decency of avoiding the woman’s advances, but instead he had demanded that I, of all people, should help her!

My rage was now directed at him. The very thought of what he had done to me made my blood boil. For today's ball, a coming of age celebration, had been organized by none other than myself! The audacity of the situation had made me tremble.

It was one thing for a woman who had gone insane to snare so many men in her conniving claws, but it was another thing for said men to go along with her demands.

Putting on my most dazzling smile, I approached Giustino and the girl. She had not left his side, even for a moment. Most improper behavior!

I gracefully introduced myself to her and greeted my fiance. I then turned to the girl.

“What a lovely outfit you have on.” I said, eyeing her dainty outfit. “It outshines even Giustino who seems so smitten by it.” Many ladies nearby gasped at my crude words, I had practically said that the woman was no more than her clothes and to get out of Giustino’s hair. No wonder they thought it crude.

My smile widened as I layed on the insults.

“What manner of craftsmanship did you use on your outfit? Did you use Madam Creme’s method?” More gasps of shock. Madam creme was known for using the lowest quality dresses.

The woman blushed and smiled shyly. The nerve! Did she not know that I had just majorly insulted her? My brow twitched, rage flooding through my heart. I gripped my wine glass tighter.

If she truly did not see how very foolish her actions were, then so be it! Seeing no other way, I decided to give this accursed woman one last chance.

Letting my smile widen, I gave the scariest, most serious look I could muster. It must have worked as the woman grew pale and blinked rapidly up at me.

“I will be frank with you since you do not seem to realize the position you are in,” I said. “You have disgraced yourself and humiliated me and many other women with your actions!” The girl gasped and began to tremble.

“Sa—” Giustino began to say my name, stepping protectively in front of the woman. I turned my wrath on him now, unperturbed.

“You!” I glared up at him. His stunning blue eyes and black hair had once enraptured me. Now however, I felt nothing but contempt. “You have ruined your reputation and allowed this woman’s claws to dig in. You have humiliated me. If you wish to repair our relationship, apologize now and remove this unsightly woman!”

My fiancé grew pale, then his face flushed red with anger. But I was not done. I proceeded to scold him, knowing exactly how improper it was to stand up against Royalty in such a formal setting.

Though each of my words shattered my own reputation further, I no longer cared. I had endured a whole month of humiliation and now that I was unleashing the full force of my rage, I found I was more at peace now than I ever had been.

“Do not speak out of turn!” Giustino exclaimed, “What do you think you are doing? Rei is not just any woman!” He was clearly enraged, but so was I, and I certainly did not care what that woman’s name was.

“Um!” Rei stepped forward now, trembling but with a determined look on her face.

I glared at her, a warning to stay out of this if she knew what was good for her.

“It is not his fault!” Rei exclaimed. The look on her face annoyed me to no end. Who was she to defy me!

I lifted the glass of wine, hands shaking, and poured the contents over her head.

Taro, the head knight, stepped forwards. He picked up the shocked woman and turned to me, there was anger in his eyes. I remembered then that he was also one such fiancé who had been caught in the girls' snare. It mattered not. No, I cared not anymore how many men were so disgraceful.

I turned back to Giustino, curtseyed, then, with spiteful words of farewell, I turned and left my shocked fiancé, escaping from the stares of the many.

I would need to plan out my next steps to completely obliterate those fools!

“Lady Sayuri.” I turned around. From the depths of the garden’s shadows came a man in his mid thirties.

“Lady Sayuri,” He repeated, bowing low.

“I am Lord Zaim of house Sleermour. May I have a moment of your precious time?” I glanced down the cobbled path towards the carriage awaiting me. I had no confidence that I could be courteous while still in this foul mood.

“Speak fast, I do not wish to tarry long.”

Zaim raised his eyes and an oily smile splayed across his face.

“I wish to be of use to you m'lady.” Hm? And what could he have meant by that?

“Whatever do you mean?” I inquired, now intrigued. 

“Exactly as I said. I wish to be of use to you in whatever you wish.” I searched his face for any signs of a lie, and, finding only sincerity, I was satisfied.

It was generally indecent to make such agreements with one you did not know well. Let alone a woman such as I with a man such as him, but if Giustino found no issue with it, neither would I.

A true smile played at my lips as I put forward my hand and Zaim knelt before me.

“Do you swear to abide by your promises? Swear loyalty to me only, and do everything in your power for me at my command?”

“Yes”

“Do you swear on your name, on your honor and your life?” Joy and hope bloomed in my chest at his answer. I now was one step closer to achieving my goal. My revenge.

With great conviction, Zaim said, “I do.”